But,ugh, I just couldn’t turn him down. Like physically. He’s got thispullI can’t fight. I’d forgotten about it since I hadn’t seen him in years, but it explains why the sex was so good.
I scoff, then snort. Good? No, that doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was mind-blowing. And the fact that it wasmyBen—whom I never thought I’d see again, let alone fuck—makes it even more head-spinning.
And he’s coming over tonight.
“Fuck, Charlie. What are you going to do?”
My phone rings then, making me jump. But it’s just Ethan.
“Hey, what’s up? You need something?” I say, rushing out the words as I glance at the dirty clothes I’ve collected.
“It’s lovely to hear your voice too, dear brother,” Ethan says as a video request pops up.
I accept it. “You are calling because you need something. We just saw each other earlier,” I speculate, knowing my brother too well.
He hums, a wolfish smile accompanying the suspicious gleam in his eyes. “So, you and Ben…”
I gape at him. Oh god. Please don’t tell me he noticed. “What about me and Ben?”
He scowls, bunching his eyebrows so tightly he looks like he’s suffering from constipation. This doesn’t bode well. “C’mon, Charlie. You think I’m blind or something? What’s going on between you two? Did you hookup?”
My cheeks catch fire. Fuck, this is so embarrassing, and he hasn’t even started lecturing me about going after his best friend yet.
“Oh.” Ethan grins. “About time one of you made the move.”
I blink at him. “Wait, what?”
He gives me a conspiratorial smile. “You still like him, don’t you? So, good for you that you’re finally taking your shot.”
My mouth hangs. “You… areokaywith that? Withus? Even though Ben is your best friend and I’m your brother?”
He snorts. “If there is one person I trust to have your best interests in mind, it’s him.”
I look up at the ceiling, my neck tingling with heat. Oh my god. This conversation has become embarrassing for a whole other reason now.
When I don’t say anything and just continue to do my best to try and not look my brother in the eyes, he chuckles. “You are both adults. It’s none of my business who you date as long as your partners are decent. And I can personally vouch for both of you.”
Except we are just friends-with-benefits. But I think I can spare my brother that detail for now. Being called out on what I thought was a secret I was very good at hiding is enough embarrassment for one day.
Someone shouts my brother’s name in the background. He sighs. “I gotta go now, but we’ll hang out again. I’ll give you a call.”
Ethan clicks off. I just look at the wall for a few minutes, processing what just happened. I guess my brother knows about me and Ben. And I guess he doesn’t mind. That’s… good, if a little anticlimactic compared to the reaction I expected.
This new development is still sinking in as I toss the laundry into the washing machine and turn it on.I’m cleaning up because Ben is coming over soon.I take a deep breath.You’ve got this.It’s just sex, nothing more. You’re over him. You moved on from your crush years ago. He’s just coming here to hang out and have sex with you. It’s for fun because you happen to have killer chemistry. That’s all.
Slapping my cheeks for encouragement, I slip into the shower. I don’t have a lot of time, so I am quick and efficient, spending the majority of it picking what to wear. I probably shouldn’t care so much, but I do want to bounce on top of his massive ribbed magic wand, so maximizing my chances of making that happen is what I intend to do.
I glance at the third drawer, a buzz spreading through me. Black jockstrap it is. I toss it on once I’ve toweled myself dry, and then follow up with the extra snug pair of shorts I almost never wear. They are not the most comfortable, but they make my ass look amazing. They also make it possible to tell exactly what kind of underwear I’m wearing. For my top, I put on the hoodie with my favorite spaceship. It’s a little big on me, so it reaches the middle of my ass and partially hides its very prominent outline. That’s perfect—it completes the teasingly sexy style I’mgoing for, so Ben doesn’t think I’m throwing myself at him or something.
Which, technically, I am, but I can at least pretend that I’m not. Despite my initial apprehension and how messy this whole thing is, after stewing in my own thoughts all afternoon, I decided I’m going to enjoy the sex part of it. It would be stupid not to. Plus, it’s the best way to embrace my new debaucherous lifestyle and erase all remnants of old Charlie who believed there was a person out there meant only for him.
The door rings just as my mind is about to spiral down into that place I hate to visit. I throw a quick last glance at the mirror—I look positively delicious, and I bet he won’t be able to keep his hands off my bare thighs—and pad out of the room with a bottle of lube. Stashing that on the bottom shelf of the end table next to the modern couch in my living room, I take a deep breath and answer the door.
“Hi, Char—lie,” Ben fumbles, his eyes sliding up and down my body as if he’s never seen another human before. The bag he’s holding halts halfway as he lifts it.
I grab it and take a peek. There are snacks, drinks and ice cream. Perfect. “I see you come prepared.”
His forehead scrunches like he’s trying to get his brain to brain but the poor thing is having major lag issues because of how hot I am. “Yeah…”
