Page 14 of F Buddy

“Oh, come on. I can see that look on your face, Scarlett, the one that tells me this story isn’t over yet. Will you be seeing each other again?”

“Of course, we’ll see each other,” I said innocently. “We know the same people, Olivia, and the people in our group like to get together often.”

She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean group meets, and you know it.”

Yeah, I knew. Still, I held my tongue, watching her grow more frustrated the longer I stayed quiet until I couldn’t anymore, and my small smile blew into a full grin.

“We might, possibly, meet up for a little fun again.”

Olivia squealed, and the look on her face made me think she would jump me. Just in case, I slid back a little.

“And,” she went on, “what? What are the two of you now?”

Funny she would ask the one question I didn’t have an answer to.

Were we still friends? Or would this make us friends with benefits? I hadn't thought to ask Zach; I’d tried hard not to think too much about it. Because he’d brought up some interesting points, ones I agreed with. We had fun, we both wanted and liked it. So why not go back for more?

It would change things between us. And if the others found out, it would change things in our group. We’d probably keep it secret because Zach wasn’t overly open about his sex life. If the others found out, then fine, but if they didn’t know then whatever. It was so different to me. When I got a boyfriend, I introduced him to my friends when I thought it was a good time. I couldn’t exactly do that with Zach.

But then I remembered something that would make the perfect answer to her question.

“We didn’t talk about that,” I said honestly. “But we… Made a pact of sorts. In a year, if neither of us is in a relationship, and we’re still meeting each other for sex, well… Then we’ll get married.”

“You and Zach, married? That would be a nightmare for you. Could it even happen? I mean, I know you’d love to settle down, even if you’re settling for second best, but he’s a lady’s man. Would he be faithful to you?”

I pursed my lips. Yeah, I had my reservations about it. It wasn’t like I didn’t know Zach; after all, we’d been friends for a while. Though when I thought about it, could I say I knew him all that well? There was plenty I guessed, plenty I was told. We never spent time alone. Dancing together at the reception was probably the closest we’d come to a conversation, and I couldn’t even call it that.

If I gave him exactly what he wanted… I didn’t see why he couldn’t stay faithful. And would I even mind if he didn’t? If I had to be honest with myself, I was more in love with the idea of marriage, more afraid of being the only one left in my circle of friends not in a relationship and waiting to walk down the aisle.

Even Olivia was married. So why couldn’t I have it, even if it was just a marriage of convenience, only it was for sex rather than money?

“Then how about this,” Olivia went on, noticing she wasn’t getting through to me. “You two are friends. Hooking up after the wedding I can sort of understand. But I don’t understand you wanting to take it further. You just know it’s going to be awkward for everyone if the two of you break up.”

I sighed and arched an eyebrow her way. “It’s not like I haven’t thought about this, you know.”

She gave me a wry look. “Well, excuse me for worrying a little when you come to me with something like this after spending the night with Zach.”

I shrugged. “Trust me. I’m as surprised as you are. He just came up to me while I was drinking and asked me to dance. While we were dancing, we talked. Then he offered, and I didn’t say no.”

“Did the alcohol have something to do with it, then?” she guessed.

I shook my head. “Nope. It was all my decision. I wanted to, so I did.”

It wouldn’t be fair to Zach to say the only sway had been alcohol. When he’d been swinging me around while we danced, I’d sobered up, enough to be in my right mind.

Zach was attractive. It wasn’t something I thought of consciously, but it was the truth. Dancing with him, having him proposition me just made me more aware of it. Before last night, I’d looked at him as nothing but a friend. Now that things had changed between us… I didn’t think I could see him again without feeling attracted to him.

“Why Zach of all people?” she asked, looking confused. “I get why, he’s attractive but just… why? There’s him, and there’s you. I mean, are you guys even—”

“Olivia,” I cut in, rolling my eyes again. “I’m not exactly looking for a relationship with him if that’s what you’re asking me. We had fun one night, we might have a good time a few more nights. I’m pretty sure the wedding thing was just a joke, but for sex that good, I might just go with it.”

She looked unsure. “Would it be the best thing for you? I mean, you’re always talking about relationships, after all. And you’re always sad when they don’t work out.”

“But this time if it doesn’t work then it’s fine because I’m not emotionally involved—”

“You and I both know that’s not true, Scarlett. You can't help yourself. Maybe right now there’s nothing. But somewhere down the line, there will be, and what would Zach do then?”

She waited, but all I could do was purse my lips since I had nothing to say. Zach already said he didn’t like complicated, and feelings on my part would count as complicated. But the idea I could feel anything more than friendship and now lust for him was almost laughable. I knew better.