Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 29029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
I sigh and sit down in the chair next to her desk. “Mimi and I… We’re no longer together.”
Jenna drops onto the edge of her bed. She stays silent for a few seconds, until, “What happened?”
“We want different things.”
It’s not exactly a lie. We want a lot of the same things. The only different thing is that she wants me, but I don’t want her. Not anymore. I don’t love her the way she deserves to be loved.
The way I still love the woman in front of me.
The thought of making love to Jenn… It’s my every fantasy. But to do so solely to help her heal… I want her to heal. It’s the thing I most want in this world.
I could do it. I’m good at sex, and I could give her all the physical pleasure she’s asking for in a safe environment.
I want to do it.
But would having her once be enough for a lifetime?
Because she’s not ready for anything else, despite what she says about her dreams of marriage and family, and she clearly doesn’t feel about me the way I feel about her.
She’s asking for a favor. A favor from a friend.
I’m her friend. I’ve always been her friend, and I’ll continue to be her friend forever, no matter what. We made that pact over twenty years ago, and I’ll never break it, even if she never returns my feelings.
“I’m so sorry,” Jenna says. “But it doesn’t make any sense. A couple days ago, everything was fine.”
“Everything was never fine, Jen. I guess I just didn’t realize it until now.”
“Oh? What happened?”
You came home.
If only I could say those words.
If only I could profess my love to her.
I could, but if she doesn’t return it? My heart will break, and she needs me to be strong for her. She needs me to be a friend. Not some lovesick and heartbroken man.
“It wasn’t just one thing that happened,” I say. “It was kind of an accumulation. We should never have gotten engaged. She’s a type A personality, and she’s much more into her work than I am.”
“You don’t like your work?”
“I love my work, but I believe in balance. She works seven days a week most weeks, and when she does take a break, she’s not interested in any of the things I’m interested in. I like to run, go to the gym, camp. She prefers to stay inside and read. Plus, she’s kind of controlling.”
“What do you mean?”
“She wanted me to move in with her, and I agreed, but she kept pushing. When I wasn’t moving quickly enough for her, she hired some company to come in and pack all my things and move them.” I shake my head.
“I see.”
“Besides, I’m only twenty-six. I have all kinds of time to find the right woman.”
I’ve already found her.
I scoot the chair a few feet across the hardwood floor until I’m only a foot away from Jenna, facing her. I grab her hand, but she doesn’t meet my gaze.
“Please. Forget what I asked. Even though you’re not with Mimi anymore, you’ve just ended a significant relationship. I had no right to ask you.”
“Jen, you had every right. We’ve been best friends since we were four years old. You have the right to ask me anything.”
“But I wasn’t thinking. You’re—you were—in a relationship.”
I squeeze her hand. “Hey, it’s okay. You know what we’ve always said. We’d help each other bury the body.”
She smiles then, sniffling,
I grab the box of Kleenex off her nightstand and move from the chair to sit next to her on the bed, handing her a tissue.
She wipes her eyes. “I can’t tell you how many bodies I wish I could’ve buried on that island.”
Sadness whips through me. Sadness, and then anger. “I wish I had been there. I should’ve been there to protect you.”
“No one could’ve protected me, Max. Though I know if you had been there, you would’ve tried.”
“What happened that day, Jen? That day we were supposed to go to prom?
She blows her nose, loud and unceremoniously. “For a long time I didn’t remember. But through therapy, it came back. But I haven’t told anyone other than counselors. Not even Mom or Dad.”
“If you don’t want to tell anyone—”
She places her fingers on my lips, and my God, my whole body reacts, especially my dick.
“I always knew you would be the first person I told.” She drops her gaze to her lap. “But not yet, Max. I’m not ready yet.”
“It’s okay.” I cup her cheek and then tip her chin so she’s looking me in the eye. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you. And if that means taking you to bed, I’ll do it, Jenna.”
I’ll do it.
I’ll do it for her. Because I love her and she needs me.
And if I get my heart’s desire in the process? Just one time?