Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“First, I didn’t stalk you, and second, okay, this is making sense so far.”
“So the boyfriend thing?”
“Oh, God no. I mean, if it ever happens, sure, but I’m not looking. I had a hard breakup about two years ago. I’m not ready to deal with that shit again.”
Corbin frowned. “Are you in love with him?”
“No, but I was when we were dating. DJ meant a lot to me.” But it hadn’t been mutual. He’d gotten a job offer in Seattle, which was fine, I understood, but he told me a week before he was leaving, and he’d had no interest in trying to make it work. He was all… So, I’m moving. We need to break up. The end. I’d been crushed.
“I’m sorry.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“Know how some people are friends with benefits? I was thinking we could do that, only we’d be friends with cuddle benefits.” He waggled his brows playfully, but I could see the fear of rejection in his gaze.
“No-strings-attached cuddling?” That was a first. Leave it to Corbin to be the one to ask for it.
“Yes! Exactly! Now, if you want other benefits, I’d be down for that too, but that worries me because I don’t typically fuck friends, and I wouldn’t want anything to get in the way of our friendship…since you like me so much and all.”
“Obviously.” I shook my head but smiled. “And I don’t want to fuck you.” When he looked less than pleased, I laughed. “I mean, of course I would want to fuck you. Who wouldn’t?”
“Because I’m so sexy?”
“Because you’re a nice guy,” I replied. Corbin needed to know he was more than his looks.
He rolled his eyes.
“You are, Corbin.”
“I know, but people don’t want to have sex with someone because they’re nice. They want to have sex with them because they’re attracted to them.”
“I wouldn’t want to fuck someone who was hot but a dick.”
Corbin waved his hand as if to say I was ridiculous. “We’re getting off track. You said last night was…nice.” Again, a rare moment of Corbin being bashful.
“It was.”
“So, it would really be a win-win for both of us. We could hang out, and if one of us felt like being close, we could just tell the other. Boom. Cuddling ensues. All are happy.”
I laughed again, something that was nearly impossible not to do when I was around Corbin.
“Also, since we’re just friends and this isn’t sexual, you can hook up with other guys or date or whatever. I might consider trying the boyfriend thing, but obviously, if we meet someone, we’ll reevaluate because it could be a little weird.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” I couldn’t believe he was really suggesting this, and even worse, that I was considering it. But I did like the idea of getting to know Corbin, and if I got more of that feeling from last night out of it, that was even better. And honestly, I liked him and wanted to make sure he was okay. I needed to, on a level I didn’t totally understand.
“Yeah, okay, let’s do it. Leave it to you to suggest no-strings-attached cuddling with a side of friendship.”
“I’m basically a genius,” Corbin replied.
On that note… “I should probably start getting ready for work.”
“Shit. Me too. What’s your number?” He rattled off his cell digits.
“I’m sending you a text so you have mine.”
We stood and walked over to the door together, staring at each other awkwardly, like neither of us knew what to do. I hugged friends all the time, but this whole friends-with-cuddling-benefits thing was throwing me for a loop.
It was Corbin who opened his arms and leaned in first. I returned his embrace, tucking him into me, feeling him nuzzle into my chest, hearing him breathe in deeply. He stiffened slightly, then pulled away. I looked into his eyes for any evidence of what had spooked him, but his cheerful mask was back on.
“Don’t miss me too much.” Corbin winked, and then just like that, he was gone.
What in the hell had I done?
CHAPTER SEVEN
Corbin
“Try to relax. I’m going to push your leg up closer to your body. Let me know if it starts to hurt, and I’ll ease off,” I told my patient, who nodded. She was a teen girl with right hip pain from a basketball injury. I could feel the clicking in her joint when I put the right amount of pressure on her leg. “That’s good. You’re doing great. Think I can go a little more?” I asked her.
“Yes,” Mary replied.
My days and patients were always different. I could have sports injuries, older patients after a fall, strokes, those who were injured in car accidents, and those with lifelong disabilities. I’d helped people learn to walk again. I would forever be grateful that I was able to do what I did, but today I was distracted with thoughts about Spencer. How could I not have realized he was the man I’d met on the beach all those years ago? What were the odds of someone finding their way into your life twice like that?