Page 89 of Not In The Contract

“I don’t want to use you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” she explained, and the knot in my gut loosened. “I think there’s something between us. I mean, obviously there is given we fucked last night.”

“And this morning,” I added, my confidence growing.

She smirked at me, her eyes unguarded. “No one is keeping count, Devon,” she teased. “Like I said, there’s something here. I want to find out what it is, or what it could be. But I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on that discovery.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, pressing my palms to the mug for warmth. My heart ratcheted against my ribs, the blood rushing in my ears and almost drowning Alex out.

I didn’t want to lose her.

“What I mean is that we’ve both got a lot going on right now,” she explained. “You’re working on the biggest thesis of your academic career and I have my hands full with, well, everything. I don’t want to mess this up just because we rushed or screwed up somewhere else.”

“I think I understand.” I frowned in thought. “Busy schedules could mean sacrificing a lot of time together, which would lead to resentment and distance. I think we should allow this to develop at its own pace.”

Alex cocked her head, studying me closely. No doubt she was looking for any sign of dishonesty. But I was relieved that she hadn’t immediately written me off as a one night stand.

I was so relieved that I could stay with her, in whatever capacity. Because, as uncertain as the rest of my life felt, Alex was constant.

“As long as I still get to do this,” she said, and leaned forward to hold my chin.

Before I could ask what she meant, she pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. I jerked back in surprise and slapped a hand over my mouth.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, snatching her hand away as if I slapped her.

I spun on my heel, cheeks ablaze and thighs wet, and raced out of the kitchen. “Morning breath!” I called as I rounded the corner to the staircase.

Her laughter chased me up the stairs. “I ate you out last night and you think I care about morning breath?”

“Tamera!”

I waved a frantic hand over my head to get my best friend’s attention. She looked around before her eyes landed on me and she jogged over.

“Honey, do you know how terrifying it is to have you call me before noon?” she hissed, hauling me into a tight hug nonetheless.

“I’ve called you plenty of times before noon,” I accused her.

She leveled me with a dead-eyed stare as she sat in the seat opposite mine. “And every single one of those times has been about you missing a class or missing an Uber and needing me to pick your ass up.”

I cringed. “Sorry.”

She waved me off. “Who cares about that,” she huffed. “Spill! You soundedgonethis morning.”

“Uh, you know how you told me to talk about what I wanted?”

Tamera’s eyes narrowed and she leaned forward on the table. “Uh-huh.”

“So, I did,” I explained, lacing my fingers together to keep from fidgeting like a nervous teenager. “And it turns out we both feel the same way.”

“Uh-huh.”

“That’s it? I chuckled. “Uh-huh? I thought you’d at least be a little proud of me.”

Tamera flipped a long, sparkly braid over her shoulder and cocked an arched brow. “Did you get laid?”

Before I could do a thing to stop it, the blood rushed into my cheeks, giving me away immediately.

Tamera’s glossy lips dropped into an ‘O’ of surprise and approval. “My adorable little Devon hasfinallysworn off celibacy,” she teased, dabbing at invisible tears. “I’m so damn proud.”

“I was not celibate,” I hissed, glancing around self-consciously.