Her cheeks flush and her eyes pulse with surprise. I wonder if it’s the same shade she turns after an orgasm.
“We could make a schedule to keep the sexual parts of our relationship separate from our friendship. On Mondays when you get out of class, and Wednesday morning before I have to leave for practice, and Saturday night whenever we get home.”
“You’ve put thought into this.”
I move closer, watching the vein in her neck pulsating. She’s nervous, maybe uncomfortable. “Since kissing you in the kitchen,” I admit, glancing at her lips as she subconsciously licks them.
“We could still hang out and do the Camden traditions and it won’t be weird?”
I shake my head. “All of that would be the same, but we’d have the benefit of a release.”
“What about Katie?”
I shrug. “If you want to tell her, you can, if you don’t, we won’t.”
“You don’t want to tell her?”
“House rule number one is not to flirt with you and Hannah.”
She scoffs. “Is this really flirting?”
My smile is instant. “No, and that’s part of the beauty of this. There’s no beating around the bush, no flirting or awkward dates or obligatory texts. If that schedule works for you, you come down to the basement, we spend a couple of hours having sex, and then things go back to how they are now.”
“A couple of hours?”
I shrug. “In case you want to finish the movie.”
“And if one of us decides it’s not working?”
“Then we stop that part of our relationship and continue being friends.”
“What about safety? Safe sex I mean. I’m kind of a fan. That’s my biggest deal breaker with casual sex.”
“We get tested and while our deal lasts, we remain exclusive.”
“Can I ask when was the last time you…”
“Had sex?”
“Or did anything that involved an exchange of bodily fluids.”
“Long enough that it would show on a test.”
She licks her lips again and then laughs, a breathy sound. “This is crazy.”
I place a hand on her jaw, brushing the pad of my thumb across her bottom lip as I study those impossibly blue eyes. “You want to say yes. I see it in your eyes, just like you wanted to do the prank war, and wanted to jump into this pool. Don’t chicken out on me now, Cutlass.” I drop my thumb to her chin.
“Maybe we should do a trial run, just in case.”
I smirk. “You can just tell me you don’t want to wait until Saturday.”
The back lights flip on then, and the back door of the basement slides open.
Hadley grabs my arm. “Oh, God. Should we duck? Do we say anything?”
“Hey, Nolan. Sorry. I hope I didn’t startle you guys. I’m setting out some towels.” He sets a stack of towels on the table. “If you guys want anything to eat or drink, the fridge down here is stocked. Help yourselves.” He makes his way back toward the house. “Have a good night.” He closes the door.
Hadley faces me, her face distorted with shock, anger, and confusion. I can’t even try to stop my laughter. “Who’s house is this?”