Friends With Benefits (5 page)

Angela felt her cheeks burn. “Um, no. No. Not at all,” she choked out.

* * *

As Connor walked back to the rental house just doors away from Tyler’s own house, he contemplated his first encounter with his friend’s spouse. He’d come to this town for work, but deep down knew he needed to get back to living his life, which included the opposite sex. However, Tyler’s proposition was not what he had in mind.

Tyler’s wife smoked all preconceived notions he’d had. Ash blonde hair, breasts to fill his hands, curves in the right places, and a smile that drew a person in. An honest smile. He wished she’d removed her sunglasses. What color were her eyes? Would he drown in them? Distracted, he almost marched straight into somebody’s parked car.

Connor loved women. He loved everything about them—the way they smelled, felt, laughed, and looked. He loved to make them feel special. The more intense he could make it for them, the better. He knew the ultimate fantasy for many women involved two men. In their younger days, he and Tyler helped a few experience that particular pleasure.

Connor missed his university years, the years he and Tyler had shared women. Sometimes it had been wild, raw, and sometimes it leaned to more sensual and erotic. Watching a woman blossom under the attention of two men—two men who could touch, kiss, lick, do everything possible to deliver twice the pleasure—turned him on as nothing else did.

He imaged himself and Tyler making slow, languorous love to Angela. The entire seduction played out in his mind’s eye, from subtle foreplay and maybe some dancing, to shared petting. Perhaps there would be a strip tease, and then hot raunchy sex. With two men sharing the responsibility, the enjoyment could be spread out over
hours
.

The one time he’d let his personal life intrude on his goals, he’d almost been burned. Was he about to do the same thing again? He’d been committed to Cindy, until she showed her true colors, and he’d spent the last ten months correcting that mistake.

Connor started his new project in a few weeks, one that could seal the deal for his future. He’d successfully built his reputation from the ground up over the last ten years. Every dime, every minute he’d had, went into his goal of creating a solid reputation within the construction industry. The money he’d make from this project would more than cover his start-up costs.

If he wanted to be one of the top players in the local construction industry, he needed to nail this job. He was the best man for it, whether the owner believed it or not, and he planned to stay on the good side of his client, regardless of their past relationship.

He needed a clear and sharp mind, and being celibate for so long made for a chaotic mess inside his head. Killing time until he could get on the job site required a distraction. This might just fit the bill. He’d relieve some stress, get his head in the game, and help his friend at the same time.

Connor loved carpentry work. The mere idea of beginning a new project, even if it was a ruse, had his heart beating double time. His mind whirled with ideas. Starting with the concept and raw material, putting his creativity to the test worked him up every time. Turning a hunk of wood into something beautiful. Creating curves where only straight lines once existed. Smoothing out rough angles. Working material with your hands was like developing a relationship with a woman. If you did your job right, the beauty of it would last forever and be admired by all.

Connor smiled to himself. His friend would get a deck, and he’d get to spend time with a beautiful sexy,
real
woman. Just not a woman who belonged to him. And no attachments meant no risk to his heart, or his livelihood.

When he’d met Cindy, almost three years ago, they’d clicked in the beginning. Then he’d suggested they try some new things. But in her mind, he needed to get over his perverted impulses. He needed to be in a
normal
relationship, one her father would approve of.

He knew Ty had suggested to his wife that she enjoy her weekend, and think about her fantasies. Christ, his friend had come straight out and told him to take every opportunity to seduce her, but Connor had no intention of urging Angela into anything that made her uncomfortable. He didn’t know if she’d be into a little erotic play with him, but based on first impressions, she seemed to like what she has seen.

Back at his place, Connor planned to grab some lunch while he waited for Angela to call. As he stepped up to the front door, his cell rang. He paused and reached for the phone strapped to his belt without looking at caller ID. “Hello?”

“Hello, Connor.”

He grimaced. “I told you not to call me anymore.”

“But I want to see you.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“But—”

“I said no. Don’t call me again.” He hit “end” and opened the door, walked into the house, and slammed it shut behind him, rattling the dishes in his cupboards. When the phone rang a few minutes later he ignored it, but it continued. He picked it up. “Look, I mean it—”

“Hey, man, it’s me. Have you seen Angie yet?”

“Hi, Ty.” He closed his eyes and took a calming breath. “I just got back from there.”

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

Connor snickered. “Yes, Tyler, you have a very beautiful wife. You should count yourself lucky I didn’t meet her first.”

His friend’s laughter resonated through the phone. “No need to be jealous, my friend. I’m willing to share her with you.”

“I won’t lie to you, bud. I can’t complain about enjoying a short fling with you and your woman.” Connor walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door as he spoke, peering inside at the near empty shelves.

“So, how was she with you?”

In his head, a vision of Tyler’s wife—sexy, smiling, her skin developing a golden glow from the sun’s heat—replaced the image of Cindy’s supermodel physique, every fake inch of it.

Connor liked women who smiled and meant it.

“She’s checking my references.”

A burst of laughter raced through the phone. “Seriously?”

“I think she spent a few minutes considering the implications of hiring a complete stranger without your knowledge. I gave her my card and a couple of numbers to call. She said she’d get back to me sometime this afternoon.”

“That’s my Angela. So once you hear back from her, feel her out, and see if she’s interested. If I know my wife, I’ll be hearing all about you tonight while she tries not to tell me how attractive she thinks you are. By tomorrow, she’ll be willing to forage into some playtime with the handyman.”

“Yeah, speaking of your favorite handyman, any special requests for this deck I’ve been tricked into building for you?”

Connor took pleasure in the sound of his friend sputtering on the other end of the phone. “She asked you to build the deck? Shit, I figured a small job, sure, but the deck? Fuck man. I should probably say I’m sorry, but hell, at least now I know I’ll get the damn thing done.”

“You mean
I’ll
get it done.”

“Hey, the fringe benefits of this particular side job will be worth your while.”

“Gives a whole new meaning to ‘friends with benefits,’” Connor grunted with humor.

“Connor, I trust you, man. You’re great at what you do. Do whatever works. I think I’ve got everything you’ll need stored in the garage. I’d hoped to get the job done weeks ago, but work got in the way. If anything’s missing, pick it up and give me the bill.”

“Damn straight,” Connor mumbled.

“I’ll be back in town Sunday night, but I’ll check in again with you before I head for home. We’ll plan something for the three of us when I get there. Maybe dinner, and then…who knows?” Tyler’s voice dropped to a low, suggestive level. “I know my wife, Connor. She wants this. She’s nervous about admitting it, but she’s ready. She’s going to spark like a wildfire under our touch.” Tyler paused. “Personally, I can’t wait to see my baby burn.”

“I hope you’re right, my friend. I’d hate like hell to initiate something that backfires on you.”

“It won’t. I’ll talk with her tonight, and I want you to start the seduction tomorrow. Go as far as she’s comfortable with. This weekend is for her stranger fantasy.”

“Are you sure it’s not her handyman fantasy?”

Tyler chuckled. “Two for the price of one.”

Connor took the carton of milk and a package of deli ham from the fridge. “I’d better get off the phone and eat something. I’m waiting for a call, remember?”

“And then you have a deck to build and muscles to flaunt. Talk to you later.”

The call disconnected. Connor grabbed the loaf of bread from the counter, a knife from the drawer, and sat at his small, two-seater kitchen table, his makings for a sandwich spread out in front of him. What he wouldn’t do for his friends.

A smile crossed his lips as Angela’s smiling face popped into his mind again. Friends with benefits, indeed.

Chapter Four

He returned at two that afternoon. After confirming Connor’s credentials, Angela had left him a message telling him he could start anytime. Pleased to discover he actually did carpentry work and had a solid reputation, she now felt a little embarrassed by how quickly she’d followed-up on him. She’d avoided him since his arrival, choosing instead to hide in the house. When he poked his head in to ask where he could find the wood, she directed him to the garage, and then she’d feigned interest in her own tasks. By the time she gathered her courage and headed outside, he was already hard at work.

Angela walked over to the gazebo, glancing around to determine the best spot for her lounger. Deciding on a location, she laid her drink and book on the patio table and dragged the chaise over, adjusting the position and angle until it suited her. Next, she placed a small round side table next to it for her things.

Satisfied, she stretched out on the lounge, her cold drink within reach, and her book lying in her lap. She dropped her sunglasses down over her eyes. Perfect. And a great view of the deck area, too. She settled into the cushion and watched Connor work.

The man didn’t waste time. He also didn’t glance in her direction. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the book and got lost in the day’s make believe world—the female character tied to the bed, her lovers tantalizing her with gentle caresses and kisses placed in strategic locations. In the background, she could hear the saw, the muffled sound of chunks of wood hitting the grass, the buzz of a drill and the occasional four-letter word. He worked for the next couple of hours straight. Wrapped up in her book, she almost forgot he existed. Almost.

By late afternoon she noticed the sounds of drilling, hammering, and sawing had ceased. Traffic and the neighbor’s barking dog shattered the silence. She looked up. Connor sat on a completed portion of the deck talking on his cell phone.

Angela watched as he paused to take a drink from a bottle of water. At some point, he’d removed his shirt. How had she missed that? Sweat glistened on his body, his throat working up and down as the water emptied from the lip of the bottle. The innocent pose magnified the muscles in his arms and neck. The sun highlighted a very fine, hairless upper body.

Using her book, Angela fanned herself.

Connor stopped drinking, and his posture turned to stone. The unyielding expression on his face told her the person he spoke with had pissed him off. She couldn’t hear his end of the conversation from this distance, but she gathered by his tense position that he wasn’t talking to a friend.

His head swung in her direction, and he stared at her for a long moment. Or at least she thought he was looking at her. The distance made it difficult to tell, and her sunglasses, as well as a haze of lust, somewhat impaired her vision. He said something into the phone and then pulled it away from his ear and punched the disconnect button. His head dropped forward, and she could see his shoulders heaving up and down.

Finally, he rose and sauntered over. She watched the sun play over his chest with each step. His facial muscles worked to remove the tension, and his smile seemed forced. As he neared, she put down her book.

“Wow,” she said. “It looks like you’re halfway finished already. It’s looking good. You must be hot.”

“Thanks. Your husband did all the hard work. Laying the boards is the easy part. I’ll have the deck floor done today. Then you can tell me what the plans are for the privacy fence, and I’ll work on that tomorrow. If I start early enough, I might have most of it completed by quitting time.”

“You don’t waste any time, do you?”

“Some jobs are meant to go fast. Others require a more…personal touch—time, care, a more concentrated effort.” His eyes smoldered. Angela gulped. The hardness in his demeanor relaxed.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I know my husband will be surprised and pleased to be able to cross one job off his list. Um…can I help you with anything? Or get you anything to drink?” Angela spoke in a rush. Him just standing there in front of her, looking all hot and sweaty, had her mind swirling with ideas, and none of them had anything to do with the deck. Maybe she needed some water.

“No. I’m OK,” he said. “Although, if you don’t mind, I’d love to take a quick dip in your pool before I get back to work. I need to cool off.”

No doubt. She wondered though if it was the weather or the phone call that had overheated him.

His eyes narrowed, his look darkened. He had long lashes. Good thing he couldn’t see her studying him behind her glasses, or the thoughts going through her head. However, with the way he studied her in return, she had to wonder if he
could.

“Feel free,” she said. “Are you
sure
I can’t get you something?” She could definitely use something cold. Her throat felt parched. Her body burned.

“I’ve got a cooler of water with me. I could use a towel though. You don’t mind if I strip down out here, do you?” He reached for the button on his jeans.

She jumped up. “Not at all. You go ahead and I’ll ah…run inside and get one.”