Chapter 33 (7/20/16)

I've got one more coming for this week, probably on Friday!  After that, I think I'm finally ready to settle into a regular schedule.  As of right now I'm going to do Mondays and Thursdays (likely with the occasional bonus, because you all know I can't resist!), so you finally know when to expect my posts!

____________________________

I enjoyed brunch with Grace on Sunday.  While the cookout had been a little awkward, when I was with just Grace it felt like we hadn’t missed a beat.  When she asked if I was dating anyone, I gave her the same non-answer I had given Nate.  She, however, didn’t buy it as easily.  She cocked an eyebrow and said, “’Dating a little’? ‘Nothing serious?’  Who’s the lucky guy you’re sleeping with?”

I burst into laughter.  “How’d you know?” I asked.  She just cocked an eyebrow.  “Okay, I met him through a coworker and he’s gorgeous.  And talented.”  I smirked when I said that, and Grace blushed a little, which made me chuckle.

“Why are you just sleeping with him and not dating him, then?” she asked.

I told her about his job and his stance on relationships.  Then I shrugged and said, “And to be honest, I’m really enjoying it so far.  It’s nice to be able to have sex and then not have to deal with sharing my bed while I sleep or arguing about where to eat dinner or who left their dirty socks on the floor instead of the hamper.  I don’t miss being in a relationship at all.”

Grace laughed.  “I can see the appeal,” she admitted.  “I think I’d miss being in a relationship though.  Don’t you ever miss coming home to someone that cares about you and wants to hear about your day?  Or not always having to be the one who figures out what’s for dinner?”

I snorted.  “Grace, come on.  85% of the time, Kevin wasn’t home when I was home.  When he was, he was tired or stressed or sleeping and gave no fucks about my day.  And if you think that he did anything related to dinner besides paying for the ingredients and eating it, you are straight up delusional.”

She frowned.  “It was that bad, huh?”

“And then some,” I said quietly.  I had every intention of not bashing him around Grace or anyone else that still talked to him, but it had come out before I could stop it.  “I’ve never really had those things to be able to miss them now,” I finished, shrugging. 

Grace looked unbelievably sad then, and I started to change the subject, but she held up a hand.  “I just…I don’t get it, Jenna.  You guys seemed like the perfect couple.  I’m not saying I don’t believe you, because I do.  I just wish I would have known how unhappy you are.  I feel bad for being so oblivious.”

“Grace, I didn’t come here to talk shit about Kevin or reminisce about our terrible relationship.  And honestly, I feel weird even talking about him with you.  So if we could just pretend he didn’t exist, that would be perfect.”

“Okay, fair enough!” she said cheerfully.  “No more He Who Must Not Be Named,” she said.

I laughed.  “I don't think he's quite as bad as Voldemort, but I'll take it.” 

We easily fell into other topics and put the awkward moment behind us to enjoy the rest of brunch.  When we left, we hugged, and Grace promised to try to get all the girls together to go out for a drink or something on Friday. 

Ryan called me midafternoon on Tuesday.  I ignored the call and sent him a text. “I’m working, can you break your no texting rule just this once?”  He texted back immediately, “It’s a preference, not a rule.” I rolled my eyes and was about to ask him if he just called to argue with me when I got another text from him.  “Anyway, your favorite person is back in Minnesota.  Come see me tonight? 6? 7?”  “Did you just get back?” I asked.  “Yeah, all sorts of jet lagged.  Going to take a nap and find something to eat and hopefully have sex later…you in, or should I find someone else?” “You are such a dick,” I responded.  “I’ll cook for you,” his next text said.  “I’ll see you at 6:30 then,” I answered immediately.  “I knew you only wanted me for my skills in the kitchen.  See you later.” I elected not to reply to that text because my work phone started ringing. 

He called me again around 5 as I was walking out of work.  I pulled my phone out of my bag and answered it, greeting him cheerfully.  "Do you like steak?" he asked me, after we'd exchanged greetings.

“You don’t have to cook for me,” I told him.  “You just got back.  I can pick something up, if you want.”

“I’d be cooking for myself either way, so you might as well benefit.  Just tell me if you like steak, get yourself over here at 6:30 like you said, and enjoy your dinner.”

“Well, I love steak so I won’t argue with you,” I said, shrugging even though he couldn’t see me.

“Good,” he said cheerfully.  “I’ll see you in a little while then.”

I went home, showered quickly, and changed into sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt.  It was an unseasonably cool evening and I knew it would be even cooler by the time I left Ryan’s house.  I briefly considered that perhaps I shouldn’t go to the house of someone that I was planning to sleep with looking like I just rolled out of bed, but then I decided that my clothes wouldn’t be on long enough to matter.

I saw I had a text from Ryan telling me that the door would be unlocked and to just come in when I got there.  I immediately texted back, “I thought you hated texting.”  I laughed when my phone started ringing shortly after.

“I hate texting as a means of conversation,” Ryan informed me when I answered.  “But it’s perfect for giving small pieces of information that don’t require conversation.”

“Well, thank you for clearing that up,” I replied, chuckling.  “I’ll keep it in mind.  And I’ll just come in when I get there.  I’m leaving now, so I’ll be there shortly.”

“Sounds good, see you in a bit.”  We said goodbye and hung up and I threw my phone in my purse and left. 

I felt weird just walking into Ryan’s house, but he’d told me, so I tentatively opened the front door and stepped inside.  “I’m in the kitchen,” he called when he heard the door open.  “Keep your shoes on, we’re eating outside.”

“You’re so bossy,” I said, walking into the kitchen.  He immediately handed me a glass of red wine, and I quickly said, “And so wonderful.  Can I help?  I really do feel bad that you just got back and you’re cooking for me”

He surveyed his surroundings and shook his head.  “No, I’ve got this.  Cooking is relaxing for me, and like I said, I’d be doing it with or without you, so at least now I’ve got some company and I’ll get to have sex when we’re done eating.”  He flashed me that perfect grin of his and I rolled my eyes.

I suddenly realized that he was wearing dress pants and a nice dress shirt with the top two buttons undone.  “What’s with the fancy clothes?” I asked.  “You’re making my sweatpants look bad.”

“You’re making your sweatpants look great,” he replied, winking at me.  Yes, he actually winked.  And damn if he didn’t look good doing it.  “I had to run into work for a little bit this afternoon and I was just too lazy to change when I got home.”  I was glad he was too lazy to change, because he looked damn good in his work clothes.  I imagined a tie and a jacket to complete the ensemble and had drifted off into my own personal fantasy world when he asked me to open the door to the deck for him.  “Something on your mind? You seem distracted,” he said as I followed him out to the deck.

I grinned and cocked and eyebrow at him.  “No, I was thinking about you in a suit, to be honest. And I was enjoying the picture in my head.”

Ryan laughed and said, “If that’s what turns you on, I can go put the jacket and tie back on.”

“I appreciate the offer, but it won’t be necessary,” I said.  “I don’t think you’ll need the help!” 

We sat at the small table out on his deck while he kept an eye on the food.  I asked him about his trip and we talked about random things.  I marveled at how comfortable we both were already.  The nature of our relationship (for lack of a better word) lent itself well to not needing to impress each other and being able to relax so easily so soon. 

Dinner was excellent again, as was the wine he had to go with it.  “You’re going to spoil me, and I’m going to get used to this,” I warned him as we cleaned up our mess.  “I’m not sure what could possibly be better than a delicious meal, wine, and casual sex.”

“Hey, if you keep on with the casual sex, I have no problem continuing to provide you with food and alcohol,” he said, shrugging.

I looked at him indignantly.  “You make it sound like it’s a business arrangement.  Will fuck for food?”  

Ryan burst out laughing and then said, “Well, when you really get down to it, a friends-with-benefits relationship such as the one we’re engaged in already kind of is a business arrangement.  I get what I need, you get what you need, and we—“

“Okay, okay, you’ve made your point,” I said.  “And as much as I’d love to, I can’t argue with it.”

We continued to banter back and forth playfully while we got most of the dinner stuff contained.  I offered to wash dishes but Ryan insisted he’d just do it later.  I definitely wasn’t going to complain about getting dinner made for me and not having to do any dishes.  Ryan yawned as we put away a few other things.  He was clearly tired, but apparently horny was winning for today.

Once we finished up in the kitchen, I wandered into the living room while Ryan wiped off the counters.  I was looking at the books on his bookshelf when he came into the living room and sat down on the couch.  I felt his eyes on me and turned.  He was watching me, and made no move to hide it when our eyes met.  Instead, his lips turned up just slightly as he blatantly checked me out.

“Digging the sweats?” I teased him. 

“I’d rather see what’s under them,” he replied, motioning for me to come over to the couch.  I approached him and rather than sitting next to him like he expected, I climbed on top of him, straddling his lap and running my hands from his chest up into his hair.  “Not wasting any time, huh?” he asked me, grinning as he slid his hands over my hips.  He grabbed my ass and pulled me tighter against him.

“You look awfully jetlagged, so I figured we’d better get to the point so you can get some sleep,” I told him. He started to respond, but I kissed him, cutting him off.  His fingers gripped my ass tighter as he worked his hips against mine.

We had sex right there on the couch, with very little foreplay.  Neither of us needed it that night.  Within 10 minutes of finishing up, I was walking out the door.  Ryan was clearly exhausted and I had to work in the morning, so there was no sense in me hanging around. 

When I got home, I sent a text to Erica and Kelly.  “So, I go over to his house, he cooks me an amazing steak dinner, gives me delicious wine, we have sex, and I still get to come home and sleep in my own bed…alone.  It’s almost too good to be true.”  Erica and Kelly both texted back the same thing, within seconds of each other: “Don’t screw it up!”

I was debating an indignant response when I got another text from Kelly.  “I would hate having to come home and sleep in my own bed after that, but I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”  I chose to respond to that one instead, and we all chatted for a few minutes about the pros and cons of sleeping alone.  Frankly, after so many years of sharing a bed with someone I didn’t trust, I wasn’t in any hurry to share it with someone else.  For now, I much preferred sleeping alone.