Page 86 of The Replay

His hand leaves my leg and comes to my face, where he runs his knuckles softly on my cheek. Lightness expands in my chest, until breathing is the easiest thing in the world. I'm happy. That was the whole point of everything, and maybe a good sign for this thing we're doing.

"This is our chance to end things well," he says. "Come out of it with a smile."

I nod, warmth and gratitude joining the mix in my torso.

"So when you make all my friends love you," he adds, "and this thing we're doing ends and you leave, no one has to feel like they need to choose betweenyou and me. They're too loyal to choose you and I'd feel bad for you for a day or two. I'd rather not have to deal with that kind of vibe."

"Hey," I fake punch his arm. "I thought we wouldn't tell them about this."

His Adam's apple bobbles. It echoes my gulp. Lofty goals, for two people who share the kind of past we have, and seem comfortable to remain naked together in bed.

He shrugs. "We won't. It doesn't mean they'll never know. They're scarily perceptive sometimes. But with everyone getting hitched, they wouldn't understand where we're coming from anyway. You saw how they were during dinner. I had to get assertive. I'm crossing my fingers it lasts."

He's saying they're so in love, they wouldn't understand that our arrangement is a way to indulge in amazing sex, without hoping for that kind of happily ever after. Because for us, the problem was believing we could have forever in the first place.

I left. I'm leaving again. We should have never fallen in love, knowing things would end.

Wrapping up any tenderness and nostalgia in duct tape and chains is the way to go. Those beautiful, life-changing months in college will not come back. They're not meant to.

"Okay, Mister Wright." I offer him a hand. "We'll right our wrongs. And have a hell of a lot of fun doing it, too."

He smirks and takes my hand. "Sounds like a plan, Princesa."

We shake hands. He doesn't let go and pulls me to him.

"Come here," he says.

He guides me to rest my head on his shoulder. I settle against him, with one leg around him.

"You train tomorrow morning, right?" I ask. "I have a few meetings. Planning events. Preparing recipients for donations. The gala is fast approaching and things are going to get even more hectic for a while"

"What's this? You won't let me catch my breath before you kick me out?"

I gesture to our interlocked bodies. "What part of this makes you think I'm kicking you out?"

"Your words make me think you're ready for me to go."

"What I'm trying to do is come up with a plan." I drape an arm around him. "Don't you train on Wednesday mornings? And you need to go get your phone anyway."

He caresses my skin with lazy fingers. "Yeah. I need a change of clothes. And I'm pretty sure I shouldn't leave my car parked where it is."

"So this is it? We'll keep it casual, sleepovers if they're convenient, and generally fun? Low stakes? Just here to enjoy for a while."

He nods and sighs. "We're indulging. That's all."

His words echo my own thoughts, and I sigh. We're not falling in love this time. Not… again.

Later, at my condo's door, he smiles at me.

"Hey." He pulls me close with a hand on my waist. "We're going to the club on Monday to celebrate the start of our break. The bye week is very late for us this year so we want to make it a party. Why don't you come? We have to act like nothing's going on between us, but we can still have fun. We can seem friendly in everyone's eyes."

"Wow. An invitation from Dominic Wright himself? This is an upgrade."

"Mi reina, don't forget I can give and I can take away."

I laugh. "I'll be there."

"Then we can have a wonderful week, since I'll be on a break. You might get a little sleep deprived."