Friends with Benefits

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An Excerpt From: FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

Copyright © MAGGIE CASPER and LENA MATTHEWS, 2006.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Timing. Seduction was all about perfect timing. Lowered lights, roaring fireplace, even nature was on her side, giving life to the bittersweet symphony of rain beating against the roof. There was no doubt in Bailey's mind tonight was the perfect night to make love with Sebastian.

After an extremely enjoyable dinner, they decided to forgo a movie and retire back to her place where earlier in the evening she had set up the night for her naughty plans. The low light of a nearby lamp flickered off the taupe-colored walls of her living room. Tonight she would make Sebastian hers and quench the thirst for sex burning deep within her body.

With lowered eyes, she leaned forward demurely and offered her unbeknownst future lover a glass of wine but also an orchestrated view of her cleavage. Plumped and spritzed with her favorite fragrance for his enjoyment.

Sebastian's eyes widened a bit and he gave an uncomfortable cough as he took the offered glass from her hand. "Hmm...thank you." His softly spoken words followed Bailey as she strolled away from him, removing her shoes as she went. Allowing her toes to curl into the clean but otherwise plain brown carpet at her feet, she couldn't help but look over her shoulder.

Making her way back across the room, Bailey tried hard to bite back her smile but she couldn't help it. He was just so cute. Not in the Hollywood celluloid dreamboat way with chiseled features and washboard abs, but with sweet green eyes hidden behind wire-framed glasses giving his angular face a boyish quality. Cute was definitely the word for him.

He was not her normal type, which was why he was perfect for what she needed now.

"Are you enjoying your new job?"

"Eck," Bailey waved away his words, refusing to focus on her job. "I don't want to talk about that now."

"Tinell still giving you a hard time? I can get decked out in my lawyer finery and threaten to sue her if you want."

"Sue her for what?" she smiled. Cute and protective, definitely best friend qualities. Not exactly qualities for a fuck buddy but Bailey was willing to work around it. "It's just a job 'Bastian. Something to occupy my time for seven and a half hours a day. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It's harassment, Bailey, and you shouldn't have to put up with it."

"Find me a job with a gay boss and I won't."

"Being beautiful is such a hardship, isn't it?"

Bailey rolled her eyes at the amusement in his voice. Sebastian was always teasing her about her looks. His teasing words were the only proof she'd had since their meeting earlier in the year he'd even noticed her looks.

She wasn't vain or anything, but Bailey knew she was attractive. Just as she knew Sebastian thought she was, he'd just never made a move to do anything about it. At first Bailey had been relieved. It had been a really long time since she had a male friend who was just a friend.

Sitting on the plush surface of her multi-colored suede couch, Bailey swung her legs until they lay flat on the couch cushions with her freshly pedicured feet resting on his black slacks. Arching her left foot, she brushed her ankle against his taut stomach, an action that drew his attention down to her crimson-stained toenails.

"Do you like this color?" Raising her leg a bit, she offered him the chance to follow her long brown leg to the apex of her thighs. "I felt the need to pamper myself today. I had a pedicure and a manicure, plus I let them pluck and wax me. I'm as smooth as a baby's bottom. Want to feel?"

"Why do people compare smoothness to baby bottoms? What freak is out there caressing butts and then saying, 'Hey, you know what this feels like?'"

"Sebastian..."

With brows furrowed, he looked at her. "I'm serious. If you think about it, it's a really twisted saying."

"You're twisted."

"You're the one rubbing baby bottoms and then rubbing your legs. Freak."

"I'm a freak?"

"A little, but I'm not here to judge."

He wasn't supposed to be there for comic relief either. Pouting, Bailey pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. Leave it to Sebastian to make seduction complicated. He was supposed to be bowled over. Pouncing on her with desire, not making lame jokes about baby asses.

"I think we should have sex." The words rushed out of her mouth unfortunately at the same time as Sebastian took a drink.