Just Friends With Benefits (30 page)

Eric stuck his head out the door of the master bedroom. “No, we’re up. Give us a second, we’ll be out.” Then he closed the door behind him.

“Okay, I feel gross. I’m gonna take a shower. Make yourself comfortable.” I so wanted to tell Rachel that mint juleps were being prepared on the balcony but refrained. “Eric, can you make coffee?”

Through the door, I heard him say, “Yes, I’ll make coffee. I’m beginning to think you don’t know how, Steph.”

“Of course I know how!”

I had no idea how to make coffee unless it was instant. My firm served free coffee all day and when I wanted a special treat, I went to Dunkin Donuts. I was addicted to the coconut flavor. It wouldn’t bother me if Eric knew, but I didn’t think Rachel and Andy needed to be privy to just how challenged I was around regular household appliances.

I felt much better after my shower and immensely skinnier in my bikini thanks to the long overdue run and the much needed tan from the day before. I couldn’t wait to get back on the beach. I’d skip the pre-happy hour beers this time, though.

Mostly everyone was now awake and watching “Regis and
Kelly” in the living room. As I approached the others with a cup of coffee in hand, I saw Hille and Denise talking on the balcony. I sat next to Corky on the couch facing the window and tried not to look outside.

Corky moved closer to me and rested his head on my shoulder. “Hey, hot legs. How was your run?”

“Awful. I thought I was gonna throw up the entire time.”

Corky sat up and slid away from me. “You’re not gonna puke now, are you?”

“No. But you’re lucky you passed out early last night. Paul killed us with the tequila shots.”

“I don’t recall pouring them down your throat, Cohen!” Paul said.

“True. My bad.” I peeked out the window and made eye contact with Hille, who smiled and motioned for me to come outside. “Going outside,” I said.

Denise was showing Hille pictures of Bill’s baby and neither of them looked up when I sat down. I felt like I was intruding and wondered why Hille had asked me to join them. Maybe he was just waving hello. I was about to go back inside when he finally acknowledged me.

“Hey, Steph. I heard you went running this morning. Impressive. I’m just sitting here getting fatter and fatter.”

As he said this, he stretched his arms above his head and I got a glimpse of his toned belly and the trail of hair leading downwards. I quickly turned away and brushed aside the memory of fucking him. “Don’t be too impressed. I only ran for twenty-five minutes and had to stop a million times to catch my breath. And I think I had a few cigarettes last night. Smoking doesn’t mix well with cardio-vascular activity.”

Hille started laughing. “You did smoke last night. Kept taking Eric’s cigarettes. You thought you were being sneaky, but he saw you. It was cute.”

“Shit! I’d better buy Eric a new pack! Kind of scary that I don’t remember.”

Denise stood up. “I don’t remember much about last night either. Don’t even remember going to bed. I’m gonna put my album away.” Then she looked at Hille, smiled and said, “Unless you’re still looking.”

Hille returned Denise’s smile and shook his head. “Nope. Cool pictures, though.”

Denise smiled at Hille again and walked back into the house. I didn’t know why a measly photo album inspired so much smiling among the two of them. Had they hooked up the night before while I was busy stealing cigarettes? Surely Denise would have remembered that.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

I looked at Hille’s face. There was no post-coital glow or any other evidence to suggest he’d gotten laid the night before. “The beach, I guess,” I said.

“I meant after the beach—I think us guys are gonna go fishing. I heard Rachel mention the outlets and I’m guessing Andy will be roped into going with her. So that leaves you girls with the house to yourself.”

“I’m sure we’ll find something to occupy our time.”

“I’m sure you will too. Talk to Ryan lately?”

“Yeah. Apparently we exchanged a long round of text messages last night. But I don’t remember sending them. My grammar was perfect though, if you can believe it.”

Hille chuckled. “Wow. How’d you manage that?”

“I haven’t a clue. Also don’t know what possessed us to debate the best television theme songs but we did. I have the evidence to prove it.”

“What’s your favorite?” He asked.

“Greatest American Hero,” I said.

“His?”

“Dukes
of Hazard.” I considered asking about Hille’s favorite until I recalled the embarrassing list of questions I had once prepared.

“Funny stuff.” Hille stood up and motioned towards the beach below us. “I’m about ready to hit the sand. You?”

I followed him back in the house, where the others were still mesmerized by the television. Rachel Ray was making one of her 30 minute meals—Buffalo Club sandwiches.

~ * ~

Later that afternoon, Hope and I were sitting on Eric and Jess’s bed watching Jess blow dry her hair and going through her makeup collection. The guys had left to go fishing a few minutes earlier. I was relieved Denise had gone to the Coach outlet with Andy and Rachel instead of joining the guys.

I removed a hot pink lip gloss from the case and unscrewed the cap. “I use this one too. Kind of cool the way the same shade looks different on everyone,” I said.

“I use it too,” Hope said. “And so does Denise.”

“How weird is it that all four of us use the same lip gloss? I thought it was my secret,” I said.

Finished with her hair, Jess sat on the bed with us with her feet dangling over the edge. “So did we.”

“So what should we do while everyone else is out?” Hope asked.

“Hmmm. How about we run around the house naked?” I suggested.

Hope giggled. “I think Paul did that last night.”

“Want to get out of here? I wouldn’t mind driving somewhere,” Jess said.

“I’d suggest a bar if I wasn’t afraid your evil impregnated demonic twin would kick my ass.” As I said this, I held up my pointer fingers in the sign of the cross hoping my dead Jewish grandparents couldn’t see me.

“Mwahaha!!” Jess said laughing. “Actually, both me and my evil twin wouldn’t mind sitting at a bar. I’ll just order a fancy drink with an umbrella—hold the alcohol.”

“Sounds good to me. Except for the ‘hold the alcohol’ part,” Hope said.

“Cool. Let me throw on some of that lip gloss and grab my wallet.” On my way out, I snuck a look at the master bath. “Have you guys used that awesome Jacuzzi tub yet?”

“Not yet. But Eric keeps mentioning it. I think tonight’s the night.”

“Is it hard to have sex in a bathtub?” I asked.

“I’ll let you know tomorrow morning. Hurry up and grab your wallet before the guys come back and want to join us. I’m craving some girl talk.”

About a half hour later, the three of us were sitting at Sundogs Sports Bar sipping our drinks—mine a Rum Runner, Hope’s a Long Island Iced Tea and Jess’s a virgin frozen Strawberry Daiquiri. We sat at the bar, Jess in the middle so that she had easiest access to the potato skins and nachos.

“Did either of you notice how weird Craig’s acting?” I asked. I moved my stool back a few inches from the bar so I could see Hope better.

“Weird how?” she asked.

“He’s being so outgoing and friendly and I’ve barely seen him with his Blackberry.”

Jess eyed the last potato skin and looked from me to Hope. “Can I have it?”

“Go for it. I just want another drink,” I said. “So, did either of you guys notice?”

After Jess slurped down the rest of her drink, she asked, “Notice what?”

“Craig’s behavior!!”

Both girls shook their heads.

I knew it was not just a figment of my imagination. “You didn’t notice how much more talkative he’s been to me suddenly?”

Hope shrugged. “I guess. That was awfully sweet of him to take you in the ocean.”

“Definitely. I was surprised.”

“Maybe he likes you, Steph,” Hope said.

“No way.” I took a long sip of my drink. “You really think?”

“Why not?” Jess asked. “You’ve hooked up a bunch of times.”

“And you know what they say about not knowing what you’ve got till it’s gone,” Hope said.

“Whatever. I practically threw myself at Hille before and he made no effort. Maybe he’s just happy to be off from work for the week.”

I waited for a response from the girls but none came and we quietly watched the bartender prepare our second round of drinks. “Do you think he likes Denise?” I asked.

“I doubt it,” Jess said.

Gesturing towards me, Hope said, “He obviously has no issue with casual sex, though, so you never know what the rest of the week will bring.

Her comment elicited a hearty laugh from Jess. I didn’t think it was very funny but I forced out a chuckle anyway.

A few days later, I stretched out on the couch and called Ryan.

The first words out of his mouth were, “When are you coming home? I mean hi!”

Charmed by his enthusiasm, I said, “I’ll be home soon enough and hi right back at you!”

“What’s going on? I’m bored. Let me live vicariously through you.”

“Hmm, okay, we dared Corky to run around the block naked last night and he did. Eric got completely stoned last night and offered to make us guacamole but wound up eating it all himself. Andy’s still trying to hide his porn addiction from Rachel but Paul and Eric keep leaving his DVDs around the house. I finally turned over on my stomach today at the beach and my butt cheeks are sun burnt. Hope and…”

“Wait,” Ryan interrupted. “Not so fast, woman. Your butt cheeks are sun burnt?”

Giggling, I said, “I figured that would interest you. Yes, my bikini bottoms are kind of small and my butt is, well, kind of big and it got burned.”

“Your butt isn’t big. It’s perfect,” Ryan said. “Man, I wish I was there to apply sunscreen.”

Tickled pink by his reassurance that my butt was perfect, I said, “Me too. But if it still hurts when I get home, you can apply aloe to the affected area.”

“I just got hard,” he said.

“And I think I’m gonna take this conversation into the bedroom while Denise is out and I have it to myself. Hold on a second.”

As I walked away, I glanced over at Hille on the couch by the window. He was furiously typing away at his computer, seemingly lost in his own world. Figuring he must have overheard my conversation with Ryan, I recalled Hope’s comment at SunDogs that he might like me and, for a brief moment, wondered if he could be jealous.

~ * ~

We decided to go out for dinner that night. I was relieved since almost everyone besides me had already been assigned kitchen duty and I was afraid I would be forced to suit up and cook for the house. We went to an Asian Fusion restaurant that Andy, Rachel and Denise had passed on the way to the Coach outlet. We hung out at the bar while we waited for a table large enough to accommodate us.

Paul was the first to get the bartender’s attention. “What’s everyone drinking?”

“Vodka and cranberry. I don’t want to mix drinks later,” Hope said.

Corky shouted out, “Whatever’s light on tap for me!”

I was contemplating my choices. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to drink beer or wine. Still undecided, I looked up to find Paul glaring at me.

“Cohen! We don’t have all day,” he said.

I was about to order a glass of Riesling when Hille tapped me on the shoulder. “They have heffeweizen on draft, Steph.”