Page 117 of The Path to Loving Him
“Right,” he says as if I’m using his logic against him.
“So it’s a good thing this is all just hypothetical, and we’re just two friends enjoying muffins. Although I kind of wish you were enjoying my muffin . . .”
“Christ,” he says while standing, making me laugh.
“Sit back down.”
“Nope.” He shakes his head. “Too dangerous.”
“Remember, we can joke about it.”
“Not when I’m already feeling horny as shit.”
“How on earth are you horny after last night?”
“Because,” he says, looking me in the eyes, “it’s you.”
And with that, he heads toward the kitchen, making me feel all kinds of giddy.
“When is your friend getting here?” he asks.
“This morning,” I say.
“Then I can assume I can leave you now, and you’ll be okay?”
I find him near the door, looking desperate to leave.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thank you for breakfast and the help.”
“You’re welcome,” he says. “You have my number. Call or text if you need anything.”
“I will.” I wink at him, and he sighs with a shake of his head before leaving the apartment.
I rest my head back and stare up at the ceiling. That man keeps confirming what I already knew about him. He’s so...steadfast, wholesome, and good. He’s a provider. Mac and his sisters are so lucky to have him in their corner.
And of course, he has a dirty mouth that I’d love to experience every day.
He’d become an addiction, so it’s wise we stay just friends. But I’m starting to see that if there were a man I’d want inmycorner, to love every day, to go through life’s ups and downs, Ryland Rowley would be a strong contender.
If only things were different . . .
“I don’t understand why I’m here,” Bower says from the couch. “He has a big penis, incredible hands, and a body to die for. He’s protective, sweet, and loves baseball. Why isn’t he over here, on top of you at the moment?”
Can you tell that I filled Bower in on all things Ryland?
She barely even made it through the apartment before I made her sit, and I went over everything with her—from last night to this morning and everything in between. There is a bit of a stunned look in her eyes, and she slowly started to form an opinion . . . hence where we are now.
“Because, I told you, we’re friends with no benefits.”
“That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Sounds like the worst movie title. A good way to take a positively erect penis anddeflate it with one poke. Terrible conclusion of a wild few weeks. And if this were a romance, in a romance book, I’d chastise the author for even thinking she could fool the readers into believing that friends without benefits is a real thing. If you want to fuck, just fuck!”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “It’s not that easy, Bower. If it was just him and me, and we were neighbors? Sure, I’d tell him to come over, kick you out, and let him do whatever he wants to me, but there are complications.”
“You said his penis was perfect. That’s the only complication I can think of.”
How can I keep forgetting how unhelpful Bower is?
“We have to work together, coach together, he has his niece, and from what he told me today, he has no desire to ever be in a relationship . . . ever. Like it’s not in the cards for him.”
