Matched

"And yet you've never acted on it."

I nod. "Because I know you. I know you don't want something simple and easy. You want something difficult."

"So, what's changed?"

I shake my head and glance away, running my hand through my hair. "I don't know," I reply and turn back to her. "All I know is that I want you now. If not now, when?"

"A week."

"A week?"

A fucking week?

"It's barely any time."

"I thought maybe a day or two. Seven fucking days?" I turn back and look in her eyes. "How will I get through seven days and seven nights?"

"You'll figure it out. I need time away from you to know if I can handle it. If I can trust you."

"You don't think you can trust me?"

"Jon," she says softly. "You're a manwhore."

"All right, a week," I reply, not wanting to argue with her on that particular point. "But I don't know whether I'll be able to last."

She smiles coyly. "I'm sure you can take matters into your own hands."

I laugh out loud at that. "Oh, believe me, I can. I already do. In fact, in the last few days, I've been busier than usual, imagining you."

She closes her eyes, and I wonder what she's thinking about my admission that I've been beating off to fantasies of us together.

"Well, at least you'll keep busy," she says with a smile.

"What about you?" I fold my arms. "How will you get through the week?"

"I'll manage," she says lightly, trying hard to hide a smile but failing. "I'm very handy."

"Oh, God." My body responds to the image of India getting herself off. "Now I won't be able to not imagine you with your hands on yourself." I look back at her, wanting her right now, not certain I can wait that long. "Couldn’t we just say until Friday night?"

"No," she says firmly. "We should take an entire week. Not spend any time with each other except at work. No going to the bar. No going out for brunch or supper. Really think about whether we want what we already have to be put in jeopardy over something as animal as lust."

"I'm an animal and I lust, India. There's nothing wrong with it."

"There isn't, unless it ruins things and we stop being partners," she replies. "You have to decide how much our partnership means to you. Whether breaking that wall is worth the effort and whether being lovers is worth the risk."

I say nothing and just look at her, my eyes moving over her body from her head to her toes and back again, but I'm sure she's more than worth the effort and risk.

"I already know, but if you really want to wait a week, I'll comply. But," I say and go closer to her, one hand at her waist, pulling her against my body once more. I stroke her cheek with the back of my fingers. "I'm not a patient man. Three days should be good enough"

I wait for her response.

"Seven days." Her eyes widen in expectation.

"Okay," I say quietly, because I can tell she's not going to give an inch on this. "But it's not necessary on my part. I know what I want. Don't you?"

She shakes her head. Then, she smiles. "I know what I want, but it may not be good for me – for us."

"Sometimes, you have to just take a risk."