Blurred Lines (Love Unexpectedly 1)

For the most part, Lori’s pretty good about comprehending that Ben and I are truly just friends.

But learning that we’re also sex buddies might push the limits on just how understanding my friend is.

And it’s not just Lori who’s bound to lift an eyebrow. I have a good feeling that everyone in my life will have some choice thoughts on my arrangement with Ben.

But I don’t care. I find that all I can think about is the fact that in twenty minutes…

Wait. Wait! Twenty minutes? That’s it!

I noisily drop my fork and stare at my nearly empty plate in horror.

Ben doesn’t even pause in his eating as he looks at me. “What’s up with you?”

“I need a reprieve,” I say.

He frowns. “You’re chickening out?”

“No, I just—I need an extra hour.”

He glances over his shoulder at the clock, then back at me. “Why?”

I point down to my plate. Isn’t it obvious?

Ben shakes his head to indicate he doesn’t understand.

Men.

“I just wolfed down an entire plate of chicken Parmesan, heavy on the cheese,” I explain patiently.

“So?”

“So,” I say, “obviously I need to let the food settle.”

“Sex isn’t like swimming, Parks. You don’t have to wait for thirty minutes before diving in.”

He takes another huge bite, and I stare at him aghast. “You’re telling me you can actually feel sexy immediately after eating a huge meal?”

Ben looks down at his plate. Back at me. “Absolutely.”

“Well, I can’t. I’m a girl. We need time for the food baby to go away.”

“Food baby? Do I even want to know what that is?”

“It’s…never mind,” I say, pushing my chair back and picking up my plate.

“Hold up.” Ben grabs my wrist as I’m moving toward the sink and then uses his fork to stab the last bite of chicken that’s on my plate and pops it into his mouth.

“Unbelievable,” I mutter.

He comes up behind me, taking my plate before I can rinse it, and cleans off both plates himself before setting them in the dishwasher. Loading the dishwasher is one chore he’s quite good at. Unloading, not so much.

“You’re not serious, right?” he asks.

“Yes I’m serious! I can’t have sex now. What if I get…rumbly?”

Ben busts up laughing. “Oh my God, no wonder you and Lance never had sex. Rumbly?”

I punch him in the shoulder. “Keep it up and my hour reprieve will turn into days.”