Chapter 25

“How was the skating rink?” Amantha asked later.

She and I sat on the couch as Neo raided the cabinet for food, like a typical teenager.

“Fine,” Neo said. He found a bag of chips and closed the cabinet. “I'm going to my room.”

He disappeared, his footsteps sounding down the hall and his door slamming.

Amantha rolled her eyes. “He's acting completely different in these teen years. He wasn't like this before.”

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against my side. “This is typical teen boy behavior. I acted the same way. Don't let it get to you.”

She smiled sadly at me. “I know. Did you have fun this evening?”

“I did. I promised kisses to the new sexy booking coordinator at work.”

She raised her eyebrows and sent me a sultry look. “Oh you did, did you?”

I nodded. “I did. She seemed pretty receptive, but it's hard to tell by text. I didn't have any body language so I couldn't tell for sure. Maybe you can help me figure it out.”

“Hmm. I don't know. What would you suggest?”

I pretended to think about it. “Hmm. I don't know. Maybe you could reenact it in-person with me? We could practice a little? That way someone else can give me some context?”

She nodded with a smile. “Might be a good idea. What did you say to her?”

“Mmm. Something like this.” My lips captured hers.

Her mouth moved against mine, her tongue darting out to lick my lip ring.

“I like this,” she murmured and kissed me again.

I played dumb. “Kissing in general?”

“Well, yes, but that's not what I mean.”

More kisses. Between kisses, the conversation continued.

“My mouth?”

“Getting closer.”

“Hmm. My lips?”

“Closer.”

She ran her tongue over my piercing then kissed my lips again.

“My lip ring?”

“Mmhmm.” She kissed me harder.

“Glad you like it. I got it just for you,” I teased.

She laughed. “Uh-huh.” Her tongue dipped into my mouth.

We lost ourselves in kissing at that point.

“Eww. Get a room,” Neo said.

Our mouths broke apart, and heads turned to spot Neo looking at us from the kitchen.

I smiled. Definitely in his teenage years.

“Is that what we should say when we catch you and Mona kissing?” I teased.

Neo shuddered. “Butt out.” He grabbed a soda from the fridge and disappeared again.

I chuckled and turned back to Amantha.

She smiled and shook her head. “Want to watch TV until he goes to bed?”

I laughed. “Sure.”

We settled in to watch TV. My thoughts were all over the place.

“Is our friends-with-benefits arrangement working for you?” I asked out of nowhere.

“It is. It kind of works out with Neo. I don't have to introduce him to a boyfriend that he won't see again if we break up. You and I have a ‘no one gets hurt, no one expects more’ situation. If we decide to stop, we're still friends and Neo doesn't get left behind by anyone. No harm, no foul.”

I had doubts about that arrangement. Mainly, it was because I liked this. I could see this lifestyle being my new normal. And I didn't want to run away from it. Had Amantha “caught” me without meaning to?