No Strings Attached | ✓ 18+

twenty-three .ೃ࿐

When I'd returned back to Clay's house the next day, he was in the kitchen, finishing up washing the dishes that they'd used last night. He was standing shirtless, with a pair of sweatpants hanging low on his hips. The issue with him is that he always looked effortlessly sexy, like a Greek God or something.

"Hey," I said as I hung my things up in the entrance.

When he turned to look at me, he had a huge grin on his face. "Hey, love. You look cute." He dried off his hands after placing the last dish on the rack, then he made his way over to me.

I almost melted into him as his hands fell to my waist and his eyes locked on mine. "Thank you," I grinned at him. "Even though I look like I slept in a hotel bed and woke up very early to a very excited Amber because there were exciting complementary coffee flavors in the lobby...because in this case that's exactly what happened."

Clay laughed, his head tilting back and his teeth glinting in the light. He looked beautiful, almost childlike. I hadn't seen him laugh like that in a little while, but it still did the same things to me as it always does. "Isn't that just lovely." He said after he regained himself. "I'm glad you had a good time, though."

"She asked me to be her bridesmaid," I added. "Is that what Trent did for you guys, too?"

Clay nodded, before scooping me up and sitting me on the kitchen counter. "He did. But we can talk about the details later," his eyes turned cloudy again, the look of hunger covering his face once more. "Have you ever had sex on the kitchen counters before?"

"I haven't," I grinned, bending down to kiss him as he rested his hand on my cheek.

"There's a first time for everything then, love." He smiled, then kissed down my collarbone. A devilish glint occurred in his eyes as he pulled away, just to come closer and whisper in my ear. "Do you mind if I take you from behind?"

I groaned at the thought of it and he helped me off the counter.

When my feet were back on the ground, he turned me around and pressed his crotch against my backside. He grinded against me as my hands held the countertop, keeping me sturdy. It was probably the only thing that stopped me from melting into a puddle on the floor by the way he was handling me.

He removed my top as he kissed my shoulders and up my neck, lifting up strands of my hair to gain more access to places he wanted to kiss.

As he kissed me, I wanted to get lost in the moment but the thought of him thinking of another woman still poked and prodded me in the back of my mind. I was brought back to the present as he cupped my breast and nibbled at my neck.

"Every day that I think you're already there, you get impossibly more beautiful, love," he breathed as he pulled back to lower our pants and put a condom on.

When he said things like that, it was hard to think that there was anyone else on his mind but me. But maybe there was. He did tell me not to fall in love with him, as if he knew he'd probably have a way out of this whole scenario at some point anyway. I pushed the thoughts away as I felt him press against me, ready to fill me up.

"Ready, love?" He asked as his hand slipped into my hair again, pulling lightly.

"Always," I muttered, before I fell into bliss.

[ ♡ ]

It started raining in the late afternoon, an hour after Clay left for something at work. He said something about the packaging plant messing up addresses on important business packages and how it was essential to get them fixed before the work week began tomorrow.

I was curled up on the couch, the television playing The Office in the background. I had a book on my lap, intending to read it but completely neglecting it now that the television is on and I have a warm coffee in my hand. 

The girls had texted a few times in the group chat, Amber saying how fun this weekend was again and she was really thankful we wanted to be her bridesmaids. She also reassured us that we didn't have to do any planning, because her parents wanted to do that for her. 

While I was left alone, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. I thought about Clay and I's situation, wondering how long it would last. Until he got tired of me? Until he had a new girlfriend? Maybe until that crush he had professed their undying love for him. 

I felt silly, letting him mess with my mind like that. But how could I not? It wasn't just sex anymore. It was the way he held me afterwards. It was the little kisses on the temple. His compliments. What was I supposed to do with those?

I knew I should have set some boundaries. No hugs, no extra touching. Things like that. Things that would ultimately result in falling in love with him. 

Hell, he was thoughtful and kind. Sometimes he came home grumpy, but he always made sure that I knew it wasn't because of me. Just the other day, he'd come home and pulled me against his chest and shit if that wasn't the most strings attached thing I've ever experienced before. 

He consumes my every waking thought and I don't know how I'm supposed to stop. 

Son of a bitch.