"You realize I'm a grown man, right?" I asked, turning my head to the side.

"Yes."

"I am a twenty-four-year-old grown man who is capable of making his own decisions. And his own mistakes."

"Where are you going with this, Young?"

"All I'm saying is if for some reason my career didn't work out, or anything in my life didn't work out, that would be my doing. Not someone else's."

TJ turned to look back up at the ceiling. "Go to bed, Carter."

I shifted onto my side, watching as she squeezed her eyes shut. I extended my arm over her waist, pulling her closer.

"Carter..." her voice warned.

"I'm just trying to sleep," I mumbled, closing my eyes, "I can't fall asleep pretending like you're not beside me."

After a few seconds of silence, I could finally feel her body relax. My fingertips lightly danced along her hip bone, just barely touching the skin. I wanted her. Bad. Worse than ever before. I wouldn't do anything without her permission. Until she said I needed to stop, my fingers would only be lightly touching. Appropriately testing the waters.

To my surprise, she didn't say a word. Not even when I started to make small circular motions.

I wanted to see how far she would let me go. My hand moved up her side, passing underneath the bottom of the oversized t-shirt she had on. Nothing. I traced around her navel. Silence. I slid slightly further up her skin. Still nothing. The shirt she had on began to bunch just below her breasts. And still, not a word.

I glanced up at her face, surprised when our eyes met. Through the small amount of light from the night sky that peeked through the curtains, I could see a smile across her lips.

"Do you still want me to go to bed?" I whispered.

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Then slowly, she shook her head. That look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know. Whatever she said in the bathroom was not her true feelings. TJ wanted me – us. Why she was trying to deny it, I had yet to figure out. My thoughts escaped me as she grabbed ahold of my wrist and guided my hand down her rest in between her legs.

"Still friends?"

She nodded. "Friends... with benefits."

I grinned. "I hear that gets complicated."

"I think you like complicated."

I leaned over her. "I do," I whispered, removing the remaining space between us. My lips pressed against hers, and instantly, I felt her deepen the kiss.

I was beginning to like her definition of friendship.

I woke up the next morning tangled in the sheets with my so-called friend. Her head rested on my chest while her arm draped across my stomach. I only hoped this wouldn't be one of the few times we would wake up like this together. But as always, I could not be certain of something if it involved TJ and feelings.

I could feel her begin to stir awake. "Morning," her voice softly mumbled.

"Morning, friend." I wasn't letting go of that just yet.

TJ leaned up with a grin. "Morning... friend," her tone dripped with seduction as her lips went to my neck. I guess we were moving forward with this friends with benefits idea.

The bedroom door abruptly swung open. I reached for the covers, pulling them over the lower half of my body.

"TJ-" Weston quickly averted his eyes, "Shit. Sorry."

"Ever heard of knocking?" TJ grabbed her shirt from the end of the bed and slipped it on.

"Yeah. Sorry. I'll remember that," he said with his eyes focused on the floor, "Hank called. He needs us at the office. Now."

"This early? Is he serious?"

"He said it's urgent. Be ready in twenty minutes."

TJ groaned as the door slammed shut and the two of us were once again alone. Her body flopped back down on the bed. "Well, there goes our morning."

I smiled, kissing the top of her head. "It's alright." There will be more mornings in the future, is what I wanted to add.

Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I cursed under my breath reading the messages on the screen.

Ryan:

Meeting!! This!! Morning!!

Ryan:

Dude are you alive?? You didn't come home

Ryan:

Hellooooooo

Ryan:

Could you pls respond before Jeff kills me???

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, I just forgot I have to meet Jeff at the office this morning. Ryan's freaking out."

"Well, tell him you have a ride." TJ sat up. "I guess I should grab a quick shower. Care to join?"

I smiled, delighted by her invitation. "Don't have to ask me twice. Let me just let Ryan know before he sends out a search party."

Carter:

I'll be there. Don't worry

TJ got out of bed and made her way towards the bathroom, stretching her arms as she walked. She suddenly stopped and turned back to face me. "Holy shit, I can't believe I didn't ask you yet," she said, pointing to my hand, "How is it feeling?"

I had almost forgotten until she asked. Lifting my hand, I was taken aback by how bruised it had become within a few short hours. "Not great, I guess."

"I'll wrap it up for you after."

I nodded, quickly sending off another text to Ryan.

Carter:

If anyone asks, I hurt my hand while boxing.

This was a type of shower I had not had in quite some time. TJ got up from her kneeled position on the floor, wiping her lips with a devious smirk. I watched in amazement, trying to catch my breath, as she washed the evidence of our recent activity off her chest. This was normal for friends... right?

Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist. I heard the water stopped, followed by TJ joining my side, covering up her bare body.

She crouched down and opened the cabinet under the sink, pulling out her small white medical box. I followed behind her as she walked into the bedroom and sat on her bed. TJ lifted my hand, bringing her face close to inspect it.

"I don't think it's broken," she said, a hint of amazement in her tone.

"You seem surprised."

Her eyes met mine. "I am. Have you done that before?"

"Have I tackled a guy to the ground and punched him in the nose before?" I asked with a laugh, attempting to lighten the conversation. "No. I haven't," I lied.

"It's bruised, but there's not that much swelling. Are you sure you haven't hit someone before?"

"I think I'd remember something like that."

TJ placed my hand in her lap. She grabbed a few cotton balls from her kit, soaked them with alcohol, and gently ran them over the wounds. I stayed quiet as she securely wrapped my hand in white gauze.

"There you go," she said, removing my hand from her lap. Standing from her spot, she leaned over, "And, there's no way I believe that was your first hit," she whispered with a grin, quickly pecking my lips.

An abrupt knock rattled against the door. TJ walked over, securing her towel before she opened it.

"Really, TJ?" Weston groaned. "You need to move faster."

"I had to wrap his hand. Calm down. We will be out in two minutes," TJ huffed in response. "We're driving him, by the way."

Weston tossed a quick look in my direction. "Fine, here then. He shouldn't go in wearing a shirt with Brandon's blood."

TJ closed the door, turning back to face me, holding up a white shirt. "Aw, he brought you clean clothes," she cooed, "You two are going to be the best of friends."

I rolled my eyes. "I very much doubt that. I don't think he likes me very much."

"Don't take it personally." She shrugged her shoulders. "Weston doesn't like anyone."

The two minutes TJ had promised we would be ready quickly turned into five. It was hard to focus as she teasingly dropped her towel. I did my best to think of anything else to keep myself under control. That was increasingly hard to do as she stood naked, pondering what to wear. She had to help me with my pants once again as my hand was still too sore. I had to stop her hand from wandering too far. The last thing I wanted was to walk out of her bedroom with a full erection.

Once we left her bedroom, it was as if nothing had ever happened. We walked down the hallway with a clear amount of distance between us; the playful smiles exchanged for plain looks. I knew she didn't want the others knowing, and I was happy to play along for her sake.

Weston quickly rushed by, pulling Silas and Patrick along and out the front door. TJ walked towards the kitchen; her movements abruptly stopped by Weston grabbing her arm.

"Car. Now."

TJ groaned. "I need coffee."

"You can get some at the office. We don't have time." Weston quickly disappeared into the kitchen, before returning with a box of cereal, handing it to TJ. "Give this to Pat."

TJ rolled her eyes, grabbing the box.

"Is he always like this?" I asked her as we walked towards the car. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Weston locking up the house.

"Only when he's stressed," she said as she climbed into the vehicle. TJ leaned over the center console, handing the breakfast cereal over to Pat, "Here."

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Patrick questioned from the passenger seat.

TJ shrugged. "I was just following instructions."

TJ took the middle seat, sandwiched in between Silas and me. The driver-side door opened as Weston quickly got into the car.

"Why did TJ give me a box of cereal?"

"Because you fucking annoying me when you're hungry," Weston grumbled in response.

"But there's no milk!" Patrick cried out like a child.

Weston looked over with a glare, which instantly silenced Patrick.

The rest of the car ride was uneventful once Patrick had calmed down from the dry cereal fiasco. Silas cracked jokes about the night before, reassuring me every other sentence to not worry about Brandon. Specifically, not to worry about him going after me, whether that be through a lawsuit or in the press.

"His past is shady enough," Silas happily stated, "There's no way he wants his name attached to anything. The risk is too big."

"Besides, we'd beat his ass," Patrick added.

TJ ignored the comments made, appearing unfazed as she leaned into my side with a happy smile. I noticed Weston glance at TJ from the rear-view mirror, something he had done a few times throughout the drive, as the car rolled to a stop.

"Alright," Weston said, shifting the car into park, "Let's go."

Weston appeared to be in a hurry as he shuffled everyone through the lobby. TJ and I were the first to walk into the elevator, standing behind the rest of the group. I took this as my last chance to touch her, placing my hand on the small of her back. I glanced to the side, seeing her teeth sink into her bottom lip, fighting back a smile. I delicately traced my fingertips up and down her back, wishing that the ride would go much slower than it was.

Whatever we were, friends or not, neither of us could deny that there were feelings between us. And for now, I was fine to leave things in the unknown.

Mentally cursing to myself as the elevator slowed, I regretfully let my hand drop back to my side. The doors opened, and one by one, each of us shuffled out. The hallway was full of laughter and smiles, coming from all except Weston, who walked with a stern expression. Although his demeanour was typically more reserved than the rest, his current attitude was interesting.

I opened my mouth to say goodbye. Before I had the chance to, I was interrupted by Hank, who hastily walked out of the conference room.

"TJ, please... stay calm," he said softly.

I followed TJ's eyes to the glass panels that enclosed the room Hank had just exited from. Sitting at the end of the long table was a woman with dirty blonde hair and green eyes. The woman's face seemed to light up at the sight of TJ. However, when I looked back at TJ, she did not mirror the same emotion. Instead, the happiness that she once showed only moments ago had now completely vanished and the colour drained from her face.

"Mom?"

... yikes

guess she's not dead after all 

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