Just Friends With Benefits (9 page)

Afterwards we both lay on our sides facing each other. I waited for our breathing to return to normal and, hoping to keep him occupied until we were ready to do it again, said, “So, Craig, tell me, what’s your favorite color?”

Hille cocked his head to the side and repeated, “My favorite color?”

“Yep”

“Uh, I’ll go with blue. What’s yours?”

“Mine’s blue, too. Not a light blue, but a dark, almost purplish blue. What about food? What’s your favorite food?” I asked.

“Hmm, anything fried, I guess. Or anything with cheese. Fattening and artery clogging is the way to go.”

“Interesting,” I said. “I don’t know where you put it. Okay, what’s your favorite movie?”

Hille didn’t say anything and I figured he was thinking about it. “Okay, I’ll go first. I have a few.
Field of Dreams
is one.
When Harry Met Sally
is another.
Godfather Part II
definitely. And, don’t laugh,
Saturday Night Fever
. Okay, your turn.”

Hille didn’t say anything and so I whispered, “Craig?”

When he still didn’t answer, I peered closer at his face and saw his eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open. When I heard the faint snore escape his lungs, I knew he had fallen asleep.

Proud to have worn him out, I chuckled, kissed him softly on the lips and closed my eyes.

When I woke up the next morning, Hille was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at his Blackberry. He was fully dressed in his work clothes.

Wishing I had kept a bottle of eye drops on the night stand, I rubbed the corners of my eyes and said, “Hey. What are you doing up so early?”

Hille turned around to face me. “Getting ready for work,” he said, yawning. “I used the shower. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind. But what’s the hurry?” Patting the side of the bed where Hille had slept, I said, “Don’t you have time to hang out for a little while?” I was hoping for a round of morning sex.

“I wish I did, Steph, but I can’t really afford to be late for work, not with all of the recent layoffs.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” I asked.
We could’ve had morning sex
.

“I knew you didn’t have to get up early today. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you up unnecessarily.”

“I would’ve gotten up,” I insisted, but fearing I sounded desperate, added, “But I do love my beauty sleep!”

Hille grinned and said, “I figured as much. Anyway, I had a really good time.”

“I had a really good time too, Craig.”

Hille stood up and walked over to me. “I really have to go,” he said. “What time is your flight?”

“Not until two-thirty-ish.”

“Good, you have time to go back to sleep for a bit. “

“Yup,” I said.

“Anyway, if you get bored waiting for the plane, give me a call, okay?”

“Sure. Have a great day, Craig.”

Hille sat on the edge of the bed, said, “Thanks, kid. You too,” and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. Then he stood up and said, “Bye, Steph.”

I was afraid he smelled my morning breath so I just nodded and gave him a closed mouth smile. When I felt he was a safe enough distance away to open my mouth again, I said, “Bye Craig” and watched him walked toward the door. Before leaving the room, he turned around one more time and gave me a quick wave goodbye.

After he left, I jumped out of bed and checked myself out in the bathroom mirror. I breathed a sigh of relief that my bed-head was not too bad and my mascara from the night before was not running down my face. Sitting back on the bed, I wondered what Hille was thinking. Was he glad he had changed his mind about hooking up with me or did he have regrets? Was the sex as good for him as it was for me or did he think I sucked in bed? Did he think I was relationship-worthy or just another name to add to his little black book? Why was he in such a hurry to leave? Did he really need to get to work so early?

Since morning sex with Hille was off the table, I forced myself to stop thinking about him and, after counting backwards from 100, I fell asleep. When I woke up a few hours later, I immediately worried that it was my morning breath that had turned Hille off. I blew on my hand and couldn’t smell anything but it was normal to have bad breath first thing in the morning! I was incredibly charming, not to mention passionate in bed and if something as lame as morning breath could turn Hille off, I didn’t want him anyway. I threw my clothes and toiletries in my suitcase and, after I completed the express check-out, I quickly glanced at my cell phone to see if Hille had called.

While on the brief plane ride from LaGuardia to Reagan, I decided to chalk the night up to a good time between friends of the opposite sex. I refused to play the desperate girl hoping to turn a one night stand into a relationship. And besides, if Hille didn’t like me, it was his loss. Feeling better and infinitely more powerful, I closed my eyes and dozed for the remainder of the trip.

After we arrived in D.C., I made my way to baggage claim and, while I waited with the others for the buzzer to go off and the bags to make their way around the carousel, I turned on my phone to see if Hille had called.

I waited patiently for my drinks at the shiny red circular bar and chuckled silently, watching the guy next to me purposely flex his muscles as he raised his arm to get the bartender’s attention. Catching me off guard, he turned to me and said, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look like the girl from
Gremlins
?”

Although I had heard this one before, I played dumb and asked, “Which girl would that be?”

He momentarily looked away from me and flashed his $5 bill in the bartender’s face. I had a feeling the bartender was intentionally ignoring him since $5 wouldn’t even buy a Diet Coke during happy hour specials at Lounge 201. He repeated, “Guy! Guy!” multiple times before turning his sunless-tan-gone-bad face back in my direction. “You know. The actress from
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
. The hot one.”

Knowing the answer, I said, “You mean Phoebe Cates?”

“Yeah! That’s her.”

As I wondered why the only guys who seemed to hit on me were the ones I didn’t find the slightest bit attractive, I gave him a sideways smile and said, “I actually have heard that a few times but, other than the dark hair, I don’t see a resemblance. But I’ll take it as a compliment. Thanks!”

Cutting in, Suzanne said to the guy, “Does that mean we’ll catch you jerking off in the bathroom later?” Grabbing our drinks from the bar, she turned to me and said, “I got us a table.”

I called out, “Nice talking to you,” before making a quick escape with Suzanne to our table in the brightly lit lounge, which was decorated with posh booths and bright red couches.

Before we got halfway through our first round of mojitos, Suzanne asked if my membership on Match.com was still active. She met her fiancé Luke online and whenever I complained about a horrible first date, she’d recite her favorite cliché: “It only takes one!”

“Yes, Suze, my profile is still up.” My membership had actually expired but it wasn’t technically a lie since I could still receive emails. I just couldn’t open them.

“But are you actively searching or sitting around waiting for guys to email you?” she asked.

“What do you think?” I asked.

Suzanne gave me a disapproving look while I sank my butt lower into the leather seat cushion. “I’d just prefer to meet someone the old fashioned way, that’s all,” I said. Like in college, I thought, as my mind wandered to Hille.

“Hmm, not sure if I should be insulted since I didn’t meet Luke the old fashioned way.”

“Suze, I totally didn’t mean that as an insult to you, but I can’t stand online dating anymore and you’ve already snagged the one decent guy! I’m just gonna take my chances for awhile and see what the universe throws my way.”

“Like that goon at the bar?” Suzanne joked.

“Please. Seriously, can we please drop the subject? It’s a buzz kill and these mojitos are too good to waste.”

“I just don’t want some bitch stealing your husband because she was looking for him while you were waiting for the universe to drop him at your doorstep!”

“You sound like my mom! I promise not to let some bitch steal my husband, okay! Now can we get another round of drinks? I have some information to share.” I decided that maybe Suzanne would be less concerned about my single status if she knew I’d had sex recently.

“Information, huh? I’m sufficiently intrigued.” Standing up, she said, “Okay, I’ll buy another round and you can spill when I get back.”

The deafening sounds of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” reverberated in the air as I watched Suzanne maneuver her way through the packed lounge area until her blonde curls disappeared in the crowd of Capitol Hill staffers and lobbyists. Despite spending so much time together, our love lives were not nearly as in sync as our menstrual cycles. Suzanne ended one long term relationship, joined Match and only went out with two other guys before meeting Luke. My only long term relationship was Paul and most of it took place under the influence of alcohol.

When Suzanne returned with our drinks, she sat down and said, “First of all, I hate this song—sets women back decades. Second of all, and more importantly, what information do you have to share with me?”

Laughing, I said, “First of all, I’m surprised you don’t love this song considering that Luke ‘put a ring on it’! Second of all, you don’t waste any time, do you?”

“You started it, girlfriend. What’s up?”

“Okay.” I paused dramatically. “Since we were on the subject of my love life—”

Interrupting, Suzanne said, “A subject I promised I’d drop!”

“Yes, but if I initiate the conversation, it’s okay.”

“Okay, I am now fully aware of the rules. Keep going.”

Raising my voice facetiously, I said, “Please, no more interruptions! What I’m trying to tell you is that I actually had a little fling in New York.”

Looking at me with surprise, Suzanne said, “Really? Wow. Who with? One of the attorneys?”

“No. No one from the firm. Someone I went to college with. Have I ever mentioned Hille to you?”

Suzanne shook her head in answer, but then her eyes widened. “Hille! Yes! The serious one who’s the Tony Randall to Paul’s Jack Klugman, right?”

“Nice memory, Suze! Yes, that Hille.”

“You fucked him?”

“You’re so crude, but yes, we had sex.” Suzanne wasn’t one for beating around the bush.

“This is definitely turning into a more interesting drink night than I was expecting. I might have to tell Luke not to wait up. Give me the scoop. How’d it happen?”

“Well, Hille put his penis in my...”

Crossing her eyes, Suzanne said, “Du-uh! I know
how
it happened. You know what I meant, loser!”

“I actually thought that was pretty funny but, yes, I know what you meant.”

Suzanne looked at me expectantly. “So?”

I started to tell her what happened the first night.

“He’s gay,” Suzanne interrupted.

“What the fuck are you talking about? He’s not gay!”

Suzanne stood up. “A guy who turns down sex with a girl who is not a dog is gay. Period,” she said, matter-of-factly.

“Can you let me finish? And, by the way, I’m so flattered you don’t think I’m a dog.” We stared each other down for a few seconds before I broke the silence. “Um, why are you standing?”

Suzanne sat back down. “Finish.”

“As I was saying, he initially turned me down since Paul and I used to date.”