His Games, Her Rules

“Okay, so let me get this straight. You are sexually attracted to Dominique, and even though you’re not gonna admit it out loud, you like Dominique. And you enjoyed the sex you both had, but yet you don’t want to agree to a deal where you’re gonna have the best sex of your life without any form of commitment?” Monique stops to wander around the living room as she turns to look at me. “Tell me the truth, Robyn, what’s the color of your problem?”

I feign innocence as I shrug my shoulder. “White?”

Monique looks at me, her mouth slightly open as she throws her hands in the air.

“I think it’s blue,” I say, grinning at my friend.

“You’re fucking annoying, you know that, right?”

I roll my eyes and pick up the TV remote to resume my serial killer documentary on Netflix. Monique snatches the remote from my hand and glares at me.

“Seriously, Robyn. What the fuck? Why are you turning down something as sexy as this? We’re talking about Dominique Gray. Good sex and no commitment. Every girl would kill for a deal as this.”

“Well, we’re in luck, I’m not every girl,” I say.

Monique exhales through her mouth as she takes a seat beside me. She came home this morning from Manhattan from a modeling job and I told her what happened between me and Dominique four days ago.

“I’m your best friend, your only true love,” Monique says and I smile. “So tell me the truth, bestie, why don’t you want to give in?”

“You of all people should know I am not a huge fan of hooking up with several men and having meaningless sex. What happened between me and Dominique at that charity gala happened in the heat of the moment and it felt so good…” and so right but I’m not gonna say that out loud. “But as much as it was good, I don’t wanna make a habit of it. If I’m gonna have constant sex with a man then we’re gonna have to be in a relationship, even though we don’t have to love each other.”

“Isn’t that what Dominique is offering? A sexual relationship with no strings attached.”

“Not really. And also, Dominique Gray is an arrogant prick who thinks he can get anyone and anything whenever he wants.”

“He already got you, Robyn. Right up against the wall in a hallway at his charity gala.” Monique grins at me as she wiggles her eyebrows.

“You know, the house was peaceful when you left. You should travel again.”

“Oh, please. You and I know you missed me.”

“Whatever.”

“And you’re not dropping this topic. If you agree to this, there’s nothing left for you to lose.” Right.

There’s a lot I’m gonna lose if I agree to something as crazy as that. My pride, my dignity, my self-respect, not to mention, I’m only going to feed his ego.

“You should understand something. I am attracted to Dominique, yes. He’s attractive, sexy even. The plan was to screw him once and get him out of my system and not make a habit of it. A one-night stand and, and I was gonna say friends with benefits but God knows we’re not friends. My point is this is a lot different than a one-night stand. If I agree to it with a man like Dominique, I don’t know what to expect when he decides that I’m not interesting enough to screw. Plus, no-strings-attached relationships never end well. It always gets messy in the end.”

“So you think he just wants to use you?” Monique asks.

“Isn’t that his intention? To have me whenever and however he wants until he’s tired and then he’s gonna move on to the next best thing. I don’t want that.”

“I think the whole deal behind friends with benefits is to have consensual sex whenever both parties are horny with either party not expecting anything in return. Everyone wins and nobody loses.”

Well, with a man like Dominique Gray, you better expect more than winning because he’s unpredictable and that terrifies me. I may have been with men who resemble Dominique in terms of power and wealth, but none of them is like him. Dominique Gray is nothing like I’ve been with. He’s different.

I can always read people. One look at you, and I can tell what’s hidden underneath your shell, but with Dominique, it’s the other way around. I have a feeling he can see through my disguise and he knows me better than I know myself, and that’s terrifying. A lot can go wrong if I give in to my sexual temptation. A lot like my past coming to the surface and fucking up my present.

That’s not something I’m willing to risk. Obviously not for sex.

“And lastly, I’m not looking for a relationship, sexual nor romantic. I’m not interested.”

“Using your job as an excuse to not get involved with anyone has to stop. You need to invest your time in something other than your job.”

I groan. “Sure. I’m gonna think about it. Can you pass me the remote now?” I ask as Monique tosses the remote on my thighs. I turn to glare at her and she grins at me.

“I’m only gonna drop this conversation for now.”

“Good for you.”

The doorbell rings at once the minute I click play. I press the pause button again as Monique and I turn to look at each other.

“You expecting anyone?” I ask.

“Nah. You?”

“No one.”

“Should we maybe ignore the bell and go back to watching TV? The person might get tired and obviously leave.” Monique says as she grins with her eyebrows elevated.

I glare at her and she groans. “Fine, I’ll get it. You should sit your sweet little ass down there and watch me go get the door.” She says sarcastically as she walks to the front door.

I hear the front door open as Monique gasps.

“Oh, man. Aren’t you fucking ripped?” I hear Monique say.

“Is Ms. Denver in?” A man asks and I quickly stand up.

I hurry toward the front door to find Ross, Dominique’s driver standing outside my door with a bouquet of lilies.

Okay, what the hell is going on?

“Ross?” I call as I stand next to Monique.

“Ms. Denver.” He nods at me in greeting.

I turn to Monique and tilt my head toward the apartment, signaling for her to go inside.

She sighs. “You’re no fun.” Monique groans as she enters the apartment.

“What’s going on? What are you doing here?” I ask as I step outside and shut the front door.

“Mr. Gray wants me to give you this,” he says as he stretches the bouquet to me. I refuse to take it.

“What for?” I ask and Ross points to the card attached to the bouquet.

I bend down to read the card and it simply reads. “Dinner. Tomorrow night. 8 pm. Please.”

I chuckle. Dominique is asking me out on a date tomorrow and he surprisingly said please. That’s cute even though I hate lilies.

“Tell him I said I’m gonna think about it.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Denver, but my boss said he’s not taking any other answer except ‘yes.'”

I raise my eyebrows, obviously not surprised because Dominique Gray would do anything to get what he wants. “Is that so?”

“Yes, Ma’am. He also told me not to leave here until you agree to his offer.”

“Is he crazy? Why would he tell you that?”

Ross shrugs as a response. I smile and shake my head. “Tell Mr. Gray that I said I’m going to think about it.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t leave unless you agree to his offer.”

“All right. Well, make yourself at home.” I point at the hallway as I unlock my door and step inside my apartment, shutting the door after me.

I walk past the foyer and straight to the living room to find Monique watching the serial killer documentary I was watching earlier. I grab the remote and press pause.

“You and I know you were eavesdropping. Quit the act.” I say. Monique rolls her eyes and turns around so she’s facing me.

“Why not say yes? You’re gonna leave that poor man standing out there like that?”

“What? I wasn’t the one who gave him an order. Dominique did.”

“It doesn’t matter. And it’s just a date. If it didn’t turn out well, you could always turn down the second date.”

“I’m not gonna accept it. I need to think about it.”

“What’s there to think about?”

I playfully glare at Monique and grab the TV remote. “Let’s just watch TV.” I resume the show as Monique and I watch in silence.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.