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future.
    However, later that week, on Friday night, I promised Cat I was all hers. Between our work schedules and me hooking up with Aidan so often, I hadn’t had enough time with my bestie.
    Cat, Michael, Amy, and I were meeting for sushi, then drinks at our favorite hole-in-the-wall pub. It was our usual version of Girls’ Night Out. We had a blast as we pigged out on sushi. Michael and Cat giggled as I gave them the highlights of the night Aidan and I went skinny dipping. Amy gaped at first, then grinned when I told her about my bet with Aidan, and how I’d lost.
    After dinner, we moved to the pub. The conversation became more outrageous with each drink consumed. After vodka cranberry number four, I gave them the low down on the best bubble bath ever. I ordered another vodka cranberry after I finished my story. I needed to cool down.
    Michael spoke first. “Girlie, I think you should keep that one on the hook.”
    “I second that,” Cat chimed in.
    I rolled my eyes. “Did you both forget that Aidan is a friend with benefits? This ‘relationship’,” I made quote marks in the air as I spoke, “has an expiration date and very little emotional attachment.”
    Amy, who had been listening intently to my story and this exchange, piped up. “Did you, or did you not, say that he has spent every night with you since Monday?”
    I nodded.
    She continued, “And, haven’t you been spending time together doing stuff besides having sex?”
    Again, I nodded. “But,” I said, “he is a friend with benefits. The definition of friend is someone you like and hang out with.”
    Amy laughed. “Whatever. I think you’re in denial.”
    “Me, too,” piped in Michael.
    Cat just smirked and I knew she was thinking the same thing.
    Again, I rolled my eyes, then focused a glare on Amy. It was time to change the subject.
    “Forget about me. I wanna hear about the new flavor-of-the-month.”
    Amy regaled us with stories of her latest conquest. Cat explained how her new “manfriend” turned out to be a dud, and Michael and I laughed at their outlandish stories. Through our crazy conversation, we each had a round of shots, then another. By eleven o’clock, we were all giggling like a bunch of preteen girls and none of us were capable of driving home. This was nothing new, so we all decided to call cabs. I was pulling out my phone when Michael looked over my shoulder to the entrance of the pub.
    “Oh, my,” he breathed. “Hottie on your six, Nat.”
    I glanced over my shoulder and froze. What the hell was Aidan doing here?
    “I texted him from your phone, Nat,” Cat stated.
    Damn, I must have asked that question out loud.
    “Why in the hell did you text him?”
    Cat laughed, and it was pure evil. Oh, man, she was fucking with me. I narrowed my eyes at her. I was so gonna get even.
    I was distracted from my machinations by a hot, callused hand sliding under my hair to cup my neck. Aidan had been touching me so much this week that he had me conditioned to get turned on as soon as he laid a finger on me. My thighs clenched and my nipples got hard. This was not good. Aidan was well on his way to ruining me for other men.
    I tilted my head back and smiled at Aidan. “Sorry Cat bothered you.”
    Aidan raised his eyebrows and looked surprised. “You texted me, Nat.”
    “No, actually, Cat did. She used my phone. I’m sorry you got dragged out here. We were about to call cabs.”
    I glared at Cat. Then, I rolled my head back and looked up at Aidan. I was definitely feeling no pain, so he was a little fuzzy.
    Aidan grinned at me. “No problem. I can take you home.”
    “Ok,” I said. No use arguing, I wanted to go home with him anyway.
    I said good-bye to my girls and best guy, gave hugs and kisses, paid my tab, and tottered out the door, holding onto Aidan’s arm.
    Aidan was grinning by the time he helped me into the truck.
    “How much did you drink, Natalie?
    I was struggling with my seatbelt and missed his grin widening