Don’t worry, we won’t. I was just bored tonight

Emma’s P.O.V

I was slouched on my sofa, staring at the ceiling and drowning in boredom. Maddie was out on date night with Jackson, which meant I could not even escape to her place. With nothing else to do, I picked up my phone and decided to text Zane. Not for anything wild, just to see if he wanted to hang out. Actual hanging out.

Of course, that little detail about it being my time of the month made it clear there would not be anything more than food and a movie tonight, but I did not feel like sitting alone all evening. I had no idea if he was busy, though. He had mentioned having a packed few days before his birthday weekend. Besides, hanging out without sex was not really something we had done yet. Usually, it was either just that, or small talk if Maddie and Jackson were around. Still, it was worth asking.

Emma: Hey, are you free? I am bored. Want to grab a movie or something? And I do mean an actual movie, nothing else lol. If not, no worries. X

I read the message three times before sending it, wanting to make sure I did not sound needy. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I could not cope without him. Casual was the goal. Now, all I could do was wait and see if he replied.

Zane: Hey, yeah I am free. I can swing by and pick you up. We can grab some food and then a movie if you like? And yes, I know we cannot do anything, you already told me this lol x

Oh, right. I had mentioned that to him last night when he had wanted to come over because he was in the mood. Typical Zane.

Emma: That is true, I forgot lol. Okay, see you soon. X

Zane: See you soon x

Excitement fluttered in my stomach as I jumped off the couch. Time to change out of my old sweats. I slipped into jeans, a simple tee, my leather jacket, and ankle boots. Perfect for a diner and a movie, casual but put together. A quick brush through my hair, a touch of lip gloss, and I was set. I gave myself one last glance in the mirror just as the door opened.

“It is only me,” Zane called out.

I had figured it was him. He had this habit now of just walking in, though at least he always announced himself. I headed through to the hallway, smiling when I saw him standing there.

“Hey,” I said warmly.

“Hey, babe. You ready to head out?” His grin was lazy and confident.

Babe. Baby. Baby girl. Those seemed to be his favourites lately. And every time, they got to me more than I wanted to admit.

He crossed the room in a few strides and pulled me tight against him. My body reacted instantly, a soft sound slipping from me before I could stop it. Then his mouth was on mine in a heated kiss, the kind that left me breathless before I even kissed him back. I did anyway, without hesitation.

When he finally let me go, he winked, that smug look on his face that always made me both want to kiss him again and roll my eyes at the same time.

“Ready?” he asked with a smirk.

All I managed was a low “Mmhmm,” because words had deserted me.

He looked effortlessly put together, clearly aware of the effect he had on me. With his arm wrapped securely around my waist, he steered us out to his car.

“Food or movie first?” he asked as we climbed inside.

“Movie,” I said with a smile.

We needed to be cautious since Maddie was out tonight, but the cinema felt like a safe enough bet. She was at a different showing anyway, so the chances of running into her were slim. Truthfully, I had no idea what was even playing, I figured we would just decide when we got there. It felt a little strange being out with Zane like this, just the two of us, without Maddie and Jackson around. I had never pictured him agreeing to something so normal, yet here he was. And honestly, I was glad for the company.

We pulled into the car park, found a spot, and made our way toward the entrance.

“So, what do you want to see?” Zane asked, scanning the board of movie titles. “And please, do not drag me into some cheesy rom-com.”

Why did men always act like those films were the worst thing on earth? Most of them secretly enjoyed them, they just did not want to admit it because they thought it made them look soft. I rolled my eyes and tried to find something we could both enjoy.

“What about Little? That one looks hilarious,” I suggested, glancing up at him.

His face said it all, he was not impressed. So, I turned up the charm, flashing my best smile and batting my lashes in mock innocence. I had no idea if it would actually work on him, but it was worth a try.

“Fine!” he said at last, throwing his hands in the air.

“Thank you,” I replied sweetly, leaning up to press a quick kiss against his cheek.

“You are buying the popcorn,” he countered with a smirk.

Fair enough. He was about to sit through a movie he clearly would not have picked himself, so the least I could do was cover the snacks. Besides, who knew Zane could be so easily swayed by a little eyelash flutter? For a man who liked to think he was immune to everything, he was not nearly as tough as he claimed.

I bought us a large popcorn to share, and we stepped into the auditorium. The place was almost empty, which meant we had our choice of seats. We settled into the middle row, plenty of space around us.

“Make sure you behave and keep your hands to yourself once the lights go down,” I teased, sliding into my seat beside him.

“No promises,” he replied, winking at me.

*************

Zane and I were at the diner, eating after the movie. The film had been hilarious, and I knew he enjoyed it too, even though he would never admit that to anyone else. It was supposed to be just hanging out, nothing more, but it felt a little like a date. Of course, I would never tell him that. He does not do dates, and if I mentioned it, he would probably shut down and leave.

"This is the first time you and I have actually hung out without it ending with sex, and without anyone else around," he said, taking a bite of his cheeseburger.

"I think you are right," I answered with a small laugh. "Is it really that bad though, just spending time with someone?"

He chewed slowly, swallowed, and then shrugged. "Nah, it is not that bad, I guess. But let us not make it a regular thing, alright? I do not want it to feel like we are dating or anything."

He said it so casually, but his words stung more than I wanted them to. Why did it bother me so much? Was the thought of dating me really that awful? I told myself not to take it personally, yet I could not ignore the way it lingered in my mind.

The truth is, I do not even know if I could ever actually date him. I do not think I could trust him. Being friends with benefits is one thing, there are no expectations, no labels, no strings attached. But if it were more than that, I would spend every day wondering if he was being faithful, and I could not live like that. No matter how long I have wanted him, no man is worth that kind of pain. Not even him.

“Don’t worry, we won’t. I was just bored tonight, that’s why I asked,” I said, brushing it off with a shrug.

“As long as you remember that,” he replied, his voice flat, giving nothing away.

I didn’t bother to answer. Instead, I picked up my burger and took a slow bite, pretending that the conversation was already over. I had gotten what I wanted, and that was enough. A moment later, his phone buzzed. His eyes flicked down to the screen, and I caught the way the corner of his mouth curved when he read the message. I didn’t need to ask who it was. The little smile told me everything. A woman.

I forced myself not to care and kept eating, focusing on my food instead of the irritation building inside me.

“Um… do you mind if we call it a night?” he asked, his smirk tugging at the edge of his lips like he was trying to hide it.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I said with another shrug.

That confirmed it. Definitely a woman. I finished the last bite of my meal, placed cash on the table for my share, and walked out without waiting for him. Standing by his car, I glanced back through the restaurant window. There he was, leaning closer to the waitress, his smile easy, his charm on full display. My chest tightened. Did this man ever stop? He wasn’t getting what he wanted from me for at least the next five days, so of course he would go looking somewhere else. With the way his drive burned, I should have expected it.

A few minutes later, he strolled out, looking far too pleased with himself, like he had just added another name to his growing collection.

“Why’d you rush off?” he asked casually as he reached me.

“You said you wanted to cut the night short,” I replied evenly. “I didn’t want to keep you from whoever has caught your attention.” My tone was calm, but inside, I could feel the sting of jealousy I had been trying to swallow down.

“Okay. Come on, I’ll take you home,” he said with a smile, like nothing was wrong.

We got into his car. Neither of us spoke on the drive back, the silence sitting heavy between us. When he finally pulled up in front of my place, I unbuckled my seatbelt quickly.

“See you whenever,” I said, already pushing the door open.

I didn’t wait for him to respond. I slipped out and headed inside without looking back.

I knew I had no real right to feel this angry, but I did. I also knew how this story always went, he would show up again in a few days, and I would let him in. I hated that about myself. But the truth was, the way he made me feel in those stolen moments was something I wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet.