"Would you like to stay the night?" Persephone asked, combing out her hair.
"If you want me to. I would like to. Do I need to stay in the guest room?"
"I can't have the boys find mommy in bed with Uncle Jake. Things are already about to get very complicated."
"We slept together for two years. The boys were ok."
"The boys were like two."
"Can we at least have a conversation before I walk down to loneliness?" he asked.
"Sure. Why don't we at least get comfortable."
She slid under the covers and patted the bed.
Jake got in the bed behind her and pulled her into him. He put his head on her shoulder. "So, what happens now?"
"Jake, I do love you. I can't have a relationship right now, and you're returning to North Carolina in a few days. You know I don't do long-distance."
"Why don't you do long distance? Because of Bodhi, what happened in England?"
"That would be why."
He pulled her in as close as he could. "But I'm not Bodhi. I would never do that to you."
"Bodhi said he wouldn't do it to me either."
He kissed her on the head. "I need to tell you something."
"Is it what you have been trying to talk to me about all day?" she asked, turning to look at him.
"What if I wasn't long distance? Would you give us another try?"
"What are you trying to tell me, Jake?" Perri asked.
"I'm coming home, Persephone. My company is opening an office in Taylor. I'm going to be spearheading it."
"Taylor? That's an hour away."
"Are you saying that like it is a good thing or a bad thing?"
"I'm happy you'll be closer to the boys. I know they missed you."
"And you said you miss me," he said.
"Jake, I am not getting into a relationship right now. I wasn't expecting any of this. I really wasn't expecting Bodhi to walk back into my life."
"He told me to stay away from you."
"He what?" she asked, sitting up.
"When did he do that?"
"I believe it was after he knocked out my tooth," Jake said.
She touched his face. "You know you don't have to, right?"
"Of course. He may have been the shit when we were younger, but I'm the one who is in bed with you now, and I was for two years."
"Jacob Thorsell, is that all you care about? Sex?" she said with a smile.
"What else is there?"
She laughed. "Well, I guess being in love never gave me an orgasm." She kissed him. "And you have given me plenty of those."
"I can give you as many as you desire. All you have to do is ask."
"I think right now we should just be with friends."
His heart sank. The look of disappointment on his face. "You're friend-zoning me? That's harsh Persephone.
"Yeah, but do you know what can happen in the friend zone?"
"What?"
"You can be a friend with benefits. Would you like to be a friend with benefits, Jacob? I don't want to go without pleasure for years again. Just as long as it's understood that there will be no us. So, what do you say?"
"I think I can deal with that benefits package," he smiled, brought her down on top of him, and kissed her. "I still love you, Persephone. That is never going to change."