Free Friends With Benefits by Alaina Marks Page A

imaginary friend. He took a long swig. The beer cooled off his body as he gulped it down. It had been awhile since Neal had been alone in his apartment, but it did give him time to reflect on his life. He was thirty-four, successful, single by choice, and up until three months ago, he had a live-in lover named Yoanna.  Gosh he missed her!

Yoanna and Neal met a year ago on Craigslist. He responded to her ad looking for a room to rent. Neal was browsing the ads in hopes of finding a girl that would be interested in a friend with benefits type of situation in exchange for housing. Neal only wanted casual sex but he required exclusivity. He wasn’t the type to sleep around and expected the same. He lived in a two bedroom condo, in Trump Place, one of the most sought after addresses in Manhattan. Although Neal wanted a no strings attached relationship, he also wanted the girlfriend experience (GFE). To guarantee GFE, without the actual commitment and title ‘girlfriend’, Neal thought it would be best if he offered a room in his home.
     
    With this arrangement came specific rules: they must be exclusive, there must be no feelings involved, no commitment, and no dates. Strictly sex. These rules were not made to be broken; they were made to keep Neal safe. Well his heart safe anyway.

Neal hadn’t always been this emotionally detached; he made the mistake of trusting his heart to a girl once who crushed it so bad that he swore off relationships. Five years ago, Neal’s ex, Tori, cheated on him. They were living together in Atlanta, Neal left to visit his dad in New York, to discuss him coming to work for his architectural firm. Tori decided to stay in Atlanta because she was a little under the weather. Neal felt bad for leaving Tori alone while she was sick so he decided to go home a day early to surprise her.

Neal walked into their home, it was dimly lit with candles; soft music and a sweet vanilla aroma filled the air. He placed his bag near the front door, kicked off his shoes, and walked into the living room where the stereo played. He expected to find Tori lying on the couch asleep, instead there were two wine glasses half empty sitting on the coffee table. What the hell?

Soft giggles echoed through the air. Neal walked towards the bedroom. Clothes and shoes left a trail down the hallway. The giggles turned into heavy panting the closer he got to the door. He pushed open the cracked door. Two bodies were entangled on his king sized bed, illuminated by the moonlight coming through the blinds. Neal froze, his voice caught in his throat. Tori? The man positioned himself in between Tori’s legs, and she wrapped them around his waist, the same way she’d done to Neal countless times. With every moan Neal’s body tensed.

Neal walked over to the bed, fists clinched; jaw tightening with every step.

“Oh shit!” The man’s words collided with Neal’s knuckles. His teeth scraped across Neal’s skin as he hit him in the mouth; knocking him over to his side.

“Neal! Oh my god!” Tori scrambled to get up from under the two men.

Neal got on top of the naked man, jabbing him in the face. With every blow, he could hear Tori in the background calling for him to stop.

“Neal—stop, please! Neal!” Tori struggled to get Neal off her lover.

Neal pushed Tori away. “Get off me!” Tori fell backwards, landing flat on her butt.

“Tori…” Neal jumped off the bed to go to Tori’s side. He lifted her up. She trembled in his arms. Neal had never hit Tori and to know that he had physically hurt her brought him out of his fiery trance. She stood still, naked, glistening from perspiration. Neal had never lost his temper in front of her. She cried as she looked back and forth, from him to her lover who was lying in a fetal position on the bed holding his nose.

Neal’s knuckles, on his right hand, were covered in blood. He flexed his hand a few times, wincing at the pain. He hadn’t been in a physical fight since his