Friends With Benefits Read Online Free Page A

patio?”
    She shrugged. It would be nice to sit out overlooking the harbor. “Outside,” she decided, and the hostess led them up the stairs and onto the patio. Glass walls sheltered them from cool ocean breezes but gave an unobstructed view of the jumble of masts in the harbor and the azure ocean. The Channel Islands were faintly visible in the distance, like a mirage on the horizon.
    Kerri perused the menu as a waiter filled their water glasses. Trevor immediately ordered another beer but Kerri requested a glass of Chardonnay. She could only drink so much beer. Ugh.
    “Tell me more about your job,” Kerri invited him, lifting her glass of wine.
    “I work for Brandon Developers. We do a few different things. Residential and commercial real estate development. We also manage our projects.”
    “Like what?”
    “The new AmTec Center,” he said, referring to a large strip mall just outside the city. “We just finished that last year. We manage the building and lease it to tenants for commercial use. I work in the commercial development area. Did I mention that I just closed a deal worth over two million dollars?”
    Uh…actually, he had. “What is it?” She wasn’t sure if she really got what he did.
    “We’ll be developing a new building for Wightman Pharmaceuticals. It’s a mixed-use development consisting of a hundred-and-twenty-square-foot, two-story executive office building, and a forty-thousand-square-foot research and development building. We won this project over some stiff competition from other developers, so it’s pretty huge.”
    “Ah.” She nodded. “I wish I’d known you when I was looking for space for my business. I had a hard time finding something appropriate that I could afford.”
    He laughed. “You’re too small to be one of our clients.”
    Oh. She sat back in her chair, nonplussed.
    They talked more and continued getting to know each other over dinner. Kerri didn’t think much of it when Trevor ordered another beer, and was pleased when he insisted on a nice bottle of wine to have with their dinner. But when he poured himself a third and a fourth glass, she started to get concerned. During dinner, he ordered a second bottle of wine.
    “Um…I’ve had enough,” she said hesitantly. “Don’t order it just for me.”
    He waved a hand and laughed. “Oh, you can have another glass.”
    Kerri pushed down her misgivings and smiled, even as Trevor’s voice grew louder and more slurred. Other diners in the restaurant started casting glances their way, and by the time they’d finished dinner, she wanted to slink down into her seat.
    “You can’t drive,” she told Trevor firmly as he signed the credit card slip with an unsteady signature. “And I think I’ve actually had too much to be able to drive, myself.”
    “Hey, no problem,” he said loudly. “We’ll just go for a walk. There’s another bar just down the wharf.” He grabbed her roughly around the shoulders and pressed a sloppy, wet kiss to her cheek. Eeeew.
    “Actually, I’d like to go home. I think we should call a taxi.”
    He stared at her with unfocused eyes. “Come on, Kerri. It’s early and we’re having such a good time. And I’m celebrating my multi-million-dollar deal today.”
    “No thanks,” she said, disappointment and disgust flooding her. “I’ll call a taxi. You can continue on, if you like.”
    He frowned, then to her astonishment, waved a hand and left the restaurant. She gaped after him, then pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called for a taxi.

    ***

    Mitch waited until Saturday afternoon to call Kerri. She had a yoga class at ten o’clock for an hour and then she’d be free, although she’d probably go to the new studio to get things ready for the move.
    “Where are you?” he asked when he finally got a hold of her.
    “At the new studio. Just finishing up some paperwork.”
    “How’d the evening go? You two hit it off?”
    She sighed. “Well, at first we did. I