Chapter 29- Enemies with Benefits

Lucy spent the rest of her morning cleaning last nights mess and attempting to rid her mind off Natsu. Which was futile. It was beyond frustrating!

What's worse, she imagined he'd be a even better lover sober! Any better and she would have died of pleasure!

"That's just craziness!" She said to herself. Toying with ends of the scarf she'd wore to hide the 'bruises' on her neck.

Thankfully, it was time to visit her family! Last time they'd all gotten together, there was a food fight, tears, and she was pretty sure her brother uploaded it online. Ah, good times..

The sun beamed fiercely as she walked to her car. It reminded her of Natsu's fetish with weather. Was it possible that she missed him, already? Scowling, she unlocked her car and headed to the drivers side.

"Going somewhere?" A husky male voice said.

Lucy whirled so fast she almost gave herself whiplash.

There he was..

The very man himself! In the flesh and on her porch.. Looking like a wet dream.

"Natsu?.." She'd gasped.

The sight knocked the air from her lungs! Her heart drummed loud in her chest, she was positive he could hear it.

His deep olive eyes were sparkling in the sun. His hair was damp and disheveled. He was dressed casually in jeans and a muscle hugging black shirt.

Damn he looked good, too good..

It teased her mind that she knew what he looked like naked. Her nipples hardened and stomach fluttered.

"So, heading out?" He repeated. Bringing her back from her daze.

"Y–Yess.. I'm headed out." She stuttered.

His gaze slid over her, lingering on all the places he'd licked, kissed and sucked. "You look lovely."

Surely she'd misheard that? Surely he hadn't just given her a compliment? Had he?

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You look lovely, very nice." He said sincerely.

Hadn't misheard then.

"I look the same as this morning.."

"You were beautiful then as well." His eyes darkened, filled with desire, determination and hope?

Okay, what in the blazes was going on?! What is he up to? Why was he being nice?

There was a thick silence between them. A long while passed just staring at each other.

Lucy say something! Anything!

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well it's just.. there's something I wanted to talk to you about." He nervously rubbed his hands on his pants.

"Unfortunately now isn't a good time Natsu." She hefted her purse strap over her shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm having lunch with my family."

"Oh, maybe I can come with you?" He suggested hopefully.

"You want to come with me?To my family lunch?.." Her eyes widened with disbelief.

"Why not?" He said undeterred.

"No I'm sorry. It's 'only family." She turned back to her car.

Natsu was grasping her car door in a flash.

"I doubt they'll mind you bring 'a guest." His breath fanning her ear.

"They might not, but I would."

"I really need to talk to you Lucy. It's important."

He sounded grave, as if it were life and death?

"What's this about?"

"I'll tell you inside the house or car. But not out here."

She didn't want to go back inside her house with him. Especially NOT with a bed or couch nearby. More than that, she didn't have that much time. Shit, it was either take him along or not find out at all.

"Fine, you drive."

Let him pay for gas since he's so insistent on coming.

A look of relief flashed over his features. He nodded and practically skipping to his car.

What is he so happy about? The news must be awful if he was that happy to tell her.

Lucy walked to his car and settled in his plush seat. Buckled, breathed and gave him her mother's address

He started the car and rock blared from the speakers. Sheepish he turned down the volume.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Lucy asked again.

"Give me a moment to collect my thoughts."

Not wanting to seem too eager, she waited in silence until they were driving along the highway.

"Sooo.." she prompted.

"We're both jaded.." He began.

"Are you serious?! That's, what was SO important you crashed my family lunch to tell me?!"

"Give me a minute.."

"You've had plenty Natsu! You don't just show up at someone's house, tag along, and still take an eternity to sort through your thoughts! Out with it! What is so life and death?!" She pressed.

So much for not seeming too eager..

"I never said it was life and death, Princess."

"Why did I even agree to this? You're insufferable!"

"That's not what you thought last night."

Oh that was just..

"You know it's not too late to change my mind." She hit back.

"You're inside my car. It's definitely too late to change your mind." He pointed out.

"Insufferable!" She pulled at her hair.

"Princess, the next time you're naked and underneath me, you can call me whatever you want. However, I do have a preference when you scream my name."

Suddenly she felt his heat envelope her, so much more potent than the sun. She smelled his sinful aroma and the memories she'd fought all morning overflowed her. Her ears filled with the sounds of his moans; her mouth tasted the salty flavor of his skin.

"Stop sidetracking! Just tell me what you came to tell me! And don't bother with Happy the sock puppet, you're confusing enough!"

"Now you're pissed about Happy? What'd he do to you?" He sighed.

"Natsu.." She glared dangerously.

"Go ahead, insult me, hit me."

"No, you'll like it too much." She muttered.

"True.." He agreed.

Her pressure spiked hearing he'd become aroused. Not with fury, but with that damn desire she couldn't seem to shake.

Damn it! Damn him!

"What. Do. You. Want. To. Talk. About?!"

His hands tightened on the wheel and his breathing was choppy. "I hope you're ready for this."

"Out with it!"

"Fine, here it is.." he paused to take in a breath. "You're single, I'm single I think we should sleep together."

Incredulous, she snapped in her seat. "WHAT?! Would you mind repeating that? I think you just said something incredibly stupid?!"

"Look, you can't deny the sex was amazing! And neither of us wants a relationship, so we wouldn't have to worry about the other wanting more."

"We fucked, Natsu. ONE NIGHT. Don't tell me you want more because I won't believe you."

"Beautiful, we did more than fuck. I touched you in ways that had you praising me."

Shock held her immobile. He was serious. He wasn't smiling. Lines of tension bracketed his mouth and his back was straight with hope? Dread?

"We work together."

"I think we're mature enough to act professionally at work."

"And sleep together afterwards?"

"Exactly."

"I thought we'd agreed to forget last night happened." She fidgeted in her seat.

"I can't." He admitted honestly.

Neither could she..

Last night was the first time she ever felt complete. Like all the pieces of her life had clicked and formed a whole.

"Natsu.." she paused not really knowing what to say.

"We're obviously attracted to each other with commitment issues. We also have needs and similar.. appetites."

Her body wanted to agree, was ready to agree! But her mind hesitated.

"We hate each other."

"Yes, and that turned out great in bed. Wouldn't you agree?"

"If that's supposed to convince me, it's not."

"We're compatible, we got along great yesterday!"

"That was the alcohol."

"Do you want to bet, Princess?"

"We decided no more bets."

"You decided that.. Come on Lucy, aren't you willing to hear the wager?" He challenged her.

Her eyes narrowed on him. Lucy already suspecting the answer. "And that would be?"

His lips twitched in a smile. "It's simple, we'll have to sleep together again, sober.."

Lucy couldn't help it, she laughed! A full blown belly laugh. Whether it was the incredulous topic of conversation? His daringly hopeful confidence and approach? Or the fact she was actually considering it? Everything was laughable!

"This isn't 'simple', You basically want me for your urges!"

"It's not like that! It's..different!" He rushed out. "But if you want to use me for your urges, you can do that anytime.." His voice husky.

Natsu at her beck and call? Naked and anything she desired? What is Different? Hmm, but would they be exclusive? Would they be free to date other people? Not that she dated, but just the thought of Natsu with another woman brought out the green monster in her. Not that she'd admit it to him.

"What about exclusivity? Would we get to date other people?" She hinted.

"Exclusive! While we're together, we won't see other people.." He rushed out acting nonchalant.

Tempted but still fighting it, Lucy shook her head.

"Would you call me? Do I call you? How long is the arrangement? What about holidays? What if you meet someone? What if I meet someone? What if one of us decides this arrangement isn't working? How do we end things? What if one of us eventually does want more? What then?!"

He tangled a hand through his hair. "This seemed so simple when I was alone." He sighed.

"That's because men always think with the wrong head."

"You weren't complaining about that head last night." He steered the car off the highway.

"Ass–Hey! Wait, what are doing? Where are you going? This isn't our exit!"

Natsu whipped into an an empty parking lot under a shaded tree and threw the car into park. He unbuckled and pinned her with a stare.

"Enough arguing Lucy! You want me and don't even try to deny it! You don't like how you feel about me? Well guess what? Neither do I. But at least I'm willing to do something about it and see where this goes."

Lucy you're crazy to consider this..

"What happens if it doesn't work out?"

"Like I said, I think we're mature enough to handle it." He said.

"You always think you're so clever, you know that? To have an answer for everything."

"Lucy, no more stalling." He leaned forward. Nose to nose.

"I'm thinking.." His warm breath mingled with hers, both shaky, both raw. Thinking was a hard task since all she wanted to do was bask in his essence.

"I'm waiting.." He inched forward a little more, their lips almost barely touching.

"You're crowding me." She said. The sound of her voice so smoky it was barely audible.

"You like it." He unbuckled her seat belt.

"No." Already her fingers itched to tangle into his hair.

"Yes." He growled.

"No." Her gaze was hungry, she was sure.

"Say it, agree." Natsu lowered his head to the shell of her ear, licking the ridges of her earrings. Then further to her hickied neck. Sucking, biting, and flicking his tongue in a pattern that had her almost seeing stars in a matter of seconds.

Lucy let out a wanton moan, his name coming out with a worship breath that will have her loving or hating herself later. From there everything changes from slow seduction to primal claiming. Unable to resist any longer. Lucy jerked his head up, her fingers shamelessly tangling in his hair pulling him impossibly closer. Agreement and desire in her eyes.

"Yes.."

His lips swooped down on hers completely. Her nerve endings erupted into live wires of sensation. God, he tasted soo good! Shameless, sinful, and, immoral pleasure. Exactly how she remembered it.

Natsu plunged his tongue into her mouth, she was like fire only he could extinguish. She straddled his lap in the drivers seat. He couldn't touch her enough, so he let himself touch her everywhere. His hands kneaded her breasts, so full they overflowed. Her nipples were rock hard. He even dipped a hand between her legs, rubbing vigorously.

Bucking against him, Lucy moaned a litany of curses from her lips in dirty praise.

His cock was straining against the fabric of his jeans, already hard and ready for her, as if Natsu hadn't indulged last night.

"Easy, Lucy.." His forehead dropped down to hers and they both panted for air.

"Soo maybe we are a little compatible." Lucy said breathlessly and unable to move.

"So, Friends with benefits?" He mused with a grin.

"That sounds too cliche and we're not exactly friends." She said starting to climb off him.

"Then, Enemies with benefits?" He grinned mischievously.

The mocking amusement in Natsu's eyes didn't go unnoticed as Lucy sat back down beside him.

"I don't want to be your enemy either.. maybe just casual?" She said frankly.

"Casual it is.." He grinned getting lost in those beautiful brown eyes.

"But if you're an asshole we're definitely going back to Enemies." She stated.

"With Benefits." He corrected her.

Natsu laughed in excitement! Now they can serve their carnal appetites without getting theirselves in a messy entanglement. No thoughts of infidelity, no thoughts of emotional pain. Just them. He definitely saw a lot of sex in their future. He just hoped they didn't kill each other in the process.

"You sure we need to go to your family's?" He dove for another kiss.

"Yes, drive you Idiot! We're running late!" She shakily righted her clothes.

Ahh, something's don't change..

End of Chapter 29

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a while. It's been hectic for everyone I bet! I hope you're all taking care of yourself and staying safe and inside. I'll try to update soon, I'm unemployed at the moment so God knows I have the time. Happy early Easter!

Sending love and prayers to all!