On Sunday morning, Rose found herself wide awake and sprawled across Lissa and Christian's sofa in their living room. She had been unable to sleep all night, for the interaction with Dimitri had been playing on repeat inside her mind every time she closed her eyes. "I want you, Roza…"

Fuck!

It had been so unexpected – she had gone out last night to get away from all thoughts of Dimitri, and yet he had been there! He had bought her a drink, introduced her to his friend, watched her intensely as she danced sensually with Lissa, kissed her, turned her on and then left her dumbfounded outside the bathroom! "I don't do relationships…"

She felt understandably confused. She wanted him, right? She had finally plucked up the courage to admit to Lissa her feelings for him, and on the same day he confessed his desire for her too! So then why was it still so complicated? Why was she feeling so shit?

Groaning, Rose rolled onto her stomach and buried her head into one of Lissa's soft velvet sofa cushions. She couldn't think about this now – she needed sleep.

"Good Morning, Rose!" An energetic voiced called out, disturbing Rose's attempts of slumber before they had even begun.

Lissa flitted into the room with a grin on her face, fully dressed and showered. She almost never got hangovers, despite downing drink after drink after drink. It was something Rose despised about her best friend – Rose would often drink one drink and feel like crap the next day. Although miraculously, she wasn't feeling the effects of alcohol this morning – the shock of her 'chat' with Dimitri had done wonders for sobering herself up!

"Ugh, you're chipper today," Rose groaned, rolling back onto her side and sitting up to face where Lissa stood leaning against the doorjamb.

"Hungover?"

"No."

"Then why so grumpy, Rose? It's nearly 10 am," Lissa questioned, rolling her eyes in jest before heading into the kitchen. Not 5 minutes later, she returned with two coffees in her hands, placing one on the coffee table next to Rose. "Here, coffee," she offered before moving to sit on the sofa opposite.

Rose offered a small smile in return, before sighing deeply and burying her face in her hands.

"I can do things that'll make you lose control within seconds…"

"Rose, I'm worried about you. What's wrong? Did something happen with Adrian last night? He was practically all over you at one point."

"No, not Adrian," Rose stated, looking up at Lissa who was frowning in concern at the brunette. "Dimitri."

Lissa's eyes lit up. Now this was news! After Rose had been to the bathroom last night, she had been considerably quieter than the start of the evening. Lissa had a feeling that something had happened, but she hadn't expected it to be to do with Dimitri!

"Dimitri?!"

"I kissed him."

An ear-splitting grin broke out across Lissa's face. Finally! After weeks of flirting with the guy, something had finally happened between the two of them!

"Rose! That's great!"

"No it's not," Rose groaned, again dropping her face into her hands. Lissa didn't understand – this was a good thing, surely? This was what Rose wanted!

"If this is about Mason, we spoke about this. You don't need to feel guilty."

"It's not that. It's what he said after."

Lissa's curiosity piqued and her confusion grew tenfold. She needed an explanation if she was going to at all understand this.

"Walk me through what happened," she urged, taking a sip of her coffee.

Rose took a deep breath and began her recount of her interaction with Dimitri.

"I went to the bathroom and when I came out, he was there waiting for me. And then I don't know what happened – he just smelled so good, looked so good… and he was saying these things to me about how much he wanted me and I just… pounced. We kissed."

"And how was that?"

Rose's insides clenched deliciously as she thought back to their kiss. The way the electricity buzzed through the two of them as they touched, the way Dimitri's hands gripped her waist and tangled in her hair, the way he groaned into her mouth as their tongues battled…

"Indescribable."

"So what's the problem, what happened after that?"

Rose sighed sadly. "He doesn't do relationships."

Oh, Lissa thought, her brow furrowing deeper in confusion. What did that mean?

"He said that he'd been screwed over before and now he doesn't get into relationships. He just – you know… no strings attached," Rose continued.

Oh! Lissa thought again. She knew exactly what that meant!

"So, sex?"

"Sex."

"Wow."

"Yep."

The two girls sat in a tense silence as they tried to wrap their heads around the situation, sipping quietly on their coffees.

So Dimitri wanted a purely sexual relationship… there were so many questions to ask!

"Would he be with other girls too?" Lissa questioned, curiously.

"I don't know," Rose shrugged, placing her empty mug back onto the coffee table in front of her.

"Would he at least take you out to places? Like a date?"

"I don't know."

"Is it a one-time thing?"

"I don't know."

Lissa chuckled. "You don't know much, do you?"

Rose just shook her head, solemnly. That was the problem! He didn't explain anything! How was she supposed to think about his proposition when she didn't fully understand it?

"I think you need to talk to him, find out exactly what he means – what he wants."

Looking down at her hands in her lap, Rose sighed. "Is it what I want though?"

"I can't answer that, Rose," Lissa replied honestly.

She felt a twinge of heartache course through her, empathising for her best friend. Rose had spent so many weeks dwelling on Mason and now that she had found someone she might have a genuine connection with, she was anything but happy! It wasn't fair at all. But Lissa couldn't shake the undeniable feeling that there was something significant between Rose and Dimitri – something powerful, something real. Perhaps this was worth pursuing?

"But maybe it will be good for you, you know? After Mason. Moving on to something new without there being too much pressure. You can have fun and enjoy yourself a bit while you're still getting over him."

"I don't know, Liss."

"This might be exactly what you need right now, Rose. Find out more. Talk to him. I think this might be good for you."

The rest of the week had dragged incredibly slowly, with Rose's days filled on repeat with work, thinking about Dimitri and being unable to sleep. Thankfully, Dimitri hadn't come into the diner again, at least not when Rose had been there, which allowed her to think about his proposal without any further confusing conversations. Although, Rose couldn't help the slight twinge of disappointment each time the door opened and it wasn't Dimitri coming in for his coffee.

Rose knew that wanted him, but did she just want a physical relationship with him or did she want more? She was undeniably intrigued by him, wanting to know him personally. She wanted to know everything about him. She recalled their conversation a few weeks back in the supermarket, and how easy it had been to talk to him, how natural it felt for them to discuss their lives. This 'stranger' had told her all about his family, asked her about hers, and her friendship with Lissa… that had to mean something, right? You didn't do that, so freely she might add, if there wasn't a connection there.

On the other hand, the way he made her body light up like fireworks with just a mere look was unbelievable! She felt an undeniable lust for him whenever she was in his proximity, and she just knew that being with him would be incredible. If the dream she had back when they first met was anything to go by, a purely sexual relationship with Dimitri would be more than worth it!

But there were so many questions flitting around Rose's head! She needed answers before she could make a decision. Was it a one-time thing? Would he just fuck her and then leave her? Then she'd be back to square one – lonely and miserable. Would he see other women too? Rose wasn't sure she could deal with that…

Rose spent day after day thinking about Dimitri's offer, going back and forth between accepting and rejecting him – it felt like her subconscious was running around in circles like a headless chicken. She really did not know what to do! Before she knew it, it was Friday night once again and she found herself under the heated gaze of her yoga instructor.

Only this time, Rose couldn't bring herself to look back at him. If it wasn't for her body's involuntary reaction to him, her hairs standing on end, then she wouldn't have known he was looking at her – she'd avoided him and his darkened eyes from the moment she walked through the studio door.

Unsurprisingly, she had tried to avoid going to class that night, but of course Lissa wouldn't take no for an answer! Rose had spent all week moping and Lissa knew that she wouldn't cheer up until she had answers – and she certainly wouldn't get answers if she kept avoiding the matter. Although much to Lissa's exasperation, she also wouldn't get answers if she was going to spend the whole class pointedly ignoring him!

It was unusual to see, and this whole situation was certainly a strange one – Rose was usually so confident, so self-assured… yet when it came to Dimitri, she was a whole different person. She practically melted under his gaze, becoming giddy, shy, and certainly not the 'always-achieves-what-she-wants' Rose that Lissa knew well. It only added to her belief that something between the two of them was meant to be…

The hour long class dragged so slowly that Rose felt it must have been at least three hours long! She was eager to get out of there, knowing full well that Dimitri was trying to capture her attention, and she certainly wasn't ready to face him just yet.

Thankfully, the entirety of the class passed without any inappropriate demonstrations, unlike last week's session, and Dimitri was soon dismissing his clients – although his attention had been entirely on Rose the whole time. She was ignoring him, he knew that much. Had he upset her? He felt a twang of guilt deep in his stomach at the thought – that was the last thing he wanted.

Rose had gathered her things in record time, silently urging Lissa to speed up so that they could leave! At a snail's pace it seemed, Lissa finally zipped up her bag and gave Rose a coy smile, before sauntering in the direction of the exit. She was doing this on purpose, Rose could tell! She rolled her eyes before following her friend closely behind, eager to retreat before Dimitri had a chance to speak to her. She wasn't ready to talk to him, still so confused by the matter. She didn't have an answer for him yet, that was for sure!

"Rose? Can I speak to you a moment?"

Of course, just her luck...

Dimitri's familiar voice echoed in the now empty studio. Turning slowly, she saw his tall form walking in their direction, concern etched clearly on his face as he came closer. With each step, Rose's body involuntarily lit up, each nerve burning hotter and hotter as he came nearer. Oh, what he did to her! She couldn't explain it if she tried – it was as though her body had a mind of its own when it came to Dimitri. She felt a pull to him, an urge to be near him. Like a dog coming to heel for its Master.

There was nowhere for her to run. She couldn't avoid him now, not without being incredibly rude. She needed to face him. Signalling to Lissa that she'd meet her outside, Rose took a deep breath before turning to face Dimitri once more. Okay, this was it. This was her opportunity to find out more, to find out exactly what Dimitri wanted.

"Roza, are you okay? You seem a little distracted this evening. Is it about what happened last weekend?" Dimitri questioned the instant they were alone, his worry clear in his tone of voice.

Like Rose, he had spent the week fretting about his proposition and what Rose might say. He wanted her, badly, but each time he replayed their numerous interactions over the last few weeks, only one word echoed through his mind: Creep. It really did not look good for him… she must think he was a stalker, coming on entirely too strong – desperate, even. But Dimitri couldn't ignore the electricity he felt when he was near her; the heat that made him yearn for her touch.

"Listen, I'm sorry if I pushed my boundaries, I'm aware that I've been coming on too strong, it's just – there's something about you, Roza, I can't get you out of my head. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, that's the last thing I wanted to do," he rambled, desperate to redeem himself.

Rose simply stood there, dumbfounded.

"I shouldn't have kissed you without your permission, and I shouldn't have put you in this awkward position. If you want, you can just forget about my offer and we'll move on."

Move on? No, that wasn't what Rose wanted at all! Was it? No – she needed answers first.

"Why don't you do relationships?"

Dimitri blinked, taken aback by her sudden question. "Sorry?"

With a new found confidence, Rose stood taller and crossed her arms, eager to maintain control of the conversation. Too often Dimitri dominated their interactions, and too often Rose couldn't get out what she needed to say – not tonight.

"What's the reason? Why do you only 'fuck'?"

"It's just what I do," Dimitri responded with a sigh. This wasn't something he wanted, nor expected, to talk about right now. Especially not here, in the centre of his yoga studio!

Stop evading my questions, Comrade, Rose thought. She needed to be persistent if she was going to get anywhere with him!

"I want to know why."

"I've had a lot of bad relationships in the past," he explained, trying to think of a way to talk to Rose without revealing too much detail – it wasn't something he particularly liked to discuss. "I just don't want to go through that again. It's easier if there's no pressure of a relationship."

Rose frowned, seemingly understanding what Dimitri was saying. "So you just fuck someone and that's it? You get your jollies and then it's over?"

Dimitri couldn't help but chuckle at Rose's accusation – she had it all wrong!

"No, Roza. It's not like that at all!"

"So enlighten me then," she retorted with a roll of her eyes, slightly annoyed that he was finding her so amusing.

"It wouldn't be a quick roll in the hay and that's that. Think of it as more of a… friends-with-benefits type situation. All the good parts of the relationship, only without the pressure, the fights, the labels…" Dimitri explained, before taking a step closer to the woman in front of him, reaching out and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. In the closer proximity, he basked in her scent – she smelled gorgeous, and it took Dimitri all of his strength not to kiss her there and then.

With a wicked grin, his eyes darkened as he lowered his voice. "And trust me Roza, it's not just about my jollies at all. You would benefit just as much as I would from this arrangement."

Rose's breathing hitched, her lips parting as her tongue darted out to lick them – his words had just as much of an effect on her as his mere proximity did.

Dimitri continued. "If anything, your pleasure matters more to me than my own."

Wow. God, did she want him!

No.

Stay in control, Rose.

"And there are others?" She asked, taking a slight step back to maintain some distance.

Dimitri frowned, clearly not understanding what she meant.

"Do you 'fuck' other people as well?" She prompted, clarifying her question.

"No, Roza. It would just be you."

So just her. Rose and Dimitri…

"Then it's a relationship?"

"No."

"So I wouldn't be your girlfriend?"

"No."

"And you wouldn't be my boyfriend?"

"No."

Rose's brows furrowed in confusion – she really was not getting this. He wanted to be with her, but not as her boyfriend. He doesn't want the 'pressure' of a relationship, yet they would be exclusive? If Dimitri was described as one thing, it would without a doubt be 'confusing'.

"It's just not what I do," Dimitri stated, sensing Rose's doubt. He was eager to set things straight, well aware that he was certainly not making himself very clear. "I'm not interested in that sort of relationship anymore."

"So why me? Why not anyone else?"

"Because I want you, Roza."

This was something else Rose couldn't get her head around – why Dimitri wanted her in particular. He could have anyone he wanted to, Rose believed, yet by some miracle he wanted her. Rose.

"But why?"

"You intrigue me," he answered without missing a beat. "You've been on my mind since the moment you first walked through that door."

He took another step forward, closing the gap between them once more.

"I want to know what if feels like to be with you. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about you being in my bed."

Suddenly, images of the two of them together, bodies moving as one, moans and cries echoing off the studio walls came flitting welcomely into Rose's head.

"I have, too," she whispered, embarrassed. Oh yes. She had certainly though about it.

Now this was unexpected music to Dimitri's ears! He couldn't help himself – reaching out, he tucked a loose strand of hair from Rose's ponytail behind her ear, his brief touch igniting her body once more.

"What have you thought about?" He questioned, only for Rose to bite her lip in response. "Roza, tell me. Now. What do you think about?"

Rose looked up and into Dimitri's intense gaze. He urged her to tell him, and something about his stare made it impossible to defy him.

"I've had dreams. Of us. Here. Everywhere," she explained, unable to tear her eyes away from his sculpted face. "You and I in the middle of this room. My place, yours… You making me scream."

"Well, I'd very much like to do that, Roza."

Fuck… Now or never.

"So do it," she urged.

"I want you to be sure."

"Just kiss me, Dimitri!"

That was all the encouragement he needed! Without a second thought, he attached his lips to hers, almost instantly eliciting a moan from her throat. The kiss was heated, eager, and Rose felt that she couldn't get close enough to him. One hand gripped tightly at his t-shirt while the other explored his neck, roaming every inch of him she could find. Dimitri responded in kind, his own hands secured tightly on her hips, pulling her flush against him. Their tongues battled together for dominance and Dimitri marvelled in her taste. She was divine.

All too quickly, Rose needed air and she reluctantly pulled away to breathe. Their chests rose and fell in unison as they caught their breaths, but still their hands didn't let go. Gently, Dimitri rested his forehead on hers, silently urging her to accept his offer. He needed more of her. He couldn't get enough.

"Okay," Rose said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Okay?"

"I agree," she continued, a smirk on her lips. "You and me, no strings. Just sex."

Thank you so much for your reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you're enjoying this so far!

Please remember to continue to let me know what you think.

H