No Strings Just Benefit

Dan suddenly lifts Rae up and carries her over his shoulders.

"What are you doing, Dan?" Rae screams.

"Show you my fire engine. I don't think you can climb up there yourself." He laughs.

Rae can feel how muscular he is, and it feels quite exciting to be carried like this by him. Dan holds her up without even changing the pace of his steps nor breathing. He is really fit. It's his job to be fit and strong like this.

He puts her on the the middle of the ladder and encourages her to climb higher.

"No thank you. I'm wearing a skirt. This is good enough."

Dan suddenly climbs up as well, but just one step below her.

"I actually always really liked you, Rae." Dan suddenly says in a low voice. His face very close to her body.

"Yeah, right. You had pretty girlfriends. You never pursued me."

"I'm pretty sure you would've rejected me. Just like you are doing now."

"What? What are you talking about? Why would I have rejected you? And I'm not rejecting you now."

"Oh," Dan smiles, "Then come out and have a drink with me tonight. I'm off tonight. You live in the city now, don't you? I can meet you downtown there. I go to the Irish pub there when I'm off."

Rae rolls her eyes, wow, everyone goes there. Why is that bar so popular?

"Yeah, I know which bar you're talking about."

"Good, but give me your phone number." He gives a dazzling smile. Gosh. He's even hotter than he was in high school. How can someone get hotter and hotter as they grow older?

"Don't you need to get your phone out?"

"I'm especially good at remembering important numbers."

She tells him her phone number, and pats him on one side of his shoulders, "OK, I want come come on down now."

Dan once again holds her up over his shoulders. His hands are on her thighs. Then he sets her down with just one arm while the other arm still holding on to the ladder. Wow, that's really some strength there.

"Good thing you asked me out tonight. Otherwise I work every night actually." Rae says.

Dan winks, "Thank you for telling me your schedule. I'll make sure I never take night shifts on Mondays anymore."

"What? No, you don't have to do that." Rae laughs.

"I kind of have to," Dan tucks her hair behind her ears for her.

Zach Evans happen to take a look in their direction, and he sees Rae acting very "friendly" with this super ripped firefighter guy. He sighs.

This is probably why he vows not do this thing called "falling in love" again.

*** *** ***

Right around the evening, Dan texts her and says, "Come meet me at 7."

7? Does Dan want a dinner, too? Is this a date?

"Z, is Dan Schneider the one you're setting me up with?"

"That's correct, Rae. But, according to my probability calculation, he might not be looking for a serious, long-term relationship."

"What? Why?"

"According to my search results, he's already been married before and divorced. He has two kids already. He's on a dating app. He's looking to have fun."

Rae finds this information really disappointing. She wants to think she has a shot with a hunk like Dan, especially she sort of had a crush on him long time ago.

"Well, in that case, why did you set me up with him?" Rae is a little offended.

"Part of helping you find the right romantic relationship is let you try different ones. I wanted you to experience this type of guy. You don't have to do it, if you don't like casual flings. You should ask yourself though, do you want to do 'no strings attached'? If not, just reject him now. I will only search for guys who will want to be exclusive."

The word "exclusive" hurts Rae a little. She really liked Wes Warren, but he wasn't trying to be exclusive with her. Rae shakes her head, "Z, will Wes Warren ever want to be exclusive? I'm out of Wes Warren's picture now, isn't it?"

Z wants to tell her the truth, but he isn't supposed to. He only knows because Zach Evans didn't erase him from Wes's robot. He doesn't want to breach any more contract. And he thinks Wes Warren wants to explain what happened on his own.

"I'm sorry Rae, I do know something, but I think I should let him tell you. Like I said, please don't be sad, he will explain to you soon. Unless something I cannot foresee happens."

There was indeed something that Z didn't know about. It's that Samantha who lied to Wes Warren. Z is unable to find that out because Samantha made up a fake phone message all in her head and then said it to Wes verbally. There wasn't any electronic trace of it.

Rae wants to forget about Wes for now. If Wes can date another girl and act like a stranger, then so can she.

"Yes, I'm going to give it a try, Z. I'm going out with Dan Schneider." Rae can't even believe she just said that. She's going out with Dan Schneider!

Rae shows up at the bar, wearing a green dress this time. Dan leans in and gives her a hug, "You are so pretty. Green is my favorite color."

"I can't believe you're telling me I'm pretty."

"You are. And I always thought that. You were so smart though. I thought you would never go out with me."

"You are so silly," Rae slaps on his arm lightly.

"So, are you hungry? I made the chili at this bar tonight as a practice. Wanna try? It's free just for you." Dan smiles proudly.

"Really? You made food for the bar?"

"I know the bar owner's dad, gave him the first aid when he fell down one time. So anytime I felt like cooking, they let me cook for the bar."

"Wow, that's awesome," Rae's eyes go big. She's very impressed. "I never knew you liked cooking."

"Oh yeah, if I didn't become a firefighter, I'd like to be a full-time cook."

"Dan, I love making food, too. I make bread, actually," Rae says.

"I was going to ask you about what you are doing now," Dad puts a hand on her waist, "Last time I heard you were doing law program. Are you a lawyer now?"

"No, I dropped out. I make bread now." Rae actually feels proud of saying that.

"No way," Dan holds his hand up, prompting a high-five from Rae. She high-fives him. "Good to know you can make bread. We should team up!"

"Team up for what?" Rae leans in close, liking him holding her by the waist.

"So I am going to enter the chili competition next month."

"I thought it was a soup competition?"

"They changed it to chili because apparently no one signed up so they went back to a more traditional firehouse style competition. I cook for my colleagues all the time, and we love chili there."

"Well, that's awesome. Yeah, what would you like me to do?" Rae is excited.

"You can make bread to go along my chili, of course," Dan winks.

Rae can't believe how well this is going. Too bad Dan isn't looking for anything serious. Otherwise, Dan is quite perfect as a boyfriend. They can actually make food together.

Dan suddenly tilts Rae's chin and he kisses her. Rae isn't expecting a kiss from Dan so quickly, but she likes it.

Rae tries Dan's chili and she thinks it is good. They start to discuss what would accentuate Dan's chili.

The "date" goes by very smoothly and pleasantly. There has no awkward silence, and Dan even notes that out.

"To be honest, I've gone out with a few girls over the last year and you're the first one that is easy and pleasant to talk to."

"Well, thank you," Rae pretends to bow.

"That's why I'm buying you another drink," Dan holds her closer to him.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Rae is a little tipsy now. She starts to act flirtatious, which is something she hasn't done in a long while, "What do you have in mind," She asks on purpose.

"I think I want to go to your place tonight," Dan whispers to her ear, and then he starts kissing her. This time, with tongue.

It's Monday night and there aren't that many people at the bar, but the customers there start to make cheering sound. One man shouts "get a room."

One man walks by and does a double take on these two who are now full-on making out.

It's Wes Warren. He sees it's Rae.

Wes doesn't say anything but just leaves. Rae doesn't know Wes just saw her. She doesn't even know Wes was here. She is now enamored by Dan.

"Our ride is here," Dan finally detach his lips from Rae, "Let's go, I can't wait."

"OK," Rae says, and lets Dan pulls her off the bar stool.

They get back to Rae's apartment. She quickly unlocks the door. Dan immediately scoops her up and throws her to her bed.

"Wait," Rae sits up, takes off her watch, puts it in a drawer, and then she turns off the box version of Z.

Dan takes off his shirt, revealing his impeccable body.

Rae slides her hands down from his shoulders down to his waist.

Oh gosh. Rae is about to have sex with Dan. She is excited and intimidated.