"Goddamnit," Jess muttered to herself. She tapped her fingers on the table, still with that same restless energy. She wanted to argue that she wasn't the kind of woman people typically thought of having a relationship with (and for good reason), but that kicked puppy expression on Serena's face stopped that argument in its tracks. She didn't like that look. She didn't like that she was the cause of it, either.
She puffed out a breath and took off her glasses. "So maybe we don't call it that. 'Friends' is a good word." She paused. "So is 'benefits'. That's all I can offer you right now; maybe all I'll ever be able to offer you." She glanced down and in a fleeting instant, there was that vulnerability that she was trying so desperately to hide. This was a woman who found it difficult to get close to anyone. "You have to decide if that's something that you're okay with."