The Man I Thought I Knew

by E. L. Todd

  “Hold on. How are things going with Kat and Nathan?”

  I felt like the narrator in this Shakespearean play. “They’re hitting it off. Why?”

  He tightened his arm across his chest and stared at me for a long time. “I saw Denise the other day… Sometimes I wonder if she knows how I feel about her.”

  “Well, you make it pretty obvious, dumbass.”

  He smiled slightly. “And if she does know and doesn’t act weird, like try to avoid me, it makes me think she’d be open to the idea.” He stared at me, as if expecting some kind of feedback.

  “She’s never commented on you.”

  “Not once?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe because you’re my roommate?”

  “Why don’t you ask her?”

  “Oh my god, I’m not asking her if she thinks you’re hot.”

  “Come on, why not?”

  “Because I would be actively pushing you and Denise together, and that feels like a betrayal to Kat.”

  He sighed.

  “You do realize I’m literally in the middle of all three of you?”

  He bowed his head.

  “If Kat ever knew I had a hand in pushing you together, she would be so hurt, Charlie. If you want something to happen with Denise, then you need to talk to her yourself.”

  “But I don’t want to hurt Kat.”

  “I understand that…and she’s not ready.” I wouldn’t throw her under the bus and tell Charlie all the things she told me, but I didn’t pretend that she was totally over the breakup either.

  He didn’t react to that. “I hope Nathan erases me.”

  “You guys were together for two years, Charlie. It’s pretty reasonable that she’s taking her time.”

  “I understand,” he said quietly. “Honestly, I wish I’d never met Denise. Kat and I were pretty happy together.”

  That made two of us. I hated mutual friends dating because when they broke up, it made everything complicated. If Charlie dated Denise, it would make things weird with Kat, and if Charlie and Denise broke up, it would make things weird with everyone except Matt.

  “When are you going to see Dax again?”

  “Not sure—” Just then, my phone lit up on the desk with a message from him.

  “Wow,” Charlie said. “Not your boy toy anymore, huh?”

  I grabbed the phone, suppressing a smile. “He saw it one night and asked me to change it.”

  He pushed off the desk and started to walk away. “I like where this is going, Carson. Keep it up.”

  I looked at his message when Charlie was gone. Dinner tonight?

  Sure.

  Wear something nice.

  I liked that he took me out to nice places, but I didn’t want him to spend his change on me when I was perfectly happy getting a hot dog from a cart on the street. It didn’t seem like he had much money, and I didn’t want him to blow through his funds on me. How about I wear lingerie, and we eat a pizza at your place?

  Wear your lingerie under your dress. You can show me after dinner.

  I really didn’t want him to spend his money on a meal, so I would just pay for it, then. I probably had a higher salary than he did, and if he knew that, it didn’t seem like he cared, which was really sexy. He wasn’t intimidated by other people’s success because he was so secure. In jeans and a t-shirt, he looked like a million bucks. He was a million bucks without having a single bill in his wallet. Tell me where to meet you.

  The restaurant was an upscale place on the Upper East Side.

  The Upper East Side.

  I stopped outside the restaurant and realized it was fancy-pants, Michelin-star type of shit.

  Why were we eating here?

  I didn’t mind paying for dinner, but I didn’t want to drop two hundred dollars on food that wouldn’t keep me full very long. I’d probably hit up a taco shop on the way home because my stomach would growl on the walk.

  I stepped inside and found him standing near a table, talking to a guy dressed in slacks and a collared shirt, with a woman in a dress at his side. They all laughed at something Dax said, and then he shook hands with the guy before he kissed the woman on the cheek. They walked away.

  I approached the table.

  He turned to me, his hands in his pockets, and looked me up and down appreciatively. He was in a gray collared shirt with black slacks, his jaw clean of hair, his eyes sexy and dark. “Damn.” He raised his finger and twirled it slightly. “Give me a turn.”

  “Come on.” I rolled my eyes and felt my cheeks blush.

  “Sweetheart, I want to get a good look at you.” He didn’t seem to care about the crowded restaurant, if anyone was staring at us. “It’s backless, isn’t it? Tell me it’s backless.”

  I set down my clutch and gave a single turn.

  “Yes.”

  I faced him again, feeling hot and bothered by his attention. His compliments were truly flattering since he could have any woman he wanted, but he chose to spend his time with me.

  He smiled slightly as he moved into me, his arm circling my waist as he lowered his lips to kiss me. His hand slid down slightly and gave my ass a gentle squeeze.

  I didn’t push it away because I liked it. I liked having that big hand on my ass, liked the way he claimed me in front of an entire room full of people.

  When he turned away, he pulled out the chair for me.

  I sat down and let him push me in.

  When he sat down across from me, he grabbed the bottle of wine he’d already ordered and filled our glasses. “I made sure they brought the bread right away.”

  “Wow, someone’s trying to get laid.” I dug my hand into the basket and grabbed a piece.

  “With you, always.” He opened his menu and looked at the selections.

  I took the opportunity to stare at him, to see the strong cut of his jawline, his simple nose, and his focused eyes. His shoulders were so broad that he could balance a plate on each one.

  “What are you thinking, sweetheart?”

  I grabbed the menu and almost threw up at the prices. Fifty dollars for a salad? Was the salad shipped from Italy on a private plane? And twenty bucks for soup? Was this shit sprinkled with gold? “Soup.”

  “And?”

  “And that’s it.”

  He cocked an eyebrow as he continued to stare at his menu. “The portions are small here, so I suggest you get something else.”

  “I’m good.”

  He put the menu down. “I’m gonna try the sea bass. I hear good things about it.”

  “Where?”

  “At work.”

  I ripped the bread into pieces and placed each one in my mouth.

  He drank his wine as he stared at me. “What is it?”

  “What is what?”

  “Your mood just plummeted. Why?”

  I was never one to sugarcoat anything. I was candid about my thoughts, which made me both popular and unpopular. “I just don’t understand why we need to go somewhere so expensive. I’m pretty laid-back. A couple tacos and some beer is a great evening if you ask me.”

  He rested his arms on the table and stared at me for a while. “Just wanted to take you somewhere nice.”

  “Well, I like you for you, not because of where you take me. So…this is really unnecessary.”

  He stared at me for a long time, his hand on his wineglass, his body still. Seconds passed, growing longer until an entire minute disappeared. His expression was stoic, his thoughts a mystery, but something about what I said registered to him. “I appreciate your saying that.”

  Something about his tone made me rigid. He seemed to say more without really saying anything at all. “How about we ditch this place and get some tacos?”

  “No. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

  “Then we’re splitting the bill—”

  “Sweetheart, let’s not do this.” He grabbed his glass and took a drink. “I invited you to dinner because I wanted to take you out. Don’t worry about the bill. Let’s just
have a good time.”

  “But it’s expensive—”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “You don’t seem like Mr. Moneybags, and I don’t want you to waste your cash.”

  He swirled his wine as he regarded me. “Is that a problem?”

  “What?”

  “That I’m not Mr. Moneybags?”

  “Of course not.” I didn’t understand the question. “It just doesn’t make sense to spend your cash impressing a woman who’s going to ride your dick at the end of the night regardless if we get a pizza or a gourmet meal. The outcome is the same. May as well save some money.”

  He smiled slightly. “Ride my dick, huh?”

  “Like a cowgirl.”

  He took another drink of his wine. “Don’t torture me, sweetheart.” He set his glass down then fished out a slice of bread.

  “So, who were you talking to when I walked inside?” I dropped the money issue because it didn’t seem to matter at this point, and I didn’t want to make our entire evening about finances.

  “A colleague.”

  “A lot of you guys eat here?” I asked in surprise.

  “We have company dinners here sometimes. Our Christmas party is held here annually.”

  “Wow…that’s nice.” We did a Secret Santa exchange for items that cost less than ten bucks at the paper.

  “Yeah. The food is great. So, what are you getting besides that soup?”

  I grabbed the menu again.

  “And if you don’t order something else, I’ll order for you.”

  “Bossy, huh?”

  “Oh, you have no idea.” He drank his wine as he looked at me.

  I held his gaze for a moment before I turned to the menu. “The chicken looks good.”

  “I’ve had it. I recommend it.”

  When the waitress came by, we handed over our menus and gave our orders.

  When she was gone, I spoke. “Do you bring other dates here?”

  He didn’t grow flustered by the question. “No.”

  “Really?” I asked in surprise.

  “I haven’t gotten this far with a woman since my divorce. I’ve been playing the field, just seeing what’s out there. And there’s not much, by the way.”

  “New York is full of gorgeous women. What are you talking about?”

  “A woman can be drop-dead gorgeous, but that doesn’t mean she’s a good person.”

  It was the first time I’d met a guy who didn’t prioritize looks.

  “I mean, for the night, that’s fine. But anything more than that is pretty much unbearable when you despise the person.”

  “I didn’t realize you were actively looking for a relationship.” I thought he was just getting over his marriage, just having fun, getting back in the game.

  “I wasn’t.” He held my gaze, not blinking, totally confident. “But then I heard you tell off that guy, and I was hooked.”

  I smiled. “I thought I was the one hooked on you?”

  “Yeah, but I was first.” He had a subtle smile on his lips, a playfulness in his eyes. “And I’m not ashamed to say that.”

  This guy really did seem too good to be true. He was vulnerable with me, honest, and so good-looking it hurt sometimes. I didn’t think I could fall for a guy again, but I was starting to sink into the ground. The paranoid side of me thought this was all just some act to get me to sleep with him, but he already had slept with me without all the lies. So, I decided to stop thinking that way, to believe in what he told me. “I know we haven’t really talked about what this is, but I stopped seeing Brian because I just didn’t want to anymore.”

  With his hands on the table, he watched me, studying every expression I made.

  “And I want you, so I’m willing to get out of my comfort zone. I’m willing to grow and try. But I’m honestly not ready for anything serious. I’m happy to be exclusive and spend time with you, but I just…need to go at my own pace.”

  He gave a slight nod.

  “I’m hopeful that it can be serious someday, just not today.”

  “Sweetheart, I’m in no rush either. Let’s just see where it goes.”

  “Alright.” I grabbed my glass of wine.

  “I’m in a good place in my life right now, but I have trust issues. I’ve still got a lot of baggage from my marriage, so I’m not eager to rush into something new. But when I met you, I knew I needed to make sure you didn’t slip away. Another woman like you wasn’t going to come along again. So, it sounds like this is perfect for both of us, taking it slow…moving on…but together.”

  His back was to the couch, his hands on my ass cheeks, kneading them with his large fingers, guiding me up and down at the pace he liked, my cream smearing across the latex condom that kept his flesh apart from mine. Even though I was the one doing all the work, his chest gleamed with sweat, like watching me ride him like a cowgirl was exerting. His pecs were hard and flexed, and the cords in his neck bulged. Sometimes his eyes were on my tits, watching them move up and down, and sometimes they were on my belly, looking at my piercing. And other times, he looked at my face, his eyes getting lost in mine.

  Man, he was hot.

  His fingers dug into my ass and played with my cheeks, spreading them apart, squeezing them. He would occasionally moan, especially when I lowered myself onto his lap and took the whole thing without wincing. He was a big man with a dick that could demolish a small woman, but every ounce of pain was worth all the pleasure.

  Why would his wife ever cheat on him? What a psycho.

  His thumb moved to my clit, and he rubbed it harshly, circling round and round and getting my hips to buck slightly in response. I’d already come once, and he was probably eager for me to come again so he could finish. He was a man of restraint, never blowing his load too soon and leaving me hanging.

  What a gentleman.

  My nails dug into his chest, and I rocked up and down, finishing myself off, making me release a long moan, as if I didn’t just find relief minutes ago. My nails dragged through his flesh and sweat, and I slowed my pace, so satisfied I almost forgot about him.

  His arms wrapped around my waist, and he tugged me closer to his body, getting my hips to roll as I took his length. He showed me how he wanted to come, the pace he wanted my pussy to move over his dick. He released a loud breath, like the stress was gone from his body because he didn’t have to fight his urges anymore. “Ride that dick, sweetheart.”

  My arms circled around his neck, and I brought my lips to his to kiss him as I rolled my hips, taking that big dick over and over, feeling it thicken inside me as he prepared to release. He was aroused by my kisses the way I was aroused by his.

  He moaned into my mouth as he started to come, as his cock twitched inside me and released. He closed his eyes and stopped kissing me, swept up in the desire taking him away. His fingers dug deep into my flesh, and he bucked against me uncontrollably, shoving his cock deeper and harder. Then he stilled, filling the condom with a satisfying ending.

  It was my job to make him feel as good as he made me feel.

  Successfully completed.

  He relaxed into the couch, looking at me with lazy lidded eyes. He glanced over my body once more, admiring it appreciatively. “Your figure is unbelievable.” He grabbed my tits and gave them a gentle squeeze before his hands moved to my waist.

  “It’s all those pizzas and sandwiches.”

  He chuckled. “Goes straight to these tits.”

  I got off him and walked into the bathroom, which didn’t even have a shower curtain for the bathtub. I cleaned off and fixed my hair and passed him on the way back. I snagged my panties from the floor and pulled them on before I sat on the couch again.

  He came out a moment later and pulled on his black boxers. He fell into the couch beside me, his hand moving to my thigh. He looked at me, a small smile on his lips, still sleepy.

  “I should probably head home…”

  “Or you could stay.”

  “I’ve go
t a long day tomorrow.”

  “I hope we aren’t starting that all over again.”

  “I really do have a long day tomorrow.”

  “Alright.” His smile remained. “I’ll walk you home.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” I got to my feet and grabbed my dress. “I smoke with the mob and shake down corporations. I can walk myself home.”

  “Not dressed like that.” He pulled on his shirt then grabbed his slacks from the floor.

  “Oh honey, I could walk home naked and be just fine.”

  “Yeah, I find that unlikely.”

  I got dressed and slipped on my heels. “Really, it’s fine.”

  “Really, I’m walking you home. That’s final.”

  “That’s final?” I asked, cocking my head slightly. “Did you really just go there?”

  “Yeah. I did.” He buttoned his pants and secured his belt. His playful attitude was gone, and now he looked serious, staring down at me like he was my boss and I was his assistant or something. He slid his hands into his pockets and stared at me, daring me to defy him.

  When my heels were secure, I rose to my feet. “I don’t appreciate being bossed around.”

  “Then we’re gonna have a problem because I’m a bit bossy.”

  “You’ve never shown that quality until now.”

  “Because you’re getting to know me better.” He grabbed my clutch off the table and handed it to me. “Come on.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You say you admire my fire and the way I stand up to people, but then something as routine as walking home—”

  “Not routine. Not when you’re in a backless dress like that.” He grabbed his things by the door and stepped out. “Either sleep here or let’s go. Make a decision.”

  I was frustrated with his behavior, but I also couldn’t stay angry for long, not when he had good intentions. I joined him in the hallway, and after he locked the door, we left the building together.

  His arm moved around my waist, and he walked with me up the sidewalk, the summer humidity still potent even long after the sun had set. His warm hand stayed against the bare skin of my back, strong but also soft. “I have an idea.”

  “Yeah?”

  He held me close as he stared straight ahead. “It’s just you and me, right?”