The Man I Thought I Knew

by E. L. Todd

  “FBI?” Dax finished chewing his bite and stared at me.

  “They came to the office with a subpoena,” I said. “Asked me to turn over all my files. I’m also a witness in their investigation.”

  “Wow,” Dax said. “Is that good or bad?”

  “Good or bad?” I asked. “It’s awesome. I get to testify in court.”

  “And that doesn’t scare the shit out of you?” he asked incredulously.

  “Why? I’ve got nothing to hide. I did my due diligence, fact-checked everything, and these assholes took money from good people. I’m taking them down.” I picked up a slice and prepared to put the end in my mouth.

  He grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand away as he leaned into me. His mouth was on mine a second later, his fingers sliding into my hair, giving me a purposeful kiss that lasted a few seconds. He pulled back and gave me a soft smile.

  Charlie looked away, staring at the TV so he wouldn’t have to see our affection.

  “What was that for?”

  He turned back to his pizza. “Because you’re fucking hot.”

  When the game was over, Charlie grabbed the empty pizza box and headed to the door. “I’m gonna toss this.” He walked out.

  Dax was beside me on the couch, his arm over the back of the cushions, his fingertips lightly pressing against the back of my neck. They slowly slid into my hair, gently touching me as he watched the commercial. “So, gonna invite me to stay, or should I take off?”

  “You think I’m gonna let you leave without servicing me?”

  “Servicing you?” He turned to me, a handsome grin on his face.

  “Yeah. That’s your job.”

  “Best job I’ve ever had.”

  Charlie returned and cleaned up the plates at the dining table. He left them in the sink. “I’m going to bed. See you later.” He walked down the hallway into his bedroom.

  Dax kept his stare on me, his fingers still moving on the back of my neck. “I’ve got one condition.”

  “I think I already know what it is…”

  “Yeah?”

  “You get to sleep over?”

  He gave a slight nod. “You’re quick.”

  “Of course you can.”

  “Good.”

  I turned off the TV and the lights, and we went into my bedroom, which was across the hall from Charlie’s.

  He walked inside and pulled his shirt over his head. “This is what I don’t understand.”

  My eyes immediately went to his hard body. His beautiful, gorgeous, perfect, hard body.

  “How does a straight guy live with a gorgeous woman like you and not lose his goddamn mind?” He grabbed my top and lifted it over my head before his fingers dug into my hair, cradling my head, possessing me entirely now that we were behind closed doors. He stared at my lips as he waited for a response.

  “He doesn’t think I’m gorgeous.” My hands went to the top of his jeans and got them undone.

  “Then there’s something wrong with him because you are fucking perfect.” He tugged my jeans down and gripped my ass cheeks with his large hands, squeezing them hard, handling me roughly, breathing hard, kissing my neck, backing me up to the bed.

  My head tilted back, and I was instantly swept away in the heat, immediately drowning in his testosterone. I pushed his bottoms down and felt mine fall, kissing him and panting like we’d been at it for hours rather than seconds.

  His hands guided me, gripping me tightly before turning me around and making me face the bed. His arms locked around my body, squeezing me like an animal, his breath heavy on my throat, loud in my ear. “You hear me? Fucking perfect.” He grabbed the back of my neck and forced my face down onto the bed.

  I got on my knees with my ass in the air, listening to him help himself to my nightstand and grab a condom. He ripped through one, rolled it on, and then thrust inside me like a conqueror breaking down a door to demolish a civilization.

  “Fuck…” I gripped the sheets on my bed and let out a moan at his harsh intrusion.

  He pounded into me ruthlessly right away, making my bed shake so hard it sounded like it would fall apart any second. His hand returned to my neck, and he pinned me down while he shoved his entire length inside me over and over. “I know you can handle it, sweetheart.”

  He lay on his back with his hand behind his head, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and even.

  I was exhausted even though I didn’t do anything besides lay there.

  He did all the work—and didn’t seem to mind. “This is a nice change.”

  “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

  “Nope.” He turned his head to look at me, a smile on his lips. “Your bed is pretty comfy.”

  “Thanks. IKEA.”

  He faced the ceiling again, closing his eyes with the sheets around his waist.

  I hugged his middle and rested my face against his shoulder, smelling his cologne, his body soap, the remnants of his sweat.

  He grinned. “I love it when you’re all over me.”

  “I’m not all over you.”

  “Sure, sweetheart.”

  My phone vibrated on the nightstand, casting the bedroom in blue light.

  His eyes opened.

  I reached over him and grabbed the phone.

  It was Boy Toy #1. Haven’t heard from you in a while.

  I was too tired to respond to this right now, so I put it on do not disturb and returned it to the nightstand.

  Dax didn’t say anything. If he’d read the screen, he didn’t acknowledge it. Then he reached for his own phone and typed a message…to me.

  My phone lit up again.

  Boy Toy #2: ?

  He stared at the phone, seeing the name I had entered in my phone to describe him.

  The blood drained from my face, and the fear struck me.

  He grabbed my phone, stared at it for a while, and then handed it to me. He didn’t say a word, just stared me down, his gaze full of hostility. He could say so much while saying nothing at all.

  I took it, my heart beating so fast.

  There was disappointment in his eyes, a potent amount. “Change that. Now.”

  “I put it in that way when we first met—”

  “Just change it.”

  I changed his name to Dax then locked the screen.

  He grabbed it and returned it to the nightstand.

  We’d come so far, and then I’d fucked it up again with my insensitivity.

  He closed his eyes, like he was prepared to go to sleep despite the awkwardness.

  I thought he might get up and leave. “I’m sorry…”

  He opened his eyes and looked at me again. “It’s alright.”

  I was relieved this hadn’t resulted in him storming out and slamming the door in my face. He was clearly angry about it, but not enough to jeopardize our relationship. And he didn’t seem to care about the fact that I had another guy on my leash…or maybe that wasn’t the priority at the time.

  “I don’t put Booty #1 and Booty #2 in my phone. You know how offensive that is?”

  “Yes, but I’m not the same person anymore.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m going to let this go.” He grabbed my arm and lowered me back into him, holding me close, his chin resting on the top of my head. His fingers moved into my hair, and he inhaled deeply as he held me, his powerful chest rising and lifting me with every breath he took.

  “Thanks.”

  He pressed a kiss to my hairline, his body language different now, gentle once more.

  And then everything felt alright.

  “You still had Boy Toy in your phone?” Kat asked incredulously, standing beside me at the table in the bar. She was in a purple dress, pastel in tone, and her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail.

  “Yeah…”

  She cringed. “That’s not good.”

  “I just totally forgot about it.”

  “Even though it said Boy Toy #2 every time? What did he say about
Brian texting you?”

  “Nothing. Didn’t seem to care about that.”

  “Are you still seeing him?”

  “I haven’t talked to him, actually.” Once Dax came into my life, he shook up everything, became the primary focus, in good ways and bad ways. I didn’t have time to see anyone else, and I didn’t even want to see anyone else. Dax was the best lover I’d ever had. Why would I want someone else?

  “Are you going to call it off?”

  “Probably.”

  “So, you and Dax exclusive?”

  “We haven’t said that. But if I’m really giving this relationship a try, it seems disingenuous to sleep with other men at the same time.”

  “Well, is he sleeping with other women?”

  I shook my head. “I haven’t asked.”

  “Before you bend over backward for this guy, maybe you should find out if he’s doing all this for you.” She grabbed her glass by the stem and took a drink.

  He didn’t seem to care that Brian texted me, but that could be for any reason. Brian had said he hadn’t heard from me in a long time, and maybe that was why it didn’t bother Dax. “How are things with Nathan?”

  “Great. He’s so sexy and funny… I really like him. Matt really likes Jeremy, so Dax is some kind of cupid.”

  I chuckled. “Seems like it.”

  “We’re going out to dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Have you done the deed?”

  “Not yet, but I’m trying to take it slow. He’ll be the first guy since Charlie…”

  “And how do you feel about that?” I was in a really awkward position because of this love triangle. It was painful to deceive my best friend, not to tell her the entire truth about Charlie. But I reminded myself it would only make it worse, only be cruel.

  She shrugged. “I’ve got to move on. And Nathan seems great, so…”

  “Yeah.”

  “And he’s super hot.”

  I nodded.

  “Charlie and I are never going to get back together, so I’ve got to push forward.” She drank from her glass then turned back to me. “Unless he ever talks about me…?”

  This was so painful, to watch her want Charlie, still love him, and I knew he was hard up for Denise. “No…not really.” But I couldn’t give her false hope. I had to put her on the right track.

  She nodded slightly, her eyes filled with disappointment. “That makes sense.”

  “But Nathan is way hotter than Charlie, so this is way better anyway.”

  She chuckled. “You think everyone is hotter than Charlie.”

  “Yeah, he’s not my type.” I thought he was beautiful on the inside. Not so much the outside.

  “Hey.” Brian approached the table with a drink in hand, standing beside Kat. He was handsome as ever, fit in that t-shirt. He had a nice smile, perfectly straight and white teeth.

  But instead of being excited, I felt a tightness in my stomach, a drop of dread. “Hey…”

  “What’s going on, Kat?” he asked.

  “We were just talking about this guy I’m seeing.” She was normal, not thinking this interaction was weird at all.

  “Good things?” he asked.

  “He’s really hot,” she said.

  “Good. That’s really the only requirement that matters.”

  Brian always got along with my friends, so he was nice to keep around. We could be alone together or go out to the bar or bowling with my crew. But all that disappeared overnight when Dax came into my life. I never called it off because there was never a right time. I wondered if I should do it now.

  Brian looked at me next. “Black is definitely your color.”

  I was in a black dress and heels, my hair pulled back slightly to show my earrings. “Thanks.”

  Kat glanced back and forth between us before she guided him closer to me then took his previous spot, so we wouldn’t have to talk across her.

  Brian’s hand immediately went around my waist, and he pulled me close.

  But it didn’t feel right. It felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t. I grabbed his hand immediately and pulled it away. “Brian, I want to talk.”

  “Oh no. That’s not good.” He gave me a smile, but his heart wasn’t in it.

  “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

  “Were we ever really seeing each other?” he asked. “I thought I was just your boy toy?”

  “Yes, but I’m seeing someone now, and I think it might get serious.”

  Disappointment flooded his gaze. “I thought you weren’t interested in monogamy?”

  “I wasn’t, but then I met someone… I don’t know.” I noticed Kat making weird faces behind him, so I shifted my gaze to her.

  She kept nodding past me, her eyes open and wide.

  I raised an eyebrow.

  Then she pointed and started making a stabbing motion.

  Brian noticed my distraction and glanced over his shoulder to look at her.

  She quickly grabbed her glass and took a big gulp, acting like nothing happened.

  Brian turned back to me. “Baby, come on. We’re great together.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t feel right anymore.” Now that Dax had confronted me about my heartbreak, I realized how much hurt I’d been carrying, how I did everything possible to ignore the pain—instead of moving on. It was time to be vulnerable, to take a chance, to hope for something better and meaningful. So, this didn’t feel right any longer, this casual fling. I really liked Dax, wanted it to grow into something, and doing something stupid could jeopardize that.

  He sighed. “Well, this guy must be something.”

  I shrugged, unsure what to say.

  “Call me if it doesn’t work out. I’m happy to be your rebound.” His arm moved around my waist, and he pulled me in for a hug.

  Kat started to point again, indicating somewhere behind me.

  I cocked an eyebrow and raised one hand in confusion while Brian hugged me.

  She tried to mouth something.

  Brian pulled away, gave me a smile, and then returned to his crew on the other side of the bar.

  I stared at Kat. “Okay, what was all that about?”

  “I think she was trying to warn you about me.” His deep voice revealed his identity, and he was close behind me at the table.

  Kat downed her glass until it was empty and carried it to the bar to get another.

  My heart sank into my stomach, and I lost all my confidence. Had he been standing there the entire time? I slowly turned around until I faced him, seeing him in a dark gray V neck that showed the tops of his pecs in the cut of the fabric. He had a scotch on the table, and he looked at me with that smoldering stare that was sexy and terrifying. I didn’t know how much he’d heard, how he would feel about what happened, if the fact that I dumped someone to be exclusive with him would just make him uncomfortable. So, for the first time in my life, I was speechless.

  He came closer to me, his thick arm circling my waist, hugging the arch in my back. His lips came closer to mine, forcing my pulse to quicken in my neck. “Sweetheart, you’re so obsessed with me.”

  My eyes rolled gently at the taunt.

  “You were all over me last night, and now this? You’ve got it bad. Really bad.”

  I started to feel embarrassed, knowing all my cards were on the table and he could see them. “Shut up, Dax.”

  “You shot that guy down because you’re sprung on me…pretty sexy.”

  I rolled my eyes again. “I just didn’t—”

  He cupped my face and kissed me, his fingers moving deep into my hair, his kiss scorching, wet, and full of heated breath.

  I lost my train of thought.

  When he pulled away, he was serious, his eyes focused. His hands slowly slid out of my hair as he stared me down. “I don’t want to see anybody else either. I haven’t been with anyone since I met you…because you’re the only woman I want.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat, my pulse qui
ckening for a whole new reason. “Looks like you’re the one who’s obsessed…”

  A soft smile entered his lips at my words, his eyes showing the same kind of affection. “Damn right. And I’m not ashamed to say it.”

  Twenty

  Carson

  Charlie leaned against my desk in my cubicle, his arms crossed over his chest. “And he was just standing there?”

  “Kat tried to warn me, but I had no idea what she was saying.”

  “You still didn’t think to turn around?”

  “She was making these stabbing motions with her finger. I thought she hated Brian or something.”

  He chuckled. “Then what happened?”

  “Dax teased me for being sprung on him—”

  “Which you are.”

  I gave him a playful kick. “And he said he didn’t want to see anybody else either.”

  “What did I tell you?” The cubicles nearby were vacant because people were out of the office, doing their research with their sources. “I told you he was a good guy. Now you’re in a relationship, which is great.”

  “I don’t think this constitutes a relationship.”

  “If you’re monogamous with someone, that’s a relationship.”

  “Or an exclusive fling,” I countered.

  “But it’s not a fling. Just accept it, Carson. This is a relationship. And he’s a great guy.”

  “Well…there’s still that weird vibe from him.” I didn’t think Dax was shady, but I definitely thought he was hiding something from me. If it was something personal and none of my business, that was fine. But I worried it was something worse than that.

  He shook his head. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

  “What if he’s still married or something—”

  “He’s not.” He rolled his eyes. “I know he seems too good to be true, but he’s not. He’s real. He gets along with your friends, puts up with your bullshit, isn’t some misogynistic asshole. He’s the right man for you.”

  I sighed and looked away. “Maybe you should date him—you love him so much.”

  “If I were gay, I totally would.”

  I chuckled and stared at my computer screen. “Now get out of here. I’ve got shit to do.”