Cato

by E. L. Todd

“Thank you,” he said. “Do it soon. Like, today.”

  “I’ll ask her next time I see her.”

  “You better, asshole.”

  I rested my arm over the back of the chair and looked out the window.

  “So, how is it going with her?”

  “Good.”

  “She still has no idea you already fucked?”

  “Nope.” It still didn’t make sense to me. How could she not remember someone she slept with?

  “Maybe she has some sort of medical condition.”

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “She’s never forgetful about anything else.”

  “Hmm…” He rubbed his chin while he remained in thought.

  “She used to be married.” I hadn’t told any of the guys this, but if my relationship was going to go somewhere I had to tell them. I didn’t want them to make a bad joke about the Army or widows and make her upset.

  “Say what?” he asked, leaning back. “When?”

  “Five years ago.”

  He started to count on his fingers. “How old was she? Twelve?”

  “Nineteen. They weren’t together for long.”

  “People who get married young usually divorce.”

  “Actually, she’s a widow.” It made me sad to think about. Losing someone you loved must be unbearable. Fortunately, I’d never experienced anything like that. “He was in the military and he was killed in the line of duty.”

  “Holy shit.” He leaned over the table and remained quiet for a few moments. “I’m not trying to be insensitive but are you sure you want to get involved in that? She probably has a lot of baggage.”

  I shook my head. “I really like her, River. I just do. I don’t know why because she doesn’t even remember me but I do. When I’m not with her, she’s all I think about. It’s not ideal to be with someone who’s already been married but…it is what it is.”

  “If you’re sure…”

  “He’s been gone for five years so she’s moved on. She’s not crying every other minute, and when she talks about him she actually smiles. It’s not like she’s still grieving.”

  “I guess I just assumed when I settled down with the one, I would be the one to her too,” he said with a shrug.

  It was difficult for me to describe my relationship with Katarina because most of my thoughts couldn’t be explained in words. Most of the time there were just feelings. “I think I could be the one to her.”

  “Wouldn’t her husband have been the one?” he asked.

  “He might have been but…she was really young. I’m sure they loved each other but she and I…we have something special. Our conversations flow like water, and we have this natural reaction to one another…I can’t explain it.”

  “Yeah…you can’t.”

  “I just feel like we’re a perfect match.”

  “How so?” he asked.

  “Because we met two years ago, in a crowd of millions of people in a tiny area. I was there at the right place and the right time. So was she. And then…she becomes my client. Seriously, what are the odds of that?”

  He gave me a serious look. “You know I love you, man, but you’re talking crazy right now. I sincerely hope you aren’t putting in all this effort for this one girl solely because you already slept with her and she doesn’t remember. Is this about your pride?”

  “No,” I snapped. “It’s not. When we hooked up I felt something then too. I wanted to see her again, to take her on a real date. That’s never happened to me before, and now I have another chance. I know it doesn’t make any sense but that’s the truth.”

  “What? Are you saying she’s your soul mate or something?” Skepticism was heavy in his voice.

  “No…but I think we’re meant to be together.”

  River sighed and I could tell he made his best effort not to roll his eyes. “Come on, Cato. When did you start pulling all this shit out of your ass? This girl is turning your world upside down.”

  “I’m being serious. What are the odds of us meeting twice? She didn’t even live here the first time we met.”

  “But she doesn’t remember you.” He said each word slowly, trying to make each word sink into my brain. “How can she be meant for you if you’re so forgetful?”

  “There’s got to be a reason why she doesn’t remember me,” I said. “And it has nothing to do with me not being memorable. I had a great time that night. There’s no way she didn’t.”

  “If she did, why didn’t she leave a phone number?” he questioned.

  I shrugged. “She said she would never date again and she was abiding by that rule. I think if she had an open mind about me, she would fall hard. And I’m pretty sure she’s starting to.”

  River was still incredulous but he didn’t repeat his argument. “So, no group fuck?”

  “No. Sorry.”

  “Lame.”

  I chuckled. “Ask Jett. He’d do it in a heartbeat.”

  “Yeah, maybe. But I figured if I was going to see one of you guys naked, it would be you.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “Should I be worried…?”

  He chuckled. “You just seem like you’re more open-minded.”

  Even if Katarina wasn’t in my life I wasn’t sure if I could do that. Threesomes and foursomes were fine but with another dude…not exactly appealing.

  River rubbed the back of his neck. “Weasel still sniffing around?”

  I really disliked that guy. “I know what he’s doing but Kat won’t believe it. She says they’re too good of friends. I’m not buying it.”

  “Well, she’s never wanted to date him before so I doubt she’ll change her mind,” he reasoned. “Unless he holds her down and—”

  “Don’t say that.” It made me sick to think about.

  “Don’t stress about him,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to say.”

  “I’ll try.” I took a long drink of my beer then looked out the window. “Kat doesn’t appreciate my protectiveness and jealousy. But she needs to understand—” Across the street, I thought I saw Joey lurking behind a car. He held a pair of binoculars to his eyes and he was scoping me out through the bar window.

  Did I really just see that?

  River waited for me to finish the sentence, and when I didn’t, he followed my gaze out the window. “What’s up? What do you see?”

  “That fucking weasel.” When I realized my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me, I snapped. I wanted to turn the table over, break it into pieces, and then chase him down with a long stick of wood.

  River narrowed his eyes. “He’s watching you?”

  “He’s behind the blue Volvo. He’s wearing black.”

  “Fuck, it is that weasel.”

  I slid out of the booth. “Now I’m breaking his face.”

  River followed me, ready for a fight. “I’ll hold and you punch.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” I said with a clenched jaw. “I want to do both.” I jogged across the street and heard the sounds of horns from the taxis and cars. River was right behind me. When I reached the sidewalk, Joey realized what was happening. At a sprint, he took off down the sidewalk.

  “You’re dead!” I chased after him and fantasized about what I would do when I snatched him. The sidewalk with packed with a crowd, and maneuvering through them was difficult. Joey was twenty feet ahead, and he reached the corner of the street then waved down a cab.

  “I don’t think so, motherfucker.” I kept running, needing to get to him before the cab took off.

  I didn’t make it. Joey shut the door and then the cab pulled onto the street.

  “Fuck!” I punched a nearby pole and cursed again.

  River caught up to me, out of breath. “Why is he tailing you?”

  “I have no fucking idea.” I ran my fingers through my hair, distressed. “But it can’t be good. He’s trying to get dirt on me. I can’t think of any other reason.”

  “We should have ripped his arms and legs off in that diner.”

&nbs
p; “It’s never too late,” I said darkly.

  “Are you going to tell Kat about this?”

  I should. She should know that the man she considered to be her best friend was a fucking psychopath. He was so obsessed with her that he was borderline crazy. But I knew that would be pointless. “She wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

  When I arrived at her door, she gave me a bright smile that reached her eyes. It was clear she wasn’t still upset with me over my fiasco with Joey, and all was forgiven. If I brought up my last encounter with him, it would certainly spoil the evening.

  My hands moved to her waist and I gave her a hard kiss on the mouth. She reciprocated with the same enthusiasm, and her hands went to my chest. She touched it often so I assumed it was her favorite feature. That was fine by me. My favorite feature was the same area, just on her.

  I slowly pulled away and looked down into her face. “Did you take a professional kissing class? Because you’re good at it.”

  “I guess I’ve just had lots of practice,” she said with a smile.

  I grabbed a handful of her hair then yanked her head back, exposing her throat. I placed a few kisses on her neck and listened to her moan. “And why does your skin always taste so sweet? You practice that too?”

  “I guess I eat a lot of fruit.”

  I released her hair and towered over her. “Ready?”

  “Uh…sure.”

  I smirked. “What’s your hesitance?”

  “Well, when you kiss me like that I don’t want to go anywhere.”

  I chuckled. “Let’s save the fooling around for later. Otherwise, we’ll never get out of here.”

  “Good point.”

  We left her apartment and headed to Beautiful Entourage.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “I need you to sign some termination papers.” I held her hand as we walked up the sidewalk, like a regular couple.

  “Termination papers?”

  “I can’t escort you anymore, not when we’re romantically involved like this.”

  “So…what will I do?” There was fear in her voice.

  “I’ll do it for free. Don’t worry about it.”

  “But, you can’t pose as my husband if you’re dating me. That could get weird.”

  I shrugged. “I have to do this, baby. The guys are really concerned about it.”

  She nodded. “I guess I understand.”

  “We’ll figure it out though,” I said. “And maybe I shouldn’t pose as your husband at all. Let’s just see where this relationship goes first.”

  “Okay…” There was a deep sadness to her voice.

  “What’s wrong?” I watched her face.

  “I just…nevermind.”

  “Tell me,” I pressed. I pulled her further into my side.

  “I’m not sure if I ever want to get married again—for real,” she said. “It’s just…I don’t know.”

  “How about we just take it slow and see where this goes?” I asked. I noticed that when we talked about her hesitance, it made her more hesitant. But when we just lived in the moment, she was more accepting to change.

  “Okay.”

  We went inside the office and she signed all the paperwork. Once that was done, I was a free man. I was no longer legally prohibited from sleeping with her. I wasn’t planning on it anytime soon anyway, but it was still a relief. Now I was just her boyfriend.

  “Well, this is a good start to a date,” she teased.

  I put my arm around her waist as we headed to Times Square. “I’ll make up for it as the night goes on.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you will.”

  We reached Times Square and walked down the sidewalk. I watched her face, wondering if she was reliving any memories. I wanted her to realize we’d already met in our past but her mind was completely closed off. Was she on drugs that night? “Do you go to Times Square on New Year’s Eve?” I asked casually. Maybe I could jog her memory a little bit.

  “I’ve been once,” she said.

  So, she remembered the night, just not me. “Have fun?”

  “Yeah. But it was freezing cold and there were a million people there. If a fight broke out, it would be a terrible stampede.”

  I nodded and kept walking. “Did you go with friends?”

  “Yeah, two of them.” She looked at a newspaper stand as she passed and her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

  “Would you go again?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Meet any cool people?” Come on, woman. How can you not remember me?

  She didn’t look at me as she kept walking. “No.”

  Burn. I wanted to growl but I kept it back.

  “Where do you want to eat?”

  I stopped in front of a Thai place. “How does this place sound?”

  “Great,” she said. “I’m starving so I’ll say yes to pretty much anything.”

  “Really?” I gave her a dark smolder. “Anything?”

  She rolled her eyes but smiled at the same time. “I meant in terms of food.”

  “I can give you something to eat.” My lips moved to her jaw and I nibbled her gently.

  She froze and her eyes became lidded with pleasure.

  When I pulled away, I liked the dazed look on her face. The sexual attraction between us was equal. I wanted her as much as she wanted me, if not more so. Our relationship was exactly the same as it was two years ago. How different would our lives be if I’d just gotten her number? Would I still be her boyfriend? Or would I be something more? I’d never been marriage material, hardly boyfriend material, but the idea of making that kind of commitment didn’t scare me. It just convinced me even more that she was the one.

  We entered the restaurant then took our seats. She pulled her hair over one shoulder before she picked up the menu. One side of her neck was exposed, and all I could think about was sucking the skin until it was raw. Flashbacks of our heated night came back to me. I was desperate to take her on my sheets but I was also nervous. Would it be a replay of last time? Or would she stick around?

  She put her menu down when she made her selection. “I’m getting Thai iced tea.”

  “Good choice. It’s a little too sweet for me, however.”

  “You’re missing out,” she said. “I have a sweet tooth.”

  “Do you like Oreos?” I blurted.

  “It’s my favorite cookie,” she said immediately.

  She really didn’t remember her New Year’s resolution she shared with me? I had to protect my pride so she wouldn’t completely demolish it. But it was becoming difficult.

  We placed our order then stared at each other across the table. I never grew bored of looking at her exquisite face. She was gorgeous and flawless. I’d been with a long line of women, most of them models, but they couldn’t compare to Katarina. The slight curve of her lips always enticed me to devour her, and the subtle brightness of her eyes, always constant, had my attention endlessly. She was a small woman, exceptionally short and tiny, but she took up the whole room with her personality, wit, and attitude. Was this how Rhett felt when he met Aspen? He talked about her before they got together, and he said he just knew. Was this how Troy felt too? Was I breaking every rule just like them because I’d found the right girl? I hoped so. I already had one chance with her and I blew it. I didn’t want to blow it again.

  “Cato?”

  “Hmm?” Did she say something?

  A slow smile stretched her lips. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past minute and you’ve just been staring at me blankly…”

  “Oh…sorry.” I didn’t even notice.

  “What was distracting you so much?” Judging the joy on her face, she already knew.

  I leaned over the table and rested my elbows on the surface. “It’s a secret. Come closer.”

  She leaned forward, her face close to mine.

  “This is what I was thinking about.” I pressed my lips to hers gently and immediately felt that cosmic
electricity. Her lips were full and soft, and they tasted delicious. I wanted to take all of her and treasure her all night long.

  The waiter’s voice came into our ears. “Um…here is your dinner.”

  Katarina tried to pull away but I held her in place. Then I held one finger to the waiter, telling him I wasn’t finished. I finished my kiss before I leaned back into my chair. “Now we’re done.”

  The waiter gave a half-asked smile but it was clear he was extremely annoyed. He placed the dishes in front of us before he walked away and took care of his other tables.

  Katarina had a tint to her cheeks. Her eyes were downcast as she inserted her fork into her noodles but there was still a visible smile on her lips. “You’re going to get us kicked out.”

  “Nah. I’m not leaving until I eat.”

  She got the noodles in her mouth but there was one that was particularly long. She sucked it into her mouth until it disappeared.

  The action fascinated me and I kept thinking about it even after she was finished. I remembered the way she gave me head. It was amazing. She used both hands and jerked me off like a pro. My cock hardened in my jeans and I wish it would remain soft. There would only be one thing on my mind if I were walking around with a hard dick.

  “Isn’t it funny how we are together considering the fact we use to dislike each other?”

  “You never disliked me,” I argued.

  “No, I did,” she said with a laugh. “Your insults were annoying.”

  “You still thought I was hot.”

  “Irrelevant.”

  “I don’t think so,” I argued.

  “Anyway, I’d really like to know why you disliked me.” She watched my face as she said it. “And you better not say it was because I was too pretty or some shit like that.”

  I tried not to laugh. “I don’t want to say.”

  “Why not?” she asked. “I have a thick skin.”

  “It’s not insulting.”

  “Then tell me.”

  I looked down at my food as I ate. “I’ll tell you. But not now.”

  “Then when?”

  “I don’t know…but I will.”

  Both of her eyebrows were raised. “Why are you being so mysterious?”

  “You’ll understand when I tell you.”

  “But—”