The Man I Thought I Knew Read online

  “Then what do you talk about with your friends?”

  “Sports, current events, the best kind of whiskey…”

  “Really? Well, I’m the kiss-and-tell kinda woman, so they’re gonna hear all the details.”

  The corner of his mouth rose in a smile. “You’re gonna have a lot of good things to say.”

  “Good answer.” My hand slid up his chest and shoulder and I cupped the back of his neck, my fingers stroking the short strands of hair in the back, and I stepped in closer, letting my lips land lightly on his mouth.

  His hand instinctively tugged me near, his soft mouth opening slightly for mine, giving me a sample of a phenomenal kiss. He felt my bottom lip between his and gave me a slow and seductive kiss, a gentle breath, before he kissed me again, this time his hand slipping into my hair, his large fingers cupping my neck. He gave me a final kiss, a touch that made me numb from the lips down, an embrace that silenced the loud music around us, the conversations from other customers. When he pulled away, his eyes stayed on my mouth, like that kiss was as satisfying to him as it was to me.

  My hand moved to his wrist, my fingers wrapping around his hardness, my lips slightly open as I lifted my gaze and looked into his. The kiss was short and simple, but it floored me, made my knees go weak, made me anxious to get this dress off and feel him deep inside me. “That was nice.”

  His eyes flicked up to mine. “Honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet…”

  We entered the empty apartment and headed to my bedroom.

  I had a queen-sized bed and a dresser with a closet, not much room for anything besides sleeping and getting dressed. But it was big enough for the two of us to enjoy each other, to grab each other hard and kiss with hungry lips.

  His hand pulled down my zipper and got the dress loose, letting the fabric fall off my body until it pooled on the floor at my feet.

  His hand was in my hair, fisting the strands as he kissed me hard, breathed into my mouth with a quiet moan. He gave me his experienced tongue, moving around mine and taking my breath away.

  God, I knew this was going to be good.

  My hand grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing his chiseled torso, the endless grooves between powerful muscles and his lean frame. With parted lips, I stared at his body like I was looking at a model on a fitness magazine. “Oh wow…”

  His eyes were on me, seeing the skintight, black lingerie. He inhaled a deep breath, his eyes darkening in a deeper form of lust. It was a black bodysuit made of thin lace, showing my nipples through the fabric, my belly button piercing, the opening between my legs so he could fuck me without taking it off. “Fuck yeah.” His voice was deeper and more rugged, so sexy. His eyes roamed over my body until they lifted to mine again.

  My mouth moved to his chest, and I kissed his tanned skin, his strong pectoral muscles, dragging my tongue along a cord in his neck. My hands got his jeans loose at the same time, pushing them over his narrow hips and his tight ass. I pushed his boxers down too, getting him buck naked, his cock the monstrous size I’d been hoping for. “Yum…” My hand wrapped around his length and I massaged his hardness, my thumbs gliding over the thick vein, loving the searing heat from all the blood that filled his big dick.

  His hand moved into my hair again, and he kissed me while he felt me rub him, my thumb moving over the tip where he’d started to drip. He backed me farther into the bed, anxious with desire.

  I ended the kiss, looked into his dangerous eyes, and then lowered myself to my knees.

  He released a deep breath, his hand immediately grabbing my hair and keeping it off my face, like he was ready to dive between my lips and glide over my tongue.

  I pointed his dick at my mouth then kissed his tip, my eyes locked on to his heated gaze. I kissed his head the way I kissed his mouth, a slow start, an innocent embrace. Then I pushed him into my throat, feeling his thickness occupy my entire mouth, making it difficult to breathe right away.

  He closed his eyes and moaned, his features tightening, his breath coming out shaky.

  I flattened my tongue and kept going, moving at a slow pace so he could just enjoy it without needing to explode. I liked to be selfless in bed to see how he would respond. It was basically an interview to see if he was qualified to be a regular. If he gave what he received and cared about getting me off, then he made the cut.

  I really wanted this man to make the cut.

  He started to thrust into my mouth, moaning when he watched me take all of him, his breaths becoming shakier as his face tinted a beautiful red color. His fingers gripped my neck, and he steadied me as he pulled his dick out, like he couldn’t take much more of it. His hand gripped mine, and he helped me to my feet before he backed me onto the bed. His hands gripped my hips and lifted me up, bringing my ass to the edge of the bed.

  He fished a condom out of his jeans before he rolled it on. But instead of fucking me, he moved to his knees on the rug and buried his face in the opening of the lingerie.

  “Oh yes…” My head rolled back, and I closed my eyes, loving his manners.

  And he was so good at eating pussy. He was a goddamn professional.

  His tongue circled my clit before he sucked on it, applying the right pressure, the right wetness, the right everything.

  It brought me close to the edge. “Right there…a little more.”

  He circled harder, going and going.

  My hand dug into his hair as I came, pressing my pussy into his face, moaning so loud Charlie would hear us if he were home. Tears formed in my eyes because it was so good. I whimpered like I was about to sob. “Dax…yes.” I rolled my hips and finished, feeling the electrified burn in all the nerves in my body.

  He got to his feet, his lips shiny from my wetness. His large hands gripped the backs of my thighs, and he opened me wider, positioning himself at my entrance so he could slowly push his head inside me.

  He was so fat…I loved it.

  With his eyes locked on mine, he inched farther, making his way through my tightness, parting my channel so he could dominate my wet flesh. He moved deeper and deeper, getting himself completely sheathed with the exception of his balls.

  My hands gripped his wrists, my knees parted and were close to my torso, completely open so he could fuck me as savagely as he wanted.

  And that was exactly what he did.

  He fucked me hard, deep, and mercilessly.

  “Yes…yes…” I didn’t know how many times I said that word throughout the night. It was always on my lips, always on my tongue. He made me come with his mouth and then again with his dick, driving me into a climax that made me buck my hips and praise the fucking lord. “Oh Jesus…”

  When he couldn’t last a moment longer, he shoved himself inside and filled the condom, his expression even darker in the throes of pleasure. His cock twitched inside me at release, reminding me just how big that monster cock was. His fingers relaxed on my hips, and he breathed through the high, falling back down to the bed until his cock started to soften inside me.

  I pulled him to me, bringing his body on top of mine, and I cupped the back of his neck as I kissed him, tasting myself on his mouth. “You can fuck me like that anytime…”

  He lay beside me in bed, the sheets at his waist, his chest still slightly shiny from the sweat.

  I was still in my lingerie because lingerie was so much sexier than just being naked. My hand moved up his chest, feeling his hardness even when he was fully relaxed. My fingers touched the grooves between his hips, the veins that formed below his navel. I’d invited him to my place so I wouldn’t have to walk home after, especially when I was satisfied and exhausted.

  I got out of bed and peeled off the lingerie before I pulled on sweatpants and a t-shirt. “I’ll walk you out.”

  He turned his head slightly my way. His expression still showed his fatigue, but he seemed surprised I wanted him to leave. But he got out of the bed and got dressed.

  I didn’t like sleepovers. I preferre
d to wake up the next morning and start a new day, not continue from the day before.

  We left my bedroom and walked into the living room.

  Charlie was standing in front of the fridge, peering inside, like he was looking for a snack after drinking all night.

  Dax hesitated for a second when he saw him, turning his head to look at Charlie, but he kept walking, meeting me at the door.

  I opened it and stepped into the hallway.

  He joined me, looking down at me now that my heels were gone and I was half a foot shorter. His hair was messy from the way I’d fisted it so much, and his eyes fell a little, like he was tired.

  “So…can I be a regular?”

  He cocked a single eyebrow.

  “You know, one of your top girls who can text you for a good time.”

  He was quiet for a long time, as if he were caught off guard by the question. “That’s all you want?”

  “Uh, that wasn’t obvious?” I asked with a laugh. My hands moved up his chest until they cupped his neck. I moved in and kissed him.

  He kissed me back, his kiss as good as before. His arms circled my waist, and he pulled me close, his fingers digging into my ass.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” I pulled away and dragged my hands down his chest.

  His eyes shifted back and forth slightly as he looked at me. “What makes you think I have regular women I hit up for sex?”

  “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “In a relationship?”

  “No.”

  “Then why wouldn’t you? Look at you.” He was sex on a stick, rocking a perfect dick and an even more perfect smile.

  “You have regulars?”

  “I’m not married or in a relationship, so yes. But I have a feeling you’re going to be my favorite.”

  He didn’t have a reaction to that, didn’t show disappointment or amusement. He was impossible to read.

  “I just like to be upfront with my intentions. Because I want to see you again…but there’s only one reason I want to see you again.” I grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss before I walked back into my apartment. I shut the door without looking at him again.

  A man like that wasn’t interested in monogamy, and neither was I. The best way to keep him around was to tell him he wouldn’t get a clingy woman on his hands, a woman who would want more, want love. Once the foundation was laid down, I could keep him for a long time…and I wanted to keep him as long as I could.

  Four

  Carson

  I walked over to Sugar and Cream, a boutique coffee shop really close to my office, and stepped inside.

  Kat waved from her seat, getting my attention in the sea of people with their laptops and paperwork. Other people were meeting friends on their breaks, picking at their muffins and cookies before dunking them into their coffee.

  I walked to her table and took a seat. “Aww, you already got me a coffee.” I took a sip. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  “You got my lunch last time. Aaaannnnnd…I have some exciting news.”

  “Ooh, what?”

  She held up the muffin. “I got the last coffee cake muffin—just for you.”

  “Bitch, I love you.” I took it from her hands and bit right into it, taking a huge bite.

  She laughed. “Bitch, I know.”

  I chewed more than I could handle, getting crumbs everywhere. “It’s so good. Fresh.”

  She grabbed her coffee and took a drink. “How’s the office?”

  “Just working on my stupid article. Vince keeps lighting a fire under my ass. You can’t rush a piece of this magnitude.” I kept eating, caring more about the muffin than the steaming cup of coffee with cream and sugar. “How about you?”

  She shrugged. “Work is fine. Shopping for super-rich people isn’t as interesting as it sounds.”

  “Really? It sounds super interesting.”

  “My long-term clients are predictable, so I just drop off their clothes and rarely hear from them. They don’t like to reinvent themselves. They just wear the same thing.”

  “Because they’re billionaires. Billionaires don’t have time to nitpick at their clothes. They have to run a business.”

  “True. So, what happened with you and that gorgeous man on Saturday?”

  “We fucked. And fucked good.”

  She laughed, covering her mouth so she wouldn’t be too loud for the people around us. “That sounds nice.”

  “He’s such a good kisser. He rarely talks. He’s got a big dick… I could go on and on.”

  “Please do.” She held her cup with both hands, leaning forward slightly to hear all the details.

  I laughed before I took another bite of the muffin. “I went down on him first, just to set the tone, and he returned the gesture.”

  “Oh my god, a gentleman.”

  “Yes. A knight in shining armor. So, that was a really good sign. He worked it until I came.”

  “Now he’s an American hero.”

  I laughed. “And then he nailed me like a sailor on leave.”

  “Oh…so romantic.” She sighed loudly, as if in longing. “When are you seeing him again?”

  “I asked if I could be one of his regulars. He agreed to it.”

  “You think you’ll make the top three?”

  “Girl, you know I’m ambitious. I’m trying to make it to the top—no pun intended.”

  She laughed. “Oh, I love you. You’re so free and happy…and I’m happy for you.”

  My smile waned for a second, the comment hitting me unexpectedly. But then I forced a smile and pretended it hadn’t happened.

  “What about Boy Toy #1?”

  “He’s still there, but he just got bumped to economy.”

  “Poor guy. Does he know?”

  “Nah. He’s got his own girls, so I doubt he’ll care much.” I took a piece of the muffin and dunked it into my coffee.

  “Dax is so good-looking. He looks like one of those underwear models plastered on the billboards in Times Square.”

  “I know, right? I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found him.”

  “Looks like you were in the right place at the right time.” She drank from her coffee.

  “Cupid must have been in that bar with his bow and arrow. So, are you seeing anybody?”

  She shook her head then opened her brown recycled bag and pulled out a small sandwich. “I’ve been so busy with work and stuff…so not really.”

  I watched her eyes drop, watched her immediately fall under an invisible cloud of misery. “I’m sorry, Kat…”

  She gave a weak chuckle, packed with sarcastic pain. “I can’t help it. I can’t change the way I feel. I can’t stop hoping…that we might get back together. Maybe we’re one of those couples with a really long love story.”

  I didn’t have the heart to tell her about Charlie’s feelings for Denise, that she was the one he couldn’t shake off, the one he couldn’t forget about. It didn’t matter how many women he slept with, how many beers he drank. Denise was the thorn in his side that was so deep he couldn’t remove it without bleeding out. With the three of them, I felt like I was in a Shakespeare play, the opposite of a love triangle. Kat was the reason Charlie wouldn’t go for Denise, because it would affect the entire group…and someone would leave. Since Denise was my sister, that person was probably Kat, and he just couldn’t do that to her. “I think you should get on some dating apps and get back out there.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Those guys only want one thing…”

  “And is that a bad thing?”

  “I want a relationship.”

  “But you’re in no state to have one. You need to get over Charlie first. A good first step is spending time with other men, seeing what else is out there. Charlie is a great guy, but he’s kind of a doofus. You can do better.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You don’t mean that.”

  No, I didn’t.

  “He’s your best friend for a re
ason.”

  “You’re my best friend too.”

  She chuckled. “You’re a best-friend whore. You’re best friends with everyone.”

  “That’s not true,” I said in mock offense. “Dax and I definitely aren’t best friends—based on all the things we do.”

  When I walked in the door, Charlie was making dinner in the kitchen. I had the nose of a bloodhound, so I knew exactly what was on the menu at the first sniff. “Yes, I’m starving.” I carried my satchel to the round dining table and set my stuff down.

  “Why do you assume I’m cooking for two?”

  “Because cooking for one is impossible.” I pulled out my laptop and opened it. “And you love me, motherfucker.”

  He chuckled then carried the plate of food to me. It held three chicken tacos with cilantro, salsa, and a few limes, with rice and beans on the side. “Wow…you really do love me.”

  He grinned then headed back into the kitchen.

  I deepened my voice, sounding like a man who had just come home to his wife after a long day at the office. “Grab me a beer, would you, sweetheart?”

  He grabbed two and carried his plate to the table. He set everything down, twisted off the cap, and placed it beside me.

  I grinned and pulled it close. “Thank you.”

  A smile still on his face, he sat down and started to eat.

  “I’ll do the dishes.”

  “You bet your ass, you will.”

  I worked on my computer while I ate, getting right back to work like the walk from the building to the apartment had just been a break. “How’s your piece coming along?”

  “I’m finished.” He grabbed a folder and pushed it toward me. “Rip it apart.”

  “Will do.” We fact-checked each other’s work and proofread it to death. It was frustrating to work so hard on something just to see your friend tear it down, but every word we wrote mattered, and making sure it was as good as possible was essential.

  “How was your day?”

  “Good. Kat and I had lunch.”