Nemesis(10)

She kisses my cheek, then wipes it, where I assume she left a lipstick mark. “And by the way, they’re both coming back to ours after this.” She steps away before I can elbow her in the ribs. “Love you!”

When she goes back to the table of hell, I glance at Cohen and sigh unhappily. “I better go.”

I notice his amused expression has now hardened into something else, his jaw tight and his green eyes narrowed. “What does she mean they’re both going back to your house? You’re going to bring that guy you don’t even f*cking like home with you?”

Oh.

That’s why he’s angry? Because he thinks I’m bringing Rob back to my house?

“I’m not going to sleep with him,” I say, a little defensively. “We’ll just watch a movie, have a drink or something, and then I’m going to bed. It’s not like I want to,” I add, crossing my arms over my chest. “I have to take one for the team… The very last one I’ll be taking when it comes to Sadie and guys.”

Cohen doesn’t look impressed with my explanation. “If you bring him back to your house, he’s going to assume you’re going to f*ck him. I know, I’m a guy.”

And presumably a man-whore.

“Well, what do I do then? I can’t tell him to go home. What’s the bet he gets all defensive and does what most guys do in that situation.”

“Which is?”

“He’ll be all, ‘Oh, I just wanted to hang out as friends, that’s all. Don’t just assume all men want you.’ Or some other * line like that to try and make me feel like a dickhead, when really we all know if I asked him to join me in my bed there’s no way in hell he would have said no.”

I take a deep breath after my rant.

Cohen pinches the bridge of his nose, like I’ve suddenly given him a headache or some shit.

“What?” I ask at the same time he says, “You—”

We both pause.

Then he straightens and says, “Well, if there’s a party at your house tonight, I guess that means I can come along too. We’re all just friends hanging out after all, right?”

And that’s how my boss ended up at my house.

*****

I don’t really know how to act when Cohen says good-bye to his friend, Matt, and follows me back to my house. Rob and Ian follow us too. Only I can get into these situations.

“Is the house clean?” I ask Sadie in a panic. I can’t have people over, especially Cohen, if the house isn’t spotless.

“The house is always clean,” Sadie replies drolly, then looks over at me. “So, let me get this straight. Your boss, who is a mega babe, is coming to our house to cock-block you from Rob?”

“I don’t know what this is,” I groan, closing my eyes and laying my head back. “Cohen is my boss, sort of, but we kind of became friends recently. I don’t know what his deal is.”

“Oh, I do,” Sadie says, pulling into our driveway. “He wants you.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Then he doesn’t want Rob to have you.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Because he wants you but he’s fighting it.”

“Maybe he just feels sorry for me because I was on the most boring date of my life,” I grumble, turning to look at her. “And trust me, I’ve been on some bad ones. You know this, I’ve told you about all of them in excruciating detail.”

When we get out of the car, I rush inside to make sure the place is Cohen-worthy; Sadie stands outside while their cars pull up, being a nice host. Cohen’s car is probably worth more than our house, which we’re renting and don’t even own. Okay, fine, I’m exaggerating, but still.

When the house passes my inspection, I walk to the door just as he enters.

“You’re really here,” I blurt, giggling a little nervously. “In my house.”

“Yes, I am.” He smiles, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “You know, you don’t live that far from me.”

“I don’t?”

“No, I’m just about ten minutes away.”

“Cohen, what are you doing here?” I whisper to him. “If this is about Rob, he’s only going to stay for a drink, then leave. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Maybe I just want to spend some time with you,” he says, squeezing my shoulder. He moves ahead of me and makes himself comfy on my couch, just as Sadie, Ian and Rob walk in. Rob doesn’t look happy—and with good reason, I guess.

“Can I get you a drink?” I ask Cohen, who looks completely relaxed.

“No, I’m good, thanks,” he replies, turning on the TV and clearly making himself at home.

I look to Sadie, needing her to make the situation less awkward. She’s the type of person anyone can get on with, because she’s friendly, easy to talk to and not shy. She tells the men to sit down, joins them, before officially introducing everyone. “Ian and Rob, this is Cohen, by the way. Cohen, Ian and Rob.”

They murmur their hellos.

I mumble something and head into the kitchen, grabbing myself a bottle of water, then returning to the disaster that is my night. There’s a spare spot next to Cohen and another next to Rob, and it might make me a total bitch, but I take the one next to Cohen.