Nemesis(29)

“What did Dan mean when he said all that stuff about you and women?” I find myself asking. Not the best pillow talk, but it’s been playing on my mind. So far, we’ve been open and honest with each other tonight, and I’d like that to continue.

“Just that I’ve been with my fair share, I guess,” he rumbles, which is pretty much what I’d been thinking. He’s probably been with an uncountable number of women, and after his ex-girlfriend he doesn’t want to trust and commit to just a single one.

It makes sense—I guess. If you want true love though, you need to let your guard down at some point. Vulnerability can be beautiful, and not everyone uses it against you.

“What’s your number?” I ask, grinning into the darkness. “Fifty? Sixty? A hundred?”

“I don’t know, Jacinta,” he says, tickling my ribs. “And that’s the truth.”

“You’ve lost count?”

I find that a little sad, for some reason.

“Yeah,” he admits, kissing the back of my neck. “Do we have to talk about all of this right now?”

“I guess not.” I yawn. “Today was drama-filled, wasn’t it?”

His reply is a light snore.

I smile and close my eyes, burying myself deeper in to him.

*****

The next day after work, I ring Dan to tell him that if I catch him following me around again, I will be filing a restraining order.

“I wouldn’t touch any woman after they’ve been with Cohen,” he haughtily informs me. “You have no idea what kind of man he is, Jacinta.”

“You’re friends with him,” I point out.

“Yeah, but I’m not f*cking him,” he retorts. “He will never settle down with you. Ever. You will never be the only woman he distracts himself with, and that’s all that you all are, distractions.”

I ponder that while he continues with his rant.

“Why don’t you ask him the truth? You won’t believe what I tell you. Ask him about his women.”

His women?

“Don’t follow me again, Dan,” I say, hanging up on him.

I can’t get his words out of my head though. His women?

The whole situation is a difficult one. Cohen never made me any promises, not even exclusivity, but he’s been treating me like his girlfriend. Am I meant to believe words or actions? Talk about mixed signals. I haven’t been overthinking things recently; I’ve just been enjoying my time with him, and it’s been great. I’m curious to know what Dan’s on about though, especially since I now know that Cohen does keep secrets. It’s hard not knowing where you stand with someone. Really hard. You think about everything they’ve said, trying to read their actions and words, even though they’ve told you something different. It’s like I’m addicted to him. I know he’s not good for me, but giving him up isn’t even an option. I decide I need to stop being weak and just talk to him about it. I think the reason I’m so hesitant is because I know I’m going to find out something I don’t like.

Fuck.

A few hours later, when Cohen arrives, Dan’s words are still running through my mind, and I know I have to ask him. If more shit comes out, something I don’t like, well, I’m just going to have to decide to either deal with it, or step away from whatever this is we have together.

The problem?

We’re not exclusive.

If he’s been with someone else, I can’t get mad, although I know I will. This whole situation is f*cked, and I have a feeling that I should have bailed when he told me the rules of being with him.

“Can we talk about something?” I ask as he joins me on the couch. I’m watching Supernatural from the first season, and I’m not changing it so he’s going to have to deal.

“Sure,” he says, kissing my cheek. He presses his lips to my ear next. “We can talk about anything you want, but first… I want you, Jacinta. I watched you saunter around in your red f*cking heels all day long, that tight skirt cupping your ass like a glove, your beautiful breasts pressing against your shirt. I’ve been hard all f*cking day, so you need to take care of that for me.”

My breath hitches at his words.

Fuck.

He slides his hand up my thigh, letting it linger there without bringing it up just that little bit more to touch my *.

Tease.

“Do I?” I ask, licking my lips.

He takes my hand and puts it on his hard cock. I can feel it straining through his jeans. “You caused this, so yes.”

I grin and lean over to kiss him, completely forgetting about everything except what I’m about to do to him.

*****

On Friday night, Cohen takes me to a new bar that just opened, owned by his friend Chad. I saw Chad the night I was on the double date and bumped into Cohen, the first night he slept over.

“Nice to finally meet you,” he says to me, shaking my hand. When he brings it to his lips, I know he’s a ladies’ man, just like the man by my side.

“You too,” I say, smiling at him. “This place is amazing!”

“Glad you think so,” he replies, looking at Cohen. “I don’t know how you got her, Cohen, I really don’t.”

Cohen ignores his friend and kisses the top of my head. “What do you want to drink? The usual, or do you want to live on the wild side and try something new?”