Page 17 of The Man I Once Hated

Edward grunts, quickening his pace, thrusting into me even harder than before. He straightens, locking his gaze with mine, eyes shot nearly full black with the way his pupils are dilated. His need, his unabated hunger makes me squirm and I move my hips in motion with his. As one, we rock together, inviting our bodies to surrender to the desperate need driving us both.

I come first, my climax tearing through me with a violent quake that splits my soul in two. Then Edward erupts inside me, jerking through wave after wave of his own demise as he collapses into me. My heart is beating so hard I’m sure it’ll rip right through my chest but I don’t care. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hold him close, tighten my shivering thighs on his waist as we tremble our way back down to earth.

Breathless, Edward pushes away from me, his unwavering gaze burning into me. That signature smirk quirks the corner of his mouth and he licks his lips.

Pants down around his ankles, cock out, he jerks his head at me and says, “I knew I was right.”

My legs are like quivering jelly but I will myself to stand, to not look away. Because I’ll be damned if I let him think he has me all figured out. That I’m just like every other bimbo he fucks and tosses aside. The euphoric high I feel quickly dissolves and is replaced by the more familiar disdain I’ve been nurturing for Edward. Only now, I’ve added myself to the list.

I can’t believe I let him get to me. That I gave into him when I should know better. Straightening my clothes, I swipe my tattered underwear and make for the door.

Hand on the knob, I pause and turn back to him, still standing there with his pants down, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

“I hope you know this is never happening again,” I say, and storm out.

I don’t wait to see his face, to see whether he believes me, because it doesn’t matter. I’m barely certain I believe myself.

8

Edward

“Wow, you guys really turned this place around.” It’s small talk. It means nothing to me.

But I can tell by the proud look on Ethan’s face that it means everything to him. I pull out my chair, noticing that he’s chosen the table closest to the service counter. So that he can be within reach of his wife, no doubt.

“Look at it,” he says, a wide smile on his face as he motions to the room at large. “Barely 10am and we’re bursting with customers.”

“We?” I lean back, arms folded across my chest.

He gives me a dismissive wave and pretends to be super interested in the menu. As if I don’t know he helped Cassidy design the thing. That he can sing every item to me off by heart. What a chump.

“You know what? No.” Ethan puts the menu down and looks at me. “I’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. I found the love of my life and we’re happy. The fact that you find that amusing says a lot about you and nothing about me.”

I shake my head slowly. “You disappoint me, old friend. If I’d known this would happen, I would never have made that stupid bet with you.”

“Are you kidding me?” His mouth drops open. “What the hell, Bear? What do you have against me being married and in love?”

I wince inwardly at the devil-may-care way he throws those nauseating words around. Never in my life.

Out of nowhere, the memory of Cara’s hot breath in my ear. Legs squeezing my waist. Tighter, trembling as she comes-

“I could make a list,” I reply, forcing the haunting images from my mind. “And at the top of that list would be the fact that I lost my number one wing man.”

“My husband has left the dark side.” Cassidy appears, carrying a bright smile and two fresh butter croissants. She places them in front of each of us and bends to kiss the top of Ethan’s head. “He fights for good, now.”

I stifle a laugh. “I better warn the forces of evil that there’s a new wimp in town.”

Cassidy swats me playfully with the tea towel she had slung over her shoulder. “I can’t wait to see you fall head over heels in love.”

“The sun will turn to cold, dead ash before that happens. I have more respect for the game than this one over here,” I toss my head in Ethan’s direction.

Cassidy simply laughs me off with a shake of her head. “I’ll have Andy refill your coffees in a bit.”

Ethan’s puppy dog gaze follows her all the way back to the service counter, a stupid half-smile on his face. I’m about to have another go at him but something stops me. Because if I were to put money on it, my bet would be on me being the most miserable fucker out of the two of us. Despite my advocacy for the free and single way of life.

But it’s not like I can sit here and tell my friend about how, the older I get, the lonelier I feel. How the rotating door of nameless women in and out of my life has become boring. Exhausting, even.

So I don’t.

---