Page 49 of The Friend Zone
“Dana.”
He caught her wrist, but she hauled away her arm.
“You’re being unreasonable,” Omar ground out.
“Go be with your ex, Mr. Casanova, I’m fine.”
His face settled into hard lines. “Don’t do that. You know good and damn well the Mr. Casanova foolishness doesn’t apply to me and you.”
She released a high-pitched laugh. “Everything else was true about you. You are hung, you have great stamina, and you’re amazing in bed. Why should I suddenly believe you won’t hop from woman to woman when I’ve seen it myself? Have you forgotten, I’ve spent years watching you go through them. One night you’re with A, three weeks later you’re telling me about B, two days later there’s a brand new one—C! I’ve seen you collect phone numbers like stamps, Omar, and I was there when Athena broke your heart. You were devastated.”
“I was hurt and humiliated, but I wasn’t devastated,” he corrected.
“Semantics,” she snapped. “A while back, you told me she still wants to get with you, remember? And I’m supposed to be okay with her staying in your condo? Hell no.”
“What do you want me to do? Kick her out on the street?”
“You know what, Omar, I don’t want you to do anything. Go play house with your ex. Carry on, as you always have because frankly, I don’t think you’re taking our relationship very seriously, and I willnotbe made a fool of.”
The elevator opened, and she practically stomped into the cabin. Omar stood in the hallway, an expression of displeasure on his face, the last thing she saw before the doors closed.
* * *
Dana stumbledout of bed and fumbled with putting on her robe. Someone was leaning on the doorbell, and she intended to kill them when she opened the door.
Bleary-eyed, she shuffled down the stairs and peered through the peephole. Though the lights weren’t on, she recognized the familiar shape of Omar’s head and shoulders in the dark.
She unlatched and opened the door.
“I need a place to stay tonight. My girlfriend doesn’t approve of me staying at my condo while my ex is there.”
She leaned her shoulder against the door, her heart squeezing at the sight of him. He looked absolutely delicious in a chest-hugging T-shirt and jeans.
“Your girlfriend?”
“Yes. I’m staking my claim, in case I wasn’t clear before. You’re my girlfriend.”
He stepped into the apartment, effectively forcing her to move backward, and closed the door. Setting down his duffel bag, he said, “We need to talk about what happened. Really talk. Not argue.”
“I wasn’t trying to be difficult,” Dana said defensively. She spent the rest of the day wondering if she had overreacted.
“I get it. I’d act the same way if one of your exes showed up and was staying at your place. I’d probably sit outside in my car like a psycho.”
She laughed, appreciating his sense of humor and relieved the anger between them had dissipated.
“I hardly slept the last few days. All I thought about was us and all the big moments over the years. How when I considered early retirement, you’re the first person I called to discuss the idea with, before I even told my parents. How you stayed with me for two days straight when I caught the flu and made sure I drank plenty of fluids. How you make sure I get my physicals every year. You’re more than a friend. You’re my partner, and I hate you were upset. You shouldn’t have to worry about exes showing up or sexy texts.”
Dana swallowed the emotion clogging her throat. “If the situation was reversed, you’d have a problem with me receiving dick pics, unsolicited or not.”
“Damn right. I would be pissed.” Omar pulled her against his body.
She leaned into his warm strength and reveled in the comfort of his embrace. “I was scared of losing you,” she whispered, which wasn’t easy to admit. She preferred to think of herself as strong and resilient. Being with Omar made her feel emotional and vulnerable.
“I know, and that’s my bad. Your happiness is important to me, Dana, and I never want you to feel uncomfortable or disrespected,” he said in a grave voice. “I didn’t want to ask Athena to stay someplace else, but I don’t have to stay at the condo.”
He kissed her gently, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Where do you plan to stay?” Dana asked coyly.
