Page 35 of Hexes From Exes

She just was hoping for…better sex.

Cooper finished his slow thrust into her, bottoming out with his balls flush against her ass. She started to move her hips, trying to get him to get going. He started to thrust back, but the rhythm was all off. His thrusts were frantic, untimed, jerky motions that were not particularly pleasurable. She tried to match him but any time she thought she’d figured out his rhythm he was suddenly pulling out instead of thrusting back in. It was too fast, then too shallow, then suddenly he was all the way in her again and crying out.

“Oh god,” he said, his body tightening over her.

Really?! She thought, staring up at his closed eyes and pinched face. He looked so fucking weird when he came. She couldn’t think of anything else as he gave another small thrust and groan, his body stilling over her.

That was it?

Cooper slid off her and made his way to the bathroom. She heard the toilet flush, the sink run, and the light click off. She watched him make his way across her bedroom to collect his clothes and start to put them on.

“Are you leaving?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, I have an early morning,” he said, slipping his pants on over his boxers.

“I didn’t cum,” she said plainly.

He walked over to the bed as he started to button up his shirt, dropping a kiss on her forehead. “Maybe next time,” he said.

“Yeah, probably not,” she said, climbing out of bed to grab a robe.

“What’s that?” he asked, turning at the doorway to her bedroom.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a next time,” she said with a frown. “You’re nice and all it’s just…”

“Well, it is what it is,” he said, interrupting her.

She blinked at his retreating form as he headed for her front door.

“I don’t think it would have worked out anyway. I mean, you didn’t even cook for me. It just shows how little you respect me.” He grabbed his keys off the counter as he walked by. “Maybe call me if you want another fun night. I’m always down for friends with benefits, much less work if you ask me.”

And just like that he was gone, closing the door behind him, leaving Stephanie to stare at the door in shock.

Chapter Fourteen

The bar was just as annoying as Rick thought it would be.

Zed was drunk off his ass, rolling around on the table in the center of the bar, singing along to whatever song was blasting over the sound system in the bar. There were probably five other demons in the building, most of them sitting at the bar and sending death glares to Zed. This was clearly their peaceful place to unwind after work and Zed’s off tune singing was putting a damper on that.

As the night dragged on Rick found himself less and less able to pretend that he was having a good time.

At first it was a matter of spite. Stephanie was having a good time with Cooper, why couldn’t Rick have fun with his best (only) friend?

And, at first, he did.

He listened to Zed talk about this demoness who lived in Hell he’d met through a dating program and how he was going to marry her. She just couldn’t commit right now but appreciated the fact that he’d send little bits of magic to her to help her get by. Apparently, things were even more dire in Hell. You needed a lot more magic than in Anathamea. He showed Rick a photo of her on his communication device, staring lovingly into the screen as though she were the most precious creature he’d ever seen.

She was pretty, Rick would allow that. But not as pretty as Stephanie.

Fuck.

Those thoughts were so dangerous he didn’t even dare tell Zed about them. He remembered the noise Zed made when he first saw Stephanie and wondered if, maybe, he could admit his feelings about Stephanie to him. Zed was certainly sympathetic to humans. He’d been watching those bootlegged movies and TV shows from the human realm for a few years now. Plus, he’d been placed much, much farther down the hierarchy for promotion because he was especially sympathetic to the plight of humans. He’d even turned down a few revenge cases he thought were too harsh - something he confided to Rick about, but lied and told Herschel the summoners didn’t want to make the payment for his services.

Zed was drunk off mead, rolling around on top of the table, spilling his heart out to some song about unrequited love and distance. Rick’s stomach lurched at the lyrics.

Now that the night was winding down, Rick felt any semblance of patience or fun he had draining from him. Zed’s gyrating on the table was slowing down, his eyes looking more and more glazed. The bartender gave Rick a look of annoyance that probably mirrored the one on every demon siting at the bar. With a sigh Rick stepped in, shouldering Zed to help him up off the table. He slumped against Rick, his horns bumping Rick in the forehead. Rick cursed and led him toward the exit to a sound of enthusiastic cheers from the remaining patrons. Rick tossed them a vulgar gesture as he opened the door to the warm fires of eternity.

“We going home?” Zed slurred, finally finding his feet and lumbering along next to Rick. He would occasionally bump into him, requiring Rick to reach out and steady him. “Yep, it’s about time to tuck it in,” Rick replied, heading down the nearly empty streets toward Zed’s home.