by Marika Ray
Charlie swooped his hand toward the back door. “Sounds good.”
I walked out and took a deep inhale of fresh pine-scented air. Maybe I did overreact a bit in there. I just needed to calmly tell him I was moving out and then enlist his help to squash the shacking up rumor. Easy peasy.
“You forgot your smoothie,” Charlie said behind me.
“No, I didn’t.”
I marched off to the workshop, happy to have escaped drinking that crap. Going hungry was a better option than vegan protein and ground up wheatgrass. I was all for staying healthy, but that just seemed like a recipe for the runs. I didn’t own enough Pepto Bismol to sip that every morning.
Charlie ran ahead of me, Chester yipping at his heels. That dog was always up for a good time and Charlie was all too happy to give it to him. Despite being angry at Charlie for both flashing me—leaving me unbelievably and annoyingly turned on—and for the rumor swirling through Auburn Hill, I couldn’t help but smile at the man and his best friend. A softer heart than mine would melt at the scene they made together.
Instead, I focused on all the reasons I needed to get away from Charlie and followed him into the workshop to lay down the law. He flipped on the lights and Chester went to lie down on the ginormous suede doggie bed in the far corner.
I had a seat on a stool at the workshop and put my elbows on the table, clasping my hands. “Okay, so—”
Charlie yanked on the tarp that covered a piece of artwork he must have been working on. It fell to the concrete floor in a heap, leaving a towering pergola naked to my eyes. And what a pergola it was. Smaller, but more ornate than the one Charlie had on the back of his property. It had carved details so fine I stood up and walked over without even realizing I’d left my stool. Vines climbed up the columns to burst into leaves and blooms at eye level, so intricate you could see every detail as if the wood sculpture had come alive.
“You made this?”
Charlie stood back, watching me admire his work. He smiled, but this smile didn’t look like the rest. It was almost shy. Not arrogant at all.
“Yeah. I had to fashion a strap around my hand to get it done, what with the injury and all. But it turned out okay.”
I twirled under the structure, taking in the masterful wood working details that must have taken hours and hours of work to complete. “Are you kidding me? This is a million more times more than okay, Charlie. It’s incredible.”
I stopped twirling and stood in front of Charlie, who wouldn’t meet my eye. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked extremely uncomfortable. “You’re a fucking wood working genius, Charlie. Say it.”
He looked at me then, wanting to laugh, I could tell by the way he fought it. “No.”
I grabbed his shoulders and tried to shake him, but he didn’t budge. “Yes! Your man glitter is your magical pixie dust. Say it.”
He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. When he looked at me, the smug look of a jokester was back. “I’m a fucking genius with wood.” He winked suggestively.
My face went red as all I could see was Charlie, naked, his cock so happy to see me.
Dammit. He probably was just as good with that wood as he was with this wood. And the hundreds of flowers carved from a hunk of tree behind me told me he was pretty fucking good.
Charlie moved away, my hands slipping from his shoulders. He slapped me on the ass, making me yelp, and dashed away to grab a simple board on the worktable.
“Come on. I’ll show you how to sand this sucker and maybe you can make your own masterpiece, huh?”
I walked over on shaky legs, wondering why I felt so out of control around this particular man. He made me angry, then turned me on, and then did something that made me wonder what was beneath all those smirks and smiles. I wanted away from him right this very second when in the next second I couldn’t wait to see what he’d do next. I liked things to be expected, scientifically proven, and orderly. Charlie was most definitely none of the above.
Charlie switched on the huge sander and stood so close behind me I could feel his heat through my tank top. His hands slid down my arms, and it was all I could do to hold in the full body shudder of delight. He held the wood plank with me, the scent of his soap filling my brain when I really should have been focused on the huge sand belt spinning by my fingertips. He pushed gently, and the board touched the sander, changing the sound of the whine as it smoothed the rough edge of the board. Saw dust flew up in the air before Charlie pulled back. We checked the board and it was already smooth on one side. The instant transformation intrigued me and I was the one to push the board back toward the sander to smooth the other side.
I couldn’t guess how long we spent just sanding a single piece of wood, but when we were done, it was as smooth as silk on all sides. Charlie spun me around and put the board on the worktable for us to admire.
“Nicely done, Rudolfina,” Charlie said sweetly, his genuine smile saying he was proud of me.
I smiled back, feeling accomplished and oddly calm for the first time in many months. Maybe Charlie was on to something. Maybe working out here with your hands really was the cure for a racing mind and a troubled heart.
“You got a little something…” Charlie muttered, reaching up to my hair.
I gulped in a breath at his nearness, my breasts brushing against his chest. He drew his fingers through my hair and my eyes fluttered shut at the onslaught of sensations cascading through my body.
“Just some of my man glitter pixie dust in your hair,” Charlie whispered, his breath beating against my face.
I felt him lean, and I knew I wanted that kiss more than I wanted my clinic. One little kiss wouldn’t hurt, right?
“Yoo-hoo!” a loud voice from outside called, interrupting the moment.
We both jumped apart, and I swallowed hard at the intrusion. I couldn’t see anyone, but there was definitely a woman on Charlie’s property and we were seconds away from being seen and reinforcing that shacking up rumor.
“Who’s that?” I whispered, heart beating frantically.
Charlie scrubbed a hand over his face. “That…is Poppy. Brace yourself.”
8
Charlie
Well, fuck me sideways. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d had Finnie all flustered and blushing and looking exactly like a woman who wanted to be kissed. And every damn time, something interrupted us or changed her mind. If she didn’t look so fuckin’ adorable with saw dust—or man glitter, according to her—caked in her dark hair right then, I might have given up on her. As it was, she’d burrowed too far under my skin for retreat.
Even with a visit from Poppy, the original cockblocker, I was not deterred.
“Didn’t want to interrupt you two lovebirds, but I have a package here for you, Finnie, and I didn’t want to leave it on your doorstep since you’re living here with Charlie.” Poppy handed Finnie a box from the Hardware Store, a gleam in her eye that didn’t bode well for anyone.
The plain brown package seemed innocent enough, but I knew the Hardware Store was actually a sex toy shop here in Auburn Hill. If Finnie was shopping there, I had a whole new line of questioning to annoy her with once Poppy left.
“Oh, thank you, but I don’t live here,” Finnie rushed to accept the package and deny the allegations. “Nor did I order anything from there. I’m not sure where the rumor came from, but I’m just over here helping Charlie since he cut his thumb a few days ago. Being a doctor and all…”
Poppy’s eyes lit up again after dimming with the denial of the juicy gossip. “Yes, that’s right. Here to build an urgent care in Hell. Seems like the place for one, that’s for sure. So nice of you to take care of Charlie. He’s all alone out here…”
Why did women do that shit? They said something simple, but trailed off their sentence, implying something else entirely. Better to just come out and say what you were thinking. Reading between the lines was hard enough with one female, but add another, especially a conniving mail carrier known town wide for bein
g a busy body, and you had a whole conversation that was going right over my head.
“Alone by choice, I assure you,” I piped up, wanting to end whatever speculation or insinuation was going on that made Finnie so jumpy.
Although I hadn’t really minded having Finnie around this week. She’d been a hoot to tease and not bad to look at either. Especially in a bikini. Or with sawdust in her hair. And she sewed my hand up nicer than any other doctor who’d given me stitches over the years.
“Yes, well, the only thing you can count on in life is change,” Poppy smiled and backed out of the door.
“And don’t forget taxes!” Finnie called after her.
As soon as Poppy was out of earshot, Finnie spun on me, a dangerous look in her eye.
“You, me, dinner. Tonight at Forty-Diner. We’re going to traipse all over town showing people how you’re injured and I’ve been helping you. We’re going to squash this living together rumor once and for all. You got me?” Her finger drilled into my chest to emphasize her point.
I put my hands up in a peaceful gesture. “Sure, dinner tonight sounds great. Although I don’t see the problem with the rumor.”
Finnie’s eyes narrowed and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see sparks flying from her pupils. “No problem? I’m trying to build an urgent care in a small town. The main doctor can’t be sleeping around and be taken seriously.”
“Are you sleeping around with more men than just me?” I asked.
Her hands flapped to the side like a bird trying to take flight. “I’m not sleeping with anybody!”
“Exactly. Nothing to worry about.” I nodded. Problem solved.
She closed her eyes, head tilted back. Her lips began to move. I leaned in, wondering if she’d been taken over by a spirit. Hopefully the ghost occupying her body would be friendlier and friskier than Finnie.
“What are you doing?” I asked cautiously.
She held up a single index finger. Her lips finally stopped moving, and she took a deep inhale and exhale before opening her eyes. “I count to ten when I get angry.”
I frowned.
She frowned back.
I shoved the board she’d been working on earlier at her. “Need to do more sanding?”
She rolled her eyes, walked out of the workshop, and yelled over her shoulder, “Be ready by seven!”
I knew what Finnie thought of me. It was what most people thought of me. Crazy Charlie. I’d heard about my nickname around town. Sure, I had some unique traditions and ways of doing things, but really, what was so wrong with being a hippie? Why not be addicted to kombucha and sage burning instead of a television screen or smart phone? It brought me peace and kept my stress levels low, so what was the big deal?
What I wasn’t though, was dumb.
I knew Finnie was attracted to me, and I went in guns blazing to play on that emotion tonight. She wanted to show the town that we weren’t an item. I wanted to show her that we could make a very interesting item if she’d just yank those panties out of her crack and relax a little. So I showered, sprayed cologne on, actually put some gel in my hair, and buttoned up a nice pair of slacks with a polo shirt I had hanging in the back of my closet.
I’d driven us to dinner, opened doors, pulled out chairs, and asked questions I knew wouldn’t anger her. Riling her up was all fun and games, but I knew she needed to know I could have a serious conversation too. She’d introduced herself to every single person we crossed paths with, making sure they knew I’d cut my hand and she’d sewn me up. By squashing that living together rumor, she’d started a new one.
That Doc Finnie was a little off her rocker.
Which meant everyone in Hell loved her. We were a community of citizens who’d collectively fallen off our rockers and banded together. Just spend one day observing the only two-lane roundabout we had in town and you’d come to the same conclusion too.
“How about you show me the office space for your clinic?” I asked Finnie as we left Forty-Diner, our bellies full.
The sun had set and all the streetlights had flickered on, giving downtown Hell a cozy ambiance. We walked along the sidewalk and I wanted to hold her hand. She looked gorgeous in a summer dress, topped off with a weathered jean jacket and brightly colored sandals. We looked like a couple out on a date. The exact opposite of what she was going for with this little outing.
“Sure,” she smiled at me and headed toward Brinestone Way, the street that held most of the new businesses in town.
Finnie tripped, and I grabbed her elbow. Following her gaze, I saw she was looking up at the sign for the first shop on Brinestone Way. The Hardware Store. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and I remembered I needed to ask her about her delivery today.
“You order a wrench set or something from the Hardware Store?” I knew full well that wasn’t what was in the box, but figured a little teasing wouldn’t ruin the evening. They sold tools all right, but they were of the x-rated variety.
Finnie hustled past the storefront to a shop two doors down. “Um, yeah, something like that. I guess they send a complimentary box out to newcomers as a welcome. So, here we are!”
She put a key into the lock and swung the door open, quickly changing the subject. By placing a brick against the door, she kept it open for me. Stepping through the doorway, I saw the space was quite expansive, faux wood flooring extending from wall to wall. The place smelled like fresh paint.
“We’ll put in five treatment rooms, a break room for staff, and a waiting room. I’ll even have my own blood lab and x-ray room on-sight. I’ve decided to go with Titus as my contractor.”
I smiled, spinning to take in the place, and genuinely happy with both her dream coming true and her decision to use someone trustworthy. “I’m impressed, Finnie. You’re making your dream come true. Not many people are able to do that. Congratulations.”
Her cheeks heated, and the moonlight streamed in through the front windows to back light her. I wanted to take a picture and remember this moment. Instead, I made a mental picture, labeling it with the caption The day I well and truly began to fall for Finnie Dorado.
There was just one thing I needed to know first before I let go of the ledge and allowed myself to slide further into whatever this feeling was I had for her.
“Why here? Why Auburn Hill and not the Bay Area where you’re from?” I followed her back out the door to the sidewalk, my footsteps echoing in the empty room. She locked up behind us and stood there spinning her keyring in her hand.
I desperately needed to know she’d stay.
Finnie tipped her head from side to side, not meeting my eyes. I reached out and cupped her face. Her gaze flew to mine, her movements stilling as we stared at each other in charged silence.
“I want to help people. I really do, Charlie. I just—I just can’t take the stress of the ER anymore.” She bit her lip and her eyes clouded over. “I know that makes me sound weak, but it’s the truth. I need a small town where I can begin to trust people again at my own pace.”
I shook my head slowly. “That doesn’t make you weak at all. It makes you a mature adult who knows what they need and gives it to themselves. I, for one, am glad you chose Auburn Hill.”
She huffed out a smile, letting me still cup her face. “Your injury was my fault, but I do have to say my sutures look amazing.”
I shook my head again, leaning in closer to whisper, “That’s not the reason I’m glad you’re here.”
She sucked in a breath, her wide eyes telling me she wasn’t ready but she was diving in anyway. It was my favorite expression of hers I’d seen yet. She leaned into me, her eyelids drooping, and I knew she felt the desire coursing between us more than fear.
I didn’t even have to lean down as she was almost my height. I just pressed my lips to hers and reveled in the feel of her softness all around me. My hand snaked along her waist and I squeezed her tighter than I should have. Her lips parted on a soft gasp and I took advantage, sweeping my tongue through her mouth and
tasting her. For someone with enough piss and vinegar in them to scare a grown man, she tasted far sweeter than she had any right to.
Finnie moaned and grasped the collar of my polo shirt before her hands slid around my neck and grabbed my hair. Shivers ran down my back as her fingers dug into my hair and tugged. The woman could kiss as well as she could stitch.
I couldn’t say how long we stood there in the moonlight kissing outside her new clinic. All I felt was every curve of her body, the way she hesitated at first and then dove into the kiss with a single-minded focus. The silky skin of her thigh distracted me as I inched up her skirt. The way I rolled my hips, and she mewled into my mouth. It went on forever and not long enough.
A car honked, most likely on the roundabout nearby that connected Brinestone Way to Main Street. Finnie jumped back, her skirt fluttering down around her knees. Her hand covered the mouth I’d just devoured, and I saw the fear flood back into her eyes.
Goddamnit.
“I, um, shouldn’t have done that.” She took a couple steps away from me and looked back, a million excuses poised on the tip of her tongue. “That’s clearly not the way to accomplish rumor damage control.”
“Why do you care so much?” I asked before thinking it through.
Hooking up with Crazy Charlie wasn’t exactly the way to make friends in town. She was a smart woman. I was sure she knew that.
She stood straighter, and I didn’t want to hear her answer. I wouldn’t like it, no matter how she explained it. Bottom line remained, I simply wasn’t good enough.
I nodded curtly and walked down the sidewalk in the direction of my truck. Time to end this not-a-date and get home to my canine companion, who thought I was pretty cool. The night had been nice while it lasted, but clearly I was delusional. There would never be a Finnie and Charlie. Never an us. Life had taught me I wasn’t cut out for a duo.
“Charlie!” Finnie called behind me, her sandals slapping against the sidewalk as she tried to catch up. “It’s not like that. It’s just—can you slow down?”