Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1)

by Mary E Thompson

  “You weren’t sure about me. I know next time we see each other things will be different.”

  “Are you in bed?”

  He paused, briefly, before answering, “Yeah. It’s been a long week. I was going to lie down while I talked to you. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah. It just feels… I don’t know, really personal. Like we’re sharing secrets.”

  He chuckled, “We are sharing secrets. I’m just sharing them while I’m in bed.”

  My heart rate picked up at the thought of Xander in bed. I knew how gorgeous he was and I found myself wondering what he was wearing. I opened my mouth to ask him but he spoke first.

  “Why don’t you tell me something new, something you haven’t told me yet. How about you tell me five new things and I’ll tell you five new things.”

  Suddenly feeling tired, I climbed the stairs to my room. “Okay,” I said on the way up. I walked into my room and turned on the lamp next to my bed. For some reason, the low light made me feel better about talking to Xander while I was in bed. I went into my closet and changed from the work clothes I was still in to my pajamas. I pulled on a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top then climbed into bed.

  “Are you in bed, too?” he asked, his voice deep and sensuous.

  “Yeah. I was getting tired and I figured if you were in bed I might as well be, too.”

  “God, I wish I was there with you, by your side.”

  I smiled, a breath pushing from me in a half-laugh, half-nervous sound. “Me too.”

  “Hmmm,” he moaned softly. “Okay, before I get too distracted, tell me your five new things.”

  I snuggled under the covers a little deeper, trying to think of anything new I could tell him. After talking all week, I wasn’t sure what there was about me that he didn’t already know.

  “I had my first kiss when I was fourteen, my first love was George Strait because my mom listened to country music, I read about three books each week, the only foreign country I’ve visited is Canada, and… I really want to see you again.”

  Xander laughed at my first admissions and got really quiet for the last one. I started to wonder if he’d hung up, or we’d gotten disconnected, because he was silent for so long. “I really want to see you, too. Who was your first kiss? What was his name?” His voice had gotten deeper, softer. He was tired, I could hear it in the slow way he was talking, but he was also sexier with his sleepy voice.

  “His name was Joey Maynard. We had social studies together and he asked me out after class one day. He kissed me in the woods behind the school. We dated for about a month before he moved on to someone else.”

  “His loss,” Xander said huskily. “I never thought I’d be jealous of George Strait, but you’ve officially made me hate him. Joey Maynard, too.”

  I laughed. He was a charmer, I could tell. Then again, I’d figured that out before that night.

  “What kind of books do you like to read?”

  “You’ll laugh at me,” I protested.

  “I wouldn’t dare. I enjoy reading, too, but usually don’t read that much. Maybe we like the same things.”

  “Ha! I doubt it. I read romance novels.”

  “Really,” he said, sounding surprised and interested. “Like love and sex stuff.”

  I huffed a laugh, “Yeah, something like that. I’ve always liked them. My life has never really had much romance in it and those books are an escape for me, a way for me to imagine my life different. The guy comes to rescue the girl from herself and they live happily ever after. And yeah, I like the ones with some sex in them, too.”

  “Well, now that is something I didn’t see coming. Phew,” he breathed out. “I’m having a little trouble focusing after that one. Okay, so Canada. Where did you go and why?”

  I laughed softly at the distress in his voice, but continued, “I went with my family when I was in middle school. My dad and brother wanted to go see the Yankees play Toronto so we all went. My mom and I wandered the stadium while the guys watched the game. We went shopping afterward while my dad and brother went back to the hotel and crashed. It was a fun weekend with my mom, but I could have done without the game. I don’t watch much baseball.”

  “Is there a sport you do like?”

  “Eh, not really. I’ve never been that into sports. My brother was an athlete and I think it pushed me in opposite directions. I wanted to be as far from him as possible most days.”

  “I can understand that. It’s hard for me to picture my life without my sister in it. Jessica and I have been through a lot together. It’s hard sometimes because we’re six years apart, but I would do anything for her and know she’s the same. I wish you had that with your brother.”

  I shrugged, dismissing the thought. There were times I wished my brother wasn’t such an ass to me, but most of the time I didn’t really care. We were related by blood, not choice. We both knew if there was a choice, we wouldn’t have anything to do with each other.

  “I’m just used to it from him. But I had Claire growing up. She was like a sister to me. We obviously didn’t live together, but we were close forever and I knew I could count on her like you count on Jessica. And Drew.”

  “I guess so. Drew is sort of like a brother to me now, even though we’ve only known each other about nine years. It feels like I’ve known him forever.”

  “That’s how Claire and I are. We really have known each other forever. We’ve been through all the hard things in life together. It’s nice to have a friend like that, you know. Someone who will pick up the pieces when you fall apart.”

  Xander was quiet for a few minutes, a companionable silence that left us both thinking about our family and friends, our past and future. I hoped one day Xander would be like that for me, someone I could count on no matter what, but I wasn’t sure.

  “Okay. tell me your five things. Quit stalling.”

  He barked a quick laugh. “I wasn’t stalling. I was trying to understand you more. Very different things.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” I teased.

  He chuckled softly, the sound teasing my ear, almost like he was there, his lips pressed against my ear instead of a phone.

  “I had a crush on my kindergarten teacher, I lost my virginity when I was 18, I’ve always wanted to go to England and see Buckingham Palace, I practically had to handcuff myself to the bed on Tuesday so I wouldn’t go see you, and I’ve taken an cold shower every night since I met you.”

  I didn’t know how to respond to him. What do you say to that? He wanted to see me, and he’s turned on talking to me. How is any of that possible?

  As I contemplated what Xander said, I was silent. He asked, “Mandy, are you still there?” Concern and fear was in his voice.

  “I’m here. I’m just surprised is all. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “Well, my kindergarten teacher was the first woman I knew outside my family, and she was young and cute so I guess it was fate that I would like her,” he teased.

  I laughed in spite of my nerves. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

  “I know,” he said softly. “But I meant all of it.”

  “Why 18? It seems like a really long time to wait, especially for someone like you.”

  “Someone like me? What do you mean?”

  I laughed, “I mean, baseball and soccer star who had the world at his fingertips. You can’t tell me there weren’t girls in high school.”

  “I was immature in high school. I knew I wasn’t ready and I didn’t have any steady girlfriends. I couldn’t sleep with someone that I knew I wouldn’t go out with again, especially for my first time. I know that’s not the typical guy thing, but I knew I’d remember it for the rest of my life and I wanted it to be more than a one night stand. My girlfriend freshman year of college was in class with me. It was her first time, too. We dated for most of our freshman year but decided we wanted different things and split up. She’s still someone I talk to at times, but we’re not that close.”

  “Yo
u are quite the catch, Xander Carlson.”

  “So are you Mandy Ryan. I just hope I’ve caught you.”

  I smiled to myself, hoping he’d caught me too. “Why England? What’s the deal with that?”

  “I don’t know. I saw pictures of it when I was in history class and was fascinated by the design and structure of it. I guess it’s the engineer in me that wants to explore it. Stonehenge is another one. It fascinates me.”

  “Well, hopefully you’ll get to see them both one day.”

  “Yeah, I hope so,” he murmured.

  I was quiet for a few minutes. I wanted to ask about the last two things he told me, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. I mean how to you ask a guy about his cold showers or about wanting to come see you. It sounded so conceited. But it felt so good.

  “You don’t want to ask, do you?” he offered softly.

  “I don’t have a clue how to ask. I am curious though.”

  He laughed again, always finding me funny. He was good for my ego in many ways. “After talking to you every night I really wanted to see you. Since I don’t know where you live and would feel like a stalker if I went to your work, I’ve been just hoping I’ll get to see you again. On Tuesday when you asked if we could talk later because of your girls’ night I almost went to Cooler Coffee. I knew you would be there again and I was aching to see you. I just… I wanted to see you. Obviously I didn’t go, but it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in a long time.”

  “I don’t think I would have been as much of a bitch to you this time,” I said softly, my voice dipping low and sexy. I almost didn’t recognize it.

  “It wasn’t that. I can tell how important your friends are to you and I didn’t want to intrude on your time together. I knew I would be able to talk to you after your hot chocolate date so I locked myself in the cold shower.”

  “Okay, so about that. Why don’t you just… I don’t know, take care of yourself?” I asked boldly. I couldn’t believe I was asking him about his masterbation habits, but I couldn’t stop myself.

  His sharp laugh startled me. “I love that you say what’s on your mind. As for taking care of myself, I did, but sometimes it’s not enough. This week it hasn’t been nearly enough.”

  “Why not?” I wondered aloud.

  “Because your voice is in my head. When we talk I can’t help but wonder what your skin feels like, what you taste like, the sounds you make when you’re excited or when you come. I know the sound of your laugh and your voice is as familiar as my own, but I have to imagine the rest. And when I do, I just stay hard. All the time.”

  “Wow, I… um, wow. I don’t know what to say to that.”

  “Have you thought about me this week? Imagined my hands on you?” his voice softened and thickened. It brought a shiver to my body and my panties dampened.

  “Of course,” I admitted.

  “Did you touch yourself? Do you do that?”

  “Sometimes,” I confessed. I’d never told anyone that I’d tried it before, but I felt like I could tell him anything.

  “What about right now? Are you imagining me touching you right now? Because I’m imagining you in my bed. Your fingers gliding over me, your lips against my ear every time you speak.”

  Heat and excitement coursed through me. I didn’t know how to talk dirty to a man. I could imagine, but I’d never done it. Hearing his voice was definitely getting me in the mood though.

  “Mandy, will you touch yourself for me? Will you let me hear you? Please?” he whispered softly, the deep sound of his voice tickling my ear and sending tremors through my entire body.

  Fire licked at my core, heating me from between my legs all over. I heard myself whisper, “Yes.”

  “Thank you, honey. I’ve been dreaming about this. Will you do what I say? Let me guide your hands?”

  “Yes,” I whispered again, my eyes drifting closed so I could focus on his words.

  “What are you wearing? I want to be able to picture you.”

  “Cotton shorts and a tank top.”

  “What color?”

  “My top is pink and my shorts are black.”

  “Are you wearing panties?”

  “Yes. They’re garnet. And a thong.”

  “Oh, God, you sound so good. Take your hand and brush your hair from your face. I want to be able to see you, in my mind. Lie on your back and let your hand drift from your face down over your jaw, across your throat, and down between your beautiful breasts.”

  I did as he asked, forgetting that my hand wasn’t his. I felt him there beside me, his hand touching me.

  “Will you squeeze one of your nipples for me? Twist and pull on it just a little bit. Now I want you to lift your shirt and do the same to the other one, but under your shirt.”

  I moaned softly at the contact, pain and pleasure mixing inside me.

  “Oh, God, I wish I was there with you. Will you slide your hand into your shorts? Tell me how wet you are, Mandy. I need to know.”

  I slid my hand beneath the waistband of my shorts, over my belly to where I ached. I slid my fingers through my folds, feeling my wetness seeping out of my body. “I’m so wet, Xander. My body is slick, ready for you.”

  “Argh,” he groaned. “Slide your fingers inside, cover them with your come so they’re smooth.”

  I did as he said, drawing the wet from inside me back up. “I need to come, Xander. Will you help me?”

  “God yes, honey. Press your fingers into yourself, make circles, teasing yourself. Let me hear you, honey. I need to hear you,” he coaxed.

  I moaned aloud, feeling free. I knew I was going to come soon. “I’m almost there, Xander,” I ground out.

  “Good, honey. Now, go fast, as fast as you can, and hard, right over top. I want to hear you. I want you to come for me, honey. I want you to come hard. Right now, Mandy. Come now.”

  My body obeyed his command and released at his word. I screamed his name, thrashing alone in my bed with my own hand in my shorts. I heard him on his end of the phone, breathing frantically and grunting, his own release only seconds after mine.

  I slowly pulled my hand from between my legs, aftershocks still racking my body. “Holy shit, Mandy, that was amazing. Thank you for sharing that with me. For letting me listen to you. I’ve never heard anything so sexy in my entire life.”

  “I find that hard to believe, but thank you. That was the first time I’ve done that.”

  “I thought you said you’ve touched yourself before?” he asked.

  “Yeah, but not on the phone. I’ve never had phone sex.”

  His silence worried me. Maybe I shouldn’t be admitting so many things to him.

  “Neither have I. I just couldn’t stop myself. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

  I laughed a low, husky laugh. “Not even close. I haven’t felt this good in forever.”

  He laughed softly. “Me neither. I just want you to know that after that I can’t wait much longer to see you. I’m not saying something like that has to happen, but I need to be able to see you. I want to feel your skin under my fingers. I can’t keep myself from you any longer.”

  “I feel the same,” I admitted.

  “How’s tomorrow? Are you busy? Can I take you to dinner, then maybe dancing and dessert?”

  I quickly flashed to my weekend. Claire and I talked about doing something, but we didn’t have definite plans. I was free to say, “Yes.”

  “Excellent. I can’t wait. Now you go get some sleep. You just wore yourself out.”

  “So did you. Good night, Xander.”

  “Good night, Mandy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Eight

  By the next afternoon I’d worked myself into a panic. I was going on my first date with Xander and was nervous as hell. After what we’d shared the night before I didn’t know what to expect. I also didn’t know what I wanted.

  The only thing I was sure of was that I was excited to be going out with him.

  I called in reinforcement
s to help me figure out what to wear for our date. By the time they arrived I’d emptied most of my closet onto my bed.

  Claire got there first, letting herself in the front door after a quick knock. Addi and Sam were right behind her, pushing through the door shortly after Claire shut it. They all found me upstairs in my room, surrounded by my crazy, in my underwear.

  “Are you wearing that?” Addi asked with her nose turned up.

  I glanced down at my underwear. I had on a pink cotton bra and white cotton panties. I didn’t see what was wrong.

  “You can’t wear that. You’ve been talking to him for a week and you’re finally going out on a date. I’m not saying you have to have sex with him, but I’m saying you should keep the possibility open. And that says ‘Closed’ if I ever saw it.”

  I blew out a frustrated breath. This date was beginning to make me crazy. Actually, no, I’d passed crazy a while ago. I was just confused.

  “What do you want to happen? If you keep on the granny panties you won’t let anything happen. If you are thinking about it you should change into something better.”

  I took a deep breath and admitted the truth. “I need to change. I don’t want something that says ‘Up For Anything’ but I also don’t want to shut him down before he even gets started.”

  Sam dug through my underwear drawer, something that should have bothered me, but hey, it was Sam. She pulled out a simple black bra with a little lace edging and push-up cups. It was sensual instead of slutty. She kept digging and found panties that matched and handed them both to me.

  “Black underwear means you need dark clothes so the black doesn’t show through. You go put those on while we dig through the mess you’ve made,” Addi commanded. You could tell she was a teacher, always taking charge. I needed it at that moment.

  I ducked into the bathroom and changed into my new underwear. I had to admit I felt a little better with just that change. A little sexier. Like I could be worthy of Xander.

  I walked out of the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe, posing for my friends. I bit my nail and arched my back, giving them my sexy pose.