Ain't She Sweet

by Marie Force

Thinking of his spectacular chest and abs, Charley said, “He’s a man, Mom. Not a boy.” All man, she thought but didn’t say. “I don’t want you to worry about me. I’m going to be fine. Another week of crutches and a few months of PT, and I’ll be back to normal. I can even run again in about six months.”

  “You could’ve been killed. Hunter said it was a bad fall.”

  “It was. I was pretty scared, and so was Tyler, but he ran back for help and everyone says he saved my life. He blames himself for me being up there in the first place.”

  “Why?”

  “Because when only the two of us showed up for the Saturday training run, he basically dared me to run up the mountain.”

  “And you never back down from a dare.”

  “I have seven brothers, Mother,” Charley said dryly. “Backing down from a dare is a sign of weakness.”

  “And God forbid anyone ever think Charley Abbott is weak.”

  “Indeed, although this last week has been a bit humbling in that regard.”

  “I imagine so.”

  The men came to sit with them, and Charley glanced at Tyler. “Are we keeping you from your work?”

  He waved off her concern. “It’ll keep.”

  “Why don’t we get you packed up so you can come home with us?” Molly said.

  Charley looked at Tyler, whose expression was unreadable. “Oh, um . . .”

  CHAPTER 8

  Vulnerability is basically uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.

  —Brené Brown

  Tyler could barely breathe while he waited to hear what Charley would say to her mother’s suggestion. Should he ask her to stay, in front of her parents and brother, or would it be better to say nothing and let her decide? She knew he wanted her to stay, didn’t she?

  Stay, Charley, he thought. Stay and spend this time with me. Let me be the one to help you recover. He stared at her, hoping he’d done enough to show her how much he wanted her in his home and in his life.

  “I’m sort of settled here, Mom,” she said.

  Tyler’s chest loosened and air began to flow freely to his lungs again.

  “And Tyler was gracious enough to get everything I need to get by here.”

  Molly looked at him and then returned her gaze to Charley. “If that’s what you want.”

  “I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings.”

  “It doesn’t,” Molly said. “I understand, and thank you, Tyler, for everything you’ve done for Charley. Hunter said you’ve been great.”

  Tyler looked at Charley when he said, “It’s been my pleasure.”

  Her face burned with awareness of him, of his feelings for her. She wasn’t ready for her time with him to end. Not yet, anyway.

  He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and handed them to Molly. “Please come and go as you please. My home is your home.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” Molly said. “Thank you.”

  “The whole Abbott family has keys to this place,” Hunter said. “He’ll live to regret that.”

  “Nah,” Tyler said with a good-natured smile. “It’s fine. Charley needs her family around her.”

  “I’ll make sure to collect all the keys when I go home,” she said, directing a warm smile in his direction.

  His heart sank at the thought of her leaving, which he knew was ridiculous. Of course she’d want to go home at some point. He was in way over his head with her if he was depressed over the thought of her eventually leaving.

  “I’m not worried about it,” he said.

  Her parents and brother left a short time later with promises to check in later.

  “How’re you feeling?” he asked Charley when they were alone again.

  “Concerned.”

  Taking his favorite seat on the coffee table, he said, “What’re you concerned about?”

  “I turned down my mother’s offer to go home with her without even checking with you. You’re probably tired of having me around. I should’ve let them take over.”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “Just no—to all of it. I’m not tired of having you around, and you shouldn’t have let them take over. Unless that’s what you want.”

  “It’s not.”

  Two little words had never packed a greater punch or given him more hope. Then she took it a step further by reaching for his hand for the first time. “I like being here with you.”

  Her words and the shy way in which she said them sent a shock wave of heat through his body. “I’m glad you do,” he managed to say.

  “Could I ask you something?”

  “Anything you want.”

  “What happened in the bathroom—”

  “I’m so sorry about that, Charley. It shouldn’t have happened. I brought you here to rest and recover, and I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.”

  “Oh. You didn’t?”

  “No, of course I didn’t.”

  “It’s just that I, um . . . I kinda liked it, and I was sort of hoping you might do it again. If you want to, that is.”

  “If I want to.” Shaking his head, he laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement. “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to kiss you—among other things—for a really long time now.”

  She looked up at him, expectantly.

  He acted before he could take the time to think, sliding his arms under her and picking her up—carefully.

  Judging by the expression on her face, her gasp had nothing to do with pain and everything to do with surprise.

  Tyler carried her into his room and put her down on the bed. Then he crawled in next to her. “There,” he said. “That’s better.” He cupped her cheek and turned her to face him. “Much better angle.”

  “For?” she asked, sounding breathless.

  “This.” He started slow, with just the slightest brush of his lips over hers, making sure she was with him before he kissed her the way he really wanted to—hard and deep.

  The catch of her breath encouraged him to add his tongue in teasing strokes against her lips, which were still tightly closed. Tyler was about to pull back to gauge whether she was enjoying this as much as he was when two things happened at the same time—her hand curled around his neck and her mouth opened to his tongue.

  Go time.

  He felt like he’d waited forever for the opportunity to kiss her the way he really wanted to, and it more than lived up to his vivid Charley Abbott fantasies. Her tongue twisted with his, making his blood boil. But he had to remember she was hurt and he needed to take it easy. With that in mind, he softened the kiss.

  “Mmm, I knew it,” he said.

  “What did you know?”

  “Underneath all that bluster you show the world, there’s a ton of sweetness waiting to be found.”

  “I am not sweet.”

  He dragged his tongue over her bottom lip. “Yes, you certainly are.”

  “No, I’m certainly not—”

  “Charley?”

  “What?”

  “Less talking and more kissing.” Before she could argue with him, he kissed her, reminding himself once again to go slow, to not let his hands wander, to not push her for too much too soon. But she didn’t make it easy to go slow, not when she sucked on his tongue and bit down on his lower lip, making him harder than he’d been for any woman ever.

  He was about to say to hell with going slow when a voice called out from the other room. “Hello? Tyler? Charley? Where are you guys?”

  Tyler froze. Christ, it was Ella.

  —

  Why was he stopping when it was just getting really, really good?

  “Charley?” She startled at the sound of her sister’s voice.

  Tyler pulled back from her abruptly. “I can’t see her right now,” he mut
tered before he got up and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

  “In here, El,” Charley called, her voice wavering. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and hoped Ella wouldn’t take one look at her and see that she’d been making out with Tyler Westcott.

  Holy shit, she’d been making out with Tyler Westcott. Charley reached up to touch her lips, which were still tingling. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, as did her neck where his whiskers had rubbed against her skin. Ella was going to take one look at her and know exactly what’d been going on before her arrival.

  “Hey.” Ella poked her head into the room. “Is it okay if I come in? You weren’t sleeping, were you?”

  “Nah, I was reading.”

  Ella had brought a vase full of lilies and other gorgeous flowers.

  Hoping to keep her sister’s attention on the flowers rather than obvious signs of vigorous kissing, Charley said, “Wow, they’re beautiful.”

  “I know! I couldn’t believe the grocery store had them this time of year. I had to buy them.”

  “I’m glad you did. They smell awesome.” How long exactly did Tyler plan to hide out in the bathroom? And then it occurred to her why he was hiding out. She stifled a laugh by coughing.

  Ella eyed her with concern. “You okay?”

  “Yep. Choked on my own spit.” That was better than saying I’m laughing because I kissed Tyler Westcott into a hard-on that he’s now hiding from you. Right?

  Ella handed her the cup of water Tyler had gotten for her earlier.

  Charley took a sip.

  “So what’s really going on around here? Where’s Tyler?”

  “Oh, um, he was taking a shower, I think. I was napping.”

  “I thought you were reading.”

  “I was. Before I fell asleep.” Please let Tyler be listening through the door.

  “You’re acting weird.”

  “You woke me up. How am I supposed to act?”

  Before Ella could reply, Tyler came out of the bathroom. “Oh hey, Ella. How’s it going?”

  “Fine. How are you?”

  “Great. I’m, ah, going back to work. Let me know if you ladies need anything.”

  Ella watched him go and then shifted her gaze back to Charley. “Did I interrupt something?”

  “No. Stop. I told you I was sleeping.”

  “With him?”

  “Not with him.” Charley fisted handfuls of the comforter. “By myself. Don’t you have a job to do?”

  “Two of them, thanks to your tumble down the mountain.”

  “Sorry to put you out.”

  “No problem. You covered for me the week after Thanksgiving, so I owe you.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  Ella laughed at the saucy reply.

  “Is the store busy?”

  “It’s insane. Even the snow over the weekend didn’t keep them home. And it’s supposed to snow again tonight.”

  “I feel so out of the loop with everything—work and weather and all the usual stuff.”

  “I heard Mom and Dad came right here when they got home. Did you get yelled at?”

  “As much as you’d love to hear I did, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. She was so relieved to see me alive that she quickly got over the fact that we didn’t call her.”

  “Too bad she can’t ground you anymore the way she used to. Ahh, those were the days.”

  “You always did enjoy seeing me get into trouble, didn’t you?”

  “I enjoyed getting to use the car without having to share it with you while you were grounded.”

  “Nice,” Charley said, chuckling.

  “So what were you reading before you fell asleep?”

  Charley glanced at the bedside table for her e-reader, which was of course in the living room. “I . . . um . . . My reader is out there. I came in here to nap.”

  “You’re so full of shit. What were you really doing?”

  “None of your business.”

  “I knew it! I knew there was something! Is it none of my business like it was none of yours when I was first with Gavin?”

  “Just like that.”

  Ella busted up laughing and then leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Tell me.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “Come on, Charley, you know you want to.”

  “I just said I didn’t want to.”

  “That’s a lie. Tell me.”

  If she told Ella, it was no longer hers and Tyler’s alone. But this was Ella, and they told each other stuff. “There might’ve been some kissing.”

  “Ohhhhh,” Ella said on a long exhale. “And?”

  “And what? That’s all it was.”

  “That’s not all. Was it just lips touching lips or were tongues involved?”

  “There might’ve been some tongue action.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “What? Why are you oh-my-God-ing?”

  “Because!” Her whisper was more like a hiss, or at least that was how it sounded to Charley, who was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable the longer this conversation went on. “That’s why he was in the bathroom! He was turned on!”

  “Shut up. He was not.”

  “He was, too! He didn’t want me to see.”

  “Ella, you need to go home now. Go worry about your own fiancé’s Johnson and stop speculating about Tyler’s.”

  “I bet he’s got a good Johnson. He’s all lanky and muscular. The lanky guys have always got it going on down there.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  “Hello, Gavin isn’t the first guy I ever slept with, as you well know.”

  “Go away and don’t come back unless you call first.”

  “Why? Are you afraid you’ll be spending time with Tyler’s Johnson, and I’ll interrupt something?”

  “No, because I’m afraid if you don’t shut up and leave I might levitate out of my sickbed and punch you in the face!”

  Ella, that bitch, laughed her ass off. “Go ahead. Make my day.”

  “I’m writing down all your transgressions for when I’m recovered. Your ass will be grass then.”

  “I’m not scared of you.”

  “You should be. Go home to your man and leave me alone.”

  “Are your lips getting lonely?”

  “I hate you right now.”

  “You do not.”

  “No, I really do.”

  “I’m taking my flowers back.”

  “If it means you’ll leave, have them.”

  “Too bad. I was going to share some family gossip with you, but if you’re gonna be that way, I’m outta here.”

  “Don’t you dare leave without telling me the gossip.”

  “You have to promise not to say anything. It’s total speculation at this point.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I think Cameron is pregnant.”

  “Really? Why do you say that?”

  “She’s spending a lot of time in the bathroom at work, and I heard retching noises. Will hovers outside the door when she’s in there. And she’s late for work sometimes, which is new.”

  “I thought they were going to wait a while.”

  Ella shrugged. “Babies happen. I’m hoping it happens to me soon.”

  “I hope so, too.” Charley was well aware of how badly Ella wanted to be a mom, whereas she had almost no desire whatsoever to procreate. “It’s a regular baby boom around here. Mom will be thrilled.”

  “I know. I bet Hunter and Megan won’t wait long either. He’s going to be thirty-six soon. No time like the present.”

  “True. How’re the wedding plans? Have you heard?”

  “From all reports, they’re keeping it simple. Family and a few
close friends. Megan’s sister will be home this weekend for the shower and she’s staying for the wedding.”

  “I doubt I’ll be able to do the shower.”

  “Let’s wait and see what the weekend brings. You may feel better by then.”

  “Hope so. I’d hate to miss it, and I feel bad that I can’t help at all.”

  “It’s fine. Hannah is all over it, like the drill sergeant she’s become since she got pregnant.”

  “I much prefer drill sergeant Hannah to decimated Hannah.”

  “I do, too. Very much so. Speaking of Hannah, she and Nolan got into a huge fight yesterday because she’s worried that no one has seen Fred in town or at any of his usual hangouts in more than a week. She’s afraid he’s hurt and wants to go looking for him.”

  “To which Nolan totally freaked out and told her she’s going nowhere near the woods in her condition.”

  “You got that right. She told him she’s pregnant, not feeble, and if he doesn’t chill out, this kid will be an only child. He said if she doesn’t chill out where Fred is concerned, he’s going to have him captured and sent to a zoo.”

  “Ohhh,” Charley said. “Wrong thing to say, Nolan.”

  “Yep. She’s furious with him from all accounts, and she’s trying to recruit the boys to go looking for Fred. Of course they’re not that inclined to put their rescue skills to work for a moose, so they’re at a stalemate.”

  “Wow, let me know if anyone hears from Fred and how long it takes for Nolan to sweet-talk his way back into Hannah’s good graces. I miss all the fun being stuck in bed.”

  “Not all of it, from what I’ve seen.” Smiling, Ella leaned over to kiss her forehead. “I’ll turn you back over to your studly keeper. Happy kissing.”

  Charley swung wildly at her sister, who was well out of range by the time the punch would’ve landed. “I’m adding that to the list!”

  “See ya! Try to behave yourself!”

  “Ella!”

  She turned back, raising a brow in inquiry.

  “You won’t say anything, will you?”

  “Get real, Charley. You and me? We could ruin each other, and we never have. And P.S. He’s a nice, sweet, sexy guy. Enjoy yourself a little, why don’t you?” Ella left her with that unsettling thought.

  Charley thought about what her sister had said. It mattered that her family liked Tyler. Hell, they loved him for stepping up for her so they wouldn’t have to. Not that any of them wouldn’t have helped her out if it had come to that, but she wasn’t known for being the easiest Abbott to get along with. No, that honor probably went to Ella, who was normally easygoing. Today being a notable exception.