by CJ Warrant
“No, we don’t look alike. He’s blond with blue eyes and slightly shorter than me.”
Some of the heaviness in the car dissipated as he talked about his brother. There was grief—he missed Bryce. I would too, if I had a twin, or a sibling.
“Hmm. I much prefer dark hair with green eyes myself,” I uttered, easing the mood even more. Another low rumble of laughter came from Markus. So light and carefree this time.
“You are too good, Charlie. Too good for me. I tell you that I slept with my brother’s fiancé and my less than stellar family life, and here you go trying to make me feel better instead of berating my actions. Who does that? You’re too good for me,” he repeated, reaching for my hand and squeezed it.
“Almost slept with her.” I squeezed right back. “You don’t know me well, Mr. Markus Landry. And Nana had always said, there are three sides to every story. Yours, theirs and the truth. Besides, I can be a very bad girl.” The heated look he gave me sparked a burning need and connected us like a live wire.
“Markus…”
With his name barely out of my mouth, Markus quickly pulled over to the side of the nearly deserted road. He twisted toward me, unbuckled my seatbelt adjusted his seat back. “I need you. I need to feel your goodness surrounding me, Charlie.”
Our lips met halfway in affirmation that we both need to touch, to feel, to get lost in each other. There was nothing that stood in our way except for the console. Not even if Highway 20 was backed to back with vehicles, we were going make love.
Thank goodness I’d worn a dress because the second I quickly pulled off my undies, Markus dragged me onto his lap. As he unzipped his pants, my legs straddled his thighs and my back leaned against the steering wheel.
“Fuck, Charlie. You are beautiful. Inside and out.” Markus pulled me close and greedily kissed my mouth. Desperate and hungry. Our lips never lost connection as Markus frantically put on a condom.
Geez, I was so on the edge that I couldn’t sit there any longer. I was wet and darn needy. “Markus, please hurry.”
“Oh Charlie, you’re already greedy for me,” he said with a little nip of my bottom lip. With that, Markus slipped past my slick folds and entered me in one full trust.
“Oh h, e, double—Markus,” I groaned out as he shifted his hips, dragging my sensitive nub against the crisp hairs at the base of his shaft.
“Move for me, sweetheart,” Markus encouraged, his hands gripping tight of my hips.
I wrapped my hands around Markus’s neck and began to move up and down in rhythm of his pumping hips.
“Oh God, Markus.” It was all I could say before my core tightened, and every nerve ending in my body felt alive. My climax hit so hard, I saw stars.
Markus’s hips rocked faster. “You feel so fucking good. Damn Charlie—I’m coming.” His last few thrust faltered before he moaned out my name and spilled his seed inside the condom.
My legs felt like rubber bands. I collapsed onto top of Markus, my face in the crook of his neck. “I can’t move.”
Markus laughed. “Neither can I.” He wrapped his arms around me and took my mouth in a slow sensual kiss.
We sat there, arms tangled around each other, on the side of the road for nearly half an hour before we cleaned up and got back on the road. This time, I didn’t mind the silence since Markus held my hand the whole way there.
Chapter Thirteen
Markus
It was four in the morning on Friday when we reached the outskirts of Chicago.
Good old Winnetka. With Charlie sleeping in the passenger side, I rolled down the window and sucked in the cold air. The same old familiar smell that only could be described as home.
It was a good thing Charlie asked about accommodations because I hadn’t thought about where we were going to sleep as we drove here. There was no way in hell we were going to sleep at my parents’ home. And I knew for damn sure I wasn’t invited to Bryce and Beth’s place. So I had Charlie look up the closest hotel near the funeral home. She had found one easily and booked it with no issues.
Once we arrived and pulled up in front of the valet, I woke Charlie up. “Hey baby, we’re here.”
She yawned and looked around. “Did I miss something?”
“No. It’s still early. Let’s go in and get to our room and sleep. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.”
“Sounds good to me,” Charlie said in a stretch.
I popped the rear hatch and got out. Charlie followed suit. I grabbed our luggage in one hand and took her hand in the other, then went inside to the stylish hotel. After we got our keys, and a quick ride up in the elevator to the sixth floor, my lids felt like lead weights were bearing down on my eyes.
We stripped out of our clothes and climbed into bed to sleep for a few hours. Yet, with sleep in reach, Charlie snuggled up tight beside me and I instantly wanted to be buried balls deep into her wet heat. She was my only calm.
Though, the way Charlie was snoring lightly, I wasn’t going to wake her. I sent out a quick text to Beth that I made it in one piece. Then I sidled up behind Charlie and tried to rest before the day of hell came to call.
I wasn’t sure what time it was, but my cell phone was ringing. I looked blurry eyed at the screen and saw Beth’s name. Jesus, it was eight in the morning.
“Hello,” I answered, exhaustion wrapped in my voice.
“Did I wake you?” Beth asked with sincerity.
“No. I was just laying here,” I lied quietly, not wanting to wake Charlie.
“Okay. Well, the reason why I called is that your father wants you to come to the house. I have breakfast set up,” Beth said.
“Beth, I’ve been driving all night. Tell my father thanks for the breakfast but if he wants to see me before the wake, then we’ll be by the house around one,” I replied with a yawn.
“‘We’? Who’s ‘we’, Markus?”
Fuck. Better now than later. “Umm…I asked my…girlfriend, Charlie, to come with me.”
“Girlfriend? You have a girlfriend?...Sorry…Her name is Charlie?”
“Charlene is her name but she likes to be called Charlie,” I said as I watched Charlie slowly turned my way and gave me a lazy grin.
“Okay. I’ll tell your father—though you know him, he won’t be happy and then he’ll cause issues for Bryce. Then Bryce will call,” Beth said solemnly.
I knew what Beth said was true. My father was notorious about not giving up, especially if it was something he deemed important. “Hold on, Bethie.” I covered up the phone and looked at Charlie. “It’s my brother’s girlfriend. She called to inform me that my father wants me to come for breakfast.”
Charlie reached out and cupped my cheek, stroking the coarse skin with her thumb. I leaned into her warmth, trying to absorb her goodness. “If you need to go, then go. It’s your father.”
“You’re going too. I’m not leaving you here,” I added, touching her exposed thigh with a finger.
“If you want me to come, then I’m there with you,” Charlie answered with another smile.
I winked at her before returning to Beth. “Okay, Beth. We’ll be there in an hour.”
“Sounds good.” Beth hung up and I dropped the phone on the bed.
“Well, since I’m meeting your father, I need to jump into the shower,” Charlie said as she started to get out of bed.
“Wait one minute.” I snagged Charlie around the middle and dragged her back into bed, her back to my front. I began to kiss her neck, nipped at her earlobe. “My parents’ home is very close. So…” I caressed her stomach down to the v of her sex. “We have time for…” I bit her shoulder. “I want to be inside you, Charlie.”
Charlie turned her head, her beautiful full lips mere millimeters from mine. “Then take me, Markus. And be quick about it.”
And to my surprise, she captured my lips in a bruising kiss. So much desire and passion, turned my dick rock hard. Right then, I realized I used the last of his condoms. “Fuck.”
/>
“What?” she asked. Her mouth was red and swollen. Damn, as innocent as she looked, Charlie was sexy as hell in that moment.
“I don’t have any more condoms,” I grumbled.
There was a second of something—I wasn’t sure what passed through Charlie’s eyes. She turned and faced me. “I’m clean, Markus. I’ve had only one lover and it’s been almost three years and I’m on the shot. I’ve been tested since and I’m clean.”
“The last time I checked, which was two years ago, I was clean. But I’ve always used a condom,” I confessed. “However, I don’t want to chance it—not because of you, but of me.”
Charlie leaned in, forehead to forehead. “If you feel we need to wait—”
“Jesus, Charlie, I want you so fucking bad right now, but I’m more concerned for you,” I interrupted, pulling back to look into Charlie’s eyes. “I’ve slept with other women. I just want you know that even though I’ve used condoms, I fucked around.”
Charlie shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I trust you.”
I took her mouth like it was the only sustenance to live on. “Too good,” I whispered into her mouth. “Now go get into the shower before I change my mind.”
With another kiss, Charlie pulled away and sauntered into the bathroom, which left me to my own devices and contemplation on what was going to happen when we walked into that house.
Chapter Fourteen
Charlie
Pulling up to the house Markus grew up in surprised me. The home was modern—looking nothing like what I thought it would. Heck, I had no idea or could imagine a house like the one that stood several yards away.
As I got out of the car, Markus turned to me and said, “What’s wrong? You look shocked or worried about something.”
“I guess…” I had to choose my words wisely. “Um, your house. I assumed it would be more modest.”
“Modest?” Markus chuckled. “This wasn’t the house I grew up in. My parents bought this place right after we left for college. We used to live in Evanston, not far from here, but miles apart. That home was more modest. This monstrosity was my father’s doing.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by monstrosity. The house should be showcased in Architectural Digest, but I didn’t get a chance to ask since the front door of the house opened.
A gentleman with graying dark brown hair walked out and stood under the metal portico. His eyes had a hard glint in them but shifted the moment his eyes landed on me. They were serene enough, but even in the distance he made me nervous. This had to be his father.
Markus round his way to me, grabbed my hand and led me to the man.
Markus released me and extended his hand. “Sir.”
Up close, I was able to see the frailty and tiredness in the older man’s eyes. More exhaustion stemmed from those depths. But I could see where Markus got his features. Actually he was the spitting image of his dad.
Markus Sr. nodded once and shook his son’s hand. “It’s about time. What took you so long to get here?” The man glanced my way, then sliced a look back to his son. “Wished you were here sooner. I’m sure your mother would have liked…” His words trailed off when Markus shot him a “Don’t you start” glare.
He cleared his throat, and took a big heaving breath before he turned to me. “You must be Charlene.” He extended his hand to me. “I’m Markus Landry Sr.”
I shook his hand. “Charlene White, but you can call me Charlie.”
“Charlie. I’m sorry that we had to meet you in under such sad circumstances,” he said with a slight irritated hitch to his voice.
“Dad,” Markus said in warning. The tension between them grew as the seconds passed by but I wasn’t going to let it bloom.
“It’s chilly out here.” I gave a mock shiver.
Markus Sr. stiffened, turned and said, “Well, come in. Beth cooked. She has it set up in the kitchen and I’m sure it’s getting cold.”
The man did not know how to quit. But Markus didn’t seem to be bothered by his father’s jabs as I was. I took a tentative glance at Markus and relaxed the second I saw his eyes were trained on me. There was no anger, only annoyance at his father.
He tightened his hold on my hand as we followed Markus Sr. inside.
The interior of the home had the modern amenities. Clean lines of the leather and metal furniture to the contemporary art pieces on the walls, it was like walking into a magazine.
Yet, the second we walked into the kitchen, the tension jumped higher on the Richter scale. Standing on the other side of the huge granite island was a man and woman. The couple who I assumed was Bryce and Beth stood there with nervous smiles on their faces. They moved toward us with hesitation.
A few inches shorter than Markus, Bryce was a good looking man. Though, he couldn’t compare next to Markus. I loved the rugged look of Markus versus the clean cut Ivy League look on Bryce.
Love? I shook off that thought and focused on the people in front of me.
Beth walked up and gave Markus a hug, and then turned to me. “You must be Charlie. I’m Beth Monroe, Bryce’s fiancé.”
“Fiancé,” Markus said with a half grin.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I nervously said.
Beth leaned in, grabbed my hand and said, “Don’t be nervous. It’s all good here.” She pulled back and gave me a wink.
“Markus,” Bryce said tightly as he walked over and placed a hand on Beth’s shoulder. He then turned to me and smiled warmly. “Charlie, it’s very nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I replied with a wave. “When did your two get engaged? Markus, you didn’t tell me.”
Feeling the heat on my back, Markus leaned against me and said, “I didn’t know. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. We were going to tell you today,” Beth said with a shrug.
“Why not sit down for breakfast? I’m starving,” Markus Sr. said coolly.
The four of us nodded in unison.
I followed Markus and took a plate and added scrambled eggs, bacon and some potatoes chopped with onions and green peppers. After two pieces of toast, I sat down next to where Markus had placed his plate, opposite to Bryce and Beth. Markus’s father sat at the head of the large glass dining table.
Markus grabbed some juice and tea for me, and coffee for himself. “Thank you,” I uttered, not sure if I should even speak. He squeezed my hand and then sat down.
“So Charlie. What do you do for a living?” Markus Sr. asked after he wiped the cloth napkin across his lips.
“I’m a librarian.”
The surprised look on all three of their faces almost made me chuckle.
“Seriously?” Beth asked, but the question was directed to Markus.
“Yes. Seriously,” I answered right back with a smile. It would be rude to start the day off with a condescending comment. That wasn’t me. Kill them with your kindness, Charlie.
“How did you two meet?” Bryce added his two cents. “Because I can’t picture Markus walking into a library…unless you—”
“I met her on the way here,” Markus said it like was no big deal. It really wasn’t, but at the same time, it was. Apparently he had never dated a librarian.
“Who would bring a perfect stranger to a family funeral? For all I know you could have picked her up on the side of he road,” his father spat out.
Markus shot up from his seat and spat out, “Fuck you. Apologize to Charlie right fucking now.”
“Wait. Dad is only asking where you met Charlie. I’m sure he didn’t mean what you’re thinking,” Bryce argued.
“Stop defending him. He practically called Charlie a whore and you’re going to sit here and tell me that wasn’t blatant.” Markus shook his head. “What the hell happened to you?”
“What happened to me? You haven’t been home in two years to fucking know,” Bryce rifled back.
“Please. Stop arguing,” Beth said firmly.
Both men clamped their mouths shut. Silence rang loud th
roughout the room.
“Wow. What’s your magic?” I said to Beth without much thought.
Beth looked at me with surprise and then let out a snort of laughter with such a radiant smile that it was infectious. I smiled right back, letting everyone know I wasn’t a least bothered by the ignorant man to my right.
She turned to Bryce and said in a soothing tone, “Please, let’s have a good morning because baby, it’s going to be a hard rest of the day.”
The woman was right. Darn, I liked Beth a lot.
Markus grabbed hold of my hand. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Do you want to go?”
I gave him a brilliant grin. “No. Let’s stay, enjoy Beth’s marvelous breakfast.”
Markus calmed but I still saw a note of anger in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed my temple. “Then eat.” He picked up his fork, ignoring his father.
“So tell me, Charlie, how did you really meet this guy?” Beth pointed at Markus with a forkful of fruit.
“Markus hit something on the road near the town where I live. We met, and the rest is history. It was as simple as that.” I wasn’t going to elaborate that he came to my house and we shagged our butts off.
Markus’s father snickered. “I bet.”
“That’s enough, old man,” Markus hissed. “Maybe this was a bad mistake coming here.” Markus threw his napkin onto his plate and stood, slowly this time.
“Markus,” I said evenly, grabbing his hand.
“No, Charlie.” He turned to me and smiled that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “I want to go. I’m sorry for bringing you here.” He tugged on my hand and gently pulled me to my feet.
“I’m sorry. Stay,” Markus Sr. uttered in a shaky tone. He raked both hands through his thinning hair. He stood and walked over to me. “I’m sorry, Charlie.”
I looked up at my Markus, who was still very angry. He shook his head. Merde! I hated being in the middle. His father was pleading with me to stay while Markus was pulling me away.