by Ana Ashley
"Oh, I…" I looked at Charlie for help, but Charlie looked tongue-tied too.
"Oh, come on, boys. You don't have to hide from me. You must be the boyfriend Charlie's parents told me about. I know a couple in love when I see one."
She pointed one of her long, red, manicured nails into Charlie's chest. "I don't know why you had to hide your boyfriend away, Charlie. Your parents are going to be disappointed."
"No, Aunt—" Charlie tried to interrupt, but there was no stopping Gina.
"You listen to me. Your parents will be upset if they know you brought your boyfriend with you and haven't introduced him to them. Without Gary and Lisa at the wedding, there are two seats at my table, so you can sit with us instead of sitting on your own at the singles table."
If Charlie was going to be sitting at the singles table, he'd no doubt be right next to Rory. That thought didn't sit well with me.
"Thank you, Gina, I'd love to attend the wedding if that won't be too much of an inconvenience."
I pulled Charlie by the waist and placed a kiss on his cheek. "It'll be fun, won't it, sweetheart?"
Charlie looked at me with impossibly wide eyes and said under his breath, "What are you doing?"
"It won't be any trouble at all," Gina said. "I shall go tell the venue to update the seating plan right away. Buh-bye for now." She turned on her heel and left.
I smiled at her departing figure and then turned to Charlie who was looking back at me with murderous eyes.
8
Charlie
"What the hell just happened?" I asked.
Panic rose in my chest. Why didn't Kris say anything when Gina assumed he was my boyfriend? And why would he agree to come to the wedding as my plus one?
Kris's face fell. "Charlie, I…I'm sorry. I overstepped my mark."
"Why didn't you set her straight?"
"When Gina said you'd be at the singles table, I…I don't know. I thought you might not want to sit with Rory. Please forgive me?" Kris touched my cheek, which was still tingling from the too-brief kiss he'd planted there earlier. I tried to calm down, but my pulse increased from Kris's touch.
"In what world do you think anyone would believe you and I are dating?" I said, my voice cracking slightly. I was annoyed with myself that I wasn't able to feel as strong and confident as Kris had looked when he'd lied to Gina.
"What do you mean?" Kris looked at me with confusion.
"What do you mean, what do I mean? Look at you, Kris." I took a step back, checking Kris from head to toe. "You walk with the confidence of a prince and you dress like one too. I'm just…I don't know. Would you ever have noticed me if you hadn't fallen over my suitcase?"
Kris flinched, and I took it as a sign I was right. I started walking toward town. I needed to catch up with Gina to stop her from opening her mouth.
Kris called out to me, but I kept walking until I felt my hand being pulled and was forced to turn around. In a heartbeat, I found myself in Kris's arms for the third time today.
"Charlie, I would have noticed you even if I hadn't seen you. It's near enough impossible to not be drawn to you, your kindness, the way you see the world, the way you draw the world. I would have always noticed you. Even if I was blind, I would have known you were there."
I stared at Kris, not knowing what to say. That was until my stupid mouth decided to speak for me.
"Are you even gay?" I put both my hands on my mouth to stop any more stupid words from coming out.
Kris chuckled and put his hands on mine to pull them down. Everything happened in slow motion; Kris traced the outline of my bottom lip, dragged his thumb down toward my chin, and then tilted my head up.
I couldn't believe what was happening even as our lips met, my heart beating at a thousand miles per second as Kris sucked gently on my lip. An audible sigh escaped me, which I normally would have been embarrassed about, except Kris's tongue touched mine, and suddenly I was in a whole new world where my brain was mush and my body was a firework display inside.
Kris's arms tightened around me, and I took the opportunity to run my fingers through Kris's hair. I never wanted this kiss to end. I never wanted this feeling to disappear.
The one long, sweet, sexy kiss gave way to smaller kisses until I regained my breathing and brain function back. I finally drew my lips from Kris's. "Okay…so, you're gay."
Kris's eyes were impossibly dark, and his lids were only half open. The corners of his mouth raised. "I am."
I breathed in, taking in the intoxicating smell of Kris's aftershave and wondering if it would be okay to lick his neck. I shook my head to rid it of the thought.
"But that doesn't mean you need to pretend to be my boyfriend just so I don't have to sit with Rory at the wedding."
"What if I wanted to?" Kris said.
"What?" Did Kris mean what I thought he meant? Did he really want to pretend to be my boyfriend? But we'd barely met and didn't know anything about each other.
"I'd like to help you, be your date for the wedding and your fake boyfriend."
"Oh." I tried my best to hide the little pang of disappointment that hit me. Kris was offering to be my buffer so I didn't have to deal with Rory. It was temporary. I thought about it. Maybe we could have some fun together, and then when it was all over, we'd each go our separate ways. Who knew, maybe we'd even remain friends.
"Why?" Charlie asked.
"I don't know. Because you're sweet and gorgeous, and I am a sucker for a lost cause."
I punched Kris's arm.
"Okay, fine. Let's do it."
Kris smiled and kissed me again. God, kissing Kris was perfection, and I never wanted to stop.
"I guess we need to get to know each other better," Kris said between kisses.
"Oh, yes please." Now that was an idea I was well behind.
"I meant really get to know each other, Charlie."
I was mortified. Of course, Kris meant the exchanging-of-information kind of getting to know each other, not the kind that had popped into my head that involved rumpled bedsheets and naked skin.
Kris gave me another long, deep kiss. How was I meant to get the right idea when Kris kept giving me the wrong one?
When we came up for air, Kris whispered into my mouth, "I do want to get to know you that way." Which was evident from the bulge I felt against my own. "But if the rest of your family are anything like Gina, I'm going to need some preparation."
"Shall I write down some notes, like their names and stuff?" I asked.
"Nope, I have a better idea."
"What's that?"
Kris took a leaflet out of his pocket and unfolded it before handing it to me.
"We're going indoor climbing." Kris grinned as he took my hand, interlacing our fingers, and started to walk back toward the Old Mill.
It took a few seconds for my brain to catch up with what I'd heard because I'd been staring at our joined hands, taking a mental picture to draw later.
"No, no, no, no, NO!" I squeaked. "Do you want to kill me?" When the hell did Chester Falls get indoor climbing facilities anyway? There certainly hadn't been any when I'd lived here.
"Not at all. I want you to chill and think about something else other than the wedding or Rory. Climbing is the perfect activity."
I wasn't so sure. I wasn't exactly afraid of heights, but the thought of hanging on a wall attached to a piece of string—okay, rope—got my hands damp and gave me the wrong kind of butterflies.
My heart rate was fighting a losing battle as Kris helped me into the harness.
"I'm sure I should be enjoying having you strap me in more than I am, but I'm too terrified."
Kris laughed, but when our eyes met, I realized Kris's thoughts weren't too far from my own.
Before going to the local gym where the climbing walls were, we'd stopped by Kris's apartment to get his gear, and so we could both grab more appropriate clothing. I was surprised to know Kris had his own stuff, but then he went on to explain that he loved climbing
and always took his kit with him on the off-chance he had an opportunity to enjoy one of his favorite hobbies.
My harness and shoes were hired from the gym after Kris assured me they were perfectly safe and in good condition. Kris's experience climbing was reassuring, but it still didn't stop me from feeling nervous. The wall was so high, and I couldn't see how on earth I'd be able to hold on to the tiny colorful hand grabby things, whatever they were called.
Kris put his harness on and went over to speak to a guy who wore a gym branded T-shirt, so I figured he worked here.
I placed my hand on the wall and ran it over the surface, feeling the rough texture under my fingers, gripping one of the holds to test it. It wasn't very big. How would I be able to hold onto it when gravity was doing her best to bring me down?
"Charlie?"
I jumped when I heard Kris call. Jeez, I needed to calm down.
"This is Brad. He works here, so he's going to belay for me so you can see how I do it, okay?"
"He's going to do what?"
"Belay. That means he's going to stay on the ground and keep my rope tight for me so I'm safe if I fall."
I looked at Brad. He was a few inches shorter than me and a whole lot lighter. How was he going to be able to hold Kris up there? I looked at Kris, then at Brad, and then Kris again.
"No, he can't do it," I said.
Kris looked confused.
"He's too small! How is he going to hold you if you fall? He'll go up as you go down, and then you'll—"
Kris put his hands on my shoulders. "Let me explain how it works. You see this little device here?" He pointed at a metal thing that was attached to Brad's harness by a carabiner.
"Yes, what's that?"
"This is the belay," Brad said. "Let me show you how it works."
Brad made a very complicated knot with the rope that was attached to a metal bar at the top of the wall. He tried to talk me through it, but I lost track after the second loop around the figure of eight. Kris's rope did look very secure, but I still wasn't convinced that if he fell from the wall Brad wouldn't go flying up.
"Charlie, Kris is going up now. See how the rope is tight? Every time he goes up and the rope slacks, I pull this end, keep it tight, and then lock it that way so, if he does slip, he will only come down by a few feet."
"Okay, if you say so," I said, still in doubt, and then said to Kris, "Please don't fall."
"I will try my best not to." Kris winked, and my belly butterflies fluttered.
Once Kris added some chalk to his hands, he was ready to climb.
I couldn't take my eyes off Kris as he climbed the wall effortlessly. Each time he picked a hold for his hands or feet, Brad explained why Kris had chosen that particular route.
Apparently, if you wanted to make things hard for yourself, you had to pick holds of a particular color.
"Are you okay?" I shouted at Kris who'd stopped when he was halfway up.
"He's okay. He's thinking. Sometimes you have to stop when you're in a comfortable place so you can have a look at the route above and decide where you want to go," Brad explained.
Kris looked down, releasing one of his hands to wave. I gasped. Kris did a little wiggle and shouted back, "Does my butt look big in this?"
"Looks fucking perfect," I muttered to myself as I shook my head at Kris for being so calm as to make jokes while hanging from a rope attached to the skinniest guy I'd ever seen working for a gym.
"Doesn't it just," Brad agreed, and my head snapped to look at Brad who was admiring Kris's butt as he resumed the climb, reaching the top in a few easy moves.
"What did you say?"
"Oh, um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…crap." Brad looked embarrassed to have been caught admiring Kris. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were together. And it was very inappropriate of me to comment."
I looked down at the floor. "We're not together. Well, we are, kinda. It's complicated." I sighed.
"Can I come down?" Kris called from the top of the wall.
Brad coughed and carried on explaining that Kris was going to abseil down while he controlled the descent using the belay.
It wasn't until Kris had both his feet back on the ground that I was able to relax. I couldn't help myself from going over to Kris and putting my arms around him.
Kris's laugh was a sign he'd made it back down safe and that made me smile too. That was, until, he said, "It's your turn now."
9
Kris
Charlie's face was beyond adorable when he pouted, but I wanted to behave in a public place, so no matter how soft and kissable Charlie's lips looked, I was going to be good.
The climb had been pretty easy, so I'd pushed myself by picking the hardest route. It still wasn't the highest-grade wall I'd climbed, and it was no match for outdoor climbing, but since I hadn't had any warm-up, the wall had been a suitable challenge. I'd also noticed a number of easier routes with good foot and handholds for Charlie, so I'd mapped those in my mind so I could guide him.
When I'd come back down, Brad had excused himself and went over to the other side of the hall to tidy some equipment. I wondered if anything had happened between Charlie and Brad, but since Charlie was happily in my arms, I didn't really care about anything else.
"Do I have to climb?" Charlie asked, looking up from my chest.
"You don't, but I guarantee if you try, you're going to love it. You don't have to go all the way up, so just have a go and see how you feel, okay?"
Charlie nodded. I could tell that he was reluctant for obvious reasons, but he was also curious.
I tied the rope to Charlie's harness and then set up his side of the rope through the belay, pulling it tighter than necessary to show him there wouldn't be any slack.
"Are you ready?"
"No."
I chuckled.
"Forget about the colors, go for the hold that feels more comfortable. Don't rush up, take your time to think about where you want to go next. And the biggest rule of all. You need to push with your legs, not pull with your arms. It'll be a lot easier if you use your legs more."
"Okay."
I placed a soft kiss on Charlie's lips. "I won't let you fall."
"You better keep that promise, or else."
There was nothing I wouldn't do to keep my promise to Charlie as I made sure the rope was always tighter than usual to make him feel safe.
Charlie's first moves were slow and tentative. He'd come down a couple of times when he wasn't sure how to keep going, so I'd talked him through it until he remembered where to put his hands and feet so he wasn't getting himself stuck in a position.
I could hear Charlie muttering to himself as he was moving on the wall but couldn't understand a word. He was just too adorable and cute, and I was rapidly forgetting why it was a bad idea to get involved with someone. Even if it was only a pretend and temporary relationship, and even if it was to keep Charlie away from his ex's sneaky advances. As it was, I already liked Charlie more than I should.
"Kris, I'm stuck," Charlie called.
He wasn't, but I understood how from Charlie's point of view it would seem that there was no way for him to go in one smooth move.
"Charlie, I'm tightening your rope. Sit back on the harness."
"Are you insane?"
I chuckled. "It's okay, I've got you. Sit back. Do it slowly if you're afraid."
Charlie's legs shook as he pushed away from the wall very slowly and allowed the harness and the rope to take his weight.
"Good, you're doing well. Do you see where you had your left hand?"
"Yes?"
"That's going to be a foothold."
"Not gonna happen."
"It will, you just need to take smaller steps. Look at the wall and see if you can figure out where you need to put your hands and your feet. Remember, you're pushing yourself up with your legs so you can use the smaller holds for your hands."
I let Charlie work out for himself how to continue the climb. When I was up on t
he wall, everything else ceased to exist. The burn in my muscles told me to be efficient, smart, and to keep going because the feeling you got when your feet were back on the ground was the most amazing thing, and I wanted Charlie to experience that.
After a minute or so, Charlie continued his climb. He'd taken my advice to take smaller steps, which helped get his feet on the right holds. I couldn't see Charlie's face, but everything about him showed concentration, focus, and determination.
When Charlie reached the top, he held onto the top metal bar over the wall as though he was holding on for his life, but when he looked down toward me, he was beaming.
"I did it! Oh my god, Kris, I did it."
There was no more space in my heart at that moment because it was full of pride for Charlie. I'd known he could do it, but seeing him struggle and never give up told me everything I needed to know about Charlie. More than a list of relatives' names or what his favorite food was.
"You were amazing. Well done. Ready to come down?" I asked.
"Okay, what do I do?"
"Do what you did earlier. Sit down on the harness. I will lower you down now."
Charlie sat back, but he was reluctant to let go of the wall, so I lowered him slowly, allowing Charlie to keep hold of the wall as he was descending.
As soon as Charlie's feet were on the floor he threw himself at me, wrapping his legs around my waist and claiming my mouth. I took a few steps back from the surprise of having Charlie jump me but regained my footing and then walked forward until I had Charlie pressed against the wall.
It was a mystery as to how I hadn't tripped over the ropes on the floor, but I didn't care because I had Charlie wrapped around me like he was just where he belonged. Our tongues dueled for dominance, and the sweet, sometimes shy Charlie had been replaced by someone who wasn't afraid to go for what he wanted. He didn't even seem to mind that he probably had the holds on the wall digging against his back.
"Christ, Charlie, are you trying to kill me?" I said, struggling to draw a breath, my heart rate increased, not to mention the bulge in my shorts.