He swallows hard and presses his eyes shut. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as if he’s still fighting to come to grips with it all.
I reach out and touch his shoulder. “Charlie, what happened?”
He shakes his head slowly. “I still don't know what they promised her…or if they threatened her…but she lured me. The rebels got a hold of me...she led them straight to me.” He’s speaking in bits and pieces now, fits and spurts, leaving out parts but the picture is slowly coming together. His eyes come to mine. “Someone died because of me, Nova. Because I was careless, because I was in love…My friend died trying to save me from my stupid mistake.”
My head spins, my thoughts knocking about on the inside. “Oh…oh my god…”
A bitter smile moves his lips. “Every time I think about Leo or Archie, I think that it could have been one of them. It could have been all of them. It could have been all of us. Johnson died that night, but it could have been all of us. Because I was stupid and in love.”
I drop to the floor on my knees in front of him, biting on my lip to keep it from quivering.
His hands come to my shoulders. “I was afraid for so long, Nova. I didn’t want to do it again. I didn’t want to fall for anybody. I couldn’t allow myself to trust anybody because of what she did. I loved her and she betrayed me. But with you…”
“Oh, Charlie…” I grab his face in my hands, holding him together so that we don’t both fall apart. I slide my lips over his and kiss him, trying my best to take some of his pain away.
We get lost so easily. Kissing all over each other. Touching. Rubbing. It’s all so good, so sweet. I want more of it. I want it all.
Fighting for breath, Charlie pulls back and looks me in the face. “I swore I’d never open my heart again but I trust you. I’ve always trusted you…Do you trust me?”
I lose my breath a little at the question. I’ve always trusted him as a friend. I’ve always known that he has my back. But now, he’s asking for my heart.
“I want to try…”
It’s honest, it’s the truth and it’s the best I can offer at this point.
He leans forward and kisses me again and again and again. And when my body is so wound up that I think I might just explode from the pent up wanting, I take him by the hand and lead him into my bedroom.
Chapter 30
Charlie
There’s no guilt this time. There’s no feeling that I’m doing something that I shouldn’t be.
This time, this kiss, it feels like everything I’ve ever needed. Like the answer to all the searching I’ve done. With this girl in my arms, the deep restlessness that’s been my companion for so long, it’s faded away, replaced by a feeling of satisfaction, contentment.
I pull back and look at her, bewildered. Still unable to believe that the answer has been within arm’s reach this whole time.
What are you doing to me, Nova? How are you making me feel these things?
Tilting her hips off of my lap, she guides the tip of my erection into her hot, ready channel. Now her pussy is full, stretching around me. I close my eyes and lean my head forward, onto her soft breasts because the feeling is just too much. God—I’m about to say something crazy, make a big declaration she’s not ready to hear yet.
We’ll get there…
I wrap my arms around her waist. “You feel so fucking good, Nova.” The words are clipped and thick. She answers with a throaty sound that pours out from her gut.
Rocking my hips up into her, I pull her down the length of my cock again and again. With my hands moving up and down her back, I fuck her with slow, restrained thrusts.
All that self-control goes out the window when she brings her lips to my ear and whispers, “I like it when you do it rough…”
I slide off the bed with her legs around my hips as I walk her to the wall. Setting her down and spinning her around, I push her front flush against the cold concrete and press my body against hers. “You like it when I do it rough?” I kiss the butterfly on her shoulder.
She nods. “Uh-huh.”
I guide my cock through her folds, piercing her with an unforgiving thrust. She yelps but once I begin to move and find my rhythm deep in her slit, she bounces back against me, meeting my hips, thrust for thrust.
"Shit—right there, Charlie. Right there."
I've heard those words whispered a million times before but they've never sounded more perfect than they do pouring from Nova Chester’s swollen lips. She's glancing at me from over her shoulder as I ram into her from behind, her cheek pressed flat against the wall in front of her and her knees barely holding her upright.
One of my hands is planted on the wall by her head. The other is wrapped tight around her belly. I press my mouth to the back of her neck but I'm too wild to even kiss her, too dazed, too close to coming.
I spin her around, pick her up, wrap her legs around me. She mewls in my arms, clings to my shoulders, abandons her body to me. I fuck her, fuck her, fuck her until she breaks into a million shimmering pieces and so do I.
Panting, I suck her earlobe between my lips and she shivers. I whisper into her ear. “Your body is mine, Nova.”
Now, I’d do anything to get her heart.
Chapter 31
Nova
“I’m gonna be late…”
Charlie’s groan vibrates against my lips, radiates along my bones. I shiver and kiss him again.
“I’m gonna be so fucking late…” His fingers travel under the fabric of my long T-shirt and then down the curve of my back to cup my bare bottom. He weighs the globes in his hands the way you examine cantaloupes at the supermarket when deciding which one to buy.
I giggle. “Is that a complaint or a mere observation or…?”
“Definitely, not a complaint,” he growls through another kiss, “but maybe I should get out of here.”
I pout as he reluctantly pulls out of my reach.
I don’t want him to go. I wanna play hooky. Call in to work faking a sore throat, exaggerating a cough and then spend the day losing myself with Charlie.
“Are you sure you can’t come back later?”
He tenses a bit and his expression goes dark for just a second. “Yeah, I have some paperwork to take care of. With my secretary on maternity leave, there’s a lot more on my plate now.”
“But don’t you have a temp?” I hate that I’m whining but after last night, it feels like we’ve entered a whole new zone, a whole new level of safe. Our own little bubble. I don’t want to let the world in just yet. I want to explore his body, talk to him, get to know him better. I want him to make me laugh.
He taps the tip of my nose. “Patience, young cricket.”
I gag. “Oh god, don’t call me that. My dad calls me that.”
We both laugh.
“Take the weekend off,” he tells me.
I watch him with a quirked brow. “Why would I do that?” I tease.
“Because I want to lock you up in my house. I think I’ll lock you up in my house for a month.”
I laugh wryly. “You realize that we'd both eventually die of malnutrition because neither of us can prepare a decent meal.”
“Or of overexertion.” He shrugs. “Because we can't seem to stop fucking each other.”
“But our last days would be filled with joy and meaning,” I muse sentimentally.
He slaps my butt—hard—then turns toward the door. “Just take the weekend off.”
“Fine,” I say biting down on my lip.
We kiss one last time, my fingers gripping the lapels of his rumpled tuxedo. Then, he hops down the three small steps to his truck.
Is it possible that I miss that jerk already?
I really don’t want to say goodbye this morning.
My ever-lingering naughty side rears her ugly head. I pull down the hem of my T-shirt and try to cover as much of my legs as possible. I poke my head out the door to make sure that none of the neighbors are around. Then, I dash down the steps and hop
into the front seat of Charlie’s truck.
He laughs deep in his chest when he sees me. “You’re not wearing any pants.”
I pull him close and give him another kiss. “I don’t care. You’ve turned me into a nymphomaniac.”
“A Charl-o-maniac.” He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth.
“I stand corrected.” Pull him in for another greedy kiss. “You sure you can’t come back later?”
“Sorry, babe. Got some work to take care of. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”
I make a defeated sound then take one last lingering taste of his lips.
There’s suddenly a tingling feeling at the back of my neck and it isn’t simply the rush of being locked in Charlie’s kiss. I feel a presence on the periphery of my senses. We’re being watched. I pull back and my eyes move toward the windshield.
I jolt and pelt a shrill scream when my eyes land on Reese’s perplexed face.
Chapter 32
Nova
So, now I’m sitting at the kitchen table, my body as tense as a rubber band stretched to the hilt.
Sophia is seated to my left, as stoic and indifferent as ever. She spins a half-bagel around on her plate.
Reese on the other hand…
She paces the travertine tiles back and forth, back and forth, shaking her head as she goes. She’s muttering under her breath. “‘I don’t want Charlie,’ she said. ‘Charlie’s a player,’ she said. ‘He’s the brother I never had,’ she said.”
“Okay—I never said that last one,” I interject, needing to vigorously defend whatever tiny fragments of honor I have left, because I feel pretty dishonorable right about now.
At least I’m wearing pants now.
Reese turns to me with incredulous eyes and duck lips. She folds her arms across her chest. “Um, I think you’re missing the point, Nova.”
My eyes drop to the table, so ashamed by my betrayal. There’s a picture of me on urbandictionary.com next to the definition of ‘sneaky bitch’.
“Are you mad at me?” I ask, venturing a glance in my best friend’s direction.
She narrows her eyes. “I’m not mad at you. Not at all.” A self-righteous look crosses her face. “I was right!” She stabs the air with her pointer finger. “All these years I teased you about having a thing for my brother and you denied it. Now, my suspicions have been confirmed. I’ve been vindicated.”
I laugh. “Damn, Reese—I didn’t realize it was that deep to you.” I grab my coffee cup and bring it to my lips.
“Well, it’s definitely nice to know I wasn’t imagining things.” She pulls out a chair at the other end of the table and drops down into it. Her expression goes somber. “But I am worried about you.”
My stomach drops off a cliff. I know exactly where she’s going with this.
“Nova, I’m trying to mind my business because you’re an adult and all but I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Her voice is soft, compassionate. “I love my brother but I don’t want to see him destroy you.”
I sigh. I won’t betray Charlie’s confidence by revealing what he told me about his time in the military but I also don’t want Reese to think that I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. There’s more to her brother than I realized all these years. He’s a good guy. He has so many layers and he’s been betrayed in the worst way imaginable. The woman he once loved nearly cost him his life. One of his best friends died trying to save him. After something like that happens, it’s understandable that a person would be cautious to open their heart again.
“I think I know what I’m doing.” I wish I sounded more convincing than this but Charlie and I have a lot of getting to know each other to do. It will take time. But considering the way I feel about him, I couldn’t not give him a chance.
I’m doing the right thing…right?
Oh, god…
My friend pushes a breath. “Fine…” she says reluctantly.
Thankfully, Reese changes the subject. She tells me that my mother finally found the perfect place for the grand reopening of the Broken Cupcake. She says that only minor renovations are needed and that Hartley Construction will be handling the project, of course. I share her excitement, I give her a few ideas. Having my secret out in the open is a huge relief. Still, my mind is buzzing. Am I being a fool by letting Charlie into my heart?
I want this to be the right decision. I want that so much. But now, I’m not as sure as I was at three o’clock this morning when my smudged toenails were curling into the bedroom carpet as he fucked me against the wall. Or at 4:30 when he was snoring lightly under my comforter. Or at 6:45 when he was dragging himself out of bed, groggy but content.
Reese disappears down the hallway to use the bathroom eventually. Sophia sits at the table as I clear the dishes away. To my surprise, she stands and carries the empty coffee pot to the sink.
“I don’t agree with her,” she says softly.
My head snaps in her direction. “What?” This is the first time I’ve heard her volunteer speech in weeks. It’s almost shocking.
“If your gut tells you that Charlie is a good guy, then go with your gut,” she tells me. "You've got to read the signs.”
I stand there, stunned. I don’t know what to say. After all that’s happened to Sophia, after being ditched at the alter and humiliated in the most public way, she’s still pulling for love? She still believes in the thing?
She sighs. “I know what you’re thinking but my situation is different. Josh had been pushing me away for months. I didn't want to see that something was wrong but it was. My gut tried to warn me but I wouldn't listen.” She examines me with her weak eyes. “What does your gut tell you about Charlie?"
I speak slowly, almost afraid to say it out loud. “My gut tells me that he’s good and genuine.”
Looking satisfied, she gives me a curt nod and wanders back to the table. I follow behind her. It’s been so long since I’ve actually gotten to talk to her like a regular human being. I don’t want her to disappear on me again. I drop into the chair next to her. “Love is scary, huh?” We smile softly at each other. “Do you think that you’ll be ready to start dating again anytime soon? Do you think you’ll be able to trust someone?"
She laughs like my question is ironic. A bitter shadow lingers in her eyes and what she says next shocks me completely. "Nova...I'm pregnant. So, to answer your question, no—I wont’ be ready to start dating any time soon."
Chapter 33
Nova
So, this is a big deal for me.
I grab the warm plastic container from my passenger’s side seat and slam the door. There’s a little smile playing on my lips and a flutter in my belly as I saunter across the parking lot toward the back of Hartley Construction’s office building.
I don’t do the whole ‘domesticated chick’ thing. So, the fact that I actually cooked a meal today—from scratch—is a big, hairy deal.
My offering isn’t perfect. The salmon is a little dry at the edges and the steamed vegetables look extra crispy, for some reason. But I made it and I’m proud…And I’m relatively certain that we won’t get food poisoning. I’m like 80% sure.
Charlie is taking big risks for me. He’s telling me his secrets, letting me into his heart. So, I can take this little risk for him.
I’m smiling.
Can’t get the guy out of my head. All these years, he was in my life, I thought I understood him but I had no clue. I was blind but now I freakin’ see. He’s sweet and thoughtful, passionate, funny and just a little possessive. I love every bit of it and I want to spend every second with him. I want to know everything about him.
He told me that he’s swamped with work and we’ve already made plans to see each other tomorrow night but everybody’s got to eat, right? I just want a few minutes with him. I need it. This feeling is all so new. I just want to bask in it as much as I can.
But as I’m rushing across the cracked pavement of the parking lot, a movement catches my eyes through the window
.
That’s Charlie’s office.
There’s a woman in there. She’s gyrating her body in a slow grind as she unbuttons her shirt then slides her fitted skirt down her legs. I freeze. And now, she’s pulling off her panties and tossing them in the direction of the person sitting at the office desk.
Play Boy (Blue Collar Bachelors Book 2) Page 16