“Do you need anything?”
The concern in Tucker’s voice nearly made me blurt out my confession right then and there.
“N-no … just a few moments.”
“Charlie?”
Placing my hand over my mouth, I silently cried harder. Over the years, Tucker and I had said some pretty mean and hateful things to each other, but I never meant a word and I knew he hadn’t either. I wanted—no, needed—this weekend more than anything to make up for what I had done to him in the past and what I’d almost done to him now.
“Baby, are you sure you’re okay? Let me get you a warm cloth to wipe your face.”
Tears fell harder as I forced myself to speak.
“Th-thank … y-you.”
I listened to him walk toward the door and leave. Standing, I rushed out of the stall and to a sink. I cupped my hands and rinsed my mouth out at least ten times before he came back into the restroom.
“Here, take this.”
With shaking hands, I took the cloth and placed it over my face. My makeup was already ruined, so this would only be an improvement.
“You don’t think you’re getting sick, do you? We don’t have to go to the lake this weekend.”
I could hear the disappointment in his voice.
“What? No! No, I’m fine. I really think I just ate something that didn’t sit well, that’s all. I feel totally fine now.”
The corner of his mouth rose in a slight smile. He pushed a piece of hair behind my ear that had fallen out from my neatly styled bun.
“You look beautiful today.”
My heart raced in my chest. How could he say that after he just heard me throwing up?
I scoffed. “I’m dressed in a skirt and blouse, and I may or may not have vomit on them somewhere. You’re not a very good liar, Tucker.”
He slowly shook his head. “It’s not the clothes that make you beautiful, Charlie. It’s the person wearing them.”
The pounding in my ears sounded like I was standing in the middle of a gun range and people were shooting on both sides. No matter where I turned, I couldn’t escape the onslaught of emotions and sounds threatening to make me surrender all of my dirty secrets to this man.
“Tucker,” I managed to get out in a breathy whisper.
I needed to tell him the truth. Now.
“I have something I need to tell you.”
The knock on the bathroom door and the immediate opening of the door as one of Tucker’s employees peeked her head in had me halting my words.
“Tucker, there’s a problem out here we need your help with.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Okay, I’ll be right there. I was making sure Charlie was okay.”
I let out the breath I had been holding in when the girl looked my way and gave me a sad smile.
“Go on ahead. I’m fine now, Tucker. Honestly.”
He looked at me, almost with pleading eyes as he said, “What were you about to say?”
Chewing on my lip, I waved my hand in the air. “Nothing. It was nothing at all. I, um … I need to take off.”
He looked crestfallen by my response.
“Were you wanting to grab lunch together? Is that why you stopped by the bar?” he asked, reaching down and kissing me on the forehead. I wouldn’t expect him to kiss me on the lips after what I’d done in that stall.
“I was, but now I’m not sure I’m up for it. Besides, I didn’t have much time and I need to get back to the office.”
He frowned. “Okay, maybe another day then.”
Smiling, I nodded and moved around him toward the door. I exited the ladies’ room and continued to walk down the hall and out into the bar.
“Hey, you okay?” Nash asked as Blake gave me a once-over.
“Fine. Must have eaten something sketchy. I’m heading back to the office.”
Glancing to Blake, I forced a smile. “Nice seeing you, glad you’re back.”
He winked. “Glad to be back.”
Walking out of the bar, I rushed to my car parked out front. My hands shook as I started it and pulled out. Taking in one deep breath after another, I forced myself not to cry again. I’d need to get my shit together before the board meeting this afternoon.
The last thing I wanted was for Paul Ricker to see any weakness in me. It was becoming more and more apparent I had to figure out a way to stay as the CEO besides getting married.
There had to be another way. I was finished with this game I had started. I was going to be with Tucker because that was what I wanted. What I needed.
Not because my job depended on it. That was no way to start a relationship with the man I love. I’d find another way to stay in control of CMI. I had no other choice.
“TUCKER? TUCKER?”
Someone grabbed my arm. “Tucker!”
Turning, I saw Frank, one of my bartenders. “Hey dude, I’ve been calling out your name for the last few minutes. Where are you tonight?”
I let out a frustrated groan. “Sorry man, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
He laughed. “I’d say so. You’re a million miles away. I said I’ve got this if you want to take off.”
Glancing around the bar, I smiled. We were busy, for a Wednesday night. “Nah, it’s okay. I do think I’m going to head back to my office and work on some paperwork, though. Call me if it gets too busy.”
“Will do, boss.”
Once I sat at my desk, I attempted to get what happened this afternoon out of my head. What in the world had made Charlie get sick? I knew she was crying on the other side of that bathroom stall. And what was she about to tell me? Hell, I knew what she was going to tell me. I could see it in her eyes. She was about to tell me about the marriage deal and then we got interrupted.
“Fuck!” I shouted. My hand jerking through my hair. I needed to come clean to her. Let her know I knew about the stupid plan of hers. Even though I was pretty damn sure we’d moved past her trying to seduce me and me wanting revenge. What we had going was the real thing. I knew it the moment she got jealous over that date and when she said she wanted something more than just fucking.
Interrupting my thoughts, my phone buzzed on my desk, and I groaned when I saw who it was.
“Hello?”
“Tucker, it’s your father speaking.”
I rolled my eyes. Like I really wouldn’t know it was him calling. I had caller ID and he knew that.
“Hey, Dad. How’s things going?”
“Your mother and I are having a party for some business associates of mine, and we’d like for you and your sister to join us.”
Why he couldn’t fucking treat me like a son was beyond me. He completely ignored my question.
“When is it?”
“This weekend, Saturday to be exact, at The W downtown. It’s a black-tie event so I expect you to come dressed as such, that is, if you even own anything other than jeans and T-shirts.”
Asshole. “Sorry, I can’t make it. I have other plans for this weekend.”
He laughed. “What, managing the bar?”
“I happen to own the bar, Dad. I think at least that would garner a little bit of respect from you.”
“Respect? You want respect, son? Then come get a real job and work with me. If it’s good enough for your sister, why isn’t it good enough for you?”
Sighing, I waited a good five seconds before launching into the same old shit. “Because I am not the least bit interested in marketing, and I don’t want to sit behind a desk my whole life and ignore my family.”
“Is that what you think I’ve done? Ignore you? I gave you everything, including paying for a college education that has done nothing for me.”
“For you!” I laughed. “So, is that it? You sent me to school so I’d come work for you. Sorry to disappoint you, Dad. I would have never come to work for you.”
“Care to enlighten me as to why?”
“I have, Dad. Time and time again and you refuse to listen. That is not the life
I want for myself. I love what I do. I love owning my own place, and I’m not ashamed of that. But apparently you are, so let’s end this conversation before it goes any further.”
“It’s a bar, for fuck’s sake, Tucker!”
“One of the fastest growing bars in Austin. You’d know that if you ever let me talk about my success, but in your eyes, the only way to succeed is to have a giant office on the top floor and fuck your secretary with your loads of money that can’t buy you or your family happiness. You think Mom doesn’t know? Doesn’t smell that skank on you when you get home? You’re fucking insane if you believe that.”
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. I hadn’t meant for that last part to come out, and it was obvious that today was not the day to take a phone call from him. All these memories flooded my mind in the silence. Beginning of my sophomore year of college I found out I was going to intern at the state capitol. I had been so excited I rushed to my father’s office in an unannounced visit. Much to my surprise, his always present secretary was not at her desk, so I let myself into my father’s office. I found his secretary, and she wasn’t taking a memo of any sort. She was laid over the conference table, my father fucking her from behind. They never saw me, and I never said a word to anyone about it. It was that day I knew I could never work alongside my father. Knew I would never work alongside him.
I did the only thing I knew to do to piss him off. I started working in a bar and saving up my own money to someday open my own place.
“What did you say?” my father finally said, breaking the silence.
“I saw you with her. Back in college I stopped by your office one day, and you stupidly left your door unlocked.”
“Tucker, I can …”
“Don’t, Dad. I don’t want to hear your fucking excuses. You cheated on Mom, and that was the day I decided I would never work for you or with you. So, you might as well accept that I’m doing what I’m doing and will never be a suit like you.”
He exhaled. “We need to talk about this, Tucker.”
I laughed. “Don’t worry, Dad. Your dirty little secret is safe with me. I tried to tell Mom so many times, but I couldn’t bring myself to break her heart. I couldn’t destroy her world like that. Are you still fucking your secretary or have you moved on to someone else? Maybe your friends’ wives?”
“Tucker, you will hear what I have to say. I’m not cheating on your mother. I need to explain what you saw.”
“What I saw? I know damn well what I saw, Dad. You fucking a woman my age in your office. Nothing you can say will change how I think about that.”
“You’re going to come to the party, and then you and I are going to talk about this. It was a moment of weakness, and your mother and I were going through a rough patch.”
“No, Dad. I won’t be at your party. You’re a dirty, rotten, fucking cheater and I hate you.”
I hit end, dropped my phone, and buried my hands in my face. I hadn’t even heard anyone come into my office, but I felt her there the minute I caught my breath.
“How long have you been there?” I asked, my chair turned away from my office door.
“Long enough,” she said softly, moving to stand in front of me. My eyes lifted to see her sad expression. I let my eyes wander over her. She wore a long black dress coat with black high heels. I frowned because earlier she was in a pantsuit, at least I thought she was.
“You said you were going to call me,” she purred with a small smile.
I was grateful she wasn’t trying to get more information out of me about the conversation she had overheard with my dad.
“I was about to call you.”
Her hands moved up and she untied the belt on her coat, allowing it to open. My stomach dropped and my chest squeezed with a feeling I was starting to get used to when it came to Charlie.
“Fucking hell,” I whispered as I took in the sight before me. She had on a black corset, a garter belt that held up two black stockings, black heels, and nothing else.
In that moment, I knew I’d died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for the angel who stood before me.
And holy shit. She isn’t wearing panties.
She moved slowly toward me, never breaking eye contact with me as she proceeded to straddle my chair and press her pussy against my jeans.
“Seems to me you need to let off some steam, Mr. Middleton.”
Reaching around her, I grabbed her bare ass and lifted my hard cock into her.
Her brow arched. “Up already?”
My hand laced into her long blonde hair that was now down and flowing over her shoulders. “The moment you walked into the room, I was up. Happens every damn time.”
She smiled. “Good to know.”
Her hands went to my jeans where she quickly worked at getting my cock out and in her hands.
“Can I at least take off my jeans?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. I need you inside of me. Now. I’ve had a fucked-up, shitty day and I need you.”
“Need me or my cock because needing one over the other means two different things …” I asked as I pushed her hand away from me.
“Both. I need you both.”
The idea that Charlie had come to me after a long, hard day made me feel good. I’d gladly be the one to make her come over and over again to help her and me forget this shitty day.
“Fuck me, Charlie,” I said, positioning her pussy over my now rock-hard dick.
She closed her eyes and sighed before sinking slowly down on me.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “You’re so deep like this. So. Damn. Deep.”
My hands grabbed her hips and I pushed farther into her, causing her to gasp.
“Tucker!” she cried out, grabbing my shoulders. “No matter what happened today, all I could think about was coming here like this to be with you. Only you, Tucker, only you.”
My chest fluttered. “That’s it, Pumpkin, keep doing what you’re doing. God … that feels so good.”
Charlie moved over my cock painfully, yet deliciously slow. She twisted and rolled her hips, and I nearly came twice but held off through gritted teeth. I needed her to come first, and it needed to be fast.
Reaching between us, I pressed her clit and kissed her mouth. She moved faster, so I circled her faster.
“Yes, yes, that’s it,” she gasped against my mouth.
“Do you like fucking me like this, Charlie? I sure as hell loved you showing up like this. So damn hot, baby.”
She groaned and kissed me harder. I pressed a bit more on her clit and she exploded. Her body shook, her pussy squeezed down on me, and I was soon moaning right along with her. Our mouths pressed together, our bodies shaking. I didn’t know how it was possible, but each time we were together it only got better. Hotter. Each time something was growing stronger inside of me and it made me wonder if she was feeling the same way.
When she finally stilled, she didn’t attempt to move. She stayed on me, my dick still inside her, owning her, and I fucking loved it.
Her forehead pressed against mine, and she let out an almost inaudible contented sigh that said she had just gotten thoroughly fucked. I wanted to puff my chest out knowing I was the one who made her feel that way, only me and no one else.
“I don’t want to move. Actually, I’m not sure I can move, but I wish we could just stay like this forever,” I softly said. It was true. I didn’t want to leave.
Her fingers played with my hair as she replied, “Me too. You make me forget about everything except what we feel like together.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I stood as she wrapped her legs around me. I was still inside her, and I felt my cock jumping back to life. Pushing her against the wall, I moved in and out of her slowly as I grew hard again.
Holy shit. I couldn’t believe I was already up for round two.
“Tucker. Oh God, Tucker,” she whispered. “More. I’ll never be able to get enough of you.”
; And more was exactly what I gave her. And more was exactly what I took.
I’D LEFT THE bar early with Charlie. We went to her place and made love again. Actually, we hardly made it through her front door before I was stripping out of my clothes and fucking her on her sofa again. That damn cat of hers sat on the sofa table and stared at me the whole time. I felt like I was being judged, especially when at integral moments that hairless bastard would look at me and meow, like it was offering a critique or some shit. After the last meow, I couldn’t stand it any longer.
“He’s staring at me!” I growled.
Laughing, she wrapped her legs around me and drew me deeper inside of her.
“He’s not staring at you! Just fuck me already, Tucker!”
Somehow I was able to finish—probably because I simply closed my eyes and tuned the cat out—and then we dragged our exhausted bodies to her bedroom where Charlie quickly drifted off.
Charlie’s sleeping body was snuggled up against mine. My arm draped over her side as I stared out over the night sky of downtown Austin.
There were so many things running through my mind. My father, our conversation. The idea that he thought he could explain his cheating-ass ways to me. Charlie’s little plan to seduce me, the feelings I had for her. My head was in a fucking fog, and I didn’t know what to do about any of it.
“Tucker,” Charlie said above a whisper.
“Yeah?”
Silence.
When I leaned in closer, Charlie let out a muffled groan. “Please … don’t … don’t go!”
I swallowed hard, my heart beating faster. What in the fuck?
“Don’t leave … I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Frozen, I tried to say something, but nothing would come out of my mouth. My body couldn’t move, and I dreaded what was going to come out of her mouth next.
“Tucker.”
My name was barely a whisper. If I hadn’t been tuned into her, I would have missed it.
“Charlie,” I softly said when I placed my hand on her shoulder. “Baby, wake up.”
Sitting up quickly, Charlie grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around her chest. She was breathing heavy when she turned and looked at me.
“Tucker?”
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