WindSwept Narrows: #21 Charlotte Bell & Natalie Templeton

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Doesn’t fit my image of a sandwich shop guy,” Jesse remarked, taking in the tall, lean man with very short clipped blond hair. “More military.”

  “He was.” She sighed. “I think he still has nightmares but he won’t talk about it. I’ve been trying to fix him up with one of my friends, but he’s resistant.”

  “Ever think it was because he preferred you?” Jesse raised an eyebrow at her laughter.

  “Good grief, no! We’d have killed each other within a week,” she met the grin on her friend’s face with a bright smile. “Thanks, Zee,” she hugged him before he could back away while Jesse took the large sack with their lunch.

  “You too, Charlie,” he nodded at Jesse and turned back to his customers.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Since Jesse wasn’t sure where they were going, he followed Charlotte back to the SUV, climbing inside and wishing his stomach would stop growling.

  “Wherever we’re going better be close or I’m not responsible for how long this sandwich lasts,” he warned her, relaxing when she laughed and guided them into the large tree shrouded park near the beach. Ten minutes later, they were sitting on the high wall following the coast line, watching kids, seagulls and ships as they ate.

  “I’m sorry we missed a nice peaceful Sunday,” Charlotte leaned back on the stone, her hands behind her and legs dangling over the wall. The tide was up and she’d taken her shoes off, toes touching the chilled water now and then. “And….” She pushed a breath between her lips, her eyes not leaving the water or her toes. Why did apologies always suck so much? “I’m sorry I wasn’t more appreciative of your help.”

  “Are you in pain from that?” Jesse finished his sandwich and winced at the palm that whipped from the concrete and clapped his side.

  “Don’t push your luck here, okay?” She sighed at the deep laughter. She stared down at her feet swishing in the water. “This whole thing is a little uncharted.”

  “Us?” Jesse wasn’t sure where she was going with her statement.

  Charlotte shrugged. “That, too. But the business…I know you believe it’s your fault, but…”

  “Do you think we’re friends?” Jesse mirrored her position, his hands behind him, but legs stretched on the wall, not in the water.

  “I know where you’re going with that, Jesse, and yes, alright, we’re friends, but the cost of a security person isn’t in my budget,” she went silent, peeking to the side at his expression. She sighed. “So…for there to be peace, I have to accept your help even if it goes against my…my…”

  “Beliefs?” Jesse offered a word, struggling to keep the chuckle inside at the narrowed gaze she leveled at him. “Ready to go back to the resort? The kids sent me a text about it being movie night and they have two picked out for us. Along with food ordered, including snacks and drinks.”

  “I like them,” she said quietly. “They’re really smart and caring and fun. You’re a very good father, Jesse. And I am so new to all that.”

  “Thank you,” he stood up and tugged her to her feet after she slid her shoes on. “I think at this stage, you know how to be friends and that’s what they enjoy, even need. I worried now and then about not enough female exposure for Jenna. Mom filled some of that but I don’t think she talks with her about all things girl.”

  “I’m pretty sure dad couldn’t handle all things girl,” Charlotte said with a chuckle.

  Jesse glanced down at their palms clasp between them.

  “We’ve had a few talks about sexuality. Usually Jamie helps interpret,” he said with a little laugh. “He lectures all the time about what guys their age really think and want from relationships. Sometimes there is genuine tension between them because he thinks he has to protect her from her own choices and decisions.”

  “It’s what brothers do,” Charlotte nodded to herself. “I didn’t get any real idea how much they were protecting me until I was away from home. The weird thing was, I’d already begun thinking the way my brothers did,” she laughed. “And kept myself away from boys because I had someplace I wanted to go.”

  Jesse stopped her outside the SUV, leaned against the door and pulled her into his arms. Her hands went to his chest, her head back and slightly tilted.

  “I’m not a one night stand kind of guy. I dated some through the years but you were treated to the kids memories on that,” Jesse laughed with her, gathering up the space she offered when she sighed and rested her head against him.

  “I’ll admit that was entertaining,” she lifted her head and leaned her arms along his shoulders. “Jenna told me I was ahead of the curve. I think it’s because we game together.”

  “I think it’s because we fit well together,” he let one hand tug on the braid down her back. “And that was evil to laugh at my previous dates,” but his grin matched hers. “Restrooms?”

  Charlotte backed up and took his palm, striding along the walkway toward the flower shrouded pavilion. She split off to the opposite side. She flapped wet fingers in the breeze when she came out, glancing around before striding over the grass and peering down toward the lengthy stretched of walkway and ocean water. She never knew why, but the signs of the retreating tide made her smile and take in a long, slow breath.

  Then she almost jumped out of her skin.

  “Good afternoon, Charlie,” Rory Chambers came toward her, his palms inside the pockets of a light jacket.

  Light blue eyes hid behind mirrored lenses but she knew he was staring at her.

  “Damn it,” she spun on him. “Don’t do that. Why are you sneaking around me? Stop it!” Charlotte felt the chain link fence behind her back, one set of fingers curling around the thin metal.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you,” he let his eyes roam along her body and end at her face. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “Waiting for me? You’ve been following us?” She whispered in disbelief, straightening her shoulders and taking a deliberately threatening step forward, hands clenched at her sides. “You get away from me. You stop coming near me. I am calling the police and filing a complaint against you. I do not know you. I met you one time. One time,” she repeated loudly. “Stay away from me.”

  She didn’t see his mouth open to reply because she was storming toward her car, working hard to breathe normally.

  Jesse heard her voice from the other side of the large pavilion, long legs breaking into a light jog only to see her heading toward the car. His gaze swept the direction she’d come from, landing on the younger man with a sharply narrowed set of dark eyes. He didn’t know where the boy came from, but he was about to be sent back that way.

  Charlotte didn’t want a fight. She never cared for fighting. Someone always got hurt, whether it was earned or not. She also was never very good at it. She cared too much. But the urge to smack the man had been very strong.

  Still breathing too raggedly, she climbed into the SUV and let her head fall to the wheel. She didn’t look out the window until she heard the passenger door open. Half expecting that idiot to ignore her and just catching her mouth from reacting when she saw it was Jesse.

  Somewhere deep, she pulled a smile to her lips.

  “Ready to go home?”

  “I am.” It took a great deal to not tell her the man was going to lose his job come Monday morning. If she knew that, she’d just feel guilty. And that he wouldn’t allow. He knew what a victim felt like in this situation and he’d spent too long blaming himself for Jasmine’s behavior. He wouldn’t allow Charlotte to go through that. He’d already sent a text off to the head of human resources with the resort and he didn’t doubt the file would be in his office sometime tomorrow.

  Jesse decided he didn’t like Charlotte quiet. And jumpy. He noticed her watching everyone, everything near them when he took her pack and her palm, their stride casual across the spacious parking lot to the main entrance. Her fingers clung to his and were cold. In the bright sunlight of a warm summer day.

  “I’ll put this in
the room,” Charlotte took the pack and continued onto his bedroom.

  It surprised him that she was so distracted she didn’t notice the twins watching her. Jenna went to her father.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Jamie watched the expression on his face. “We’re not five anymore, dad. Something’s not right with Charlie.”

  Jesse gave them a quick explanation.

  “Must be nut season,” Jamie remarked, ducking the palm his sister aimed at his head. He dodged and moved back to the table, fixing himself a sandwich.

  “So what movies did you find?” Jesse watched Charlotte come back into the room and take a chair next to Jenna.

  He wasn’t sure how to help her relax. The anger he was feeling at both people intruding when not welcome had reached a point where he wanted it over with. If that meant full on legal or personal body guards for a short time, then so be it. Both of which he knew would bring out her temper. Somehow the kids had managed to find two totally opposite movies, as usual. They laughed through Jenna’s pick and Jesse was positive Charlotte would leap out of her skin at the thriller sci-fi selection of Jamie’s. Nothing new there.

  “I swear to god if I wake up screaming, I am coming to your room and letting one loose to wake the whole floor,” Jenna glared at her brother and threatened as she cleaned up the area and put the movies by the door to be returned.

  Jamie chuckled and aimed empty containers for the recycling bins.

  “Certainly makes you think,” Jesse commented, laughing at the wide eyes both females leveled upon him. A funny warmth spread through him when she hugged both kids and gave them each a little private pep talk since she would be gone before either of them woke in the morning. She wandered with Jenna to her room and was there for several minutes before joining him in the bedroom. “Things okay?”

  “Um-hmm…” Charlotte closed the door and sighed, glancing at the stack of clothing she’d placed on the long bureau. “Just girl talk about clothes. We worry about things guys don’t understand,” she said with a little shrug.

  Jesse closed the drawer after sliding the clean clothes inside. He leaned against the bureau, hands on the edge.

  “You fit with us, Charlotte. It’s nice,” he said quietly. He lifted one hand, holding it palm out to her.

  “It feels…” she looked down at the fingers that twined with hers. “It’s tough to confess feelings. Fears…I was never one of those what-if people. If I let myself, I end up hyperventilating because it doesn’t seem real. I expect things to unfold over months, not days! It doesn’t seem…”

  Jesse brought his other palm up, fingers sliding behind her head and his mouth covering hers before she needed a paper bag to breathe into. His tongue soothed over her lips, teasing and stroking along the tongue that came out to play. It fascinated him as their heat continued to build, each tiny break starting another kiss that went deeper and filled with more fire.

  “I was rambling,” she whispered against his mouth, their foreheads against one another.

  “A little,” Jesse put his palms on her waist and leaned her back. He peeled her shirt up and tossed it to the chair. One finger traced over the scallops of her bra.

  “You have a unique way of calming me,” Charlotte pressed her hands over the flat of his stomach and across his chest.

  “It’s just us, Charlotte. You and me. Let’s not worry about time.”

  “I’ll work on it,” she promised. “Explains Jenna’s questions about my type,” she grinned at him.

  “Your type? As in men?”

  She almost laughed at the dark scowl that had his brows creasing and eyes narrowed.

  “After our game the first time we met in person. We had food and just talked. She asked if I had a type…I think she was worried about you.”

  “I’m pretty sure we’ve determined your type,” Jesse pulled his shirt over his head, helping her with her clothes before finishing with his own. By the time they fell back onto the bed conversation had been replaced with much more primal needs.

  Chapter Fourteen

  She tried to creep out of bed shortly before five in the morning.

  She tried to focus and ignore the mouth traveling along her shoulder.

  Or the hand sliding along her thigh.

  And those fingers that found the sweet spots that made her groan and arch against him. Again.

  It was ten after five by the time she swatted at him and made a dive out of the shower, whipping a towel off the counter and making a dash into the bedroom. Wet or not, if she didn’t get dressed and get out of there, she knew she’d be late opening the store. She growled and threatened him with the hairbrush as she pulled her long hair into a high ponytail.

  “If you make me late, I swear, I will stay at my own place tonight!” She threatened, grabbed her small pack and keys. She almost made it to the bedroom door when the band of her jeans was gripped and pulled back. “Jesse!”

  “Everyone should start their week like this,” he whispered against her mouth, taking a quick kiss and releasing her. “I’ll see you later.”

  Charlotte nodded and slipped from the room, she went quickly to the elevator and crossed the early morning parking lot to her vehicle. She had always watched the people and other things around her, now more than ever, she realized.

  She greeted the young man inside her shop, thanking him and going with her two morning people to start coffee and warm pastries. Even while blending teas and coffees, her mind kept a little part on the curious people involving themselves in her romance. She took a few minutes and went to the back door, leaning on the railing and waiting for an answer on her phone.

  “Paige…I need your help,” Charlotte said after listening to the professional greeting.

  “Good morning to you, too,” Paige Andrews responded cheerfully. “What’d you need?”

  “You introduced me to a stalker Friday, Paige. He’s been following me and Jesse,” Charlotte pushed a deep breath between her lips.

  “I had a feeling there was a problem,” Paige leaned back in her desk chair, the silence in the large office broken only by the music she had playing. “Jesse had sent a note to Abby this weekend about him and the guys’ personnel file showed up here this morning with a courier. Abby has called him into her office and he’s in the process of being cautioned and given some severe lectures on harassment and its repercussions. I know it might seem weak, but they have to follow the procedures.”

  “I understand that. I was worried what action Jesse might take. It’s really creepy, Paige. Seriously.”

  “I heard about the shop. Are you okay?”

  “Pissed. A little scared. We immediately thought it was the woman from Vancouver, but…I watched the security video and it could have been a guy,” Charlotte slid to the ground, her face tipped up for the noon sun.

  “Charlie! Delivery!”

  “Gotta go, Paige, thanks for the update,” she closed the phone and stood up, a frown creasing the full lips. She was at the back door. She had her delivery people trained to come to the back entrance with deliveries. She slid her phone into a front pocket and went into her kitchen, striding past the young girl making fruit turnovers and into the main dining area, the large vase filled with a wild variety of flowers catching her eyes immediately.

  “Charlie Bell?” The young man inquired, smiling at her nod. “Enjoy.”

  “Thank you,” Charlotte dug a couple dollars from her pocket and handed them to him, her fingers closing over the small card tucked into the white and pink star lilies.

  “Beautiful,” Carla grinned at her, watching her boss move the large vase.

  “They are,” Charlotte said quietly. She should have been thrilled but somehow she didn’t think Jesse was the bouquet type. Something Jenna had said came back to her. Her father always did things himself. He didn’t delegate them. She could see him bringing her something. She slid the small card out and closed her eyes tightly. She shoved the card into her pocket and moved them to a table outs
ide the building, leaving them and striding back to her kitchen.

  “What’s wrong?” Carla watched her action, smiling at a customer trying to make a choice.

  “Nothing. It’s good,” Charlotte continued into the kitchen and buried herself in prep work for the week. By the time she closed up for the evening, she was lightly coated in various sugars and spices. She left the flowers on the table, realizing she was never so glad to see someone before as she was to see her night guard.

  “Hi, Danny,” Charlotte greeted him. “Do you like coffee or tea?”

  “I drink iced tea and I have a water bottle,” he told her, setting his pack on the chair near his front location.

  “There’s spiced tea in the fridge, help yourself. I’ll see you in the morning,” she went out, half listening to him locking and setting the alarm behind her. She stared at the waiting SUV, blinking at Jenna jumping from inside and rushing up to her. “What are you doing here? All of you?” She glanced nervously over her shoulder before pulling a bright smile to her face.

  “I’m riding with you. We’re following Dad and Jamie to the new house! And I had the most awesome day at school!” Jenna exclaimed, clinging to Charlotte’s palm as they crossed to the SUV.

  “Surprise?” Jesse offered, leaning out the window with a boyish grin.

  “I’m thinking…yeah…” Charlotte tilted her head. “I thought I was meeting you at the resort.”

  “The contractors called and they’re finished with the flooring,” Jesse watched the mixture of emotions playing over her face. “I had all the things from the suite moved this afternoon and these two…want their stuff,” he dramatically rolled his eyes, making her laugh which sent a nice surge of happy through him. “You can follow me.”

  “I can do that,” she said, leaning close and kissing him before turning away, keys jangling in her hand. She could feel him watching her and swore she heard him growl.