Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

CHARLIE

Huh. I’ve managed to shock Brad Rathborn.

My laugh turns into a giggle, and I cover my mouth with my hands. Way to be the adult, Charlie .

Brad pulls my hands down and lets go. “I’m sorry I sent you that text, Charlie.”

“Chas.”

He smiles. “I’m sorry, Chas.”

I sigh. “Look, it’s not a big deal.” My face heats at the word big. Stop thinking about his monster cock. I wave a hand at him. “That wasn’t my first dick pic. Well, I mean, it was my first one with clothes—” I stop. My face gets hotter.

He scowls. Is he jealous? Or does he still see me as a kid? He doesn’t need to know my only prior dick pic was a few years ago after I downloaded—and promptly deleted—a dating app.

But then his eyes darken and swallowing becomes difficult. Does he think I want an uncovered dick pic? Do I? Oh hell. I choke on my spit and cough a few times.

“You asked for the picture.”

I gape at him. “I did not!”

He pulls out his phone and pretends to look through it. “I have the texts.”

I grab his hand before he can read them off. “That wasn’t what I was asking. I wanted a picture of—” The woman. No, the blond. Me. “Never mind.”

“My point is, Charlie, I didn’t know who I was texting. And yeah, that’s on me.” He pins me with a look. “You knew exactly who was texting you. And you didn’t say a word.”

“Fine.” I gesture with my hands to get him to stop. “The texts aren’t the problem. You’re sending mixed messages. Tuesday night, you were—everything was fine. Tonight was…awkward. And I get it. You’re my dad’s best friend.”

“I was your high school coach. Your teacher. It’s complicated.”

“It doesn’t have to be. We’re both adults, Brad.” I growl in frustration. “And in this upside-down world, you’re not my coach. We’re coworkers.”

A smile slips out. “You’re my boss, Charlie.”

“No. That’s not—I’m not. Pfft.” Way to be coherent. But I don’t feel like his boss.

The look he gives me is fond. “What do you want from me, Charlie?”

“I want you to treat me like an adult. Not like Chuck and Minni’s son.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I’m trying.”

I know he is, but it’s also clear he doesn’t get it. I’m so tired of being treated like I’m still fourteen. “If you just met me for the first time and hadn’t been my…” I wave my hand around.

“High school wrestling coach?”

“Yes, that. How would you treat me?”

He shakes his head. “Charlie—Chas?—”

The pleading in his voice not to push this gets to me, but I can’t back down now. “How would you treat me?”

He steps closer and brushes his fingers down my face. I’m too focused on his touch to notice he’s pulled out my scrunchie until my hair tumbles around my shoulders. I suck in a breath as he threads his fingers through my hair and then caresses my face.

“God, Charlie,” he whispers, claiming my mouth.

I melt into the kiss. And damn. Brad knows what he’s doing. Unlike me. But I don’t hold back. His tongue teases my lips, and I gasp, letting him in. I fist my hand in his shirt, pulling him closer, afraid he might stop. We kiss desperately, our tongues sliding together. His mouth is hot on mine.

We kiss for so long that I lose track of time. I don’t want to let him go.

“Charlie, sweetheart, we can’t,” he says, pushing me away.

I reach for him again. Why are we stopping? “Can’t?” I try to catch my breath. Try to think. Then I get it. “Oh. You don’t…want that. With me. Of course.”

He cups my face with his hands. “We can’t make out in your parents’ house. They could walk in any moment.”

“Oh.” Of course. I cover my face with my hands.

“What did you think?” He pulls them down and studies my face.

I look away, my face heating from embarrassment. “Nothing.”

“I can assure you, Chas. If I want you, you’ll know it. Not like I can hide it.” He motions down. The bulge in his pants is visible, and as I stare, unable to look away, it gets bigger.

Oh lord. Thinking is almost impossible.

“Charlie,” he says with a growl, but I cut him off. I have one thing on my mind.

“Can I touch it?”

He sucks in a breath. “No.”

That stings, but I nod. “Okay.”

“No, Charlie. I mean, not yet.” He kisses me. “Can we go somewhere we won’t be interrupted?”

Oh. Thank God. The smile on my face is huge. “Your place?”

He shakes his head. “Harper is staying with me right now. Your place?”

My smile drops. “It’s a mess. Seriously. Embarrassingly so.”

“That’s to be expected. You just moved back. And,” he says, kissing me sweetly, “you did say the bed is put together.”

I rush around my house, trying to tidy it before Brad arrives. There’s no fixing the chaos tonight. But I wash the few dishes from this morning and pick up my dirty laundry in the bathroom. I feel a little bad bailing on my welcome home dinner. I left first so it wouldn’t be apparent. I’m unsure what excuse Brad will make, but I can’t focus on that because I’m too keyed up.

Brad will be here any minute. For sex. With me. God, I’m twenty-seven. Not a virgin. But my last—and only—boyfriend said I was the problem. Too inexperienced.

My stomach lurches. Why did I think this was a good idea?

Is it too late to call it off? I know the answer to that because I know Brad. He’s good and kind and sweet and sexy as hell. I could call it off at any time.

But those kisses were mind-blowing. And his monster cock…

Exciting. And terrifying.

The bell rings, and I jump. My eyes dart around, looking for anything else out of place. And then I force myself to answer the door.

“Hiya, Charlie…Chas.”

I laugh. “It’s okay. I like when you call me Charlie.”

His eyes darken. “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” I open the door wider to let him in and lead him to the living room, where there’s no furniture at all. Only boxes.

“This is cozy.”

“Sorry—mmph.”

My apologies end when Brad grabs me and kisses me. And that’s much better. We kiss slowly. Carefully. As if he wants to make sure I’m okay with everything he’s doing. It’s sweet and caring and nice—for a few minutes. Then it pisses me off.

I pull away, and he blinks. Probably because I’m glaring at him.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Kiss me like you mean it,” I say in a huff. “I promise I won’t break.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He touches my hair, sliding it through his fingers.

It’s sweet. He’s sweet. But I need more. I take charge. I may not have experience, but I know what I want. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him hard, grinding my body against his.

“Charlie, sweetheart,” he says, pulling back. Why have we stopped? He laughs at the look on my face and gives me a quick kiss. “Bedroom?”

“Good idea.” I grab his arm and pull him through the hall and past the mountains of boxes to my room. In which there are more boxes.

And a queen-size bed.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Brad says, pulling me toward the bed.

“Hold on.” I catch my breath.

“Did you change your mind? I mean, that’s okay?—”

“No.” I laugh. “It’s just once we get to the bed—I don’t want to get so caught up in everything. I mean, you’re a good kisser, and I can barely think, and oh my god, I’m rambling.” I stop and close my eyes. My cheeks heat.

“Tell me what you want, sweetheart.”

“You’re so nice. Ugh.”

His eyes are dark as he looks me up and down. “Not thinking nice things right now.”

I shudder but stand my ground. “You promised I could touch.”

His eyes are so intense that my heart skips a beat or two. He stretches his arms wide. “I’m all yours.”

My hand trembles as I brush my fingers over the bulge in his pants. It’s so big.

Brad’s breathing increases with every touch. I keep my strokes light, teasing him but also figuring out what he likes.

“Please, Charlie.”

The growl in his voice. The begging. I could almost come from those alone. “Please, what?”

“Touch me. For real.”

“For real?” I wrap my hand around his cock, and he lets out a strangled moan.

“Take it out.”

“An unclothed cock?” But I take pity on him and me. I’m dying to touch him for real. I undo the button and lower the zipper slowly. Pulling his pants down carefully over his erection. I want to tease him more. Touch him through his briefs. Mouth at his cock until the material is wet—except it’s already wet. And now I want to taste that?—

“Charlie,” he says in a strained voice.

I pull his briefs down, and holy monster cock. I use both hands to hold it, savoring the weight. The silky feel. The hardness underneath. How it pulses in my hand. “You have a beautiful cock.”

His eyes are shut as if he’s close. Just from me touching him. “Thank you.” The scent of his arousal is a jolt to my already hard cock.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admit, sounding stupid and young.

His eyes pop open. “You’ve never…?”

“No. I mean, yes. I know what to do. Not that I’ve done everything. But now, what I mean is I don’t know what I want to do. If this is…all we get…there’s so much I want to try.”

He kisses me, teasing me with his tongue until I’m desperate for more. “Whatever you want, Charlie,” he says, wrapping his hands around mine as he shows me how he likes to be stroked. And fuck, that’s so hot. “I’m not sure I can ever get enough of you.”

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