Chapter 10
TEN
EAMON
A sad Charles tugged on my heartstrings, and a stubborn Charles made me want to push him. But a happy, flirty Charles? One who gave as good as he got and smiled so seductively while doing it?
Deadly. Absolutely fecking deadly.
I wanted to kiss the shit out of him, then bend him over the nearest table and fuck him until he screamed.
Instead, I took another step back and forced myself to focus on something other than those plump, kissable lips. “What’s next?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
I gestured at the empty bakery. “You’re done for the day. Does that mean you go home? Or is there something else on the schedule?”
“Oh.” He looked surprised. “I wasn’t expecting you to…” He gestured. “You know.”
I frowned. What on Earth was he referring to? “I don’t, actually.”
“Oh,” he said again, and I watched as he processed that, his face showing a rapid succession of emotions.
First came confusion, his eyebrows drawing together as he tried to make sense of what I’d said.
Then understanding dawned, his eyes widening slightly as the implications hit him.
That was quickly followed by what appeared to be surprise.
“What were you expecting?” I prompted him when he didn’t elaborate.
“For you to tell me we were going home. I assumed that’s what you’d want.”
“Why?”
“Because it would be safer?”
Oh. It finally clicked. “You’ll be fine today. You’re not in any real danger until tomorrow.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “And you know this how?”
I could hardly tell him that El could see people’s intentions—though only if they were specific. “We’ve constructed a possible timeline for when Carlo will have figured out your identity.”
His eyes narrowed. “When?”
“Huh?”
“When did you create that timeline? You’ve been with me since the moment I told you. And I’m still confused how you could know all that without asking me for details.”
Fuck, he kept picking up on inconsistencies.
Maybe this was why Gabriel wanted us to run a scenario check before each mission.
He’d created endless checklists we were supposed to use to make sure we didn’t forget anything.
That our story didn’t have holes in it, and that we’d dotted all our Is and crossed all our Ts.
Hell no. I’d taken one good look at those checklists and decided it would be a cold day in hell before I used them.
“Right. I, erm, did that while you were…” My brain was racing. When had I been alone? Oh wait… “While you were sleeping. I stayed up and woke up way before you, remember? So I had a call with my boss, and we came up with a timeline together.”
I mentally crossed my fingers he would buy that story, and Christ on a bike, when had I become the type to hope and pray over whether someone believed my bullshit?
Funny thing was, I’d never cared much about lying to my protectees before.
Hell, I’d spun elaborate tales without a second thought, told whatever story would make my job easier.
Their opinion of me had been about as important as what I’d had for breakfast three centuries ago—completely irrelevant to getting the job done.
But with Charles, I did care. I cared a bloody lot, and that realization was more unsettling than I wanted to admit.
The thought of his displeasure, or far worse, his disapproval of me, sat like a stone in my stomach, heavy and uncomfortable and refusing to be ignored.
I didn’t want to see that trust in his blue eyes turn to suspicion, didn’t want him looking at me like I was another lying bastard who’d disappointed him.
He’d had enough of those in his life already.
When had this sweet baker become so important to me that the idea of losing his good opinion actually made me feel sick? When had I started caring more about what Charles Garrity thought of me than about following protocol or keeping things simple?
And more importantly, what the fuck was I supposed to do about it?
Charles’s expression relaxed. “Oh, okay. That makes sense. Yeah, you did tell me you don’t need much sleep.”
Sweet relief filled me. “Exactly.”
“So we’re still good today? To go out, I mean?”
“Yes, but you’ll be good tomorrow as well. I’m not gonna lock you up in your house, darling.”
“What on god’s green Earth are you talking about?” Dani asked, her hands on her hips. “Why would you want to lock Charles up? Why wouldn’t he be allowed to go somewhere? Just what kind of controlling asshole are you?”
Fuck. I’d completely forgotten about Dani’s presence.
And judging by the way Charles whipped around, his eyes wide, so had he.
She was his employee, however, so I’d leave this one to him to explain.
Charles wrung his hands, looking at me as if expecting me to answer. Nope, he was on his own for this one.
“We, erm… It’s part of a…” I could practically see Charles’s brain spin, trying to come up with something that sounded at least halfway plausible. “…of a game,” he said. “Yes, a game. Eamon and I have signed up for an online game together, and it starts tomorrow.”
Dani stared at him as if he’d proposed marriage to her, and honestly, I couldn’t blame her. Gabe had told me I sucked at lying, but clearly, Charles was even worse at it than I was.
“A game,” Dani repeated, incredulity lacing her voice. “An online game. You, who had to be talked into setting up social media accounts because you hated being online so much…”
Charles looked like he was being tortured, his pained expression tugging at my heartstrings enough that I came to his rescue. “I suggested it. I read about it on the internet, and it sounded like fun.”
Dani stared at me for a few seconds, then sighed. “Whatever. Just remember that he doesn’t like to post his face online.”
She was sweet to look out for him like that, and so I nodded. “Duly noted.”
I held out my hand to Charles, who looked like a kid who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Ready to go, sweetheart?”
He took my hand like a drowning man would reach for a life buoy. “Yes. Very ready.”
We hightailed it out of his bakery, and once we were out of sight, he slumped, standing still. “That was awful.”
“You mean your ability to lie? Yes, that was awful. You’ll have to work on that.”
“Work on that? I don’t want to become good at lying to my friends. Not a skill I’d be proud to acquire.”
“She’s your employee, not your friend.”
He dtopped my hand to put his hands on his hips. “She can’t be both?”
It wasn’t smart, but I refrained from telling him that. “Regardless, you’ll need to do better at selling our cover story.”
“I didn’t hear you come up with anything better.”
I shrugged. “She’s not my employee.”
“No, but you could’ve said something when you realized she was listening in on our conversation.”
I would have if I’d remembered she was there, but of course, I wasn’t gonna tell him that. But he must’ve seen something on my face because his eyes narrowed. “You forgot she was there as well.”
“I had my back to her! You were looking right at her.”
“I was focusing on you, okay? As is polite when in conversation.”
I flashed a grin at him. “So you’re saying that you were so enthralled that you couldn’t take your eyes off me?”
His cheeks flushed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I was merely giving you polite attention. The appropriate amount, I mean. Nothing more than that.”
My grin only widened. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”
“Ugh.” He all but stomped his right foot. “You’re insufferable, and so is your ego.”
“Both my ego and I are fine, but thank you.”
Aye, he was so cute when he was angry. His cheeks had gone that perfect shade of pink that made me want to kiss him senseless, and his blue eyes were practically sparking with indignation.
He’d puffed up like an offended cat, all bristling energy and wounded pride, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning like an idiot.
The way he held himself—shoulders squared, chin lifted defiantly—should have been intimidating, but on Charles, it looked adorable. Like a kitten trying to act fierce.
“Let’s go,” he said, not reaching for my hand again, so I did. He hesitated, and my eyes narrowed. He took it after all, and I nodded, satisfied that he’d chosen safety over his pride.
“Where are we going?” I checked. “You never cleared that up.”
“Home is fine.”
“I would feel better if we set up my presence a little stronger. I want people to see us together. Everyone needs to know you have a boyfriend.”
Was that true? Eh, partly. But the other part was that I knew that once we were inside, I’d have no more excuses to touch him, and I wasn’t ready to give up that perk yet.
“Oh.” Charles bit his lip. “I could give you a tour of Charming.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
He gave me a look that made me wonder if he saw straight through my excuse, but if he did, he didn’t say so.
“So, we call this section Wedding Row,” Charles said, gesturing at his bakery and the shops on either side.
“Solstice owns the flower shop, Dolly the bridal store, and Zane is a photographer who does a lot of weddings. Then there’s Brexon and Jace, who design wedding invitations, thank you cards, and anything else you need.
They also help you find wedding favors or special decorations.
And last, there’s Laura, our wedding planner.
She has an office in Brexon and Jace’s shop. ”
I blinked, processing all that. “Did you plan it like that?”
“No. Dolly’s store has been here forever, so when Zane wanted a physical spot to settle, he bought the building next to hers.
Then Solstice came with her flower shop, and it became a thing.
We all refer clients to each other and do a lot of promotion and advertising together, so it’s worked out well for all of us. ”
“Smart. And you said Solstice is your best friend, right? The one you didn’t want to lie to?”
“Yes, that’s her.”
“Okay, so why don’t we stop by her shop so you can introduce me?”