Chapter 65 Derrick #2
“When I need to clear my head, I take Maverick out and just ride,” Charlie explains.
“I can see why, it’s beautiful here.”
“Are you liking it?” he turns and asks me.
“Of course, it’s breathtaking. Your sisters are wonderful, and your friends are fun. I could even get used to shopping at Dragonfly’s,” I tease.
This makes him laugh. “But I sense a but …”
Guess we’re having this conversation right now. “My life is in LA, right now. I’ve finally gotten traction regarding my styling business. I’m busier than ever, have a great group of friends, but …” I let out a heavy sigh, “you’re not there.”
Charlie nervously bites his bottom lip. “Jackson contacted me again about moving to LA after Hawaii.”
Oh. I didn’t realize Jackson was still pursuing him and now I’m the nervous one. “And?”
“I’m considering it.”
This is news to me. I had no idea. “Really?”
He stops Maverick, turns his horse around so he’s facing me. “I am.”
“Not because of me, I hope.” Charlie’s face drops. “I didn’t mean it like that. Shit. I meant I don’t want to be your sole reason for moving out to LA, because I know you aren’t the biggest fan of it, and I don’t want you resenting me for taking you away from all this.”
Charlie gives me a smile. “You are a contributing factor regarding LA, but last night I overheard my sister talking to the girls, and they were grilling her about what she was doing with her life now that they think I’ve got mine together.
Which I kind of do, but I think I’ll always be a work in progress, but …
” he rambles, “… as you know, she wants to be an accountability coach.” It’s very Hollywood.
I know so many clients who could use one of them.
“Everly has been so fricken awesome with me, kicking my butt and motivating me to be better. I think she would be great, and the job title sounds very LA.”
“It does. I think there would be many people who would be seeking out her services.”
“That’s what I think too,” he says excitedly. “And I guess I was going to broach the subject after you left.” Oh. “I haven’t really thought much about it, but I wanted to get your opinion.”
“My opinion on moving to LA?” I ask. He nods.
“You need to do what feels right for you and no one else. If you’re worried that I can’t handle the long distance, I can.
I can cut back on my hours and work three days a week, one week a month, so I can come out and spend Friday to Monday with you.
I don’t want you to do something that could jeopardize your healing. ”
Charlie’s face lights up. “You’re genuinely worried about me?” he asks.
“Of course. You’ve come so far on your healing journey.
You’ve been so bloody strong and honest about everything, and I owe the same honesty back.
Please, don’t come just for me. As much as I would love nothing more than for you and me to be together in the same city, it has to be for you and no one else, not even Everly. ”
“I’m thankful for my family looking after me, but I need to start standing on my own two feet and making my own money again, and I think Jackson’s business might be the best place to start.
Being surrounded by people who have been through similar things to me, compared to other companies, who may not understand if one of us has a panic attack. ”
Hadn’t thought of it like that, but I could understand why that would be appealing. Charlie turns his horse around, and we start walking again, side by side.
“You’ve really been thinking about it?” I ask.
“I have.”
Silence falls between us as I look up and take in the majestic mountains surrounding us. “Are you sure about it, because LA looks a hell of a lot different than this?”
“It’s just a plane ride away, but I think it’s time I get back to the land of the living and look forward instead of looking back.” He looks over at me, giving me a shy smile. “You’re what I’m looking forward to.”
I bite my bottom lip at his sweetness. “I’m looking forward with you too.”
He reaches out and takes my hand and links our fingers together. “I’m all in, D, you me, and whatever will be.”
“I need that on a shirt.” I chuckle.
“I’m a poet and didn’t even know it,” he teases, rhyming again, which makes me laugh.
“You want to do this with me, then? You and me in LA building a future together,” I ask him, my heart thundering in my chest.
“You’re stuck with me because my heart is all yours.”
This guy just knows how to make me melt with his words.
I’ve never met anyone so open and honest when it comes to their feelings.
When you nearly lose your life, your perspective on life changes.
Something about this guy makes me let down all my walls and just dive headfirst for the first time in my life into a relationship with someone, and as scared as I am, I’m also not, because I don’t think he’s ever going to intentionally hurt me.
This gorgeous, sweet, humble, sexy, genuine man needs to be protected at all costs.
“My heart is all yours too,” I tell him.
“Yeah?” He seems surprised.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t think we’re moving too fast, the guys seem to think I am, but they did say I looked happier and relaxed with you, so they understood. While the girls are all in on us,” he confesses.
“My girls are all in, too. They think you calm me down.” I chuckle.
“They think I’m a good influence on you.” He smirks.
“Outside of the bedroom, they do,” I tease.
“Fuck, D. Do you know how hard it is to ride with a hard dick? It’s going to fucking get bruised.” He moans.
“Shall we turn around and head back so I can help with your problem?”
Charlie’s brows pull together in concern. “I wanted to show you more, but my dick aches.”
“Babe, I don’t need to see any more mountains. Once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, but what I do need is your dick.”
“You called me babe.”
“Guess I did.”
“I like it. I like being your babe.” He grins.
“I like you being my babe, too,” I say giddily.
“Fuck it, let’s get you home because seeing you on a horse is so fucking hot.” He groans as he tries to right his dick.
“While we are on the subject of babe …” I say, biting my lip as we trot back toward the house. “Stacey is getting married in Australia in a couple of weeks, and I was wondering if you wanted to be my date.”
“In Australia?” he asks. I nod. “With you?” Um, yeah. Now I’m worried, maybe weddings are a trigger. I thought he would be leaping for joy. “As your partner.” I nod, swallowing hard, then I notice his eyes glistening with emotion. “I’d be honored.”
“You would?” I ask, shocked because I was worried he wasn’t interested.
“Yes, of course.”
“I was worried there for a second,” I tell him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I was surprised by your question.”
“Surprised? After we’d just declared our feelings for each other.”
“Yeah. Because I still can’t believe someone like you wants someone like me,” he tells me.
“Charlie, you’re a fricken catch. I’m the one who can’t believe you want me. I’m a mess.”
“You’re not a mess, D. But we can be messes together.” He grins.
“I like that.”
“Me too. Sums us up.”
“You’re the Ying to my Yang,” I tease him.
“Are you saying we are opposites?”
“Um, yeah. We are so opposite. You’re like one of the manliest men I know.”
“You look pretty manly yourself.” He smirks, looking me up and down.
“I feel manly riding atop my steed, wearing flannel.” This cracks Charlie up laughing.
“Fuck, I love you, D.” We both still. “Shit … um … I wasn’t supposed to drop that just yet.” Charlie cringes.
“You love me?” I ask him.
“Please don’t freak out …”
“I’m not freaking out …” I’m kind of freaking out, but not in a bad way. I’m freaking out because how the hell did I get so lucky?
“You look like you’re freaking out.” Charlie looks at me with concern.
“Well, Charlie Nash, I’m not freaking out because I love you too.”
“Damn. Wow. You do?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not too quick?” he questions me.
“Probably, but I talk to you every single day. You have buried yourself so deep inside of me that I don’t think I can ever let you go.
My heart is yours, and whatever happens, happens.
But my feelings for you are real, Charlie.
No one has ever made me feel as safe as you do or as loved.
I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you love me,” I confess to him.
Tears well in the big guy’s eyes. “Dammit, D, that was beautiful.”
“No more holding back our feelings because we think we shouldn’t have them this early. This is our relationship, no one else’s, and we do whatever makes us happy.”
“Agreed.” Charlie smiles, wiping his tears away.
“You and me, babe, against the world,” I tell him.
“I’m all in,” he says back.