Chapter 38
DECLAN
The early-morning light wakes me. I slept well, even if only for a few hours.
Charlie lays next to me, her breath even as she dreams. Her bare shoulder begs to be kissed, but I don’t want to wake her.
I get up and put on my boxers before tiptoeing downstairs. I find my undershirt and put that on too.
I set about making breakfast and discover there is oatmeal. And that is it.
Another check of cabinets reveals some peanut butter and a tin can of coffee. It’s not decaf so I know Charlie may refuse it, but I certainly need the caffeine.
After yesterday, there is so much for my brain to unpack. The largest topic on my mind is Charlie. She’s the one who has taking up more and more of my headspace the last few weeks. And now it seems – my heart.
I’m happy. I’m smiling and my face hurts from it because I’m not the kind of person who smiles for no reason. My brain is already forming daydreams of future nights with her, of dates and dinners, and all the things I’ve avoided for years because no one else was worth the risk.
I’m happy and that terrifies me. Giving into each other last night has shifted the world. What if the Order targets Charlie? What if they get to her? What if in trying to protect the world Charlie is at risk? Or what if I save Charlie but other people are harmed?
I need to go for a ride on my bike. I do my best thinking there. Charlie isn’t a problem to solve. My fears are.
I set the drip coffee to brew when I hear a buzz coming from the living room. I walk over to find my phone rattling on the corkboard and laminate coffee table.
It’s Oliver. “Go for Davidson,” I say at my usual volume and then wince. I don’t want to wake Charlie and the echo in here is kind of ridiculous.
“Declan, we have a new piece of information. One of the stewards on Castillo’s yacht let us know they’re about to dock in Ostia, Italy.”
“That port gets them close to Rome,” I confirm.
“Exactly. Apparently, they’ll be docked for over a week,” Oliver continues, not mentioning or commenting that my voice is now much quieter.
I nod and turn round at the sound of Charlie stirring in the loft. “So Castillo will be at the World Games to either carry out the attack or act as an alibi for the secondary attack.”
“Or both,” Oliver answers. “Let’s all regroup later this morning at headquarters. Let’s say two hours from now?”
“Will do,” I confirm.
“Can you pick up Charlie from the safehouse on your way in?” he asks, as I watch the woman in question delicately descend the spiral stairs wearing only the oversized T-shirt I watched her take off last night.
I can’t help but stare at her legs as she takes careful steps.
When she reaches the bottom stair, she looks over at me with a smile before blushing and biting her lip.
My mouth is dry, my tongue glued in place.
My expression must give away my thoughts.
“Uh yeah, I’ll pick her up,” I lie after clearing my throat.
Oliver disconnects the line and I make my way over to Charlie, who is pouring two glasses of water in the kitchen.
I offer a “good morning,” before I plant a kiss on her head.
She smiles as she twists her hair at the nape of her neck. “Morning.”
“Sorry I woke you up,” I admit.
Charlie brushes this off and starts to assess the breakfast options. I make a bland bowl of oatmeal while Charlie not so elegantly dips a spoon into the jar of peanut butter and begins to nibble at it.
“How are you this morning?” I ask, knowing this open-ended question could refer to any number of things. Physically. Mentally. Does she feel safe? Does she regret last night?
“Well, I do feel protected in this safehouse, but I think that has more to do with the company than the building,” she admits. “I’d give your personal security services a five-star rating, but I’d rather keep you all to myself, so maybe I’d lie and post a one-star.”
That smart mouth of hers. I give her ass a little tap, making her squeal and jump lightly.
Best possible answer.
“Oliver is already up with fresh intel,” I tell her.
I relay the updates, and as I do, the twinkle in her eyes dims. The call from Oliver has burst our bubble.
Last night, we forgot about everything outside the walls of the safehouse.
It was nice to forget that danger was circling.
To forget the potential consequences of our missteps in stopping the Order.
Charlie is brooding, the shadows forming again in her mind. I can’t protect her from it forever. We have to face what is going on.
For a few more minutes, I can keep her distracted, though. Keep myself distracted.
“Any chance we can get some fresh clothes for me?” Charlie asks.
“I prefer this outfit,” I tell her, which elicits an eye roll from Charlie, as she takes another spoonful of peanut butter.
“Somehow I don’t think Uncle Ollie will approve.” We’re both talking round the elephant in the room: the big question of “what are we now?” Because it’s too soon and there’s so much at stake outside of this safehouse for us to figure out first. Are we coworkers with benefits? Or something more?
“There should be more options upstairs,” I tell her as I pour out some coffee. “We can get some decaf for you on the way in. After we discuss the fresh intel this morning, I’ll go with you to sweep your place.”
Charlie takes all of this information in.
She takes a slow and deliberate lick of the peanut butter on her spoon. This captures all of my attention. My exhausted and overworked member twitches in my boxers, somehow ready to go again.
Charlie mindlessly takes another lick; I don’t think she is doing this intentionally, but it’s driving me mad. All I can think of is how we used our tongues last night, how we tasted one another. How I long to taste her again.
I step closer and put my hands on her arms. “Charlie, today we’re going to get a plan together, OK?”
She nods, accepting this.
“And then, after this long but productive day –” I pause and Charlie glances up at me with her clear blue eyes – “I’m going to take you to dinner.”
A smile more brilliant than the sunrise breaks across her face. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I confirm. “If I’m going to break a rule, I’m going to break it the best way I know how.” Then I move my mouth right next to her ear and whisper, “But if you lick your spoon like that one more time, I’m going to have to take you right here.”
My eyes move in time to catch her face flush, her coy grin fighting back.
She lifts her spoon to her mouth and slowly and deliberately licks it, cocking her eyebrow, daring me to make good on my threat.
I shake my head and mutter, “Insatiable.”
I set my mug down delicately and then with both hands grab her hips and place her on the kitchen counter. Her spoon clatters to the floor, but I don’t care. My lips are on hers and her legs wrap round my waist.
This incredible woman: headstrong in the streets, playful in the sheets.
Her mouth tastes like peanut butter and I want to devour her. Our tongues glide together. I move my hips so she can feel how hard I am for her. How much I want her again. The sound that releases from her mouth sends me to another level of carnal need.
“Charlie,” I say as I kiss her neck and grab her ass.
This ass I’ve been fantasizing about for a month now.
This ass that I want to explore and pleasure.
“Last night I worshipped the goddess that you are.” She sighs at my words and melts in my hands.
“I think this morning I have no choice but to fuck you.”
I let the word ring loud and clear, echoing in the safehouse.
Charlie’s breath hitches before she gives my neck a little love bite.
I slap her ass with my whole hand, lightly but enough to make a loud sound.
She yelps playfully in my arms. Then, as expertly as I can, I grab her thighs and tell her to “hang on.” I lift her from the counter and climb the stairs up to the loft with her balanced against my hips.
She nips at my neck the whole way there.
Once we’re at the foot of the bed, I lean forwards and release her.
She flops onto the bed with a bounce, exposing her naked body beneath the borrowed T-shirt.
Charlie lets out an excited giggle before I climb on top of her.
“If this is how you punish me for being a bad girl, I don’t think I’ll have much incentive to be good ever again.”
“Noted,” I say with a wink before I lean back and kneel between her legs.
Could it be that her excitement and eagerness are symptoms of the same thing I have?
The same feelings being reciprocated? If it is, then it’s a miracle.
That in this callous world with weapons and war and waste we ever found each other.
Silently, I vow to never let go of this moment, of her.
I savor the view before I touch her hips and use my hands to roll her over. I lower myself and take a playful light bite of her butt cheek.
Charlie wiggles and moans.
I kiss my way up her back slowly, taking my time.
When I reach her neck, Charlie is smiling.
She is enjoying this. Which is good. I like knowing that she wants to play a little with me, that we can put the outside world out of our minds and focus on this.
I move my body to grind against hers, my dick rock hard and ready to go again.
“Ross, I’ve had this exact fantasy about you,” I whisper in her ear. She exhales a sweet moan as my hand slides between her legs. “I’m going to take my time and enjoy this,” I tell her.
Her hips move into mine; we already know each other so well and connect so perfectly.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
“Yes,” Charlie says with a tilt of her hips, inviting me to take her from behind.
With that one word, I plunge into her and show her that I am a man of my word.