Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHARLIE
“ H ey, Em, did you want to order in for dinner tonight?” I called out, hearing footsteps on the stairs. “I was thinking maybe?—”
The words died in my throat as I stepped into the hallway and caught sight of Emma, a vision in emerald green. The dress we’d bought earlier hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating the swell of her belly and the fullness of her breasts. Her dark hair cascaded in soft waves around her shoulders, and her makeup emphasised her already glowing features.
I swallowed hard, trying to school my features before she noticed me drooling. “Wow. You look... incredible.”
Her lips curved into a smile, a calculated glint in her eye. “Thank you. I’m glad you approve.”
Something about her tone set me on edge. “So, uh, where are you headed? Meeting Mona for dinner?”
She paused at the bottom of the stairs, studying me intently. “Actually, I have a date.”
Had the world tilted on its axis?
“A date?” I repeated, certain I’d misheard.
“Yes, a date.” She lifted her chin slightly, a defiant glint in her brown eyes. “Is there a problem with that?”
Who could she be going on a date with? When did this happen? How had I missed it?
“I... no, of course not.” I struggled to keep my voice even. “I guess I’m surprised. You didn’t mention anything earlier.”
Emma shrugged, adjusting her purse strap. “It came up rather suddenly. I didn’t think it required a formal announcement.”
The casual way she dismissed my concern only fuelled the fire building inside me. I clenched my fists, trying to rein in the emotions threatening to spill over.
“So, who’s the lucky guy?” I asked, aiming for nonchalance and missing by a mile.
“Does it matter?”
“Of course, it matters,” I snapped, my control slipping. “You’re pregnant, Emma. With my child. I think I have a right to know who you’re spending time with.”
Her eyes flashed dangerously. “A right? I wasn’t aware my personal life required your approval, Charlie.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Only that’s exactly what I’d meant. Fuck.
I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “I’m just concerned. Dating during pregnancy can be complicated. There are risks to consider, potential complications?—”
“Spare me the lecture,” Emma said, her voice sharp. “I’m well aware of my condition and the risks involved. I’m not some helpless damsel who needs you to make decisions for me.”
Her words stung, but I pressed on. “I never said you were helpless. I’m trying to look out for you and the baby. Is that so wrong?”
Her laugh lacked any trace of humour. “If you really wanted to look out for me, you wouldn’t have spent the last month avoiding me like I had the plague.”
Her accusation hit me like a physical blow. “Avoiding you? I haven’t been?—”
Only I had.
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “One minute you’re all attentive and caring, telling me how beautiful I am, and the next, you can barely stand to be in the same room with me. Do you have any idea how confusing that is?”
I opened and closed my mouth, searching for a response. Had I really been that transparent?
“I don’t understand,” I finally managed. “If you’ve been feeling this way, why didn’t you say something?”
Emma’s eyes blazed. “Why should I have to? We’re both adults, Charlie. We’re living together, about to have a child together. I shouldn’t have to spell out the obvious attraction and chemistry between us.”
My breath caught. She’d felt it too? All this time, I thought I’d been hiding my growing feelings, but apparently, I’d done a piss-poor job of it.
“Em, I?—”
“No,” she cut me off, taking a step closer. “You don’t get to make excuses. You’ve been sending mixed signals for weeks, and I’m tired of it. I have every right to see whoever I want.”
The implication behind her words hit me hard. My mind conjured images of Emma with another man, touching her, kissing her. Rage and possessiveness surged through me.
“So that’s what this is about?” I growled, closing the distance between us. “You’re that desperate to get laid?”
“How dare you!” I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. “Jesus, Emma, do you have any idea how hard it’s been to keep my hands off you? Every day, watching you walk around in those skin tight yoga leggings, stealing my shirts and parading yourself around the house, flaunting a body I’m not allowed to touch.” I ground my teeth. “It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to pin you against the nearest wall and show you exactly how interested I am.”
Her breath hitched, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “Then why didn’t you? Why have you been pushing me away?”
“Because I’m trying to do the right thing!” I exploded.
We stood there, chests heaving, the air between us crackling with tension.
“What if we could satisfy our physical needs without any new strings?” Emma asked.
I swallowed hard. “Meaning what?”
“We could try a friends-with-benefits agreement of sorts.
“You’re suggesting we sleep together... casually?”
She nodded. “It would allow us to deal with this tension between us while still maintaining our focus on the baby.”
“Are you sure that’s what you really want? I... I want you to feel comfortable here,” I said carefully. “Not like you owe me anything or have to do things just because I want them.”
“I do. Plus this way, we can both get what we clearly need without pressure.” Emma studied me, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Do you think you could handle that? Just sex, no strings attached?”
I nodded, trying to project confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “I think it’s worth a try. It’s got to be better than this constant push and pull between us, right?”
A slow grin stretched her lips. “Exactly.”
“Okay.”
“So we’re doing this?” she asked, a glint of triumph flickering in her eyes.
“Yes.”
My brain short-circuited. What the fuck had I just agreed to and why did I feel like it was going to backfire on me?
“Are you sure?” I asked, giving her one last chance to back out. “We don’t have to?—”
Emma cut me off by closing the distance between us and pressing her lips to mine. The kiss was hard, desperate, months of pent-up desire pouring out in a single moment of contact. My hands found her waist, pulling her as close as her pregnant belly would allow as I deepened the kiss, tasting the sweet gloss on her lips.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, her eyes were dark with desire.
A low growl escaped me as I bent and captured her lips again, walking her backwards until her back hit the wall. My hands roamed her body, savouring the curves I’d been admiring from afar for so long. Her fingers tangled in my hair, tugging lightly in a way that sent shivers down my spine.
I trailed kisses along her jaw, down her neck, revelling in the soft sighs and gasps she made. When I reached the sensitive spot just below her ear, she sighed happily. Her belly brushed against my abdomen, reminding me that this time wouldn’t be like New York. It sobered me slightly. I pulled back, meeting her gaze.
“Are you absolutely sure about this?” I asked, my voice husky with desire. “We can stop if you want. No pressure.”
She cupped my face in her hands, her eyes soft but determined. “If you stop, I might murder you in your sleep. So get fucking on with it!”
Those words broke the last of my restraint. I scooped her up in my arms, earning a surprised squeak, and carried her towards the stairs.
“What are you doing?” Emma laughed, her arms looping around my neck.
“Taking you to bed.” My lips found hers again as I carefully ascended the stairs. “Unless you have any objections?”
She shook her head, nipping at my bottom lip. “None whatsoever.”