Chapter Eighteen Charlie
Chapter Eighteen
Charlie
Seeing Violet vulnerable did something to me.
I didn’t even think about it, I just leaned forward and pulled her onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her.
She was always so stoic and strong, and in a way it felt like a gift that she was comfortable enough with me to let me see this side of her.
I just held her there and let her cry it out.
Once her sobs had slowed, I took the opportunity to speak. “A wise woman once told me that you should always ask someone why they’re crying.”
She chuckled and sat up, looking at me with those pretty green eyes. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“Yes, you do. And maybe if you tell me, it’ll make you feel better. It worked for Harper that day you got her to tell you what was going on.” I stroked the hair from her face.
“It’s embarrassing, Charles. I’m a grown woman crying because I have a shitty family.” She shrugged, as if it was a relief to say it aloud.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. I have a shitty family too. We have no control of that. Tell me what happened.”
“I mean, how far back do you want to go?” She chuckled again before sniffing a few times and looking away.
Man, I fucking understood it more than she knew.
This shame that came with feeling like you weren’t good enough as a kid, something that followed you right into adulthood.
I reached for her chin and tipped it in my direction, meeting her gaze. “As far back as you want to go, Firefly.”
“So, my father is a piece of shit. He left my mom before I was born, and he has a whole new family, and I’m an outsider there.
A third wheel. My mother resents me for my father leaving us, and she’s a severe alcoholic, and my call with her tonight just reminded me that I don’t fit anywhere, you know?
” Her bottom lip shook, and I wrapped my hand around the back of her head and waited for her gaze to meet mine.
“And I’m so tired of trying to find my place, you know? ”
“Those don’t sound like people that you want to fit in with, right?
” I asked, choosing my words carefully. “You just haven’t found your people, Violet.
Anyone who makes you feel like you don’t belong, or like a third wheel.
Fuck them. You were clearly born to be a goddamn unicycle, and anyone who knows you knows that. ”
She studied me for the longest time, her smirk turning into the brightest smile. “A unicycle, huh?”
“Yeah, it sounds like your parents don’t see you. But I see you. The minute I met you, I knew you could ride solo. A firefly who lights up the sky all on her own.”
“Says the man who likes to ride solo himself. With his little girl in the sidecar.” She chuckled.
“Yeah, maybe that’s why we’re drawn to one another. We have more in common than we thought,” I said, using the pad of my thumb to stroke her jaw.
“Well, we both have messed-up childhoods. We’re stubborn and set in our ways,” she said, listing things off. “We both think Harper is the coolest kid around. We have the same taste in friends.”
“We’re both great kissers,” I said.
“Even if I sort of blew the ‘bang it out’ plan, huh?”
“You know, I don’t think that was really supposed to be our thing. I think you found a reason to call it off, and as much as I was disappointed, a part of me was relieved.” I regretted my choice of wording when I saw the way her face fell.
“Yeah, probably good that we don’t cross that line.”
“That’s not what I meant, Violet.” I waited for her eyes to find mine.
“I don’t want to bang anything out with you.
I mean, yeah, I’d like to bury myself so deep in you that I can’t see straight.
But I don’t think once will be enough for me.
I also don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen after.
If—and that’s only if you decide you want to go there—but if we did cross the line, I’d want to take my time.
I’d want to do it over and over until you didn’t want anyone but me. ”
Her eyes widened, breath quickening.
“I thought you didn’t do repeat customers?” she said, her voice low and hesitant.
As if she was afraid to ask the question.
“I don’t. I mean, I haven’t since Harper came into the world.
It’s just been me and her. But I also don’t question things that feel right.
And yes, you aggravate the hell out of me most days,” I said on a laugh.
“But I go to bed thinking about you. I wake up happy that you’re in my kitchen cooking breakfast. So, this is different.
I don’t know what it means. Maybe it’s something we do a couple times and it ends.
Maybe you’ll be sick of me after the first time.
But from where I’m coming from, I’d like to see where it goes, if you’re open to that.
One day at a time, Firefly. Maybe we get two days, maybe we get ten.
Hell, maybe we last longer than we can count before we want to murder each other. ”
She blinked a few times like she was processing my words.
Maybe this was too much for her.
“And there’s no pressure to do anything. I just wanted you to know that I was open to more than a ‘bang it out’ type of thing.” I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling like an asshole for saying anything. Maybe she wanted this to be done.
“Stop, Charles.” She put her finger to my lips. “I like you so much it makes me nervous. I prefer to be annoyed with you. It’s safer that way.”
I nodded. I understood it.
“I think you could like me and still be annoyed by me,” I said as I nipped at the tip of her finger.
She laughed and said, “I mean, this relationship is doomed. We tried to have a one-night stand, and I thought you were a serial killer. Then you came over here to spend some time with me, and I blubbered like a big baby.”
“Yet here we are. Still trying to figure it out,” I said.
“That was nice of you to come over tonight.”
“Yeah, I think I surprised Jeanne and Tim when I asked them if they were up for a sleepover. I wanted to spend some time with you.”
“How’d you know I wouldn’t be out on a date?” she asked, grinning.
In one swift move, I flipped her on her back on the couch, pinning her hands above her head. “Admit that you want me.”
She laughed hysterically as she squirmed beneath me. “It’s no secret that I want you, Charles.”
Her words were breathy and laced with need.
I thrust forward, letting her feel just how much I wanted her.
“Let’s give this a try. See where it goes. No pressure. No expectations.”
“Assuming we don’t kill one another,” she said teasingly.
“If it all blows up in our faces, then we’ll be right back where we were. We’re grown-ups—we can handle it.”
“That’s true. We’d just go back to being friends who fight,” she said.
“Sure.”
“Then stop torturing me and kiss me already.” Her hands tangled in my hair, and I leaned down and claimed her mouth.
Her lips parted immediately, and my tongue slipped inside.
There was a hunger this time as her tongue tangled with mine, and my hips moved up and down as she met me thrust for thrust.
Grinding against my cock, all hot and needy.
A little moan escaped her lips, and I nearly came right there.
I pulled back, her wild gaze searching mine. “It’s been a while for me.”
She smirked as a smile spread across her face. Her hand moved to my cheek. “It’s been a while for me too. I’m as eager as you are.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said, clearing my throat as she sat forward and held her arms out.
I tugged her robe open before pushing it off her shoulders as her fingers fumbled with the buttons of my flannel.
I was not a patient man, especially when it came to Violet Beaumont.
I grabbed the sides of my shirt and tore it open as the buttons bounced on the wood floor beneath us.
My fingers traced over her pretty pink nipples as goose bumps spread across her golden skin.
“If you knew how many times I’ve fantasized about these perfect tits.”
“How did you know they were perfect if you hadn’t seen them?” Her voice was heavy with desire.
I just stared down at her beautiful body. “I just knew. Look at you, Firefly. Prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”
Her breath caught as I leaned down, taking one hard peak between my lips and flicking it with my tongue. I could get lost in these tits for hours, but my dick had other ideas as he strained hard against the zipper of my jeans, threatening to tear right through the denim.
“Tell me you brought a condom,” she panted.
I moved to her other breast, wanting to give them equal attention, before pulling back to look at her. “I came prepared.”
I unbuttoned my jeans as she pushed up on her elbows and watched. I kicked off my shoes and shoved my jeans and briefs down my legs before pushing them out of the way. My dick sprang free, and Violet’s eyes widened.
“Of course you have a perfect penis.” She smiled.
“Yeah?” I asked as I stroked my cock a few times before kneeling between her thighs.
“Condom.” Her breaths came quick.
“Not so fast. There’s something I need to do first,” I said, moving down the couch a little bit, gripping her ankles and hooking them over my shoulders. “I need to taste this sweet pussy of yours. I can’t wait another second.”
I buried my head between her thighs, and her fingers were tangled in my hair as I licked and sucked all that sweetness.
“Goddamn, woman.” I pulled my head up. “I could die a happy man right here.”
“You best not die before we finally have sex, Charlie Huxley,” she groaned as she pulled my head back down.
I slipped my tongue inside, and she nearly arched off the couch as she bucked against me. I fucked her with my tongue as my thumb found her clit and I teased her relentlessly. Taking her right to the edge, and pulling back. Over and over.
“Charlie! Please!” she groaned.
I pulled back. Locking my lips over her clit and sliding a finger into all her warmth. And then a second. I pumped in and out as I sucked hard, and she cried out my name on a gasp.
Violet Beaumont coming with my face buried between her thighs was something that would forever be ingrained in my brain.
Her body shook and quaked as she yanked on my hair and ground up against me.
It was the hottest thing I’d ever experienced.
Once her breathing calmed, I pulled my fingers out and sucked off every last drop. I sat back, looking down at her lying there sated and relaxed.
Her skin flushed, lips plump and eyes hazy.
I reached down for my jeans on the floor and pulled out my wallet, where I found the gold foil packet inside.
“I want to do it,” she said, taking it from my hand and tearing off the top. Her tongue swiped out along her bottom lip, and I squeezed my eyes closed as my head fell back.
“You can’t look at my dick and lick your lips and expect me to keep it together,” I grunted.
She rolled the latex over my length. “Maybe I don’t want you to keep it together. Maybe I want you to lose yourself in me the way I just did with you.”
I wanted to take my time with her. Wanted to explore every inch of that gorgeous body. But my dick couldn’t be trusted. I wrapped an arm around her back and tugged her forward as I leaned back on the other end of the couch. “You’re going to ride me and set the pace.”
Her teeth sank into her juicy bottom lip, and I tucked her hair behind her ear.
“I can do that,” she said. She pushed up on her knees, lining the tip of my dick up with her entrance. She moved down slowly, gasping at the size and squeezing her eyes closed.
“Take your time, beautiful. There’s no rush.”
She nodded, lacing her fingers with mine. And she moved slowly, inch by glorious inch. I tugged her head down, wanting her mouth on mine.
Needing her mouth on mine.
I kissed her, my fingers tangling in that wild mane of waves.
And she slid down farther.
My mouth never leaving hers.
She pulled back once I was all the way in, squeezing my dick like some kind of vise.
Nothing had ever felt better.
Her hands found the back of my thighs as she leaned back and slid up my cock before gliding back down. It was slow at first. My hands found her tits, and I sat forward, wrapping my mouth around a nipple.
Taking turns going back and forth as she found her rhythm.
As we found our rhythm together.
I fell back against the couch as she moved faster.
Lips plump and swollen from where I’d kissed her.
Tits bouncing.
Fucking perfection.
I gripped her hips as her head fell back.
Faster. Harder. Needier.
My hand found her clit, knowing what she needed. She cried out my name, and I thrust forward.
Once.
Twice.
And I followed her right over the edge.
Lights flashing behind my eyes as a feral sound left my mouth.
I came hard as we both continued riding out every last bit of pleasure.
Because nothing had ever felt better.