Chapter Twenty-Four Charlie
Chapter Twenty-Four
Charlie
I’d never been a romantic guy. The few women I’d dated before I had Harper had let me know that.
But home renovations were my thing, and I wanted to make this perfect for Violet. She’d worked hard to buy her first home, and then having it flood shortly after had been upsetting, to say the least.
So I’d asked Montana to help me first thing this morning, and we’d spent several hours pulling it all together to surprise her.
All the guys had shown up to help me get the furniture in the right places. Montana then directed us about where to put everything, and where to hang everything as well.
“Charlie,” Violet whispered when she saw the chandelier hanging over the kitchen counter.
Yes, she’d changed her mind multiple times, and I’d hung the second one two weeks ago.
But then last week she’d sent me a photo from an antique store of yet another chandelier.
She said that she’d never seen anything in her life that was more perfect for the kitchen.
I’d of course acted annoyed and told her we were done hanging light fixtures, and she hadn’t purchased it.
But I’d gone down the next morning and bought it for her and hung it up yesterday.
“I hope that’s still the most perfect chandelier you’ve ever seen for the kitchen, because I swear I’m not changing it again.” I chuckled.
She lunged herself at me and wrapped her arms around me. Her body started shaking, and I realized she was crying.
“Hey, it’s a chandelier. It’s not that big of a deal. I agree it’s perfect for the space.”
She pulled back and swiped at her tears. “That was really nice of you. Really, really nice of you.”
“Maybe we’re both nicer than we think. You did blow up a couple hundred balloons for Harper’s birthday.”
She smiled and swiped at her cheeks. “Damn straight. I don’t know if you know this, but Denise Quigley is still talking about that birthday party.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I heard you and Harps whispering about it last night.”
“Hey, Denise Quigley knows the truth. Harper Huxley had the best party in town.”
I shook my head as she walked around the island to check out all the details. She’d seen a lot of the finished work, but with everything moved in, it felt more like a home.
“I love this green range so much. The brass hardware just gives it such a vintage vibe. It just all looks so good put together.”
“You’ve got a really good eye. I think you could easily flip homes for a living if you weren’t busy planning weddings,” I said.
“Coming from Charlie Huxley, that’s quite a compliment. I know how particular you are about your finishes.” She paused at the built-in banquette. “Oh my gosh. You put the cushions on. How good does this look?”
“Gorgeous,” I said, but I was looking at her. Not the banquette. I’d seen enough of that already.
She took her time going through the space, admiring the built-ins in the family room.
Taking in the sconces and light fixtures.
She was thrilled with the way the guest room had come together with the shiplap on the walls and the curtain panels she’d picked for the space.
She paused in the laundry room and squealed when she saw the light fixture that had been moved in there, along with the custom cabinets I’d built and painted a sage green for her.
She reminded me how much she loved the wainscotting in the bathroom, because it looked perfect with the vintage vanity she’d found, which we’d added a sink to.
Her home could easily be featured in a magazine. It was detailed and stylish and very unique.
She’d poured her heart into every inch of the design, and it showed.
I’d been the dick who was annoyed by all the changes, but in the end, she’d been spot on with everything.
“All right, the last thing to see is my bedroom.” She winked, which made me laugh.
I wrapped my arms around her, putting her back to my chest as we walked toward the door.
“Open it.”
She pushed the door open, and she laughed. “What in the world is this?”
“The balloon fairy must have come to welcome you to the neighborhood.”
“Charlie,” she said, pushing out of my embrace and kicking a few balloons as she laughed some more. “This has to be three hundred balloons in here.”
“It’s two hundred and ninety-eight,” I said dryly. “Two popped on the drive over.”
“When did you do this?”
“I stayed up until three a.m. blowing these damn things up. And you had sexted me some dirty message before you went to bed, so I got stuck doing these with a bad case of blue balls. And you weren’t kidding about the scars on the fingers.
Tying this many balloons is a huge pain in the ass.
” I held out my hands to show her my blisters.
“I’ve built custom wall systems that left my hands in less pain than these damn balloons. ”
She ran her fingers over my hands, soothing in every way. “Balloons are no joke. That fairy must have thick skin, huh?”
“I had to hide them from you and Harper, so I loaded them into the truck in the middle of the night.”
“With a bad case of blue balls.” She had a goofy smile on her face.
“I’ll live. It’s worth it to see you smile like this. I wanted you to know that the fairy showed up for you too.”
“You’re full of surprises, Charles.” She sighed. “And I think we should rectify this whole blue balls situation.”
Before I could respond, she dropped to her knees right there in the middle of a pile of a couple hundred green and peach balloons.
“You don’t need to rectify anything.” My voice was already gruff at the sight of her down on her knees. “I’m fine.”
But she was already undoing my belt and unzipping my jeans while looking up at me with this heated gaze like she wanted this as much as I did.
She had my briefs down in a matter of seconds, and my dick sprang free, already rock hard.
“Fuck,” I grunted as she circled the tip with her tongue and her hand wrapped around the base, stroking me a few times.
She looked up at me one last time before she wrapped her lips around me and took me in.
Inch by glorious inch.
Her lips gliding up and down my shaft as she took me deeper.
Fuck me. Nothing had ever felt better.
Her tongue swirled around as my tip hit the back of her throat.
My hands tangled in her hair as I groaned and moaned with every movement.
Harder.
Faster.
My eyes fell closed as my hips bucked into her mouth and she met me thrust for thrust.
I tugged at her hair because I couldn’t hold on for another second.
I was there.
So fucking there.
“Violet,” I shouted in warning, but she just kept going.
A guttural sound left my mouth as I went over the edge, coming harder than ever before.
And she stayed right there.
Taking every last drop.
My breaths were coming hard and fast, and I stroked the hair away from her face until my breathing slowed.
She pulled back, making a popping sound as my dick left her lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled up at me, and I swear I’d never seen anything sexier.
“That was fucking amazing,” I said, my voice gruff.
“Blue balls all gone?”
“You found the cure, baby.” I chuckled, pulling her to her feet.
“Thanks for doing all this,” she said as I tucked myself back in and buttoned my jeans.
I scooped her up over my shoulder fireman-style, catching her off guard. I tossed her on the bed and hovered above her. “You don’t get to do that without me returning the favor.”
“You kind of rebuilt my house and moved me back in. I’d say we’re more than even, Charles,” she purred.
“Not even fucking close. Lift this skirt up. Now,” I demanded as I pulled her booties from her feet and tossed them on the floor. She had her skirt hiked up, and I reached down and tore away the scrap of lace in one swoop.
She gasped. “Did you just tear my panties?”
“I sure as fuck did.” I smiled down at her. “I just watched you take my cock between your lips over and over. We’re not going anywhere until I bury my face between these thighs and you come on my lips.”
Her eyes widened. “For a man of few words, you sure say the right ones.”
“I’ll replace the panties. Spread those legs for me, baby.”
She did as I asked, her chest rising and falling. I was already hard as steel again. I licked from one end to the next before I devoured every inch of her. Licking and sucking as she writhed beneath me.
“Charlie, Charlie,” she panted as she tugged at my hair.
I slipped my tongue inside, knowing just what she needed. She bucked against me with a fury.
Her thighs tightened around me.
A gasp left her mouth, and her body quaked.
And she went right over the edge as I licked every drop that she gave me.
I couldn’t get enough.
I lifted my head and smiled at her as I climbed up next to her and pulled her onto my chest.
“You really are a cuddler, aren’t you?”
“I don’t get to do this often, because you never sleep in my bed,” I said, because I loved giving her shit. But the truth was, I wanted more.
She pushed up on her elbows and looked at me. “Do you want me in your bed, Charlie Huxley?”
“I do.”
“When Harper’s at school?” she asked.
“No. I think it’s time to tell Harper that we’re dating.” I tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Why?”
“Because I’m fucking crazy about you. And I know it’s scary. This is not the norm for me. But I’m not running from something good just because I’m scared. Can you say the same?” I asked.
“Maybe I’m fucking crazy about you too,” she said, smiling.
“So we’ll talk to her, and that way we won’t have to sneak around. I am allowed to date, you know. I’m a grown man.”
She chuckled. “If you tire of me, I’m not giving Harper up.”
“Why would you say that?” I asked. “I won’t tire of you, Violet. It’s not my style. I want this. I haven’t wanted this for a very long time. But I do. And I want you to trust it. To trust me. To trust what you’re feeling.”
Her gaze was wet with emotion. She put her hand on her heart. “I’m feeling so much, and it terrifies me.”
“I know it does. But I promise it’ll be okay. You’ve got to trust in something, Firefly. Not everyone is going to hurt you.” I’d never spoken to a woman like this before, but I’d never had a connection with a woman like this before.
We were more alike than we wanted to admit.
Both of us so guarded.
But I didn’t want to guard myself against her.
She made me feel things I didn’t know I could feel.
“I know you don’t want to hurt me, Charlie,” she whispered. “And I don’t want to do anything to hurt you or Harper.”
“Then don’t run. That’s the only thing that will hurt us. Just stay right here.”
She looked down at me. “Okay. I’m going to stay right here.”
“So, we’re doing this.” I tugged her back down on my chest. “It only took thirty-five chandelier changes and four hundred balloons, and she’s finally agreed to stay.”
Her body shook with laughter.
“You’re hilarious,” she said.
“Tell me how the meeting with Pissy and Velveeta went,” I asked.
Her head shot up. “Wow. You are definitely Team Violet.”
“Damn straight, woman.”
She settled back down on my chest and told me all about her call. About the comment Missy had made about the hotel room in New York when a family vacation had been planned, but she was expected to pay for herself while her other siblings were paid for. I was appalled at the way they’d treated her.
I fucking hated them for doing that to her.
I could picture a young Violet, all stoic and brave, acting like her shield would protect her, but I knew she probably went home and cried alone that night.
I was enraged on her behalf.
“It felt good to remind her of how it all went down,” Violet said.
“You aren’t one to usually hold back. What is it about your family that’s different?” I asked.
She tipped her head up to look at me. “I think that as a kid, I just felt like I didn’t fit in, and I probably thought it was due to something I’d done.
I don’t know. I figured my dad rejected me because there was something wrong with me.
” She sighed. “But now that I’m older, I realize it has nothing to do with me.
I was a baby when he left. And I sure as hell am not going to apologize for being born. ”
“Damn straight. I’m guessing your stepmom just resents the fact that he had a family before her. But I can’t imagine turning my back on Harper just because I met someone else. There’s nothing that would ever make me walk away from my baby girl,” I said.
She nodded. “Yeah. Seeing the way you are as a father has really opened my eyes. He’s not the victim in the situation.
He’s a weak man who hasn’t stepped up for me.
I don’t respect that. And I don’t need to try to make something work when it’s terrible.
What am I even fighting for? They can take me or they can leave me.
I don’t need my father’s love to survive. I’ve survived a long time without it.”
“Trust me when I tell you, it’s his loss.”
“The tricky part is that I have siblings that I love. And they have a different relationship with my father and Missy, so it makes things a little more complicated.”
“I get that. But you can have boundaries for what you’ll tolerate,” I said.
She smiled. “I can’t believe we’re talking about this stuff. Especially after the orgasms.”
I laughed and said, “I’m glad you’re sharing this with me.”
“It’s a lot, Charles. But we’re not talking about them anymore, because today is a happy day. Especially after this epic surprise.” She blew out a breath. “So, you either need to feed me now, or I’m going to get up and ride you like a stallion.”
“Can I take both?” I asked.
“Good answer.” She laughed as she moved on top of me.
My fingers interlaced with hers, and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell her how I felt.
I am in love with Violet Beaumont.
But it wasn’t the time to tell her just yet.