Chapter 27
27
MIRANDA
“ Y ou have to see the space needle.” Samantha tucked her arm around Austin’s waist and grinned at me with wide, expressive eyes shining so full of love for my brother that a lump formed in my throat. “Austin took me there for our first date.”
“Oh really?” I elbowed Austin. “Sounds like you’re learning how to treat a woman.”
“Shut up.” He elbowed me back. “I told you we shouldn’t bring her. She’s worse than ever, especially because she knows how much I like you.”
“I think it’s sweet.” Samantha rose onto her tiptoes and kissed Austin’s cheek.
“I think she’s a menace.” He softened in Samantha’s hold, the glare he shot my way not even close to being real. We’d become so used to fake arguing with each other to show affection that sometimes we forgot to warn people that we didn’t hate each other, even though it sounded that way sometimes.
I rolled my eyes and walked a little ahead of them so they’d have privacy for kissing. We’d been all across the downtown area, with Austin and Samantha acting as my tour guide. They talked like they were trying to convince me to move to Washington, and I had to admit–even if just to myself–that I was a little bit tempted.
Samantha skipped up to walk beside me. Her pink hair was knotted in a high bun that poked straight up on top of her head. She wore a matching pink jumpsuit and pink sandals, with oversized sunglasses and dangly earrings. Of all the women I’d seen Austin with through the years, which really wasn’t that many, Samantha made him the happiest.
“Look who it is.” Austin power walked past us, cutting into a courtyard with iron tables and cute umbrellas offering shade. He grabbed a man by the shoulder and pulled him to his feet. “I didn’t know you’d be out this way, Charlie.”
My heart sputtered, then raced. I’d tried to stop thinking about Charlie, especially after my glorious night with Duncan. He’d driven me back to Austin’s, kissed me in front of the door, and said goodnight in the kind of sultry voice that begged me to invite him in for the rest of the night. Running into Charlie brought up all the emotions I’d tried to ignore.
Charlie scuffed his sneakered toe in the concrete and glanced my way. “Decided to go out for dinner.”
“You should join us. We’re about to walk down to the pier.” Austin motioned toward Pier 57 in the distance. “Miranda is getting cranky. Maybe you can cheer her up.”
“I’m not cranky.” I groused and whined for added effect. “Stop treating me like an annoying little sister.”
“But you are an annoying little sister.” Austin rolled his eyes. “Please, Charlie. Do me a solid here.”
“Sure.” Charlie agreed a little quicker than I thought he would and moved around Austin to stand beside me. “Guess you’re getting the grand tour. Has he taken you to the art museum?”
My mind flashed back to Duncan’s house and the art lining his walls. My cheeks heated, and I prayed Charlie blamed it on the warm air blowing up from the ocean. “Yep. And the flight museum.”
“Amateur.” Charlie scoffed good-naturedly.
“Right?” I fell into step with him, keeping a few feet between us and Austin and Samantha where they strode ahead.
Austin took Samantha’s hand and laced their fingers together. Warmth infused my chest at the sight of my brother finding happiness. He’d looked long enough, and I genuinely liked Samantha. Her bubbly personality and quirky style were perfect for my straight-laced brother. She’d keep him on his toes and keep him interested, and the way she looked at him made my sister heart happy.
Charlie’s hand brushed mine, our pinkies touching for nothing more than a second, but it was enough to spike my pulse again and force a quick inhale. Sparks raced up my arm. A glance at Charlie revealed the same casual expression he always wore. The strangeness of the pairing had initially felt like a double date, but with Charlie almost ignoring me, I struggled to reconcile the fact that Charlie had also had sex with me months ago. I’d love for this to have been a double date, but only if my feelings were reciprocated. I couldn’t be the one more invested in the relationship, not after Luther. It hurt too much to have that feeling of helplessness in knowing I was disposable.
“You know what we should do?” Samantha’s question burst into my contemplation. She rounded toward me and Charlie. “We should go to the club. There’s this great spot, not too far from here. They make glow in the dark drinks and body paint. It’s spectacular.”
Austin wore a look I knew all too well. He’d love to go, but I was the last person he wanted there as he sexed things up with his girlfriend.
I had a whole other reason for staying away that had nothing to do with my brother and everything to do with the babies inside me. Alcohol was completely off the table, and I’d been to enough clubs to know I’d be jostled and bumped all night long. “I’d love to, but I’m really tired.” A yawn came out of nowhere, and I covered my mouth to hide the threat of a grin when Austin’s shoulders bowed in relief.
“Are you sure?” He played the part, but a thank you lingered unspoken between us. “We can take you home and watch movies or something.”
“No.” I held up both hands, palms out, and waved them back and forth. “I’m not watching movies with you. Go have fun. I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll take her home.” Charlie, ever the champion, stepped up close enough that his mint shampoo shocked the yawn into disappearing.
Austin’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.” Charlie’s emphatic nod convinced Austin, and he backed away with his arm around Samantha’s waist.
Tourists and locals alike wandered past us, the pier a beacon to everyone. Even from half a mile away, I smelled the hotdogs and popcorn. My stomach gave a hopeful pinch at the thought of food.
“You really want to go home.” Charlie waited until Austin was out of earshot to face me. A boyish grin popped out. “Or were you being nice so he could dry hump Samantha without you around?”
“What did you have in mind? And don’t ever talk about my brother like that again. I’m never going to get that image out of my brain.” I scrubbed my knuckles into my forehead with a grimace.
Charlie slid his hands into his jeans pockets and jerked his chin toward his shoulder. “Want to ride with me?”
“Ride what?” Why the fuck did my brain take my thoughts straight to Charlie’s dick? I’d ridden Duncan with a wildness that almost shocked me, and less than a day later, I experienced daydreams about doing the same to Charlie. What was wrong with me? Pregnancy hormones? Doctor Martin told me I’d most likely experience a higher libido at some point. Pretty sure she didn’t mean now.
Charlie stepped back and flourished his hand like a gameshow host. “The Seattle Great Wheel. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen the city from up there.”
The giant ferris wheel lit up the section of the pier where it spun in slow circles. Lights fanned out in every direction, tonight’s theme a spectacular array of blue and white. A giddy, non-alcoholic feeling bubbled up and pushed me to say yes. I’d never been a fool–except for Luther–and I refused to pass up a chance to spend some alone time with Charlie.
“Good. I’d like to talk to you, but it would be better if we had some privacy.” He took my hand and led me through the crowd. Kids laughed and ran past, harried parents at their heels. The space was busy but not crammed full, and I had plenty of room to breathe and keep pace with Charlie. His long legs ate up the distance, and before I fully registered what happened, we stepped into a domed space and a man in a uniform closed the door behind us.
My stomach made that funny swooping feeling like when a car topped a hill too fast, and the ferris wheel car swung backward to admit another couple into a matching car.
Charlie’s hand remained wrapped around mine, his fingers warm and rough with years of working out and hockey showing in the thick knuckles. “Guess this is about as memorable as I can do.” He tugged on my hand, and when I looked up to meet his earnest gaze, he threaded a hand through my hair. “I’ve wanted to ask you out on a date since high school. Seeing you again now made things so much worse. I don’t know if I can keep away much longer, Miranda.”
Um. What? All those years of longing, of wishing he’d see me as a potential girlfriend and feeling dejected were pointless? Less than a year ago I’d walked in on Luther cheating, and now I had three of the sexiest and most talented hockey players in the league professing their feelings for me in their swoony Irish accents. Charlie didn’t say love, but a like that lasted decades had to at least border on love, right?
“I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel since the minute you arrived. I’m in love with you.” Charlie feathered his fingers through my hair, drawing it over my shoulder to fan across my chest.
He’d done it. He said the L word. My high school crush loved me. Unbelievable. And he brought it up in the middle of me fighting to figure out which of the three men my feelings were strongest for. Not fair. “You’re Austin’s best friend.” I caught the flash of pain lancing across his face and cupped his jaw in my palm. “That’s why I never told you I feel the same way.” How would Austin feel about me dating his best friend, or any guy on the team?
Charlie released a low groan and rested his forehead against mine. “I can’t believe I wasted so much time.” His hand left mine and moved to the small of my back, guiding me to his chest. Seattle spread out behind him, the glow of city lights sparkling in his hair like stars and creating a romantic background that heightened the feel of his hands on me, his lips searching out mine.
I lost control with those small touches, years and years of pent-up longing rushing out and demanding attention. I opened my mouth to him and speared my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.
His hands stayed aligned with my spine, his thumbs wrapping close to my ribs. He cupped me hard and brought us together with a nip to my lower lip that sent wicked thoughts rolling through me. The cars were darkened, but anyone really looking would be able to see us. I didn’t care. Charlie’s hands on my body, his lips on mine, his tongue and teeth and the bulge of his cock, were what mattered.
I slid my hand beneath the band of his jeans and palmed his cock. I’d willingly bend over the narrow black bench and let him fuck me right here and now. No one had ever made me as desperate as Charlie.
I’d never been this happy or confused, especially at the same time. I finally had Charlie within my grasp. And I had two other stunning men ready to make me theirs. How was I supposed to pick one?