Chapter 13
Oliver recognized that his response to Charity’s question needed more explanation. The only problem was that he was such a new LSIWC employee he felt inadequate to give it the proper definition.
“When I was in the military, it was about brotherhood, doing whatever the mission required, and figuring someone above us directing our actions had a cause for our country that made it all worth it.” He hesitated, and when he looked up, her head was tilted to the side, and her attention was riveted on him. He sighed heavily. “For the most part, I think it was.”
She leaned closer. “And now… I sense a doubt in you.”
He swallowed deeply, relinquishing hold of some of the protective layers shown to most people. “Sometimes… the mission was to take out someone our government deemed a threat. And then, you realize that the person who takes their place is worse, but their politics might align with whoever our leader is at the time.” He leaned back and scoffed. “I was in long enough to see us take out someone only to turn around and take out their successor down the line. After a while, it fucks with your head.”
“Was it always like that?”
“No,” he said quickly. “Thank God. Many of our missions were rescues.”
“And now?”
“Keepers.” He stated the word, thinking how to describe it without sounding ridiculous. His breath hissed through his teeth as they pressed against his bottom lip. “It started with the original owner of Lighthouse Security Investigations based in Maine. According to Leo, Mace Hanover”s grandfather used to tell him stories about the lighthouse keepers of old. He developed an appreciation for how they risked their lives to guide sailors to safety. Mace had been in the Army Green Berets and knew Carson back then. When he separated from the military and started his business, he nicknamed his employees Keepers. I think it’s a reminder, every day, of who we are and what we’re trying to do. Guide people to safety.”
Her hands squeezed his as she leaned closer. “I think that’s wonderful, Oliver. And I think that’s exactly what you are.”
He slowly shook his head and rubbed his fingers over her delicate hands. “I’m not the only one, Charity. You’re a Keeper to those kids.”
Their eyes remained locked on each other until the server cleared her throat, causing them to swing their gaze up to her.
“Do you want me to box up the rest of your pizza?”
He knew what Charity”s answer would be and went ahead and replied, “Yes, please.”
She laughed. “I told you that I wasn’t going to chase anyone tonight. What will I do with all this pizza?”
“What were you gonna do with the pizza from the first time I saw you?”
She crinkled her nose. “I was going to put it in the refrigerator. I don’t like food to go to waste, so if I can’t eat everything during the few times I eat out, I make sure to take home the leftovers and eat them later in the week.”
As he stood, he reached out, loving how her palm felt against his. He looked at the now crowded restaurant, and instead of guiding her with his hand on the small of her back, he led the way so that his larger body would naturally cut a path for her while keeping their fingers linked.
He held her coat at the door so she could slip it on. After she tied the belt, she looked up at him and smiled.
Once outside, a chilly wind swept past, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her in closely as they hustled down the sidewalk to his vehicle. Soon, they were parked in front of her door. He wanted more time with her but didn’t want to seem presumptuous.
Hurrying around the front of the vehicle, he helped her down. As soon as they stood at the door with her keys in her hand, she turned and looked at him. Placing one palm on his chest, she lifted on her toes and kissed the edge of his mouth. The electricity that shot through his body was more than he’d felt with any other full-on-the-lips kiss. He could only imagine what that would be like, but before he had a chance to find out, she smiled as her heels settled back onto the concrete.
“Would you like to come up?”
Those six little words caused the breath to rush from his lungs, and he couldn’t respond fast enough. “Oh, hell yeah.”
She laughed and handed him the keys while wrapping her fingers around the leftover pizza box. She walked through and led him up the stairs. Again, he unlocked the door to her apartment, and they stepped through.
After she moved into the kitchen, he heard the refrigerator door open, then the rustling of the leftover bag as she placed it inside. “Would you like something to drink?” she called out.
“Absolutely,” he replied, following her melodic voice into the kitchen.
She graced him with a smile as she looked over her shoulder. “I have wine, although not expensive. I have a beer, but it’s a craft one that I got at a local shop, so it might not be to your taste. I also have iced tea or can make hot tea.” She looked back into the refrigerator, then over at him. “I’m afraid that’s all I have.”
“Beer is fine. Any kind.”
As she retrieved a beer from the refrigerator and poured a glass of wine for herself, he couldn’t help but notice her innate caregiving nature. It was as though taking care of others was an integral part of who she was. So intrigued, he wondered about her upbringing. What were her parents like? Was she raised nearby? The questions danced on the tip of his tongue, ready to be voiced, but then he suddenly decided to hold back.
They had covered a multitude of topics for a first date, and he was eager to have a second date. Deciding to save her background for the next time, he stepped forward as she handed him the beer. He took her free hand and led her back into the living room, where they settled on the sofa.
Sitting beside him, she bent down and gracefully slipped off her ankle boots. He twisted to face her, and his heart raced when she leaned closer. He cupped her face, utterly captivated and desperate to taste those irresistibly kissable lips.
As soon as their lips met in a gentle, longing kiss, electricity seemed to fire between them, settling first in his chest before shooting straight to his cock. He angled his head, and as soon as her lips parted, he slipped his tongue into her warm mouth. She didn’t hesitate to guide her velvety soft tongue over his, and his arms banded around her middle as he pulled her tighter.
She shifted, throwing one leg over his until she straddled his thighs, her dress now hiked up to her ass. The urge to lay her back on the sofa, unwrap the dress like a present, and rip her panties off so he could plunge his already aching cock deep inside was strong, but his self-resolve was stronger. He had already acknowledged he wanted a second date, but the truth hit him—he wanted a lot more. He had no idea how long they might last, but Charity Whitlock was worth finding out how far they could go together.
Her fingers clung to his shoulders, her short nails digging in slightly through his shirt. As one of her hands slid to the back of his head, her fingers slowly dragged through his hair. His already sensitive skin tingled, and a shiver ran down his spine. His actions mimicked hers, and he discovered the golden tresses were just as silky as he’d imagined.
The kiss flamed hotter and grew wilder, and she began to rock against his crotch. He was driven mad by the movement, and the need for more than friction coursed through his veins. Just when he wasn’t sure he could hold back, his hands moved to her shoulders, and he gently pushed enough to separate their lips. Her eyes were closed, but the cool air moved between them, and they fluttered open before widening.
Her cheeks flamed pink, and she gasped. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I was practically dry-humping you! I’m so sorry!” She tried to scramble off his lap, but he held fast and shook his head.
“Don’t think I don’t want this, Charity,” he said, his voice rasping as he tried to catch his breath. “I haven’t had a kiss like that affect me so much since I was probably a teenager.”
A snort slipped out, and she slapped her hand over her mouth. Unable to stop the giggle, she said, “I have a hard time imagining you as a teenager.”
Still rocking from the roller coaster of a kiss, he blurted, “I knew Leo kissed his first girl when he was fourteen years old. Not that it was a great kiss, according to him. But still, I had something to live up to. So when I was almost fifteen, I knew time was running out.”
She laughed aloud and shifted slightly so that she was still straddling his thighs but no longer pressing against his erection. He hated not having her body so close but knew it was for the best if he was going to continue his embarrassing story.
“I was desperate. The clock was running out. The only girl who had shown an interest in me was another fourteen-year-old. Sonya Maxwell. Jesus, I can’t believe I remember her name.”
Charity rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I hardly believe that! You probably had more girls than just lucky Sonya lined up, ready to kiss you!”
“Nope! I was tall, and even though I ate all the time and played sports, I didn’t have a lot of muscle yet. Leo was already sixteen and done with pimples, but not me. On top of that, I still had braces. And my ears stuck out.”
Charity was full-on laughing aloud. “Keep going. I have to hear about this kiss!”
Now wondering if he was crazy for admitting this to her, he plunged onward. “I was two days away from my fifteenth birthday, and I passed her a note, asking if she wanted to kiss. She passed me another note in the hall and agreed. So at the end of the day, we waited at our lockers until no one else was around and stared at each other. I wanted to be so suave but had no clue how to be. I grabbed her shoulders and brought her forward, terrified she was going to slap me. She didn’t and leaned forward, too. But I closed my eyes too soon, and our noses bumped. I opened my eyes, but she was right there looking like a cyclops since she was so close.”
Charity snorted with laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Keep going. Surely, this kiss gets better.”
He nodded, barely able to speak through his chuckles. “Finally, our lips touched, and I had two thoughts in my head. One… I thought I’d feel it in my dick, but I didn’t, probably because of the second thought.”
“What thought was that?”
“It was a kind of slimy kiss that I really didn’t want to repeat.”
“And what about poor Sonya?”
“I don’t think she liked it any better. She looked at me, blinked, and then ran off. She didn’t talk to me again for the rest of high school.”
Still laughing, Charity reached up and cupped his jaws, her thumbs dragging over his beard. “Well, I’m sure you’ve had thousands of kisses between then and now, each giving you more practice. But for the record, Mr. Parker, I felt our kiss run straight through my whole body, settling deep inside and making my panties wet.”
“Fuck,” he breathed. “I’m trying to do the right thing here, Charity, but you say something like that, and I feel the caveman coming out.”
“What does the caveman want to do?”
“Throw you over my shoulder and drag you off to my lair.”
Their mirth slowly ended as they continued to stare into each other’s eyes. Slowly, she slid off his lap and reached her hand out. He stood, and they moved toward each other until she leaned her head back and offered her mouth. He bent to kiss her, forcing himself to keep it gentle.
“I’m going to go now, sweetheart. I want another date with you as soon as we can arrange it.”
“I’d like that,” she whispered before lifting on her toes and kissing him lightly.
He adjusted his crotch and then led her to the door. “I hate that you have to go down the stairs, but you need to lock up after me.”
She nodded, and they walked to the outer door, where they kissed goodbye again. He waited outside until he heard the lock click, then jogged back to his SUV. She didn’t leave his mind on the entire drive back to Leo’s house. And he grinned the entire way.