Chapter 15 #2
“Hey,” I reply, sipping my coffee as I head for my own tent.
I have just gotten back from running to town and grabbing Charli one of those fancy coffee drinks she loves so much.
When I woke, everyone else was still sleeping, and while I loved lying there, listening to the light snores of Charli sleeping, I knew I needed to create a little space.
So, I got up and went out to stoke the fire.
When it was burning good, I decided to run up to the barn to use the bathroom and then head for the coffee shop.
Now, I’m waiting for the conversation with Camden I know is coming.
I feel his eyes on me as I unzip the zipper and step inside. She’s curled up on her side, sleeping soundly in my bag. The image stirs something in my chest, but I push those thoughts out of my head. Now isn’t the time, not with her brother right outside my tent.
“Charli,” I say softly, knowing what’s coming.
Charli isn’t a morning person.
At all.
“No,” she mutters, pulling the bag up and over her head.
“I brought you some coffee,” I singsong, crouching beside her and lowering the cup closer to her face so she can catch the scent.
“It better not be that nasty shit you guys make with the fire,” she grumbles, peeking out from beneath the sleeping bag.
My pants grow tight, because she looks fucking adorable.
“I ran to the coffee shop,” I tell her.
The top of the bag is ripped the rest of the way from her face as she reaches for her drink. I hand it over carefully so she doesn’t spill it on herself, and I can’t help but smile as she closes her eyes and takes a hesitant little sip.
When she doesn’t say anything else, I stand up and turn toward the door. “I’ll be outside helping Cam cook breakfast.”
She doesn’t reply, and I quickly retreat from the tent.
I’ve known Charli for almost twenty years, and the fact she’s crabby in the morning doesn’t come as a shock to me. She’s prone to snapping, is short-fused more so than any other time of day. But it’s no surprise to me and doesn’t bother me like it might others.
Like Richard.
Dick wasn’t a fan of Charli’s sass and often complained about her surliness in the mornings. Why he wouldn’t just grab her a coffee and either a muffin or cinnamon roll is beyond me. I’ve watched over the years as a little caffeine and sugar does wonders for the female Miller sibling.
Outside, I take a sip of my black coffee and turn my attention to my oldest friend. He’s watching me and scratching his head. “Uhh, thanks for taking care of Charli last night.”
I nod. “You could have at least brought her sleeping bag and duffel over,” I state, knowing before my words hit their mark that he’s gonna feel bad about that.
“Yeah,” he replies, running his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t realize it until I woke up. Sorry.”
I don’t point out the fact he was distracted when he went to his tent. No reason to. He knows he fucked up, and I’m not the type of friend to keep digging the knife deeper, but he needs to know his sister should be taken care of before his dick. “I had her back.”
It —along with her fine ass—was pressed against me all night long, but I should probably keep that tidbit to myself…
Wanting to change the subject before he realizes we only had one sleeping bag in my tent, I ask, “You ready to make breakfast?”
He pulls out the ingredients for big pans of scrambled eggs and hash browns, prepping the first cast-iron pan with oil for the potatoes.
While those are starting to cook over the open fire, everyone starts to join us outside.
Cade and Oaklee take the side by side up to the bar to use the bathroom and brush their teeth.
Wyatt buys stock in those disposable toothbrushes to keep in the small bathroom in the barn.
Everyone uses it and takes advantage of the amenities he keeps in there for mornings when we camp.
Finally, Charli appears looking positively beautiful in her grumpy state. “Morning, sister.”
“Fuck off,” she mutters, making me grin.
Just because I didn’t give him a hard time about last night doesn’t mean he’s off the hook where his sister is concerned.
“Sorry,” he says, giving her a charming grin.
“Don’t use that smile with me,” she demands, stomping over to her chair but not sitting. “Because of you, I had to sleep in my clothes last night without my sleeping bag, asshole.”
The corner of my mouth twitches, because while yes, she did sleep in some of her clothes, she also slept in some of mine. And that thought makes me incredibly giddy.
“And what are you smiling at?” she asks quietly when she walks up beside me.
“Nothing.”
“Thanks for the coffee, but I’m not here for your amusement.”
“No one said you were,” I reply, sidestepping her and moving away from Camden.
She follows, telling me she’s itching for a fight, and I have no clue why. “You think because you brought me this, I’ll sleep with you again?”
Okay…what?
I keep staring straight as to not draw attention from Camden and lower my voice as I reply, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just tried doing something nice for you.”
“Well, there’s always a reason. No one does something without wanting something in return.”
I finally turn around and face her. Her eyes are burning with fire and stubbornness, but there’s something else there too. Uncertainty? Fear? Maybe both?
Leaning in closer, I whisper, “I don’t know why you’re trying to pick a fight with me, but it’s not going to work.
I bought you a damn coffee because I knew it would make you happy.
That’s all, Charli. If I wanted in your pants, there was a pretty good chance that would have happened last night, when you were in my arms and grinding back against my cock in your sleep. ”
She gasps.
“But I didn’t, for many reasons. Drink your damn coffee, but don’t for one second think that it’s payment for sex.”
And because I’m suddenly pissed off, I keep walking over to where Camden is cooking. I start cracking eggs into the bowl, tossing the shells into the trash with a little extra force.
“You all right?” he asks, using the spatula to stir up the hash browns.
“Yep. Great.”
He chuckles and glances over to where his sister is now sitting in her chair, glaring at her coffee as if it offended her somehow. “She’s not a morning person,” he says unnecessarily.
“You don’t say,” I mutter, my words dripping with sarcasm.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Yeah, well, if anyone’s gonna push her buttons first thing on a Sunday morning, it’s definitely going to be one of us.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. Her brothers enjoy getting a rise out of her, and while I don’t always do it intentionally, she seems to save a little extra venom for me regardless.
Our attention is pulled to Camden’s tent, where Laura emerges. She’s bundled up like it’s ten degrees outside and muttering about her back hurting from the ground. I notice Charli roll her eyes over the rim of her coffee cup, which makes me grin.
“There you are,” Laura coos, coming over and throwing her arms around Camden’s neck. The action causes him to stumble a little toward the fire.
“Easy, Laura. The last thing we need is to fall in the fire,” Camden says, extracting Laura from his side and creating a little distance.
“At least I’d be warm then,” she states, covering her mouth with her hand. “I need to brush my teeth.”
“I can run you up to the barn in a minute,” he replies, stirring the potatoes once more.
“Okay!” she bellows, bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands. She looks over at Charli and asks, “This is so fun, isn’t it?”
But Charli doesn’t reply. Instead, I hear her mimic Laura’s question in a funny voice. Fortunately, Laura doesn’t hear her and leans in and plants a big kiss on Camden’s cheek. When he grins at her, she practically dances over to grab a seat, wrapping herself in a heavy blanket, and sits.
Shaking my head, I mutter, “Come on, Romeo. Let’s get breakfast finished.”