Chapter 9 #2
“Guys do not like to hear our presence puts a girl to sleep.” He pulled my hair to the side, his fingers running down my neck, making my nerve endings hum.
I lolled my head to the left. “Don’t take it personal. I haven’t slept in days.”
“And why is that?”
“I don’t know. I have a lot on my mind, I guess.”
His hands slowed. “Like me?”
“You wish.” But that was definitely a good part of it.
Charlie and I had picked up right where we’d left off, as if we’d not gone two separate directions.
As if we hadn’t both chosen to not be together multiple times over the years.
The man smelled like heaven. It was a mix of spice, outdoors, and soap, mixed with tangy notes of arrogance and charm.
“Calvin Klein ought to bottle up your scent,” I said lazily.
“Maybe call it Sweaty Texan?”
I smiled. “I still have a few of your t-shirts from high school. In college when I’d get homesick, I’d pull one out and sleep in it. They used to smell like you.” Like home. Like the boy I had loved.
Charlie turned me until I faced him. His hands cradled my jaw, his thumbs sweeping across. “I love it when you get too tired to filter,” he whispered. His lips brushed against mine—once, twice. “Anything else I need to know? Like you have my name tattooed somewhere fun?”
“Maybe.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “But you’re not checking.”
“I love a good challenge.” His smiling lips descended and captured mine.
I soon forgot what we were talking about, and all I knew was this man.
I held onto Charlie like he was a lifeline, my raft in the tossing waves.
His mouth was soft and teasing, sending spiraling sensations to every limb, every cell.
It was wonderful not to think, to let my brain take a few minutes of respite, while the rest of me just. . .felt.
A loud crashing had us both breaking apart.
Heart pounding, I scanned the yard until I saw the familiar intruder.
“Armadillo,” Charlie said. “He was probably watching us.” His hand slid down my back. “Want to give him an encore?”
“Not tonight,” I said as Charlie pressed his lips to a spot behind my ear.
It was difficult to form a coherent sentence when he did that.
“Charlie—” His evening stubble shaded his cheeks, and I couldn’t help but run my hand over the places where tomorrow a razor would go.
“I think I’ve found my purpose here in In Between. ”
Charlie leaned into my hand. “Us?”
“Not what I was talking about.”
“We’ll work on that.” He traced my collarbone with his finger. “Your stage career?”
“No.” I could barely focus. All I could think was please don’t stop whatever you’re doing.
“Um. . .no, not my career. That’s pretty much dead.
” Focus, Katie. “I’m talking about the Valiant.
Nobody’s going to take that from me.” For my twenty-first birthday, James and Millie had added my name on the deed.
I’d happy-cried for days. “It’s horrible timing that James isn’t here with all that’s going on, but I’m going to fight for it.
I’m going to make sure Thrifty Co. never touches it.
Maybe this is what I came back for. Maybe God led me away from acting to come back and save the Valiant. ”
“Let me get this straight. You think God told you to quit acting? When you think of giving up your theater dream forever, that gives you the holy tingles? ”
No, but Charlie sure did. I forced myself to rise from the chair and walk to the edge of the deck, needing some distance between me and the overpowering magnetic pull that kept drawing me back to him.
Between that and the fact that I was completely sleep deprived, my brain was as sticky as cotton candy.
“Before I came home, the attorney hired by James and the rest of the group quit. My dad said Loretta found another one last week. Ever heard of Reggie Barker?”
“Name sounds familiar.”
“I guess I’ll meet him at the town hall meeting tomorrow night. James wants me to size him up. You could go and help me.”
Charlie stood beside me, his side pressed into mine. “I might be there. Katie, I think we should talk. I need to—”
“The stars are so beautiful tonight. And look at that full moon. There’s nothing as pretty as In Between, is there?” I turned to Charlie and found him watching me with an intensity that had made weaker girls toss their t-shirts and morals.
“I could think of a few things more beautiful.” His gaze not wavering from mine, Charlie reached out and captured a strand of my wayward hair, running it through his fingers.
“I’ve always thought you were the most beautiful girl in the whole town.
When I went to college, I never met anyone who turned my head like you. ”
“You do know how to sweet talk a girl.”
“I know you’re in rebound mode, and you’re hurting from that Ian guy, but whether you deal with it now or later, you and I have unfinished business. If you need time, I can give that to you.”
My hands slid up Charlie’s chest, as he pulled me close. “I do need time.” Didn’t I? “It can’t be right to jump out of one serious relationship right into another.”
“This is me,” he said gruffly. “I’m not some new guy you met at Starbucks. You know me. You know us. And there’s always been an us.”
“I have horrible judgment, especially with relationships. I don’t exactly trust my heart right now.”
“Then trust me with it, Katie.” He hugged me to him and rested his head on top of mine. “Please. . .trust me .”