Chapter 15 #3
Charlie pulled off the main road, turning Sam’s attention to a large pavilion in front of them—a gravel parking area coming in between it and the road.
The red tin roof in front of them shimmered under the warm rays of the sun, yellow posts rising from the concrete beneath to hold the roof up.
Nestled beneath it, on the far-left side of the pavilion, the tan-brick exterior of a small building could be seen with a row of ice cream options out on display.
Once Sam was able to read the signs posted nearby, she excitedly clapped. “A strawberry farm?”
Charlie grinned. “It’s not an apple orchard like you’d mentioned, but I figured you’d like this better.”
“It works so much better! Are you kidding me?” she declared.
Charlie threw his car into a spot closest to the building, and Sam all but ripped her seatbelt off. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d ever set foot on a strawberry farm, and she couldn’t wait to get her hands on them already.
The sound of Charlie’s laughter followed her, cut off as she slammed the door behind her excitedly. The crisp morning air flooded her lungs, a hint of moisture lingering in preparation for the oncoming warmth expected later that day.
She clapped her hands together as Charlie made his way around the car. “This is perfect! What a great surprise!”
“I figured you’d like it.”
She turned to thank him, to tell him how much fun this was going to be, but the words caught in her throat. His smile was warm, his dimples crinkling into his cheeks. The effect of it lit up his entire face, and not just from the sunlight.
There was a heart-aching gentleness in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before, affection welling up there, as if watching her jumping around excitedly was enough to brighten his entire day. She’d only seen that look once, back when her parents were still alive.
It was how her father looked at her mother every day.
And there was Charlie, looking at her as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. It was the kind of look that most little girls dreamed of in their happily-ever-afters—all swimming in the depths of Charlie’s ocean-blue eyes.
That had to be wrong, though... He was just happy about surprising her… right?
“This is amazing!” Sam finally blurted when she realized she was staring at him.
He laughed. “Well, I can pat myself on the back later. Let’s get started.”
It took them only a few minutes to check in and get their baskets before they were walking out into the field, patches of red speckles around them in the brush.
Her mouth began to water at the very sight of them.
Store-bought strawberries were delicious, but boy, was she thrilled to taste a freshly picked one.
They veered off to the right, distancing themselves from some of the other guests that had arrived around the same time they did.
Charlie affectionately nudged her shoulder with his, offering her an encouraging nod forward.
She didn’t need any further permission, immediately rushing to take the lead and practically bursting at the seams.
She stooped down in front of the first bush, eyeing the selection of lush strawberries it contained.
It appeared to be the perfect time for them to be plucked, their coloring just right with the perfect shade of red. Each of them were plump and juicy looking, practically begging to be picked and devoured.
A mission she was more than eager to accomplish.
It seemed a shame to let the beauty of them go to waste, so Sam pulled her phone out of her pocket. Angling the camera just right, she clicked a few pictures of the particularly thick bush she was crouched in front of.
“There it is,” Charlie said as he squatted down next to her.
She tapped the button and took another picture. “There what is?”
“That smile.”
She rolled her eyes to hide the flash of embarrassment that coursed her and bumped his leg with hers. “Yeah, yeah, celebrate your victory by helping me pick these. How can you not be drooling over these babies? They’re perfect!”
He chuckled and gestured toward her phone. “Here, give me that.”
“What for?”
“To take a picture of you, I need to document that look on your face.”
She laughed. “I’m not giving it to you, then!”
She held the phone away, a pointless effort with his long arms as he easily reached over and attempted to snatch it from her grasp. “It’s part of the experience. Now, hand it over.”
After putting this together for her sake, a picture suddenly didn’t feel like a big ask. She sighed but relented, letting it slip from her grasp. “Fine, but just one!”
He positioned the phone in front of him, making a few adjustments to his angle until he seemed satisfied. There were a few faint clicks from the device as he started instructing her on what to do next.
If she’d had any mind to scold him for taking their attention away from the strawberries next to them, it completely dissipated seeing the happy expression crinkling the corners of his eyes.
It was the most fun she’d had in quite a while, and she was grateful that he would think of doing something like this just for her.
The whole reason she’d wanted to go see that movie with Charlie the other day had little to nothing to do with her book, their experiment, or even the movie itself.
She’d just wanted to be with him. It was one of the few times she’d felt safe since then, and while she knew she would have to tell him what was going on at some point soon, a twinge of fear kept her mouth shut.
Charlie was far from an angry person, but he was protective.
What if he got angry at her for not saying anything sooner?
Would he get angry for putting herself in that situation in the first place?
Her mind raced with each new doubt and fear that popped up, an endless spiral of what if’s that she choked down.
She’d tell him this weekend, she resolved. She just wanted one more day, one more peaceful and fun day with him before the chaos lurking in the shadows came creeping in.
Charlie spun around and extended the phone outward, leaning back with a playful peace sign aimed at the camera with her hovering just inches behind him. He gently jabbed at her with his elbow until she finally relented, scooting closer and offering a peace sign of her own.
The two descended into a series of goofy poses to make each other laugh, which worked wonders. The two were nearly in tears when her phone started to ring in Charlie’s hand.
Another number she didn’t recognize flashed on the screen.
She snatched the phone back from him and quickly sent the caller over to voicemail. She excused the abruptness of it on a spam caller, but Charlie watched her carefully as she returned her attention back to the bushes in front of them.
Sam quickly developed tunnel vision as she plucked only the largest strawberries she could find. Allowing her mind only to wander to figure out all of the delicious, sweet treats she could make with her spoils.
A strawberry jam, maybe? Oh, a fruit parfait would be perfect with how fresh these were. Even just a simple bowl of strawberries and cream had her nearly drooling. She’d have to run to the store later to get another can or two to go with it, but it would be so very worth it.
A soft munching sound prompted her to glance over to catch Charlie eating one of the strawberries he’d just picked.
“Charlie!”
He looked at her curiously, mumbling around the bite in his mouth. “What?”
She giggled and gently shoved him. “You’re not supposed to eat them yet!”
“Says who?” he asked before taking another massive bite to finish it off. “Isn’t that like… half the fun?”
“You’re supposed to pick them and save them for later!” she argued. “Otherwise, this place would be littered with half-eaten strawberries.”
Charlie laughed. “I’ll put the stem in my basket, so I can toss it out when we get back. Try one. Live a little!”
As she started to protest about her very detailed order of operations for appropriate strawberry picking etiquette, he leaned forward and plucked what was undoubtedly the largest strawberry she’d seen that day.
“Try this one,” he offered, holding the massive strawberry in front of her face.
She pushed at his hand. “I’m saving them for later!”
“Then I’m giving you one of mine. Come on, just try one. Take a bite. It won’t kill you,” he promised, holding the strawberry steady in front of her.
When she continued to regard him with skepticism, he pushed the strawberry forward and nudged it against her lips. She was so caught off guard by the gesture that when she went to protest once more, Charlie seized the opportunity and pushed the strawberry into her open mouth.
“Bite,” he instructed.
She did so obediently, despite the blood suddenly rushing to her face.
“Good girl.”
Oh Lord. If it wasn’t for the incredible flavor as it burst across her tongue, an indecent sound would have strangled its way from her at hearing Charlie call her a good girl.
The strawberry was, indeed, one of the most delicious strawberries she’d had in a very long time. The usual bitter tartness was minimal and replaced by a strong, sweet citrus taste that took hold of her. Despite herself, she beamed at Charlie as she nodded in approval.
“See?” he teased, tossing the stem into his basket. “Told you.”
She was about to comment on the residue left behind on his fingers, the juice causing a trail of sticky reddish liquid to trickle down his hand.
She followed the line as it continued, dripping down his strong forearms and almost reaching his bicep.
The urge to lick him was again pervasive, and she vaguely wondered why this was now the second time recently that she’d wanted to lick something from him.
But it was pretty hard to do much thinking when Charlie brought his hand to his lips and quickly sucked the juice off, a light smacking sound accompanying each finger. A quick drag of his tongue down his arm as it chased the liquid, reaching the tail of it before it reached the crook of his arm.
Heat burned her skin as she watched, the simplicity of the gesture somehow vastly more erotic than she’d have ever expected.
Each moist pop sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.
A dangerous pooling of heat spreading between her thighs as an image of something else he could suck flashed in her mind.
She fiddled with her hair to distract herself. Charlie didn’t appear to be the least bit fazed by it, instead giving her an almost shy-looking smile before turning back to continue plucking from the nearby bush.
That had been… unexpected…
And very, very hot.
“So… What are you gonna do with your share?” she asked, her voice a touch higher than she intended it to be.
“These are all for you.”
She turned. “What?”
Charlie laughed, flashing her a smile. “You didn’t think I’d have it in me to rip these suckers away from you, did you?”
“Oh, Charlie, you should at least keep the ones you picked!”
He shrugged. “I like strawberries but not nearly as much as you do. Besides, I did this because I knew it would be something you’d enjoy. You know, like the good fake boyfriend that I am?”
Yeah, that didn’t help the heat still pulsating between her thighs.
“You’re a little too perfect, babe, you know that?” she said casually, reaching forward to collect another strawberry.
Understatement of the century, honestly, considering how casual Charlie had been about the whole day. As if it were just any day and not the sweetest date she’d ever been on. Fake or not.
“You think?” he asked.
She nodded, plucking another strawberry to inspect. “I know so. I can always tell how hard you’re trying, no matter what you’re doing. You pay attention, and you’re very thoughtful. I mean, come on. Taking the person obsessed with strawberries to pick them for the day?”
He laughed again, the infectious kind that made her want to laugh along with him. “I just wanted to make you happy, that’s all.”
Her heart clenched in her chest at that, the tenderness and sincerity ringing true to who she knew Charlie to be.
Her best friend, who had always looked out for her, even when she hadn’t wanted him to.
Her best friend, who offered to help her with her book because he knew she needed help and wanted to make sure that she wasn’t taken advantage of.
Her best friend who—she was starting to realize at an alarming rate—she didn’t just have a crush on.
Dammit.
“You’re very good at it,” she replied honestly. “I just hope that you’ve had fun too? I’d hate if you did all of this just for me and didn’t at least have fun.”
Their eyes met once again, the softness she’d noted earlier when they first arrived coming back. A softness she needed desperately not to read too much into.
“I’ll always have fun when I’m with you,” Charlie said with a wink, looking both cocky and yet entirely serious about his statement.
She cleared her throat and reached for her next strawberry. “I’m just not sure how you’ve remained single so long. You’re a catch, you know.”
The words came out before she could catch them, but she refused to look at him, too embarrassed that she’d let the words slip in the first place.
He paused, and for a second, she worried she shouldn’t have said anything, but instead, he chuckled. “I could say the same about you, you know.”
At that, she snorted. “I’m a mess, Charlie. Most men wouldn’t touch me with a ten-foot pole if they knew what was good for them.”
The truth if she had any to offer. Other than her more obvious answer—that she had no interest in any other men, other than the one next to her. She was well aware of the fact that she could be a lot to deal with.
“I wouldn’t say that,” he answered, standing up with a grunt and extending a hand out for her. “Let’s go. I think we’ve picked this area clean.”