Chapter 30
CHARLIE
The early morning light coming up over the horizon caused Charlie to squint as he walked across the street, headed back to his apartment.
He had a coffee in one hand and another coffee with a bag clutched precariously in the other.
The crispness in the air felt starkly satisfying against Charlie’s skin, cooling him from the heat that had been practically radiating from him when he snuck out earlier.
He’d had to pinch himself when he woke earlier that morning—fearing he’d dreamed up the whole thing.
It had been real.
Sam was in love with him. He was in love with her. They were in love.
And he’d spent the entire night trying to show her exactly how much—making love until they literally collapsed into sleep, both of their bodies giving out.
She was back at his place, still asleep in his bed. The picture she’d made when he opened his eyes was enough to pull a contented sigh from him as he hustled down the street.
It had been hard to tear himself away, but he wanted to get them some breakfast before she awoke. A few of the hickey’s he’d left in his wake the night before had started to appear on her skin, and he felt a bit guilty.
But who could blame him? She was everything he’d ever dreamed of.
Long strands of her strawberry-colored hair had spilled across the pillow like a fiery river, each wavy strand catching the soft light peeking through the curtains in lazy, looping patterns.
The light freckles that dusted her nose and shoulders like little golden flecks of sunlight had crinkled as she adjusted herself on the pillow next to his.
Her eyelashes, impossibly long and delicate, fanned across her cheeks and fluttered ever-so-slightly as she dreamed peacefully.
Even the little grumbled protest she made when he had pulled away to get up was adorable.
He couldn’t believe that she was his.
It was the all-consuming thought he had when he quietly crept back into the apartment, clicking the door shut as quietly as he could. She was his. And if he had his say in the matter, she was always going to be his.
He wanted to leave the coffee and bagel on the nightstand, so she could continue sleeping peacefully, but when he opened the door, she was already awake. At least, mostly awake. She blinked groggily at him and pulled herself to sit up in the bed like she’d already heard him come in.
The bedsheet was clutched in one hand as she held it against herself, the shape of her body outlined deliciously in the thin fabric.
Down, boy.
She smiled lazily at him. “Good morning.”
“Hope I didn’t wake you?” he asked.
She shook her head and adjusted herself, stretching her arms languidly above her head.
The sheets she had clutched to her body pooled at her waist at the effort.
Without a shred of clothing on from the night before, her breasts were on full display.
The soft, creamy curves of them stretching along with her in a way that immediately had Charlie’s cock at attention.
He extended the coffee and bag, with the bagel inside of it, to her.
Her eyes lit up before moving to eagerly snatch them from him.
Mid-motion, she paused, as she seemed to realize her chest was exposed and clutched at the sheet.
Reaching out and taking the items from him with her free hand instead.
“It’s not like I haven’t seen them at this point, baby,” he teased, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead.
She hummed a giggle. “I like when you call me that.”
“What?”
“Baby.”
He smiled. “I like calling you that.”
Sam tucked the sheets into her armpits before taking a healthy sip from her cup. “In the meantime, at least let a lady have some modesty.”
It took everything in him not to scoop her into his arms and kiss her senseless, so instead, he laughed. “Do forgive me, fair lady.”
“How long have you been up?” she asked, fishing out the bagel from within the crumpled bag.
“About an hour. Figured you’d be hungry when you woke up.”
“You figured correctly, but that was thoughtful of you,” she said before quickly hissing out a sound of protest as she adjusted herself, her eyes clenching shut at the movement.
“You okay? Sore?” he asked, sitting on the bed next to her.
She nodded sheepishly. “Yeah, just a bit.”
Images of exactly what caused her to be so sore flashed in his mind. The flash of pride was swift, but he pushed that aside for the regret at being so… rough… with her the night before. “Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away.”
“I’m not complaining,” she replied with a wink. “If this is the death of me, then I lived a good life.”
He chuckled. “I hope I’m not that lethal?”
She shrugged casually, but the expression on her face was wicked. “I don’t know. That was only night one. I need more data before I can come to any conclusions.”
Oh yeah, he could definitely get used to this.
“Research I’ll be more than happy to facilitate,” he said, attempting to hide the arousal creeping into his voice but failing miserably with lust lacing the tip of his tongue.
She bit into her bagel. “Easy, tiger. let me finish my bagel at least.”
A chuckle rumbled through him again. “Don’t worry; I won’t ravish you straight off the bat after you just woke up. I’m not an animal.”
“Last night’s events would tend to disagree.”
As would the nearly empty box of condoms that sat on the nightstand.
He scrunched his nose. “Sorry, again. Besides the soreness, you feeling okay?”
“I am, actually,” she hummed, a softness in her gaze that had his heart skipping a beat.
“Not freaking out about… you know… us?” he asked. It had been a lingering thought that snuck in. What if she woke up and changed her mind? What if she freaked out and decided to hell with the whole thing?
His worries disappeared when she placed the bagel onto the crumpled bag and cupped his face with her hand. “No. I’ve been thoroughly ravished, so I think I’m good.”
Unexpected relief whooshed out of him as he stole a quick kiss, relishing in the soft heat of her lips, and pressed his forehead to hers. “Sounds like I’m going to have to keep you thoroughly ravished, then, to keep you from over-thinking, huh?”
“Most definitely,” She practically purred, “Right now, though, there’s something I want more than that.”
Anything. Charlie knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d happily give her whatever she wanted. Served up on a silver platter for her if she desired.
“What’s that?” he asked.
She took her free hand and patted the spot next to her in bed. “Get your coffee and come cuddle with me. Don’t you have any fucking manners? You can’t leave a girl in bed by herself after a night like that. Cuddles are required.”
He threw his head back, the laughter bubbling out of him and filling the room with his girth and warmth.
God, he really did love this woman.
He rose from the bed and circled over to his side, unable to look away from her as he did.
It felt like a cardinal sin to look away with that look in her eyes.
The one that twinkled up at him, as if she were watching him just as closely.
The one that certainly didn’t hide her own arousal as it steadily rose to color her cheeks.
He pulled back the sheets and eased himself beneath so as not to jostle her sore body too much. The last thing he wanted was to disturb the little cocoon of peace she’d created in his bed.
With a tender touch, he drew her into his embrace.
The contrast between her deliciously naked skin and the fabric of his clothing felt torturous, and he wished he’d stripped himself bare just to feel her against him again.
The notion seemed impossible, though, as she practically melted against him, the comforting warmth radiating from her body shedding any desire to leave her even for a second.
Her head rested lightly on his chest, rising and falling with each steady breath he took. She settled there, letting out a contented little sigh as she did.
He let his fingers delicately trace the curve of her spine, the need to touch her far too great to keep his hands to himself. They trailed up and down her back in a quiet rhythm that felt as natural as breathing. The simplicity and ease of lying there together like this was pure magic.
Yeah, he could definitely get used to this.
“When do you think we should tell people?” she asked after a few quiet moments.
Charlie would run out of the room and shout it from the rooftops if he could, but he didn’t think that would be appropriate so soon.
“Whenever you want to, I guess?” he replied warmly. “Though, maybe we give it some time for it to be just the two of us?”
She nodded against his chest. “Good plan. I’d like to keep you to myself as much possible right now. I have a lot of time to make up for.”
He turned the groan that vibrated in his chest into a chuckle. “I think you’ll actually be the death of me, Samantha MacMillian.”
“Put a pin in that for now, big boy,” she teased as she leaned away from him to sip from her coffee. “I didn’t even know you had that side to you until recently. I gotta let my little heart catch up.”
“What side is that?” he asked, letting his finger continue its path up and down her spine. He felt the little shiver that followed and smiled. He was going to really enjoy undoing her at every turn, leaving her in shambles as he had his way with her.
She was the writer of the two of them, but he could easily write sonnets about what hearing her gasping his name, just as she hurtled over the edge into bliss, had done to him.
Sam nudged him affectionately. “You know exactly what side I’m talking about. One minute, you’re my normal, goofy Charlie. The next, you’re some smooth-talking flirt who talks like he knows exactly what you want in bed.”
His lips found her shoulder, and he nipped her there, adding to another mark he’d left there the night before. “But I did know exactly what you wanted in bed.”
“And I have no idea how,” she said a little breathlessly. “It’s a very stark, yet very sexy, contrast between the two versions of you that I know.”
“Should I tone it down?”
She shook her head vehemently. “Don’t you dare. As long as I’m the only one who gets to see that side of you.”
Charlie’s heart shot up his throat. “Baby, it’ll only ever be you.”