17. Charlie
17
O n the drive home, Noah looks as angry as he was the last time he saw me that close with another man.
But this time…I’m okay with it.
Besides, it’s just his ego. Not jealousy. Not because of anything he feels for me.
He insisted on driving back. Muttering something about wanting to be home before dawn at the rate that I drive.
I didn’t mind since he hadn’t had a single drink all night while I had two sangrias.
We arrive at the house just after eleven, and it’s pitch-black outside. Only the moon and the dim lights around the house guide us to the front door. I hop out and lean against the car, listening to the rustle of the trees, the flow of the river, the near and far crickets.
It's so peaceful. I never stood out here long enough at night to appreciate how beautiful it is.
I must really be drunk.
Noah stands by the hood of the car, watching me. “I’ll be in in a minute,” I tell him.
He scoffs. "You don’t want to be out here.”
“Why not?”
“Umm…the critters, spider webs.”
I smirk at the inside joke that bonded us. “I’m not afraid of Charlotte’s Web.”
He cocks his head and looks around the space and laughs to himself. “Of course.”
“What?”
“You’re what. What the hell are you trying to prove?”
“By standing out here and admiring the view?”
“You like the view.” He says as if he doesn’t believe it.
“Yes. I like it here. Why do you seem surprised?”
“No one likes it here. It’s a dirt, uneven road leading uphill away from civilization surrounded by the trees, which means plenty of bugs and very little sunlight.”
I look down and around my feet. “Do any of them bite?”
“Probably.”
“Will it kill me?”
“I don’t think so.”
I shrug. “I’ll see you inside.”
With a headshake, he heads inside and closes the door. A second later, a light turns on outside the garage, illuminating my surroundings.
But I don't take the bait. I stare out into the darkness. I think about Pepper and what more I could do for her. Chase was right, she did end up curling up to me on the sofa by the end of the evening, praising me for everything I’m doing and for putting up with her.
And no. There will not be any birds or rice tossing of any kind at her wedding.
I still feel awful. There’s no way I could bring my parents back, but if there was a way I could help bring hers back, I wouldn't hesitate. It would be the least I could do after everything she’d done for me.
Like giving me a reason to love this town again.
I hear a splash in the distance and it takes me a moment to realize it’s coming from the back of the house. I walk around the perimeter until I reach the deck. My heels click on the steps as I climb and find Noah in the hot tub.
His back is turned to me. His hair is wet and slicked back. He walks to the edge and grips the rim, flexing his biceps as he pushes off. He drops his head and it’s almost like he’s…burning off steam.
“Why are you so angry with me?”
He turns, his blue eyes finding me instantly.
My mouth drops. How can he look so hot and so enraged at the same time? What kind of species is he?
“I’m not angry with you. I disagree with a lot of your choices.”
“I haven’t made any choices.”
“I saw you getting cozy with Landon.”
Is he jealous? Impossible.
And if he heard the conversation, he’d laugh. Landon had nothing to talk about except hockey and what commercials his agent is trying to land him. My immediate instinct is to assure him he has nothing to worry about. That I'm not interested in Landon or Pepper's plans to set me up.
But then I remember our fight at the restaurant.
“We…were…solidifying plans,” I say, a little too smugly.
That was so weak. If there was ever a time Noah calls bullshit on me. This would be it.
His glare turns hard. “You think you’re ready for that?”
“Yes, dad, I think I am.”
Landon was sweet and not as intimidating as I thought he would be. He was more like a big teddy bear, but still not my type.
“Charlie. You can’t just sleep with someone to cross it off your list.”
“What exactly did Pepper tell you about my list?”
He scoffs as if I’d just confirmed something. Then pins me with those piercing blue eyes. “Get in.”
I jerk. “I’m not getting in a hot tub with you. God knows how many girls you’ve had in there.”
“Less than Landon has had in his bed, I’ll tell you that much.”
“Oh give me a break.”
“Get. The fuck. In.”
“I’m fully dressed.”
“Then get undressed , genius.”
“Jerk.” I unzip my black dress and shimmy it down my body, wishing my bra and panties matched but also too frustrated with his stupid assumptions that I’d sleep with a guy just to cross it off my list.
I’m so in my own head that I almost miss his heated gaze sweeping up my body. The water swooshes as he moves to where I’m standing at the lip. He reaches a hand and I take it, stepping into the hot water.
A shiver runs through me as I adjust to the temperature. Noah crowds me against the tiled wall.
“Does he know you’re a virgin?”
“Some guys like that.”
“Not the one-night stand guys.”
“You would know,” I mutter.
“Real mature, Charlie.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t go for hockey players. I should just find myself a good lawyer, they’re sooo enticing and not argumentative at all, I’m sure we’d have a grand ‘ol time in the bedroom.”
He lifts me and sits me down on the cemented edge, pressing himself to me. I can feel the bulge behind his swim trunks between my thighs and gasp in response.
“No. You wouldn’t have a grand ‘ol time. You’d be seeing stars for days if I ever fucked you. You’d come just from my dirty mouth before I even touched you. I'd tease the living daylights out of that needy pussy, before ruining you for anyone else."
My eyes are wide and I can’t seem to take a breath.
“That little toy of yours would be worthless after I was through with you.”
Holy shit . The mouth on this quiet broody man.
Noah’s eyes dip and he pushes my jaw up, shutting my lips. “Swallow.”
I swallow hard.
He smirks and steps back, scanning me. “I stand corrected. You look very ready.”
He steps out of the water, drops a fresh towel next to my dress and heads inside.
If Charlie hasn't figured out by now that I'm the one who's not fucking ready for her to be with another man, then that little stunt in the hot tub most definitely gave me away.
I knew it would happen eventually. But hell, I didn't think I'd have front-row seats to watching her move on.
It took Charlie ten minutes to collect her bearings before coming back into the house. When she finally did, she went straight to the shower.
So fucking stupid.
I didn’t even have an ounce to drink tonight and felt completely intoxicated when she took her dress off and stepped into the hot tub.
Following my command like a good girl.
I’d ruin her.
I run my hand over my face and go to my garage where I keep my gym equipment since I don’t have the luxury of a basement gym like Levi does.
I keep the lights low as I work through my workout with a relentless intensity. Each rep an eager attempt to dissolve thoughts of her soft delicate curves. The red-laced panties my unwelcome fingers itched to dip into. The white silk bra that hugged her breasts so preciously.
My tongue scrapes across my teeth as I picture her head dipping back for me, giving me full access to them. They’re the most beautiful pair I’ve ever seen.
She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve been with.
The funniest.
The feistiest.
And the most dangerous to my heart.
It’s after midnight when I finally step out of the guest bath shower and decide to check on Charlie.
“Come in.”
I push the door open tentatively. She’s on my bed with a bathrobe tied loosely around her waist. She glances up at me, her eyes lingering on my bare chest before dipping back to her foot, examining it carefully.
“Oh no, the big bad sex god is here,” she mocks.
“Wise ass.” I close the distance and sit on the edge of the bed. “What’s going on?”
“Think I might have pushed it today.”
“Let me see.” I take the foot gently and turn on the table lamp to see better. It’s redder than the other day.
“It’s not that bad, but you should go back to only slippers tomorrow. Save the heels for the wedding. And for your date…with Landon .”
“Noah.”
“And the answer is one. I’ve only had one girl in that hot tub. Including tonight.”
She frowns.
“I still don’t think a guy like Landon is your guy.”
“Who should be my guy?” she asks pointedly.
No one .
But I know that’s not a fair response. And I certainly don’t take the bait. I set her foot down and stand with a sigh.
“Are you tired?”
I shake my head. “No. Just had a workout, so I’m wired.”
She smiles and scoots over on the bed, making space for me. “Me neither.”
I perk a brow. “I thought I was big bad scary.”
“I never said scary. I just said big bad.”
I slide into bed. There’s a good foot and a half between us and it’s both too much and not enough. She’s wearing the purple robe I made mysteriously appear in her bathroom before the weekend, and I like her in it.
In a wild way, I like the way something I bought her hugs her body the way I wish I could.
She must catch me staring because she runs her fingers along the fabric. “You have to stop buying me pretty things.”
“Why?”
“Because it makes it harder to argue with you.”
I lean in like it’s a secret. “I don’t buy them despite our arguments. I buy them in hopes of it.”
“Well you won’t hear one from me on this one.”
This makes me smile. “Goodnight, Crazy.”
“Goodnight.”
Charlie surprised me this morning. She was already awake, dressed, and ready to drive herself to work.
In her “rental car”.
I'd never slept later than a woman I’d shared a bed with, let alone past dawn. But after falling asleep with Charlie last night, I was out like a log.
But hell, I needed it—given the backlog of work I need to catch up on. This past week, I’ve been starting an hour later than usual and shutting down my laptop at five instead of eight. My evening routine of staying up at night reading contracts and going over cases has been non-existent since Charlie moved in.
We get home, make dinner, banter for the sake of not getting along, and then I spend the rest of the night worrying if I took it too far.
It’s after eight when I finally pull up to the house next to Charlie’s SUV.
A warm feeling washes over me knowing she’s inside.
And that’s not good. I shouldn’t feel this way.
The kitchen is clean—sparkling even. I usually keep the counters clear of clutter, but I haven’t seen the marble shine like this since I moved in.
There’s a folder on the round table—not one of mine. The words “ The Children’s Hall” is crossed off with a red sharpie. Curiosity pulls me and I flip open.
I pull on the stack of papers and spread them on the table. It doesn’t take long to figure out what these plans are. And it doesn’t surprise me that they’re Charlie’s.
I look out the window and find her on the back porch, staring at the mountains in the distance. Somehow I knew she’d love it here.
I step out back with my Earl Grey and sit beside her on the bench.
Her green eyes greet me, and she leans over, breathing in my steaming cup.
I hold it out for her. “Two sugars.”
She takes a slow sip and hands it back.
I’m tempted to ask about the sketches I found. About the title crossed off. I’m tempted to find out if this is why she’s been down the past week since going back to work.
It doesn’t take a lawyer to figure out what happened. I saw the meticulously crafted plan to build this, the precise budget, the written proposal for her selfless purpose.
But there’s no way the county will spring fifty grand for a new and improved children’s wing.
As beautiful as her plans are, they don’t belong here. Not the public library. Hell, not even in this town. The town that happily accepts free books for their children from her on the streets, then make fun of her for it behind her back.
They don’t deserve her efforts.
She keeps her gaze away from me. “When do you think my car will be ready?”
I set our shared mug on the table and rub my palms together. “I didn’t wreck your car. I traded it in.”
Charlie doesn’t seem surprised. “I should get a lawyer. I think that’s grand theft auto.”
I laugh. “Your car would have had to be worth at least a grand for it to be considered that.” I’m exaggerating but doubt she’ll look it up.
She scrunches her nose. “There wasn’t anything… embarrassing in there, was there?”
I did scan for personal items but it was reasonably clean. “Nope. No battery powered lipsticks or alike.”
She shakes her head like she’s given up. “Can you get it back? I can’t accept the new car.”
“I’m not letting you leave town without a new set of wheels.”
“Then I’ll pay you for it.”
“Charlie.”
“Noah. I’m not yours to take care of,” she whispers.
“It’s registered to your name. You’re stuck with it.”
She watches me thoughtfully, her eyes dropping to my lips briefly before pushing to her feet.
Her tone shifts. “What name?”
I’m thrown off by her question. “The only one you have.”
“D’you use my real name or the one you gave me?”
I roll my eyes at her dumb question.
“What’s next Noah? What else have you done that I don’t know about?”
I glare at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mike called me the other day asking when I’m going to cash the check his dad gave me. Because apparently, someone’s waiting to see it clear so his father doesn’t get sued.”
That kid was never very bright .
"And I don't appreciate my mother's name on it. We don't need his charity."
"What? Fucker's trying to write it off," I mutter.
“You threatened him to give me back four months’ worth of rent? Why? Why would you do that?”
I push to my feet. “Because you can’t defend yourself. That’s why I’m here.”
She searches my eyes and responds softly. “But you’re not. You haven’t been here .”
I close the distance between us and slide my hand around her neck. “Don’t sleep with Landon,” I rasp.
She searches my eyes. Her question almost a dare. “Why?”
“He’s a hockey player, Charlie. They only know to play rough.”
Disappointment settles into her features and she pushes a finger to my chest. “Maybe I’ll like it rough.”
“You don’t know what you want,” I bite.
“Like you know any better.”
“You have a vibrator the size of a flash drive. That tells me enough.”
“It’s convenient and discreet,” she shouts.
That does it.