19. Noah
19
I take Charlie to dinner at the Inn after work. She’s quiet again and I’m convinced it has to do with the project she’s not talking to me about. I’m tempted to take a closer look. To propose the plans to the Board myself with a damn good argument.
Because it’s what she wants.
She finally starts talking about the bachelor parties we have coming up in ten days but I’m barely listening.
A million things are running through my head. Last night. This morning. Her plans. The wedding. After the wedding. Her bucket list. How can anyone fucking concentrate on whether or not to combine the parties at the end of the evening for a nightcap?
Charlie blinks up from her notebook. Then covers it with her hand. “What was I talking about?”
I frown. “Is this a pop quiz?”
“Yes.”
“Where Pepper and Chase are staying the night of the bachelor parties. You suggested you and the girls at the cottage. Chase and me at Levi’s—although I don’t know why I need to crash there when I’m a ten-minute drive from his house, but alright. And if I looked distracted , it’s because I was deep in thought about how your plan doesn’t work.”
She jerks. “Why doesn’t it work?”
“Because you’re forgetting one minor detail. And he’s nine years old.”
“I’ll watch the little worm.” We both turn at Tessa’s raspy voice from behind the bar.
She’s leaning over the marble and gives us a bright smile. “I listen to conversations that don’t involve me when I’m bored.”
I don’t flatter her with a smile. I don’t even flatter my highest paying clients with a smile but give her a curt nod. “I appreciate that, but I don’t think my brother would.”
“You don’t think your brother would what?” Levi asks, coming down the stairs.
I frown up at him. He’s got a toolbelt around his waist and a dirty white t-shirt stained with sweat. “What are you doing here?”
“Dad asked me to fix a leak on the second floor.”
“Don’t we have a plumber for that?”
He grins. His teeth white against his tanned skin. “I asked him the same question and he answered with 'Don’t you have a sitter whose name isn’t Grandpa?’”
I chuckle and point. “Funny you should say that. We were just talking about the bachelor parties next week and Tessa here offered to watch the little worm—I mean Jackson.”
Tessa glares at me then shrugs at Levi. “The kid wiggles a lot.”
His face falls flat. “I’ll find another sitter for Jackson. Appreciate the offer.”
Tessa rolls her eyes. “Pleasantries are not required. Look, you don’t have to pay me, I’m just offering to help one night.”
“No offense Tess, but you’re not exactly the ideal candidate to care for a child. I’ll find someone else for that night.”
Pain flashes in Tessa’s green eyes but she quickly covers it with a scoff and returns to the other bar patrons. “Suit yourself, Indie.”
Charlie shakes her head as my brother disappears behind the back door. “ That guy is the most eligible bachelor in town?”
“Hey, why don’t you invite Tess to the bachelorette party?”
Charlie follows my gaze. “Oh. That’s a good idea. Okay, I’ll ask Pepper.”
I check the time and set down my napkin. “Almost nine. You ready?”
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth but her face brightens. “Yes. No. But let’s go anyway.”
The night air is crisp with an earthy scent as we approach the moonlit Hideaway Lake. Charlie inhales deeply. “Smells like wildflowers.”
“Are you nervous?” I ask, tossing down a bag of our things; a blanket, flashlight, and two towels.
“Immensely.”
I grin. “Good.”
I loosen my tie, hiding my own nerves. The soft rustle of leaves and the occasional call of a night bird makes me feel like I’m sitting on my back deck.
Charlie watches the water. “You’re coming in with me, right?”
“I’m not sending you in there alone.”
“Have you done this?”
“No.” And I wasn’t planning on ever doing it.
She takes a deep breath and bends, holding up a towel. “Will you hold this up for me?”
I hold up the dark towel as she undresses at the speed of light behind it.
She takes the towel from me and wraps it around her body, giving me a quick wink before tip-toeing down to shore.
Fully dressed, I follow her down the path to the water’s edge. “Be careful of the rocks,” I call.
This is a bad idea. I don’t know what possessed me to let her do this. “Are you sure about this?” I ask, stopping a few feet from the shoreline.
Charlie tosses me a mischievous smile. “Too late to back out now.” With that, she turns her back to me and drops the towel.
My lips part. She’s unashamed and…beautiful.
Her skin glows in the moonlight. Her ass is almost heart-shaped. Smooth, perfectly rounded, bouncing a little as she races into the water until it reaches her chest.
“Holy shit , it’s cold,” she shrieks and dips her head back to wet her hair, then turns to me with a glorious smile. “You coming?”
I watch her for a beat, wishing I could photograph her like this. Carefree and happy.
I glance around before shedding my clothes.
Never in a million years …
The water is shockingly cold. I reach Charlie and pull her against me. “You are one crazy chick, you know that?”
“This was your idea.” She splashes me, her eyes smiling in a breathtaking way.
I grab her waist and she screams, swooshing around me and jumping on my back. “Oh my God, there’s a snake in here!”
I laugh and twist my head back to my innocent little web. “That’s not a snake, sweetheart.”
She huffs, steadying herself, and looks down as though she could see through the dark water at my waistline.
She covers her face with a soft laugh. “Oh. Sorry.”
“You’re sorry? For the biggest and I mean biggest compliment my junk’s ever got?”
Her laughter is music to my ears as I swing her back in front of me, holding her legs around my waist.
“See?" she says. "Totally worth it stepping out of your comfort zone for me.”
It was worth it before that.
“I don’t know what to do in here,” Charlie admits, her brown eyes scanning my wet bare chest like she’s looking for a clue.
I kiss her tenderly under the warm spray of my shower. “Leave it to me.” I pull the handheld showerhead and rinse the soapy suds off her body. The exact body I’ve mostly kept my hands off since we got back.
The only time I've let them wander over her was when I was wrapping her in both towels because she was shivering from the cold lake water. When we got home, I threw her over my shoulder and whisked her into the shower.
Other than that—I’d been the perfect gentleman.
One thing I don’t want Charlie to feel is that I’m taking advantage of her vulnerability. Of her ignorance when it comes to men and sex.
My proposal isn’t meant for me. Not entirely anyway. It’s meant to protect her. If she hates it and wants to stop—I want her to hate it with me. If she loves it and wants more. And she will fucking love every second of it. Then I want her to love it with me .
I pull her hair over to one side and move my lips to her ear. “Turn, hands flat on the tile.”
She smirks and complies wordlessly.
“Do you trust me?”
“I already told you I do.”
“I need to hear it again.”
“With my life.” Her words tug at my chest in a way only she knows how.
I move to her other ear, bringing the nozzle lower down her back. “I’m going to make you come again. Don’t take your hands off the wall, don’t turn around.”
She nods.
“I need to hear you, Charlie.”
“Yes. Yes, please. Just…touch me.”
I position the shower nozzle between her legs and nudge her. “Spread them.”
Her legs part and I hold it against her mound, making her moan. Her head falls back on my chest and my cock hardens. I reach with one hand and turn up the pressure. She jolts with a cry. “What was that for?”
I bend my head to her. “I told you not to take your hands off the wall.”
She scans her surroundings, finding herself flat against me instead of the wall. “Oh… Sorry?”
I can't help my grin and put my hand on the pressure knob again.
“Alright, alright. I’m moving.” She presses her lips together but her stomach shakes with laughter.
I fucking love it. I love making her feel this good with me. This free.
I move the head up and down her center, then in circular motions. She rocks her hips and I wrap my hand around her, resting it just under her breast.
“Put your hands on me, Noah.”
“Who’s calling the shots here, babe?”
“I am.”
I lift my hand, covering one luscious breast. “Good answer.”
I squeeze her breast in a way I’ve been dying to for as long as I can remember. She moans and presses her hands harder against the wall like she’s about to get in trouble again if she doesn’t.
“You’re such a good girl.” I run my fingers along her arm, around her breast, and down her stomach.
Her head drops with a needy moan and I press one finger against her swollen clit.
She cries out and bucks her hips. “Yes. God, yes.”
I rub furiously, giving her the release she needs. The one I’ve been desperate to watch again since last night.
She quivers and I twist her, catching her in my arms, kissing her like she's mine.
And will always be mine.
I settle in bed next to Charlie. She’s in my t-shirt and I’m in a pair of boxer briefs. It’s taken me the full fifteen minutes of us getting dry and ready for bed to come up with a surefire way of keeping my distance.
Because I shouldn’t be calling her mine.
She shouldn’t get attached, either. Or have any expectations.
“I suppose we’ll need some sort of ground rules,” I start, failing miserably at sounding nonchalant.
“Good idea. You go first.”
I don’t need much to come up with the first one, and I feel like it’s a good buffer before I get to the next. “We don’t talk about the past.”
Charlie nods curtly and swallows. The unwarranted guilt returning to her features.
I clear my throat, surprised at the nerves building in my veins. This is Charlie . I’ve gone up in court representing firms in hostile takeovers with zero ammo and felt more at ease. “This… physical relationship… is all it is.”
There’s a beat before Charlie acknowledges with a stiff response. “Absolutely.”
“You’re keeping the car.” Probably should have led with that one.
This ticks her off. “You know what’s hilarious?” she starts in that high-pitched voice when she’s riled up.
“No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
“This was your idea. I don’t need to do anything with you. I think I’ve learned enough. I am. One. Hundred. Percent. Ready for whatever it is Landon Humphrey—or any other guy—has to offer me. I don’t need you. That’s a hard no on the car.”
God, I miss this fire . And boy do I miss dealing with it.
I climb on top of her. “Is that so?”
Breathlessly, she responds. “It’s so.”
I hook my fingers in her panties and strip her of them. Then slide my hands up her body. The erection behind my boxers presses hard against her bare flesh. She moans and I feel her tighten.
“Fine then. Just…one more thing.”
I hike up the oversized t-shirt covering her breasts until they’re on full display for me. When I can’t take it anymore, I dip my head and devour one with my mouth, wrapping my arm around her, holding her tight as I suck on the hardened nipple the way it’s been begging to be.
I expect her to squirm away but she’s welcoming every suck and pull of her nipple between my teeth, whimpering and arching for me to take it all.
I pull back and hover my lips over hers, waiting for her to meet my eyes. She’s heavy with desire. A need she swallows down instead of voicing.
I tease between her thighs with my fingers.
“What…what’s the one thing?” she pants.
“You know what’s a hard no, Charlie?”
“Tell me.”
I find her clit making her jolt. “When a man doesn’t make you come with his mouth first.”
Her lips part with a gasp.
I lower myself down her body, placing a kiss below her belly button. Her breathing accelerates. “But I’m not going to do that.” I tease her clit with my thumb before pulling it back. “Because you… don’t need me.”