31. Charlie
31
I take off before the rest of the guests start scattering off to their cars, delaying my clean exit.
The chances of my getting a room at the Inn tonight are going to be slim, but I'll figure something out.
“Charlie,” Noah calls behind me.
I don't turn around. Bending, I take my heels off and walk along the wet grass, my dress getting stained in the process.
“Charlie, wait.”
What could he want? Why would he want to do this here? For as long as I've known the man, he's been private about everything. Now he wants to call me out on my bullshit right here?
I just need to get to his place, take my things and go.
No tears. No apologies. This won't be like last time.
The tears start falling and I’ve already broken my promise. It sure as hell feels like last time.
“Stop.”
I twist sharply. “What, Noah?”
His lips part but no words come out.
I hold up my hand. “You don’t have to say anything. I’ll do it for you. I lied. There was never any date. You assumed, and we got to where we are because of who we are.” I sniffle as the next painful words spill from my lips. “I took it too far. I wanted something from you—and you only—and that was the only way.” I swipe at a loose tear. “Making you jealous. Working your competitive nature, fooling you.”
He tries again but still nothing. Instead, he takes slow steps toward me.
“You’re speechless because there's a special word for what I did, but you can’t place it, right? Yeah, neither can I.”
He frowns and stops a few short feet from me.
I shake my head and step back. “I don’t regret it. I’ll never regret it, Noah. Because you’re my it’s always been you .” I suck in a breath. “But I’m not yours.”
He's one step forward and I'm two back. “I’ll be out by the end of the day.”
I hop into the SUV that I’ll be leaving back at the house—along with everything else he'd bought me—and drive. My vision is blurred and I hate that I did this to myself because I’m a wreck behind the wheel as it is.
Somehow, I manage to get back to the house in one piece. And without a scratch on a vehicle that never belonged to me.
I fumble with the keys as I attempt to get in the house. The rain is slowing down now but my hands are shaky and slippery as I try the key with unnecessary force.
“Come on.”
I push the door open and stumble in, closing it behind me.
I look for my suitcase in my room but can’t find it. Noah probably stashed it someplace. The man hates clutter and that old thing was clearly bothering him.
I growl. “Where is it?”
I check the garage but there’s nothing but gym equipment and a few sporting goods. I check the coat closet. Nothing but shoes and a few jackets.
I circle in place, feeling like I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t find it soon.
My eyes land on the bedroom door at the far end of the hallway. The one that Noah insisted was for Jackson and has been locked since my first night here.
I storm over to it and shake the knob violently. Securing my foot at the base, I push like my life depends on it. When it doesn't budge, I yank a bobby pin out of my hair and fumble with the lock until I hear it click.
Twisting the knob, I nearly fall into the room as the door swings open.
The bedroom is smaller than Noah’s, but not by much. A queen-sized bed, dresser, and boxes—familiar boxes—make up the room. And that's when I notice all the other familiar items throughout the space.
It's a crumpled-up miniature version of my mother's apartment.
It’s all here. Everything I thought was long gone. My mother’s chair, the ottoman, her boxed wedding dress. My father's record player.
I stand at the threshold in shock. Or am I hallucinating? Did I naturally just go to my happy place because my world was falling apart?
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted,” Noah’s voice comes from behind me and I turn with a gasp. His tie is loose, his hair and tux are damp. “So I went back for it all.”
I shake my head. “Went where? It was all gone. Roger sold them to some auction—"
“I bought it back."
“How? When? And…why were you hiding it?”
He shrugs and steps in. “Because I couldn’t explain it. I couldn’t explain needing to get everything you lost back for you.” He motions to the room. “So I kept it from you until I could.”
“Well, when can I have it all back? When can you explain it?”
He lifts his shoulders. “I don’t know.”
I swallow. “Well let me know when you do.” I brush past him. "I’ll just send for my things. Pepper, most likely." I leave the car keys and dump the contents of my small purse into my large tote bag, trade my heels for my purple boots, grab a hoodie, and storm out of the house in my bridesmaid dress.
The rain stopped but it's still miserable and cloudy as I round the cars in the driveway and start down the gravel road. Drops of leftover rain from the trees sprinkle down on me.
Noah has been four steps behind me, watching me like I'm a ticking bomb. One wrong move and I'll explode.
“You’re right,” he calls and there’s something desperate in his voice. Something I’d never heard. Not from him. But it's not enough to make me stop.
“You’re not my ‘it’s always been you'.”
My chest tightens with pain but I keep walking.
“You’re my once in a lifetime. My forever. My in every universe, no matter what, it will still. Always. Be. You, Charlie.”
I turn back slowly. “What?”
"I fell in love with you. Three years ago. That’s why I ended it." He closes the distance. "Not the kiss, not because you weren't enough. I fell so hard and if I didn’t find a way to let you go, I’d end up hurting you.”
"You're not making sense. You mean the way Aiden hurt you?”
"Not exactly." He runs a hand down his face. "Dad came back and fixed everything. Cleaned up the house, his relationships, retired, saved the Inn. He gave us his all. But it was too late. I already made my decision. I’m never falling in love."
He strokes my cheek. "Then I met you. My little web." His eyes search mine. “You were so perfect. So innocent. Charlie, I couldn’t sleep with you knowing we had an expiration date.”
“Why didn't you just tell me?"
He tilts his head. "I was a coward. I knew you'd fight for me." He cups both my cheeks. “ I made the biggest mistake of my life that night baby, not you.”
I shake my head in protest.
“Not you.” He repeats, holding my face. “After you ran off, I paced my living room for two hours. Knowing I couldn't keep stringing you along." He runs a hand down his face. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I trained myself to be smart, not passionate."
A chill picks up and he wraps my hoodie around my shoulders.
"A year and a half ago, I changed my mind. With the help of my brothers, I realized I was a fool and came up with a plan to win you back. To tell you about my issues and beg you to understand. To give me a second chance.”
I frown, wondering why he didn’t come for me…until I remember the timing. “Then Elliot died.”
He drops his head. “I took it as a sign that I was going to ruin another life.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes I think we screwed up so badly with him that Mom said fuck it, if you can’t take care of him, I will.” He sniffles, his eyes focused on the ground. “So she took him.”
I throw my arms around him. “Noah.”
He holds me tight, burying his head in my neck. “I’m so sorry, Charlie.”
I pull back. “I’m sorry too. About Landon, it was stupid. And desperate—”
He brings his forehead to mine. “It was the best fucking news I had all week.”
I release a breathy laugh. "You couldn't tell me this hours ago?"
"I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not good at this. How was I supposed to tell you that it doesn't fucking matter because you showed up at the wedding mine and you were leaving mine."
I shake my head with a laugh. "I've never stopped loving you."
He pulls me against him. "I will make up every single day. Just tell me where we're going."
"What?"
"If you want to leave, I'm going with you."
I look up at his house on the hill, at the colorful trees that surround us, the earthy familiar scent of the town I've always loved. And the man I'll always love. "Here. I want to be here. I want to wake up to these mountains and trees and crickets and spiders every day."
"With me," he says, like he needs the assurance.
"Only with you." I press onto my toes and he meets my lips, kissing me hard. Kissing me like this is forever.
I left Charlie in the other room before hopping in the shower. She went right back into the guest bedroom to look through her parents' things. I told her we could keep it all if it makes her happy. If it's what she needs to feel at home here.
I step out of the shower finding her on the bed, her wet bridesmaid dress still on. She's holding her mini vibrator. "I think it's time to retire this."
I stride over, taking it from her. "Are you kidding? It's my new best friend." I drop it into my drawer and lift a few condoms from it.
She raises her brows. "Big plans to fuck me all night?"
I hold one up. "For fucking." Then another. "For making love. I'll let you have first pick."
She grins wickedly and reaches for the first one. But I hold it back. "Wrong answer." I rest my hand on her hip and bend to kiss her. "I'm making love to you first."
I pull the straps of the long silk dress down her arms and slide it off her body. Her panties next. "You are the sexiest woman alive."
Her eyes are heavy with desire. "You sure know how to make me feel it."
I pull my towel off from around my waist, my cock springing toward her. I lean in, catching her lips, kissing her softly at first, tasting her, sucking on that bottom lip I watched quiver too many times today. She takes over, pushing her tongue into my mouth hungrily and I respond, curling mine with hers. "I want to make you feel all the things."
She whimpers as my cock teases rhythmically against the V of her legs. "All the dirty things, I hope."
I smile against her lips. "Yes. All the filthy things. And all the other things." I move to her neck, then down to her breast, licking and sucking.
She arches her back. "What other things?"
"Worshiped. Treasured. Loved. Desired."
"So far, so good."
I lay her on the bed and place her hands over her head. I kiss my way down her body, taking my time with every inch of her that is mine.
She's panting and quivering, bringing her arms down and dragging me over her. "Now, Noah."
I'm more than ready to be inside her. Rolling on the condom, I settle and nudge her between the legs. She opens for me, glistening beautifully. She pleads again and I slide into her warmth. She curls her fingers over my ass, and fuck, that nearly triggers my release.
"Slow down, baby."
She whimpers. "I can't help it. I'm not built for all this lovemaking."
I chuckle and slide my length into her, filling her completely. She rocks her hips, taking me so good. I'm fucking lost in this woman. I feel like I'm going to convulse just from how much she turns me on with her sounds, her moves, the way her body reacts to mine.
"I need to teach you some patience."
"It's common chivalry, my love," she teases.
Fuck. I love the sound of that.
I hold out for a little longer, but she's making it hard, rocking against me, chasing her release. "How's that?"
"Never keep a woman waiting."
Fuck, what is this woman doing to me?
I kiss her hard, pumping into her greedy pussy until she's trembling, wailing as she comes hard. My cock throbs and I shudder with a groan, filling the condom with an endless release.
"Jesus, woman, I think you just taught me something." We're both panting as I settle next to her.
Her smile is lazy and sated. "That's more like it."