Chapter 45
OLIVIA
Charlie, Colt, and Dallas stared in wonder at the stage, slack-jawed awe etched across their faces as the show ended. I had my hand resting on Charlie’s thigh and I squeezed, sending him a happy smile when he finally tore his gaze away from the now empty space and looked at me.
“It’s amazing, right?” I asked quietly, snuggling closer to his side. I’d watched the show tucked under his arm, and he’d spent most of it drawing tantalizing circles with his fingers across my shoulders and upper back.
Those blue eyes shone with a purplish hue as the light in the room reflected from them, but I could see the joy there too. Excitement. A sense of disbelief.
“I’ve heard of Cirque,” he started slowly, ignoring everyone else as they started talking and laughing, joking around as they got ready to leave.
He had eyes only for me, completely locked in on me in that way I was getting used to from him.
“I just never thought I’d actually enjoy it, but that was quite something. ”
“It always is.” I stared up into his eyes. “It doesn’t seem to matter how many times you’ve seen it. The performers are just so incredibly talented that it takes my breath away every single time.”
“Does it change?” he asked. “The show, I mean. If so, I think I really understand why people would see it so many times.”
“It does.” I smiled. “Do you think you’d want to watch it again?”
Charlie pressed the tip of his tongue to the corner of his mouth, teasing it thoughtfully for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I would. I just can’t actually believe I’m saying that. I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy it.”
Heat rushed through me at the sight of that tongue, but I was trying to get to know him better.
That meant focusing on what he said rather than just getting turned on by an action he probably hadn’t even realized he was taking.
“Yet you came here anyway. If you didn’t think you’d like it, why did you come? ”
“We’re in your world now, remember? I’m learning and I’m trying to keep an open mind about experiencing this city from your point of view.”
“How’s that going for you so far?”
He shrugged, but a slow grin also spread on his face as he finally released me and leaned back in his chair. “You know, it’s really not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Good company. Great entertainment. Everything is really loud and really bright, but I can handle it.”
“You don’t have delicate sensibilities, huh?”
He shook his head. “It seems not.”
Abigail interrupted us by snapping her fingers right in front of my face. “Earth to Liv. Hello? Are you in there?”
I jerked my head around to find her standing right next to me. I flushed, smiling up at her before I stood. “Yeah, I’m here. Sorry. We were just talking.”
My sister’s gaze swept across my face, those intensely blue eyes of hers seeing things so many people would’ve missed. Abigail had always been exceptionally observant. Personally, I thought that might be why she was a little bit more prudent than either London or me.
Not that she was stuck up or uptight. She was just more careful. She was more concerned with the way she acted than most, but I genuinely thought it was because she noticed so much more than the average person—and she thought other people noticed everything too.
“You really like him,” she commented quietly, soft light in her eyes as she smiled at me. “I can see why. He’s good for you, Liv. Really. You’re different with him. More you.”
“I’ve always been me.”
She gave her head a shake so small, I probably wouldn’t even have noticed it if I hadn’t been staring right at her.
“You’ve always been a version of you, but there’s a deeper you that you’ve often only shown us.
He brings that side of you out, the softer, more playful side who knows there’s more to life than just the firm. ”
Charlie had stood up to join the others a few feet away, but I could feel him observing the interaction. Out of earshot but close enough to be by my side in a moment if I should need him for any reason.
I blinked at my sister a few too many times, willing to acknowledge that what she had said was absolutely true, but once again surprised by her ability to see right to the heart of the matter. “Is that a good thing, though? I’m letting him in, Abi. In a big way.”
She reached out and gave my hand a squeeze. “It had to be someone, and I’m glad it’s him. I think he deserves it. Todd never did. Not even almost.”
“Amen to that.”
She chuckled and took a step away. “London and Lacey want to go shopping. Liam has decided to tag along. I don’t think he knows what he’s getting himself into, but he insists he’s never been inside a boutique before, and of course, London thinks it’ll make him immensely uncomfortable and is therefore perfectly willing to take him to one. ”
I laughed. “Go figure. What about you? What do you want to do next?”
“Well, Colt and Dallas loved the pizza, so they’d like to try more street food. I offered to take them around. You’re welcome to join us, but it looked like you two might appreciate some time alone.”
I glanced at Charlie, finding his eyes steadfastly locked on me, and then I squinted at my middle sister. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind? I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Go with him. Show him around. You’re here all week, and frankly, even if you guys do come with us, you’re only going to be biding your time until you’re alone. Might as well just be alone.”
Heat crept up my neck. “I do want to spend time with you, though. I missed you like crazy.”
“I want to spend time with you too, but for tonight, let’s divide and conquer. I’ll feed the cowboys while you play tour guide with your new boyfriend.”
“He’s not my—” I cut myself off when she giggled and arched an eyebrow at me. “Fine. Thank you. Good luck with them.”
“They’re nice,” she said easily. “Very kind-hearted and easygoing. I’ll be just fine. It might even be good for me to spend time with them.”
Always so self-aware.
I sighed and pulled her into a hug. “You’re amazing and I love you. Have fun with them, okay?”
“You got it.” We strode over to the rest of the group and Abi grinned at Colt and Dallas. “Alright, country boys. You’re with me. Let’s go taste some food.”
The guys whooped and cheered, simply nodding their goodbyes at Charlie without even asking if he was going with them. London hugged me, murmuring in my ear before we parted. “Be safe. We won’t wait up for you.”
My cheeks caught fire but I lifted my chin and winked at her. “Be gentle with Liam. Above all, he has always been our friend. We wouldn’t wait for you either, you know?”
She scoffed, her head shaking. She laughed on her way back to him and Lacey. Separating from the group when we reached the sidewalk, I looked up at Charlie and boldly reached for his hand. Abi had been right.
He did bring out another side of me, and that part of myself wanted to hold his hand. To be as locked in as he was and to let him know it. I smiled when he wrapped his fingers around mine without hesitating.
“Alone at last.” I grinned. “We can explore whatever we want now, so what’s it going to be?”
He peered down at me with questions in those beautiful blue eyes. “Are you sure you didn’t want to go with Abi?”
“Cowboy, I’m never going to be mad about spending time with you. She’ll take good care of Colt and Dallas. Don’t worry about them.”
“I’m not. I’m worried about you missing out on time with your sister.”
I touched a palm to his cheek. “I’ll see her in the morning. She understands. Besides, if we’re not with her, she can get the dirt on us from the guys. We’re doing her a favor.”
He chuckled, chin finally dipping into a nod. He adjusted his grip on my hand and turned to take a look around. “What’s your favorite spot in New York? If I’m being honest, there’s nothing specific I want to do or see here except the things you like, so…”
“So I guess I better show you.” I stepped toward the curb and hailed a cab. One of the classic yellow cabs pulled up in front of us. “Two birds with one stone. You’re going to get to ride in one of these and venture to Central Park at night.”
He didn’t respond, simply fixing me with a quizzical look and climbing into the backseat with me once I’d slid across it.
Driving through the traffic at night was an experience he didn’t seem to enjoy as much as everything else so far, muttering about herds and cows again under his breath, but when we strolled into the park hand in hand, that look of wonder from before returned to his features.
“You know, I really wasn’t convinced that you were being genuine when I asked what your favorite place was and you let me know we would be coming here, but I get it now. It’s amazing.”
We strolled through gardens and past waterfalls, stopping to listen to people playing live music and to watch street performers. The park was all lit up and the night had always felt alive to me here, but in a different way than the bustling hive activity on Broadway.
I had a feeling that this was more Charlie’s speed as well. He proved me right by grinning almost all the way. Eventually, when we stopped to listen to a pair of musicians, a man singing and a woman playing guitar, Charlie put his stuff down and pulled me into his arms.
“Dance with me?” he murmured as that gaze pinned mine.
I stepped into him and draped my free hand around the back of his neck, effortlessly falling into step with him when he started moving. Under the stars again, we danced surrounded by strangers, but I didn’t care.
All I could do was follow his lead, staring up into those eyes and wondering if the world had fallen away or if it just felt like that. My entire life, I’d lived in this city. I’d seen couples dance like this, falling in love here in the same park where we were right now.
Yet I’d never been asked to dance out here by anyone. None of my previous dates or boyfriends had ever been remotely interested.
As I looked up Charlie, I decided it had been a good thing.
This was a first that felt like I’d always been meant to share it with him, and the feelings it stirred up confirmed a few things for me.
I smiled up at him, toying with the soft hair at his nape and silently praying that I wasn’t making a massive mistake falling for him.
We stayed exactly like that for a long time, dancing to whatever songs the musicians chose and never looking away from each other. It felt like we were in a bubble, and it was one I never wanted to leave.
When we eventually broke apart, we strolled through the park a bit more, holding hands as I told him more about what it had been like growing up here. “Do you know how your dad took you riding early in the mornings when you were a kid?”
Charlie smiled when I referenced one of the conversations we’d had on our date. “Sure.”
“Well, my dad took me riding too. We just rode the subway instead of horses.”
He chuckled. “That tracks. You must’ve loved it. As a child, I was always fascinated by trains. Still love them.”
“Me too,” I said, sighing as I pointed out a little bench tucked away into a corner near the waterfall. “My mom would bring us here sometimes on Saturday mornings. We’d come out super early and she’d sit right over there, reading a magazine while we played on the grass.”
“I’m really starting to understand why this is your favorite spot. It sounds like you’ve made a lot of good memories here.”
“I did. The little cafe we used to visit every week is right around the corner. They have the best ice cream.” We kept walking and talking until I’d shown him all the spots that held true significance to me, but my feet were getting sore and it was really starting to get late.
“I suppose we should get back at some point.”
Charlie nodded, but he didn’t look any happier about it than I felt. We headed to the sidewalk and hailed a cab for the short trip back to the hotel, but as we walked into the lobby, I looked up at him. “Is it weird that I don’t really want to be away from you tonight?”
“You don’t have to be.” Instead of heading toward the elevators, he strode to the reception desk, and less than two whole minutes later, he had a new key card in his hand.
“They have lots of rooms in this place. I got us one of our own. It’s not weird that you don’t want to be away from me.
I don’t want to be away from you either. ”
My heart fluttered as he gathered my hand again. We strode to the elevators—to our own room. Why didn’t I think of that?
As we ascended, I texted my sisters to let them know I’d see them in the morning, and Charlie fired off a quick text too.
Then we were in a room on a whole different floor, and as soon as he’d locked the door behind us, Charlie spun me into his arms and kissed me like he’d been dying to do it all day long.
I relaxed into him, looping my arms around his neck until I had to lift them so he could slide my shirt off. We undressed each other slowly, our mouths never parting unless they had to for an item of clothing to pass between them.
We hadn’t even switched on a light in our room yet, but I didn’t think we were going to. All day, we’d been stealing little touches, and all night, we’d been surrounded by people. The time we had right then was just for us.
Charlie’s movements were unhurried and gentle, but in the warm, ambient light filtering in from outside, I saw the raw need in his eyes when he laid me down on the bed and positioned himself at my entrance.
Condom already on, he held my gaze and gripped my hips in his hands.
I hooked my ankles around his hips and he pushed into me.
He groaned and sealed his mouth over mine once more, and the way he moved with me was different tonight. He still touched everywhere I needed to be touched, setting a pace that made stars explode behind my eyes, but he was a lot more tender about it.
Even after, when he gathered me in his arms and pulled me to him, turning to press a kiss to my temple, I got the sense that there was something he wasn’t saying on his mind.
There was something I hadn’t said either, but I rested my head on his chest, right over his racing heart, and held him close, resolving to tell him as soon as the right opportunity presented itself.