Chapter 48 Charlie
charlie
“Sit down.” I grabbed Austin’s shoulders and guided him over to the couch. “I have a gift for you.”
“Charlie,” he crooned, and I pushed his shoulders down, forcing him to sit.
“It’s small, I promise.”
I ran upstairs to grab the gifts I’d been hiding in my closet and came back downstairs, where Austin was holding a wrapped gift.
“What’s this?” I almost dropped my gifts when I saw what he was holding. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Of course I did.” He patted the couch next to him. “Sit.”
I sat down next to him, carefully placing the gifts I’d brought on the coffee table. My heart raced as I glanced at the small, neatly wrapped package in his hands.
“Austin . . .” I started.
He shook his head. “No, just open it.”
I took the gift from him, my fingers trembling slightly as I unwrapped it. My breath hitched when I saw the small velvet box, and I looked up at him, my eyes wide.
“Austin,” I whispered.
“Open it.” His gaze was steady, but his lips twitched nervously.
I flipped open the lid to reveal a delicate gold bracelet with tiny, intricate charms hanging from it. Each charm was something meaningful—a small hockey stick, a pencil, a tiny star, a wave, and a heart engraved with the letter H.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I ran my fingers over the charms. “This . . . It’s beautiful,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
“I wanted you to have something that represented us,” he said.
“The hockey stick is a reminder of me. The pencil for what brought you to Chicago. The star because you always find a way to light up even the darkest days. A wave to represent the moment I fell in love with you, when I thought you were dying in the lake.”
I chuckled as I swiped at my lash line.
“And the H . . . for Hart. For the family we’re building.”
I couldn’t speak. My throat felt tight, and my hands shook as I reached for him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “This is . . . it’s perfect,” I managed to choke out.
He held me tightly, rubbing soothing circles on my back. “You’ve given me so much, Charlie. I wanted you to have something that reminded you how much you mean to me, every single day.”
I pulled back just enough to look at him, tears streaming down my face but a smile breaking through. “I love you,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his.
“I love you too. More than you’ll ever know.”
“I, uh, let me get your gifts.”
“Two?” he asked as I pulled out the gift bags.
I giggled nervously. “Yeah, but one is serious and one is . . . not?”
He smirked in that way that said he already had a clue about what was coming. “Okay . . .?”
I handed him the larger package first, unable to keep the grin off my face. “The first one.”
He took it, glancing at me briefly before carefully pulling at the paper. I bit my lip, waiting for his reaction.
Austin unwrapped the package carefully, revealing a simple wooden frame. Inside, my bucket list was displayed, written on lined paper in my slightly messy handwriting. He tilted his head, scanning the list, and a small smile tugged at his lips.
“Swim naked in the lake,” he read aloud, the crossed-off item making him chuckle. His gaze moved down. “See a lake at sunset—checked off. Go on a date at the farmers’ market—checked. And . . .” He paused and looked at me. “Go to a hockey game? Really?”
I shrugged, my cheeks heating slightly. “Hey, Chicago is known as a hockey city.”
His laughter faded as his eyes drifted to the last item on the list. He stared at it for a moment, and the muscles in his jaw tightened.
“Fall in love,” he read quietly. “The effortless, easy type of love.” His voice softened as he traced the checkmark beside it. “You checked this one off.”
“I did,” I whispered. “Because of you.”
His lips parted slightly as if to say something, but instead, he reached for me and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me tightly.
“You make everything feel effortless, Charlie,” he murmured, his lips brushing my temple. “I never thought I’d have this. I never thought I’d deserve it.”
“You do,” I said firmly, pulling back to look at him. “You deserve all of it.”
He kissed me, cradling my face like he was afraid I might disappear.
When he finally broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine. “This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”
I smiled, my heart full. “It’s only the first one.”
I slid off his lap, feeling his eyes on me as I grabbed the second gift. Carefully, I placed the framed bucket list aside before handing the next package to Austin.
He gave me a questioning look as he unwrapped it. His brow furrowed as he revealed the small box inside.
“What is this?”
I just smirked, crossing my arms and waiting. “Open it.”
When he lifted the lid, his expression shifted. Inside was a red lace teddy, a matching red cock ring, a butt plug with a little red stone at the end, and a bottle of lube.
“Char,” he growled.
I couldn’t stop the blush from creeping up my neck, but I quickly grabbed the lingerie from the box, plucking it out of his hands. “Be right back,” I called over my shoulder, trying to sound confident as I headed toward the bedroom, though the heat in my cheeks gave me away.
I slipped into it, the fabric clinging to my curves like it was made just for me. The split down the center of my core left me completely exposed. I added a swipe of red lipstick to complete the look.
The door opened and closed. I stepped out of the bathroom, and Austin sat at the edge of the bed, legs spread, his eyes raking over every curve and jiggle. His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring as he took me in.
The lace barely covered me, my breasts spilling out, the split teasing him with everything I was offering. It was bold, exposing me completely, yet I felt powerful—owning every inch of myself.
“Fuck,” he groaned, running his hands through his hair. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he shifted forward, his elbows resting on his knees like he was trying to restrain himself.
“Come here, wife.”
I took a step closer, letting him see the way the lace stretched and hugged my curves.
“You’re going to be the death of me.”
He groaned again, louder this time, palming the bulge in his pants.
“Good girl,” he rasped. “Now, come here and let me ruin you.”
I dropped to my knees, teasingly sliding my hands up his thighs until I reached the bulge straining against his jeans. I pressed down firmly, earning a sharp inhale from him. Smirking, I popped the button and dragged the zipper down torturously slowly.
“Let me remind you exactly who you belong to.”
Austin dropped his head back briefly before bringing his darkened eyes to mine. “Fuck, Char.”
I freed his cock, hard and pulsing, already glistening with arousal. Without hesitation, I leaned forward, flicking my tongue out to tease the tip before wrapping my lips around him. He let out a strangled moan as I sucked him into my mouth while tightly gripping his thighs.
I didn’t hold back. I worked my tongue along his length, dragging my lips in just the right way I knew he loved. My red lipstick smeared across his skin, leaving vivid marks like I was branding him. I reached lower, cupping and massaging his balls, and hollowed my cheeks, taking him even deeper.
“Fuck, Char.” He gripped the edge of the bed so tightly I thought the wood might crack. His hips jerked forward, and I took it, loving the way he started to lose control.
I slid my free hand lower and pressed against the sensitive spot just behind his balls, making his thighs tense as a deep growl escaped him. “You’re so fucking good at this,” he panted.
Wet, sloppy sounds filled the room, mingling with his groans and curses. Spit dripped from the corners of my mouth and mixed with my smudged lipstick.
When I pulled back to catch my breath, a thin string of saliva connected us, glistening in the dim light. I licked my lips, stroking him firmly. “You’re mine. Every inch of you belongs to me.”
He growled low in his throat, sliding his hand into my hair, tugging just enough to make my scalp tingle. “Fuck, you’re gonna ruin me, Char, but not before we get to play with my new gifts.”
He stripped off his shirt, revealing the intricate tattoo on his chest. The ink seemed to shift, almost alive, as his chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths. My lips parted, and my thighs clenched instinctively at the sight.
“Turn around. Hold the bed. Ass in the air.”
I nodded eagerly, my body already burning as I turned and gripped the edge of the bed. My knees pressed into the mattress as I arched my back, presenting myself to him.
He wasted no time, sliding his fingers down my folds and spreading my slickness before plunging deep inside me. A moan ripped from my throat, and I gripped the bed harder as his fingers worked me, curling perfectly to hit that spot that made me see stars.
“You’re so ready for me,” he murmured, moving his other hand to spread me wider, exposing me completely. “But we’re not done yet.”
I whimpered at the sudden absence of his fingers, but then I heard the click of the lube bottle, and my anticipation skyrocketed.
His finger pressed against my puckered hole, slow at first, circling with the cool slickness of the lube. I gasped, my body tensing before the sensation gave way to something deeper, hotter. He pushed one finger in, stretching me carefully as his other hand held me open for him.
“You’re so good for me,” he growled as he worked his finger in and out, the pressure and pleasure mingling in a way that made my entire body hum.
A second finger joined, the stretch more intense, and the mix of pain and pleasure roared. My moans grew louder, more desperate, as I buried my face into the bed, my body trembling with every movement.
“Almost ready,” he said, his tone almost teasing as he pushed me further, coaxing me to take more.