Page 24

Charlie

I wake with a stir, blinking my eyes against the bright light filtering through the windows behind me. I’m not alone . . .

My eyes ghost over the bed, taking in the soft form nestled into my side. Bailey. Her hair lays across the pillow in a wild array of soft blonde waves, her face gentle as she sleeps. I listen to the sound of her breathing, my hand tracing over the dip in her side, before lightly kneading her hip.

I made a big fucking mistake last night.

I hadn’t intended to fuck her. I wanted to rid myself of any thought of her, but the moment she came at me, wild and unruly, I had to have her. The thought of her consumed me constantly, threatening to drag me under. I can’t stand her, but I can’t stand anyone else’s hands on her, either.

I sit up on the side of the bed, checking the clock beside me. Half past ten in the morning. It’s rare that I get more than a couple hours of sleep. I’ve trained my body not to need it. I’m not sure whether to be relieved or disturbed over how well I slept, holding Bailey.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror when I slip into the bathroom to shower. Pink scratches mar the skin of my back and my cock hardens, remembering Bailey’s legs wrapped around me the night before.

Last night was supposed to quell my need for her, but it only added fuel to the fire. I want her again. I want to taste her, hear the little noises she makes as I’m fucking her. I want to watch her come undone for me again.

A burn slides up my spine and I shake the thoughts away, resting my palm flat on the shower wall. I hear the bedroom door creak open and I still, listening. It’s not until the shower comes on in the house next to me that I know Bailey’s tried to sneak out.

I shut my own shower off and get dressed. If she thinks she’s getting away from me that easily, she’d better think again.

I’m sitting on her bed when I hear the water cut off. Moments later, she opens the door, jumping with a squeak when she sees me.

“I have a deal to make with you.” This is the moment where I could scare her off. It would make my life easier, knowing she doesn’t want anything to do with me, but there’s a voice in the back of my head telling me it wouldn’t be enough to quell my need for her.

She stops, holding her towel tight around her body. My mouth waters, knowing it’s the only thing hiding her from me. My eyes catch on a water drop as it courses from her neck down between her breasts.

“A deal?” she asks, shifting from foot to foot, unsure.

“I want to fuck you. I know you want to fuck me.”

A flush warms her cheeks and my cock stirs.

“Can’t accuse you of beating around the bush,” she mumbles. “But we can’t get along unless some part of you is rubbing up against some part of mine.”

She’s not entirely wrong, but something about that statement pisses me off. “This isn’t a relationship. Just temporary.”

Her eyes dart to mine, narrowing. “Like enemies with benefits?”

I wouldn’t have put it that way. “Yes.”

Guilt washes over her. “What about Andi?”

“What about her?”

“She’s my best friend. She’s going to know I’m sleeping with someone.”

“I’m not going to fuck you in front of her,” I grit, agitation coiling through me.

Bailey pauses, her eyes searching my face. She bites her bottom lip and I watch the movement carefully.

“I have some rules,” she says, finally. Crossing her arms over her chest.

I grit my teeth. “Okay.”

“First,” she says, pacing across the room, “and most important. I don’t want anyone to know. I would prefer if this was between us.”

My dirty little fucking secret . . . I like the thought of keeping her to myself.

“Okay.”

She nods. “Second, I don’t want to have to worry about you sleeping with other people. If you want to do that, then there’s no point to us being E. W. B’s.”

How she thinks I can even think about someone else after I practically fucked her into the mattress last night is beyond me .

“Done.”

Her eyes snap to mine. “That was easier than I thought it was going to be,” she mumbles.

“Anything else?”

“No kissing.”

A sardonic breath escapes me. Bailey notices the expression on my face because she stops, her cheeks red.

“No.” I shake my head.

“Kissing brews feelings ,” she explains. “I don’t want to complicate things further than they already are. We probably shouldn’t have sleepovers, either.” Like we’re fucking schoolgirls.

Possessive thoughts storm in my head. I want all of her, completely open for my taking. Giving up her mouth would be like giving up food. I’ve never been big on kissing, preferring to fuck. Bailey, though . . . I fucking crave the feel of her lips, the warm silkiness of her tongue gliding over mine — the little moans she makes when she digs her fingers through my hair.

“I’m not budging on this, Charlie. Either you’ll agree to my demands or we have no deal.”

I run my tongue over my teeth, weighing my options. I could either have this piece of her or nothing at all.

“Deal.”

“Deal,” she repeats, her eyes wary. “Where do we start?”

I check my watch. I only have fifteen minutes until work, but I don’t think I could make it through the day without making sure she’s okay.

“Come here.”

Cautiously, she pads across the floor, and I pull her to stand between my legs. She places her hands on my shoulders as my hand trails up the back of her thighs to cup her bare ass under the towel. A rough noise leaves me, feeling her soft skin and taking in the way her breath hitches when I slide my thumb over her folds.

“Don’t you have to be at work, like, now?” she asks, her voice higher than usual.

I grip the edges of the towel and tug, letting it fall around her feet. My heart rate speeds up and heat runs to my groin. My cock grows painfully hard against my jeans.

“Are you complaining?” I ask, licking a trail from her navel up to her tight, pink nipple. She lets out a moan, her head falling back and her hands sliding up into my hair. I take the hardened peak into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tip before gently nipping it. If she’s not going to let me kiss her, I’ll just have to find other uses for my mouth.

Bailey’s eyes darken and she jerks. Dark amusement plays inside me. Of course, she would like the small bite of pain I’d mixed with her pleasure.

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble?” she asks, her breath hitching when I moved to the other nipple.

Her eyes fall half-lidded and hazy when I grip both her breasts in my hands and roll them. “Fuck, these are perfect.”

“Charlie,” she scolds, her voice breathy.

“I own half the company.”

Her eyes narrow. “I didn’t know that.”

Of course, she didn’t. No one else does, either. When Mom passed, I used my half of her life insurance to buy half the restaurant from Dad, who was struggling at the time from the gambling debt he’d accrued.

“Keep it to yourself,” I tell her, sliding my hands under her ass. Pushing her down, I lay her out flat on the comforter underneath me. There’s too many fucking throw pillows in my way, so I shove them off and roll my hips into her.

“Does Andi know?” She gasps when my cock brushes her clit.

“No. And she won’t find out, either,” I warn, placing her foot over my shoulder.

I dip my head, biting her inner thigh and causing her to surge up the bed.

“Don’t run. Remember my rule.”

Her eyes dart to mine, dark and full of lust.

“You’re very violent — ahhh,” she gasps when I lick her, from entrance to clit. She tastes like honey and it’s addictive. I hold her gaze, sucking her clit into my mouth and fluttering my tongue. “You’re twisted.”

I pull back. “Why?”

“I’ve never met a man that liked to do this.” A blush creeps up her chest.

“I could fuck you for hours, Bailey. With my mouth, fingers, or cock.”

I don’t give her time to respond, inserting two fingers inside her and pumping her. She grips the comforter on either side of her, rolling her hips into my tongue.

I fucking love when she gives herself over to me without fighting me. A possessive need to make her come before I leave her consumes me.

I build up a rhythm with my fingers and tongue, growling in approval as her release floods through her. She gasps, crying my name, her eyes clenching shut and her toes curling.

I stand just as the orgasm fades, undoing my belt and kneeling on the bed between her legs.

“God, I love watching you come,” I bite, aligning myself at her entrance.

“Go slow,” she begs. “I’m sore.”

My balls tighten, knowing I fucked her harder than I should have last night.

“I warned you,” I say, sliding inside her with a curse. She clenches around me, almost tighter than I can bear.

Her legs wrap around my hips, surging to meet my thrusts as I started moving inside her. She whimpers, her head falling back. I bend down, suckling on the flesh below her ear. Her nails scratch over the marks on my back. I hiss at the pain, fucking her harder. The sounds of my body meeting hers bounce off the walls, mixing with her desperate pleas.

“Who makes you come, Bailey?” I ask, my lips at her ear.

“You,” she sputters, her hand gripping my ass under my jeans.

“Good girl,” I tell her, knowing she loves it when I praise her.

My phone buzzes beside us on the bed and I grab it, knowing it’s Dad. Bailey’s eyes go wide with panic as I answer the phone and put it to my ear.

“You planning on coming to work today?” Dad asks. I can hear the sounds of the kitchen in the background.

I continue to roll my hips slowly, Bailey squeezing me too much for me to stop. My groin rubs her clit, and her pussy fucking floods for me until it drips down my balls.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” I reply, keeping my voice as cool as I can, even though my cock feels like it’s going to explode at any second.

“Well, hurry up because we’re going to have a crowd tonight,” Dad says.

Bailey whimpers and I cover her mouth with my palm. Her eyes bore into mine, as the first waves of her orgasm roll through her. Heat trickles up the back of my spine, my blood roaring to life.

“I’ve got to go.”

I hang up the phone, tossing it off the bed and it skitters across the floor. I don’t care. I remove my palm and Bailey gasps, her body slick with sweat.

“Are you still sore?” I ask, barely holding onto my self-control.

She shakes her head, trying to catch her breath.

“Good.” I roll her until she’s on top of me and lock my arms around her waist, fucking up into her with renewed vigor. Her nails bite into my flesh, her moans growing louder. I grip her ass in my hand, moving her over my cock until she’s coming again.

“That’s it,” I growl, pummeling into her. “ Fuck, Bailey.”

I come, shooting thick loads inside her as my entire body tightens until my ears ring. Coming down, I make a rough sound through my teeth, gripping her hair to pull her mouth to mine, before I remember the “rule” and nip at the flesh on her throat, instead.

Bailey kisses along my jaw, careful to stay away from my mouth and I groan, wanting to taste her.

“If I knew I just had to fuck you to see how sweet you really are, I would have done it a long time ago,” I breathe, my heart hammering in my chest.

She pulls back, eyeing me.

“I can’t believe you talked to your dad while you were inside me.”

I shrug, grinning deviously.

“After the shit he’s put me through, I think he’ll survive.”

I pull out of her, still semi-hard and lay her on the bed beside me.

“I have to go to work now. You’re working tonight?”

I already know she is. I’ve come to know her schedule better than my own.

“Yes, though I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk tonight.”

Pride swells in my chest as I stand and readjust myself in my jeans. I thought fucking her before I went to work would take the edge off until I could have her again. It’s done the opposite.

By the time I reach work, the restaurant is in full swing. Customers enjoy lunch, Bruno and Star dance around each other in the kitchen while they cook, and Dad is behind the bar, instead of in his usual spot behind the desk.

Fuck , now I feel guilty for being late, even if I’m in a better mood than I have been in a long time. My hands, skin, clothes all smell like Bailey, though, and it’s fucking with my head. I can still taste her on my tongue, still feel the electricity from her nails against my scalp .

Jesus fucking Christ. I need to see a therapist.

“Sorry, Dad,” I murmur, sliding behind the bar with him.

He says goodbye to the old man he was talking to and smiles knowingly at me.

“Glad you could make it,” he smirks, untying the apron he insists on wearing behind the bar. “Well, I’m off to pay for your sister’s flowers. Try not to burn the place down while I’m gone.”

That look. He fucking knows something. He winks at me and pats my shoulder as he walks by. Well, it’s not really a pat with Dad. It’s closer to a sledgehammer coming down on your shoulder with the force he puts behind it.

“Oh, and tell Bailey I said hi.”

Motherfucker.

He leaves before I have a chance to say anything and the old man at the bar chuckles. Exasperated, I turn from the room and run a hand down my face. Fuck, I’ve got to get it together.

Over the next couple hours, I go through every emotion I can in regards to our deal.

Why the fuck did I even make the deal? Have I ever done something this fucking stupid?

Now that I have a taste for her, how the hell do I let her walk away when this is over?

Maybe she could move down here permanently, get away from that train wreck of a family she has back in California.

No. That’s a bad idea, too. I won’t want to stop and eventually, she’ll get sick of me.

Around three, Jake slides up to the bar. He’s got a hickey the size of my fist on his neck and dark circles under his eyes.

I nod at the hickey.

“She kick your ass?” I ask, chuckling while I dry off a couple glasses from the sink. It pisses me off to no end when there are water marks.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he retorts, polishing off the hair of the dog I slide him.

Fuck. I hadn’t realized Bailey left a hickey. I guess paybacks a bitch.

“Mine was fucking crazy. Started talking about having kids and shit.”

“I think you’re a great dad,” I taunt, earning me a scowl.

“What about you? Miranda have a good time?”

“Morgan,” I correct. “And no. She decided not to stay.”

Jake lowers his glass and eyes me suspiciously.

“Why?”

I shrug, wiping down the counter. Anything to keep myself busy.

“I don’t know. Said she wasn’t feeling it anymore.”

Jake cocks his head, watching me for a moment. I ignore him, making a couple fruity drinks for Marybeth.

Just then, Bailey walks into the bar. I know Bailey’s here because an electrifying tingle shoots up my spine. It’s fucking ridiculous, but I don’t know how to describe it other than Spider-Bailey senses.

Fuck, I want her again. It’s only been a couple hours since we made the deal and already, I feel like an addict withdrawing. She meets my gaze, her cheeks going red and a small smile playing at her lips. Jake follows my gaze and Bailey quickly looks away.

“Fucking finally,” he murmurs under his breath. “You know, I made a bet with Lionel.”

“Bet on what?”

“When you’d finally fuck her. You’ve been running around like a bitch in heat since she got here.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I grimace, lowering my voice. Is it that fucking obvious? “It’s no one’s business what I do when I’m not here.”

Jake smirks, just like Dad had. “Yeah, and if you really want to keep it a secret, maybe don’t leave paintball sized hickeys on each other.”

I grit my teeth, running my hand over my mouth. I get a couple more orders and I make them in silence while Jake plays on his phone. Half the fucking city knows Bailey was in my bed last night. Why can’t people mind their own fucking business? It’s not like I proposed to the girl. She’s a brat, she’s spoiled, and she’s fucking annoying. Why would I?

She’s also fucking sweet as hell, has too good of a heart for her own good, and makes me want to talk to her for hours, but I’m not too far gone to go admitting these things, yet.

“Don’t tell Andi. I don’t want to listen to it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Though, she might lose her shit if she finds out you’ve been having sleepovers with her best friend.”

One sleepover. And never again. It’s been a long time since I shared a bed with someone and while I slept great, Bailey’s right. Those things breed feelings. No need to pretend this is something it’s not. Just sex can mean different things to everyone, but for Bailey and I, that’s exactly what it is. Nothing more. Maybe a mutual respect for each other and the ability to be in the same room during the day, but none of that fucking relationship bullshit that everyone peddles nowadays. She’s not getting flowers from me on a random Tuesday and she won’t get fancy dates to Perini’s on a Friday night.

“She’ll live,” I murmur, shoving the twenty Jake tosses to me back at him.

“If you insist. I’ve got a job to do.” He peaks back at Bailey, who’s now helping a table of young guys that keep checking out her tits. Jake shakes his head and laughs before walking away. I didn’t realize I was gripping the glass in my hand so hard, but it snaps, making a noise loud enough to silence the whole room for a moment while I clean up the mess. Bailey’s eyes meet mine and the little shit has the audacity to chuckle.

Won’t be chuckling tonight when I make you come half a dozen times , I think wryly, tossing the broken glass in the trash.

Around eight, I’m talking to a couple people at the bar and mixing drinks with Brett when I spot Bailey, holding her neck and hurrying to the back.

What the fuck happened, now?

“Hold this down for a minute,” I tell Brett and step out from the bar to follow her. She’s not in the kitchen when I walk in, but I find her in the courtyard, trying to fix something while her hands shake.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, stepping up to her, but she barely regards me.

“My locket,” she stutters, sounding close to tears. “It broke.”

Jesus, I thought it was something important. “You can get a new one, Bailey.”

She finally meets my eyes, tears slipping down her face. “No. My dad gave this to me.”

Well, shit.

“It’s okay. We can fix it,” I say, surprising even myself and gently rubbing her arm. But I know that’s not the case when she opens her palm and shows me the chain and it’s in multiple pieces. He died when she was twelve, so that means the locket has to be at least that old, probably more.

Bailey breaks down, fully crying for the first time since I met her.

“Come on,” I murmur through clenched teeth. “Don’t cry.” I tug her to me and she lays her head on my chest, letting me hold her. As much as I hate to admit it, seeing her cry does something to me. My skin crawls. I want to erase the tears because she’s too fucking pretty to be crying.

I half expect Bailey to pull away from me, feeling too awkward after our agreement to let me hold her, but she doesn’t. My skin feels too tight, the uncomfortable swell of emotions in my chest rising until it almost chokes me. This is how I felt when I couldn’t find mom’s wedding ring. I keep it locked in a safe in my room and one day, it was gone. I searched the house, panicking until I finally found it. That hour, there, the complete, hopeless desperation was too much for me to bear.

That’s how Bailey’s feeling about her locket.

So, I hold her for as long as she needs because when you’ve lost someone like that, sometimes shit just fucking sucks and there’s not a damn thing you can do to get rid of the pain. Even if it is just a locket.