Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Hey, Charlie girl.” I wrap my arms around her, hauling her into my chest.
Her arms slip around my waist as she smiles up at me. “What are you doing here?”
“I missed you.” I kiss the corner of her mouth. My hold on her tightens just a little. It’s damn good to have her in my arms where she belongs.
She pushes my wet hair out of my eyes. “You look tired. You okay?”
“I’m not sleeping.”
“What’s going on?”
“My bed smells like you. My house is too fucking quiet, and I can’t find a comfortable position without you in my arms.”
She sags into me. “Spence.”
“I brought pizza,” I tell her. “And I brought an overnight bag. I was hoping you’d take pity on me and let me stay.”
She watches me, and with each second that passes, my heart rate increases. I’m ready to drop to my knees to beg or wear her out with my tongue, whichever comes first, to convince her to let me stay.
“I missed you too,” she finally confesses.
My shoulders relax, and I kiss her. For real this time. Not just a peck. I kiss her with everything I have in me. Damn, I really fucking missed her. Miss this, being with her. My cock is hard, but I ignore it. It’s something I’ve gotten used to when Charlotte is around. I can’t even imagine a lifetime when I don’t want her with this intense ferocity.
“Pizza’s getting cold,” she mumbles against my lips.
“I like cold pizza,” I say, trailing kisses over her neck.
She chuckles. “I’m starving, and as much as I want to see where this will go, you’re exhausted.”
“I was tired. I’m not anymore.”
“Come on, funny man. I’m finished. You do your thing. I’m going to get out and get dressed. I have to swap over my laundry. I only have one more load. Audrey worked from home today, and she did hers and then started mine.”
“Remind me to thank her. That’s more time with you in my arms.”
“I thanked her, and I was buying her dinner tonight.”
“Glad I could take care of that for both of you.” I kiss her again and let her go. “Can you grab my toiletries kit out of my bag that’s sitting on your floor?” I ask her. “I was too eager to get to you to bring it in here with me.”
She gives me a soft smile, one that I cherish. “Yeah. I’ll be right back.” She kisses under my chin and pulls back the curtain before stepping out.
I keep the curtain peeled back so I can watch her as she dries off, wrapping a towel around her hair and then her body before walking out to get my toiletries. When she steps back into the bathroom, she chuckles at my head sticking out of the curtain.
“Thanks, babe,” I tell her when she hands me what I need for my shower.
“You’re welcome.” Her blue eyes are sparkling and, regardless of my exhaustion, that makes me smile and damn glad she didn’t kick my ass to the curb.
I rush through my shower, and when I step out of the bathroom naked as the day I was born, her room is empty. Part of me is relieved because I am utterly exhausted, but the other part, the bigger part, wanted her naked and waiting for me on her bed. That’s a fantasy I’ll have to table for another day. Besides, we have time. Lots of time if I have anything to say about it.
Pulling on my underwear, shorts, and a T-shirt, I open the door and go in search of my girl and dinner. I find Charlotte and Audrey in the living room. The pizza boxes are sitting on the coffee table. A small stack of paper plates and napkins is next to them.
“I grabbed you a beer.” Charlotte points to the beer sitting on the end table.
“Thank you.” I bend over and drop a kiss on top of her head before making myself a plate. I don’t sit on the opposite end of the couch where my beer is waiting. I’ve been away from her enough this week. So I take the middle couch cushion, placing myself right next to her.
“This is nice to see,” Audrey comments. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure either of you would ever get here.”
“What do you mean?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “You were both so closed off. I guess it just goes to show the right person makes a world of difference.”
“Is it okay that I’m here?” I ask. I know things are weird with what happened between her and Lincoln.
“More than okay, Spencer. This is Charlotte’s house, and even if it were mine, I’d feel the same way. Linc’s decision has nothing to do with you. Like I told my sister, he made the right choice. I don’t hate him. It’s going to take me some time, but we’ll get to a place where we can be in the same room together and not feel guilt and loss.” She takes a long pull of her own beer.