by CJ Warrant
Boy, was I in trouble.
Chapter Five
Markus
Fuck. The taste of Charlie’s sweet mouth was too much to resist. I wanted more. I deepened the kiss, taking all that she was willing to give me right there, in my arms.
However, as I leaned in, Charlie pulled away. “Markus.” Damn. The way she rasped out my name in her sensually laden voice, my dick grew harder.
“Charlie.” I responded in a growl, leaning my forehead to hers.
“Mark?” The sound of my name set off a boom, echoing off the shelves and broke whatever connection I had with Charlie. “Are you in here?”
“Better put me down, or there will be talk,” Charlie whispered.
Against my better judgment, I did as she asked and slowly lowered her to the sofa, then took the small gingham pillow and propped it under her foot.
“I’m good, you can stop fussing over me” Charlie readjusted where I’d put her.
The clicking of heels echoed off the thinly lined bookshelves. I hadn’t realized it until now that there weren’t a lot of books—not nearly enough to sustain a town of readers, if the people in this town read.
“There you are, Mark. I went to your room but Arlene told me you’d left. What are you doing here? I have a table ready for us, if you’re hungry,” Lila said with a mock surprise when her eyes landed on Charlie. She smiled, though her narrowing eyes showed a different chord of emotion. Lila assessed the situation between Charlie and I and went ramrod stiff. Charlie’s swollen tasty lips told all that needed to be said at what we were doing before Lila intruded.
“I’m sure Charlie is way too busy to entertain since she has to work. I have the time. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll show you around, Mark.”
I had to hand it to Lila. She had balls walking in here acting like she was way better than Charlie—far from it though. There was no way I was going to stick my dick into that piece of loose trash. I had enough of those in LA, and like them she had the audacity to assume that I would take up her offer.
“Lila, when did you get the idea I would have lunch with you? Or do anything with you?” I turned to Charlie. “Did I say a word about having lunch with her in the truck?”
Charlie’s grim look softened into a soft grin. “Not a single word.”
“But Mark—”
“But Mark what, Lila? I don’t know you.” My words sliced fast, which Lila winced at the harshness of my tone. I didn’t like games, especially with women who thought they had a hand over me. I learned a valuable lesson by losing my brother Bryce’s friendship and bond over a woman who was far from worth it. “Please, don’t make a spectacle of yourself. I’m here with Charlie, who right now will have lunch with me while she rests her ankle.” I turned my attention back to Charlie. “Isn’t that right?”
Charlie had her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud, but she giggled. “That’s right,” she said with such jubilance that I couldn’t help let out a chuckle.
The disjointed sounds of Lila’s speedily retreating heels bounced off the walls.
“Is she gone?” I asked, not bothering to look over my shoulder.
She leaned to the side and stared down at the empty hall. Charlie nodded. “With fire under her cheap stilettos.”
“Good. Now let’s see what we can do about your ankle.” I was about to scoop her up again, but Charlie shook her head.
“I’m good here. I’m sure with some rest, I’ll be okay. See, it’s already feeling better.” Charlie tried to stand on the lone foot, but nearly collapsed. I was right there to catch her before she fell on her face.
“I gotcha.”
I was pressed so close to her that I could feel the pounding of her heart. And before I got the urge to lean in and kiss her, Charlie slapped a hand on my mouth.
“I thank you for your help, but I don’t want you to kiss me again. I don’t know you and I’m not that type of girl—like Lila—to mess around with a man I don’t know.”
I wanted to nip at her palm or kiss it, but instead I did as Charlie asked. I nodded and said in a muffled voice, “Fine.”
She dropped her hand and pointed to the sofa. “Please help me down on the couch. You can leave me there. I can rest while I do my paperwork.”
I did as she asked, but I wasn’t going to leave her alone. Something about Charlie drew me to her. “How about this, I’ll grab some ice for your ankle and lunch for us from Arlene’s.”
“Just a bag of ice would be nice.” Her smile was tentative, but there was something more in her bright blue eyes I couldn’t decipher. Maybe need?
I wasn’t in the mood to banter with her. “Be right back.”
With care, so not to slip on the patch of ice just outside of the library, I rushed over to the Arlene’s.
Once I asked Arlene to make Charlie’s favorite meal that she normally ordered, which happened to be hamburger and fries, I doubled the order.
Since I wasn’t in the mood to hike back down a half a block to get salt for the ice around the doorway of the library, I asked Arlene if I could buy a container of table salt. It would have to do for the time being. She looked at me like I was some crazy ass, but she didn’t question my request and sold me the salt.
It took no more than ten minutes to get our food, container of salt and a bag of ice with a towel back to the library. I did a quick but heavy sprinkle of salt on the icy patch and then went inside.
The second I walked inside the office, our eyes locked together and the tightness formed in my chest. I liked the way her blond hair was all disheveled, let loose around her shoulders, looking as if she just out of bed after a night of being thoroughly fucked. My bed.
Cage it, Landry. You don’t want her scared away.
Her big blue eyes looked at me with surprise. She’d thought I wasn’t coming back. Hmm. That was odd. There was a small level of panic mixed with heavy dose of need shown bright across in her face, which had me pause in the doorway.
The way she licked the corner of her luscious bottom lip when she spied the bagged containers in my hands made me wish she were on her knees. An image of her lips wrapped around my dick made me groan inwardly. But I quickly pounded the lustful thought down with a sledgehammer.
Shit. What the fuck was I doing? I wasn’t here for a piece of ass. Charlie wasn’t that type—even though I wished she would be tempted to try. She was a good woman. Too good for me, that is. I just had to get over this attraction, wait out the car being fixed and then get the fuck out of Dodge.
I broke eye contact, and strode over to her side. “Here’s ice for your ankle.” I laid the bag on her foot and Charlie flinched from contact. “Sorry. Here’s lunch—my treat. It’s the least I can do for you getting hurt.” I placed the sack of food on the desk and stepped back. “I wish I could stay but I got a call from work, which takes precedence over lunch. It’s nice meeting you, Charlie and I hope you feel better,” I lied through my damn teeth. It was better that I stayed away from her.
I spun around and headed toward the door with purpose when Charlie scooted over to the desk and called out my name. I paused in the doorway and waited while the panic slowly grew in my chest.
“You’re going to make me eat by myself?” Charlie’s voice sounded kind of strangled.
As I looked over my shoulder I saw her smile. Warm and genuine, just like her. I liked the way she made me forget who I was. What did Clarissa call me…oh yeah, a fucking bastard.
However, the warmth from Charlie’s invitation spread through me, and I couldn’t ignore it, or her. “Fine. I guess I have a few minutes to eat.”
“Well, if work is more important…” She then mumbled something in a different language. I’m sure whatever Charlie had spouted was sarcastic. She looked away shaking of her head and began taking the Styrofoam containers out of the brown bag.
“What did you say?” I reached her side. “I couldn’t hear your mumbling. You know you have a bad habit of saying things under your brea
th and in a different language. If I didn’t think it was cute, I’d bend you over my knee and spank your ass for it.”
She gasped, dropping the container on the desk and planted both hands on her waist. “I’ll tell you right now Mr. Landry, I would never let you spank me. And two, it wasn’t meant for your ears.” She tilted her head back to look at me, and in that second I wanted to mold her to me and kiss the shock out of her until she pleaded for more.
“Are you always this combative?” I stared down at her with seriousness, but my insides were jumping with excitement at the idea of kissing this woman senseless—maybe fucking her senseless. An image of Charlie under me popped into my head. Naked and panting my name, while I fucked her to—
No, damn it. Sleeping with Charlie would only add complications. I was stupid to come here in the first place.
“Only around you,” she said, interrupting my thoughts.
I cleared my throat, grabbed a nearby chair and dragged it next to her. “Let’s eat.”
For the next thirty minutes, Charlie asked me all sorts of legal questions about government buildings and rights of people. She then dropped questions about Chicago and Los Angeles. I patiently answered them, between bites of hamburger. Then Charlie told me about her life, especially the time when she was eight and moved in with her grandmother after her parents died, and that drugs were involved in their demise.
Charlie had been lucky to have such a wonderful person like her Nana, who taught her that life was what you make of it. And look at her now. Strong, confident and so beautiful…inside and out. It was a shame she was surrounded by these half-filled shelves. With her talent—especially with languages—I saw more for her.
Then silence ensued. For the first time since I had left Chicago, with Charlie quietly eating the rest of her burger by my side, a soothing balm came over me for dour thoughts of my father, the death of my mother, the cost of my brother’s bond—my heart began to heal. And for the first time, in long while, I relaxed.
There were no words exchanged, but only the meeting of eyes melding into one confirmed need. Something inside me unhinged my tight restraints of my want for Charlie and I reached out and touched her cheek.
“Charlie.” That was all I got out.
In one fluid motion, I met Charlie halfway, our lips connected with such ferocity that I swore I was going to combust. Our kiss was all lips, tongue and teeth, tasting and nipping.
I’ve kissed many women, but I have never been this aroused and simply by her lips.
I had to have more of her, and trailed my hands along the buttons of Charlie’s powered blue shirt. One by one, I undid them until her lacy white bra grazed the back of my hands.
My moan tore from me, which melded with Charlie’s. Her mouth was heaven and when I cupped both of her breasts, I knew I wasn’t leaving until I had her.
I didn’t care how, just as long I was inside her.
I squeezed the already taut nipples through the thin material of her bra. My mouth watered to taste those pebbled peaks. I dragged down one cup, leaned in and suckled the luscious mound hard until Charlie cried out my name.
“Oh, Markus.” Charlie grabbed my hair and pressed my face tighter to her chest.
“Where can we go that’s private?” I growled out the question, dragging the other cup down and taking the rosy peak into my mouth.
My dick strained tight against my jeans to the point of pain. I wanted her—hell, I’d wanted her from the second she pulled up at the gas station. Complicated or not, I wasn’t going to pass up this moment.
Charlie understood my question. “Back office. There’s a bigger couch. That way.” She pointed in the direction down the hall, without taking her lips off of my neck.
In one fluid motion, I picked Charlie up, cradling her as I followed her instructions.
Chapter Six
Charlie
I couldn’t believe I was actually going to have sex with Markus. Hot, sexy and beautiful Markus. I had never done this. Never. Not even in high school, or the two years I went away to college. Sex was something that shouldn’t be freely given. My Nana had always said that. But that never stopped me from giving in to Devon.
Yet, here I was, just in my bra and khakis, and cradled in Markus’s arms like he was my lifeline.
But something about Markus drew me. I wasn’t sure if it was his sadness that marred the corner of his eyes or the determination in them. Whatever it was, I wanted to see him happy. Fix him.
Not everyone or everything can be fixed. Nana’s words echoed in my mind.
I’ve known this man for only a few hours, and I already wanted to fix him, just like how I wanted to save the library from a wrecking ball. Both were in dire need of being saved.
The office door crashed against the wall as Markus passed through it. He dropped me onto the couch, my ass landing on seat cushions, bad ankle up in the air.
Markus stepped back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I can’t do this, Charlie. This isn’t fair to you, or me,” he admitted, his chest heaving.
“What?” I was stunned at his admission. No man—none that I knew of, would backed away from guaranteed sex. “Isn’t fair? What does that mean?”
“I don’t want to take advantage of you,” Markus said, taking another backward step toward the door. “Don’t look at me that way or I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk for a week.”
“You don’t want me because you’re attracted to me?” My question fell out of my mouth without thought. Still confused, a thought crossed my mind and I blurted, “Of course, you don’t want me because you have someone else.”
“No, I don’t. But you are better than this, Charlie. You’re not like Lila. And as much as I want you—and I know you do too—I know what’s between us won’t go any farther than this. I’m not a commitment type of guy.”
His words were like a slap across my face. Who said anything about commitment? That was the furthest thing from my mind.
Dang it. I should be glad that he was being honest with his feelings, because most men would take what I offered and leave right after. Markus wasn’t playing any games with me.
Yet, that honesty was also painful to hear. The heat from my embarrassment turned to anger. I carefully got up, and covered my breasts. “How dare you think for me. I don’t know what is in your messed up head, but I know what this is all about. I’m not a child. I know this is a booty call. A one night stand—during the day of course, but nonetheless I know what I’m doing,” I argued.
“Charlie—”
“Don’t ‘Charlie’ me, Markus.” I cut him off. “You’ve made your point. Please leave.”
I turned my back to him, which Markus deserved.
I wanted to scream but I held tight to my emotions. Even though his honesty was refreshing, and I knew deep down this was only going to be a one-time thing, the truth still stung like a billion bees.
The sound of footsteps and then a squeak of the door drew my attention, and I turned around and found myself alone.
Markus was gone.
You did tell him to leave. I wanted to slap myself.
I dropped down on the couch, covered my face and wiped the intrusive tears away. “I’m so stupid.”
Chapter Seven
Markus
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I left Charlie, half naked in the library back office, pissed off and hurt—both emotionally and physically.
I saw the damage I did with what I said, saw it in her teary eyes before I stalked out. But the truth had to be said. I was no good for her. But damn it, I wanted Charlie in a bad way. In such a way that I hungered for the taste of her mouth. I had never felt such intense attraction for any woman.
She was nothing like the other women I knew. And the shit that came out of her mouth…well, she made me laugh. Though, there was no reasoning behind my attraction.
Why her?
Charlie was average looking, nice body with a shapely ass and
a face that reflected honesty and trust… That was a bold face lie.
Fuck. Charlie was far from average. She was perfection in my eyes. There was no amount of lies I could come up with that would pacify the need growing in my blood. As much as I wanted to turn around and go back into that library to plunder every inch of Charlie’s luscious body, I shouldn’t. Walking away from her was the best thing I had done in a very long time.
Standing at the curb of the street, I stared across at Arlene’s restaurant. Lila stood in the window, smiling and waving at me to come inside. She just couldn’t get the hint. She was the usual type that gravitated toward me. Thin, blond and no brains in their heads to know I was using them for a fuck. Thinking as far back as college, the Lila types were the one I had messed with.
I shook my head. I hadn’t changed at all. I’ve had many women in my bed, maybe more than most men wanted to admit, but they were all shallow physical relationships. I had admitted that when I was bent over the toilet back in L.A. I had enough—of everything. Drugs, booze and partying with women who meant nothing to me except to indulge in getting off.
Truth was, I was afraid to admit that I wanted what my brother Bryce had. Beth made him whole, a better man to what he already was. Bryce deserved it.
However, I wasn’t sure if I did.
I wanted someone solid and consistent in my life, someone who made me better than what I saw myself as. And for the first time in my life, I saw that in Charlie.
As crazy as it may be, in that short amount of time, Charlie had wound her way into my heart. Though, the worry and rejection had me second guessing myself and thwarted my need to turn around and head inside the library to find her.
I crossed the street, entered the bed and breakfast doorway while avoiding Lila’s attempt to grab my attention, and went straight to my room.
