Charlotte (Marked Heart #2)

by M. Sembera

  The moment Auggie parked, Charlotte didn't wait to see if he would open her door for her. She needed the fresh air to clear her head. It was an instant relief to feel the cool night air and hear the music pumping from inside the building.

  Auggie made his way to the passenger side to meet her as she asked, "Can you hang onto my cell for me?" pulling it out of her back pocket.

  With a confused expression, he answered, "Uh...Sure."

  "Thanks, I don't like the way it looks with these shorts."

  As she started to hand it over, her phone vibrated in her hand.

  T: Hello lovely.

  Glancing at Auggie, Charlotte informed, "Just a sec," before texting back.

  C: Hi!

  T: Are you enjoying yourself?

  C: Not yet ;) just parked.

  T: What are you wearing?

  C: I'm naked.

  T: O_O Did you wear the skirt and blouse I suggested?

  C: No

  T: :(

  Glaring at the disappointed frowny face Trace sent, agitated her.

  C: I can't dance in that skirt unless you want everyone to see my panties.

  T: Why would I mind?

  Just before she could text back, Auggie snatched her phone out of her hand, fussing, "Are we doing this or what?" before shutting her cellphone off and sliding it into his pocket.

  A bit startled, Charlotte nodded at him and headed towards the entrance of the club.

  ~

  Auggie tried not to look at Charlotte's phone while she was texting the douche. When he noticed her scowling, he couldn't help but look at what was upsetting her. He'd known guys that caught a beat down just for hinting at possibly thinking of a girl's panties and this creep didn't care if a room full of strangers saw hers. How could she want to be with someone like him? Reminding himself Braden said her boyfriend was 'loaded', Auggie was not only disappointed in who she really is but angry that he had let her fool him into thinking otherwise.

  The closer they got to the entrance the slower Auggie walked until Charlotte turned around and stopped in front of him.

  "What's your problem," she snapped.

  "I didn't realize you were one of those, that's all," he shared in a gruff tone.

  "One of what's?"

  "A peacock," he blurted.

  Taken aback by his comment, she frowned.

  "You strut around all proud but under all those pretty feathers you're just another scrawny ass bird so you get with whoever can give you what you think you deserve, no matter what worthless sorry excuse for a man he is. 'Cause he's got money. 'Cause it's all fake anyway."

  Narrowing her eyes at him, Charlotte tugged at the bottom of her blouse, assuring, "I am as far from fake as you're ever gonna get, Augustus. And FYI my last name is Roberts, I have my own money and it's way more than he's got. So next time you decide to get your panties all in a bunch because you've snooped on my text message, try asking me why I'm with someone like Trace instead of assuming because of what you have heard about me." Stopping to relax slightly, she added, "And by the way, my feathers aren't pretty, they are stunning and underneath them is a sexy female wearing a lovely little pair of peacock blue satin panties."

  Auggie was speechless.

  Making their way through the crowded club, Auggie felt Charlotte slide her arm around his and quickly jerked away. She seemed to have forgotten all about telling him off outside of the club, but he hadn't. He could admit he was wrong, never to her but to himself. However, he was still mad. Was it necessary for her to mention panties so many times? Now all he could think about was if hers really were peacock blue and satin like she said or if she was simply making a point.

  As they reached the bar, Auggie noticed the bartender eyeing Charlotte with an interested expression.

  "Charlotte?" the bartender exclaimed.

  Stopping for a second to inspect the guy behind the bar wearing a white shirt, black vest and slicked back blonde hair, Charlotte replied, "Jeremy?"

  Sucking air in through his teeth, Jeremy said, "Mmm girl, you grew up nice."

  Turning away from the situation, Auggie thought 'lame', trying not to be aggravated.

  "I heard you moved off to...France was it?"

  "Spain," she corrected before nudging Auggie and introducing, "Augustus, this is Jeremy."

  Glancing back, Auggie gave an unimpressed nod before Jeremy said, "Hey I know you," catching his full attention.

  "The Dog House right? My cousin and I hit that place up a few months ago. The band was tight."

  "Yea," he confirmed, reaching into his pocket to grab his wallet as he said, "Guinness."

  Jeremy gave him a blank look before saying, "Sorry man, only liquor here and it's on me. Charlotte and I go way back."

  Watching him raise an eyebrow and smile at Charlotte, Auggie said, "Whiskey then."

  "Whiskey Sour?"

  "Whiskey in a glass."

  "Can't do straight liquor man."

  Auggie stared in disbelief wondering what circle of hell Charlotte had brought him into.

  Charlotte stepped in, saying, "I'll have the strongest drink you've got and he'll have a water."

  Jeremy filled their order while flirting with Charlotte.

  Charlotte's drink was empty in no time at all before she headed out to the dance floor. Sipping his water, Auggie was glad she knew better than to ask him.

  "You been with Charlotte long?"

  Glaring at Jeremy, Auggie hadn't realized he came for social hour.

  "Hey, I wasn't tryin' to pick her up or anything I'm engaged. Great girl too."

  "Mmhmm," Auggie grumbled before Jeremy continued, "Besides, and don't get me wrong, Charlotte's a good time and all. Not really a keeper though." Before Auggie could lose his temper, Jeremy pointed to the dance floor, saying, "Know what I mean?"

  Scanning the crowd of people dancing, Auggie spotted Charlotte letting some stranger put his hands all over her.

  Instantly heading in Charlotte's direction, Auggie knew she wasn't his but they had come together and it was damn disrespectful of her to show up with him and then dance that way with someone else.

  ~

  Charlotte didn't mind some physical contact on the dance floor it was expected in places like this. She had already warned him twice and this guy was a bit too grabby for her taste.

  "Baby, don't go. We're just getting started."

  With a smirk, Charlotte shared, "No we're about done," as she started to walk off.

  "Come on..."

  As she felt something barely brush against her backside, she turned around to slap him when she saw Auggie standing there holding her offender's wrist in his hand.

  "You wanna lose that hand," Auggie growled, shoving him as he let go.

  "She was all over me," he lied, falling onto his back.

  Auggie wrapped an arm around Charlotte warning, "Take a walk."

  Surprised at Auggie's chivalry towards her, she watched her former dance partner, scramble to his feet and stomp away.

  As the song changed to a down beat, Charlotte placed her hands on Auggie's shoulders. His arm that was wrapped around her fell to his side as she leaned into him. It wasn't a slow song playing but it was slow enough for her to slide her arms around his neck and sway with the rhythm comfortably close to him. With her heels on she was just an inch or two short of eye level with him. He stood perfectly still staring at her. Unable to hide what being so close to him was doing to her, she moved one of her arms to his waist and leaned her forehead onto his shoulder. Breathing in and out slowly, she waited for him to end the dance while savoring the moment while it lasted. Closing her eyes, Charlotte felt his hands on the center of her back. He wasn't pushing away or pulling her closer, he was simply holding her in place.

  The song ended, forcing her to let go. When she did, he was still staring at her. Charlotte had no idea what to say. She started to slowly smile up at him when they were interrupted by a large bouncer and her touchy-feely dance partner.

&
nbsp; Pointing at Auggie, the guy announced, "That's him. His girl was all up on me and he knocked me down."

  Moving Charlotte away, as the bouncer reached to grab him, Auggie held his hands up, saying, "I didn't knock him down, he fell down."

  "Sir, he says you knocked him down, now I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

  Taking a step towards the bouncer, Auggie replied, "I'll leave but just so ya' know, if I'd a knocked him down, it would looked like this," elbowing the bouncer in the chest so hard, he sat down on the floor as the wind was knocked right out of him.

  Charlotte took a few steps back as Auggie swung and punched the grabby guy in the face and laid him smooth out.

  Unable to hold in a laugh, when Auggie leaned over him, saying, "Tattle-tale," Charlotte noticed the bouncer getting up.

  "I think we better go," Charlotte urged.

  Nodding at her, Auggie took hold of her hand as they both made a mad dash to the exit door.

  ~

  When they made it to Auggie's house, Charlotte was still reeling from what happened at the club. It wasn't just Auggie fighting. It was putting him in his place before they walked in, slow dancing with him and then seeing him knock someone out that had Charlotte's adrenaline spiked to the point she felt she could have jogged home without getting tired.

  "I still can't believe you did that," she laughed.

  "You never heard the saying, 'snitches get stitches'?" he questioned with a smile.

  Taking a moment before following him through the doorway, she had never seen him smile like that before. One side of his face was scrunched up into a genuine smile that made his eye squint closed in the cutest way.

  The same feeling that filled her on the dance floor, coursed through her before settling in the pit of her stomach. He'd been holding out on her. Auggie's smile was the best thing she had ever seen.

  Stretching out on his couch, Charlotte kicked her heels off saying, "Tell me this wasn't the best night you've ever had."

  Sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, Auggie handed her a beer and said, "Not the best, but not as bad as I thought."

  Propping herself up on her elbow, she gave an inviting smile as she asked, "What would make it the best?" in a whispery voice.

  Suddenly his scowl was back as he griped, "A good night's sleep," before standing up and heading to his room advising, "And a word to the wise, if you don't want guys tryin' to grab your ass, consider wearing longer shorts."

  Rolling onto her back with a loud huff, Charlotte stared at the ceiling.

  11

  Breakfast

  Rolling over and burying his face in his pillow, Auggie woke up the same way he fell asleep. Thinking about Charlotte. She irritated him like no one else. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get a handle on her. When he expressed his dislike for the way her so call boyfriend treated her, she accused him of being judgmental and read him the riot act. When he stepped in to correct some sleaze ball for disrespecting her, she was grateful. It seemed like she was all over the place. And what was with that dance? She'd appeared at ease that close to him, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, he could barely move. The most he could do was place his hands in a safe zone and even then, if the song hadn't ended when it did. He would have lost every ounce of control he had. He did not want her to know, but if she had any idea what she did to him, she would never have looked at him that way before he went to bed.

  Groaning into his pillow as he slid his arms under it, he wrapped the sides of the pillow around his head. Auggie knew it was going to be another cold shower morning. He couldn't let her keep coming over like this. His house took too long to air out when she left and his chair had never fully recovered from her sitting in it. She was the best thing he'd ever smelled and it lingered in his furniture and his mind. So much so, he could have sworn she was in the room with him now.

  Stopping to dwell on that a moment, he lifted his head from the pillow and opened his eyes finding Charlotte standing at the side of his bed.

  "Morning!"

  Pulling the comforter higher as he sat up, Auggie fussed, "What is wrong with you?"

  "I'm hungry."

  "Get out of my room," he snapped.

  Ignoring his demand, Charlotte asked, "Will you get up and make me breakfast?"

  'She was out of her mind', he thought, persisting, "No, get out!"

  Placing her hands on her hips, she huffed, "Please?"

  "Make your own breakfast."

  In her tiny black shorts from the night before and a white tank top, she threw her hands out to the side as she griped, "I only know how to make scrambled eggs and you don't have any eggs."

  At that moment, Auggie didn't know whether he wanted to pull her into the bed with him or choke her.

  "Fine! I'll make you breakfast! Just get out of my damn room!"

  Fluttering her eyelashes as she rolled her eyes at him, Charlotte left his room.

  ~

  Thinking to herself 'geez, that was rude' Charlotte made her way back to his kitchen. He was probably going to take his sweet time rolling out of bed. That would be just like him. Every time she wanted something, he insisted on doing the opposite. Like him running to his room like a little girl because she simply asked what would make his night better. She wasn't even offering him anything. It was just a question. Okay, maybe she was putting herself out there a bit and it was most likely for the best that he responded the way he did, but she was normally the one doing the turning down. Opening the freezer with a heavy sigh, Charlotte thought she might as well give up. Clearly, if he was attracted to her, he wasn't going to do anything about it and it was just as well that he didn't. Convincing herself, the crush she had developed on him had more to do with the fact that he was different from every other man she knew and less genuine fondness for him, Charlotte found a box of waffles.

  After checking to make sure he had syrup, Charlotte went to tell him never-mind. Walking into his room, she found Auggie wearing his Dickies and no shirt. Hunched over with his forehead pressed against the wall, he was practically panting.

  "A...am I interrupting?" she blurted with a laugh.

  Leaning all the way onto the wall, he let out a frustrated groan before holding his cupped hand out to her snapping, "It's tattoo goo."

  Stepping closer, she inspected the jellied substance in his hand.

  "What are you trying to do?"

  "I can't reach the middle," Auggie griped in an almost pleading tone.

  Having some compassion for him since it appeared as though he was about to have a breakdown over it, she offered, "Here, let me help."

  Charlotte stepped next to him and dipped her first two fingers into the goo. Charlotte had been dying to touch the cross on his back since she first laid eyes on it.

  ~

  Every muscle in Auggie's body tightened the second Charlotte's fingers touched the middle of his back.

  "Am I hurting you?" she asked.

  Realizing his response to her was obvious, he tried to think of anything other than her touching him as he shook his head.

  "Could you relax then," she said with a laugh before adding, "You're making me nervous."

  Grinding his back teeth together, he leaned his head down and closed his eyes.

  Charlotte's tone was as soft as her fingers on his back as she shared, "I would say your cross is beautiful but I don't want you getting all offended. I've always wanted a tattoo."

  Swallowing hard, he replied, "You have?"

  Sliding her fingers into his hand to retrieve more goo before branching out from the middle to his shoulder blades, she shared, "I'd like to have a mark on me that I chose to have, if that makes sense."

  Understanding where she was coming from, Auggie informed, "My cousin Kieran's done all mine. I kinda sprung this one on him the night Will died. He just finished the center a few days ago," before adding, "He does the family's, old school, at his house but he has a shop on fifth street."

  "I
f I ever decide on something, I might stop in."

  Without thinking it through, he said, "Anything would look good on you."

  Charlotte ran her fingers down the length of his cross before she stepped away, saying, "I found some waffles in your freezer. I'll just make those."

  By the time he turned around, she was out of his room.

  ~

  Popping the waffles in a toaster after she washed her hands, Charlotte leaned against the counter. Planning to suggest they work on the ledger right after breakfast, she needed to get out of there and limit her time with him to Sundays only, like their agreement. Thankfully he brought up William, reminding her why she was associating with him in the first place.

  As she pulled the heated waffles out of the toaster, Auggie walked into the kitchen, saying, "Since you're already here, why don't we go over the books then you don't have to come back later?"

  Whipping around, to see him with his shirt on, Charlotte thought 'I was supposed to say that' as she agreed, "That's fine."

  Without another word, Auggie went behind her to make his waffles.

  ~

  They ate breakfast and worked out the weeks totals together. When they were done, Auggie remembered her cellphone in the back pocket of his slacks that were lying on his bedroom floor.

  "Hang on let me grab your phone."

  Charlotte nodded at him, waiting by the door.

  Quickly bringing it to her, he handed it over, saying, "You almost left without it."

  Another nod from Charlotte confirmed the awkwardness of the moment. Both were being polite and it was weird.

  "So, I'll see you next Sunday then."

  Reaching for the knob, he replied, "Yep."

  He opened the door and started to move to let her through since she was on the opposite side, when he heard Penny complain, "Don't you ever answer your phone?"

  Charlotte's eyes were wide just before he shoved her between the wall and the door and leaned against it.

  Penny made her way into his house and set a few containers on his kitchen table before walking back to the living room.