Page 40 of Stay With Me

Emily throws her head back and laughs. “Hunky? What are you, eighty? Who says hunky?”

Her laughter has me smiling. “Hey, be nice. I don’t know the right words women use to describe attractive men.”

Emily hops down from her chair and turns toward me, a bright smile on her face.

“C’mon, Charlie. They’re playing a slow song now and it’s only six minutes until midnight. Come dance with me.”

I’m not a bad dancer, but I can’t say I love it. However, I can’t say no to her. And the idea of having a reason to hold her close to me is too much to resist, so I stand and let her lead us to the dance floor, my hand on the small of her back. She guides us next to Shayna and her dance partner and I pull her into my arms.

“God, you’re tiny. Even in those heels. What kind are they?” The word I’m looking for escapes me since I’m nervous, for some reason, dancing with Emily tonight.

“Fuck-me heels?” Emily asks.

Against my will, my dick twitches. Thank God, she isn’t pressed up against me to feel it.

Shayna overhears her and laughs. “I think he means stilettos.”

“Yeah, stilettos. Jesus, Em. The mouth on you.” I chuckle at her.

“Oh, come on Charlie. I’ve always had this mouth. You know you love it.”

She’s smiling up at me and she’s damn radiant, her blue eyes glimmering with laughter. I take a quick peek at her mouth and have to force myself to tear my eyes from it. She has no idea how much I love that mouth of hers.

I’m hit with a wave of shame at the way my body reacts to having her this close and to her words.

I remind myself she’s my best friend’s little sister and she was the wife of one of my former firefighters. One whojustdied a little under four months ago.

Yeah, we’ve been spending a fair amount of time together rebuilding our friendship over the last few months but, still, I’m an asshole for thinking of her like this.

Broccoli. Swamp water. The smell of the locker room at the fire house.

Maybe if I force myself to think of enough non-sexy things, I can get my head back on straight.

“Only one minute until midnight, Charlie, and it will officially be your birthday.”

“Yep, another year older. Thirty-one.”

“I gotta be honest. This last year has been a shit one for me and I’m glad to see it go. But I’m happy I get to end it with you.”

I smile down at her. “I’m glad, too.”

The surrounding crowd begins the countdown from ten, signaling the arrival of the New Year and my birthday.

“Three, two, one. Happy New Year!” the crowd shouts in unison. The honking sound of noisemakers fills the air.

Emily stands up on her tiptoes and pulls down on the back of my neck, drawing my head toward her.

She plants a sweet kiss on my cheek.

“Happy New Year and happy birthday, Charlie,” she whispers near my ear.

Not able to stop myself, I press my lips to her forehead, holding them there for a second before planting a soft kiss.

“Happy New Year, sunshine. Here’s to 2023. My birthday wish is that it be filled with all the love and happiness you deserve.”

CHAPTER17

CHARLIE

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