Page 28 of Brazen
The game ended soon after, and Charlie ran toward me, sweating slightly, and I was tempted to throw my arms around and kiss him, since he was one hundred percent sexy enough. I hugged my hands to my sides to quell the desire.
He smiled. “How was my mom?”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw her from across the crowd. I went to my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “She’s watching us…” As I settled, I answered his question. “She wants you to be who you are without trying to fit in.”
We walked back to the main house, and his father stopped us. “We’re going to go sailing, dear. Come.”
Charlie waved. “On our way to change. Meet you at the yacht.”
Once again, he hadn’t told me. I swallowed and decided it didn’t matter. As we entered the house, I said, “I’ve never been on a yacht.”
Charlie took my hand as we were walking with his family. “We’ll get boat shoes and shorts, so the wind doesn’t get to you.”
At least some explanation. I looked up as we made it to the stairs. “Okay, a quick change and a ponytail.”
He winked at me. “That’s my girl. We’ll head home later today.”
"Girl" was offensive, but coming from Charlie, I let it slide. “I hope you don’t call women at work girls.”
“I… probably wasn’t refined.”
“We can work on it.” I smiled and kissed his cheek. Honestly, he had a pass with everything, since technically we were a lie, but more importantly than that, today he made me feel like I belonged. And I liked that feeling a lot.
Chapter Thirteen
Charlie
* * *
We returned to the room, where the bed was made and everything was in order. I kept my lips sealed as I headed to the shower, and she headed to the closet.
I’d wanted to kiss her in public, but I remembered my vow to let her ask me for anything serious. So I kept it light, though memories of Hope only made me ache for another taste.
A fast, cold shower would ideally stop me from acting out my desires.
I wrapped a towel around me. She had already picked out her clothes, so I strolled past her. “Go in the bathroom and watch me change.”
She passed me but said, “I don’t watch you.”
I pivoted and watched her near the bathroom door. “You don’t think I can feel when your eyes are focused on my ass?”
She laughed and strutted in. “You must be dreaming.”
Yet she hadn’t closed the door entirely. I dropped my towel to the ground and picked out a pair of shorts. My skin buzzed while she watched me. I shook my ass then tugged on the shorts.
I glanced at the bathroom door and saw a nipple. I tensed, and she moved.
The hardness grew, again. I plopped into the window seat and crossed my legs as I waited.
When she came out, I was under control. I stood, hoping to keep the conversation mild. “So did my mom sound suspicious or anything?”
She fixed her hair up in a ponytail. “No, she’s lovely. I actually hate lying to her, since she loves you and only wants you to succeed on your own merits.”
Then she tied her hair into a loose bun. I'd never kissed the nape of her neck before, and now my lips burned to taste her. I took a breath. “All moms love their sons.”
She shrugged and placed a light gloss on those sexy lips of hers. “I don’t know about that. I’ve never been a mom, but yours wants you to be happy, not work.”
The promise I’d made to her sucked. I wouldn’t be able to touch her while we were alone until she agreed and started. I crossed my arms. “I want to pull my own like the rest of them or at least prove it.”
