Page 3 of Charlie
“Did you just wink at me?” She was still smiling, but the way she tilted her head so as to figure me out made me so bloody nervous that my tics went crazy. My right shoulder lifted, my nose wrinkled up, and my eyes winked again. All in quick succession and with me leaving her hanging and saying nothing.
“Here’s your cinnamon roll,” the barista told her.
Charlie reached for the plate and was just about to walk off when she stopped and looked down at the cup in my hands. “Are you okay drinking that? I don’t have any diseases or anything, but I can buy you another cup if you want me to.”
I should have been charming and flirtatious and told her that putting my lips where hers had just been would be a pleasure, but I’d never been a smooth talker, so I just shook my head.
“So, we’re fine then?”
“Yeah, we’re fine. I can just take off the top.”
There was a micro expression of embarrassment on her face. “Right.”
I had my coffee and should get out of here, but as if Charlie were the sun of this campus, I was pulled in by her strong gravity, eager to stay in orbit a bit longer, just so I could feel her warmth.
Tell her it came out wrong and that any man would be honored to share a cup with her.
“Okay then. It was nice meeting you, Charles. I’m going to go back to my studies so I can one day become an influential anthropologist.”
“Yes, very nice meeting you too, Charlie.”
Come on. Ask for her phone number. Say something.
This woman was stunning and charming and my instincts told me that I’d regret it if I left without a way to get ahold of her.
With the same scraping of the floor as before, she pulled out her chair and joined her group again.
Come on, just man up, and ask her out.I closed my eyes, regretting that I hadn’t done it earlier. Now she was surrounded by people and walking over there would be ten times more challenging for me.
Stretching and fisting my hands, I pumped myself up, but just as I took my second step in her direction, the guy next to her pulled her in.
“Babe, come on, give me some of your delicious bun. I know you want to.”
She laughed and tried to protect her pastry, but he opened his mouth trying to take a bite. The playful energy between them made it clear to me that they were intimate.
Of course she’s not single. That would have been a fucking miracle.
I abandoned my mission of asking her out and headed to the exit.
CHAPTER 1
Mr. Robertson
Liv
5 Years Later
The black interior of the limousine with the wet bar, the large sunroof, and the partition glass was all luxurious and a far cry from my own small Volkswagen beetle.
It had been almost forty-five minutes since the driver had picked me up at my building in the center of Chicago. We were now in the suburb of Winnetka.
With a major in anthropology, I was fascinated with the different demographics in neighborhoods. Winnetka shouted money: the beautiful view of Lake Michigan, the stately houses, and the lush golf course where well-dressed players drove golf carts and enjoyed time with their friends.
The glass partition lowered between the driver and me. “We’re almost there, Miss Christensen.”
“Thank you.”
Opening my bag, I pulled out my phone and looked at the mysterious email I’d received three days ago.
