Page 37 of Charlie
Charles was even faster than me and came back in wearing his t-shirt and briefs. “You’d better not have eaten all the chocolate.”
“No, I left you a small corner.”
“I should have known from your sugar addiction that you can’t be trusted with sweets.”
“My sugar addiction? What’s that supposed to mean?”
He raised his brow. “Ehm, the first time we met, you ordered a cinnamon roll and a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Do you have any idea how much sugar that is?” He was teasing me. “And today you more or less ate five croissants by yourself.” Holding up his hand, he spread his fingers. “Five.”
“Oh, that’s not fair. I wanted one croissant. You were the one who got me one of each.”
He laughed and got into the bed next to me. “To taste. No one forced you to eat all of them. It’s a wonder to me how you can look so fit.”
“How could I stop when they tasted so delicious?”
Charles opened his arms to me. “With that little self-control, you have me wondering what would have happened if the guide hadn’t called us to the bus when you sampled me. You said I tasted of more, remember? If you can’t stop yourself, does that mean you would have eaten me too?”
“Nah, you’re not sweet enough.” I placed myself with my head on his shoulder, my stomach against his hip, and my hand across his belly.
“Really? So, if I was a spice, I wouldn’t be sugar?”
“No way, sugar is a mainstream spice. You’d be something intimidating like chili.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because it’s a spice that people have respect for. It can overpower most other spices and it makes your blood heat up.”
“Hmm…”
“What about me? What spice would I be?”
Charles looked up at the ceiling thinking about it. “Something rare and expensive, like saffron.” He intertwined our fingers and turned to look into my eyes.
“What do you use saffron for?” I asked.
“You use it in food and bread baking, but it’s labor-intensive to collect and process, and that’s why it’s probably the most expensive spice there is. As I recall it, saffron also has healing abilities.”
“You’re just making that up.” My eyes were sparkling with humor.
“No, I’m not. Here, let me prove it to you.” Reaching for his phone, he looked it up on the Internet and read aloud. “Saffron is a powerful spice high in antioxidants. It has been linked to health benefits, such as improved mood, libido, and sexual function, as well as reduced PMS symptoms and enhanced weight loss. Best of all it’s generally safe for all people and easy to add to your diet.”
“Hang on, if I’m like saffron, that means adding me to your life will improve your mood and your libido.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I’d say it’s working. I’ve been pretty happy today.”
“Yeah? Me too. It was hard to stop kissing you at the abbey.”
Charles ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes for a second.
“Shouldn’t I have said that?” I asked him.
His chest rose and fell and then he opened his eyes. “You have no idea how much I’m restraining myself right now. I’ve never tried cuddling without sex, and being so close to you and hearing you speak like that…” He shook his head. “I don’t want you to feel like I only came back to your room to screw your brains out. It’s not like that at all, but damn, you’re putting my gentleman manners under pressure here.”
I smiled and raised my leg over his. “Would you think less of me if we made out?”
“No, of course not.”
Taking his left hand, I placed it on the back of my thigh. Charles was quick to take the invitation and slid his hand higher to my behind. Boring his fingers into my flesh, he let out a soft groan. “Mmmm.”
