Page 52 of For All It's Worth
Chapter Twenty Two
Max
Charliewantedustodate! Okay, so I knew it might happen soon after our discussion the week before but I’d figured it was this abstract thing that would never come into fruition. That we’d dance around the something that was building until it fizzled out between us.
That wasn’t what happened though. That meeting with Maverick seemed to have unlocked something in Charlie.
I couldn’t believe that he’d asked me on a date! And I’d kissed him.
He’d kissed me back! And enjoyed it. There was no hiding how much he’d enjoyed it.
Sleep was eluding me. I’d been in bed for at least an hour and couldn’t slow my brain down enough to drift off.
When something this big happened, it was usually Charlie that I turned to and we’d talk, or I’d talk his ear off and he’d listen in his stoic way, but I couldn’t talk to Charlie about himself.
I’d always dreamt that he’d feel for me even a fraction of what I felt for him, and over the last couple of weeks, it’d been hard to keep my feelings to myself.
Charlie had needed to adapt to his new life after rehab. Then there’d been him working for me and there just never seemed to be a right time to drop that bombshell on him.
The idea that Charlie would come to me and tell me that he wanted to date had never entered my mind. In all the scenarios I’d dreamt up, it’d been me that had taken all the risks. Countless daydreams that had had him rejecting me or laughing it off as a joke. The ones that ended well were always too easy and felt almost abstract. I couldn’t hold onto the details after waking up, since they had no substance.
He had come to me, though. My heart had nearly stopped when he’d said those oh so special words,“I want us to date.”No question. No room for doubt, even though I’d dumbly repeated what he’d said. He was firm, a hundred percent certain at what he wanted us to be, and the joy that had filled me nearly had me floating.
Our first kiss had been everything, so perfect for us and how I hoped we could be.
There was no way that I was sleeping if I didn’t try and calm down. I was practically buzzing out of my skin and all we’d done was kiss.
Since it was Charlie, someone so very dear and precious to me, I was determined to take things slowly, so I was going to have to be content with my own hand for a bit longer.
I didn’t want us to rush things and jump into bed. I wanted us to be long haul and not a fling, plus there was the added complication of Charlie’s sexual history to consider.
Charlie would love to have everyone believe that he wasn’t prone to getting blackout drunk on occasion, but that wasn’t the case. He was also a bit of a whore when he was drunk, too.
Simply put, I couldn’t trust that he’d been safe with the random guys that he’d picked up, I’d been bitten with an STD before and wasn’t doing that again.
Somewhere over our next few dates, I’d have to break it to him that I wanted to be extra careful with using condoms even for blow jobs until he’d gotten to the six-month mark and been fully tested again.
Finding out I’d gotten chlamydia during college had left me with an icky feeling that I couldn’t shake for a long time, much longer than the actual infection had lasted. It had been easily treated with a round of antibiotics, but the memory of the shame had lasted for a long time. In fact, it had taken nearly a year before I’d been willing to be with anyone.
Since then, I’d been religious about testing and condoms to the point it had affected a couple of relationships. Not that I’d had many. I was too busy to deal with a boyfriend and Charlie always came first.
My heart stuttered at the thought of calling Charlie my boyfriend, bringing my thoughts back to how it had felt to hold him and kiss that perfect mouth. Electricity had sparked between us at the first brush of our lips and I still felt the ghost of the touch. The memory of his hands holding me close had me reaching into my boxer briefs and tugging on my hardening cock.
Reaching over to the nightstand, I grabbed the lube there, some tissues for after, and slicked myself up. Stroking fast, I worked myself over quickly, unwilling to draw this out. I needed to get off and get some rest for my date with Charlie.
Replaying the kiss again, the feel of his firm muscles under my hands, his dick pressed into my stomach had me reaching my climax quickly. I shot over my stomach with a loud groan, thankful once again my roommate was out.
After a cursory wipe down, I slipped into sleep with a smile on my face.
Despite the orgasm, I slept like shit, waking an hour before my alarm went off with a mild headache.
After taking some aspirin with a coffee and eating some gluten-free toast, I headed into the shower. I’d take the time to primp and preen since I had nothing else to do. The apartment was sparkling and I wouldn’t want to get all sweaty with cleaning before my date.
My phone buzzed as I got out of the shower.
Charlie: Can’t wait for our date. Can I pick you up in an hour? Don’t think I can wait much longer.
I gave out a little squeal, thankful I was alone when I followed it with a happy dance. My towel loosened and I grabbed at it, perching on my bed, so I could reply.
