Page 11 of Wild Child
Not what I’d consider lunch food, but Charlie’s already talking with the woman. When she turns to put the tray behind her, I notice her belly is round with a baby bump and her cheeks are rosy. Darn fertile woman everywhere I go. I wonder what Charlie would look like with a pregnant belly; her cheeks flushed like this woman’s.
The thought stops me in my tracks. Why the hell am I imagining Charlie pregnant?
“Quentin?”
Charlie’s looking at me with concern in her eyes, and I realize she’s said something and I have no idea what it is.
“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I shake the image out of my head and swallow hard.
“We’re not having donuts for lunch,” I say a little too harshly, and hate myself for it when the smile slips from Charlie’s face.
She narrows her eyes at me and turns back to the woman.
“Two of the pink ones please.”
Two minutes later, I’m sitting on a park bench taking a bite out of a pink donut. As soon as my lips close around it, the sweet taste of chocolate and sugar frosting and dough floods my mouth.
Charlie moans, and when I look over her eyes are closed as she chews slowly. She moans again, and there’s a twinge in my groin at the sound.
I stand up quickly, and her eyes fly open.
“This is good, right?” She’s got a sparkle in her eye that lights up her entire face. I turn around so she won’t see the effect her moans are having on me.
“It’s a good donut,” I concede. “But I need something else.”
I set off back down the way we came to the main square. Charlie follows, still munching on her donut. I can’t risk looking at her or this twinge in my loins is going to turn into something more.
She just needs to finish the donut and stop looking so sexy while she does it.
“I’ll have yours if you don’t want it.”
“No.” I clasp the paper bag with the remains of my donut close to my chest. The last thing I need is for Charlie to moan over another donut.
“I’m saving it for dessert.”
She chuckles at me. “I didn’t know you had a sweet tooth.”
And I didn’t know you looked so damn sexy when you eat.
“There’s a sandwich shop.” I cross the town square, choosing the least sexy food I can find. No one’s going to moan over an egg sandwich.
A few minutes later, we’re on the steps under the eagle clock munching on egg and cress sandwiches. There’s no moaning, nopregnant woman, and I’m able to think straight and look Charlie in the eye.
“What made you leave the military?” she asks.
I finish my mouthful, getting my thoughts together. I don’t talk about this much, but then again, no one ever asks.
“My parents passed.”
Charlie places a hand on my arm, and the warmth of her touch is comforting. “I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
“It was a long time ago, and I’ve come to terms with it.” I still miss them of course, but I’ve learned to live with it. “I thought I would be in the military for life, but after they passed, Kendra went off the rails. I was the only family she had, so I came home.”
Charlie drops her hand from my arm. “I heard Kendra was wild until she settled down with Travis.”
I grunt at the comment, because I’ve still not come to terms with my oldest friend hooking up with my little sister. Even though they’re married now and expecting their first baby.
