Page 38 of Good Girl

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, you should definitely...” I trailed off as Charlotte’s pocket lit up with a loud ringtone. She pulled the phone out, and her mouth twisted at whatever she saw on the screen. The phone was quickly silenced and shoved back into her pocket.

“Your ex?”

“Worse, mymother,” Charlotte groaned.

“Oh.” I didn’t want to pry, but I was enthralled by this woman. When Derek and Samuel had called me to tell me they had found someone amazing whom Derek washookedon, I didn’t know what to expect. With the stress of the investigation and nearly losing his job, I had expected Derek to desperately seek out something he could control and work out his stress with. I hadn’t expected astudent, but Charlotte had captured my attention from the moment she appeared in the lounge wearing nothing but Derek’s shirt.

“She’s pretty overbearing,” Charlotte continued, and I made a noise in my throat to show her I was listening. An offer to talk, if she needed it. “She was pretty strict when I was younger, very religious, and very into making sure everything wasperfect. It got worse when my father died when I was thirteen. She turned somewhat tyrannical, and I became nothing more than a disappointing doll in her eyes.”

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.” My chest squeezed in sympathy, and I walked closer to her as we moved toward the self-checkout machines.

“It’s alright.” Charlotte brushed off my concern. “It’s just how she is. She hated that I got into Brown, hated that I came to the dorms here, and she calls me back every weekend, but I missed last weekend because...” She trailed off, and I curled a brow as the pink on her cheeks darkened.

“I just didn’t go,” Charlotte said finally. “So she’s hassling me about going this weekend. She also thinks I’m on drugs, so that’s fun.”

I couldn’t hold back my scoff of laughter. “Are you?”

“On drugs?” Charlotte glanced up at me as she piled her groceries into some bags. “In her eyes, sure. In reality? No. Not unless you could uhm... happy feelings and stuff from... well, y’know.”

Her pink blush darkened further, and warmth blossomed in my chest. She was beautiful, I couldn’t deny that, and there was something so wholesome about her that I wanted to sweep her up in my arms and take care of her until she was an exhausted, whimpering mess against my chest.

Outside, the cool breeze did nothing to dampen the heat in my veins, and wearing full leather trousers and a heavy leather jacket did nothing to help.

“Can I give you a ride home?”

“Oh!” Charlotte clutched her bags against her and scanned the parking lot as I gradually began to lead her to where I was parked. “If it’s not too much trouble? I’m sure he’s gone, but I... I don’t want to run into Jonathan again.”

“I don’t want that either,” I agreed as I led Charlotte right up to where my motorcycle was parked. To my dismay, Charlotte’s features dropped slightly and she pressed her lips together.

“You drive a bike?”

“The leather didn’t give that away?” I grinned.

“Well... yes, I suppose. I didn’t think. Actually, I...” Charlotte glanced down at herself, then back at the bike, and I knew what words had formed in her mind before she even said them. It was written all over her face.

“I think I should maybe walk. I have shopping and it’s a lot, the weight...”

Charlotte trailed off, and a beat of understanding pulsed through my heart. It wasn’t the weight of the shopping she was worried about, it washer.

“Charlotte.” I gently unhooked the grocery bags from her fingers and loaded them into the two boxes on the back of my motorcycle. “Trust me. Follow that adventurous thread that had you acting so sinful the first time we met. Sit with me on this bike. I will keep you safe.”

Charlotte’s cheek turned positively crimson, then finally, she nodded just once. Gathering her skirts, she stepped closer, and I offered her my hand. Warmth tingled over my palm the moment we touched, and by the time she settled onto the bike with me, my heart was beating a little wildly.

A woman had never had this effect on me in such a short space of time, but I was hooked. I helped her secure her helmet and then wrapped one firm arm around her waist as I started the motorbike.

“Hold on,” I murmured into the mouthpiece. Charlotte clutched at the middle hand bars as the bike roared to life.

We drove through the streets without a care in the world. Charlotte started as a firm line of tension pressed against my chest, but as we drove, she started to relax into me, and by the time she indicated that we were near the dorms, she was putty in my hands. Instead of driving directly toward her dorm, though, I took a detour toward a park that was a few streets behind the buildings and I pulled up into a secluded parking lot situated behind some trees.

I often parked here, as it was a lesser-known spot and I could keep my bike away from prying eyes. Charlotte pulled off her helmet and passed it back to me, ruffling her hair as I pulled off my own, and I set them both back onto the bike.

“That was...amazing!” Charlotte gasped. “I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I murmured in her ear, and she shuddered against me. Her body pulled against my grip as if she was trying to get off the bike, but I kept my arm firmly around her waist.

“Matt...” Charlotte gasped, and the sound of my name from her lips sent warmth right to my core.

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