Chapter Twenty-three

Owen

There’s no way Charlie is going to be at the house. I pull into the neighborhood with my heart beating faster and faster the closer I get to home. I want to hold her again, to see her pretty smile and sparkling eyes.

The garage lights illuminate the front of the house, and to my surprise, that old Mustang is parked in the driveway. My heart leaps and I have to talk down my dick. It’s late and I’m sure she’s sleeping. She’ll be up and gone by the time I wake in the morning, and it’ll be like she wasn’t even there.

I pull into the garage, kill the engine, and grab the pizza and bag of fries and onion rings. Every once in a while, we’re left with a ton of food at the end of the night. We offer it up to the staff for free, and depending on what kind of food is left, we take it to a homeless shelter.

Balancing the bag of fries and onion rings on top of the pizza box, I unlock the door and step inside, the house is dark and quiet, and I silently move through the mudroom and into the kitchen, setting the food on the counter. Tulip, meowing softly, limps into the kitchen. I pick her up and get a few pets in before she growls. I really don’t get why people like cats so much.

I run up the stairs to change into clothes that don’t smell like the bar. The guest room door is open, but Charlie isn’t in bed. I pull my shirt over my head, strip out of my jeans, and pull on sweatpants. Then it’s back downstairs to look for Charlie. She’s not in the living room either. Did I miss her upstairs? Maybe she was in the bathroom?

But the bed was made. I’m about to go back up and look when I see the door to the screened-in porch is open. Stepping out, I see Charlie huddled up on a lounge chair. There’s a book on the floor next to her. She must have fallen asleep reading. It’s a little chilly tonight, so I grab another blanket from the living room and go out onto the porch.

The boards creak softly underfoot, and I pause, not wanting to wake her up. Light from the porch lamps illuminate her face, and the gentle steaming from the fountain in the pond fills the night air, muted slightly by a chorus of crickets. Falling asleep out here is easy to do. It’s quiet and peaceful, though probably not the safest.

The door exiting the porch has a lock, but it’s one that would be easy to bust through. I don’t keep anything valuable out here, even though the crime rate in Eastwood is low. You never know, and I’d rather not have to call Wes and report that something was stolen. Charlie seemed to have a similar train of thought and pushed a chair up against the door.

Smiling, I drape the blanket over her. She lets out a soft moan and pulls the blankets tighter over her shoulder, rolling over to her side. The lounge chairs are comfortable to sit in and, well, lounge, and I’ve taken a good nap or two in them before. But sleeping all night…that can’t be comfortable.

Her hair is in her face and I want so bad to tuck it away. I want to run my fingers through it and put my lips to hers. Tearing my eyes away, I go back into the house. The porch is right off the kitchen, and I pull down the kitchen window’s blinds before turning on the light so it doesn’t bother her.

I grab a water bottle from the fridge and open the box of pizza.

“Owen?”

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty.”

She rubs her eyes. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep out there.”

“Were you hoping to make it out of here before I got home?”

She laughs. “I was, but now that I know you brought home pizza, I’m glad I stayed.” Crossing the room, she grabs a slice and joins me at the table. “I actually told Libby she could have my room tonight. She’s sharing a room with both her brothers and it’s a tight fit. How was work?”

“Busy, which is good. Two of our regulars got into a fight.”

“Sounds more exciting than my day.”

“Missing the hustle and bustle of the city already?”

She shakes her head. “Not really, but I do enjoy challenging cases. And I will miss going up against asshole men who see me as less because I’m a woman and then I get to tear them limb from limb. Metaphorically, I mean. In the courtroom.”

God, this woman is perfect. “I’d love to see you in action, and I don’t mean that sexually for once.”

“Thanks. It’s kind of funny to say I love conflict in that sense. Well, mediating conflict.” She takes a bite of pizza. “This is good. It’s from Getaway?”

“It is.”

“I have been missing out by not going. Are those onion rings?” She opens the bag. “And French fries? Score!”

It’s three AM and we’re pigging out on junk food. I never thought this would be a perfect night, but it is. I want more of this…and more of Charlie.

“How’s she doing?” I ask, looking at Charlie’s cat.

“She’s back to her old self today. I think being away from the dogs is all she needed. Thank you again for letting her stay.” She grabs an onion ring. “And save the crazy cat lady jokes.”

“I was going to make a pussy joke instead.”

Charlie pops the onion ring in her mouth and shakes her head. “I should have seen that coming.”

“Pussies and coming…you’re basically forcing my hand, Charlie.” I toss the crust of my pizza back in the box and get another piece. “Unless you’re trying to give me a hint of what you want to do later.” I wiggle my eyebrows.

“I told you, that’s not happening.”

“You would enjoy it.”

She swallows hard and reaches for a napkin. Wiping her hands, she gets up and goes to the fridge to get a drink. She’s wearing the same PJs from last night, and while the smiling avocado print makes me think the clothes were meant for a teenager, they sure look good on Charlie. My eyes go to her ass, tight yet still supple. She’s not wearing a bra, and I can see the faint outline of her pert nipples through the tank top when she turns around.

“I’m sure I would,” she quips. “And you would too.” Twisting the cap off the water bottle, she shakes her head and blows out a breath. “But we just can’t, Owen. It’s not a good time for me, and I’m pretty sure I know how this would end.”

“With you screaming after you come for the third time.”

She tenses, but not from discomfort. She’s thinking about it too, remembering how good we were together.

“Talking like that…don’t. Just don’t.”

“Why? Am I getting you all hot and bothered and you’re going to have a hard time resisting me later?”

Her eyes narrow and part of my brain yells at me to shut up. Yet for some reason I can’t, and all the frustration and regret has to come out somehow. Being a smartass has always been my thing, and yeah, I know deep down it comes from some sort of place of insecurity, that using humor and deflecting my feelings is a way of coping with the shit I don’t want to cope with.

Though right now, coping Charlie is exactly what I need.

“Thanks for the pizza. I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll leave my door open.”

Charlie grabs one more piece of pizza and takes it upstairs. I finish eating, clean up a bit, and then start to trudge up the stairs. I stop halfway up only to turn around, go back down, and set out a to-go mug and program the coffee pot to go off at seven AM for Charlie in the morning. She’s probably going to have a hard time falling back asleep and will be tired in the morning.

I shower, fall into bed, and close my eyes, ready to pass out. I’m tired and should fall asleep easily, but I don’t. My mind drifts back to Charlie, and my heart hurts once more. I’m still in love with her. I’ve always been in love with her, and I know I always will be.