Frenched Series Bundle (71 page)

All night long Charlie was the perfect date—OK on his own when I had to do bridesmaid duties, charming and relaxed with everyone, gallant to a fault with me. When Coco tried to rearrange things at the last minute so that he could sit with me in the dining room, he insisted on having dinner on the porch with the rest of the non-wedding-party guests.

I missed him the entire time, and scarfed my food at record speed to finish faster and get back to him.

“Christ,” Mia whispered. “There are sparks flying from your fork. Anxious, are you?”

I laughed. “Yes. I’m having a lot of fun with Charlie tonight. He hasn’t annoyed me once.”

“That’s good. So what’s the deal with you guys? Still just friends?”

I forked another piece of chicken piccata. “Last night I would have said yes. But I don’t know…tonight feels different for some reason. And Thursday night at Cliff Bell’s, he kissed me in this totally different way.”

“You went to Cliff Bell’s?”

“Yeah, after the ballet. I haven’t had a chance to tell you about that yet.” I shoved the chicken in my mouth.

“The ballet?” Mia rolled her eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Erin. That’s
dating
. You guys are
dating
. You might as well admit it.”

I shrugged and swallowed. “I don’t know what we’re doing. But I really like him.” A hand came down on my shoulder. I looked up—it was Coco, looking desperately uncomfortable.

“I have to pee so bad,” she said. “I need help with the dress, though. Come with me?”

Mia and I followed her to the master bathroom upstairs. We each lifted one side of her dress, under which she wore—in true Coco style—silk stockings and a garter belt attached to a body-hugging slip.

“What the hell is that?” Mia shook her head. “It looks medieval.”

“It’s keeping all my lumps and bumps in place, thank you very much.” She lowered herself carefully onto the toilet and looked up at me. “OK, speak. What’s up with you and 21 Jump Street? He can’t take his eyes off you.”

My face heated. “I don’t know.”

“Are you still just friends?”

“No,” Mia said emphatically. “They are
dating
.”

“We’re more than friends, I think,” I admitted. “But I don’t know what, exactly.”

Coco stood up and leaned back to flush. “And you like him? Trust him?”

“Yes. I mean, I think so, but I have to be careful, you know? I don’t have the best luck with guys.”

Mia and Coco exchanged a look as we lowered the sides of her dress.

“What?” I said defensively.

“Nothing,” Mia said quickly. “It’s just that I don’t think you can compare this to your past relationships.”

“What do you mean?”

“She means that you don’t have bad luck. Everyone knew Tony was gay. And you probably knew it too.” Coco soaped her hands briskly at the sink.

My mouth fell open. “What? I did not know it.”

“Well, you should have.” Coco met my eyes in the mirror. “I’m sorry, and you know I love you, but it was totally obvious to everyone fairly quickly that he wasn’t going to be
the one
, because he liked boys better than girls.”

“She means, in her own sweet way,” Mia went on, giving Coco a savage look in the mirror, “that we think you sometimes choose the wrong guys to date on purpose. So that there isn’t any real danger of having to trust them. Then you can say it was bad luck in the end.”

“What?” My chest felt hot and sweaty all of a sudden. “I do not do that.” But I crossed my arms, as if I was exposed.

“You do, honey.” Coco dried her hands on a hand towel. “And we totally understand why.” She turned to me and put a hand on my shoulder. “But we love you. And we want you to be happy.”

“It seems like you and Charlie have great chemistry,” Mia said. “More than anyone we’ve ever seen you with. And we just don’t want to see you throw that away out of fear.”

“I’m not scared, you guys.” It was a huge lie. I was totally scared. “I’m just confused. He doesn’t talk to me.”

“Men.” Mia shook her head. “Lucas baffled me too, for the longest time. And we don’t always understand each other, but we love each other, and we try.” She put a hand over her stomach. “You know, I never thought I’d be here right now, married to and expecting a baby with a man I met on what was supposed to be my honeymoon.” She shook her head. “My honeymoon!”

I smiled. “Thank God we convinced you to go on that trip.”

“I know!” She rocked onto her tiptoes. “Because I
so
didn’t want to go. I thought you guys were crazy to insist on it. Remember?

“Yes. You were a total pain in the ass.” Coco winked at me, then turned to her reflection to check her makeup. “And if you would have told me six months ago that I’d be married to Nick Lupo, I’d have said you were fucking bananas. And now look.” She faced us again. “So sometimes, Erin, you gotta take a leap.”

Misty-eyed, Mia grabbed my hand. “I couldn’t agree more.”

I shrugged, fighting a tiny wave of sadness. “I don’t know that there’s a leap to take here, though. He doesn’t want me like that.”

“He does,” Coco insisted, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Trust me. I can see it.”

“Me too.” Mia squeezed my hand again. “Even if he can’t yet. Be patient, Erin. Nobody’s perfect.”

#

After dinner, after cake, after several glasses of champagne, we were back in the living room, this time side by side on a cozy love seat. The lights were even lower, the mood even more romantic. I was tucked beneath Charlie’s arm, my head tipping onto his chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Mia and Coco had said, that I chose the wrong guys on purpose so I wouldn’t have to worry about forever. About trusting someone. About giving myself completely. I supposed there was some truth to that. I’d known neither of the guys I’d dated seriously would turn out to be
the one
, but they were cute and fun and kind, and those seemed like good enough reasons to be with someone, at least at the time. And contrary to what Coco said, I did
not
know Tony was gay.

Confession: I had a suspicion.

But Charlie. Charlie was another thing entirely. And this thing with him was intense and wonderful and confusing as hell. If he still wanted no-strings sex, what was he doing here, holding me tight to his side, rubbing his fingertips up and down my arm that way?

I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t. Instead I sighed, and Charlie took it as a sign I was tired.

“Hey.” His voice was gravelly, and he cleared his throat. “You tired?”

“Yeah. I guess I am.”

“Been a long day for you.”

I sat up and smiled. “But a good one. I’m so happy for them. Let me get my stuff. My car is over at Coco’s parents’ house. Can you drop me there?”

“It’s late. You can get your car tomorrow.”

“But how am I going to get over there tomorrow? I’ll be stuck at home with no car.”

“I’ll take you. Don’t worry about it.”

I stared at him. He’d take me?
Tomorrow?
Did that mean he was staying over? My lips felt glued shut.

“There’s something I’d like to talk to you about, but not here.” He stood and offered me a hand. “I’ll pull the car up so you don’t have to walk so far in those heels. It’s been snowing all night.”

I nodded without speaking, and went to get my things.

The entire ride home, which was slow because of all the snow, my stomach pitched and rolled. What did he want to talk about? Was he staying the night? Did I want him to? Would it mean anything? Or nothing?

Or everything?

At my house, Charlie pulled up in my driveway, close to the back door. When I went to get out, he put a hand on my leg. “Just a minute.” He put the car in park but left it running.

“Don’t you want to come in?”

“I do, but—” He hesitated, his mouth twisting into a frown.

Oh Jesus. He’s still worried I want to trap him.
Suddenly I was annoyed. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, Charlie,” I said irritably. “Just stay over. The roads are horrible. You can sleep in the damn guest room. The sheets are clean.”

His expression softened into an amused smile. “Of course they are.”

I glared at him.

“But if I stay over, I want to sleep with you.”

Surprise stole my voice for a moment. “You do?”

“Yes.”

“What about the general no sleepover policy?” I tilted my head. “Aren’t you worried I’ll get the wrong message?”

He tapped my nose. “God, you’re a pain in the ass. Do you remember every word I say?”

“Yes, when it’s that outrageously arrogant.”

“Well, forget what I said about that. It doesn’t apply to you. You’re different.”

“How so?” I held my breath.

“I
want
to stay the night with you.”

I blinked. That was it? That’s all I got? “Thank you. That’s very flattering. And so illuminating as to your feelings.”

Charlie groaned. “Look, I’m trying to do the right thing here, and it’s fucking hard, because I don’t know what the right thing is.”

“What’s so hard about this, Charlie? Do you like me? Check yes or no!”

“Yes!” he snapped, “but it’s not that simple.”

I steadied myself with a deep breath. “It could be, if you’d let it. I like you too, Charlie. You’re confusing the hell out of me right now, and I’m cold and tired and I want to go inside, but I like you.”

He stared out the side window for a moment before turning to me again. “I hate thinking about you being cold, you know that? All night long, when I’m not with you, I wonder if you’re warm enough and wish I was there to hold you.”

My jaw dropped. “Really? That’s so sweet.”

“Yes. You’re on my mind all the fucking time, and it’s not even all sexual.”

I laughed. “That’s…kind of sweet.” But I liked that he had sexual thoughts about me too. Lord knows I had them about him.

“Of course, a lot of my thoughts about you
are
sexual, but I also want to do things for you—things like lay your studio floor or hang shades in your house or make fires in the fireplace or buy you ice skates. I want to take you places and show you things and talk to you and ask you questions and argue with you. I want to tease you about the way you lied about being Homecoming Queen and made up a boyfriend named Tad Pitt and don’t like your food to touch and own a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs. I imagine your body under your clothes and I want to cover it with mine, protect you from everything. I think about the guy who broke into your house and I want to fucking kill.” He took a breath. “But then I feel like what you need protecting from is me. I’m the one who could hurt you.” Turning his focus straight ahead, he frowned. “God, I’m horrible at this.”

“You’re not,” I said, putting a hand on his cheek and turning his face toward me again. “Not at all. This thing with us…it’s hard for me too. I promised myself I wouldn’t get carried away just because the sex was good, and now I find myself wanting more of you. But I don’t want you to think I’m trying to trap you or whatever. I don’t want to be just another girl who fell for you because you’re good in bed.”

“You’re not. I want to give you more.” He took my hand from his cheek and kissed my palm. “I do. I just need to go slow. I need time. Is that OK?”

“Of course it is. I need time, too, Charlie.” Again, I thought about what Mia and Coco said. “It’s not easy for me to trust people, and in the past I’ve made some choices based on fear, I think. I’ve played it safe so I wouldn’t get hurt.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He laced our fingers together.

“Yes, you do.”

He looked up at me sharply.

A slow grin stretched my lips. “And I want you to. All. Night. Long.”

“You’re asking for trouble, Erin Upton.”

I reached over and rubbed his cock through his pants, feeling it come to life beneath my fingers. “Turns out I like trouble. Who’d have thought?”

We made it up the stairs, but it was close. And peeling that suit off Charlie, piece by piece, was even more fun than I’d thought it would be. But I think my favorite part was the knowledge that something was different—we were different. When our bodies were sated and still, he wouldn’t get up and leave. There would be no awkward goodbye, no suspicion that someone wanted too much, no disappointment in each other. He was going to stay the entire night in my bed, because he wanted to. Because he wanted more.

Because he wanted me.

Oh, did he want me.

And the feeling was mutual.

Our formal clothing made a trail to my bed—my fur-lined wrap on the kitchen island, Charlie’s tie on the stairs, my dress slung over the banister, his suit coat on the hallway floor. I’m sure we could have undressed in half the time if we’d taken a break from the rapturous kissing, but neither of us seemed willing to take our lips from each other for longer than a fraction of a second.

I loved the way Charlie kissed me that night, with nothing held back. Maybe words weren’t his thing, but I understood how he felt from the way his lips moved over mine, combining the soft, sweet honesty of the kiss at Cliff Bell’s with all the passion that came before and after. No game, no pretense, no rules.

For the first time, everything felt so
real
.

When we were finally pressed skin to skin, we tumbled onto the bed, and Charlie lifted me on top so I was sitting on his hips. His cock was thick and hard between my legs, and I rubbed my wetness over him, placing my palms on his hot, tight abs.

“God, you’re beautiful.” His hands squeezed my thighs.

“You can’t even see me.” We hadn’t bothered to turn on any lights, and the shades were down.

“I know you are. I don’t need to see it.” Then he grabbed me at the waist and moved me up so I was straddling his chest. “But I do need to taste it.” He shimmied down so my knees rested on either side of his face. I fell forward and grabbed the wrought-iron bars of my headboard as his tongue swept my pussy, my body trembling as he did it again and again. “You’re so sweet,” he whispered, his breath tickling my thighs. “So pretty and sweet and wet. I can’t get enough.” He pulled me down over his mouth and sucked my clit, and I moaned with pleasure, arching my back.

I could have come in a heartbeat, but I wanted to do something first. “Charlie, wait.” I leaned back and looked down at him. “I want to try something.”

“Anything.”

Carefully, I got to my feet and turned around before kneeling over him again, crawling forward so my pussy rested above his face and his cock was an inch from my lips. I licked the tip, and it jumped.

I smiled. “I want to try this.”

His tongue was already buried between my legs when I licked him again, and he moaned when I wrapped my fingers around his shaft, pumping him into my mouth as I sucked the tip. Finally my hands were free, and I was anxious to use them along with my mouth. I wanted to make Charlie come this way, wanted to taste him the way he liked to taste me.

But I had a problem.

Charlie’s tongue technique was so magnificent between my thighs, I kept losing my concentration. Every time I thought I had the perfect rhythm—he’d groan and gasp and I could taste his salty sweetness—he’d unleash his ardor on my clit, flicking even faster, sucking even harder, dragging his tongue through my wetness. I’d get so hot and bothered and close to orgasm that my brain practically shut down, every muscle in my body seizing up, including my tongue.

“Charlie,” I panted. “Stop being so good at that. You’re distracting me, and I want to make you come.”

He laughed, and the vibration nearly sent me over the edge.

“I’m serious.” I swung one leg over and scooted around so that I was kneeling next to him. Taking his wet cock in my hand again, I lowered my head. “Let me do this. I want to.” I knew Charlie preferred to be in control, and I wondered if he’d see this as relinquishing it.

He propped himself up on his elbows. “This is what you want?”

“Yes.” I circled the tip with my tongue before sliding it between my lips. I took him as deep as I could before sliding my lips back up the shaft, my tongue sweeping over veins thick and hot with blood. “I want you to come in my mouth. I want to taste it.”

He groaned and moved a hand to my ass, and when I lowered my mouth onto his erection again, I widened my knees a little, arched my back. His hand kneaded my flesh and slipped between my thighs, his fingers sliding along my slit from front to back. His breathing was labored and loud, and between my lips I felt his cock grow stiffer. Gripping him tightly with one hand, pumping him deep into my throat, I reached between his legs with the other.

He moaned as I teased and played and caressed, his thigh muscles tensing when I rubbed a fingertip in firm little circles over a sensitive spot. I wanted to go further, touch him even more intimately, but it was, um, territory I’d never explored before. Would he let me? Would he think I was perverted? Was it too dirty even for him? What if he thought I was deviant because I came from a broken home?

Oh, for fuck’s sake, Erin. Put your finger in the hole.

I think the inner voice was Coco’s, not mine, but I took her advice. I glanced at Charlie, who’d gone still and silent. Our eyes had adjusted to the dark, and in the grayness, I could make out his features. I smiled, keeping eye contact as I returned my mouth to where it had been a moment ago. Resuming a steady rhythm with my mouth on his cock, I boldly probed with my fingertip where no fingertip of mine had ever probed before.

“Fuck!” Charlie’s hand slapped my ass so hard it stung, and then he palmed that cheek, his fingers digging into my flesh. He came so hard and fast I nearly choked, but the thrill of victory coursed through me.
I did it! I made him lose control!
His cock throbbed, liquid warmth streaming into my mouth, and I didn’t stop until every last drop had been milked from his body and every last tremor had ceased. Only then did I release him from my mouth and swallow.

His hand still clenched my ass, and his breaths came in strident rasps. “Oh my God.”

I sat up and wiped my mouth on my wrist. “Was it good?”

“Yes.” Then he moved so quickly I didn’t even see how he did it, but somehow he flipped me onto my back and jumped to the floor, slinging my legs over his shoulder. Kneeling at the side of the bed, he kissed his way up one thigh and slid two fingers inside me. “Fuck yes. It was more than good. It was outstanding.” His tongue grazed my swollen clit. “Now wrap your legs around my head and let me hear you scream.”

I did what I was told.

I’m a good girl like that.

#

“Is this the pillow?” Charlie held up the body pillow I liked to snuggle at night.

“Yes.” Giggling, I took it and threw it on the floor. “But I don’t need it tonight.”

“No, you don’t. Come here.” He lay on his back and opened his arms.

“Hold on, I need underwear.” I slipped out of bed.

“What? No, you don’t. Sleep naked with me.”

“I can’t,” I called from my walk-in closet. “I have to have clean underwear to sleep in and they have to be cotton. Preferably white.”

Charlie groaned. “That is so ridiculous. It’s dark! And your ass doesn’t know the color of your underwear.”

“Well, I do. And I like it white.” I gave my butt a satisfied little spank before I crawled back into bed and knelt next to him. “Look, they’re cute. They have a little pink bow at the top.”

“They are cute.” He traced the top of them with a fingertip, making my stomach flutter.

“See? So leave me be. I’m quirky about this stuff, I know.” I stretched out along the length of him, my head on his chest, my arm and leg over his torso. “This OK?”

He pulled the covers over us and wrapped an arm around me. “Yes. Until I get too hot.”

“As long as you wait until I fall asleep to push me off. I’m so comfortable right now.”

“Me too, actually.”

“Do you have to get up early tomorrow?”

“Not crazy early, but I can’t stay all day. I don’t have to work but I have to…” He hesitated. “Pick something up.”

“Hmm. Very mysterious.”

“Sorry.” His tone was a bit peeved.

I picked up my head. “Hey, I’m just teasing. Listen, just because we’re dating doesn’t mean you have to tell me every little thing you do.”

He gave me a little smile. “Dating, huh?”

Oh crap. Had I misunderstood? “Well…aren’t we?”

He squeezed my shoulder. “I’m just kidding, Erin. We can call it whatever.”

I lay my cheek on his chest again, but I felt a teensy bit unsettled. What the hell did
more
mean, anyway, if it didn’t mean dating? Was there some sort of stage between fuck friends and dating I didn’t know about? I started to wonder if I’d made a mistake listening to Coco and Mia. What if Charlie and I weren’t on the same page?

What if I was falling alone?

“Your body is so tense right now.” Charlie kissed my head and traced a little circle on my shoulder. “Relax, honey. I’m right where I want to be.”

The uncharacteristic endearment eased me a little, and I melted into him again.
Stop being so scared. Be patient and honest, and have a little faith.
“OK. Night.”

“Night.” He kissed my head again, and I felt better.

But I noticed that he didn’t fall asleep right away. As I drifted off, he kept brushing his fingers over my shoulder in a slow, sweet arc.

#

The next morning I woke up before Charlie did. I was on my side facing away from him, and when I flipped over, I found him still lying on his back, one hand over his head, one on his stomach. It gave me a girlish little fluttery feeling in my belly to see him there. His face was just as handsome in repose, which seemed unfair since you couldn’t even see the cerulean eyes. So what was it then? The individual features were nice—straight nose, nice lips, strong jaw—but not all that unique. The symmetry? Propping my head in one hand, I closed one eye and scrutinized him. I was leaning in a little closer when Charlie’s eyes opened.

“What the hell?”

Blushing, I flopped back onto my pillow, facing him. “Sorry. Just checking you out.”

“Did I pass muster?”

“Eh. You’ll do. In a pinch.”

His hand shot over and pinched my side, then his arm circled my waist and pulled me into him. I curled my body around his side, head on his warm, bare chest. He smelled so good. I was glad he couldn’t see my silly grin.

“How’d you sleep?” I asked.

“Pretty well. You?”

“Like a baby.”

“Good.” He squeezed me. “I have to get going, but I’ll take you to get your car before I head home.”

“OK. Thanks.”

“What will you do today?”

“I was thinking of putting up my Christmas tree later. I’ve been so busy with the wedding and weekend rehearsals I haven’t had time.”

“What are you rehearsing for?”

“Competitions in the spring. The first one isn’t until March, but there are a lot of vacation weekends before that. I want to be really prepared. Those things are nerve-racking enough, and I have the added pressure of being a new studio owner who has to prove herself.”

He smiled. “I have a feeling you’ll prove yourself and then some. Remind me when it comes up. I want to go.”

Surprised, I looked down at him. “You’d come to a dance competition? Do you know how long and boring they are?”

“I don’t know anything about them other than that they’re important to you.”

My blood heated, making my entire body hum. “Thanks.” I looked at his bare chest, swept my fingers across it. “You have to get going right away, huh?”

“Kind of.” He paused. “I have to see my grandfather for lunch.”

I gave him a quizzical look. “I thought you had to pick something up.”

“I do. Something for my grandfather.” Charlie’s body was tense, the muscles in his stomach twitching. I hoped he didn’t think I was prying—I was just curious. I wanted to know him better.

“I’d like to meet your grandfather sometime.”

“Today’s not good,” he said quickly.

I took my hand off him. “I wasn’t saying it had to be today, I was just saying I’d like to meet him in general.”

“I know.”

“I’ll start some coffee before I get in the shower.” I went to get out of bed but he grabbed my arm.

“Hey. Everything OK?”

“Yes.” But for some reason, my feelings were hurt.

He exhaled, closing his eyes a second. “I’d like you to meet my grandfather too. Soon, OK?”

I nodded. “OK.”

While Charlie got dressed, I threw on my robe and went down to make coffee, wondering if I’d said something wrong. Was asking to meet his family too much? I wasn’t trying to be pushy; I just wanted to be closer to him. How different was that from his saying he wanted to come to a dance competition?

He’d said he wanted more. Wasn’t this the way you gave it?