Love Thief (3 page)

“Let go, Charmaine.”

“No way. That’s not me.” She sniffed and hiccupped a few times. The tears lessened, and she set her cup down to hide her face. Elliot kissed the back of her head, and she popped up to stare at him. He grinned, sure she was wondering if she imagined the kiss. When he didn’t clear up the matter one way or another, she calmed down some. “I do everything I can to protect myself, and I know it’s not the best reaction to what I went through. Common sense tells me that, but I can’t change who I am.
I won’t.”

He nodded, but his attention had wandered to her lips. Sitting so close, she smelled of strawberry shower gel. The soft skin at her nape brushed against his arm, and he wanted to nose there, exploring her further. Some of his desire must have shown in his face because she started fidgeting and lowered her lashes.

Elliot found a new fascination. Charmaine’s lashes were long and dark, contrasting in an interesting way against her cocoa brown skin. He examined her high cheekbones and had an urge to run a finger along them until he met those plump lips. Surely, he wouldn’t be taking advantage of her weakness if he got the tiniest of tastes, would he?

“I-I think we’re okay now,” she whispered.

Elliot might have taken the hint if she moved away from him. She stayed where she was, her gaze on her knees, lips slightly parted. Before he could think it through and change his mind, he reached out and grasped her chin in a gentle touch. He turned her head toward him and leaned in closer. She gasped, but it was too late. His lips brushed hers, and he was transported to heaven.

Charmaine’s feet slipped off the couch, and she raised her hands to push at his chest. She gave him only a cursory shove but then arched into him. How could he resist such an invitation? Elliot swept her onto his lap, angled her head a little more, and devoured her mouth. He parted her lips and dove in with his tongue, eager to taste all of her mouth. She moaned, and his shaft hardened in his pants. She almost sent him over the edge when she wiggled on his lap. Then it became clear the movement was panic and not aimed to take his lust higher.

“Stop,” she mumbled, and Elliot released her. She climbed off his lap. He bit down on a moan and shoved at his hard-on when he got a glimpse of her ass cheeks in white lacy panties. Self-conscious, she tugged on the long T-shirt she wore. Too bad she recalled that it was all she wore. He’d been enjoying the sight of her legs.

“I’m sorry, Charmaine,” he said and stood to move away lest he grab her again. “On second thought, I’m not sorry. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time. Now it’s done.”

She snorted. “Oh, now it’s done, huh? You’re cured? The curiosity is gone?”

He faced her. She appeared a bit annoyed but nothing more. He had the feeling she wasn’t regretting the kiss either. “Not curiosity. I knew you would taste good.”

Again the lashes lowered. He almost flew across to the couch to reclaim her mouth.

“Go out with me. I’ll pay,” he offered.

“You think it’s about money?”

“No, I wanted to clear that little bit up.”

She smiled and shook her head. “You’re the most straight-forward man I’ve ever met. No man in his right mind would tell a woman he wants to go out with that he wants a lot of kids.”

“Ah, but it makes me look like a family man, and all women want to think a man has potential to go permanent.”

Her lips curled in derision. “You forgot you’re talking to me.”

“Oh, yeah.” He scratched his chin. “Okay, I’ll just use you for your body then.”

This time she burst out laughing. “You’re too much.”

“I’ll be a beta for your app?”

“That’s a good idea, but you’re sounding desperate. Let’s talk later. I’m getting sleepy.”

Elliot bet she didn’t notice she had agreed to see him again. He didn’t point it out. Rather he said good night and then paused at the door. “Let me give you my number in case there’s another emergency.”

She hesitated. “You’re right. Thank you so much for coming over. I mean it. I don’t know what I would have done. You can guarantee though, I’m going to start reading up on raising kids.”

“That sounds forward-thinking.”

“You think I’m making sure I don’t have to call you again.”

He didn’t deny it. “Good night, Charmaine.”

“Good night.”

Chapter Five

Charmaine’s phone dinged, and she read the display.

“A new movie is out. Amaya will love it. Let me take you two.”

She rolled her eyes. Just because she had broken down and called him a couple days ago to ask a question, he had her number and thought to use it. She typed back her usual answer, and went back to work.

“Aunt Charmaine, I’m bored.”

Were they both plotting on her? Impossible. Amaya didn’t have a cell phone, and she hadn’t played with Elliot lately. At least she was all better after that scare the other night. “Give me a few minutes, Amaya.”

“That’s what you said a million years ago.”

“A million?” Charmaine typed in another line of code. “Why aren’t you grown up then…or dust.”

“Dust? Why would I be dust?”

“Give me a minute, Amaya.”

“Can I go over Elliot’s house?”

That brought Charmaine’s head up. “Since when have you gone to his apartment? He’s not a little kid for you to play with, Amaya.”

“But he’s funny, and I like him. The only little kid here is that fat boy downstairs, and he eats boogers.”

“Ew.” Charmaine shivered in disgust. “Don’t call him ‘that fat boy.’ It’s mean.”

She actually sounded like a parent and was proud of herself. Then she forgot about everything when an error popped up on the screen. Groaning, she ran back through the steps she had just taken. Nothing seemed to have caused it. Pouring over her manuals, she couldn’t get to the bottom of things and dug deeper. She wouldn’t give up.

When her eyes began to ache, Charmaine rubbed them. She realized the room was dimmer. More time had passed than she noticed. When she stood, she almost fell down again because both her feet were asleep. Amaya’s little squeal sounded muffled, and Charmaine went to see what she was up to. Amaya was crouched down on the floor holding Charmaine’s cell phone in her hand.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

Wide round eyes blinked up at her. “Playing a game.”

Charmaine gestured. “Hand it over.”

She took the phone and noticed the game, an app she hadn’t had on her phone before. After she exited out of it, a message popped up under Elliot’s name. She noted there were several she had missed.

“I found a game Amaya might like.”

“Are you there?”

“Yes.”
This one was from her. She never answered because she didn’t realize she got the message.

“Sending link. Click it.”

Charmaine assumed the rest was history. Amaya and not her had downloaded the game from Elliot. Her chest ached, and she wasn’t sure what to do. This was Elliot’s fault. She dialed his number, and he answered on the second ring.

“Hey, is this Amaya or Charmaine?”

“Get your ass to my apartment right now!”

“I have my answer.” A few seconds later, he knocked on the door, and she wrenched it open and dragged him into the apartment. She slammed the door behind him and faced him with her hands on her hips.

Amaya stood beside her, head bowed and chewing on one of her ponytails. She ought to be feel guilty, but the bastard in front of Charmaine should feel worse.

“You’ve got three seconds to explain to me why I shouldn’t call the police on your ass.”

He appeared shocked. “What did I do? And I know you’re angry, but I beg you not to talk like that in front of her.”

Charmaine scowled harder. “You lured her into playing a game.”

“What do you mean lured? I asked you. You said yes, and I assume you downloaded it.”

“No, I didn’t. I didn’t talk to you at all.”

He paled and glanced at Amaya. Now the sneaky miss was rocking back and forth, looking everywhere but at them and singing some weird song about a purple turtle. Charmaine wasn’t going for it.

“Amaya, look at me.”

The little girl whimpered and looked up.

“Can you read?”

“Of course.”

Charmaine looked at Elliot, but she was glad to note he seemed just as surprised. Four-year-olds didn’t all know how, so her thinking Amaya was unusual wasn’t crazy. Plus, they were in the middle of summer, so Charmaine hadn’t had the opportunity to learn where Amaya was in school. Was she even old enough for school? This was another area she was lacking. They seemed to be endless.

“Show me,” Charmaine insisted and held out her phone.

Amaya pointed. “Amaya…like…game.”

“Ah, it’s making sense now.” Elliot looked proud as if he had something to do with the girl’s smarts. “She can read a few words, and if she’s played on electronics before, it’s only natural to click a link. The game was simple enough for her to figure out how to play it on her own.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you got her to play it. I don’t know how much else you’ve done or what you planned.”

This time he appeared offended. “Is that what you think of me?”

“I don’t know you very well.”

He said nothing and started to turn away. “I won’t contact you again unless you—”

“Uh-uhn, you’re not getting off that easy.” She grasped the back of his shirt and pulled. He stopped moving. “You’re going to prove to me you’re not some weirdo.”

“How am I going to do that?”

“We want dinner and a movie!”

Confusion transformed his face. “I didn’t expect that, but I’m willing.”

Charmaine didn’t know what she was doing and why she would get him to take them both out. The fact was she had seen the hurt in his eyes. Elliot was trying to help her. He’d gotten out of his bed in the middle of the night and run to the store for her. His pointers at different times turned out to be right on the money from what she had been reading about kids. Then she had accused him of being a pervert when both instances, Amaya was the one in the wrong. Well—both her and Amaya. In the end, it was her job to watch the girl, and she had failed—again.

* * * *

Elliot was funny just like Amaya had said. He kept Charmaine laughing, and for a while, she let herself enjoy their time together. Just a little.

“Didn’t I tell you ladies that movie was going to be good?” Elliot asked, grinning.

“Stop acting like you filmed it yourself,” she teased. “It was all right.”

He offered a lame frown, and Amaya giggled. “I liked it. The frog was silly. He said…” And off Amaya went telling them every detail of the movie as if they hadn’t been there to see it for themselves. Elliot listened, nodding as she spoke and commenting patiently. The man actually did like kids. He’d make an awesome dad.

Quit thinking that kind of stuff, Charmaine, and get your head out of the clouds.

Elliot unlocked his car doors and opened one for Amaya. She climbed in. “Hold on, Charmaine. Let me get that for you.”

“I can get it.”

“Please.”

She sighed and waited. He jogged around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. “You know chivalry is dead, right?”

“Never got the memo.”

“Stubbornness is alive and kicking.”

“We both got several copies of that one.”

She couldn’t help laughing. “Dummy.”

He winked.

They were on the road before he spoke again. “Charmaine, have you considered getting her tested?”

Charmaine glanced over her shoulder. Amaya had already nodded off. “Tested for what? She seems healthy.”

“No, I mean she’s intelligent. She might even be advanced for her age.”

“She knows a few words. I think maybe Stacia or Mama taught her. It might be from her father’s side. My mother told me I was still just staring at pictures with no interest in reading when I was five. Stacia hated books from day one. Amaya is different.”

“You’re right, and it would be great to know if she’s truly different.”

Charmaine hesitated. She had no idea where to start or that they had such a thing. She and Stacia had been regular students. After a while, Stacia lost interest in school and kind of skated by until she got her high school diploma. They probably issued it just to get rid of the headache that was Stacia Poe.

“I could find out what’s involved for you,” he offered.

She stared out the window. “Why should you care, Elliot?”

“I see a need in front of me, and I want to do something to help.”

“A need?” she snapped. “Look, we’re not your charity project, okay? We’re fine. I’m not a perfect mother, but I’m all Amaya’s got. I’m doing okay by her, and we don’t need you to fix us!”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I apologize.” He reached for her, but she shook his hand off.

“Take us home, please.”

“Charmaine.”

“Drop it, Elliot.”

He drove back to their apartment building, and Charmaine struggled to get Amaya out and into her arms. Elliot moved as if he would help, but she tossed him a look that said he would draw back nubs if he tried. He retreated a couple steps, and she stumbled into the building and up the elevator to her place. After she lowered Amaya into bed and removed her shoes and clothes, she covered the little girl and dropped onto the couch. For the first time, Charmaine didn’t feel like working on her project, and she turned over and dropped off to sleep. All through the night, she told herself to get up and get into bed, but her body refused to move and her head never stopped dreaming of Elliot.