Page 58 of Saved from Deception

Smiling at me from the kitchen as she makes breakfast, excited about a new recipe she found. On the days she sleeps in, peeking out from under the covers with half-lidded eyes, whispering for me to come back to bed. Massaging my knee with this special ointment she ordered—I don’t know about the ointment, but the massage definitely helps.

She’s concerned without making me feel uncomfortable about it. When it’s rainy, Charlie doesn’t say anything different, but she’ll join me after a workout in the sauna, making me laugh and distracting me until my aches aren’t as bad. Or she’ll suggest giving each other massages, but she always insists on going first.

Since that means I get to see her naked, and it inevitably evolves into sex, I have no complaints about it.

Some mornings, Charlie will join me in the gym, running on the treadmill while I lift. And I’ve been teaching her self-defense, though my plan is for her to never need it. My plan—my hope—is that Charlie will stay with me, and I’ll always be the one to protect her.

I haven’t asked Charlie yet, but I’m going to.

Just like I need to tell her how I feel about her.

But I’ve been hesitating, and there’s no good reason for it. Other than being scared. Me. Scared. After everything else I’ve gone through, I’m scared of being rejected. I don’t think Charlie will, but I’m not sure.

But I need to talk to her soon. Before time runs out and she’s forced into making a decision.

The web crawler is pulling down the videos faster than they can be shared, Morgan is on house arrest with no access to computers or the internet while she’s awaiting trial, and the attention on Charlie is gradually subsiding. At our last meeting, Cole said barring any unexpected developments, we’ll probably be safe to discontinue her protection in a week or so.

I’m not sure how I feel about that. Sending Charlie back out into the world with no protection? All my instincts want to keep her close to me, to not give anyone a chance to hurt her—physically or emotionally.

If she agrees to stay with me…

“Hey Ry, if you think any harder, steam is going to start coming from your ears.”

Nora swats my arm, smiling, looking much cheerier than normal. She caught me standing in front of my apartment door, blankly staring at it, my mind somewhere completely different.

I tug her long braid—I never touch Nora anywhere else, even jokingly—and grin evilly at her. “Just thinking about a book I read recently. It was called Protecting the Billionaire Green Beret’s Pregnant Lover.”

Red shoots up Nora’s face and she scowls at me. “She told you?” And then, “That’s not a real book. At least, I don’t think so.”

Snickering, I tug her braid again, and she whacks me across the chest. “No, Charlie didn’t tell me. I overheard you guys whispering about it when you stopped by the other day.”

Nora huffs at me. “You’d better not tell anyone else.”

I sober, holding her gaze. “I won’t, Nora. I promise.”

“You’d better not.” She gives me another smirk. “Or I’ll give Charlie some books about Navy guys. SEALs. Delta Force.”

“Hush.” Turning away from her, I unlock the door, shaking my head in amusement.

As I walk in, Charlie is in the kitchen, a blender full of protein shake on the counter in front of her. She beams at me, so pretty—her cheeks pink, eyes flashing bright silver, hair pulled back in a loose ponytail with little tendrils falling out of it. She’s wearing another dress—what will I do when it’s winter?—and my heart actually stops for a second.

I can’t describe this feeling. This breathless joy, something precious and powerful swelling inside me, filling me in all the places I never realized were empty. This absolute certainty about everything.

I need to tell her.

“Charlie.” My voice throbs with emotion, and her eyebrows jump up in concern. Striding, almost jogging toward her, I sweep her up in my arms.

She clutches at my arms and pulls back to look at my face. “Ry! Is everything okay?”

I pick her up and set her on the edge of the island, then slant my mouth over hers. This kiss isn’t tender or slow, it’s hungry and urgent. All my emotions exploding as I plunge into her mouth, tasting and stroking and promising things I'll do to other parts of her soon.

As I make love to her mouth, Charlie presses against me, wrapping her legs around my waist. I palm one breast, then the other, using my fingers to tease her nipples into hard little peaks, poking at the fabric of her silky dress.

Charlie’s hands move to the back of my neck, tunneling up through my hair and tugging lightly. It’s just a hint of pain, the perfect counterbalance to the pleasure I’m feeling.

I’m hard, throbbing, straining at my shorts—Charlie glances down and makes a little appreciative humming sound before dropping one hand down to stroke it.

Oh!

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