Page 96 of You Float My Boat

‘Yes, I’m fine …’ he started, then paused. ‘No … yes … no. No, I’m not.’

My fist was still gripping on to his sleeve, and I dropped it as I stepped in. ‘What’s wrong?’

He was about to answer, but the flare of his pupils did all the talking, and for the first time I noticed the green had turned to a dark forest colour. It was three degrees out, and yet the fire burning in his eye licked across every inch of my skin as he stared, long enough for beads of sweat to trickle down my back.

Within the space of a heartbeat he stepped towards me, moving us until my back hit the wall. Warm fingers brushed along the edge of my jaw, right before his lips crashed into mine. Not even the cobbled brick could cool my skin as his tongue plunged into my mouth.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything except surrender to the way this man was taking full control, staking claim. It was ownership, plain and simple. Even when he softened against me, his tongue roamingagainst mine, there was still a need and insistence I’d never experienced before. Ever. I’d never experienced a kiss like this, period.

Hot. Needy. Consuming.

I’d been taken hostage by his mouth. My entire body was vibrating on a frequency I didn’t know I had, heavy pulses buzzing over my skin, and by the time he pulled away the only reason I was standing was because of the grip he still had on me.

‘Fuuuck,’ he breathed out, one long word, as his head dropped on my shoulder.

My sentiments exactly.

I waited to see if he had any more to add, while also catching my own breath. He was so quiet, resting his head on my shoulder, he could have fallen asleep. It became clear he wasn’t going to add anything else.

It was only when I shifted my shoulder slightly that he finally lifted his head. The fire no longer burned in his eyes; instead what looked like sadness had replaced it, though for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. Because all I wanted to do after that kiss was take a cold shower.

Cupping his cheek, I moved his face until he couldn’t look away. It wasn’t quite the grip he had me in, but it was good enough. ‘Charlie, what’s going on?’

A thousand thoughts flickered through my brain as his gaze held mine, and when he eventually spoke his voice had dropped an octave: rumbly, gravelly and doing nothing to help the electricity coursing through me.

‘I didn’t like that.’

‘Like what?’

‘The boys …’ he sighed deeply, ‘my friends. I did not like seeing Bitters with his arm around you. Fuck,’ he added, again, though this time it was less needy and more frustrated. Sharper.

I could feel the frustration radiating from him, though why was harder to figure out.

Bitters and my brother were two idiots that I probably wouldn’t think about again for a very long time. Bitters at least; unfortunately I had to see my brother at family functions and weekends at home, and he really wasn’t too bad most of the time.

But either way, it didn’t seem to warrant the anguish on Charlie’s face, which he seemed to realize I was having a hard time understanding.

‘Bitters with his arm around you … I can feel the jealousy clawing right here,’ he placed my hand on the centre of his chest above the distinct thump of his heart, ‘I’ve just found you. I can’t lose you already.’

‘Why would you lose me?’

He let out another of those deep sighs and as his head dropped back onto my shoulder it all clicked. I was such a dummy, an angry dummy. And I now had a new target for the punch I’d wanted to send Bitters’ way.

I was becoming quite violent, it seemed.

‘Is this about Evie?’

He nodded, though his head was still resting on my shoulder. ‘She’s the only person I’ve ever been in a relationship with, twice technically. Both times she cheated on me, and seeing Bitters all over you …’ His eyes were watery when he eventually lifted his head. ‘I’m sorry.I’m so sorry, Violet. I knew Evie fucked me up … I always said, I’d never be in another relationship. Stupid, I know, and it’s the reason why your brother thinks I’m a drama queen, but now I’ve met you …’

I stood there absorbing his words, realizing the magnitude of what he was going through and the profound sadness I felt at the damage Evie had caused. If I could go a little way to fixing it, then it would be totally worth it.

Or it could drastically backfire.

But he’d been honest with me, so I could be a little more honest with him.

‘Do you trust me?’ I asked.

He answered with no hesitation. ‘Yes.’

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