Page 136 of The Charlie Method

“Horny,” I supply.

Will chuckles.

“Conflicted,” she corrects.

“Because you’re horny.”

“Yes.Yes. Okay?” Her face turns bright red. “Ugh. I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“Yes, you do,” Will says softly.

Her gaze shifts to me again. “Beckett, did you mean what you wrote in that message?”

“Which part? Actually, it doesn’t matter. I meant every part. So yes, I meant what I wrote in the message.”

A smile tickles her lips. “About how my wild and fearless side is your favorite thing about me.”

“It is.” My voice is gruff, earnest.

She looks at Will.

His expression shines with sincerity. “I’ve never been drawn to anyone the way I’m drawn to you.”

He feels it too, I realize. This inexorable pull toward her. And I feel like I’m watching it in slow motion as he curls his hand around the back of her neck and brings her face to his. My cock swells when he kisses her.

It’s a measured, exploratory kiss. I see his tongue slip into her mouth. The tip of her tongue touching his. Her body arching toward him. She presses her palm to his bare chest, running her fingers over the dusting of hair there.

My dick pushes against my pants, half-mast.

“I’m sorry,” Charlie blurts out, breaking the kiss.

He blinks. “For what?”

“I judged you.” Deep remorse fills her eyes. “I made you feel like you weren’t normal. Both of you. But…I don’t actually feel that way. I wouldn’t have matched with you on the app if I thought you guys were sleazy for being into what you’re into.”

Will nods thoughtfully. “Why were you ashamed about what happened between us? Because you felt regret?”

He has this calming effect on people. Sometimes his gaze bores into you, as if he’s reading your mind, seeing into your heart. Finding all the scattered, broken pieces inside and putting them back together for you so he can show you what the final puzzle is supposed to look like.

“No,” Charlie confesses, visibly swallowing. “I didn’t feel regret. I enjoyed every second of that night.”

“Then you weren’t feeling your own shame. It was external. You feltshamed.”

A crease appears in her forehead. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No. If there’s shame or guilt because you truly felt like you did something wrong, that’s one thing. But if you’re letting yourself feel like crap based on other people’s opinions… opinions they haven’t even offered… opinions you imagine they’ll have if they find out… then that’s not shame.” He strokes her cheek. “Nobody has to find out, Charlie. Nothing we do in here ever leaves this house.”

She twists toward me for confirmation, biting her lip.

“Sacred space,” I confirm, quirking a smile.

Her teeth release her lip, and her tongue comes out as if soothing a sting. I want to be the one licking her lip. I see Will’s eyes flare, and I know he’s thinking the same thing.

“So,” he says, “should we keep watching this movie? Or…”

“Or what?” she asks.

“You tell us. What do you want?”

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