Page 185 of The Charlie Method

He pauses, then gives a sheepish laugh. “Yeah. I guess I did.”

“Did you mean it?”

“Yes.” This time, there’s no pause. No hesitation.

My mouth feels dry all of a sudden. I swallow, trying to find my voice. “I love you too.”

He holds me tighter, his heartbeat steady beneath my ear.

“I just wish…” I trail off, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in my heart.

My gaze shifts toward the bedroom door, and I know Will is reading my mind because he plants a kiss on the top of my head.

“Go,” he says softly.

“You sure?”

“Mm-hmm.” He sounds sleepy, already falling asleep. “Go.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

BECKETT

She was my entire world, and then she wasn’t

ICRAWL INTO MY OWN BED AND STARE UP AT THE CEILING, TRYING TOpush away the thoughts spinning like a carousel in my mind. The room is dark, and the stillness that usually brings me comfort now feels oppressive, heavy. I hate leaving them, but staying feels too…dangerous.

The truth is, as much as I care about Charlie, as much as I want to be with her, I can’t let myself get too close. Not like that. Not when I know it will only hurt more in the end.

I’m starting to drift off when I hear her footsteps, see her shadowy frame walk into my bedroom. A moment later, the bed shifts beneath me. My heart skips a beat, and before I can react, Charlie is sliding under the covers, her warm body pressing against mine. She wraps her arms around me as the big spoon, her face nuzzling the crook of my neck.

“Baby,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t want you to sleep alone.” Her breath tickles my skin.

I swallow hard. “You should be with Will. You know that.”

She tightens her grip on me, refusing to let go. “No. I want to be with you. Right now, I need you, Beck.”

I sigh, closing my eyes. I feel my resolve crumbling. There’s something about this woman that makes it impossible to push her away, no matter how much I know I should.

“I don’t like sleeping with people,” I finally say.

“Why?” Her voice is soft but insistent. “Why don’t you like it?”

I hesitate, my mind flashing back to memories I’ve tried so hard to bury. “It’s too intimate,” I mumble after an interminable pause.

She pauses too, processing my words. “Is that because of your high school girlfriend? The one who cheated on you?”

I stiffen, the mention of Shannon stirring up a mix of bitterness and pain. “Yeah. Because of her.”

Charlie pulls me backward so that I’m lying prone and she’s peering down at me, searching my eyes in the darkness.

“What happened? I know she hurt you, but you never talk about it.”

She’s right. I don’t. And I don’t plan on starting now.

“It doesn’t matter what happened.” I shrug. “She was my entire world, and then she wasn’t.”

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