Page 199 of The Charlie Method

I rub the back of my neck, trying to put words to the feeling that’s been sitting in my chest for a while now. “I don’t know. Maybe. There’s just something about being there that feels right. The beaches, the ocean, the way the air smells. Everything. It’s like part of me never really left.”

“And what about hockey? Your friends? Your life here? You’ve built something here, Beck. You’ve worked so hard for it.”

“I know. But I’m graduating soon, and I need to figure out what the hell I’m going to do next. I don’t want to play professional hockey. I have no clue what career path to take. And I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s this pull, like I need to go back at some point. I think Dad feels the same way.”

“You miss it that much?” There’s underlying fear in her tone now, as if she’s worried she might lose me to a place she thought we left behind.

“I do. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, or maybe it’s something deeper. But I get why Dad’s struggling. He’s been away so long.”

“I always thought you were so settled here,” she says. “You’ve got your life, your future ahead of you. I didn’t realize you still felt like you belonged there.”

“I think it’s more than just belonging. It’s about…I don’t know. Purpose, maybe? Identity? It’s like Australia is woven into who I am. I can’t explain it.”

“Well. I’ll admit that I didn’t expect this conversation to take this turn. But, sweetheart, I hope you know that whatever you decide, your father and I will support you. You have to follow your heart, wherever that leads you.”

“I know. And I’m not saying I’m going to up and leave tomorrow. I’ve got a lot to think about until graduation, and there’s a lot tying me here. I just wanted you to understand how Dad’s feeling.”

“I do understand. But I suppose I didn’t realize how much he’s been holding on to this. And I didn’t realize you felt it too.” Another soft sigh fills the line. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

“Thanks, Mum.”

I hang up, leaning my head against the couch cushions, the exhaustion settling deep in my bones. I can feel it in every muscle, but it’s not only stress causing the tension. My dad was here for four days.

I haven’t gotten laid in four days.

I’m horny.

And the moment the thought registers, my body makes it demands known. Buzzing. Aching. My balls tighten, and I resist the urge to pull my dick out and jerk off right here in the living room. But I don’t want to waste this first night with my dad gone. Charlie’s coming over soon. Why would I come in my own hand when I can bury myself inside her and bust in that perfect pussy?

The wait is excruciating, though. I have no idea what Will is up to tonight—he didn’t answer my text asking where the hell he is. I try to distract myself from my persistent hard-on by watching TV, but I can’t concentrate.

By the time Charlie arrives, I’m barely holding on to control.

She steps inside, unaware of the lust storm brewing. She smiles at me, and I know I should say something casual, something normal. But all I can think about is her body pressed up against mine, the feel of her skin, the sound of her gasping my name.

“Can I fuck you?” My voice is rough. Almost desperate.

She laughs in surprise. “Right now?”

“Right now. I need you.”

When she sees the look in my eyes, her breath catches. “You want me that bad?”

“You have no idea,” I growl.

Her lips curve in another smile. Then she says, “C’mere.”

I’m on her in an instant, yanking her against me so she can feel how hard I am for her.

“Upstairs?” she says.

I shake my head as I lower my face to her neck, kissing her smooth, soft skin. “I can’t wait,” I mumble.

Her nails dig into my shoulders. “Okay.”

That’s all the permission I need.

I grab her by the waist, backing her into the wall. She gasps when my lips crash over hers in a sloppy, hungry kiss. I’m goddamn feral tonight.

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