Page 35 of Some Like It Hops

“Norma Jean.”

I chuckle. “Why?”

“She was a natural redhead.”

Huh. Guess you really do learn something new every day.

Charlie’s beast of a dog joins me in the kitchen. He sniffs me, then turns to drink out of his water bowl and practically covers the small kitchen with slobber. “Shouldn’t your beers be named after dogs?”

Charlie laughs softly to herself. “Probably. I’ll have a blonde, please. A… Golden Retriever? A Yellow Labrador?”

I grimace, then laugh. “Doesn’t have quite the same effect, does it?” I grab two of the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, then turn around to face her. “Glasses?”

She cocks an eyebrow, then nods toward the wall of cabinets. “Above the microwave.”

I grab two glasses, then join her in the living room, stopping in front of the couch.

She tucks her legs beneath her to make room, so I sit down beside her. I open the beer and move to pour, but she places her hand on my arm, stopping me.

“Taste it from the bottle first.”

I side-eye her.

Charlie shrugs. “It tastes different straight from the bottle.”

I take a long drink, then pour some in a glass, and take a sip of that. “Huh.”

“See?” Charlie grabs the other bottle and clinks it against mine, then brings it to her lips and takes a long pull.

“Why did you have me grab the glasses?”

She licks the beer off her bottom lip and smiles. “You seem like a beer from a glass kind of guy.”

I shake my head, then take another drink from the bottle. “You have a lot of assumptions about me.”

She holds my gaze. “They’re not all wrong.”

“No?” I watch her thoughtfully, then settle into the couch and face the screen. “What are we watching.”

“Insecure.”

“Play it.” I motion toward the screen.

“I’m on season three… you’re not going to know what’s happening.”

I smirk. “I think I’ll be okay.” I take a sip of my beer and watch the screen, waiting for the show to resume.

The silence drags on between us. When the screensavers of far off places start to flash on the screen, I finally look over at Charlie.

She’s worrying her bottom lip as she watches me, and her eyes are bright with want.

I set my beer down and slowly turn toward her.

She lunges for me, pressing her lips against mine. I slide my arms around her and pull her to me, positioning her in my lap with one leg on either side. Her hands grip my neck, her thumbs on my jawline and her fingertips digging gently into my skin as she holds my head and kisses me hard. I open my mouth to hers, letting her take control of the moment, following her lead with each soft stroke of her tongue. She tastes sweet, but hoppy from the beer. I’d like to bottle this and call it Ballsy Brunette. Or Pocket Rocket. I smile and she pulls back, her lips and cheeks flushed.

She searches my gaze. “What’s so funny?”

I lick my lips and squeeze her hips. “I was just thinking about naming a beer after you.” I lean forward and slide my lips over hers, slipping my tongue into her mouth to taste her again. She opens her mouth to me and we kiss for a few more moments, then she pulls back.

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