Page 62 of Must Love Bees
“I’m about to.” She shook her head. “Don’t frown like that.” She pressed her fingers to his forehead and rubbed until he relaxed. “Better.”
He caught her wrist. “Please, get changed.” She was warm. Her skin was so soft. His thumb ran along the edge of her palm.
She shuddered.
Dammit. There it was, that ache. The need for her—more of her. Now was not the time or the place. He knew that. And yet, he wasn’t so sure he cared. If he leaned forward, an inch was all, he could kiss her temple. Another inch, he could kiss her mouth.
She stared up at him, her breath fast and shallow.
“Um...” Tansy’s voice had them both jumping. “Yeah. Hi.”
He glanced from Tansy, to Astrid, to the open door of the room that should be the bathroom. Without another word, he headed straight for it. Once the door was shut, he dropped his bag and braced himself against the sink.
“What was that?” Tansy was laughing.
“Nothing.” Astrid’s voice was high and unsteady.
He closed his eyes, imagining her full-body shudder. A shudder he’d stirred.
“That wasn’t nothing,” Tansy said.
Tansy Hill was right. It wasn’t nothing. He shook his head, wishing the walls and the door were thick enough to stop him from hearing what was being said.
“You’re so loud.” Astrid wasn’t laughing.
“I’m always loud. It doesn’t normally bother you.”
“Tansy... Don’t tease, okay? This...” Astrid broke off.
Charlie held his breath. He shouldn’t be listening. This was none of his business. He should respect their privacy.
“This is special. Okay?” Astrid’s voice was gentle yet pleading.
Special. That was good. Or was it? His sisters used to call him special and it had been their attempt at a clever insult.
“I know.” Tansy’s tone was different now. Less teasing. “I see that. You could feel the spark between you. I honestly thought you two were going to get naked and have sex right here on the landing.”
Charlie swallowed hard. Sex. It was made up of everything he avoided. Rejection. Awkwardness. Losing control. Not being proficient. Sex meant touching. Lots of intimate touching. It was exposing body parts and being vulnerable in a way that made him physically recoil.
But he’d felt that way about kissing until Astrid. He’d never been so happy to be proven wrong. And the idea of Astrid naked didn’t make him recoil. More like the opposite. Astrid was beautiful. Her body would be, too. Would he enjoy exploring her body as much as he’d enjoyed exploring her mouth?
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Tansy,” Astrid groaned. “I didn’t meansex.”
Astrid didn’t want to have sex with him? He shouldn’t be disappointed. But he was.There isdefinitelysomething wrong with me.
“Uh-huh, sure. You’re telling me I read the vibe wrong?” She made a snorting sound. “I don’t think so. Hey, I think it’s great. Go for it. Kiss a lot of frogs, remember? Have fun and all that. Just remember he is leaving, Astrid. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Tansy, I’m fine—”
“I’m stopping.” Tansy cut her off. “Now go get changed before you get the aunts freaked out over you getting sick.”
“I’m going.” Astrid sighed. “But you don’t have to come with me.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I’m coming. I want to hear how you made Mr. Grumpy Pants into Mr. I-Want-To-Get-In-Your-Pants.”
Charlie didn’t want to smile, but he did.
