Page 51 of Shadowing Charlotte
Chapter forty-five
Charlotte
Iwoke long before the alarm, rolling over and wrapping my arm around Lex.
We'd spent all of Sunday at home, watching movies on the couch and ordering in for dinner. Alexander and I had debated over what saga we wanted to binge. Lex was just as much of a nerd a I was. He wanted to watch Star Wars, I insisted on Harry Potter. Eventually, we compromised and chose something else entirely. By the time we finished the series, it was well after midnight.
"Lex…" I whined his name, pulling the covers up around us. "I don't want to go to work."
"Yes, you do," he replied, a long yawn following the statement. "You love your job, Charlie."
"But I don't wanna," I insisted, sinking beneath the covers, as if that could stop the alarm clock from ringing.
"While you're down there, you gonna blow me?" he asked, laughing when I playfully nipped his chest. He darted beneath the covers, wrapping me in his arms. and tickling me until I let out an undignified squeal.
"Alright, alright! I'm up!" I sighed, throwing the blanket off of us. Alexander was right. As much as I longed to stay in bed with him, I did adore my job, and I wanted to keep it. The last thing I needed was to call in or show up late again. The room was silent as I dug through my drawers for underwear, but I felt Alexander's eyes following me. "Make yourself useful and get the coffee going, will you?" I asked as I pulled my clothes on.
Alexander groaned, hesitantly dragging himself upright. By the time I dressed and went to the bathroom to do my makeup, Alexander had a cup ready, setting it on the counterfor me. "Thank you, baby," I murmured as I raked the mascara wand through my lashes. "What are your plans for the day?" I called out as he retreated.
I received no answer from the kitchen, but he returned a few minutes later, coffee in hand.
"Job hunting."
"Your private investigating isn't going well?" I asked, smirking at him in the mirror.
"I pissed my former client off and he complained to his rich friends. Normal people don't hire investigators unless it's life or death, so… Maybe something in security."
"Security?" I repeated skeptically, glancing at him as I patted blush on my cheeks.
"Yeah, well, I've been certified before. It's mostly easy work." I paused, dropping the brush on the counter, frowning.
"You could get hurt."
"Well, yeah, but there's risk of being hurt pretty much everywhere." he replied with a shrug, sipping on his coffee.
"Alexander," I breathed in warning, staring at him in the mirror. "I don't like it." The thought of him patrolling areas alone, putting himself in danger, set me on edge.
"Charlie, there's just as much risk investigating people as there is in security." he insisted, leaning against the doorway. "Following people around can be just as dangerous. All it takes is one person to catch on, and I could have a gun pulled on me."
"Gun laws—"
Alexander laughed, cutting off my words. "Charlie, I knew half a dozen guys in school that illegally obtained guns." I wrinkled my nose at him.
"What kind of guys were you hanging out with in school?" I asked.
"The kind I wouldn't want you anywhere near," he replied with a crooked grin. I shook my head and took another sip of coffee, tossing my makeup back in my bag.
"Promise me that you'll be careful," I requested gently, wrapping my arms around his neck. I couldn't lose him, not now. Not after I was sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him at my side. We had only just exchanged 'I love you's, but I was already picturing our future together.
"I'll be careful, princess," he assured me, leaning down to capture my lips in a gentle, reassuring kiss.
"I have to pick up my Jeep today," I reminded him.
It had taken the autobody shop weeks to finally get the part they needed, but it was finally ready.
"I'll take you after work," he said, giving me one more peck before leaving me to finish getting ready.
As I entered Hewart, my phone vibrated repeatedly in my purse, but I ignored it, dropping the bag beneath the desk and setting down my coffee. I poured through my emails, carefully reviewing the memos Morgan had sent out. By the time lunch rolled around, my phone had vibrated nearly a dozen times.
