Legal Action (Surrendering Charlotte Chronicles) (8 page)

             
He was quiet for a long time. Then he said, “If I didn’t know it to be true I wouldn’t believe it. A woman who’s blood runs as hot as yours, who is always wet and ready even though you fought it at the start. Two other men is nothing, you might as well have been a virgin. But still, it makes me sick with jealousy, to think of you with any other man. You were made for me, you’re amazing little pussy tries so hard to make room for me. It’s the most erotic feeling I’ve ever known, being inside you. The way you feel and sound, the exquisite look on your face when you finally take my cock and surrender to it. Making you cum is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

             
He went on, “I don’t care about Jorgen, you were young and in heat, that was obvious. I knew back then you didn’t love him, he was just at the right place at the right time for you. The second man, the one you don’t want to talk about, he makes my blood boil. There was a look on your face when you mentioned him, I think you loved him, maybe you still do. I don’t want that to be true, I’ve never loved anyone besides…” He caught himself and stopped.

             
There was a light knock on the door and he seemed both irritated and relieved.

             
“Yes, come in,” he said.

             
West entered the room, big and fierce looking, but his footsteps were as quiet as a cat’s. His eyes scanned the room quickly. He took in the litter of clothes on the floor, the unmade bed. He saw that Bly had dressed and Charlotte was wrapped in a robe.

             
“Ms. Christiansen, you left your purse downstairs. Your phone’s been ringing,” he handed it to her.

             
“Oh, thank you, West. I… better check my messages. It’s Charlotte, by the way, please.”

             
He nodded and turned to speak with Bly while she looked at her text messages.

             
Damn
, she’d forgotten about her plans with Finn and JP for the weekend. They’d both been calling and texting, she thought they’d be away longer. They’d be back in town the next day and expected her to be ready to go to a surfing tournament in Malibu.

             
She walked past Bly and West as they talked, gathered her clothes and found the bathroom. She locked the door and dressed quickly. When she came back into the room West was leaving and Bly looked surprised and even hurt that she was dressed.

             
“Why are you leaving? I thought you’d stay and sleep here, with me.”

             
He pulled her to him, tangled a hand in her hair and forced her head back. His mouth claimed hers, scalding hot and insistent.

             
She pushed against his chest, breathing hard, “I have to go; I have work and plans…”

             
His hand went under her blouse, rolled her tender nipple in his fingers. “Stay,” he whispered, as she gasped and arched against him.

              Her hand went to his cock as if it had always been hers and his voice was hoarse as he said, “that’s it, baby, it’s yours.”

             
He guided her down on the bed, tearing the buttons from her silk blouse and taking her nipple in his mouth. He sucked hard, grazing it with his teeth and she bucked against him. He moved her hand away from his cock and she whimpered and fought him. He held her hands above her head and moved from one hard, pink nipple to the other. He licked them, sucked hard, nipping the tips with his teeth.

             
She twisted and groaned but he trapped her hips with his legs, his cock hot against her.

             
“I want you… in me… please, please!” She begged him, gasping for breath.

             
He lifted his mouth from her breast and said, “I want to watch you cum and then you can have what you love so much.” His mouth went back to her nipple as he held her body down with his, he grazed it again with his teeth and she stiffened and began to shudder. He released her hands and moved his cock to the mouth of her pussy. He pushed hard into her and whispered, “Is this all you love, my cock and nothing more?”

             
She wouldn’t answer so he fucked her hard and deep, pounding into her as she clung to him. Her greedy little pussy convulsed around him and they climaxed together, crying each other’s name.

             
They lay together, breathing hard then she said, “I need a towel, please.”

             
He stood up and looked at the sheets, “Charlotte, fuck! I didn’t mean to…”

             
“It’s not just that,” she said, “I must have started my period.”

             
“Oh, thank God,” he said, “I mean, that you’re not hurt.” He went into the bathroom and returned with a towel to place under her. His big cock hung down his leg as he stood watching her.  He looked worried. “You’re sure you’re alright?”

             
“Yes, you might want to wash that,” she said and smiled.

             
He looked down at himself and said, “Right,” but stayed where he was.

             
“I’m fine, I promise,” she said. Her phone was ringing and wouldn’t stop. She looked at the name and said, “I need to get this.” She answered, “Hey, are you home already? Yes, of course, I’m up for it. It’s a done deal, bud! See you tomorrow.”

             
“Where are going, Charlotte?” he asked and his voice had an edge to it.

             
“To clean up,” she said as she disappeared into the bathroom. She stepped into the room sized shower, stood under the soothing spray and watched the blood flow down her legs. She knew some was from her period but some wasn’t. She thought about the things he’d said. Could it be possible that he thought he loved her, that he wanted her to love him? It had only been a week since she’d seen him at the stop light, but hadn’t she carried a torch for him for six years? She didn’t realize he had entered the huge shower.

             
He pulled her to him and kissed her as the water washed over them and her blood flowed into the drain.

             
She found a mini-pad in her purse, slipped it into her panties and he handed her one of his t-shirts.

             
In the bedroom, the bed was freshly made and she couldn’t help but laugh at the assortment of feminine pad and tampon boxes spread out there.

             
“Well, let’s announce it to everyone!” She said and then asked, “Do you keep these on hand or did West rush out and get them?”

             
“I sent West for them, are they what you need?”

             
She doubled over with laughter. The thought of up-tight West with an armful of feminine products was pretty good. “Sorry, that paints a great picture in my mind, Staff Sargent West buying tampons. Which, I don’t use, by the way, they’re uncomfortable.”

             
“I don’t doubt that,” he said, “you’re
very
snug
, to put it mildly.”

             
She blushed and said, “Thank you for all of this
stuff
, Bly, but with the birth control pills the bleeding should be gone by tomorrow. It’s a nice little perk, shorter periods. Listen, I really do need to get home. There are calls to make about your case in the morning and yes, you’re having sex with your lawyer, but, hey, too late now.”

             
He put his arms around her, hugged her tightly to him, “where else are you going, Charlotte?”

             
Hesitantly she said, “The guys are back and we’re going to Malibu. There’s a surfing tournament, we made our plans weeks ago. It’s a big deal; they’re so competitive about it, even though JP always wins.”

             
“Alright,” he said and his jaw clenched. “I’d hoped to surprise you with a trip to Napa this weekend and I can’t say I’m happy that you’re going with…them. I won’t beg you to change your mind, you know I’m crazy about you and I suppose I should’ve known you’d be difficult.”

             
She pushed herself against him, pulled his mouth to hers and they kissed until they were both breathless.

             
“Maybe we’re only about sex, Bly, or maybe it’s more. Let’s give it some time and this weekend I’ll have a chance to tell Finn and JP that I’m finally…
interested
in someone. That’s a big deal for me. I’ve been alone pretty much since they’ve known me.”

FOUR

              On Saturday Finn won the surfing tournament and everyone on the beach exploded into cheers and applause. Charlotte squealed and did one of her old college cheers for him as he threw down his surf board and picked her up. They yelled and laughed and even though JP usually won, he was happy for Finn.

             
The guys peeled down the tops of their wetsuits and walked, bare-chested along the edge of the surf with Charlotte between them.

             
She wore a black bikini with a white tank top over it and lots of sunscreen. Her glossy, black hair cascaded down her back and her big blue eyes sparkled with child-like joy.

             
The three of them locked arms and laughed and told stupid jokes as if they were still in college. They ended up at a surf bar on the beach called Wax.

             
“Charlotte fears the sun like a vampire,” JP told the group that had gathered at their table in the little bar.

             
“Don’t listen to him Charlotte, you’re a perfect English rose. Or, Southern rose, as it were.” Finn said, raising his glass to her.

             
“Well,” she said, “who cares if I’m Snow White, let’s hear it for Finn, the great surf warrior!”

             
All the patrons in the bar cheered, they all drank beer and shots of tequila, except for Charlotte, who drank wine coolers and gulped an occasional shot.

             
A band set up and played mostly old Don Henley tunes and she danced on the tiny dance floor with Finn to the song,
The Heart of the Matter.

             
“Is it serious?” Finn asked. “Between you and the ‘oh so serious’ billionaire with the shitty attitude?”

             
“It’s too early to tell,” she said. “I don’t really want to think about it now, I feel free and damn well drunk and amazingly good.”

             
“You don’t feel free and good when you’re with him? I hope that’s not what you mean, my love, because that’s not a good sign.”

             
“The tequila’s gone to my head so I’m not responsible for what I’m saying. I don’t have room in my life for anyone, you know that. Someday I will, someday I’ll want a man who can’t live without me, and I want to have three babies and live in a cottage in a meadow with sheep running around. That sounds like England, doesn’t it? Will you live there with me, Finn? If you’re done with doing whatever it is you do?”

             
“Of course I will, my love, but I warn you, I’ll want to make more than three babies.” He smiled down at her as they danced slowly.

             
JP cut in, handed her another shot and they danced like crazy to the pulsing beat of
Boys
of Summer
, Charlotte was feeling the tequila and it showed.

             
She danced with every man on the dance floor until JP threw her over his shoulder and hauled her to the table. She thought she was hallucinating because Alexander Bly was sitting there looking pissed as hell.

             
“Mr. Bly?” she said and started giggling uncontrollably.

             
“Bar-keep, we could use some glasses of water over here, this girl has gotten completely out of hand!” Finn shouted over the music.

             
The water arrived and JP and Finn urged her drink as Bly sat with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.

             
“You look pissed, Mr. Bly, but you’re still
fucking sexy
,” she said and laughed so hard she tried to lower her face to the table and banged her forehead.

             
“Time for some fresh air,” JP suggested, “Bly, you wanna take her?”

             
“Well, that’s a dumb question, Jon Paul; of course he wants to
take me
!” Charlotte said, and was off on another giggling fit.

             
Bly walked her outside and she inhaled the salt air for long minutes, letting her head clear.

             
“Take off your shoes, Bly, let’s walk in the sand.”

             
“Charlotte, I think we should go. You need to come with me.”

             
“Bly, what are you so pissed about? I had a little too much to drink, I feel better now. Let’s walk on the beach then go back inside with my friends.” She put her hands in his dark hair, the wind had blown through it and he looked wild and handsome. “Come on, we can dance slowly and I can feel all my favorite parts of you up close and personal.”

             
His mouth covered hers and it was so hot it seemed they would ignite and burn as they stood there.

             
“Why do you try me so, Charlotte? Dancing with those men, your body is like an invitation. That black hair, white skin and your beautiful, fuckable mouth, don’t you understand how sexy you are?”

             
They walked on the beach and he loosened up as they held hands and talked. Inside the bar they danced a slow dance and she told him that all the little beach chicks were eyeing his huge hard-on.

             
He told her the men
and
the chicks were eyeing her pretty round ass in her tiny bikini bottoms. He offered to buy her a larger t-shirt to cover herself and she let him to make him feel better.

             
“Hey, the world’s hottest cheerleader!” a voice shouted.

              The group at the table went quiet suddenly but when Charlotte turned to face the face, and a giant smile lit her face.
             

“Brady Sutton, just the man I need to talk to!” She said and gave him a huge hug.
“Hey, everyone, meet Brady, the genius responsible for getting me through college physics.”

             
She introduced him to Bly and Finn and JP, told them how he’d studied with her and helped her get through enough math courses to complete her degree.

             
Brady knew of Bly, of course, and Charlotte mentioned the case she was handling for him. That she intended to call him Monday and see if he could get his father to hear the case in his courtroom.

             
He told her to consider it done, that his dad would never forget having his picture taken with her at a UCLA game. Brady was leaving and she and Bly walked him to his car. He asked who the case was against and she told him Huang Worldwide.

             
“Whoa, bad news,” he said. “Don’t you remember Jamey Huang from school? He was a year or two behind us at UCLA and he was always voted most handsome. He should’ve been voted most likely to become a terrorist. He’s Huang’s love child by some has-been porn star. Man, I kid you not, he runs most of the clubs in L.A. for his old-man and there are serious rumors of drugs and gun-running. Be careful, Charlotte, he’s smooth and scary.”

             
They said their goodbyes and he drove away.

             
The guys came to find them, they wanted to get dressed up and go into L.A. for dinner. They invited Bly to join them and Charlotte could tell he wanted to accept.

             
He wanted to keep an eye on her, but she could also see him fighting with himself to give her space. He was a shrewd businessman and he figured it was a gamble he had to take. He thanked them for the invitation, but said goodbye, kissed her goodnight and left.

             
She watched him go and was surprised that she was beginning to miss him already. She’d put on the baggy t-shirt for him and he had trusted her to stay with her friends. She knew it was a good compromise, a step in the right direction.