Suddenly the grooves on the radio dial seemed infinitely more fascinating than what Declan had to say. She ran the pad of her index finger over the indentations, absentmindedly turning the volume on The Kill by Thirty Seconds to Mars up and down. Anything was better than making eye contact with Declan.
“Charlotte, please talk to me.” Declan rested his forehead against the glass of the driver’s side window. “I didn’t let her in. I didn’t even know she was there until I got out of the shower. I fucking swear I didn’t.”
“You didn’t give her a key?” Charlie’s broken voice stung her throat.
“No. Please open the door.”
She wiped quickly under her eyes, flicked the lock, and looked up at him. He immediately grabbed her, pulling her up and into him. She didn’t protest. She let him hold her until she remembered the piercings and what the redhead said.
“Get your hands off of me!” Charlie yelled, pushing past Declan, feeling his hands on her waist as he spun her around.
“Charlotte.”
“No! You may not have let her in, but she was there. She invited me to have a three-way with the two of you for Christ sakes!”
“Fuck. Charlotte, I am so sorry that you had to deal with her.” He moved closer to her, and she stepped back, putting her hand up to stop him.
“She quoted you word-for-word on some of the things you’ve said to me. What the hell is going on?” Charlie asked sternly.
Declan’s gaze flicked to Aaron and Owen. By this time, their little kerfuffle had an audience. Old Mr. Stearns was out on his stoop pretending to water plants he didn’t have.
Declan swallowed audibly. “I tend to reuse phrasing when I am training a new submissive. I stick with what works.”
Charlie shook her head. She felt everyone’s stares. She rubbed her temples. “Wow nice, Declan. So it is all just some sort of formula for you?”
Declan remained silent, which was probably for the best. Charlie felt her blood pressure boiling. She wanted to hit something. Or someone. “One of you three better volunteer or I am slapping all of you. Mr. Stearns gets a pass. Eavesdropping is not a punishable offense.”
Aaron looked at Declan, who immediately stepped forward holding his hands out to her. What the hell? I’m not a nun. I don’t carry a ruler. Charlie stepped forward and slapped him as hard as she could, yelping as her hand began to sting. She shook her hand and felt Declan grab it as she stared at his reddening cheek. God, that looks painful. Serves him right!
“Holy hell! Charlie, remind me to never cross you. You’re like your sister when she gets angry. Terrifying little hurricanes the both of you.” Aaron laughed nervously.
“Charlotte, I know this might be hard to believe, but I didn’t really mean those words in the same way when I was her Master. It was not anything close to our dynamic. Not by a long shot.”
“So, in other words, she and I aren’t on the same level. I’m just sugar kink to you. That’s what she said you called me.”
“Owen and I were talking about the kinds of books you were researching and she overheard. Not you.”
“She was with you last night?”
“No. She was at Becker’s house. Owen’s cousin. Katherine invited herself over. I barely talked to her. She said she wanted to get together so she could get some things off her chest.”
“She didn’t look like she was dressed for conversation.”
Declan looked both angry and apprehensive. “I didn’t even notice. I threw her out and rushed over here.”
Charlie crossed her arms over her chest. “Declan, I don’t know if this will work. I don’t fit in your world.”
“You’re wrong, Charlotte. I am going to leave you be for a bit, but we will talk about this.”
“Talk about what? That I am just another kink in your chain? Nah, I’m good.” Charlie moved past him and felt his hand grip her arm, spinning her back to him.
“We will talk about this,” he growled, pulling Charlie in and kissing her forcefully on the lips. Charlie heard a soft moan in her throat and tried to swallow it down. Damn stupid body. Declan pulled away, releasing her and left without looking back.
***
Charlie sat in her car in the parking lot of Ciatti’s’s waiting on her sister. She’d spent the past two days miserable and bitchy, and there was only one cure for it—Italian food. Her phone beeped that annoying tone letting her know it was a text from Declan. Somehow, even though she’d hurled it against the passenger door earlier, it managed to survive the assault. She reached quickly across the console to retrieve it from the floor.
Declan: I need to see you. Tonight.
Charlie: I can’t. I need some space.
She fiddled with the makeup mirror while she awaited his response. It didn’t take long.
Declan: Don’t run away from me.
Is he worried I will end this or just worried that I won’t give him the opportunity to explain things?
Charlie: I’m not. You have no idea what this feels like. You have no clue.
***
Mikki and Charlie devoured the Antipasto between sips of Moscato as they waited for the main course. For Charlie it was a plateful of comfort food in the form of handmade ravioli that only Ciatti’s could provide.
When Charlie took a break from noshing on the olives, prosciutto, and cheese, she asked Mikki about the wedding. “How’s the planning going? Did you decide on a cake yet?”
Aaron had been great about participating in the planning until the cake fiasco. After that, he decided to leave the rest of the decision making to Mikki. Charlie, as the maid of honor, tried to make sure her big sis stayed on task, but so far no luck on the cake selection. Of course, the cake wasn’t the only thing that stressed her out.
“I went with a vanilla clove cake with an orange marmalade filling, Grand Marnier frosting, and frosted cranberries.”
“Finally!”
“What?”
“Took you long enough. I suggested that one to you a week ago!”
Charlie eyeballed the steaming plate of pasta as the server placed it front of her. As she took her first bite, her senses overwhelmed her with the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, sage, and brown butter. Heaven in a pasta pillow. I can replace sex with food, can’t I?
“So, are we going to talk about Declan’s houseguest?”
“No,” Charlie quickly replied.
“You can’t be mad about girls he’s slept with before you. That’s not fair. Do you think he’s still involved with her?”
Pumpkin ravioli in brown butter sage sauce could make Charlie push Declan out of her mind, but not forever.
“I don’t think so. It’s not why I am mad.” She glared at Mikki. “Well, yes, okay, it bothers me that he’s been with her. I mean, I know it shouldn’t because neither one of us were virgins when this whole thing started.” Charlie put her fork down and picked up her wine glass. I can deal with it, but not when it’s thrown in my face. And it was.” She downed the rest of her glass before she continued. “It’s just now I have to deal with psychotic ex-girlfriends.”
“All right, so I have a question,” Mikki said. Charlie shook her head, preparing for the worst. “Is she a redhead?”
“Yes! Redheads always freak me the fuck out!”
She glanced across the table to see Mikki’s face desperately trying to hold in her hysteria. Charlie motioned for her to let it out, and the two of them broke into laughter.
***
Charlie felt Declan there before she saw him. After returning from her dinner with Mikki, she found him sitting, waiting for her on the steps of the porch.