Easy Kisses (The Boudreaux Series Book 4) (23 page)

“I don’t know where it’s going to go, or if it’ll go anywhere at all, but I like him. I respect him. I love that it’s his life’s work to help others, and it’s not just for the money. He genuinely wants to make a difference in women’s lives.”

“He’s already made a difference in yours,” Kate says with a watery smile. “I’m so happy for you, Charly.”

“Me too,” Callie says. “I’m sorry I told them about our conversation, but I was so happy for you, I was ready to burst. And this room of people is who we all trust the most.”

I nod and offer Callie a soft smile. She’s only been in our family for a short time, but I don’t remember what we did without her. She fits. And she loves Declan to distraction.

“It’s okay.” I shrug and look around the room. “I’m scared to trust him.”

“That’s the hardest part,” Mama replies gently. “It’s easy to fall in love. But to trust? That takes time. You’ll get there.”

I nod and wipe one tear off my cheek. “What are they doing now?”

Gabby looks outside and gasps. “They’re coming this way!”

“Some lookout you are,” Van says just as Ben walks inside and catches Van’s eye. He grins and pulls his shirt over his head, catching all of our attention. Van clears her throat and turns away to help Mama at the stove.

“Dinner’s just about ready,” Mama says as all the guys file in. “You have good timing.”

“Did anyone get hurt?” I ask as Simon smiles at me.

“No one threw even one punch,” Sam says, totally deflated.

“Hey, I threw a punch at Declan,” Beau says.

“It isn’t the same,” Sam replies. “You didn’t give him a bloody lip or a black eye. My friend Logan at school got a bloody lip.”

“You didn’t throw the punch, did you?” Gabby asks in horror.

“Not that time,” Sam says and ducks his head.

“But you threw a punch
another
time?” Gabby asks.

“Maybe.”

Gabby looks at Rhys in horror. “Say something.”

“We’ll have a talk tonight, buddy,” Rhys says and puts his son in a headlock. “No throwing punches.”

Simon sidles up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. “You look magnificent,” he whispers in my ear. I lean back and smile up at him.

“Thanks.”

“Didn’t we just talk about this outside?” Beau asks and reaches for a cherry tomato in the salad bowl, only to be slapped by Mama.

“You talked,” Simon replies with a smile. “And I listened.”

Eli sighs. “He makes it hard for me to not like him.”

***

“It wasn’t so bad,” I say later that evening when we return to my house. “Once the girls finished asking me about our sex life, and my brothers were done intimidating you in the backyard—”

“They tried.”

“—it went pretty well, actually.”

“Your mother is an excellent cook.”

“She was pleased that you thought so. She likes you.”

“The feeling is mutual,” he says and reaches for his phone when it pings with a text. “It’s good that I’m going home next week.”

My stomach sinks at the thought of him leaving. I don’t want him to go.

“I’m sorry. I know I’m keeping you here away from work.”

“You’re not forcing me to be here,” he says as he types out a response. “I am not complaining. But I do have some work that needs my personal attention.”

“I completely understand.”

I open the dishwasher and begin unloading it, trying to keep my hands busy. I’ve never been the girl who pined away for a guy, wanting to spend every minute of every day with him. Then again, I’ve never known anyone like Simon.

And that scares me a little.

Or a lot.

A lottle?

I smirk and rinse out a wine glass, then place it in the dishwasher.

“What’s so funny?” Simon asks as he joins me, hugging me from behind the way he did at my mom’s. He tucks his face in my neck and gives it a bite, making me squirm.

“I’m just thinking silly things,” I reply and set the glass aside. I turn and hug him tightly. “These past few weeks have gone by so quickly.”

“I know.” He kisses my head. “Come with me to London.”

I pull back and stare up at him in surprise. “What?”

“I know it’s asking a lot, and if you can’t, or won’t, I understand. But I’d love for you to come back with me.”

My mouth opens and closes but no noise comes out. He’s flummoxed me.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No.” I shake my head and hug him again, then pace the kitchen. “That’s not it. Thank you for inviting me. I guess I’m just surprised.”

“I can’t see why, love. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t like being away from you. I would love to show you around London, to take you to my favorite restaurants, show you where I grew up.”

I would
love
that. I am dying to see the house he grew up in, to meet his parents, to see where he lives now. I’m curious about all of it, and I want to jump at his offer.

“I have a business,” I say, biting my lip.

“You were gone for a few weeks not long ago,” he reminds me gently. “Nothing fell apart then, did it?”

“No, they did well, actually.” I stop pacing and turn to him with a wide smile.

“I hope that means yes because I’m not ready to be apart from you, Charlotte. I don’t like being away from you.”

How in the hell can I say no to that?

He folds me in his arms and hugs me close. “Yes?”

“Yes.”

Chapter Eighteen

~Charly~

We’re leaving for London tomorrow. The past week has flown by as I prepared to be away from the shop for two whole weeks and Simon worked more and more remotely. I know he’s ready to be home, and I couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to see him in his own space.

I’m still reeling a bit that he asked me to go.

“Did you sleep at all?” he asks as he rolls over and wraps an arm around my waist, tugging me closer to him.

“No,” I admit with a smile and push my fingers through his hair. His face is soft from sleep, stubble sprinkled over his cheeks. I kiss his forehead. “I kept going over all of my lists.”

“You can sleep on the plane,” he says and kisses the ball of my shoulder. He scoots even closer to me, turning me on my side and tucking my ass against his hard cock. “I love waking up to you.”

“Mm.” I can’t say anything else. My mouth won’t work. He cups my breast, pinching my nipple into a hard bud.

“You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispers into my ear. “I want you to close your eyes, and just feel, Charlotte.”

I’m a step ahead of you.
I can’t do anything
but
feel him. His hands, his hardness, the rasp of light hair on his thighs against mine. His stubble rubbing against my shoulder as he places wet kisses all over my back.

And then he’s inside me, and I’m lost in the rhythm of his hips and touch. I don’t know where I end and he begins.

Every nerve ending is on fire, every hair follicle standing on end. His breath is on my neck as he moves slowly, all the way in and then out again, taking his time with every stroke.

But even more than that, I can feel myself fall further in love with him. He’s tender and sweet. He’s solid and sure, taking charge without being an overbearing ass.

He’s mine.

Oh yes, I feel. I feel everything, and it’s new and wonderful and I don’t ever want this feeling to end.

“So sexy,” he mutters. “I can’t get enough of you.” He kisses my neck, making me clench around him. “You’re the closest to heaven I’ll ever be, Charlotte.”

I love you.

Tell him! Swallow your fucking pride and tell him how you feel!

But I can’t. Not now, in the middle of the best sex we’ve ever had. I need the first time I tell him to be when we’re not mindless with lust.

Instead, I cover his hand with mine where he’s gripping my hip and link our fingers as I bite my lip and ride out the sweetest orgasm of my life.

“You’re going to bloody kill me,” he says and rolls me onto my back so he can kiss me deeply. “But fucking hell, what a way to go.”

I smile and cup his face, the words on the tip of my tongue.

“I’ll come fetch you for lunch today,” he says.

“I can’t join you,” I reply, disappointed. “I have too much to do today to get ready to leave tomorrow. There’s a lot to see to since I’ll be gone for two whole weeks again.”

“I suppose I can survive one day without you,” he replies. “I see you’re mostly packed already.”

“Of course. We leave
tomorrow.
”

“I usually pack at the last minute.”

I stare at him, horrified. “Don’t you make lists of what you’ll need? I have spreadsheets.”

He laughs and tugs a piece of my hair. “Now I know what your sisters were talking about in the bar. You’re incredibly organized.”

“Of course I am.” I bite my lip. “So you’re just going to throw everything in your bag in the morning, just all willy-nilly?”

“I rarely do anything willy-nilly, darling,” he says with a laugh. “But yes, I’ll throw it in the bag.”

I cringe. “I can do it for you if you like.”

“You’re busy enough. Trust me, I’ve been packing this way for years. I won’t forget anything.”

“If you say so.” I kiss him, then climb out of the bed, satisfied when his eyes dilate as the bedsheet falls away from my naked body. “Don’t give me that look. I
have
to go to work today.”

“You’re the one walking around naked, all willy-nilly.”

I laugh and shake my head, finger combing my hair. “I’m taking a shower.”

“Excellent idea.” He bounds out of the bed and jogs toward me, making me run ahead of him into the bathroom, both of us giggling like kids.

Jesus, he’s fun. I couldn’t love him more than I do right now.

***

I glance at the time on my phone and frown. How is it possible that it’s barely one in the afternoon? This day is dragging.

Painfully.

“Charly, someone is here to see you,” Linda says as she pops her head through the stockroom door. I’ve been spending all morning placing orders and drawing up plans for displays for the girls when I’m gone.

My hopes are immediately boosted, certain that it’ll be Simon who comes walking through the door, but instead I’m shocked to see Ryan saunter in.

“Thanks, Linda,” he says and winks at my assistant, then tosses me his most charming smile. “Boy, you’re a sight for sore eyes, darlin’.”

Ugh.

“Ryan—”

“I know, it’s been a while, but hear me out.” Linda disappears into the store, and I’m left alone with the one man on this earth that I’d rather not see. Not because I hate him, or even feel anything for him, really. I’ve moved on from him.

“I really don’t have time.”

“All I need is five minutes.” He drags his knuckles down my cheek and leans on the counter next to me, caging me in. “You’re beautiful, Charly.”

“Thanks. Now, if that’s all you came for—”

“You know better,” he replies and smiles, and all I can think is,
what in the hell did I ever see in him
? He’s kind of… smarmy. And he hasn’t grown up even one bit since college.

“What can I do for you, Ryan?”

“I want to see you. Later.”

“Not possible.”

“Come on, don’t be stubborn, baby. I’m telling you, what you heard Pam say was all a misunderstanding.”

I snort. “Right. And I’m the tooth fairy.”

“I’m not seeing her,” he insists. “And I miss you. I miss what we had together.”

“What did we have together, Ryan?”

“Are you going to deny that the sex was fantastic?”

I sigh and rub my fingertips over my forehead. “No. I’ll give you that. The sex was pretty great. But at the end of the day, that’s all it ever was, Ryan.”

“And we both knew the score, Charly. You never complained about that.”

“You’re right.” I nod. “I didn’t. And maybe I should have.”

“Are you saying you want more?” he asks, and seems to be genuinely intrigued at the idea, and I simply chuckle.

“I don’t think so. Look, Ryan, you’re not a bad guy.”

“I’m a great guy,” he says, all full of ego and arrogance, only turning me off more. I want to roll my eyes, but it’s almost funny now. “And you like me.”

“I always liked you,” I concede. “I’m not positive that was ever returned.”

“I like you.” He leans in closer and rubs his hand over my hip. “I want you. I miss you, baby.”

I sigh, looking up in his green eyes, and realize for the second time today just how much I love Simon. Ryan touches me and I feel
nothing.

When Simon touches me, I’m on fire.

But if I start this conversation with Ryan now, I’ll never get him out of here, and I
really
don’t have time to argue with him.

“Ryan, I have a lot of work to get through, and I’m leaving town in the morning.”

“Don’t send me away with nothing,” he says, almost pleading.

“I’ll call you when I get back to town.”

I will so
not
call you when I get back to town.

“Excellent,” he replies and kisses my cheek. “I can’t wait.”

He winks and leaves, a spring in his step, and I can only shake my head. I guess I should be thankful for Ryan and the lessons I learned from him.

But it’s completely over between him and me. I have closed that chapter in my life, and I’m happy with the chapter that Simon and I are writing together.

I smile at the romantic path my thoughts have taken and turn back to the computer, just as Linda walks back into the storeroom carrying a brown paper bag.

“You just missed Simon. He brought you lunch, but said he couldn’t stay.”

“Oh, how sweet.” I smile, but I’m disappointed that I missed him. “Thank you. Is everything okay out there?”

“I’m fine,” she says and pats me on the shoulder. “I’m glad you hired Abby. She’s great with the customers and that girl
loves
shoes.”

“That’s the first priority,” I reply with a smile. “If you love the shoes, selling them is easy.”

“I like her.”

“Good. Because I need to know that everything will be handled here while I’m out of the country.”