Out of Focus (Love in LA #3)

Off the charts.

“I never want my love to hurt you.” I slip the condom off, but I don’t move off the bed just yet.

She shakes her head, still smiling. “It doesn’t hurt. And I would take the delicious ache of having you between my legs every day over the anguish of not having you.” The crease between her brows makes an appearance, like she’s thinking about something unpleasant.

“You never have to worry about not having me. I’m yours, carrot cake.” I kiss that little worry crease three times, lingering on the third, and when I look down, it’s gone. That’s better. “I’m just gonna clean up real quick and get us some water, then I’m gonna come back here and snuggle you so hard.” Her giggle makes my skin tingle, but I force myself off the bed and into the bathroom, not bothering to put any clothes back on because I need to know what naked snuggles with Charlie are like. “Oh, and you better still be naked when I get back,” I say from the hallway. She answers with a laugh, but I’m so fucking serious.

After snuggling, falling asleep, and then waking up to a still-naked Charlie in my bed, I decide that this is my favorite place in the whole world. She snuggles deeper into me, still sleeping, and I keep my breathing even as I take in the small but satisfied smile on her face.

“You better not be watching me sleep, Machado. That’s weird.” Her smile grows, and she buries her nose into my neck, throwing her leg over both of mine. “You’re hard,” she says matter-of-factly.

“You’re naked in my bed, Chuck. I’d be worried if I weren’t hard.” As if on command, my dick twitches, and she giggles into my skin.

“I need to go home and shower.” She sighs, like the thought of it makes her tired.

“You’re welcome to do that here,” I say, combing my fingers through her hair. She stiffens in my arms. “No pressure, red.” I hope that’s clear by now.

“I know. I just… I’m particular with well… everything, I suppose? I tend to stick to a very specific routine, and I’m not sure I should subject you to that. At least, not yet.” She still hasn’t moved. Not closer to me, but not further away either.

“You’re not subjecting me to anything, you’re letting me into your world. And I want in, Charlie. All the way in.” Keeping my movements steady, I give her time to let my words sink in, but she starts laughing. It’s quiet, but her whole body vibrates with it.

“That sounds—” She’s laughing so much that she can’t finish the sentence, and catching on that she’s laughing because what I said sounded sexual, I laugh too.

Once she settles down, she places a hand in the middle of my chest, scratching lightly at the hair there. “If it’s far enough from my usual routine and I can be distracted, I could make showering here work.” Her little shrug is followed by a sigh, and I can tell she’s nervous about it, but she’s letting me in. Emotionally, of course, but she’s also about to let me in in. Again. And I can’t fucking wait.

“I’m gonna turn the water on and get our toothbrushes ready. You grab a condom and the lube. Meet me in there.” I kiss her on the head and extract my body from underneath her limbs. She doesn’t say anything, but I catch the way her breath hitches into a gasp when I smack her ass lightly.

While the water heats, I set towels on the warmer, making sure there are three, so Charlie can have one for her hair and her body. When I finish putting toothpaste onto our brushes, she walks in completely naked still, condom and lube in hand. I smile as she sets them down and we get to work brushing our teeth.

It doesn’t sound sexy, but like so many other moments with Charlie, it’s the simplicity of something, the intimacy of it that makes it so hot. Her eyes on my body, the way she leans on the vanity facing me, the fact that we’re hiding nothing from one another.

58/

just spell chuck.

charlie

Standing in his bathroom as the steam billows around us, we brush our teeth together. He’s still hard, watching me as I lean on the vanity, letting my eyes roam over his body. The tattoos I’ve never asked him about on his arms. The clearly defined muscles beneath his dark leg hair. The thick cock I already miss being inside me.

When my eyes make their way back up to his, his gaze is hot, laser-focused on my face. He spits, rinses and pops his toothbrush back in the cupholder, takes the condom and lube, then turns away, giving me privacy. Because if he assumed I didn’t want to have him watch me spit toothpaste into a sink, he was correct.

He is checking the temperature when I turn, and I sigh as I stare at his naked bum. It’s a really good bum.

“Are you staring at my ass, red?” He looks over his shoulder, smirking at me as my cheeks heat. I don’t know why my body forgets that we don’t need to do that anymore. But maybe that’s just the effect he has on me. “Coming?” His brows raise on his forehead, and he smiles so wide the dimples pop.

“That remains to be seen,” I taunt, and his eyes narrow as he shakes his head. The shiver that runs down my spine is a thrilling mixture of excitement and reluctance. Like the moment you’re about to get on a roller coaster, and you wonder whether it’s a great idea or the worst idea, but you also know that you really, really want to just try it anyway.

I want to try showering with him. Because I’ve never done it with anyone, because he’s my person. And because, I mean, look at him. Crikey.

My feet move me toward the shower without checking in with my brain, and I’m glad for it when I reach him and he takes my hand, walking me into the massive shower. The water is a perfect temperature as it touches my back, and I lean back to soak my hair. I turn into the stream, letting it hit my chest, and then Rafael is behind me—his body close and his hands gently massaging my scalp. It takes me a few seconds to realize that he’s lathering it, making sure every strand is covered. He’s washing my hair. And I want to cry, except I don’t want to actually cry.

The feel of his erection at my back pulls me out of the nearly tearful disaster, and I lean back into his chest.

“Turn around, please, my love.” The deep timbre of his voice and the sweetness of his words both hit me straight in the chest.

God, I love it when he says please.

His chuckle startles me as I rotate to face him. “I’m happy to ask nicely anytime you want, Ginger Spice.” He rinses the shampoo out of my hair, focused on the task as I process what the hell is even happening.