Out of Focus (Love in LA #3)

Reading this list is making me sweat. Goddamn it, I wanna do all of these things with her. Yesterday. Right now. I’ve always thought of Charlie as one of the sexiest women I’ve ever known, but getting to know her is waking something up inside me that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to put back to sleep.

Is this what she wants to do with that fuckface in London, though? Better not think about that. In fact, I’d like to forget about him entirely.

I read through the list again but find myself pausing and imagining how things will play out. Obviously, I’m taking too long because my phone vibrates in my hand.

CHARLIE:

You okay over there?

Having second thoughts?

ME:

No, I’m good. Just reading.

Let’s maybe start with numbers 1, 2, 3, and maybe 12? We can work our way up to the other stuff. What do you say?

CHARLIE:

Cool.

I’m sure I’ll have more to add.

Cool? I’m sitting here, harder than a freaking lead pipe, and she’s just… cool?

I’m so fucked.

CHARLIE:

Can we start on Tuesday?

A pained groan escapes my mouth as I read her message. I’m gonna have to start right now. By myself. With my hand.

ME:

Yeah.

What the fuck am I doing?

I’ve had roughly fifty-five hours to prepare for this. I’ve jerked off three times. I’ve spent more time at the office than I usually do. I’ve gone for four runs. I’ve done skipping exercises twice. Today.

I texted Charlie ten minutes ago that I was on my way and that I was coming up to her apartment to show her something. Now, I’m leaning on her doorway like an absolute fucking moron waiting for her to let me in. My forearm is resting on the frame, I have one foot crossed over the other, and I’m about to forget about this stupid idea when she opens the door and takes me in from top to bottom, and I hear the little hitch in her breathing.

“Is this what you were thinking?” She steps back, letting her eyes roam over my body once more. “Or was it this?” I cross my arms over my chest, resting my tricep on the doorframe. Charlie swallows, still speechless, and a very cute pink blush appears on her cheeks. I push off the wall, kicking the door shut as I walk inside. She takes three steps backward, and before she trips on her shoes, I grab her around the waist and turn us both so her back hits the doorway into the kitchen. With our bodies nearly flush, I prop my arm above her head and lean down, making sure not to speak directly into her ear. “Or was it more like this?” Her chest heaves, her breasts pushed up against me, and then her head turns just ever so slightly, giving me access to her neck. God, I want to kiss her there, but it’s too much. For her? Maybe, I don’t know. But definitely too much for me. So, I settle for running my nose along her skin, watching goosebumps form in the wake of my touch. “You smell so fucking good, honey bun.”

I physically feel the shiver run up her spine that ends with a moan. The blush on her cheeks is as pink as the flowers in my grandmother’s garden. “Th-that’s good. That’ll do.” She clears her throat of the hoarseness we both just heard in her voice, and I take a step back.

I hold back a chuckle, as she pulls in a deep breath, slowly collecting the little pieces of herself I scattered with our lesson on door leans. Fuck, I love me a flustered Charlie. “So, what did we learn today, Chuck?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah. Good. All of those. Door leans. Very good. Indeed.” She rushes to slip her white, low-top Chuck Taylors on and grabs her purse from the bench by the front door. “Ready?”

We make our way to my car in silence, but I can practically hear the gears turning in her head.

“Ginger Spice, what are you thinking about?” I ask as we both buckle our seatbelts.

“Oh, um, I just need to make some notes, I think. I don’t want to forget these feelings when it’s time to write, you know? Do you mind? I can just take some notes quickly on my phone. Would that be okay? Or is that rude?” She fiddles with a ring on her middle finger and grips her phone tightly in the other.

“Take all the notes you want, Chuck. I just wanted to make sure you’re all right, and that I didn’t cross any lines or anything. It’s scary when you go silent on me, you know?” I chuckle, but I’m dead fucking serious.