Bump and Run (Wide Open #6)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Charlie

I loved waking up next to Jones. It was the second day in a row, and it was something I could get used to. Having his legs interlocked with mine, his face against my chest, and the feeling of his warm breath against my skin. The scent of him, gasoline and strawberries, filled my nose when I dipped my head into his curls, warmth spreading throughout my body. I wasn’t sure why Jones had decided to give me a second chance, but I wasn’t going to ruin it. I was going to hold on to his heart for the rest of my life and show him how much he meant to me. How special he was.

“What is that noise? Is it your phone?” Jones’s hazel eyes stared at me when I looked down. He looked half asleep, with an almost grumpy look on his face and that had me smiling. My Jonesy was never grumpy. He was sunshine and unicorns on a cloudy day, the golden retriever to my black cat.

I rubbed our noses together. “Good morning, Bashful,” I murmured, tightening my grip on him.

Shit, was that my phone? The quiet buzzing had begun to fill the sound of bedroom.

“Someone’s trying to get your attention.”

Jones made no attempt to get up, instead he climbed up over my chest and spread his smaller body over mine. He was still naked, and I couldn’t help but place both my hands on his perfect ass, which caused him to giggle happily.

I pushed the curls from his forehead. “What do you want to do today? We can do anything at all, just say the words.”

“I want you to start by answering your phone, because that noise is driving me crazy,” Jones teased.

He burst out laughing as I flipped him onto his back to tickle his sides. His laughing only grew louder as he begged me to stop, squealed that he couldn’t breathe, and when I kissed his perfect mouth, he melted into a puddle beneath me.

I reluctantly climbed from the bed. “Don’t move.” I pointed a finger at him before I moved to dig my phone out of the pocket of my shorts. I had kicked them off in the heat of passion last night when Jones climbed my body like a ladder. I looked down at the name that was flashing on my scream and closed my eyes. Fuck. This couldn’t be good.

“Charlie?” Jones had sat up when I opened my eyes again, his legs hanging off the side of the bed.

I held my hand up to silence him. “Yes?”

“It’s nice of you to finally answer your phone, Charles,” my father growled from the other line.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been busy.”

“Yes, I’m well aware of how busy you’ve been. I assume that you’re going to come visit me while you’re here in North Carolina. I’ve already reached out to Beverly’s family. We can have an impromptu engagement party.”

I gritted my teeth as my blood began to boil. “No, absolutely not. ”

“No? Please don’t tell me you’re still hung up on that Matthews boy, because I would hate to have to ruin his friend’s career. Oliver Haley might be the son of the town sherif, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be caught running around with NASCAR’s bad boy of racing. I mean, who knew that Christopher Atkins was a homosexual? That would be a huge scandal that I’m sure neither one of them would want to get caught up in.”

Christopher? Wait, was he talking about—

“Leave Kit and Ollie out of this.” I shot a glance over at Jones. His hazel orbs had gone wide as he stared at me. “They have nothing to do with any of this.”

“Son, I don’t want to drag anyone into anything, but we’ve spoken about Jones before. He’s not for you. You’re going to marry Beverly, start a family, and put this racing thing behind you. It’s just a phase.”

How could this man be my father? We were nothing alike.

I grunted. “This isn’t a phase. You can’t control me anymore.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Charles. I can, and I will. I can ruin your life at the drop of a hat. Take everything away from your little boyfriend, his friends, his mother. Don’t test me. You won’t like the results,” Dad seethed.

I took a step toward Jones, whose entire body had begun to shake. “If you hurt any of them, or do anything, you’ll regret it.”

“I’ll see you Friday evening. Seven o’clock sharp and dress accordingly. None of those dungarees you’ve been wearing lately. Honestly, it’s like you don’t even try.” He hung up before I could respond.

What the hell just happened?

“What did he say about Ollie and Kit?” Jones whispered, bringing my attention back to him. He had his arms wrapped around his legs, his chin resting on his knees. “How does he know? This doesn’t... What are you doing?”

I yanked my shirt on. “We have to find something to wear. You’re going to need to warn Ollie that my father somehow knows about his relationship with Kit, and then we need to show up at my father’s house. Together. A big fuck you to the man who thinks he can do this to us.”

Jones shook his head. “No, Charlie. I can’t.”

“What do you mean, you can’t?” I stared at him. I couldn’t believe those words had escaped his lips. “Bashful, I love you. I’m not going to let my father scare me again. We can show him that we’re meant to be together. That we’re good for one another. He can disown me all he wants, but I won’t let him hurt you or your mother.”

Jones stood up. “I can’t let him out Kit like that. It’s not right.”

“That’s why we have to go and talk to my father as a united front. You can’t let him win again. Jonesy, Bashful, Kit will recover. His PR people can smooth over whatever happens, and his life will go on. He’ll be free to be with Ollie. They won’t have to hide anymore.”

“I said no, Charlie!” His voice was strong, but it trembled slightly.

I moved to cup his head in my hands. “I love you. ”

“And I love you, but I can’t do it.” Jones gripped at my wrists. “Maybe we’re not meant to be together. Maybe you should marry Beverly.”

I kissed him, my lips crashing into his with a force that nearly knocked Jones over. I wrapped an arm around his waist as I walked him back to the bed. He lay down without hesitation, as he kept kissing me. I wouldn’t let my father win again. I wasn’t about to let Jones go. I couldn’t. He was mine.

“What will he do if we show up at his place together, baby?” he murmured against my mouth.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck. “Don’t leave me,” I begged.

If that was what this was, I needed to remember the scent of his skin, the feel of his warm body beneath mine. The way Jones laughed, moaned, and said my name. The way his face lit up when he smiled. How special he was.

“Who said anything about leaving you?” Jones tugged my head up.

I sniffed. “Well, you’re telling me to go without you and that we shouldn’t be together. I just assumed that you were breaking up with me. I respect your decision about protecting your friend, but I need you. He’s going to force me to into doing something with Beverly. I don’t want her. I want you by my side.”

“We’d have to be boyfriends to breakup.” Jones’s finger traced over the mole on my face. “Both of you are doing things to make your families happy.”

I nipped at his finger. “I have a crazy idea. ”

“How crazy?” Jones kissed me again as he tangled his fingers in my hair. He whimpered when our tongues met, his back arching up off the mattress.

I pressed my lips against his jaw, Adam’s apple, and neck. “It’s an absolutely insane, and I know you’re going to say no, but...” My mouth was on his again. “Let’s get married.”

“Right, okay.” Jones chuckled, but when I didn’t laugh, his hazel eyes went wide. “Wait, you’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“Charlie, we can’t just get married.”

I rolled off him and onto the bed on my back. “Why not?”

“Because we just can’t. I want you to marry me because you love me, not because your father hates me or the idea of us together.” Jones twisted on his side.

I pressed my mouth to his forehead. “Bashful, I do love you. I want to be with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I tucked a curl behind his ear. “Sure, if we get married, my father is going to be royally pissed, but it will make me the happiest man in the world.”

“Yes.” Jones’s voice was hardly a whisper.

I shoved him over onto the bed and blanketed his body with mine. “You’re saying yes? To marrying me?”

“Yes, Charlie, we should get married.” Jones’s cheeks burned pink.

I sealed my mouth to his. “You’re really going to be mine.”

“I’ve always been yours,” Jones reminded me and gave me a shy smile.

I smiled. “Yeah, and I’ve always been yours. ”

Jones giggled happily and wrapped his arms around my back to pull me closer. “Charlie?”

“Mm.” I kissed his neck.

“If we’re going to get married, shouldn’t I have a ring?” he asked.

I pulled back. “Shit, you’re right. I should get you a ring.” I jumped from the bed. “Something really beautiful, just like you. But not something that will outshine you.”

“Charlie.” Jones sat up. “That’s not necessary. I was only teasing you.”

I shook my head. “If we’re going to show everyone that we’re serious, then you need one.” I turned and then walked back to him, shoving his thighs apart. “Let me do that for you.”

“Wait.” Jones climbed to his feet, went over to the dresser, pulled it open, and began to dig around inside. He turned back to me, holding something in his hand. “You could give me this. Again.”

I stared at the cheap ring in his hand. I remembered the day I went to the arcade with his friends and traded in all the tickets for it. The night I slid it onto his finger and promised that I would always be his. I meant it then, and I meant it now.

“You kept it.”

“Yeah, of course I kept it. Despite what happened, it was important to me, and look, we’re together now.” Jones beamed up at me.

I patted the mattress. Jones hurried to sit down, then I took the ring from his hand and dropped to one knee .

“Marry me, Jonesy. Marry me and let me love you forever. I’ll put you first, no matter what. I’ll take care of you. I’ll put your happiness before my own and—Oof!”

I laughed as he launched himself at me and knocked me to the floor. Jones peppered kisses against my face.

“I love you,” he whispered.

I smiled against his lips. “Is that a yes then, Bashful?”

“It’s always yes with you, Charlie.”