Bump and Run (Wide Open #6)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jones

My stomach hurt from all the food I had eaten. Who knew my limit on cotton candy was three? My face was sore from laughing and smiling. Going out with Ollie, Kit, and Charlie had been so much fun. I wanted to do it again. I wanted to spend every single day laughing and kissing Charlie until I couldn’t anymore. And then, in the afterlife, I would find him so I could do it again. Was that creepy or romantic? I wasn’t sure.

“You awake, Jones?” Charlie squeezed my knee as he pulled my car into the driveway. He had insisted on driving back to the house, and I was grateful. I wasn’t sure I would have kept the car on the road.

I yawned. “Yeah.”

My lids were so heavy, but I wanted to have Charlie inside of me again. To feel him as he made love to me. Stretched me wide and came inside of me. Filled me with his release. My penis twitched at the thought.

“Sure looks like it.” He chuckled softly. “Come on, Bashful. Let’s get you inside.”

I nodded, then heard the car door open and close. Charlie unhooked my seatbelt and lifted me into his arms. “What are you doing? ”

“Bringing you inside. I take care of what’s mine,” he answered, and I let him. One, because I was exhausted, and two, I liked it when Charlie manhandled me. How he was strong enough to carry me in his arms like this. I felt safe.

I nuzzled into his neck. “Love this.”

“Love you,” Charlie murmured, and despite how tired I was, my penis was really on board now. I would let him have his way with me right now if he wanted. Charlie never even had to ask.

I inhaled the familiar scent of him. The coconut mixed with sweat and salt. “Have me, Charlie.” I heard myself moan. I needed him.

“Not tonight, Jonesy.” He placed me on the bed. Had he already carried me inside the house? I must really be out of it. “You’re too tired.” Charlie removed my shirt. “And I want to wait until we get married before I’m inside of you again.”

I sighed happily. “That’s romantic.” I lifted my hips as Charlie slid off my shorts, leaving me in just my underwear. “You’re so good to me.”

“Bashful, we both know that’s a lie.” He placed the blanket over my body. “But we have a lifetime to time change that. I can show you how much you mean to me. Treat you the way you deserve. Love you forever.”

I tried to open my eyes, but they were heavy with sleep. “I’d like that, baby,” I heard myself tell him. I felt the mattress dip next to me before Charlie pulled me against his broad chest. He was so perfect.

“I might be a little obsessed with you, Jonesy.” I heard him confess before I drifted off to sleep .

I woke up what felt like seconds later to a dark room with the beginning of the morning sneaking in from the curtains we had hung up. I was covered in a sheen of sweat as I trembled. I pushed myself against Charlie and wrapped my arms and legs around him to try to calm my racing heart. It was only a dream. A nightmare. It wasn’t real.

“Bashful.” His voice was thick with sleep. Graveled and husky. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”

I whined. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he warned. “Talk to me, Jones. Tell me what’s going on.”

I wanted to crawl inside his body and forget that horrible dream. The way Charlie had told me he didn’t love me. That he never had. And that his future was with Beverly back in Boston. “I had a nightmare.”

“What was it about?” Charlie gently combed his fingers through my curls, and my body relaxed against him.

I whimpered. “Don’t make me tell you.”

Tears burned my eyes, and when Charlie pushed me over onto my back, I wrapped my arms around his body to cling to him like a koala.

“Bashful.” He pressed a kiss to my mouth. “You need me to help you forget?”

Goodness, yes. “Please.” I arched my hips up to rub against him.

“I won’t fuck you. But I can use my hands.”

“Can you use your mouth?”

Charlie chuckled in the dark. “Feeling brave tonight, huh?” I felt my skin flush as he started to slip off my briefs. “You’re so beautiful, Jonesy,” he murmured against my lips. “I love you so much. You know that, right?” He wrapped a hand around me, and I groaned softly.

“I love you, Charlie,” I whispered, trying to get more friction. “Please.”

He slithered down my body, leaving wet kisses against my skin. He pressed his nose into my groin, and goosebumps broke out over my skin. Charlie dragged a tongue over my length, licking the wetness that had begun to gather at the tip, and I cried out as pleasure ripped up my spine. When he sucked me into his mouth, my fingers found their way into his soft hair, and when he pushed my thighs open and he rolled my balls between his fingers, I didn’t have time to warn him. I just exploded, my release filling Charlie’s mouth.

“Christ, Bashful, you really needed that.” He came back up to kiss me again, and I tasted myself on his lips. Charlie sat back up, his legs straddling me, and then I heard the sound of him touching himself. “Gonna come on you.”

Yes, please. I wished the light was on. I wanted to see Charlie as he worked himself over. Got off on my chest and covered me with his release. He growled low in his chest; then I felt his pleasure splatter against my skin. I immediately dragged a finger through it and I sucked it into my mouth. The light flicked on next to my bed, and I froze with my mouth stuffed full of my fingers.

“Dirty boy,” Charlie murmured, a smile pulling at his lips. He leaned forward to tug my hand away from my mouth. “You like it.”

I nodded. “So very much.”

“Me, too.” Charlie kissed me softly, then climbed from the bed. He disappeared from the room, only to return moments later with a washcloth in his hand. “Let’s get you cleaned up so we can go back to bed.” He gently washed my chest, his fingers grazing my nipples. My penis instantly started to perk back up, and Charlie chuckled softly in the darkness of the room.

A warm blush began to spread over me. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me, Bashful. But no more of that tonight. You need to wait until our wedding day.” He grinned and tossed the washcloth into the hamper. Then the room plunged into darkness before Charlie climbed back into bed. He moved me so my head was against his chest, then his arms wrapped tightly around me.

I fell asleep in seconds, and there were no more nightmares. Only sweet dreams of our future.

***

I dragged my hand against the black cloth, my palm testing out the soft fabric. It was nice. But was it wedding day nice? I glanced up to find Ollie fiddling with his phone, his brows dipped in worry. That couldn’t be good. I thought that he and Kit sort of worked things out last night at the carnival.

“What about this one?” I tried to distract my best friend from whatever was bothering him. “Do you think I would look good marrying Charlie in this jacket?” When Ollie didn’t respond, I sighed. “Hey.” He finally looked up. “You good?”

Ollie shrugged. “Sure. ”

“What did he say?” I knew it had to be Kit. No one else upset him this way.

Ollie shoved his phone back into his pocket. “That looks nice, Jones. You should wear that one.”

“Don’t try to deflect.”

But I kind of liked it. I had already tried on three suits, but there was something different about this one. It fit better through the shoulders, made me feel like an adult instead of a kid playing dress up.

Ollie took a couple of steps toward me. “You look good.” His green eyes flashed with sadness before it quickly disappeared. “You’re sure you want to go through this.”

“Don’t start with me.”

“I’m not, Jones. I just wanted to make sure this is what you want. Marriage is serious.”

I turned to look at myself in the mirror again. “You know how I feel about Charlie. It’s always been him.” I glanced at my best friend, who had taken his phone out again. “Gosh darn it.” I reached over to snag it from his hand. “What is he saying, huh? What could possibly be more important than your best friend trying on a suit for his wedding...” My voice trailed off.

Kitty: I love you, Ols, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to say it aloud or show the world. You don’t deserve that. You deserve everything.

“Shoot.” I quickly held the cell back out for him. “Do you—”

Ollie stopped me before I couldn’t say anything else. “No.” He squared his shoulders. “Maybe later, but not now.” I knew what pain felt like, but this had to be worse. When the man you loved was scared to accept himself. To share it with everyone.

“Okay.” I wanted to push him for more, but I didn’t. Ollie would talk to me when he was ready. “I think I’m going to pick this one. Do you think that Charlie will like it?”

He gave me a faint smile. “Yeah, he’s going to love it as much as you love him.”

“And Charlie loves me the same.” I raised my chin.

Ollie sighed. “Yeah, I’m sure he does.”

“You’re not jealous, are you? I know you had feelings for me, but we talked about how weird that would be. I love you, but like a brother. I will always be your best friend, no matter what.”

Ollie’s eyes welled with tears. “I want what you have, that’s all.”

“Oh.” I hugged him without thinking, wrapping my arms around his thick, chiseled body. I rested my chin on his chest. “Kit just needs time, right? He’ll come around. He was good with you last night after he spoke with Charlie. Maybe he just needs to be around couples like us.”

“Stop touching him. Why do I keep finding you touching him? It makes me want to break every fucking bone in your body.”

I spun around to find Kit glaring at me, his nostrils flared.

“I didn’t...I wasn’t... It’s not like that. We’re friends.” I back away from Ollie as Kit moved closer.

“You keep touching him. Ollie is mine. Do you understand that, Matthews? Mine,” Kit growled, and his hands bunched into fists at his side. His blue eyes were wild with anger, and his face was pinched.

Ollie held out his hand. “Kitten.”

“Don’t call me that.” He grunted, and then he slammed into Ollie, his arms around his waist. He mumbled something that I couldn’t hear, but as Ollie stroked Kit’s hair, I watched his body relax as he melted against my best friend.

Ollie gave me a smile. “ Maybe you’re right,” he mouthed, and I really hoped it was true.

“Anyway, I’ll just go find the salesperson to get this one. You two keep doing whatever this is.” I slipped away to give them a little privacy, hoping that they could figure things out. I wanted Ollie to be just as happy as I was. Maybe even get married someday. A smile pulled at my lips.

I was going to marry the man of my dreams. Charlie wanted me. He loved me, and we were going to live happily ever after.