Quiet Longing (Quiet Love #2)

33.

Rhys

I made a move to climb off Charli, but she spread her palms out on my lower spine, holding me in place.

“Stay,” she pleaded, her voice choppy as she fought to catch her breath.

“I don’t want to crush you,” I murmured fondly.

“You won’t,” she responded quickly. “I like it.”

This had a curious smile shaping my lips. “You do?”

“Yeessss,” she breathed as though in intense pleasure. “It feels so good. Like a weighted blanket but with muscles.”

My smile deepened. “You’re being odd.”

“I don’t care, just stay where you are.”

“Okay, but … if I stay like this, then I can’t make you come, which only seems fair.”

This gave her pause, and my amusement increased. “Right, well, you can, um, do that in a minute. Just let me enjoy this for now.”

“As you wish,” I replied, placing a tender kiss on her temple before allowing my full weight to press down on her. She sighed like it was the most pleasurable thing she’d ever experienced. I didn’t think there was anything that could make me fonder of her. I’d never had a lover ask me to lay my weight on top of them after sex. I had a suspicion Charli wasn’t even sure why she liked it. Maybe it was the closeness, the feeling of complete connection. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t complaining, not when her perfect, plump breasts were smashed against me.

I was still getting my head around how quickly it all had happened. When she’d turned up on my doorstep two hours ago, I certainly hadn’t expected us to end up in bed. Yes, I’d gone down on her last night, but that had been an impulsive decision. A little treat just for her. Well, okay, for me, too. I’d hardly been able to keep my eyes off her all through dinner, and by the time we were alone together, my willpower snapped.

She stretched out beneath me, her sinfully curvy body mine to please, and my heart felt like it might beat right out of my chest. Oh yeah, when Charli finally decided she was done with me and ready to move on, it was going to smart like a motherfucker. But I couldn’t seem to bring myself to worry about that right then. She’d told me it wasn’t possible for her to regret sleeping with me, and that went both ways because I would never regret her no matter how much it fucked me up in the end.

Pain I could deal with. I’d survived my fair share over the years and come out the other end stronger.

Speaking of survival, seeing her naked had been a struggle. The scars I knew her scumbag ex-husband had left on her had me fighting against out and out fury. I’d almost lost myself to rage, but I’d managed to get past it. Besides, Piotr had gotten back to me with some very interesting information about Jesse Miller. I’d been formulating ideas on how to punish the motherfucker for ever laying a hand on Charli, but it appeared punishment might already be headed his way, and it was all his own doing.

Still, I felt restless like it wasn’t enough. A part of me wanted to stare into the bastard’s eyes and make him pay in person. But Charli didn’t want me stirring up trouble, I knew that, and if everything went in the direction it was currently heading, nothing would touch her. She’d finally be able to rest easy knowing he was truly out of her life for good.

I rested my face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her earlobe, and a little moan escaped her. “Rhys,” she breathed.

“Hmm?” I inhaled the scent of her skin mixed with her usual coconuts, almonds, and honey. I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of her unique perfume.

“I … I think I might be ready for that next bit now,” she ventured sheepishly.

My mouth curled in a smirk as I decided to tease her and play dumb. “Oh?”

“Um, you know .”

I lifted my head, my smirk intensifying. “Don’t get shy on me now, baby.”

“ Rhys ,” she whined, and I chuckled low.

“Okay, relax, I got you.”

Still on top of her, I trailed my hand along her ribs and down over her luscious hip before moving to her inner thigh. A small gasp escaped her when I stroked her folds, finding the sweet bundle of nerves between her legs and gently rubbing. Charli bit her lip and threw her head back, a pretty flush spreading across her neck and breasts. I took my time circling her clit in a slow, lazy rhythm and watching how she fell apart beneath me.

I dipped two fingers inside her wet core then a third, and she moaned so loud I expected the neighbours would hear. Didn’t care. No way was I telling her to be quiet. Not when she painted such an erotic picture. I hadn’t even disposed of the condom yet, and I was already getting hard again, so strong was the effect she had on me.

“Oh, God,” she cried as I slid my fingers out, smearing the wetness up her slit before lavishing her clit with more attention. Her hands dug into my shoulders, nails scraping, and I preened, hoping she left marks.

“You’re so beautiful like this,” I told her reverently. “The prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I brought my mouth to her breasts, licking and sucking, working her to a fever pitch. A fresh gush of wetness coated my hand, and I growled, so close to slipping back inside her.

“Rhys!” she cried out, her orgasm landing with an abrupt jerk as her nails dug in deeper, and she held me to her.

“Good girl,” I murmured, still nuzzling her breasts as I took her in, fascinated by every little tremor and tremble.

“Ah, hell,” she whined, all flushed and sweaty. “I really like it when you say that.”

I smiled up at her and quirked an eyebrow. “Noted.”

She laughed, the sound cutting right through to my heart, which seemed to be thumping in time with hers. Almost every part of our bodies was connected, and I could feel her pulse pounding through my skin. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I flipped us so she was on top of me. “My turn,” I murmured huskily, suddenly understanding why she’d wanted me to lay on her. It felt good to have her body mould itself to mine, so much that I could scarcely tell where I ended and she began.

Capturing her lips, I kissed her with an endless fervour.

***

We didn’t leave my house for the rest of the day. Neither of us was interested in going anywhere, and when night fell and Charli’s phone rang with a call from Jo wondering when she’d be home, she acted like an embarrassed teenager explaining that she was staying with a friend and wouldn’t be back that night. Jo must’ve suspected she was with me because she didn’t ask too many questions, which Charli seemed both relieved and perturbed about.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as she ran a hand through her hair after ending the call.

“Nothing. She just sounded way too giddy, so I think she knows .”

“Jo loves you. If she sounds giddy, then it means she must be happy you’re getting out there,” I teased.

“Right, but as soon as I arrive home tomorrow, she’s going to grill me. Then she’ll probably report back to my mom. Oh, why is this so mortifying?”

Finding her embarrassment adorable, I playfully pulled her onto my lap. “Let’s try not to worry about that until tomorrow.”

As the hours passed, Charli’s hesitance and shyness with intimacy slowly drifted away. I felt strangely proud of her, her confidence reemerging as she took control of her desire.

The next morning, I woke to the noise of running water. By the time my foggy, sex-exhausted brain cleared up I realised Charli was taking a shower. She was in my shower, most likely naked, so what the hell was I doing still in bed?

“Rhys,” she squeaked when I slid open the door and joined her. Thankfully, my shower was large enough for two as I pressed my naked front to her back then bent to plant kisses along the hollow of her neck.

“Oh,” she sighed, her breathing choppy as I slid one hand down her soft stomach and between her thighs while the other eagerly palmed her breast.

“You busy today?” I asked, trailing my mouth along the back of her neck then teasingly biting right where her hairline met her spine.

“Um, what …” she replied, clearly distracted by my bite. I wasn’t sure what possessed me, but I did it again. Charli moaned, and a satisfied growl rumbled out of me.

“I asked if you’re busy today,” I finally repeated as my fingers found her entrance and slid in. Fuck, she was so wet.

“Not particularly,” she said, pressing her hand to the tile to steady herself against the onslaught I was unleashing on her, both my hands and my mouth at play, working her to my liking.

“Want to come to dinner?” I went on casually.

“Dinner?”

“At my Uncle Eugene’s house.” I started playing with her nipple. “That’s Shay’s Dad. He cooks a roast on Sundays.” My fingers slid out to find her clit, and she moaned loudly in response then said, “Ah, I see. Yes, that’s sound l-lovely.”

“So, you’ll come?”

“Yes, I definitely think that’s happening,” she responded breathily as her backside arched into my throbbing erection.

I chuckled happily and focused all my attention on making her tremble against my fingers as she’d done several times last night.

We stopped by Padraig and Jo’s place first so she could grab a change of clothes, and Charli was relieved to find the house empty, delaying an inevitable interrogation from Jo. I followed her to the guest room where she was staying, teenage memories hitting me like a sledgehammer.

We’d had a lot of sex in that room. It was where she’d given me my first blow job and where I’d returned the favour by going down on her. I still remembered how hard she’d come.

Sitting on the edge of the bed while Charli searched for an outfit, I wrestled with the urge to grab her, throw her down, and make us very late for dinner at my uncle’s house.

As she rifled through a drawer, I noticed a familiar dark blue material, and time froze for a second. Was that …

Charli’s fingers brushed the fabric, and she stilled, her cheeks colouring as she quickly shoved it under some other tops. I stood and came to stand next to her, hearing how her breath caught when I brushed her hands aside and pulled out the item she’d hidden.

“You still have it,” I said, a little shocked as I held my old hoodie, the one I’d given her all those years ago. I remembered her first day working at the hotel and my concern that she’d be cold helping me clean out the freezer.

“Um, yeah. I’ve always loved that hoodie. It’s, uh, it’s super comfortable,” she replied at last, her eyes catching on mine. I had a feeling that wasn’t the only reason she’d kept it, but I didn’t push her to reveal if it had sentimental value even though my pulse was fucking racing. What did it mean that she’d kept it? I didn’t want to delve too deep into that question because it meant exploring my own feelings and how I’d never stopped thinking about Charli even after she was long gone from my life.

I pressed a kiss to her cheek and handed it back. “I’m glad you kept it,” was all I said before moving to the door. “I’ll wait downstairs.”

Charli nodded, and a little while later, she sat next to me in the passenger seat of my car, anxiously running her hands over the dark purple wrap dress she’d chosen to wear to dinner. There was a little string bow at the side holding it together, and I’d been battling the temptation to pull it free ever since she appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Are you sure they’ll be okay with me being here?” she asked after I emerged and went around to her side to help her out. Her fingers slid into mine so naturally like they were always meant to be there.

“I already told you. I called ahead so they know I’m bringing a friend. Also, Shay and Maggie already like you, and I’m sure everyone else will be just as smitten.”

She flushed when I briefly pressed my lips to hers then turned toward the house. The curtains twitched. Sure enough, my cousin Ross’ wife, Dawn, peered through the living room window at our approach then swiftly disappeared. Great. She’d seen me kiss Charli. The entire house would know about it by the time we reached the front door.

I mean, Dawn was great, but she could be a little nosy when it came to everyone’s love lives.

Back when I’d still been engaged to Steph, Dawn had always tried to bring her up in conversation, asking why I rarely brought her over for our weekly dinners. I’d always responded that we preferred to do our own separate thing on Sundays. The truth was I’d tried to get Steph to come to dinner all the time, but she normally made up an excuse about going to see her mother.

The reality was that Steph didn’t see the value in making time for my relatives, who were ordinary, working class folks. However, when I invited her to attend Friday dinners with the Balfes, she rarely turned me down. The Balfes had money and power, as well as connections to many other wealthy Dublin families, which was what Steph was interested in. A fresh wave of relief washed over me to know we were no longer engaged. My family was the most important thing to me, and being married to someone who refused to make time for them even once or twice a year would be hell.

“I don’t need them to be smitten,” Charli replied, pulling me from my thoughts. “Liking me will be good enough.”

“I wouldn’t trust the judgement of anyone who disliked you,” I told her fondly, brushing my knuckles over her cheek before the door burst open, and both Dawn and Uncle Eugene appeared. I could immediately tell my uncle had been spying alongside Dawn because he wore a pleased expression as he glanced from me to Charli.

“Rhys! You’ve arrived. Come in and introduce us to your lovely friend,” he exclaimed warmly.

“Eugene, Dawn,” I said as I gently pressed my hand to Charli’s lower back and ushered her inside. “This is my good friend, Charli. Charli, this is my Uncle Eugene, and his daughter-in-law, Dawn.”

“So lovely to meet you both,” Charli said, her nerves still evident in her smile as she greeted them.

“Oh, your accent is just wonderful,” Dawn complimented. “Isn’t it, Eugene?”

“I do enjoy an American accent,” Eugene agreed. “I hope you like roast chicken, Charli.”

“I’ll eat whatever you put in front of me,” she replied as we followed them both into the kitchen.

“Ah, I like her already,” Eugene declared, shooting a wink in my direction.

Well, this dinner was certainly going to be interesting. Inside, my cousin Ross sat at the dining table chatting with Maggie and Shay while Shay’s dog, Daniel, took up position in front of the oven, whining at the chicken while it cooked.

After being introduced to Ross, as well as his and Dawn’s kids, Ryan and Shauna, Charli took a seat next to Maggie and Shay, immediately striking up a conversation like they were old friends. Warmth suffused my chest at how she focused on Shay’s hands while he signed to interpret what he said. She fit in with everyone so seamlessly, and an errant thought entered my head that I wished she was mine for real. After seeing she’d kept my hoodie for so many years, it was difficult not to blurt out how besotted I was. I wanted to be with Charli, but she was still working through a lot of stuff and clearly wasn’t ready for anything like that. All I could hope was that when she was finally in a better place, she might think to look my way.

At the end of dinner, and with many promises to come back again some Sunday, I drove Charli to Padraig and Jo’s. There was a peaceful, relaxed energy about her, and I loved seeing her like that. When I reached the house, there was a tightness in my chest. I didn’t want her to go, but I knew asking her to come back home with me would be pushing it.

“I had such a lovely time today,” Charli said. “Yesterday, too.”

I lifted her hand, bringing her knuckles to my mouth for a kiss. “Stop by my place any time,” I murmured. “You’re always welcome.”

“Well,” she said, looking shy. “Next time, I’ll call ahead and not just turn up on your doorstep.”

“As I said, anytime . I’m always happy to see you, Charli.”

Her eyes flared, some mysterious emotion passing over her features before she nodded, swallowing thickly. “Okay, well, I better get inside. Aunt Jo’s probably waiting with a million questions.”

“And what will you tell her?” Honestly, I was more than a little curious to know the answer to that myself.

She climbed from the car and pushed her hair back from her face, leaning down to me to respond, “That you and I are spending time together and enjoying one another’s company.”

I smiled, closing the distance between us to capture her lips in a light, parting kiss. “That sounds about right,” I said before pulling back. “See you at work tomorrow.”

“See you, Rhys.”

I stayed in the car, waiting until she was safely inside before I drove away. The dawning realisation of being completely and totally fucked returned. I was so gone for her, so besotted I could barely tear my gaze away whenever we were in the same room. It was at that very moment I knew I was in love with Charli Moretti and had been since I was nineteen years old.