Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

TEDDY

O n Sunday, I showed up at Charlotte’s cottage in time for her bath. In between getting naked, I helped her paint the kitchen. It was domestic, but I liked it. I didn’t mind helping her. Charlotte made everything somehow more interesting.

Now, I was back at my day job and hating my life. I was dealing with every excuse in the book today about why someone would speed. I had a throbbing headache by the time I went home. On Thursday, I headed to my house to check on the progress.

The new floors were going in, and the roof was done. The water damage in the dry wall had already been replaced. Once the floors were completed, I could move in.

I should have been thrilled by that prospect, but I wasn’t. I liked living close to Charlotte. It was so easy to visit, then stop by the apartment for a change of clothes before heading to work on the farm or at the precinct.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t care so much about what I was doing at work, whether I impressed my boss and he’d consider me for some kind of promotion. What if doing my best was enough? What if I didn’t have to be the best at everything?

What if being happy in my personal life was my end goal, and not the endless to-do list? The idea of working to get a paycheck and not a promotion had been playing in my head all week.

It wasn’t that I didn’t do a good job. But I usually went above and beyond, volunteering for overtime and staying late after my shifts. But now I wanted to get home to the farm and Charlotte, and I enjoyed spending time with Axel.

Charlotte sent an image of her soaking in her bathtub, and my fantasy about coming home to her in that tub was playing in my mind like a video. I fully intended to leave work on time to fulfill that particular scenario.

When dispatch asked for officers around the time for me to clock out, I didn’t immediately call out on the radio. Instead, I waited a beat, and someone else did. I breathed a sigh of relief as I headed to the precinct to finish some paperwork before going to Charlotte’s.

On the way home, I drove past the line of cars, for once not checking in with Dad to see if they needed my help.

There was no schedule for me. I usually showed up when I wasn’t on shift at the police department. But tonight was mine.

I had a woman waiting for me at home, and she was naked. Was she touching herself, and thinking of me?

My body hummed with desire as I parked my cruiser behind Charlotte’s car. I was too amped up to park at home and walk over

I didn’t care if someone saw my cruiser here all night. It was probably reckless, but my heart was pounding as I used my key for her door.

We hadn’t talked about me having it, but I figured she wouldn’t mind. I kept my shoes on so she’d hear my footsteps on the wood floors. I wanted her to be dripping with anticipation by the time I opened the bathroom door.

Did she have the same fantasy as me? I placed my duty belt on the kitchen counter, emptying the chamber, and set my gun on the top of the fridge. If I was staying here more frequently, I’d need to get a gun safe.

But that thought was for another day. I headed upstairs and turned the knob. It was unlocked. The room was full of steam, and it took my eyes a second to adjust.

Charlotte was in the tub, her bare shoulders peeking out, but she looked frightened. I closed the door then held up my hands until the panic subsided in her eyes.

She shook her head. “Sorry, I heard the footsteps and thought someone was in my house.”

“It was me.”

Her lips pursed. “I meant a stranger.”

I slowly unbuttoned my shirt, then set my vest to the side. My undershirt came next. Then I was unbuckling my pants. “I have a spare key to the cottage. Dad wanted me to check on it when it was empty. I should have told you.”

Once I was naked, I knelt next to the tub. “It’s just that I had this fantasy of coming home to you in the tub.”

Her eyes heated. “Oh, I like that one.”

Sensing she’d moved from fear to desire, I stood and stepped into the tub, lifting her into my lap. Her pussy settled like a warm blanket over my dick. I nearly groaned at the sensation. It was like coming home.

I nibbled on her ear, needing her to relax. “I didn’t think it would scare you.”

Her face filled with regret. “Maybe just for a second.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” I sucked on her skin, my hand cupping one breast.

She sighed as she slid over my dick, making it weep. “You’re already forgiven, and I love this fantasy of yours. ”

“Honey, I’m home,” I whispered into her ear as my cock nudged at her entrance. It would be so easy to slide inside. The anticipatory tingle began at the base of my spine. I wasn’t going to last long tonight.

“Do we need a condom?” Charlotte asked, her eyes a little wild as she slid onto the tip.

I tried to search the logic side of my brain, which had checked out apparently. “Mmm. Do we?”

“I’m on birth control, and I was tested after I broke things off with my ex.”

My arms tightened around her at the mention of another man being with her in this way. I didn’t like it. “I’ve tested negative too.”

“So we’re safe,” Charlotte said on a sigh as she sank down on my cock.

Being bare inside of her was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. “I’ve never gone without a condom.”

“Me either.” Her voice was filled with awe.

I wanted this to be good for her, to make it up to her for scaring her earlier. I could have warned her. But then it would have ruined the fantasy.

I thrust from underneath, wanting to drive her higher.

Her skin glistened in the soft light, her nipples hard peeks.

She was gorgeous.

I couldn’t believe I’d pushed her away for so long, thinking she was someone she wasn’t. I missed out on this, and that had everything to do with my suspicious nature. There was good in the world, and the best was sitting in my lap, riding my cock.

I didn’t want to move home, work long hours anymore, or be anywhere except in this tub with Charlotte. She was everything I never knew I wanted.

I sucked her nipple into my mouth, and her fingers tangled in my hair. This was as close to heaven as I could get on Earth, and I loved every blissful second. The connection, the physical sensations, and even the unfurling of affection and tenderness in my chest.

Charlotte moved faster, chasing her pleasure. I held her more tightly to me so that she was limited to shallow movements over my cock. I liked prolonging her release. I wanted her to be desperate for me.

And when she finally went over, she arched her nipple into my mouth, her head dropping back, her eyes drifting closed as her fingers tightened in my hair to the point of pain along my scalp. Charlotte was heaven.

She shuddered around me, and I followed her over, my mind shutting off as the pleasure coursed through me. Charlotte made me a different man, and I loved it.

The thought of making my mark inside of her satisfied a primal urge from deep inside me. I rested my head in the crook of her neck as she held me to her.

When we finally shifted, the water sloshed over the rim of the tub.

“That was a nice surprise,” Charlotte murmured, and I barely refrained from asking, “Was it?”

How could it be when I scared her? I wrapped my arms around her, the water growing tepid. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It was fine.” But her expression wasn’t smooth.

“I’ll text you next time to let you know I’m coming home.” Had I just referred to the cottage as home?

Relief filtered over her face. “That would be good.”

It wasn’t exactly my fantasy. In mine, we were officially living together, and coming home wouldn’t set off alarm bells. She wouldn’t think someone was invading her private space.

Then I remembered how she’d said she wanted to live here to hide from something. Dad never said what, and Charlotte hadn’t mentioned it either. I wanted to talk to her about it, but now wasn’t the right time.

If we were in a relationship, she’d have to tell me eventually. She couldn’t keep a secret like that. I was done assuming too. I’d wait until she was ready to talk about it. I just hoped it would be soon. I didn’t like the idea of her being scared.

Why would she be running from danger? The thought was preposterous. Charlotte was such a good person.

My police instincts shouldn’t be going off. They were just overactive. I needed to relax because my intuition wasn’t always right. I might even have been too involved with her to see clearly.

“I want to relive this fantasy over and over again.”

Charlotte snuggled into my chest. “I do too.”

I’d be more careful in the future. Eventually, we got out of the tub and got dressed. Charlotte threw a casserole she’d prepared earlier into the oven, and we painted the last wall. It would need another coat, but this was a start.

“Do you have any more home improvements planned?” I asked as I rolled the paint over the wall, the action soothing even after a long day.

“I don’t think so. This was meant to be temporary.” Charlotte moved closer, examining the wall I was working on.

“My place will be done soon.” I wasn’t sure why I was scared to admit that out loud. I should have been excited. This is what I wanted.

“You’re moving home?” Charlotte asked softly.

I nodded. “That’s the plan.”

Charlotte smiled wistfully. “Hmm. I bet you’re happy about that.”

I shrugged, my shoulders tight. “It’s what I wanted. The garage is cramped.”

Charlotte’s lips twitched. “You’re not spending much time there. ”

“True. But there’s no place like home.”

Charlotte’s smile faltered.

I forgot that she didn’t have a place she owned, and she didn’t see her parents’ home as a safe place. I needed to be that soft place for her. A few years ago, that thought would have sent me into a panic. I didn’t have time to protect anyone besides my family. But I wanted to create space in my life for Charlotte.

As scary as that was, I knew in my gut it was the right move for me. I pulled her into my side, keeping the paint roller away from her body. “You’ll have to visit me there.”

“I just realized I haven’t left the farm, other than to visit Cole and Daphne, since I moved in. I get my groceries delivered.”

I frowned, not liking the sound of that. It could be innocent, but combined with what my dad said, it made my intuition tingle again. “We’ll have to change that. You’re working too hard.”

Charlotte smiled softly. “I can rest after the holidays.”

“Speaking of the holidays, what are your plans?” I asked her as she stepped away.

“I’ll spend a few hours with Cole and Daphne’s family watching their kids open presents. I’m really excited about that.”

“I remember how chaotic our Christmas mornings were. We opened the presents at once, and my parents wanted us to go slower so that they could watch and take pictures. But we didn’t listen.”

“Why am I not surprised by that? With Colson being so young, I don’t think it will be that crazy. What will you be doing?”

“I spend the day on the farm. We hang out, and people come and go. Everyone has their significant other’s family to visit now.”

“You’re the only one who stays all day?” Charlotte asked thoughtfully.

“Just me and Dad.” I hadn’t thought about how lonely that sounded. Everyone else had multiple places to visit except for me.

“That’s nice.”

Something was bothering her, but I wasn’t sure what it was. We had traditions, and I wouldn’t deviate from them. “You can come over for dinner if you don’t have plans. Daphne and Cole will be here.”

“That sounds nice. I might just do that.”

I liked the idea of including her with my family.

Charlotte chewed her lip as she grabbed a glass from the cabinet. “Would I come as Cole’s sister? Or would we tell your family about us?”

I set the roller in the tray and rubbed my chin. I hadn’t thought that through.

“Are you ready for that?”

I liked the idea of Charlotte being at my family dinner, and I didn’t want to pretend we weren’t together anymore. I wanted to be able to touch and kiss her. “Yeah, I think I am.”

She raised a brow. “You think?”

I nodded. “I know I am.”

She moved to me, her arms wrapping around my middle. “This is a big step.”

I brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “I want you there. And I don’t want to pretend that you aren’t mine.”

She smiled up at me. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too.” Charlotte felt right in my arms, and I loved coming home from work to her last night. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen when I moved home again, but I wanted to include her in my life. It felt like the right next step, and I wouldn’t think too far beyond that.

I was following my instincts for this one aspect of my life and trusting that everything would fall into place.

“We’re living in this nice bubble, but after the holidays, things will change. I have to find another job and a place to live, and you’re moving home again.”

I tightened my arms around her. “We’ll figure it out.” I refused to believe this was a short-term thing. It was too good, too all-encompassing for me to walk away from it. And I couldn’t believe that every relationship was like this. Charlotte was special.