Chapter 6

SIX

The time when Charlotte went on birth control

The moment I ran into Charlotte inside my parents’ kitchen, my life changed.

My heart started beating differently.

My mind became consumed with only the thought of Charlotte.

I tried to fight the feelings, desperately reminding myself every moment I took a breath of my vows needing to remain intact. In front of my family, friends, and God’s presence, I made Samantha my wife.

But I could no longer fight.

Every moment with Charlotte only made me desire her more. The force it’s unexplainable. Its power is nothing like I’ve experienced before. Love, lust, and everything two souls find when the connection is so strong, you know it was always meant to be.

Our first kiss—broke me.

In a good way.

And now, I’m living a double life.

The throbbing inside my head refuses to pass despite my earlier effort to consume two Advil. I’d followed with a strong coffee to keep me going for the remainder of the day.

It had been another one of those nights.

Sammy came home in a mood, but I argued back instead of ignoring her like usual until she demanded I stay away from her. It didn’t last long for her to beg me to sleep in our bed, to which I refused. The couch has been my choice of late, another reason she felt compelled to argue our marriage is nothing but a sham.

How could I argue? My thoughts were consumed by Charlotte. The mere idea of my wife touching me felt wrong. There is only one person I can’t stop thinking about, but of course, the guilt eats away at me every single fucking moment I’m awake.

It’s a deadly companion built on shame and selfish principles.

The phone rings inside the small office. My head is buried in paperwork, my least favorite thing about studying medicine. I ignore the noise with the need to focus until Dr. Hanson announces he must attend to a patient. The clinic hasn’t stopped all day, and even he looks worn out after the multiple coffees he has drunk since I clocked on for my shift.

The silence from his departure is welcoming, allowing me to focus on a patient’s file, but it’s short-lived as he re-enters.

“Alex, would you mind sitting in on this consult. It’s pretty straightforward, and frankly, we can make it quick as I can use the break.”

“Of course, Dr. Hanson. What’s the visit for?”

Dr. Hanson adjusts his glasses, reading the file in front of him. “A young girl is looking to go on birth control.”

“Smart move,” I say, closing the file I’d been reading. “And the patient’s name?”

“Charlotte…” he begins at the same time my eyes flick toward him, “… Mason.”

The corners of my mouth slowly quirk up, but then I force myself to remain professional, reverting to a blank expression.

Things between us changed the night after Adriana’s birthday. A simple kiss became so much more. I’d only wish Charlotte didn’t overhear the argument between Samantha and me the morning after. It wasn’t my finest moment, but perhaps the truth unveiling itself forced our feelings to the surface. Denial can only go so far, and frankly—I am tired of fighting the truth.

And from our admission inside the pool house, things got heated quickly. I still remember yesterday when she was supposed to be studying with Adriana at my parents’ house, but Adriana bailed to go see Elijah …

Adriana slams the door, telling us she’ll be back in an hour. I had no idea Charlotte would be here as I only planned to stop by to pick up a book from Dad’s office.

The big brown eyes stare at me inside the kitchen, but then they fall to the countertop in a sudden move. Charlotte’s cheeks turn a perfect shade of crimson, and if possible, making her all the more beautiful even though she’s still in her school uniform.

“Alex?” she barely manages, clearing her throat to control her shaky voice. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

I do my best to hide my smirk, crossing my arms with a persistent stare instead.

“I had to pick something up. You know, since it’s my parents’ house.”

“Uh, yeah, of course.”

The bottom of my lip angles while biting the side, trying to hold back the urge to touch her. Yet the forbidden fruit is dangled in front of me, demanding I have just one taste.

I run my hands through my hair, then take steps toward Charlotte to grab her hand. The moment our fingers touch, the adrenaline runs inside my veins, causing my heart to pump hard beneath my shirt.

Charlotte’s eyes meet mine, the innocence behind the brown orbs begging me to take the lead. I pull on her hand, tilting my head to motion for her to follow me.

We walk toward my bedroom on the second floor, a few doors down from my sister’s room. I place my hand on the knob, turning it to smell the familiar scent of cologne my mother gifts me every Christmas.

“So, umm, this is your room?” Charlotte asks while taking it all in.

“You’ve never seen my room?”

“Not technically, I mean, a few times Adria—” She stops speaking while her eyes widen.

“Adriana, what?”

“Uh, never mind.”

“You can’t say never mind,” I chastise, letting go of her hand and folding my arms. “Why does my sister snoop in my room?”

“Look, I don’t want to get involved in sibling drama,” she declares while staring at the pinboard hanging above my desk. “Let’s just say she was short of funds and thought she could find some lying here.”

“As usual,” I grunt, annoyed at my sister.

Charlotte raises her hand to touch a photo pinned to the corkboard. I move in closer to see it’s my high school graduation.

“It feels like a lifetime ago,” I mumble, glancing at the cap and gown I’m wearing. “My dad gave me this stern lecture of all his high hopes and how I better not screw it up.”

“You didn’t,” Charlotte whispers. “You won’t.”

I place my arms around her waist, bringing her close to me. The smell of her hair is sweet, like strawberries mixed with vanilla, but a scent so pure it only reminds me of her.

My lips find their way to her neck, kissing her skin gently as her breathing becomes louder.

“We shouldn’t be in here,” Charlotte warns.

“Adriana won’t be back for a while.”

“If we get caught ….”

I pull back slightly, enough to turn her around, so her face is only a breath away from mine.

“Are you scared?” I ask while glancing at her lips, desperate to kiss her, wanting to lay her on my bed.

Charlotte places her hands flat on my chest. “I’m scared of a lot of things. Your sister finding out, my dad finding out, and of course, your wife finding out.”

Slowly, I tilt my head so our lips are only inches apart.

“They won’t.”

“How do you know, Alex?”

The truth is, I don’t know anything. But the last thing I want is for Charlotte to walk away and tell me she can’t do this. The thought alone brings a wave of nausea like the air has been sucked from my lungs, and I can’t breathe without her.

And right now, I need to ease her worry.

I cup her face with my hands, guiding her mouth onto mine. Her warm lips part, allowing me to taste her without any resistance. A soft moan escapes her, causing my dick to stir beneath my jeans. Fuck, control yourself.

My hands fall from her face, sliding down to her waist, where I drag her to my bed and pull her down. I watch her chest rise and fall as I lay on top of her.

“I’m not a virgin,” she reminds me.

“I know,” I answer with a forced smile. “I was there when my sister blurted it out.”

“Oh, I forgot.”

My body presses against her, forcing her legs apart. Then, my hands wander to the hem of her navy skirt, toying with the edge of the fabric as she waits in anticipation. Just as I’m about to slide my hand between her legs, the sound of a car catches my attention.

I jump off Charlotte, racing to the window to see my mom’s car.

“Shit, it’s my mom,” I tell Charlotte. “Go to Adriana’s room, and I’ll say you fell asleep since Adriana had to step out.”

Charlotte’s eyes widen as she nods in silence. She quickly stands up, adjusts her skirt, then takes a deep breath. She reaches for the door, but I pull her back toward me, leaning in for one more kiss.

“Just so you know, I wouldn’t have fucked you here.”

The corners of her lips curve upward. “And just so you know, Alex. I’m not the type of girl to give in so easily.”

Dr. Hanson places his hand on the doorknob, twisting it without much effort as I follow behind him. The door opening catches Charlotte off guard, causing the plastic heart she’s obviously touched to fall out of her hands and onto the floor.

Her long brown hair falls past her shoulders as she leans forward to retrieve it at the same time I do. Then, I watch her body tense—the stiffening of her shoulders to the way her entire body freezes on the spot.

Swiftly, her eyes are drawn to mine, riddled with panic as they widen in my presence.

Dr. Hanson takes a seat, quick to bring out his notes. “Charlotte, this is my intern, Dr. Alex Edwards. Now, let’s continue our discussion. Are you sexually active?”

Charlotte barely manages to make it to the plastic chair across from us. Unable to look at me, she plays with the loose frays from the rip in her jeans. Her simple white tank and jeans only make her look more beautiful—perfect and simple, enhancing her natural features.

The color of her cheeks quickly changes to crimson, the same color as yesterday when I found her inside my parents’ kitchen.

“Umm, yes … I mean, no … maybe,” she barely manages to answer.

“Perhaps I need to rephrase my question,” Dr. Hanson continues softly. “Have you had sexual intercourse?”

“Yes.”

“More than once?”

“Yes,” she replies faintly.

“How many sexual partners have you had?”

Her posture falls, almost as if she’s trying to retreat into a dark hole where I’m not

watching her with a smirk on my face.

“Only one.”

“Will you be continuing to have sexual intercourse with this person?”

“Definitely not,” she blurts out.

Dr. Hanson writes notes on his notepad. “Did you use protection such as condoms?”

Her eyes momentarily meet mine, but she’s quick to turn away from embarrassment.

“Yes, Dr. Hanson.”

“That’s a very responsible attitude, Charlotte. I understand these questions seem personal. However, it’s my responsibility to ensure you’re educated on everything associated with being sexually active,” Dr. Hanson informs her, then continues while she shuffles her feet nervously. “I’m guessing your intention is to be intimate with a specific person at this stage. Charlotte, how much do you know of their sexual history?”

Suddenly, her posture straightens, and the shy girl sitting inside this room glances at me with new confidence.

“To be honest, I think he’s slept around … a lot,” she answers with raised brows.

The smirk on my face dwindles. Sure, back in my early years, I slept around because I had the freedom to do so. But then, I started dating Sammy. She was wild in the bedroom, which I somehow misinterpreted as marriage material.

My family warned me of being too young to commit. But of course, I didn’t fucking listen. Marriage seemed like the easy way out. How very wrong of me to come to that conclusion.

The truth is, I’ve barely touched my wife in the last few months. The more she nags about babies and wanting more money, the less attracted to her I have become.

And since the moment I crashed into Charlotte inside my parents’ hallway, I’ve made excuses as to why we haven’t fucked like an ordinary husband and wife.

“Is he still behaving this way?” Dr. Hanson asks with concern in his eyes.

“No, he’s with someone long-term.”

“Is he still sexually active with her?”

“I’m not sure, Dr. Hanson. He is a man, after all,” Charlotte responds with coldness in her tone.

I beg her with my eyes to trust me. If only I could reassure her the only person I want naked in my bed is the person sitting in front of me.

“I strongly suggest you use both condoms and the pill. Sexually transmitted diseases are easier to catch than you may think.” He scribbles some notes and hands the chart to me. “Everything looks good to me. I’ll leave you with Dr. Edwards to check your blood pressure and write up your prescription. It was nice to meet you, Charlotte.”

Dr. Hanson quickly exits the room leaving the two of us. I retrieve the blood pressure cuff from the table and wrap it around her arm, strapping it on while grinning.

“So, I’m a player, am I?”

“More like a manwhore,” she drags, then sighs heavily. “I hate you right now … you know that, right?”

“Aww, no, you don’t. You love me right now. Otherwise, why would you be here getting a prescription for the pill in case your sexual activity picks up?”

She shakes her head, covering her face in embarrassment. “You’re a jerk.”

I remove the blood pressure cuff, then write her result on the chart in front of me. Placing it down on the table, I wheel my chair closer, so I can reach out and touch her.

“Since when do you work here?” she questions while relaxing her shoulders. “I thought you just interned at the hospital?”

“They were short-staffed…” I pause before grabbing a lock of her hair and pushing it behind her ear. I’ll find any excuse to touch her, feeding my obsession at any cost.

“So, tell me, Charlotte, are we doing this?”

“This?”

I choose my words carefully, needing her to know this is more than two young people jumping into bed for fun. The moment I’m inside her, no one else will ever compare. The thought alone terrifies me, yet it’s everything I want.

“You came here today to make sure you were protected. That we are protected.”

“I just wanted to make sure, you know … just in case.”

I’m breaking all the rules now, playing with fire and compromising a patient for my own selfish needs. I lean over, locking the door behind Charlotte. Then, without a second thought, my lips find their way onto hers.

Her soft moan inside our heated kiss only confirms exactly how I feel. There is no turning back on this path we’ve found ourselves on. I want her, and nothing will stop me.

Not even the wife I chose for better or for worse.

In sickness and in health.

Til’ death us do part.

“I’ve never wanted anything more, Charlotte. You have to believe me.”

She places her arms around my neck, reassuring me she feels the same way. Inside her touch, everything feels right despite all the odds facing us.

“I believe you. And anyway, if it wasn’t your words that told me, it’s the general saluting me right now.”

I place my forehead against hers. “You’re crazy.”

“Insane is the word you are looking for,” she corrects.

A small laugh escapes me. Then, I unlock the door, careful we aren’t caught by anyone. I grab the notepad and rip the paper off to hand to her.

“Here you go, Miss Mason. The reason you came. Hope you have fun,” I tease playfully.

Charlotte winks. “Thank you, Dr. Edwards. I’m sure the pleasure won’t be all mine.”

And just like that, we sealed our fate.

It’s only a matter of time before I’m inside Charlotte and claiming her as mine.