8. Quentin

8

QUENTIN

T en minutes later Charlie’s door finally opens, and she emerges onto the walkway fully made up and in her black leathers with a smile on her face. She waves at me, leaning against the side of the truck as if she’s not got a care in the world.

I check my watch pointedly. It’s zero-seven-thirty-six. Thirty six minutes after the time I wanted to hit the road. And an hour and thirty six minutes later than what’s on the itinerary.

I made allowances for her yesterday and drove as late as I could so she could have an hour to sleep in this morning. She’s obviously not used to getting up at six. Or at seven, it turns out.

But as Charlie comes down the stairs with a smile just for me, it’s hard to stay cross at her.

“Is there time for breakfast?”

I scoff, because she really has no idea how to keep to a schedule.

“Breakfast was an hour ago.”

She frowns, and she can be pissed with me. That’s fine just as long as she gets in the van and we get on the road. There are still a lot of miles to cover today.

A man walks past with a large German shepherd, and Charlie smiles and walks over to them both.

“Hello big guy.”

She coos at the dog who looks like it would take her head off. But the big hound sticks his chin out to be tickled, and when Charlie crouches down next to him he licks her face.

“I love dogs.”

She speaks to the dog and owner for a few moments, and I watch them with my arms folded.

Ever since I saw Charlie with only a towel wrapped around her this morning, I’ve had an uncomfortable ache in my loins.

It’s been a long time since I was with a woman, and it’s a painful irony that the first one who makes my dick stir is Charlie.

It’s impossible to act on my attraction to her. But when she opened her door dripping wet in a towel, it was hard to remember the reasons why. The image is burnt into my retinas. I would have gone back to my room to relieve myself, but I’d already turned in the key.

Instead I took a walk along the highway and got us some breakfast. I knew she wouldn't be down in five minutes, and I was correct.

I’d only just managed to cool my overheated blood when she appeared looking sassy as fuck in her tight leather outfit and with her war paint on.

I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

The young man with the dog is blatantly staring at her tits while she’s patting his dog.

Jealousy flares inside of me. I stalk over to them and lay a hand on Charlie’s shoulder, pulling her up and pulling her tits out of the man’s line of sight.

“Time to go.”

The dog growls at me, and Charlie scowls and shrugs her arm out of my grip.

“You’re so upright.”

She heads over to the truck and I follow, turning back once to make sure the man isn’t watching her ass.

That’s my ass to look at.

The thought slides through my brain even though I know it’s absurd. Charlie isn’t mine; she never will be. But damned if I’m going to let every man ogle her.

“Are you always so grumpy in the mornings?” Charlie asks as she slides into the truck.

“Yes,” I mutter.

She opens her mouth to say something then shuts it again when she sees the steaming coffee in the cupholder and the paper bag on her side of the dash.

She opens the bag and finds the bacon and cheese croissant I got for her.

“You bought me breakfast?”

Her voice is incredulous, and the smile she turns on me is so bright I have to look away.

I put the van in reverse and back out of the parking spot, then swing her around and head onto the highway.

“I don’t want you complaining about being hungry all morning,” I mutter.

But that’s not why I bought her breakfast.

I bought her breakfast because I know she loves bacon croissants and a black coffee in the morning.

Because it’s the little things that make Charlie smile, and I want to see her smile when she bites into that greasy croissant.

Charlie leans over and ruffles my hair.

“You may be an uptight grump, but you’re the most thoughtful uptight grump I know.”

I keep my eyes on the road and the scowl on my face, but inside my heart melts a little. My chest feels light, and the entire world looks a little bit brighter.