Charlie opens sleepy eyes, her body still buzzing in all the right places after spending most of the night having sex with a gorgeous woman, a woman who was now trying to sneak out the hotel room door. "In a hurry?"
The woman jumps, turning around with a sheepish expression. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you."
Charlie throws the covers back, enjoying the way the woman's eyes followed her naked body as she walked toward her. "We don't need to check out for a few more hours yet."
"I have a wedding to get to," she murmurs, unable to look away.
Charlie stops inches from her. "Stay a little longer," Charlie whispers into her ear, her lips following a trail along her jaw line to her lips. Charlie deepens the kiss, her hands cupping her breasts, eliciting a moan of pleasure from the woman as Charlie's thumbs play with her hardening nipples through her bra and top.
"I can't." She pulls away, her face etched with regret as she opens the door. She glances over her shoulder at Charlie. "I had a wonderful time, but this was only ever meant to be one night." She closes the door behind her.
Resting her head against the door, Charlie lets out a soft moan of disappointment, suspecting that this was one night of passion she was going to regret if the loss she was already feeling was anything to go by.
SIX MONTHS LATER...
Waiting in the diner for her cousin to arrive, Charlie's mind drifts back to that night six months ago, smiling as the memories once again played through her mind; the way those soulful brown eyes drew her in, the way a simple caress set her afire, the way her body cried out for more, the way...Charlie shakes her head, hoping no one noticed her blush. Taking a sip of her coffee, she sighs as the memories linger. It had only been one night, but she hadn't been able to forget a single moment of it and trying to recapture the magic of that night had led to one failed relationship after another, if you could even call them relationships. At best, most were one-night stands that lasted an extra night or two and only one woman had been able to hold onto her for more than a few weeks before Charlie had found a way to sabotage it. If she was honest with herself, she had lost interest with Kelly after the first week and had only been going through the motions until she'd basically forced Kelly to end it. She rubs her cheek, still imagining she could feel the sting of Kelly's palm there. She had totally deserved Kelly's scorn and anger after the way she had treated her. It wasn't Kelly's fault that she had wanted more but Charlie just never felt any real connection to Kelly or to any of the other women and while the sex was great, even fantastic sometimes, that's all it was to her these days, sex and she really couldn't offer anything more than that, except maybe a passing fondness for them, which didn't really seem fair to them. With the way things were these days, there were times when she almost regretted that night all those months ago, but then she'd picture those gorgeous brown eyes and the memory of how they held her as none before ever had came back and she was grateful that she had experienced such a night.
"I really do have to stop thinking about her," Charlie mutters to herself just as her cousin Georgie enters the diner. It still amazed her sometimes that after her cousin's misspent youth, that she had ended up in uniform and not in jail.
Walking with a slight limp, Georgie heads straight over to her. "Hey Chuck," she greets her with a grin, knowing how much Charlie hated that name. Taking Charlie's coffee from her hands, she gulps the rest down. "Sorry," she grins sheepishly. "I was up all night with Jay and didn't get much sleep so I really needed that."
"How is he?"
"It was just a stomach bug, he's much better this morning."
"Give him my love."
"Will do. So, what time does his majesty arrive today?"
"Around the time we're due at work and don't call him that."
"That was your promotion Charlie, not some snot nosed rich kid who had daddy get it for him."
"Keep your voice down," Charlie warns her. "Georgie, I doubt they would have put him in charge of a station unless he had earned it."
"Well I heard differently. I've done a bit checking with some old mates in the city. Word is the guy's an idiot, barely scraped through the academy, but he looks good in a uniform, he's young, his wife is supposed to be gorgeous, so basically he's the new face of the police and we'll probably be seeing him on recruitment posters and ads."
Charlie sighs, growing tired of the way her cousin had been going on about the new Sergeant since they'd first received word of his appointment. "I know you have a low opinion of people with money Georgie, but you don't know this guy and he's our boss so you need to be careful about what you say."
Georgie sits back in her chair. "God, what's got your tits in a twist?"
"Nothing."
"You've been bitchy for months Charlie." She smirks suddenly, "Ever since that night."
"Don't start Georgie."
"Was she really that good?"
"I am not talking to you about this again."
"Come on Charlie, you went to the city to meet up with your girlfriend only to find her in bed with someone else."
"Three someone elses," she mutters. "Two of them male."
"And to ease your bruised heart, you go to a nightclub to get smashed, only to meet up with a gorgeous woman and have a night of amazing sex that has left you pining for more."
"You don't have to take so much enjoyment out of it."
"Charlie, you could have any woman you wanted, shit, you always did, but you're so hung up on some chick you knew for a night and it's fucking you up."
"It is not."
"We both know it is. Charlie, other than her first name, you know nothing about this woman so get over her and find someone who is actually available."
"This is Summer Bay Georgie, lesbians don't exactly grow on trees around here."
"Seriously Charlie, you need to find someone and I don't mean those women who are only passing through town."
"It's easy for you to say that, you've already found someone."
"And that's something I never expected but if a screw up like me can find love, then there's hope for you."
"Gee, thanks," she says sarcastically.
Georgie gets to her feet, "I 'spose we'd best get to work to await his highness' arrival."
"I told you not to call him that."
"You said don't call him majesty, so I didn't."
"Georgie," she says in exasperation. "Cousin or not, sometimes you annoy the hell out of me."
"I try," she says cheekily. "What's the Rubster been up to lately, I haven't seen her about?"
Charlie shrugs, "I'm only her sister, not her keeper."
"I thought you two talked about everything."
"We did, until she got her first boyfriend a few weeks back."
"Ah, well that explains it then, she probably thinks you don't know a thing about boys."
"Just because I've never been with a guy, it doesn't mean I couldn't give her advice or talk to her about boys."
"Maybe it's your own disastrous love life that's putting her off from talking to you about it then."
Before Charlie could reply, she's nearly knocked off her feet when she bumps into someone. "Sorry."
"That's ok Charlie," Brax says, smirking as he holds onto her waist.
"Lose the hands Brax before Leah looks over and sees her husband about to have his balls rammed up to his throat."
He raises his hands up and steps back. "I was just trying to catch you from falling."
"No, you were just trying to paw me."
"Whatever. Be seeing you ladies," he brushes past them.
"I don't know what the hell Leah was thinking when she married him. He's a self-centred, manipulative prick, not to mention morally corrupt and sleazy."
"Just lay off it Charlie."
"I know you feel some loyalty to Brax but he really is no good."
"I don't have any loyalty to Brax," she snaps.
"What's going on between you two, you and the Braxtons used to be inseparable."
"That was in the past Charlie. Heath's in jail now and Brax and I don't really have anything in common these days and I thought you'd be happy that I was keeping my distance, since that's what you've always wanted."
Sensing her cousin's darkening mood, Charlie lets the matter drop.
Angelo finishes with the final screw and steps back, staring at the plaque on his office door with a sense of pride - Sgt. Angelo Rosetta.
"Uh oh," Georgie mutters as they walk into the station. "Looks like Poster Boy is already here."
"Georgie!" Charlie hisses in annoyance.
"Ah, you must be Snr Constable Buckton and Constable Watson. Now that we're all here, let me first say how honoured I am to be here."
Joining the others, Charlie studies the new Sergeant as he gives his speech, noting his confidence and the way he was immaculately dressed with not even a hair out of place. Georgie was right, he was exactly the sort of person they'd use to promote the Police Force.
"Strike a pose," Georgie says quietly.
Not hearing her remark, Angelo frowns at the snickering that accompanied it, before continuing on. "I have every confidence that this station will continue with its fine work."
"Can't say we feel the same confidence about you," whispers Georgie, earning a few more snickers.
"As this is my first day in town, I'd like to invite you all to join me for drinks this evening so we can get to know each other better, my shout."
His eyes land on the young woman whose audible groan could be heard through the soft applause, the suspicions the previous Sergeant had noted about Watson still worrying him. "That's all," he dismisses them.
"What a pompous jerk," Georgie mutters as she follows Charlie out to the squad car.
Charlie sighs, having a feeling this could be a very long day.
"I don't know why I'm here," Georgie complains as they walk into the club that evening. "It wasn't exactly an order."
"No, but when your boss suggests drinks, you don't really say no."
"Why not?"
"You just don't."
"Well he better not be late, because I want to get home."
"Look Georgie, it's his first day, why don't you just ease up."
"Because I have better things to do."
Charlie looks around the room, noticing most of their colleagues were already there but still no sign of the Sergeant. She gasps as her eyes are drawn to the woman who had just entered. "Oh my god," she grips her cousin's arm. "That's her Georgie."
"Her who?"
"Her," is all she says, her eyes completely captivated by the vision before her.
Georgie follows Charlie's line of sight, "Wow, she is gorgeous."
"Yeah she is," she says dreamily.
"Uh oh," Georgie murmurs when the woman is joined by Angelo. "This can't be good."
Too caught up at seeing her again, Charlie's oblivious to Angelo's presence, even when he puts his arm around the woman and faces them. "Everyone," Angelo calls out. "I'm glad you all could make it and I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my lovely wife, Joey."
"Congratulations Charlie," Georgie slaps her on the back. "The woman you've spent months pining over is back in your life, along with her husband."
"Huh?"
"Charlie, she's his wife."
"Huh?"
She rolls her eyes at her cousin's dazed look. "Charlie," she says, enunciating each word slowly, "She's married, to our boss."
Realisation finally dawns on Charlie, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh fuck!"