Three mornings ago she woke up to the scent of strong coffee in his apartment. Tonight, she is enjoying a glass of red wine. Her fingertips are drumming in a steady but slightly nervous rhythm against the wineglass that fits perfectly in the palm of her hand.
Charlie is leaning against the kitchen counter, as her ellbows touch the coolnes of the counter, of the kitchen inside of the house she grew up in. And although things are not always easy with a mother that is smothering her with motherly care to cover up all of her guilt for losing herself in her work and a father who tries to fill the void her mother creates, this is still home.
She takes in the richness of the scent of the red wine her parents took home with them from their summer spent in high Italian mountains. Pale winter light streams in through the large kitchen windows and frost is playing its winter game with the window glass.
The kitchen, like the rest of the house, is filled with scents belonging to Christmas. Candles are burning everywhere and there is a fire in the fireplace Charlie spend many hours in front of with books of adventures in lands far away when she was growing up.
From her place in the kitchen she can see her dad and Danny catching up in the living room as there is lightness on their faces that adds to the slow content of the light buzz of her red wine.
She is enjoying a bit of Italian sun in her wine glass on a Chicago winter day but she is also worried. Because this late afternoon, she has walked into her parent's home for their annual Christmas dinner without a gift for Miles. She hates the whole idea.
Yesterday her phone had beeped. Bass had send her a message.
Took care of it. Trust me.
She had not been able to stop the stupid smile that had been ambushing her lips when she had seen the message on her screen. Somehow the low gruff of his voice was there with her in her mind when she had read his words. The second message had moved that smile into a full grin.
Don't worry. There won't be any strippers.
So right now, she tries not to worry and to have some faith in Bass. Charlie takes a deep breath as she leaves the sanctuary of the quietness of her parents kitchen with the glass of wine still in her hand. As she walks into the living room she is surrounded by Christmas decorations that have been there her whole life.
When her mother is about to walk to her, it is her little brother that intervenes with a knowing grin on his face. Danny walks up to her with a beer in his hand. Charlie remembers her little brother when it had been him and his small teddy bear. He had taken that small bear with him everywhere he went. Even when they took a trip to the grocery store, that bear had never left his side.
His teddy bear had been her ballerina shoes when she grew up. She had wanted to wear them everywhere she went, and Rachel had spent many hours talking that idea out of her head. Charlie's stubbornness had earned her many trips to the grocery store in those ballerina shoes.
And now, as time moved on, she is wearing black ankle boots and he is drinking a beer and he is getting ready to leave for college next fall. She sips from her wine as she looks with pride in her eyes to Danny.
'What's wrong, sis?' Danny asks, knowing that the small smirk on his sister's face can only mean trouble.
'Nothing...just look at you and your beer.' Charlie teases. Danny answers her with a poke between her ribs.
In the middle of her conversation with Danny, his eyes are waiting for her on the other side of the living room. There is a glass of whiskey casually in his hands as Bass is standing next to Miles.
Bass focuses on the bullshit joke from his brother but his eyes are occupied with a very gorgeous as fuck Charlie in a very short black dress. He has not seen her since she had left his apartment that early winter morning a couple of days ago. She had texted him later that day.
Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. And the strong coffee.
He had looked at her short message with a stupid grin on his damn face. He knew she was thanking him for much more than just letting her sleep on his couch. But she was still a Matheson and the whole gratitude thing was hard for them to put into words because of their stubbornness.
But it was all he fucking needed. It was also enough to remember her lush lips against his own right before she had to leave for work. It had also brought the memory of the sounds of her soft panting in that alley back. He had not been able to fall asleep that night after that sound had kept on repeating itself inside his damn mind. He had thought of her as he had found release with slow forceful strokes.
He listens to Miles and Ben. But he can taste her again when he sees her talking to Danny.
Charlie talks to Danny and tastes her wine. But her eyes keep on finding Bass. She can still feel the burn of his eyes going over her dress, and body, when he had arrived earlier this afternoon. She remembers the way he had to bite his tongue with that hungry look in his eyes that had made her blush and yet feel in control at the same time when his eyes lingered around her hips.
She knows there is no way Bass can know about the long warm bath and what happened inside of the tub right before she went to bed last night. The water had been warm and her muscles had relaxed when the warm water played with her hips. Her fingers had moved between her legs when she had remembered how in control he was over her and the moment he had pushed her against that wall when the snowflakes had melted on her cheeks. Her thighs had clenched around her hand when she let go with the endless images of what else he could do to her.
Miles is making some kind of joke as her dad jumps in and adds something to their conversation she cannot hear from where she is standing. But it doesn't matter, because she is thinking of that warm water in her tub as she can't keep her eyes away from him.
Nora is standing next to Miles. As far as Charlie can remember she is the first woman Miles has ever introduced on an occasion like tonight. When her dad had opened the front door even he had been stunned for a second before he had invited them both inside his home the way Ben Matheson invited people to his home. With warmth and inviting words.
Charlie had enjoyed the hell out of herself at the way Miles was shuffling on his feet in the doorway next to the radiant young woman next to him.
She could have teased Miles with this, but something inside of her had decided against it. The warmth in Nora's eyes and the way Miles looked at her prevented her from mocking his heart. When Charlie had introduced herself to Nora, Miles had looked the other way and she could see something vulnerable and strong at the same time in his eyes. She had known then and there how much Nora meant to Miles.
She liked Nora immediately. She likes the relaxed version of her uncle when he is with her even more.
Nora's eyes find Charlie's across the living room. 'If you'll excuse me boys...' She nods to Miles, Bass and Ben with a strong smile that is playing around her full lips before she walks over to Charlie.
'You look beautiful in that dress, Charlie.' Nora tells her with warmth and a spark in her deep eyes. She is making an effort to get to know Charlie and Charlie enjoys talking to her. She enjoys Nora. Nora is though, beautiful, strong and smart. But most of all she is not afraid to share what she thinks. It is a powerful combination and she understands why her uncle fell so hard for her.
'Thank you.' Charlie smiles as both woman share a glass of wine.
Rachel joins them. She looks at Charlie before she looks at Nora with something cooler in her eyes. There is a faint twitch around Rachel's mouth.
Rachel's voice is polite, too polite, when she looks at Nora. Both woman pretend they do not see how Rachel looks at Miles before she looks at Nora again. 'Anything I can get for you?' The moment she takes before she speaks again is filled with distance. ' You want another glass of wine?'
'Nah, I'm good.' Nora answers without blinking or looking away. 'But thank you, Rachel.'
'All right...' Rachel's voice is soft and sharp. She smiles to Nora and Charlie and walks back to the kitchen to check on the turkey that is waiting for them in the oven.
'I'm sorry about my mom...' Charlie starts to apologize for her mother as she feels the tension that had been radiating of her mom now inside her own stomach.
'Don't worry about it.' Nora says as she shrugs, but her eyes are strong and burning with the things Nora knows for sure in her life. 'Things...people...they can be complicated. Don't apologize for her, that's not your job.'
Charlie doesn't know what to say as she nods at so much of strong kind honesty coming from Nora.
She catches Miles' eyes who is walking over to them. She watches the way Miles looks at Nora when he stands right behind her. 'He really likes you.' Charlie grins.
'Yeah, I guess he does.' Nora winks to Charlie. Miles is putting an arm loosely around Nora's middle. His gentle fingers stroke her belly as he presses her against his chest in the middle of the living room. She looks up to meet his eyes. 'Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.'
She slowly presses a kiss on his mouth before he can say something. Charlie grins at all the uncomfortable tension in her uncle's shoulders and eyes right before he closes his eyes and his mouth moves over hers.
The door bell rings. Everybody keeps on talking and drinking. But Charlie feels how her heartbeat picks up as a sudden wave of warmth inside of her. She sees the question in Bass' eyes when her eyes connect with his longer than necessary.
'I'll get it...' Charlie offers. She puts down her glass of wine on the small table near the couch. She feels his eyes following her through the room.
When she opens the door there is a tall man in the doorway. He is trying to shake the snow out of his hair with his right hand.
'Hi...' Charlie says, immediately at ease with his kind smile.
'Hi... ' Deep eyes find hers when he looks up. 'You must be Charlie...,' He shakes her hand. 'Sorry, I'm so late...traffic was a bitch in this weather.'
One grin and one line and she can definitely see the resemblance. She grins at his honest openness. 'All right then, you'd better come in.'
'Charlie?' Ben is suddenly standing behind her. He looks at the guy that is standing in front of his daughter. 'Who's this?'
'Dad...I want you to meet Connor. He's Bass' kid.'
Ben's face lights up with recognition. 'I'm so sorry, of course you are. We haven't seen each other in years..forgive my bad manners, ' Ben reaches out his hand for Connor to shake. 'Ben Matheson.' He nods to the warmth of the living room behind him. 'Come in, we were just about to start dinner. And my wife made more than enough to feed half the city.'
Ben closes the door behind Connor and he walks back into the living room. Connor looks unsure for a second as he is still standing in the hallway. 'Charlie?'
'Yeah?'
'Thank you for inviting me..things between my parents..they have been bad. Like real bad. It means a lot you called.'
'No problem, come on... let's get you some whiskey.' Some of the nervousness leaves Connor's eyes as he nods at her with an appreciating grin.
Charlie hears her father's voice coming from inside the living room, but her eyes are only on Bass the moment she steps into the living room with Connor. She bites her bottom lip, hoping she made the right decision with this Christmas gift for him. She can see the change in his eyes as emotions start to cloud the blue of his eyes that he is so desperately trying to swallow away. She feels the joy of his tears deep within her as everything he feels is close to her heart as well.
'Connor..' The smile appearing on Bass' face is starting in his eyes.
'Dad..' Connor grins as he closes the distance between them and Bass pulls him in for a strong long hug.
'What..' Bass swallows again as he wishes he did not sound so pathetic, because Miles will give him hell for all this emotional crap later. 'What are you doing here?'
'Well, Charlie invited me, and I guess I just wanted to spend this Christmas with you. And Miles. And all that whiskey you keep on talking about every time we talk on the phone.'
Bass looks from his son to Charlie. And then to Miles. Who is doing his fucking pathetic best not to meet his eyes for too long. In that one moment he knows Charlie talked to Miles. And somehow, she has found out about how much he craved to see his kid for Christmas.
Ben walks towards Connor. 'Welcome kid, we are happy you are here.' His hand is now on Connor's shoulder.
'So... not that I am not enjoying all this mushy holiday crap, but can we please eat. I'm kind of hungry.' Miles says drily and with a sigh.
Charlie's eyes light up when they all walk to the table and Bass' eyes tell her so much as his fingers are messing with Connor's dark curls.
Rachel look's on her face screams not amused when her carefully arranged Christmas table is being attacked by a pack of hungry wolves. Ben is with her quickly. 'We'll just improvise Rach...' Ben says, when he sees the stress on her face as he walks her to her seat. 'Let's just enjoy all that food you worked so hard on to get ready for tonight, all right?'
Christmas dinner is light and warmth and a table full of people, wine and whiskey. Charlie looks at the people close to her heart that are gathered around the table. Danny and Connor are talking about Danny's college plans as Connor shows kind interest in the youngest Matheson's plans for the future. Miles' arm is behind Nora, as his wide arm is resting casually on the back of her chair. Her dad is enjoying his turkey as he talks to Bass about some work stuff. And then she watches Bass. Just him and only him. And in the middle of his conversation with her father he is looking at Connor with warmth and pride in his eyes. They eat, they talk. They are together and share a Christmas Eve when fresh snow is falling outside.
Ben gets up to get another bottle of wine for his guests. When he passes Charlie he moves his hand over her shoulder. He presses a kiss in her hair and they both watch Bass and Connor. 'You did good, Charlie. Glad you are home tonight, kiddo.'
Ben Matheson caresses her hair with pride in his eyes for his daughter and the woman she became.
Charlie feels tender warmth inside of her for the way her dad looks at her. She places her hand over his. 'Me too, dad. Me too...'
After dessert everybody enjoys more drinks around the fireplace. Bass does not hesitate when everybody is distracted by plenty of booze . He nods to her to meet him in the hallway.
'Well this is all very secretive.' Charlie smirks. She takes one more look over her shoulder to make sure nobody followed them. Bass pulls a small bag out its hiding place behind the coats in the hallway.
'Here...' He hands her the small bag.
Charlie frowns at him. 'What's that?'
'Miles' gift.'
'Yeah, I am afraid I need a little bit more than that.' Charlie looks at the wrapped gift the size of a book inside the bag.
'Not gonna happen.' Bass grunts lowly with his mouth suddenly close to her ear.
'I can think of a couple of ways to make it happen,' She tilts her hips towards him as she feels a surge of heat for the way his eyes darken a bit when her body connects with his thigh.
Bass groans. He nuzzles her hair with his nose 'You just have to have some faith in me, Charlie.'
And right before she is sure he will kiss her right there in the hallway next to the coats he pulls back. 'Living room, now.' He orders.
'Well, look at you, ordering me around like a pro.' Charlie grins.
'Yeah, well maybe one day I will do something with that amazing skill set,' he snarls, annoyed and turned on as hell at how close her hip still is to his damn cock, with Ben and Miles in the other room.
But then there is something burning in his eyes as he looks at her with a hot gaze in his eyes. 'But for now...march that damn fine ass of yours into the living room.'
Miles immediately notices the both of them as they walk back into the living room. 'Aaaand what were the both of you whispering about like a couple of housewives?'
'Nice Miles...very nice.' Bass rolls his eyes at him.
'Yeah, so...the both of you could continue to act like a couple of five year olds..' Charlie says with a firm voice as Connor hides his grin behind his hand for her taking no bullshit from his dad or Miles 'Or..' her eyes light up as she hands Miles her gift, 'you could open this.'
Miles looks surprised as Ben and Nora look at him. Charlie can feel Bass right behind her.
'What's this?' Miles asks, a nervous frown appearing on his face as he is unsure what the hell is happening.
'It's your Christmas gift.' Charlie smiles.
'Thank you, captain obvious.' Miles sighs but with a warmth in his deep eyes.
'Well, come on...' Nora nudges Miles, who is sitting next to him. 'Unwrap it.'
Charlie holds her breath when Miles unwraps the gift in his hands. She sees a small part of a memory in a long forgotten picture first. And then, Miles is holding a wooden photo frame in his hands. She can see the emotions in his eyes that are swirling inside her heart as well.
Because inside of the wooden photo frame there is a picture of Charlie and Miles and a shared a memory from many years ago. Charlie is smiling towards the camera with a proud grin as Miles looks with a dangerous look on his face into the camera. They are both holding fake plastic swords in their hands as Charlie had demanded an afternoon of playing knights and castles. Without the princesses.
She has no idea where Bass has found this picture as the warmth of that afternoon of adventures and brave knights in fairytales lands rush back to her. She sees tears pool in Miles eyes and needs a second herself for so much affection in Miles' eyes. His eyes are still glued to the picture in front of him.
Bass is watching his brother and Charlie, as he is taking in them both. He can see the genuine smile on Miles' face. That smile he knows by heart and that his brother rarely shares with everyone. Somehow Charlie is one of those rare people who always manages to put that damn smile on his brother's face.
Charlie turns his way and she looks at him with tears and gratitude in her eyes. There is a small and almost invisible nod towards him hidden in her look, but he sees it anyway. His eyes glow with her gratitude and the look on his brothers face.
'You like it?' Charlie asks as she looks at the picture again and then to her uncle.
'Are you kidding me?' Miles smiles with the photo frame still in his hands. He gets up and walks over to her. He embraces her with a strong arm around her shoulders and another hand that he wraps around her hair. 'Best gift ever, kid.'
She finds him outside on the porch as the evening is slowly moving towards midnight. He is drinking a glass of whiskey while he is looking at the snow falling around the house. The snow is like a veil around them and it's slowly hiding the contours of the skyscrapers of Chicago in the distance. It is quiet outside. And it just him and her and one porch. Charlie crosses her arms before her chest as she slowly walks up to him. Her breath turns into small visible clouds of winter air.
She leans into the banister behind him as her hip touches his thigh. He is close enough to touch his scruff as her fingertips ache to follow the line of his moustache. Instead, she follows the line of his jaws with her eyes until his eyes are there waiting for her to find.
'Hey...' his voice is warmth in the middle of the winter cold around them.
'Hey...' The light of the snow is reflecting quietly in her eyes.
'I don't know what to say Bass...that picture...I love it. Thank you..' her honest gratitude tugs at his heart. He nods to her, telling her it was his pleasure.
She looks at the snow as she hears her own giggles as an echo memory through time. She sees Miles again, so close to her heart as he is following her through the house on their adventures, in a memory from far away now wrapped around her to visit her again. 'I loved knights and castles..'
Something smug filled with a lot of pride falls over his face. 'Yeah, well...Miles and myself might have been knights or pirates a couple of afternoons as well. You know, maybe.'
Charlie grins widely at that thought.
'Oh, and did you have matching Pirate hats and swords? Because I think that would be adorable.'
'Hey...watch it...' Bass grunts to her.
He watches how she takes a sip from his whiskey without even asking him and god, he swears his heart swells looking at the ease they are sharing his glass of whiskey on this porch tonight. They both watch the city in the distance as more snow falls.
Charlie sees something broody in his eyes before Bass looks away from her. His eyes find a spot right next to his boots. Then he looks up and there is an honest hoarseness in his voice. 'Thank you...you have no idea what you gave me tonight, Charlie. You have no idea how much I wanted to spend some time with Connor this Christmas Thank you for giving me time with my kid.'
Charlie feels how stupid tears break free because of so much of his heart he gives her right there on one porch.
'I wanted to get you a gift as well, ' Charlie softly says as he is somehow standing close to her suddenly. 'I hope you don't mind I talked to Miles about Connor. Miles was in bad mood when he picked me up to grab some food. I knew something was bothering him. I kind of gave him no choice until he told me what the hell was going on.' She sees Bass chuckle. 'And he told me what happened. He told me how hard things are between you and Emma. He told me how he wished things were differently for you. He told how hard you are trying. I am so sorry Bass. '
She waits for his eyes to really connect with hers to give him some time to be and breathe. 'And I guess I figured out pretty quickly what I wanted to give you this year.'
Bass looks at her, with the warmth of a fire slowly burning in a fire place on a cold winter day in his eyes. His hand cups her cheek slowly as he claims his mouth with his warm lips. She can feel the tension in his jaws. She kisses it away slowly. His tongue slowly wraps around hers as he feels how she leans into him and surrenders to him with a low release of her breath against his mouth.
Suddenly the kitchen door opens and they both break the kiss abruptly as they look right into Miles' face. The expression on his face moves from the start of horror to being not amused and then to the start of some good old fashioned rage with many promise of death threats in it.
'What if I told you this is not what it looks like?' Bass tries, as he swallows, noticing Miles is really fucking close to him and Charlie.
'So you are not kissing my niece?' Miles says, with contained rage in each and every word of his voice.
Bass chuckles as Charlie bites her bottom lip at this whole situation and at the sight of a not amsued pissed off Miles. Miles is about to say something. But before Miles can explode, the three of them hear Ben in the kitchen. And then they hear Rachel's voice in the background and no one is laughing anymore.
'Holy shit.' Bass grumbles.
'Oh hell...' Miles looks over his shoulder with widespread panic in his eyes.
'This...' Miles hisses as he waves towards Bass and Charlie on the porch. 'This did not happen. Are we clear?'
They have barely enough time to nod to him before Miles shuts the door with a loud crashing sound and they both looked stunned at the closed kitchen
Author's Note I wanted to introduce Nora in this chapter because I have so much love for her character. I really like her together with Miles. I decided to approach Miles' affair with Rachel as a thing that belongs to the past. I think Nora is such a strong and beautiful woman and she will take care of his heart. I wanted to give them a chance to find honest real love. I love Christmas and the warmth it can bring so I loved writing the suprise at the front door part as well. Dear Lemon, I am so happy you are enjoy this story! I hope you liked this chapter too. There is one more part of the story to tell and I wanted to give that chapter to Bass and Charlie. I will publish that chapter next Thuesday. Thank you all for your support! A very merry Christmas to all of you, Love from Love
