CHAPTER 4 **********OLD ACQUANITANCES******************

Charlotte just stared at her ex before he finally said : "Come on Bama. Let's take a walk in the garden. I'll show you what I've done with it."

Charlotte walked outside with him as he pointed out the new flowers and shrubs he had planted. The gardens wrapped around his four acres of property.

"Was it your idea to bring me here and help with that kid?" Charlotte asked.

Matthew put his hand around Charlotte's waist. "When I found out the kid was hurt and needed help I thought of you right away. I sent out a private investigator that owes me a favor to do some snooping around. He came back and told me where you were living. I was happy to find out that you're still single and living with a woman friend. You haven't crossed over to the other side have you?" Matthew asked seriously.

"No!" Charlotte snapped. "I still like men."

Matthew smiled. "I was just surprised to find out you were still single after all this time. I mean a hottie like you. I'm surprised some guy hasn't grabbed you up by now."

"I just got out of a long term relationship. I was living with a guy until we broke up recently." Charlotte stopped to smell some yellow long stem roses.

"Why did you break up ?" Matthew picked one of the roses and handed it to Charlotte.

"Because of you. Believe it or not." Charlotte told him as she inhaled the sweet scent of the rose he just picked for her.

"Me. What did I do?" Matthew was baffled.

"I told him I was married before. He wanted to know about you and why we broke up and I didn't want to tell him." T hey started walking again.

"That's why he broke up with you? Seems like a lame reason to me." Matthew put his arm around Charlotte's waist as they strolled along the garden pathway.

"He's a sensitive guy. He's all about honesty and no secrets. He can't deal with it that there is a part of my life he knows nothing about."

"So why didn't you just tell him?" Matthew asked casually.

"About what? How we first met? Or about what your family does?" Charlotte was sarcastic.

"What? Is he that much of a stickler? You were in College when we first met. A lot of people make the wrong choices in college. Besides I straightened you out. I put you on the right path. Helped you set some goals for yourself. You ended up getting into John Hopkins Med School. You shouldn't be ashamed of those years."

"Well I am. Sometimes I cringe to think how my life would have turned out if I never met you. You were my knight in shining armor rescuing me from that life."

"Your parents would have straightened you out, if I didn't come along and find you first." Matthew smiled at her. He was admiring how beautiful Charlotte looked in the afternoon sun. Her hair shimmered and looked so silky. He wanted to kiss her but thought better of it. "Besides I kind of felt responsible. You were working at my father's strip club and it was my father's workers who were feeding you girls those pills."

"I can't believe how naïve I was back then. My roommates and I took those pills to loosen up so we would dance better. We used to have competitions. Whoever took home the most money in tips was the best dancer."

"Well I could tell you that you were definitely the best pole dancer there was." Matthew laughed.

Charlotte scrunched up her face and smacked him as hard as she could across the back.

"What? That was a compliment." Matthew smacked her back but on the butt.

Charlotte gave him a mad look but quickly changed it to a smile when he made his sad puppy dog face at her. It reminded her of Cooper. Cooper would make that same kind of face at her when he wanted sympathy.

Charlotte looked straight ahead and continued talking. "I still can't believe you work for the FBI considering what your family does."

"I was always the black sheep. Baaa Baaa" He turned to Charlotte to see her smiling at his foolishness.

"I guess Jesse followed in your father's footsteps instead of yours by the way he kidnapped me last night to help his friend who got shot." Charlotte said disappointed. "I always liked Jesse. He was a sweet kid I thought he would become a cop like you not a criminal like your dad."

"Jesse's still young. He'll find his way just like you did. I'm not giving up on him."

"Why do you have his friend here? The kid's been shot. He's running from the law. You're FBI. Isn't that a problem?" Charlotte asked straight out.

"I love my job but family comes first. My brother asked for my help. What else could I do? I wasn't going to let the kid die. So I thought about you. You're a doctor. I figured you'd help."

"I will. I'll write him a prescription for antibiotics and clean out the wound."

"And will you tell anyone?" Matthew asked.

"I wont tell anyone." Charlotte answered.

"Good. Then we can let you go." Matthew told her.

"What if I don't want to go?" Charlotte asked him.

Matthew looked surprised. He grabbed Charlotte's hand. Charlotte looked at him and smiled.

"So does this mean you forgive me?" Matthew asked holding Charlotte's hand tight.

"I do." Charlotte answered.

"Wow. I didn't think you would ever forgive me. I broke your trust. You were pretty upset about it at the time."

"I was. I was pissed that you would betray me that you would sleep with another woman. I wanted to kill you." Charlotte was still holding his hand.

"Why the change in heart then?" Matthew asked.

"I understand it now. You said it was a moment of weakness. That is was just sex. That what we had was love. That you shouldn't walk away from the one you love. Now Cooper wants to walk away from me even though he knows I love him."

"So you still love Cooper?" Matthew asked disappointed.

"I do but it doesn't matter. He isn't willing to forgive me just like I wasn't willing to forgive you. Guess that old saying is right. Watch out what ya do because what goes around comes back around to bite ya." Charlotte was looking at the ground now as she was walking.

"I know where you're coming from Charlotte. When you left me I was so down but there was nothing I could do to make you forgive me. You could tell Cooper the truth about your past."

"I don't know. When we broke up he called me some real raw and nasty names. Don't know if I could ever forget it. But I still love him ya know? I slept with him last month at a friends wedding. Then he told me it was a mistake."

"It sounds to me like he is trying to punish you. He's trying to make you suffer."

"Well it's working. I ended up getting pregnant from that mistake sex." Charlotte told him.

Matthew let go of Charlotte's hand and looked at her. "You're pregnant? I'm sorry I didn't know. I wouldn't have let my brother orchestrate that kidnapping if I knew."

"It's okay. I'm fine. I'm actually glad you brought me here. I needed the distraction. I like being here. The garden's are beautiful and I like talking to you. I haven't had anybody that I could confide in like this."

"Why not? Don't you have friends?" Matthew asked.

"Not any close friends. Violet is Cooper's best friend and everyone else is so wrapped up in their own problems. But I feel like I could tell you anything. You never judge me."

Matthew and Charlotte approached the gazebo at the center of the garden. They sat down to take a break on the soft bench inside the gazebo. Matthew put his arm around Charlottes' shoulder and then ran his fingers through Charlotte's soft silky hair. He looked to see her reaction. Charlotte looked up into his eyes. Then she grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him close to kiss. She thought about Cooper and thought about pulling away from the kiss as she sucked on Matthews' soft sultry lips. Matthew returned the kiss and she remembered what a good kisser he was. She felt him wrap his muscular arms around her. She remembered how Cooper said he was ready to move on. She was starting to feel less guilty. She felt Matthew's soft wet kisses on the nape of her neck and it felt so good. She remembered Cooper bragging to Violet about all the bimbos he was with since they broke up. Charlotte decided to give her self up to Matthew. She looked him in the eyes and said. "Love me Matthew." Matthew picked her up and laid her on the floor of the gazebo. Charlotte decided to forget about Cooper for awhile.

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