SEVEN
They didn't talk about the morning after the storm, but the comfort that it had brought them seemed to ease the tension. By the time they had followed their small leads to Clayton, New Mexico, they were back to their comfortable silences and speaking with just a glance. They still didn't talk much, but that had never been one of their strong suits anyway.
True to Wasteland fashion, Clayton was rough. There was no leader here which meant people were free to do as they pleased. Some were nice and honest, but, for the most part, were hard to find. It was a miracle the anyone spoke to the dangerous looking outsiders, but by the end of the day they had secured a lead.
"Farmington isn't that far away," Charlie said as they walked through the town. "We could ride through the night and be there by early to mid afternoon tomorrow. Should be enough time to catch up."
Monroe shook his head, surprising her. "I'd rather not push too much. We rode hard to get here in the time that we did. We'll leave at first light."
Charlie nodded and gestured to the inn off to their right. "One room or two?"
"One," he replied and their eyes met. Charlie knew his answer was due to the fact that this town was sketchy. They were new in town; easy targets. If word got out that she was alone for the night, she could almost guarantee that the night would end badly.
"One it is," she said and went to secure it for them while Monroe waited outside.
He peered out at the people that wandered the town as he waited. Most of them had seen and done things that gave them the hard looks they sported. This was why he hated the Wasteland. There had never been much here to begin with, but the hostility that ran through the entire empire was too much. Even though Monroe had been feared, there had never been fear of one's neighbors while living in his Republic. He sighed heavily as he thought of the rubble that was once Philly, trying hard to squash the familiar anger that came with the memories.
He was pulled from his thoughts by Charlie as she stepped outside. She beckoned him to follow her and then led them to their room towards the back. The moment they walked in, Charlie was pleased to discover that only were there two beds, but a tub with a well tap connected. Her face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning and Monroe had to force himself to look away.
"Who would have thought the Wasteland would have such a luxury," she said as she placed her things down on one of the beds.
"There's a bar a few buildings back. I'll give you some privacy." He placed his stuff on the other bed.
"Thanks."
"Just don't empty the well," he teased, somewhat serious.
She grinned at him. "No promises."
Monroe rubbed his jaw as he watched her slip into the bathroom. Once the door closed, he turned and decided he definitely needed to go. Being this close to a naked Charlie was asking for trouble. With that, he slipped out of the room and locked the door behind him. He wasted no time in turning and heading for the bar not far from the inn. He didn't know if Charlie was the kind of girl that would lounge in the water until she couldn't stand it or if she would only use what water she needed. He could picture her lying in the tub, the water barely covering-
His thoughts were interrupted as someone bumped into him. "Watch it!" the guy hissed as he continued walking.
Monroe ground his teeth and shook his head. There was no need to go down that road. After all, he had been the one to draw the line and put an end to things before they got too far. He sighed with relief as he sat on a stool at the bar. He was in desperate need of a drink. That's not the only thing I'm desperate for, he thought before he could help himself.
As if the universe had heard him, a woman with short dark hair and full round hips approached him, a wide inviting smile on her face. "You must be new in town."
"How'd you guess?"
"Nothing goes unnoticed here," she said and ordered a drink of her own. "How long are you in town for?"
"Only for the night."
"Shame," she replied, her eyes raking over his body.
"How so?" he asked, smiling at her over the rim of his glass. It had been a very long time since someone had been this forward with him.
"That means I only get one night with you," she said, downing her shot with ease. She moved to stand between his knees, her hands sliding slowly up his thighs. "Guess we better start soon," she added, her voice low with desire.
He smiled and put his glass down before placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her back. "While I appreciate the offer, I'm going to decline."
One of her brows rose as she looked down at his lap and then back up at his face. "Well, if you change your mind, my name's Cara," she said and sauntered away.
Monroe shut his eyes for a moment and then signaled for the bartender. "A double please," he ordered. He definitely needed alcohol if he was going to make it through the night.
Charlie could have fallen asleep in the bathtub, but she knew Monroe had wanted to use it too. After spending what felt like eternity getting clean, she peeked around the door to make sure the coast was clear before going through her bag for a change of clothes. Before emptying the tub she washed the clothes she had changed out of and draped them over what was left of the sink. She secured her sword around her waist, pulled on her jacket, and decided to head out and meet Monroe for a drink.
He had said there was a bar a few buildings back, but as it turned out, this town was full of bars. She couldn't say it surprised her that much; from the stories she had heard there wasn't much else to do in the Wasteland. Hell, after the blackout, there wasn't much else to do anyway. It was after the fifth one Charlie realized if she was going to find Monroe she would have to go inside and take a peek around so she started with the one closest to her.
There was a decent crowd inside the establishment and they all seemed to be in good spirits. It was the atmosphere that immediately let Charlie know Monroe was not there. He might have been fun back in the day, but he would be somewhere quieter. After one last quick scan, Charlie turned to leave, but her path was blocked by a man not that much taller or older than she was.
"You can't leave," he said, a smirk on his lips.
Charlie bit back the panic as she began to feel the helplessness she had felt the last time she had been cornered in a bar. Her hands balled into fists and she knew she was ready to strike. Apparently he sensed it too and stepped back, holding his hands up.
"No, no, no," he said. "It was supposed to- Damn it, that was really aggressive and creepy, I'm sorry." Charlie felt herself relax as she stared at him. He seemed to come undone just by her intense gaze. "I was going to say you can't leave before I get the chance to buy you a drink."
"What makes you think I'd let you?" she asked.
"Well I wouldn't really blame you if you didn't now," he said and ran a hand through his hair at the awkwardness. "Gosh, I'm really sorry."
There was something about his demeanor that made Charlie believe him. Something about his light green eyes and golden hair coupled with soft features and a kind smile made her smile back. "Well as an apology you can buy me a drink," she said.
"Pick your poison."
"Whatever you choose," she said and followed him to the bar where he ordered them a round.
They moved through the crowd until they found a space that gave them room to breathe. "I'm Trick."
"Charlie."
"What problems are you running from that brought you to this little slice of heaven?" he asked, his eyes full of humor.
"I'm helping a friend track someone down."
"A tracker, huh? That's a pretty nifty skill." He took a drink and watched as she did the same. "One of many I presume."
Killer. Thief. Hunter. Just to name a few. Instead of saying any of those at the risk of scaring him away, Charlie nodded. "You have no idea."
"Is that so?" he returned, his eyes raking up and down her body.
Charlie took another drink and a deep breath soon after the liquor had burned its way down her throat. Trick was cute and trying hard to impress her. She had been frustrated since her first encounter with Monroe and now that he had closed the door on that route, she felt free to take Trick up on the offer that she knew was coming soon. She sighed as she forced those feelings away like she had done when she hooked up with Connor and downed the rest of her drink. Monroe be damned; he just because he wasn't going to make a move didn't mean she couldn't find satisfaction from someone else.
"You wanna get out of here?" she asked, setting her glass on the table beside them.
His eyes widened at her boldness. "Um, yeah. Sure."
Charlie smiled as he tried to play it cool and took him by the hand after he set his glass on the table next to hers. She led him through the crowd and through the nearly empty streets until they reached a place that was secluded enough for her to do what she wanted. Once they were out of sight she turned and pushed him back against the wall, her front pressing against his. She reached up and brought his lips down to hers. His hands fell to her hips to hold her close as he explored her mouth.
Her hands slid down his chest until they stopped at the waistband of his jeans. As she began to undo the snap, he reached down and pushed her hands away. He pulled back enough to smirk at her. His fingers moved to her jeans to mimic the actions as he said, "Ladies first."
She grinned and widened her stance as he undid her pants enough to allow him to slip his hand behind the material. She hissed and as his index finger slid between her folds, touching her where she craved attention most. Her head tipped up and his lips sought her neck without missing a beat. She wasn't sure if he was skilled enough to have brought her closer so fast or if she was just that worked up, but Charlie never got to experience the release she sought as Trick was yanked away by the back of his shirt.
Charlie bit her lip and could only move in slow motion as she refastened her pants. Through her haze she saw Monroe throw a punch at Trick. "Jesus, Charlie. Every time I turn around you're fucking someone else," Monroe growled.
Charlie gave him a lazy smile. She wasn't sure if she wanted to lash out with her fists or her words. Monroe was used to getting punched as was evident by the scars and bruises that marred his body so Charlie went with the second option. "Well you weren't going to. Girls have needs too."
She saw the fury in his eyes as he stared at her. "She didn't tell me she was with anyone!" Trick interjected, one hand wiping away the blood that flowed from his nose.
"We're not together," they replied in unison.
Monroe glared at Charlie for a moment before turning on Trick again. He grabbed him by the shirt and stared him right in the eye. "You have two seconds to get out of my face and so help me... If I see you anywhere near her ever again, you won't live to see another day," he threatened and let go.
Trick didn't think twice before scrambling away.
Monroe kept his body turned away from Charlie as she stood there, silently fuming. She wanted to lash out again, say something to make him hurt, but something in his stance made her hesitate. She had seen him angry, hellbent on revenge and out for blood, but his was pure anger. She could see the way his muscles bunched under his clothes and in his exposed skin. So instead of saying anything, she did nothing but watch as he simply walked away without saying a word.
The amount of money Monroe would have had to burn on alcohol to erase what he had just witnessed was more than he had in his possession. He recalled how he had come to be in that awful situation; by drinking until he started to consider Cara's offer, meaning it was time to get out of that bar and go to sleep. He had gone to the inn hoping that Charlie was done with her bath and decent. Instead, he was greeted by an empty room. After a moment of swearing at her recklessness, Monroe had set out to find her.
Now he was on his way back to the room at the inn wishing he had never gone back out in the first place. He was debating on whether or not he should get his things and leave Charlie here on her own when he felt himself being shoved into a building.
"What the hell was that?" came Charlie's voice from behind him.
"You're welcome."
"Excuse me?" Her blue eyes were wild as he turned to look at her.
"I saved you from making a big mistake."
She snorted. "You've saved me a few times; that is not what you were doing back there."
Their emotions were feeding off one another's, leading them down a dark path. "We don't have time for this kind of thing."
"If someone had approached you I'm sure it would have been okay," she said, her voice dangerously low.
"Charlie-"
She shook her head and cut him off as she stepped forward. "So let me get this straight. You decided you can't have me and that means no one else can, but you are free to bang whoever you want?"
"No, I-"
"You know what?" she asked rhetorically, cutting him off again. "I don't give a shit what you do. So please do us both a favor and get over yourself. I told you we would figure our feelings out on the road and you've decided for us already, but that means you gave up any right to keep me from being with someone else. As soon as we find Connor I'm going back to my mom and Miles," she said and made her way towards their room.
He was hot on her heels and the moment the door closed, he slammed up against it. "I had the chance to fuck somebody else, but I didn't take it because no matter how much I want to stick to my guns and keep my hands off of you, Charlie, I can't. I don't want to think of anyone's hands on you, anyone else's mouth on your skin..." he shook his head. "God help me, I want you."
"Good," she breathed and reached up in order to bring his lips down to hers.
She gripped his face tightly as to not let him pull away ever again. His hands were on her hips, his fingers digging in in order to pull her close. Their kiss was frantic and raw, fueled by their lust for one another and their anger. The tension and frustration they had caused each other since they had reunited in New Vegas also made an appearance, making them both ready to explode simply from kissing. His mouth crushed hers as they explored each other. Their tongues battled for control, neither of them wanting to give up to the other.
Needing air, Monroe broke their kiss first by simply moving his lips to her jaw. He nipped and suckled her skin as he made his way down the column of her throat. She tipped her head to the side and let out a breathy moan as her fingers wove their way through his hair. He forced his fingers to let go of her hips so that they could slither up her sides. They curled around her jacket and tugged until it slid down her shoulders. He let it fall to the floor beside them and then groaned as let her right hand glide down to rub him through the material of his jeans.
Charlie whined and clutched at the material of his shirt when he pulled away from her. He captured her lips as he brought them away from the door. On their way to the bed, they undressed each other. Her shirt was ripped away and they tripped over his jeans as he kicked them off, but nothing broke the spell of lust they found themselves under.
They were completely naked by the time the back's of Charlie's knees hit the bed he had claimed earlier. He had his arms locked around her as hers were looped under his, her hands on his shoulder blades. Their lips were locked, still exploring and battling. His erection pressed against her stomach and Charlie moaned as his fingers tugged at her hair, angling her to deepen the kiss. He pushed forward as if to place her on the bed, but Charlie resisted and smirked into their kiss.
Monroe gasped with surprise as she turned them around and pushed him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at her. His eyes raked over her and he took in the sight of her. There wasn't much light in the room, but the small cracks in the walls here and there allowed him to see how beautiful she was. His eyes fluttered as she moved forward, positioning herself so that she was straddling his waist. Her left hand rested on his shoulder while her right went to cup his face. She brought her lips hungrily over his and rocked her hips, indicating she was more than ready.
Monroe reached between them with his left hand, his right digging into her hip to keep her in place. He ran his finger through her folds, enjoying the way she hissed into their kids. She was soaking wet and more than ready for him. As he dipped his middle finger into her body he groaned at how tight she was. His cock twitched with anticipation. His thumb tweaked her clit and his eyes shut for a second as her walls clenched at his finger, sucking him in deeper.
"I want you inside me," she whispered against his lips.
That was all he needed.
Monroe withdrew his left hand from her heat in favor of wrapping his hand around his cock. Without any forewarning, he pushed his hips up and sank deep inside her. They moaned in unison. His hand went to the small of her back and then began rocking back and forth. Her hand moved from his cheek to sink into his hair. She grabbed some of it and forced his head back, her lips immediately going to his neck.
"Fuck!" he panted as he continued to thrust in and out of her. His hand went back to where their bodies were joined and used his thumb to rub her clit.
She shuddered around him and he could feel her short breaths against his neck as she came for the first time. He used her momentary stillness to switch positions. By the time Charlie was down from her high she was on her back with Monroe's weight pressing pleasantly down on her. Her knees were bent and her thighs were cradling his body as he drove into her again. Her hands were resting on his shoulders, his thrusts picking up speed. Charlie met his pace without missing a beat.
She began to pout when he pulled back to sit on his knees. He pulled her down and lifted her legs so that her knees bent over his shoulders. From that angle he was able to slam into her with incredible force, making sure that he buried himself completely before repeating the action. Her head ground against the blankets beneath her, her hands fisting them as well. They stared at each other like they always did, neither one of them daring to close their eyes or look away. It made the intensity of their tryst burn brightly.
"Bass!" she cried as she felt herself launch into her second orgasm. Her eyes were still open and he could see her come undone as he kept thrusting away.
"Charlie," he breathed as he came mid thrust. Her walls were milking him, drawing every bit of his seed into her. He gave a few more thrusts and then unhooked her legs from his shoulders. He pulled out of her and then moved to lay beside her. They both said nothing as they stared up at the ceiling, panting hard to catch their breath.
Monroe blinked several times as he fought the need to fall asleep right then and there. The anger and the rough sex had taken its toll on his body. As he turned his head to look at Charlie, he could tell from her hooded gaze that she was feeling the same way.
They didn't smile or say anything as their eyes met. They knew what had happened and that it would affect them for the rest of their future, but at this moment neither of them wanted to talk about it. Monroe stretched out his right arm and after Charlie lifted her head, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her close. She laid his head in the crook of his arm and turned her body towards his. His fingers brushed over her side idly as she looped an arm around his waist. They stayed that way as they drifted off into much needed sleep.
