"You Call It Madness But I Call It Love"
Hi CJers!
Well if you guys keep reviewing so much and begging me for more I'm gonna run out of chapters soon!
XTR - Yes I have a habit of using Watson or Ruby as interrupting-pain-in-the-butt characters! Yay for still liking Watson! Yes no Watson interruptions on the Blaxland but good idea for Charlie to keep that phone off!
CJ4eva - Okay well if you insist! Well I hope their chemistry just keeps growing!
Kirsty - Oh yes I'm always evil when you guys want them to get together! Or maybe not so evil...
Skippy - Good ol' Watson and her bad timing! I thought it was about time Charlie was rational about her feelings for Joey!
JCLuv - Hope I managed to get this one up before you go away! Have a good time and hopefully they'll be a nice lil chapter waiting for you when you get back!
B2T - Bwa haha! You found me out! Ah course it's me who buggers it up and uses Watson or Ruby as my lil scapegoats! I don't always bugger it up for CJ...just 99% of the time! Family backlash huh? You could be onto something there!
Jensy - Or I could just attempt to make it even better than you imagined!
Chaz - Well they gotta get it on at some point otherwise this wouldn't be a CJ fic...but alrighty then hot hook-up is on the agenda!
Oniz - Yay you're on board with this fic! Oh I sure love to make you guys wait and I'm glad you love my writing! You guys wouldn't have it any other way! Charlie likes bad girls and Joey likes a girl in uniform - I think you've nailed it!
Ally - Thanks heaps for your support! Can only hope it goes well...
Kimmylove - You forgot I was a meany? Shame on you! Haha just kidding! Glad to see you're reading this fic too! Lovey duvey picnic? Hmmm maybe it sure is! Hope you continue to like this Charlie!
JSCO - I thought you'd guys would enjoy reading an original CJ storyline that's set with these two very different characters! I hope it's a more happy ending too!
Hope you enjoy this one!
Chapter Ten
A few minutes later the pair were settling down on the boat. Joey was standing on the deck staring down the river, whilst Charlie had moved around some of the cushions on one of the side seats so the pair could relax comfortably and enjoy the food that she then began setting out for them.
Joey turned around to Charlie, "So are we trespassing on someone's boat here? Are you a bad cop after all?"
Charlie smirked at Joey's comment, "Nope good cop only! The Blaxland belongs to Alf. I called Morag while I was watching you surf to double check it'd be okay for us to...use the Blaxland as a...lunch venue. Too bad I don't know how to drive a boat...otherwise I'd take you on a tour down the river."
Joey grinned as she stared at Charlie, "Next time...make sure you bring the keys for this boat...I'll take you for a tour down the river...I may even stand behind you at the wheel and let you have control."
Charlie glanced at her in surprise, "You know how to drive a boat?"
Joey shrugged, "It's one of my many talents. I'll be sure to show you one day soon. So is there anything else you want to know about me?"
Charlie continued setting out the food she'd arranged, "Yeah actually...do you ever wear anything other than board shorts and a bikini top? That's all I seem to see you in...I should've...asked you something more important huh...?"
Joey blushed as she glanced down at her outfit, "I guess I don't...surfer chick at heart...always."
Settling down amongst the cushions, the pair made a start on the lunch Charlie had organised for them. In between bites of sandwiches and pieces of fruit salad, the two women began talking to one another about their lives.
Charlie surprised herself by opening up to Joey about coping with her father's illness and recent death, while Joey found herself telling Charlie about her history with her brothers and her surfing career.
The two of them finished off as much food as they could eat, thoroughly enjoying one another's company. Neither of them had approached the topic of the bond that was forming between them let alone their near-kiss. With every moment in Joey's presence, Charlie was beginning to accept her feelings for Joey more and more. Though she wasn't sure exactly what her feelings were, Charlie knew that she'd never felt this way in a long time. Whenever she was around Joey – she felt safe and protected.
Eying Charlie softly, Joey smirked as she ignored her desire to ask Charlie about her feelings for her, "So...I gotta admit...I'm in the mood to listen to some music. You got an I-Pod on you?"
Charlie chuckled at her, enjoying Joey's fresh sense of life that she was jealous of, "Who doesn't?"
Fumbling around her handbag, Charlie managed to pull out her I-Pod and speakers so they could listen to some music. Joey soon set up the I-Pod, flicking through some music until she found some fun music and placed the I-Pod on shuffle.
Charlie stared at Joey in amusement as the woman suddenly stood up on the Blaxland's decking and had no qualms about dancing along to the music. Charlie watched in amazement at the woman as she moved around the decking in time with the music. Charlie's eyes were fixated on the woman's body as she once more wondered what she would've done had Joey kissed her the previous evening.
Joey watched Charlie out of the corner of her eye whilst she danced freely, noticing the look on Charlie's face that the woman was deep in thought. Wanting her to forget about thinking about what their budding relationship meant and simply enjoy the time they spent together, Joey shocked Charlie when she reached out her hand for Charlie to join her dancing.
Charlie's eyes widened at the prospect of dancing crazily on the Blaxland's decking. Though there was hardly any audience watching them, Charlie felt embarrassed at the thought of anyone finding the couple together. Licking her lips, Charlie was unsure of what she'd meant by thinking of her and Joey as a couple...
Joey continued to hold her hand out, grinning flirtatiously at Charlie until the older woman gave in to her request and allowed Joey to pull her onto the decking so they could dance wildly to the music playing.
Charlie couldn't believe that she'd given into Joey's request so easily and was standing there next to Joey twisting her body in time with the music and waving her arms around calmly.
Joey smiled happily at Charlie, as they danced in tune with the fun music, but the younger brunette felt a desperate need to have Charlie in her arms. Whilst afraid of Charlie's rejection for the feelings she had for her, Joey knew she couldn't keep pretending that she didn't feel anything at all for the police officer.
Charlie had never felt so relaxed and free in her life as she continued to watch Joey's body as it moved in time with the beat, and the thought of embracing the woman in her arms kept appearing in her mind.
Before either of them could do anything about their similar desires, they both awkwardly stopped dancing as the fast-paced music gave way to a much slower romantic song. Joey pursed her lips as she regretted placing the I-Pod on shuffle and should've foreseen a romantic song coming on at a moment that she wished to hold Charlie in her arms.
Charlie stood in front of Joey unsure where to glance for fear of Joey seeing the fear in her eyes at the thought of slow dancing with her and the pair being caught out by any of the locals who could happen across the Wharf.
Without realizing it, Joey began swaying to the soft music and she listened to the lyrics that had to do with the fact that 'Love Hurts.' Swallowing deeply, Charlie found herself also swaying slowly to the song.
Noticing the fact that Charlie refused to look her in the eyes and sensing the reason why, Joey felt brave enough to step up directly in front of Charlie so that Charlie could no longer avoid her gaze. Charlie blushed deeply as Joey brushed up closer to her and she was forced to look deep into Joey's eyes.
Seeing the calmness and loving desire in Joey's eyes, Charlie couldn't help but sense the same look in her own eyes.
Biting her lip at the look in Charlie's eyes, Joey made another brave move when she reached her right hand up towards Charlie's and hovered her other hand beside Charlie's hip wanting nothing more to hold Charlie in her arms.
Charlie's first instinct was to run. She could see it now...taking a step back, grabbing her handbag, making excuses as to why she had to leave before leaping off the Blaxland and hurrying down the Wharf away from Joey...and the feelings she was clearly developing for her...
Swallowing deeply, Charlie accepted that running away from her feelings for Joey wouldn't do anything but hurt the pair of them more.
Taking Joey's outstretched hand and entangling their fingers, Charlie took a step closer to Joey, brushing up against the woman's body. At the same moment the pair slipped their other hands on each other's hips and they began dancing quietly along to the song.
Staring deep into each other's eyes Charlie and Joey relaxed into their dance. Resting her head against Charlie's shoulder, Joey smiled when Charlie rested her own head against the top of her own.
Charlie couldn't explain the sensations that were running through her at having the other woman firmly in her embrace. The only thing she could explain, though she still struggled to admit it to herself, was that it felt so right to hold Joey against her. She could feel her heart beating faster than it ever had and she couldn't help but stare at the brunette in amazement at the feelings that Joey was invoking in her.
Charlie knew she'd never had these feelings before despite been so sure that what she'd felt for Angelo was real love – she knew now that she'd never truly been in love before...until now.
Joey was conflicted. Her feelings for Charlie were completely overriding the fact that she knew she shouldn't be getting involved with the woman. Though she had been willing to defy her brother's demands that she stayed away from the cop, she knew deep down that it wasn't possible for anything to happen between her and Charlie.
How can it when I have the sense that Darryl would sooner hurt Charlie at the thought of her being with me?
Before Joey could even think to question the real reason behind her brother's determination that she kept her distance from Charlie, she realized the romantic song was coming to an end.
Accepting that she would soon need to let go of Charlie once the I-Pod moved onto the next song that was unlikely to be so romantic, Joey pulled back slightly so she was staring back up at Charlie.
Squeezing Joey's fingers with their hands still clasp together, Charlie almost couldn't believe how different the woman she was embracing was the same one she'd first met. Assuming Joey to be nothing more than a dangerous, tattooed, bad girl just like her brothers, Charlie was amazed to see this softer and romantic Joey that she was holding in her arms. She wondered if Joey had ever shown this side of herself to anyone else.
Joey's chest rose heavily as she noticed how close her lips were to Charlie's. She had been thoroughly disappointed when they had been unable to enjoy their first kiss and wondered if now was the perfect moment to share their first kiss.
Before Charlie and Joey could think about it further, they found themselves leaning forwards as their lips met in a soft and passionate kiss.
So was that a better dance on the Blaxland than H&A could come up with?
And it was about damn time I let them have that kiss!
These two are smoking hot together!
So now that they've given into their attraction - where to next for the budding couple?
Next time - The gals have a bit of a chat about their feelings for one another.
Will they decide they want a relationship with each other or that being together is nothing but madness!