Chapter 13

Charlie dragged into his house, totally exhausted; he threw his broom and uniforms in the corner and pulled open the refrigerator, looking for a beer. Finally, he thought as he grabbed a bottle of Tecate™, something has gone right. He eased his sore body on the stool at the kitchen bar and sighed.

He was beaten, battered, and bruised. Not only had Arizona slaughtered the Reds, but the team lost against the California Spinners, one of the worst teams in the league, the following week.

Joanna and Jordan were still fighting, Jack was still mooning over Xan; Jason and Lee were feuding over Alicia, who told everyone that her biological clock was ticking and she needed to have a baby. Jason and Lee took that to mean that she wanted them to father her child. Charlie had gotten the shit kicked out of him by bludgers and his visit with his daughter didn't go well at all.

Jessica, it turned out, had a new boyfriend and he had moved in with her. He was an artist, too, or a musician, and Charlie didn't like him at all. Jessica and Charlie fought the whole time he was there because he refused to stay in a hotel. She let him stay only to make Ingrid happy. Charlie advised new boyfriend, Seth, to stay the fuck away from him and not get too cozy with thinking he'd ever have anything to do with Ingrid. Seth, who was a free spirit, had no clue who he was dealing with. Charlie was sure he was gay and told him as soon as he accepted that fact he wouldn't be such a pussy. Charlie had the poor man in tears and Jessica steaming. It got to the point that she told him if he didn't stop, he'd never see Ingrid again.

Charlie looked at her with the darkest, most dangerous expression and whispered menacingly, "You know that'll never happen. You know what I am capable of."

Jessica was frightened; he had never looked so threatening or downright evil before. She knew that once Charlie's mind was made up, nothing could stop him. Seth started to defend Jessica, but he saw something in Charlie's eyes that made him immediately back off.

Charlie finally apologized. He had no idea what had come over him, he told her. The thought of someone usurping his authority with his daughter brought out the worst in sighed and took out another beer from the refrigerator. Minnie must be visiting her friends in Canada, because that annoying little bastard Chihuahua was silent for the first time. He wasn't due back until the next day and he had no desire to call her back.

He settled down in his favorite chair and for the first time in what seems like ages, he was calm and entirely at peace. He took the muggle cell phone out of his pocket and punched in two numbers. She answered on the first ring.

"Hi," she said sleepily. "You're home?"

"Yeah, just got in. Shitty week. I've missed you. What are you wearing?"

She laughed. "Sorry about your week. I can't believe California beat you," she said simpathically.

"Oh well, but shit, two in a row? I imagine Coach will have us all strung out to dry tomorrow morning. It was bound to happen sooner or later, though." Charlie sighed. "Gretchen, may I come over? I need to see you."

There was a long pause. "Charlie, it's late. Everyone's asleep."

"I know. Will you come here?"

"You know I won't," she said gently.

"It was worth a shot. Let me come over, then. I'll be quiet. I'll apparate down your street; no one will hear me. I need to see you face to face right now. I want to hold you." He could hear her breathing. "Please," he said after a long pause.

"All right. Just be very, very quiet."

"Leave your window open. I'll be there in less than 10 minutes. I'll see you soon. Gretchen?"

"Yes, Charlie," she said.

"Wear something sexy." He heard her chuckling as she ended the connection.

As promised, in less than 10 minutes, Charlie was at her window. She was surprised to see him floating outside her window. "You can fly," she said. "Wow."

He climbed in through the window. The first thing he did was wrap his arms around her, pulling her close to him. She had chastely put on pajamas and a robe and she looked quite modest.

"Is this your idea of sexy?" he asked, pulling on her pajama top. She playfully slapped his hand away.

"I missed you," he said, pulling her into his arms again. This time he kissed her and she responded. "Did you think about me?"

"Yes, I did," she said, honestly. "A lot. "

"You'll be happy to know that I was a very good boy while I was gone. I didn't go out very much; didn't get too drunk, and only got into one fight," he said proudly. "What did you do?"

Gretchen laughed and then shrugged. "You know, the exciting stuff; went to work, came home, fed the cat, cooked, cleaned. I'll stop now because I know I'm making you jealous of my exciting lifestyle."

Charlie chuckled. He sat down on her bed and patted it seductively, beckoning her to sit next to him. He noticed some magazines on the foot of the bed and picked them up.

"Witches!!!?," he said with a hint of a laugh in his voice. "I thought you didn't read these rags."

Gretchen blushed deeply and tried to pry it out of his hand. "These are Xan's. She and Roxie bought every celebrity Quidditch magazine there was. She showed me the pictures of her and Jack together at the game. She must have bought twenty copies. She's quite the local celebrity around here. Of course we can't show the picture to Grandma, she'd kill her or him."

"I'm not going to screw around with Grandma. She's not here is she?" he looked worried for a moment.

Gretchen laughed. "No, she's gone home, with the knowledge that she's preserved my virtue."

"So, your virtue is intact?" he asked, trying to look nonchalant.

"Sir, what are you asking me?" she asked in a scandalized tone.

It was Charlie's turn to blush. Gretchen smiled at him as she sat down next to him. She pushed him slightly causing him to fall back on her pillow. She leaned over him and began sliding her hands up his chest and over his shoulders and down his arms. She pinned his arms down and swung her leg across him, straddling him. She released his arms and kissed his chin and jaw and lips. Charlie ran his hands up and down her back and held her against him. He shifted her against him and she moaned as she grinded into his hard body.

She whispered in his ear, "I'm not a virgin," she whispered.

Charlie groaned as he rolled over pinning her underneath him. He assaulted her mouth and throat, leaving his mark on her throat. He unbuttoned the top buttons of her pajamas. His tongue followed the outline his fingers made around her breasts. He left his mark on her breast.

He felt her tremble as fingers slipped in the band of her pajama bottoms. She started to raise up so that he could remove the pajamas, but he stopped. He was shaking.

"Fuck," he said, relaxing against her. "I have to go." He kissed her hard, then pushed up into a sitting position. He raked his hands through his hair.

Gretchen was desperately trying to control her breathing. With shaking hands, she re-buttoned her top. She scrambled up and sat up next to him. "You don't have to go," she said.

"I don't think I can control myself if I stayed. I want you so bad, but this isn't the right time or place. You understand that, right?"

She nodded. "I do. And I want you to know that I want you just as badly." She kissed him.

"Friday night. You come to my house, Minnie'll fix us dinner; it'll just be the two of us. A date?" he asked, kissing her.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "Yes," she said. "Oh, yes!"