Chapter 38

After a few more stolen kisses, Charlie had to pull himself from Gretchen and he mounted his broom and joined his mates. Jordan was still in the air talking to Joanna and Charlie grabbed his arm on the way down.

The team looked enthusiastic about the game. They had become familiar with the Falcons and there was a genuine bond there. The seeker, Piper Carter, greeted Charlie with a cheery wave; she blew him a kiss. Piper was a very determined young player. Charlie saw her as somewhat immature, but totally devoted to the sport. Her intenseness coupled with her youth made her potentially some of Charlie's biggest competition. Her immaturity made her fly off at the first glimmer of gold, but experience would cure her of that.

Beater Cole Austin was one of the biggest players Charlie had ever seen. His arms were huge and powerful. He was fierce looking and reminded Charlie of Scott Ching of the 'Aumakua Magic in his tenacity.

The Reds flew up together high about the pitch. The players were excited and as usual, Jack was nervous, but he always was. He smiled shyly at Liza Copow, one of the Falcons' chaser, and she grinned and waved at him as she flew by.

"Charlie wants a short game," Jordan told his teammates. "His girlfriend flooed in to surprise him. If we don't let him get worn out, he just might get lucky tonight."

Charlie wagged his eyebrows just as the whistle blew to begin the game. The crowd exploded as the play began; the announcer kept mentioning that this was the highest attendance ever recorded for the Chesapeake Bay Falcons and how the acquisition of the Falcons into the USA Quidditch League proved that this crowd loved its Quidditch. He kept asking his color man what the average attendance was when the team was in the National League. His enthusiasm caused him to miss six Reds' goals and Alicia's spectacular assist. Finally someone from the crowd threw a cup of beer at him, so he started reporting the game, although he managed to mention the crowd a couple of more times.

The Falcons played well, but their chasers still couldn't get past Jordan. Austin and Morgan stepped their efforts at aiming the bludger at him, but Jason and Lee deflected the bludger away from him and toward Piper Carter and Jeremy Gates, the Falcons' keeper.

The good news was the bludgers stayed away from Charlie. He stayed high in the sky where he last spotted the Golden Snitch. Piper got knocked off her broom twice and in a fit of frustration, she flew up to Jason and knocked him off his broom, causing a foul, and giving Charlie the opportunity to focus on the Golden Snitch, which he chased over to the Falcon's goals. The beaters flew next to Charlie and began beating him on his arms and legs with their beaters. The referee blew his whistle and two free shots were allowed for the blatant fouls. The Golden Snitch was over the head of Jeremy Gates, and Charlie plowed through him, securing the Golden Snitch in his outstretched hand. The Reds won 220 – 0!

After the game, both teams landed and one of the worst fist fights in Quidditch history broke out. Jeremy charged Charlie and Jason and Lee tore after Jeremy. Then it became beaters on beaters, chasers on chasers and Charlie and Jordon jumping on the pile. Alicia was punching Piper and Liza and Steven and Aiden were in a wrestling hold. The only one who had been pulled away was Jack. The referee grabbed him and pushed him down and Coach Popov held him back.

The crowd went crazy. They were cheering and when the fight finally ended the crowd booed the officials for separating the two teams.

Everyone was bloodied and bruised. Both teams were fined. Charlie had never seen Popov so angry. He cursed at them in Bulgarian, but the team got the idea. The word 'suspension' and 'banned for life' came up several times as well as confinement to the dorms.

Charlie looked up at the stands and saw Gretchen waiting patiently for him. Okay, so they wouldn't get the romantic evening he'd planned, but he was going to sneak her into the dorm. He was aching for her and he wouldn't a little thing like confinement stop him from spending the night with her.

When the team was finally released, Jordan and Charlie flew up to the stands where their women were waiting for them. Joanna was livid at the other team. Charlie suspected that had she not been pregnant, she'd had joined in the fracas. Gretchen was amused and told him that Xan and Roxie would have enjoyed the game. She was worried about the cut on his head and Charlie swiped at it. The blood had already started to dry.

In the middle of all this, Helena watched silently. She turned her head away when Gretchen kissed Charlie; looking awkward as the third wheel. Joanna and Gretchen were fussing over their men and all she could do was watch.

"Coach is talking about a curfew and having to sleep in the dorm tonight," Charlie said.

"Oh, no," Gretchen said. "I thought…"

"Don't worry about it; you can come back to the dorm with me."

"Are you sure it's all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, baby. Not exactly what I had planned, but we'll have to improvise. I have to make nice for a couple of hours while Coach yells at us some more, but I'll be back. Do you mind sticking around here?"

Gretchen shook her head. "Not at all."

Joanna took her arm. "We'll keep her company. Maybe we can all go out to dinner."

Charlie smiled and nodded. He didn't want to go out to dinner in a crowd of people; he wanted to be alone with Gretchen. He needed to tell her things that he didn't want to put off anymore. He wanted to apologize in person for walking out and getting so mad. He understood why she got mad at him. She needed to be reassured and kissed and loved and made love to.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately. He wanted to speak to her with this kiss how he felt. He loved her and he wanted a real relationship with her. No more playing around for him. She made him happy and she made him feel like a protector; her knight.

"Please wait for me," he whispered.

She kissed him. "I'm not going anywhere," she reassured him.

It did take two hours for Popov to punish the team; they left humble and aware that they were role models for young witches and wizards and if anyone EVER disgraced their uniform again, they would be on the road and suspended from play. The team was restricted to the dorms and there was midnight curfew.

Joanna repeated her invitation for Gretchen and Charlie to join her, Jordan, and Helena for dinner and drinks, but Charlie said no thank you and he pulled her away. They went straight way to the inn by the Bay that she had rented for the evening. The room had a lovely view of the Bay which was totally wasted. As soon as the door was closed, Charlie reached for her and she fell into his arms. He tried very hard to take his time, but once again he was caught up in her and he could not get enough. She responded in kind; tearing at his clothes, frustrated that she couldn't get him undressed fast enough. Their lovemaking was intense and passionate and over way too soon. Charlie wanted to take it slower, but his desire for Gretchen overcame his sensibilities.

The first casualty was her lacy bra, which Charlie ripped to shreds. He promised he would fix it, as he threw it over her head.

Gretchen giggled as she reached for the pieces. "I sure hope you can fix it. This is the only bra I brought."

"Oops. My mistake, I can't fix it, looks like you're going to have to go without one," he teased.

"Please, fix it, Charlie," she said, handing him the pieces. She was pouty and so damn irresistible.

"Before we leave," he promised kissing her. "You're a witch," he said, "don't you know the reparo hex?"

"Of course I do," she said. "But I am a little rusty. I don't use magic as much as you do."

"Hmm, we're going to have to do something about that. When we get back to Austin, you and I are going to have a magic weekend, and believe me, baby, it'll be magical."