I hope you guys like this. I'm not well, but this is fun to write.
Chapter 3
Another day in the farm. Charlie was still in the same room at nights with Monroe. At day time Monroe was working so she spent most of her time with Jamie. He seemed to be fun to be around with. She didn't know why but the easy-going relationship she had had with Monroe, had somehow turned into strained one. He gave weird, serious looks to them if she was at the stables with Jamie.
She thought that maybe Monroe had just reverted into his old habits. And didn't care to think about it more.
Charlie was given the task to spread hay to the horses with Jamie.
Monroe was cleaning the stalls far back.
She remembered what he looked like the last time. Taking his shirt off. Sweat gleaming on his bare skin, his muscles rippling under his skin as he worked. His hair a lovely mess of curls, his piercing blue eyes and his scruff surrounding his smirk when he realized she was watching him. She sighed.
Why did he have to look so good?
Charlie was brought back to Earth when Jamie said something. "What?"
"Are you daydreaming?"
"Me? No.", she said, and felt her cheeks blush.
Jamie just smiled, letting it be.
They laughed and tried to work the same time.
Jamie threw some hay on her and she did him the same to him.
"You know, your friend Jim gives me some murdering looks."
"Why?"
"I think he has a crush on you."
"What…M... Um, Jimmy? Nah."
"Look when I tell you to. Laugh now.", Jamie said and continued to tease her.
Charlie did so and when she turned her head... Jamie was right. The look on Monroe's face was dark like the clouds before the storm when he glared at Jamie. Then he noticed Charlie was watching him. His eyes softened, and he turned his gaze back to his work.
"If looks could kill, I'd be dead.", Jamie said.
Charlie was wondering what the hell was going on. Monroe wasn't interested in her. Or was he? Why was he acting this way? She had to find out.
Monroe was almost done with raking horse manure when Charlie stormed in.
"Are you jealous?"
"What? Me? You are Miles's niece. I'm just looking after your virtue."
"You don't do that. You are not my Dad, not my uncle. You don't even care about anyone but yourself."
Monroe looked pissed. "You don't know me."
"Well, I guess I don't. But it doesn't give you the right to give evil eye to Jamie."
She saw his jaw twitching when she said his name. Charlie looked around and made sure no one would hear. "I'm right, am I?"
"Don't you remember when you said you don't sleep with girls like me. Was that a fucking lie?"
Monroe just looked at her and leaned to the rake.
"Don't you dare to ignore me.", Charlie warned.
"What I recall, I said that I don't sleep with drugged women."
"What's wrong with enjoying someone's company? You know that's something I rarely get.", she continued.
"Nothing. He is just trying to get into your pants."
"And it bothers you because you are my what? A holy guardian and you are trying to keep my virtue safe? Are you sure it's not you who wants to get into my pants?"
"If I wanted to, I would have done that already."
"Oh God. You really are full of yourself, you know? This is going nowhere. But this I will say. If I have fun, don't take it away from me.", Charlie said and left.
Later in the evening. Monroe knew he was lying to himself as well. He had wanted Charlie, but he also knew that he wasn't good enough for her. She was the most impressive young woman he knew. Furious, standing her ground. A fighter. Strong, resilient. She was trustworthy. And a great opponent. Beautiful, intelligent, a survivor.
He knew he couldn't stand the idea of her being with anyone else. He couldn't say it to her aloud. It would have sounded wrong and would reveal something she would not want to hear. Hell, maybe even he didn't want to hear it. Also, he didn't want to get hurt if she would turn him down. It would be an obstacle between them forever and messing up their friendship for good.
The family asked them for a dinner. Lizzie had prepared the food. There was some roasted venison, onions, potatoes, vegetables. Gravy in a pan. Water, beer.
Monroe felt the sting of disappointment when Charlie sat next to Jamie. Hearing them talking, then laughing, made him feel even more lonely.
"Fuck.", Bass muttered under his breath.
He knew he should let them be. They were just two young adults, wanting to have fun. But he knew also that he was jealous. And hell yeah, he wanted to be next to her, the one who would make her laugh and smile. How much he did want that, left even him surprised.
He needed a beer and fast.
Charlie noticed Monroe staring at her and sometimes giving disapproving glances at Jamie's way.
"He is doing that again.", Jamie said when he knew that the others wouldn't hear.
"Have you talked to him?"
" I tried. He refused."
"Maybe he is afraid of rejection."
Charlie almost choked to her drink and spat some of it out, on her hand, laughing surprised. "Jimmy afraid? He is not afraid of anything."
"Maybe he is.", Jamie said.
Charlie was thinking about that alone in her room, late at night. She was wearing a nightgown Jamie's mother had given her. It was old fashioned. A shirt with a long hem, covering her shoulders and her thighs. She got up from the warm bed and shivered for the cool air in the room. She grabbed her candle and walked out of her room, determined to find out the truth. Once and for all.
She didn't knock, just opened the door which was Monroe's. He leaped up from the bed, wearing only his jeans, bare feet, ready with a knife in his hand.
"Oh, it's you.", he lowered his blade and hid it back under the mattress. Sinking into the bed again.
"What do you want?", he asked, watching her.
Charlie couldn't rip her eyes straight away from his body. He was in a good shape. A little thin and wiry. But muscled. Clearly male. The work at the stables had made him even leaner. His curly hair seemed to be black in the candle light. His blue eyes looking dark in the low light. And that damn scruff she couldn't resist, framing his face.
"Now you're going to tell me what the fuck is wrong with you or else."
"And what is that?"
She saw a playful twinkle in his eyes and warned him. "Now it's not the time to play games."
Monroe stretched himself, then relaxed and smiled at her. It made Charlie even more pissed. She knew he was doing it on purpose. He apparently knew that he was a good-looking man. He must have known also what kind of impact it had on most women. He used that to make her angry.
"You're one fucking arrogant bastard.", she said and slumped on the bed, refusing to look at him.
She heard Monroe chuckling. She closed her eyes. He was really getting on to her nerves.
"Tell me why.", she said, keeping her eyes closed.
She heard the rustling of the old springs of the bed, when he moved behind her. Then silence. But she felt his presence and some radiation from his warm body. His pleasant scent in her nose. So, she waited.
"I don't want you to be with him."
Charlie was still, trying to understand what she had just heard.
"What? You don't get to say that. You don't own me."
"It's not about owning."
"Then what?", she asked, suddenly so tired that he was still trying to keep things to himself.
She felt his fingertip sliding on her arm. It messed up her system, making her breathing harder, her pulse rise. She had slept next to him, when it was cold outside. But this was something different, deliberate from him. She couldn't ignore how he made her feel. Closing her eyes, a little tighter, hoping it would never end. Then hearing his low voice, almost a whisper. "Stay with me."
She was tired of fighting, tired of endless bickering and the fucking games they played when they didn't want to talk what was really going on and didn't say anything. One thing was for sure. He'd never leave her alone in the cold.
She leaned onto him and felt him wrap his arms around her. She let herself relax, her eyes closed. She snug into his lap, fitting there perfectly. Just like they had been on the trip, outside, on different camps, when it was cold. When she tried to get warm and the only one who was able to give that to her was Monroe.
Charlie went to the stables and saw Monroe ready to take off, already mounted on a bay horse.
"Where are you going?"
"Harmony has escaped."
"Damn, she is my favorite. Let me come with you?"
He reached for her, leaning over the horse's neck. She grabbed it. He pulled her up, onto his horse, while she did everything she could to get on. She snaked her arms around him to steady herself. The same time feeling his back against her front. His strong thighs in the front of hers.
Bass rode out and to the road. Sometimes Charlie checked the surroundings if there were any horse tracks around. Then she was up again, so close to him he could feel and smell her.
Her hands around his waist, her legs against his. Her warmth and scent, flooding his senses. It was increasingly hard to concentrate to anything else. They needed to find the other horse. Now.
"Harmony!", Charlie shouted and jumped to the ground.
Monroe breathed deep, sorry for losing the contact with her and yet the same time, eased that she wasn't there anymore, her front rubbing against his back with every step the horse took. He could think straight again.
They found Harmony, not far from the place Charlie was sure she had just been. He felt joy when Charlie greeted the mare, so happy to find her. Seeing her so full of life made his heart swell.
Monroe took Harmony, easily getting on her, even when she didn't have a saddle on. Charlie took his horse. They rode back to the stables.
After working on the stables, helping Sam and Jamie with horse training and take care of the horses after, Bass needed a bath.
Later that evening the family threw a little party, grilling and such. Charlie was in Jamie's company again. Bass exchanged a few words with Lizzie's husband, and he stood with him, watching the venison fillets, sweet potatoes and corn cobs roast in the grill.
"She's a fine-looking woman.", Sam said.
"Who?"
"Don't take me for a fool. I have seen how you look at her, Jim."
"Damn."
Suddenly Charlie walked past him, slowly and close. "Boys.", she nodded and smiled a bit.
"Evening Ma'am.", Sam told her mischievously and Charlie smiled.
"Evening.", Monroe said.
Charlie's eyes went back to Monroe. He mimicked Sam a bit and leaned forward, tilting his head and flashing a slight smile. It was weird to see him like that, so human. She still smiled back at him and he felt the warmth of it inside her.
Monroe watched Sam turning the venison fillets and the sweet potatoes, corn cobs over in the grill.
"We bought some beer from the brewery. It's in the shed. Help yourself.", Sam said.
"Thank you."
In the shed, shielded from the sun, Bass saw a tub filled with brown bottles and ice. He took two bottles and went back outside.
Charlie was chatting with Jamie. They were waiting for their food, sitting on their benches. Charlie saw Bass emerge from the shed with two bottles. He walked straight to her and their gazes locked.
"Thought you might want one.", he said and handed her a bottle. He had even opened it for her.
Charlie felt like a spark when their fingers connected. "Thank you."
"It's nothing.", he said, smiling a bit.
"Can I...", Jamie asked.
"Ask your old man.", Bass said and left with the other bottle.
He went to sit, close to the grill, on his chair, so he could continue the conversation with Sam. Gazing Charlie every now and then. The bottle was cool, so the surface of the glass started to gather moist from the air, forming water drops. He tasted the drink. The beer was cold and tasty.
Even when he was taking a swig from his bottle, their gazes locked. She saw him sit, his legs wide. She knew he was showing off for her. Charlie felt nervous, yet excited. Butterflies flapping in her stomach.
She knew Bass would give the night hay to the horses, so she waited in one loose box, with a horse. She gave it an apple she had taken from a tree outside. The mare was Harmony. Jamie had told her the names of the horses. The mare was happily eating her apple, she was drooling, and bits and pieces of the apple were falling on the floor, on the straw bedding. "You're a little pig, aren't you?", she said, smiling.
Charlie heard someone come and she waited.
Bass gave the hay to horses in the row. Finally, he was at the end of it. Charlie saw how he stopped abruptly, when he saw her in the last box.
Charlie was on Harmony's side, her hand over her warm back.
He still had the hay on his hand, while he slowly walked closer to her. "You are here."
"I wanted to see you. Alone.", Charlie said and let her hand slide over horse's coat.
She lifted her gaze to him. He looked very handsome. He had got food and work, sun. His skin was suntanned where the fabric didn't cover it. He had a dark jacket for the cool night air. She wondered if it was Sam's. Blue denim jeans on, the color matching with his eyes. Black boots.
His curly hair looked oil black in the lantern's light. His stubble almost a beard now.
His eyes piercing as always, looking dark. She heard him draw a deep breath.
"What is it?", he asked.
"Nothing.", she told him and turned away.
Silence.
God this is hard. I don't know if I can do this.
"You shouldn't be jealous of Jamie. He is just a friend to me.", she said.
She turned to see him. "On the other hand, this thing..."
"What this thing?"
"You, staring at me and… Well, I don't mind."
He seemed to contemplate her words for a while. She couldn't read what he was thinking. Something sent him into defense mode.
"I know I can't take back what I have done. However, I am trying to be a better man."
Charlie sighed. "It's in the past. I forgive you. Actually, I forgave you some time ago."
"So, what is the problem?"
Charlie turned away and felt her eyes water, when she couldn't tell him.
"You don't trust me? You're afraid I will revert back to my old self?", he asked.
"Miles and Mom… They would never accept. Anyway, the biggest reason is me.", Charlie said and turned towards him again.
Bass stared at her, serious look on his face. He walked towards her, cautiously. Too close, into his personal space. Waiting.
When he didn't make a move, she touched lightly the fabric which was covering what was left of the insignia on his wrist. The scarf was tied around his hand. When her fingers traced the rugged cloth, she gazed him. The look on his face softer, his eyes inviting.
She snaked her fingers around the cloth and pulled gently his hand, around her. Taking the hint, he pulled her slowly into his embrace and she didn't resist. She pressed her head in the nook between his jaw and shoulder and closed her eyes.
"I don't understand.", he said.
She pulled away, just enough to see the look on his face. His eyes were full of questions he didn't speak aloud. He didn't force her to speak. She let him be and walked away. She gazed him over her shoulder once. He stood exactly in the same place she had left him, his gaze locking with hers.
Thank you for reading! If you got time or feel like it, leave a comment.