Stories on her couch

Bass knows woman. Being a known womanizer and a man whore makes him kind of an expert.

And when Staypuft's kid, all attitude, told him in her very stoic and don't mess with me because I am already five years old way that auntie Chalie needed a birthday kiss, he decided to have some fun.

Because maybe he's bat shit crazy and delusional for even fucking considering this, but there is something. Something that should not be there. Charlie Matheson was and still the hell is throwing him every damn mixed signal in the history of ever.

He had watched her, standing across from him in that kitchen. He could see a mix of being pissed off, shock and irritation seeping through in her eyes and shoulders, when he had told Zoë she was right. Charlie deserved that kiss. And the perfect gentleman he was, he made sure she got one.

He expected her to knee him in the balls or worse, because he was damn sure Charlie Matheson had at least one weapon strapped to that fucking smooth curved body of hers. But she stood there, nailed to the damn ground. Fuck, her arm felt subtle, smooth but strong, well trained. Her scent all Charlie, her lips so damn close, he could hear and feel her breath. He watched the curves of her breasts move faster with every shallow fast breath she was taking. She fitted so damn good right under his touch. Kissing her on the cheek, her lips too damn close, too damn close to keep his cock silent.

When Miles walked into the kitchen and the kid was asking staypuft when they could go home, his eyes were still on her, the skin of her neck within his reach.

But it was the look in Charlie's eyes. The look of shock, surprise. And something else. Something that was fucking close to want. He had held her eyes, when Miles had walked past him, on his way out. He had answered his brother when Miles had asked him at what time some fucking boring meeting was, while he had left Charlie behind in that damn kitchen. The screen door in his hands, when her blue was still locked with his.

Dammit.

He stands there, before the table in his living room. Curses again. Grabs a bottle from the table, grabs his jacket and is out of his door in seconds.

'Auntie Chalie?'

Charlie shakes her head, shakes thoughts away that find their way into her brain too many times.

She looks down and meets big asking eyes.

'I get to sleep in the big bed?' Zoë asks, sweet voice that she uses if she wants something real bad.

She is staying over tonight, it is easier than Aaron having to drag his daughter around town in the middle of the night. Charlie does not mind. Having Zoe around is fun and light. And the best thing for Zoë in all of this, is the change to sleep in her bed, which she has decided to be a princess bed because it is big and comfortable and all hers.

'You get to sleep in the big bed, if you make sure your little cold feet don't end up in my back.' Charlie says as she tickles the little girl.

Zoë giggles and screams out for Charlie to stop. Then promises her she won't. Which of course, will all be forgotten later that night, as Zoë turns in her sleep to make sure Auntie Chalie will keep her feet and little body warm.

And when Zoë decides now is the best time to unpack with concentration and a happy smile, and her toothbrush, little pyjama and favourite book find a way in Charlie's bedroom and bathroom, Charlie thinks about him again.

And she feels her heart beat faster, again. Scurf, lips, his husky low voice so close to her ear. So much of Bass, so close. Bass had never any trouble to mess with her. To play with space and boundaries. He had never any trouble being an arrogant crude ass either. And first, she had felt anger, irritation when she stood there, listening to Zoë telling Bass to give her a kiss too. She had seen it in his eyes. A change to mess with her, to be his arrogant stupid self. But there was nothing stupid or arrogant about that kiss. His lips firm, but gentle at the same time. His touch sure, with aim, but again gentle, smooth. His voice challenging, raw, husky, but at the same time with a sincere intensity that messed with her head even more.

She sighs. Things were simpler when he was an arrogant son of a bitch and nothing more.

Lucky for her, Zoë is here, making sure her mind stays in once place, away from him.

They have dinner, they sit on the couch. Charlie is reading, Zoë is busy with her favourite crayon, the purple one. She is in the middle of designing another princess dress when a knock on the door gets their attention.

Of course the moment she made sure the stupid asshole was out of her thoughts, he stands in front of her door. She looks at him. Tall, bottle in his hands. No Miles. That last part is pulsating in her mind when she is still looking at him.

'What, Staypuft doesn't allow you to have boys over when you are babysitting?' His voice is low, while there is a stupid grin plastered on his face.

'I don't think he would object to boys coming over, Monroe. I think he has a bigger problem with arrogant smug assholes.' She shoots back at him.

Bass upper lip moves a little, the start of another grin, while his blue eyes fill with amusement. God, he swears he never met somebody like her. Smart mouth, stubborn and never afraid to throw anything in his face. It is fucking adorable and playing with his cock all at the same time.

Charlie puts her hands in front of her chest.

'Hi,' Zoë stands next to Charlie all of a sudden, as she looks up at him.

'Hey kid,' he grins back at her.

'You want to see my book Sebastian?'

'You know my name huh?'

'Chalie told me.' She answers him with pride.

'She did huh?' His eyes flash over to Charlie.

Bass grins even more, while he sees Charlie struggle to not close her eyes in frustration.

'I love to see your book,' he answers the little girl, who smiles up at him and happily turns around to frolic back into the living room, on her way to the bedroom to catch her treasure.

He moves past Charlie, shooting her his best grin in the whole fucking world. Kind of the same grin she shot him around a damn fire in Vegas with Duncan, when he had to watch how she gave Charlie those fucking men he dragged his ass all the way to Vegas for. His men.

Payback is a bitch.

He sees the irritation on her face but he ignores her, focussing on Aaron's kid when he walks into her living room.

They stand face to face, Charlie irritated, he still grinning while they hear how Zoë grabs the book in the other room.

He waits.

'What's that?' Charlie asks, nodding at the booze in his hands, annoyed that she is the one who talks first.

'That's a little something for tonight.' He pauses, 'You certainly look like you could need a drink, Charlotte.'

There it is again. Smugness, combined with that other stupid thing.

She walks over to him, grabs the bottle out of his hands, and brushes his arm on the way to the kitchen while she tells herself to just breath.

When she walks back into the living room, Bass is crouched down next to Zoë. His eyes on her level. Her book is next to her drawing on the low wooden table before her couch. His jacket is not far away from her drawing.

'It's a princess dress, look...' tiny fingers move over the colourful shapes on the paper, 'I made this of purple, and this from gold...but I don't have gold so I use yellow...'

Zoë explains as Bass listens, his attention on her.

'Good job, kid.'

Zoe smiles shyly at the compliment.

Charlie hands him a glass of whiskey, while he sees her face, which is more relaxed, almost open when she is watching him and the little kid.

She sits down on the couch and of course it takes Bass about ten seconds to be completely too close to her, yet again.

He is plopping his ass, his well curved ass, next to her, the couch moving with his weight, drawing her a little bit closer involuntarily. His glass in his hand, his legs a little wide. They sat down before like this. Many times, on the road, at Miles place, on another couch, an a log close to a fire, on the ground. But this is the first time, she notices him in a different way. This is also the first time that something inside of her wants to play with whatever this is, with this push and pull with personal space. She does not move. Meets his eyes, takes a sip from her drink.

Bass has to give it to her, she does not move an inch. She puts the glass from her hand to those fucking lips of hers, and meet his eyes with an explorative look.

Zoë, she sits back down where she has been drawing before he came in, next to his boots, her little knees on the wooden floor as she puts back the paper in front of her, and starts on another dress.

'So, where is Miles tonight?' Charlie asks.

She sees his eyes change, more tension appears in his jaws.

'Miles is enjoying his night with your mom.'

Charlie hears his voice, and his tone spells out the words... with that bitch.

He does not say it, he does not have too. Charlie knows things have been hard. Miles in the middle, not sure what to do. Rachel using every change she has to make sure Bass feels the intruder. He is trying, even Charlie can see it. But her mother doesn't. Or refuses.

So, instead of messing with him, she tries to keep quiet and not rub more salt in those wounds. Somehow she can't bring herself to that tonight. And when she is really honest, she has never been unable to see things from his side too. She has never admitted that, even to herself, but it is one of those unexpected things when it came to her. And him.

She enjoys the feel of the good whiskey in her throat, and takes another sip.

To his surprise, he sees her eyes soften. He has just given her a change to throw something in his face, but she doesn't. He gulps down his whiskey as the sounds of the crayon on paper fills the room.

'And you, nobody else to spend this evening with?' His voice is more rough than he had intended and he mentally curses at himself for how he sounds. He locks his jaws and looks into his glass.

'Nah, just us girls tonight.'

She looks at him, giving him a forced smile. It is like a cloud in front of blue summer sky. The blue in her eyes shadow a bit, before they change to their normal blue.

Charlie feel how his eyes are more intense as Bass watches her. She expects him to be an ass and ask more, but to her surprise, he shuts the hell up.

Instead he lets her change the subject and they drink, they talk. Charlie refills their glasses, grabbing some juice for Zoë. Normally Miles is always there in the mix with them, but tonight he isn't. And it is different than Charlie expects. It's actually kind of good.

They hear how Zoë sighs with content as she pushes down her crayon. Then she looks at the dress she made and her eyes go to the book on her right. She pushes herself up on her feet and grabs the book.

Charlie puts down her drink.

'Ready with the dresses for tonight?'

A simple nod is her answer when her eyes start to shine a bit more. Charlie takes the book from her hands as Zoë moves on the couch.

'So, where were we?'

Zoë does not answer her, but her little hands move through the pages of the book with ease, finding the chapter she wants to hear again.

Bass relaxes, moving his weight more into the couch, taking his whiskey in hand. Charlie Matheson is going to read, read about fucking princesses and castles. This is going to be good. He sits back to enjoy the ride.

Within minutes he realises she is damn good at this. He watches the two ladies next to him, having fun. He has turned a bit their way and his arm is on the couch behind her. She does not seem to notice. A lock of hair falls over her face, and he slowly pushes it back over her shoulder, behind her ear.

And then fucking curses at himself for being a complete moron. He stops moving, but Charlie, she only looks at him for a second, when she keeps on reading to the little kid. He moves his fingers away from her hair, but keeps his arm on the couch behind her.

When they reach the last part of the chapter, Zoë yawns a little, before she looks at him.

'You read?' she asks with hope.

'Kid.I...'

'This is the part with the lion, and you sometimes sound like a lion too.' Zoë explains to him patiently.

He hears Charlie snort, a wide smirk on her face.

He sighs, but at the same time he grabs the book from her tiny hands.

He opens the book, fuck, he was a general, he was a president, but tonight, it is all princesses and a lion. He is glad Miles is not here to make a total ass out of him. But saying no to this little one, is not something he can feel he can do. First, because she is a little brat, and two, because she is a smart little brat, and she will find a way to make him do it anyway.

He starts. Zoë's hands are in her lap, as she looks at the colourful paintings in the book, her mouth a bit open with concentration. When he reaches the part with the lion, he realises that he might as well go all in, and he lowers his voice to produce a damn good lion growl. Zoë looks up at him in delight, as she laughs brightly with joy and anticipation. When he pauses to turn the page the kid looks at Charlie.

'You see, Sebastian does a very good lion.'

This kid is a pro. A compliment will get her anywhere. When they reach the last page of the chapter, Zoë sighs, looking at the picture, while Bass feels how she has moved in a little closer to him. he grabs his whiskey for another shot.

'More.' Zoë smiles.

'More huh?' Bass growls at her with amusement.

'Yes, more please.' She does not even blink at him as her eyes are serious and with a tiny flash of hope there will be more.

A damn pro it is. He is sure this is not even the last chapter he will read to her.

Charlie moves back into the couch, she feels the weight of Zoë against her side. And now the little girl's attention is on the story again, she allows herself to think about what Bass just did. She was aware of his body close to hers, on her couch, but when he moved his hand to slowly push that hair away from her face, her heartbeat became a quick storm. They have touched before. Small touches, a shoulder against a shoulder, him helping her, a quick pat on the shoulder to keep on going. But this, this is new. Different. And she feels his hand again, as if it was still there.

Soon, Zoë is lost in the story as Bass reads to her. Another chapter, and another. But Charlie does not watch Zoë anymore. She watches him and the complete ease of which this former general reads the story to a little girl, pulling her into the story, letting Zoë lean into his side, her little eyes on the pictures before her. Giggling when Bass touches a funny part in the story, moving closer to him where there is a scary part. And of course, the asshole does a mean lion.

And in the middle of another chapter, she has not noticed when exactly, his arm is still behind her. Gently resting so close to her. And then, she feels his fingers touching her hair. Playing with a lock of her blonde hair. It is slow, and she barely feels the touch at first, and she realises Bass has been touching her for a while now, and that somehow her body has registered it, but it feels good, and slow and it is gentle.

His rough skinned fingers move through her hair. His thumb caresses her neck. It causes her to feel a shock to her system and a comforting warmth at the same time.

It takes her a while to fully register what is happening. And then it takes her a while to look up at him. First, he keeps on reading. And then, without Zoë even noticing, he looks up for a second, his eyes meetings hers. His eyes are intense, his face serious, but his eyes are also burning with so much.

She lets him. She sits on the couch, leans in to his touch. They sit there like that for a long while, a little five year old princess between them.

Zoë falls asleep, between her and Bass. Leaning against him, her little feet dangling from the couch. Her cheeks have a healthy blush, her hair falls over her small shoulder. She looks sleepy and peaceful. Completely at ease.

Charlie scoops the little girl in her arms. Moves her away from the couch and to her big bed. She covers her, making sure she is warm and safe as the little girl is lost in her dreams.

Bass finishes his whiskey, as he watches how Charlie walks out the room with the sleeping kid in her arms. He did not know what the fuck got into him, but she was so damn close, she was so damn relaxed, her hair flowing over the couch and back. His fingers had moved. He had felt the softness of her hair, and when he realised, without even being sure Charlie had at that moment, she was not moving away from his touch, his fingers had slowly moved to the smooth skin of her neck.

And Charlie, she mad moved, slowly, into his touch. She had let him in, he had felt her warmth against his skin.

When she walks back into the room, Bass grabs his jacket and is midway getting in to it, his shoulder disappearing under the fabric of his jacket.

'Going home?' She asks.

The fire is burning slowly behind her, the light of the fire warming the room and her face. Fuck, she is gorgeous.

Truth is, he does not know what happened. Something shifted, Charlie is letting him in.

But he won't push her. There was something on her face earlier, that fucking shadow, that dark hurt on her face, in her eyes. He did not like that shadow in her eyes. He has seen it before, and if he is right, right about all of fucking this, he needs, he wants to take this slow. He will give her space.

Tonight has been a good night, for a whole lot of reasons. He wants to keep it the fuck that way.

'You girls have a good night.'

He smiles at her. He does not grin, he does not smirk. He smiles.

She smiles back.

He is almost out of the door when he hears her voice.

'Bass?'

She knows she uses his name. He knows too. His eyes go gentle for a second, Charlie lets out a breath.

'Zoë was right, you do a great Lion.' The smile turns into a small mocking grin.

Bass looks at the ground for a second, shaking his head with a grin.

'Thanks for the company.' Charlie adds, the mocking grin returning to a small smile.

'Anytime' he grins, walking out of the door, when he watches her again, needing to kiss her so badly at that point.

But he doesn't.

Not yet.

Soon.

Oh that moment, where that guy you really like is on the couch next to you, and he makes that small move... The book? It is probably a mix between the book Maggie carried with her and a fairytale with a Lion... :) I wanted to thank you again for all your sweet amazing reviews! They are so much fun to read and I love you all like this hereUntil the next chapter? Love from Love