We're getting close to the big reveal now so watch this space… Love, IJKS xxx
Chapter Twenty Three
It was nearing one in the morning and Joey reluctantly forced herself to pull out of Charlie's embrace.
"I'd better go to my room," she said unhappily. "It's getting kind of late."
Charlie sat up from where she had been lying on her bed.
"Do you have to?" she asked shyly.
Joey looked surprised. She covered with a smile.
"People will start talking, Charlie Buckton..." she teased.
Charlie leant in and kissed her tenderly.
"I don't care," she said. "I think... I think I'm ready to let go of my past and be with you."
Overcome with joy and feeling honoured, Joey smiled and kissed her. She nudged Charlie back onto the bed, trailing kisses down her neck and along her collarbone. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the way Charlie idly teased her breasts through her shirt. Then she pictured Brax looking smug and she pulled back. Charlie frowned and sat up.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked. "I'm new this kind of thing. I..."
"You haven't done anything wrong," Joey assured her, reaching out to hold her hand. "Not a thing."
"So you're pulling away from me... why?" Charlie wondered.
"It'll be our three month anniversary in a couple of weeks," Joey said. "Why don't we do it then instead?"
"You're turning down sex?" Charlie asked in disbelief.
She knew she teased her about it a lot but Charlie really had been very aware from the start that they shared a wall. And Joey had never struck her before as the kind of girl to hold back.
"Or is it just because it's with me?"
Joey's heart broke at how anxious her girlfriend looked. She turned to face Charlie, looking her straight in the eye.
"I'm in love with you," she said sincerely. "When I said that tonight, I meant it. And I really, really want to take things further."
Charlie grinned.
"But it's going to be your first time..."
"You don't want me to practice first like Watson did, do you?" Charlie asked in alarm. "I really, really don't want to do that. You're the only person I trust enough to..."
Joey placed her index finger gently on Charlie's lips. They both smiled.
"I do not want you to practice first!" Joey assured her. "I think I'd go crazy at the thought of someone stealing you away from me! But I do want it to be special. I want it to be perfect for you."
Charlie nodded, still embarrassed at the rejection but comforted by the reasoning.
"So why don't we wait just a couple more weeks?" Joey suggested. "Then we can make it perfect."
She smiled as Charlie nodded, leaning in to kiss her.
"And really, it's going to be my first time too," Joey pointed out.
Charlie drew back in sheer confusion. Joey had crammed in lots of sex over a very short period.
"I've never made love with anyone before," Joey explained. "It'll be a first. And I am so happy that it'll be with you."
Smiling joyfully, Charlie kissed her again.
"You could still stay the night," she ventured. "I know it's not my king size but..."
Joey chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
"You've got an early start tomorrow," she said. "The last thing you need is to have an uncomfortable night crammed into this thing."
"Okay," Charlie agreed reluctantly.
She did have early lectures in the morning and sharing a single bed hadn't been all that practical last time. Kissing her one more time, Joey stood and headed for the door. Charlie saw her out and locked up behind her, swooning a little as she flopped back down on her mattress. Two weeks. She could hardly believe that in two weeks, she would be losing her virginity properly, in the right way, with someone she loved, with someone who loved her.
Next door, Joey hurriedly got changed and flung herself into bed. She'd wanted nothing more than to curl up with Charlie but the last thing she needed was for Brax to find out that they'd slept in the same room. He'd never believe that they hadn't done the deed and after all this time, she would win the bet and lose Charlie. She'd just about got away with it last time but she didn't want to push her luck.
Sighing heavily, Joey gazed up at the ceiling. She felt terrible for stalling and for lying. She'd debated time and again over the last couple of months as to whether she should just tell the truth, apologise profusely and hopefully keep her girlfriend. But deep down, she knew that if Charlie ever found out that Joey had placed a bet on her virginity, she would lose her. Charlie might be sappy and emotional now, but if you crossed her, she was unlikely to be forgiving. Joey could more than imagine her shutting down completely, maybe even moving out. And she certainly wouldn't talk to her again. Their relationship would be over. And that, for Joey, would be the absolute end of the world.
Next time… Charlie and Joey celebrate their three month anniversary…