Charlie had just walked out of her shower. She had been enjoying the warm water that had been flowing over her body when her phone had made her turn of the hot running water and reach for a towel in her small city apartement bath room.
'Hello?' She said, her heart going faster all of a sudden, drops of water running down her body as she wrapped the towel around her body.
'Hey kid, sorry to interrupt you,' Miles voice was on the other end of the line.
Charlie felt disappointment washing over her. She had hoped it was another ex Marine.
An ex Marine with blue eyes, great shoulders and a scruff that was so good that it should be illegal.
An ex Marine that had brought her chicken soup and with firm lips that had brushed against hers when she had moved towards his mouth in a combined moment of fever and want.
An ex Marine that gave her two orgasms tucked under her own sheets in her bed when she was not able to sleep, without even being there himself.
After she had fallen asleep against Bass' chest she had been warmly tucked between his body and his arm around her, and under a soft blanket. It had felt so natural at the moment and both of them had woken up in the pale winter morning light on her couch. It had been still early, and outside the city had been quiet.
She had slept through the night and although her head had been heavy and her body still sore, the night of sleep had done he a world of good. Although of course Bass had told her with a self confident smirk it had to be his chicken soup.
He had stayed for breakfast, he seemed to fit so very well in her apartment but it was like their kiss had happened in some kind of different universe. But there were all kinds of little things that were different.
Both of them had found opportunities to touch each other for a moment. Hands touched when they both were grabbing some more coffee, standing close in her kitchen when Bass needed something that was in the cabinet over her head, his chest against her back, a quick arm against arm when they were walking past each other.
It had been weird: first of all, Miles had not been with them, he had pretty much always been there when Bass was around her. The last time it been just Bass and her was in that forest when they had that passionate discussion about which direction to take, left or right. They had been on their way to Miles and the rest of her family who stayed in a small cabin a little further south of where they had been hiking, when the energy between them had shifted rapidly to something intense that had nothing to do with being friends, friends that took a hike together.
Second, it was Bass, but he was also a different Bass. A Bass that, even with her body filled with flu and soreness, had woken up something inside of her. It was a new kind of attraction she had never felt, it was raw and deep and it was pulsing through her body every time she remembered his scruff against her skin, the whiskey on his breath and the hardened muscles of his chest and arms around her from the night she spend curled up against him.
And when she had thanked him for the soup and the company at the front door after breakfast, he had put one of his hands around the back of her head and he had pressed a kiss on her cheek, very close to her mouth. her hand had been on his chest before she could even think it through. He had softly pushed some of her hair back over her shoulder.
But it was the moment they had locked eyes before he turned around and told her to take it easy and take care of herself, that had her breath stop somewhere in her throat. She had made the stupid mistake of tilting her head back. Their eyes had locked and she was so sure that Bass had moved in a little bit closer until he had seemed to change his mind and had told her to get better soon and that he would call her later to make sure if she needed more chicken soup.
He never called.
'Are you sure I am not interrupting something over there?' Miles said with his very own Miles sarcasm, pulling her out of her train of thoughts.
'Very sure, Miles,' Charlie said, happy that Miles was not standing right next to her, because of the blush that crept over her cheeks when she thought about her goodbye with Bass.
'Listen kid, I have a favour to ask you.'
Charlie sighed, that was never a good sign. Miles continued.
'Bass has come down with the flu and he is home. The moron is sick as a dog. I guess he picked it up from one of his lady friends after he left my New Years bash early.'
Wait? What? Charlie thought to herself when she heard Miles while she felt her heart pounding inside of her. So, that was the reason he had not called her. A smile appeared around her face. Bass was stuck at home with the flu too.
And then her mind stopped at another thought. Bass had told her Miles had sent him, to check up on her. Deciding to approach this carefully she kept her voice as neutral as possible.
'Bass left the party early with a woman?'
'Nah, haven't seen him with somebody. But far before midnight he suddenly disappeared, and you know Bass...'
Charlie's mouth felt dry all of a sudden when she understood what Miles was saying. Miles had not sent him over. He had disappeared from that party to be with her. She swallowed and tried to focus on his words when something inside of her stomach twirled in a spectacular way.
'So, you know the moron, when he is sick he turns into a whining in need of a lot of attention six year old. I was supposed to check on him later but I kind of have this appointment.'
'What kind of appointment, Miles?' She used her smooth voice but both Miles and her knew she was not going to let this go.
Miles growled something at the other end of the line.
'I might be seeing a certain somebody at a restaurant later.'
'What kind of somebody?' Charlie said, pretending she had not heard Miles' growl.
'Her name is Nora.'
Charlie held in her laughter, her badass uncle was going on a actual date and just listening at his voice told Charlie, he liked this woman. It was kind of sweet, but for once she decided not to tease him with that. 'Good for you Miles.'
Miles ignored that last line, deciding the topic was not on the table anymore at her last line.
'So, you will stop by Bass?'
Charlie let out a sigh, not because she did not want to go, but because she did not want her uncle to know that.
'Fine,' she said. 'I'll guess I can stop by later.' Charlie bit her lip, she had tried to sound casually, but she was not sure if it had worked.
'Great kid, you are my favourite niece, you know that right?'
'Miles?'
'Yeah Charlie?'
'I'm your only niece.'
'Still my favourite, kid,' Miles said without hesitation.
Charlie got out of her car, grabbing her bag from the seat next to her before she got out. She stood in front of a tall apartment building and for a moment she looked up to follow the structure with her eyes.
Then, she looked at the small paper in her hands. She had been here once before, but that was years ago and she had to write down the address that Miles had given her. She pressed the bell on the tableau of buttons in front of her.
'Yeah?' His hoarse voice reached her. She knew Bass was sick, but oh, did it do some good things for his already purely too good of a voice.
'Hey yourself,' Charlie smiled when she answered him, 'It's me, Miles send me over to check on you?'
There was a small pause before he spoke. 'Come on up.' The door was buzzed open and she made her way to the elevator.
A couple of moments later, she stood in front of his door. Before she even got a chance to knock he was standing in front of her, opening the door. Red eyes, pale, messy curls, a black hoodie sweatshirt and a pair of jeans stood in front of her while he he was leaning into the doorway.
'You look like hell,' She said.
Bass managed to grin at her, just a little before he felt sick to his stomach again. Hell, she was a Matheson, just like Miles never afraid to throw something in his face when he was already feeling like shit.
'Well, I feel like hell, Charlie.'
He watched how Charlie grabbed something from her bag. She held a can of chicken soup in her hands.
'Worked for me,' she said with a grin. Without waiting , she walked past him, bumping her shoulder into his arm a little bit more than was necessary.
Bass smiled when he closed the door behind her. It was not long after he had gotten home that he had felt like hell too. He knew he had promised to call her, but throwing up and making a move on a woman you really fucking wanted did not seem like a good idea. Second, he felt rather sick but also rather pathetic for feeling so sick. But now she was here and hell, she looked good in her jeans and shirt, boots and a stunning smile on her face.
She walked into his apartment, and when she got out of her jacket she went straight for the kitchen. His apartment wasn't too big. It was clean, lots of natural wood tones and there was a big fire place in the living room. She quickly found what she was looking for and poured the soup into the small pan.
Bass was looking at her with amusement. Charlie tried her best to focus on the soup she was making but her eyes kept going back to Bass. Even sick, with wild curls and a total mess from the flu he still made her body react. God, this man was something else. She stared at his chest, wondering what it would feel like to...
Ad then her eyes met Bass and she turned her eyes back to the soup.
Bass saw her stare, and he knew she probably not even noticed herself but she had bitten her bottom lip when her gaze was on him. It was hot as hell and damn it, now all he could think about was that bottom lip.
'Should be ready in no time,' she said with a smile.
'Good, I am sure it tastes real good.' Bass looked at her with something that was dangerously close to want and she was not sure he was talking about the soup anymore.
She told herself to calm down and when she poured the soup into a bowl she ordered him to sit down on the couch. She sat down next to him, deciding she really liked his apartment. It was just so very him. Bass ate the soup and his eyes followed her hands when she grabbed her bag again.
When he saw what she was reaching for, he started to laugh. Charlie just smiled back at him when she had found the bunny eared socks on the bottom of her bag as she kicked out her boots. She put them on, and crossed her legs when she put her feet up on the wooden low table in front of the couch. One pair of little white bunny ears were staring at them.
Suddenly, she was real happy she had brought him, to cut through the tension that had built up between them.
'Want to watch a movie?' she asked.
He wanted to do a lot more than watch a movie now, but he just answered casually.
'Yeah, sure, whatever.'
Charlie grabbed the remote control. Bass did not protest, because Charlie found some action packed movie. The woman had taste. Even when his couch was larger than hers, she sat close to him. And when her leg touched his thigh, she snuggled a bit closer.
Later that night, Charlie stood in front of the pictures that were hanging on the wall close to the fireplace with a drink in her hand. One of them showed Bass and Miles from the days they had been Marines. She was just about to ask where it was taken when she watched how Bass closed his eyes for a moment. He looked even more pale and she could see the sweat on his forhead.
'Bass?' she asked. He did not answer immediately.
His eyes were unfocussed. Worried, because all of the self confidence and easiness that was so much like Bass, had disappeared now. She walked over to him quickly and sat down next to him, her hand on his upper leg.
'Bass?' There was worry in her voice.
'Sorry Charlie, not feeling too good.' Bass felt rather pathetic. He loved that she came over, he enjoyed her company but somewhere during the past half hour he had felt even more like hell. The room had started to spin and he felt so miserable.
'Jesus , Bass, don't apologize. What is it with guys and being sick. If you are sick, you're sick. You're just like Miles, carrying on until you almost drop on the floor from exhaustion.' She sounded pissed now.
'You are adorable when you are worried, Charlie,' he said, before he realised he had said it. Damn fever.
Charlie moved even closer to his side and pulled his arm around her neck.
'Come on,' she said.
'What are you doing?' he said, his voice broken with fatigue, his throat on fire.
'Making sure you are getting some sleep, come on.'
Charlie walked with him to his bedroom. He noticed how she helped him and felt her hand on his back while he moved into his bed with a sigh as put some blankets over him. She disappeared for a moment and when she came back she had a glass of water in her hands.
Bass grunted something in silence. Great, sick in front of a girl, and now helped to his own damn bed like he was some kind of puppy.
Charlie was sitting behind him, when she helped him sit up and put a glass towards his lips. The cool water felt good, but the fact that she was close felt even better.
He put his head back into the pillow and felt her hand against his burning cheek for a moment. Her hand felt cool and soft at the same time and he leaned in a little bit closer.
Charlie felt how he turned his head towards his hand and she pushed some of his wild curls out of his face. He was almost asleep and she turned out the light at his bedside. She stayed close and it did not take long for him to be tossing and turning, his body covered in sweat. She tried to talk to him, but he was deeply lost in fever dreams. Now she was really worried. She grabbed her phone out of her back and started to dial a number.
Bass was lost in a nightmare, dark thoughts held him captive and he no idea where the hell he was anymore. Warm. Cold. His whole body aching. Wanting to get out of the dream but there seemed no way out. He did feel somebody close but everything was upside down and nothing made sense anymore.
'Bass...Bass, can you hear me?'
He knew that voice.
'Bass, can you open your eyes?'
Bass finally was able to open his eyes, and he looked directly in the familiar eyes of the man that was his brother and best friend as long as he could remember now.
Miles.
'Hey buddy.' Bass heard his own voice from far away, and his throat felt dry. His head hurt like hell and he still felt weird.
Miles let out a deep sigh. Charlie had called him, just when he was ready to order some desert with Nora. It had been the worry in her voice on the phone that had made him rush over immediately.
'Look at you, you missed me.' Bass eyes were still half closed when he spoke again, but there was a grin forming on his face, 'you are my best friend.'
Miles started to smile, but he also started to feel damn uncomfortable. Charlie was standing right behind them and he was really not into this mushy let's talk about how we feel crap.
'Okay, that's enough Bass.' Miles said, trying to suppress the grin on his face. Then he turned to Charlie, 'I think the idiot will be fine.'
Charlie stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest, when she was looking at the two strongest most badass men in her life.
They were just too cute. There was a huge smile on her whole face when she watched at a Bass who had no problem what so ever to tell Miles how he felt, while Miles tried to prevent that from happening. Yeah, again. Just too cute.
Miles stayed for the rest of the night, while both him and Charlie kept an eye on Bass. The fever was still high, and they made sure he stayed in bed and stayed hydrated. It was still dark when Miles had to leave for work, but it was Charlie that had offered to stay and make sure Bass would be all right.
'Thanks kid,' Miles gave her a wink.
He was almost out of the door when he turned around.
'You do know you have bunny ears on your socks right?' he said drily.
Charlie just shot him her best face grin.
'And you do know you look like an idiot right?' Miles continued.
Charlie nodded her head, knowing he would tease her to forever and back again now he had seen them. Great.
Miles could only laugh at his nice, when he gave her a quick embrace goodbye.
Now Bass was feeling just slightly less than hell, he felt kind of a fucking idiot for the fact that Miles had to come over. His brother had just said goodbye and he was not sure where Charlie was. Fuck, he really did not want her to leave, Bass thought. But he felt rather pathetic to ask her to not leave.
It turned out, he did not have to ask her anything. He felt how she curled up next to him, and her hand landed on his chest, close to his shoulder.
'Get some sleep,' her voice was warm.
'You're staying? Don't you need to be somewhere?'
'Nah, your bed is just too damn comfortable,' she said, while she moved under the blankets. His body felt cooler, and he sounded more like himself again. His eyes looked like he was not on some kind of drugs anymore.
She was exhausted all of a sudden. She let her head rest on the second pillow next to his, while she could feel his side against her body. His bed had his scent. She curled up. Close to him.
She pressed a quick kiss on his bare upper arm under the blankets.
When Bass would wake up again later that day, the first thing he would see were bunny ears, coming out from under the blankets of the bed. He rubbed his hand through his beard, asking himself if he was hallucinating from the fever.
But then he felt her body next to his. Charlie. She stayed. She was laying next to him, under his sheets, and in his bed. Her body, her sweet scent. Her long eyelashes on her cheeks, her eyes closed.
He turned very slowly until he was on his side, not wanting to wake her. He tilted his head towards her and pressed a soft kiss in her hair. Her fingers were close to his hand. He moved his hand a little bit closer, and wrapped her fingers in his hand, while he got back to sleep.
So Charlie was sick, Bass had the flu...there will be one more chapter, and maybe...it is time to do something about all that attraction and liking each other? Maybe? Yes :) I hope to see you there? Love from Love