Charlie went to the garage on Monday, dreading running into Bass. She was relieved that he wasn't in the work area when she arrived. She got to work, helping Jason in restoring a classic Ferrari. She'd learned a lot in her time on the job, and she was able to do more than act as a gofer, working with him in tandem to actually get the job done quickly.

After a few hours of work, Jason went off to take a coffee break. Standing alone by the car, Charlie heard Miles' voice carrying across the garage. Charlie glanced over to where he was, and she saw that he had walked in with Bass. They stopped just a few feet from her, arguing about something to do with a customer's bill that the man wanted refunded. Bass seemed pretty pissed off.

"If you want to bend over for this guy and give him his money back, fine," Bass snapped, and Miles threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Jesus, what do you care?" Miles retorted. "It's like two hundred bucks."

"I care because it seems like you've gone soft on me," Bass snapped. "First giving money back to some cheap jackass when you know there's nothing wrong with the work I did. Not to mention inviting teenyboppers to go hang out at your club."

"The fuck are you talking about? Teenyboppers?" Miles asked. Charlie's face burned hot. She knew exactly what Bass was talking about. Sure enough, Bass met her eyes as he delivered his next line.

"Yeah, Miles. I was trying to have a good time there Saturday night, when a bunch of drunk college chicks showed up. Totally killed the vibe."

Miles followed Bass' glance over to Charlie, and a murderous glare stole over his face. "Watch your fucking mouth, Bass," he warned. "And watch how you talk about Charlie."

"Whatever," Bass muttered, and pushed past Miles, striding out of the back of the garage, slamming the door hard behind him.

Miles made his way over to Charlie, who was standing shell-shocked at the confrontation she'd just witnessed. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "I'm not sure what the hell his problem is, but there is nothing wrong with you hanging out at the club or anywhere else you want to, alright? I'll make sure he shows a little more fucking respect in the future."

Charlie shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said. "He's just mad because…" She realized she couldn't put it into words. Because what? Because she'd stupidly broken up with him out of worry about what Miles would think? Because she still wanted him, and he knew it and wanted her, too?

Miles looked concerned. "Listen, I know you and Bass were… I mean… did something happen? At the club?" Charlie could tell Miles was fighting to stay calm. She realized he thought Bass had somehow hurt her, rather than the other way around. Now she was going to be responsible for Miles being mad at Bass for no reason, on top of everything else. She had to fix this.

"No. I mean, yes," Charlie explained awkwardly. "We saw each other. And honestly, I think I still like him. But it would be too weird, considering."

"Considering I'm your dad," Miles said flatly. "Great. Just another thing I've screwed up for you." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"What?" Charlie said, genuinely confused.

"Look, I'm not really into doing the whole overprotective-dad-with-a-shotgun thing," Miles explained. "When I first saw you and Bass together, yeah, I didn't like it. Figured he was playing you."

"But?" Charlie prompted.

Miles sighed. "But for the last couple weeks, he's been an absolute nightmare. And you've been moping around here like your dog died. I'm not here to make you unhappy, Charlie. That's not what I want. If you want to date Bass, date Bass."

Charlie couldn't believe what MIles was saying. "I just thought, with you and I having so much to figure out already-"

Miles interrupted her with a shrug. "So, we'll figure it out. No matter what. Nothing's going to make me ditch you or not want to be your dad, okay? I've wasted enough time already." Charlie felt her eyes welling up with tears as Miles articulated, better than she'd been able to, what she'd really been afraid of this whole time.

"Thanks," she said. Miles nodded, looking emotional himself. Charlie felt like if it were anyone but them, they would have hugged. Instead, she added, "Anyway, I'm not sure Bass wants anything to do with me," she said. "He seemed pretty angry today."

Miles snorted. "And you think that means he doesn't want to date you? Come on. It takes a lot to get under Bass' skin. Clearly you did. I haven't seen him with another woman since you. He seems pretty messed up about whatever is going on with you guys."

Charlie considered this.. "Do you think I should…"

Gesturing impatiently, Miles said, "Yes, go talk to him, god." He practically pushed her toward the door to the back lot, where Bass had gone. Smiling a bit self-consciously, Charlie followed the route he'd taken.

There he was, leaning against the wall outside. He'd obviously heard her approach—she'd crashed through the door like an ox—but he didn't turn toward her.

"Hey," Charlie greeted him, walking over. Bass didn't reply. "Um, can we talk?" Again, Bass didn't respond or look at her. He wasn't making this easy.

"Look, I talked to Miles, and, um, he doesn't care if we date. Said we should do whatever we want, not to worry about him." Bass still didn't look at her. "Bass? Did you hear me?"

Finally, he turned to her, slowly. His stare was vacant and uninterested. "Am I supposed to jump for joy now?" he said.

Charlie stepped back at the scorn in his voice. "No I just, I thought…" she trailed off. Was Miles wrong? Was Bass totally over her? She felt like an idiot.

"Look, I appreciate the thought," Bass continued. "But I'm not really in the mood to deal with your next mood swing. I'm a little too old to be playing on-again, off-again games. Sorry." He pushed himself off the wall and walked toward his car.

Charlie was left staring after him as he walked away, wondering how the hell she was going to make this right.

Bass didn't come back to the garage all day. With Miles' permission, Charlie stayed there past closing time, hoping to catch Bass once he came home. She had a few textbooks with her, so she set up in Miles' office, where she could keep an eye for any cars pulling in. Miles also told her he would text Bass and tell him directly the same thing he'd told Charlie.

Around 9:30, Charlie got a text from Miles. "Bass told me he's at Duncan's place. He usually stays there for awhile." Charlie gasped in excitement. She was actually going to be able to find Bass and talk to him. She glanced down at her stained, greasy work outfit, and realized she was going to have to stop at home first.

Charlie changed into a simple black shift and thigh-high stockings. If she found Bass, she didn't want to think she was trying to seduce him, necessarily. But if it got to that point, she wouldn't mind being ready. She got to the bar around eleven o'clock, long after the surrounding streets were quiet. She made her way through the antiques shop, which felt even stranger without Bass to guide her. But she found the secret door again, to her relief.

Charlie stepped inside and greeted Gould. "Hi, I'm just—"

He interrupted her, "Ah, hello, I remember you! You are here to meet Mr. Monroe?"

Charlie's mouth was suddenly too dry for her to speak. She just nodded, and Gould gestured for her to follow him.

She saw Bass right away. He wasn't secreted in one of the intimate, romantic booths this time. Instead, he sat at one of the small wooden tables for two, a few rows back from the stage, alone in a sea of other couples talking and laughing. The band's instruments sat abandoned and silent; apparently, they were on a break. Soft music piped through the club's speakers during the interlude.

The host walked her to the table, and Bass looked up from his phone and set it down. Charlie saw his face light up in a smile at the sight of her, before he controlled himself and gestured to the seat across from him. Gould pulled out the chair for Charlie, and she attempted to sit down gracefully as he pushed it in beneath her.

Charlie was stunned by how incredibly gorgeous Bass looked. He was wearing a navy blazer over a sky-blue shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar, exposing the tanned skin of his neck. His hair was tousled with just the right amount of gel, and Charlie wanted to run her fingers through it. Sadly, she reminded herself, she no longer had that right.

"So I guess you really did like this place, huh," Bass finally said.

"No, I… well, yes. But I came here to find you," she explained.

"No kidding," he commented, raising his glass of whiskey to take a sip, his eyes never leaving hers.

The waitress stopped at their table, and Bass ordered Charlie the same thing he was drinking.

"So why did you come to find me?" he asked, as if he were genuinely curious. As if he didn't know.

Charlie wouldn't dignify that with an answer. "You're pretty dressed up to be sitting in a jazz club alone," she commented instead.

Bass shrugged. "I had a date. Then I cancelled it."

"Why?"

He smirked. "I don't know. Didn't feel like bothering, I guess. Luckily for you. What if you'd shown up and she was here?"

Charlie glared. "I'd have told her date's over. To go home. That you're mine."

At her possessive words, Bass' face dropped into an utterly serious expression, heat firing in his eyes. "Is that so?" he asked.

Indignantly, Charlie replied, "Yeah, Bass, and if you'd stop being such a jerk about it, I think we'd both be a lot happier."

A grin slowly spread over Bass' face, and then he laughed heartily. "Wow," he said. He ran a hand over his face slowly, as if trying to compose himself, still smiling. "Alright. Sorry I was an asshole at the garage earlier."

Charlie looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to go on.

"Come on. I was thinking I really cared about you, that this could be something. I cooked you fucking eggs. And that's when you decided we were done. It sucked. And frankly, pissed me off."

Charlie winced. "I'm sorry I was so worried about what Miles would think."

Bass nodded. "Yeah, he texted me. Said he's tired of seeing both of us miserable and that he told you the same thing, so I should stop being a stubborn bastard."

"It's not your fault," Charlie said. "I was so worried about screwing things up with Miles that I didn't even talk to him about it, and just ended up screwing things up between you and me instead." She bit her lip, regret flooding through her.

Bass covered her hands with his. "Hey, it's alright. You're here now. We're here." They held each other's gazes for a few long seconds, finally interrupted by the waitress delivering Charlie's drink.

Once she walked off, Charlie said, "Sorry I ruined your night at the club, too," not quite ready to let herself off the hook, yet.

Shrugging, Bass replied, "I left right after I saw you. I realized spending time with anyone else was pretty much a waste of time." He paused. "And I had a raging case of blue balls."

Charlie fought down a smile at that. "Sorry," she apologized again, much less contritely. "I'm sure I can find a way to make it up to you."

Bass looked distinctly interested in this possibility. As the band was returning to the stage, Charlie and Bass laced their fingers together and settled in contentedly to listen to the music.

After the show, Bass and Charlie walked out of the club. "So did you drive here?" Bass asked.

"Took a cab," Charlie answered.

"Do you want me to give you a ride home?"

Charlie raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to give me a ride home?"

"Not really."

She grinned. "Alright, then. Where do you want to take me?"

"You up for a little drive?"

"I'm up for anything."

About a half hour later, they were driving through winding, tree-lined roads, and Charlie started to feel a little nervous. What exactly had she gotten herself into?

Finally, they pulled off into a clearing. Bass got out of the car, and she followed. It was unseasonably warm for October in Chicago, but the night air still had a bite to it, and she was glad she had her overcoat on.

Bass walked around to the trunk and pulled out two blankets. "Star gazing okay with you?" he asked.

"Can you even name a single constellation?" she teased.

Bass scoffed, and pulled one more item out of the trunk. "Hold this," he said, handing her a leather-covered flask. Charlie opened it and sniffed. More whiskey. Of course.

Meanwhile, Bass had gone around to the hood of the car and arranged one blanket for them to lay on. He gestured for her to climb up. She started to, found her heels were just getting in the way, and kicked them off into the dirt beside the car. Once she was in place, Bass climbed up next to her, pulling the blanket over them.

"Alright, smartass," he began, holding out his arm so she could lay against his side. "Constellations. That's the Big Dipper."

"Very impressive," Charlie remarked dryly.

"Hey. I'm not done," he said. He continued, pointing out the locations of Gemini, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Perseus, and several others. Charlie had to admit she was surprised. He explained that they received a very rudimentary astronomical navigation course in the Marines, and he'd retained "just enough to show off to women."

They laid there, talking and passing the flask back and forth, catching up on the weeks they'd been apart. Charlie loved how easy it was to talk to Bass, and the fact that he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.

At one point, Charlie turned and pressed more of her body into Bass, shivering slightly. "You cold?" he asked.

"If I am, will you warm me up?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that," Bass replied. Pulling her closer to him, he kissed her softly. Charlie splayed her hands on his chest, feeling the heat of his skin through the fabric of his jacket. He felt so strong and sexy, holding her close.

Bass pushed his free hand under her coat, tracing her waistline teasingly, then running a thumb over her hard nipple through her dress. Charlie squirmed under his touch, and he kept going, moving his hand down until he reached the hem of her dress. Charlie hiked her leg up, encouraging him to reach underneath. Instead, he took the opportunity to trace the curve of her ass, over her her stocking-clad thigh and calf. It was strangely erotic, him running his hand over her ankle to rub her foot.

"These tights are so hot," he whispered, bringing his hand back up her calf, massaging her muscles slightly, feeling every inch of her toned leg.

Finally, he reached the top of her thighs, where her stockings ended. When his hands encountered bare flesh, he groaned slightly. "Goddamn, you're full of surprises, aren't you?"

"I hoped you'd like," Charlie said smugly.

"Yeah," Bass said, somewhat breathless. "I like." He ran his fingers over the bare skin between her stockings and her panties with a feather-light touch. Charlie felt herself growing increasingly aroused, desperate as he teased her sensitive flesh.

"Baby," Bass whispered as he finally moved his fingers to brush the fabric of her panties, which were soaked through with her arousal. Suddenly, he pushed her panties to the side and felt her dripping pussy. "Fuck," he cursed, and Charlie keened against him as he stroked her, lightly at first, then harder, rubbing her delicate folds.

Charlie spread her thighs wider, encouraging him, feeling deliciously naughty as he fingered her, even as they were fully clothed and out in public. "Yes," she moaned, dropping her mouth to his neck, kissing and licking him there.

"So wet for me," Bass said again, sounding awestruck. "You gonna come for me? Just like that? You like me finger fucking you?"

"Bass," Charlie wailed as she felt the familiar tension cresting in her body. It was almost too much, too good, and she nearly sobbed with need. "Yes, I'm gonna…." Her body writhed and bucked against him, her every nerve ending screaming for release, and finally, she came. Clutching Bass desperately, she gushed against his hand as she orgasmed, slamming her eyes closed against the onslaught of pleasure.

"Oh, fuck. So pretty, baby," Bass said. "So fucking hot." He grabbed her hand and crudely pressed it against his cock. "See what you do to me." He was rock hard and huge under her touch. Charlie didn't hesitate—she rubbed him firmly, grasping him through the fabric of his pants.

"Want you," she said breathily. "Please Bass." Charlie was feeling warm now, so she leaned away from Bass and shrugged out of her coat, still under the blanket. Now able to move more easily, she slid over on top of Bass and straddled him, her panty-covered pussy pressed into the ridge of his cock.

Reaching down between them, Charlie realized Bass had already undone his belt. With eager, clumsy fingers, she undid his pants, reaching inside to grasp his cock. She loved the feel of his hot flesh in her hand, pulsing and ready for her. Bass pushed his pants and boxers down, freeing his cock completely. Charlie reached down with her other hand and pushed her panties aside, then maneuvered so he was right at her entrance.

Teasingly, experimentally, she sank down just slightly, taking his tip inside her. He glided through her wetness, and her need for him was almost painful, but she decided to draw it out even more. Bracing herself against Bass' chest, she began working her pussy up and down just the tip of his cock. He was wide, and hard, and she felt stretched to her limit from just that much of him.

"You trying to torture me, sweetheart?" Bass asked in a strangled tone, and Charlie looked up to see his face equal parts tense and aroused. "Or maybe just kill me outright?"

Deciding to have mercy, Charlie sank down suddenly, taking his full length inside her, crying out as she did. It had been a few weeks; she'd nearly forgotten how big he was. Once she had taken him, Bass didn't hold back any longer. He pushed her dress up, gripping her ass and fucking up into her brutally. The sensation of the fabric next to his cock was unusual and strangely hot, and Charlie soon felt herself shuddering into another orgasm.

Spent, she tipped forward and laid against Bass' chest, as he continued to thrust into her hard and fast. "Gonna come inside you, baby," he said, a statement, not a warning. "Gonna fill you up with my come. You're… mine," he declared, punctuating his statement with one last, hard thrust before he exploded, pulling her down against him with bruising force. Charlie felt the warm pulses of his orgasm inside her, and she pushed down into him, taking him deep.

They lay there in the woods for a while longer, just listening to the night sounds. Charlie laughed when Bass started to name more constellations, informing him that he'd impressed her enough for one night. Eventually, they straightened out their clothes and got back in the car.

As they neared the city and the exit for her apartment, Bass asked Charlie, "So, did you want me to take you home or…?"

"How about you take me to your place?" Charlie said.. "And I promise this time I won't dump you to get out of eating your cooking."

Bass scoffed at that. "Nice try," he said. "It's your turn to cook breakfast, princess."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Hope you like toast."

A couple months later, Charlie was sitting on Bass' couch, typing away on her laptop, squinting in concentration. Bass flopped down next to her, bouncing the cushion she sat on, and tried to grab her and kiss her neck.

"Stop," she protested. "I have to finish this paper. About YOUR garage." The semester was nearly over; it was time to turn in her final report about everything she'd learned working a non-traditional job.

"Hmmm," Bass said, pretending to be deep in thought. "You may want to write about how one of the co-owners makes you so wet you can hardly walk straight…"

"Mmmhmm," she said, ignoring him.

"Can you take a break for a second?" he pleaded. "I want to give you a present."

"I keep telling you, your cock is not a present," Charlie protested absently, composing her next paragraph in her head.

"Ugh, stubborn Mathesons," Bass grumbled, then heaved himself up off the couch. Once he was standing, he dropped something into the middle of Charlie's laptop keyboard that landed with a clatter. A key. That got her attention.

Putting her laptop aside, Charlie grabbed the key and stood up, too. "This is…?" she prompted him.

"A key to my place. But it comes with a condition," Bass warned.

"Which is?"

"You have to move in with me."

Charlie gasped. She'd been spending most nights at Bass' place anyway. It was about as far from campus as her own apartment, and on days she was working at the garage, obviously much closer. Things were really good between them. True, when they fought, they nearly screamed the walls down, but the makeup sex was always worth it. And she really cared about Bass. Probably even loved him.

"But, what about my apartment?" she asked. "I have another six months on my lease."

"One of the guys at the garage said his sister's looking for a place for the spring," Bass said. "Should I tell him I know of one that's coming available?"

Charlie's heart fluttered at the vulnerable look on his face. She didn't keep him in suspense. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "I'd love to move in with you." The air between them was suddenly heavy with the word she'd chosen.

Bass took her hands, including the one still holding the key. "I'd love it too, baby," he said. He kissed her, and Charlie kissed him back for a few moments before pulling away and tugging on his arm, leading him back toward the bedroom.

"Thought you had a paper to write," Bass said, still following her without hesitation.

Charlie shook her head, smiling widely, "I think I've figured out how to boil it down to basically three words." She laid down on the bed, waiting for Bass to join her.

"Oh yeah?" Bass asked, crawling over Charlie and beginning to nuzzle her neck.

"Yeah," she said. "Best. Internship. Ever."

The end.