Early morning light filters through the threadbare blanket that serves as a curtain on Charlie's bedroom window. Specks of dust float through the tiny room, swirling and diving aimlessly. Bass supposes the scene should be calming.
He should just go back to sleep.
He should, but that's just not going to happen, not when a very naked and very warm Charlie Matheson is snuggled in his arms. His face is buried in her hair and his body cradles hers. No, this isn't calming. It's the opposite of calming, because now that he's had a taste of Charlie, he wants more.
Bass shifts slightly, nudging her perfectly curved ass cheek with his cock. Again.
She snores softly and he groans, wishing she'd just wake up already. He reaches around and pinches at a nipple, rolling it, maybe a little rougher than is necessary. He doesn't care. He has needs and right now burying his dick in Charlie is at the top of the list.
Charlie mutters something unintelligible and snuggles closer against his chest.
Bass take a deep steadying breath, reminding himself to be patient. "Rise and shine," he whispers gruffly against her ear, nipping at the lobe.
"Bass?" Her voice is scratchy with sleep.
"Expecting someone else?" He thrusts his cock against her hip again.
"No. Just you, but wanna sleep."
"Seriously?" He tilts up on an elbow and shakes her shoulder none too gently. "Charlie, I'm dying here."
"Shut up. Need sleep." Charlie closes her eyes tight, but can't hide a smile as she slowly strokes his thigh where it is pressed tightly to hers. She wiggles her ass against his length, letting out a happy little sigh.
Bass has had enough. With an impatient growl, he pulls her onto her back and smoothly moves between her thighs. He pauses for a moment, meeting her eyes. Her sleepy smirk tells him all he needs to know. "I said 'Rise and Shine.'" He thrusts easily into her heat, still slick from the night before.
Charlie wraps her legs around him, pressing her heels into his ass and pulling him closer with a sigh as he sinks in deep. He kisses her slowly, waking her with his tongue and his cock. His movements are languid. Now that Bass is where he wants to be, he's taking his time. "Feels so fucking good," he says against her lips.
"Eh, it's okay." She smirks. In spite of her words, Charlie rolls her hips, urging him deeper.
"Just okay? Bullshit." Bass slowly runs a hand down her side and along her thigh. He pulls her knee higher, finding his way deeper inside her core. When her body tenses, he speeds up his tempo, thrusting and withdrawing quickly, burying his cock repeatedly. "How about now?"
Charlie groans as her body begins to hum. "Yes."
Bass grins, even as beads of sweat appear on his brow. His movements are now fierce and needy. Reaching between their bodies, he rubs a thumb across her sensitive nub. "Now?" He asks, breathing heavily.
"Fuck, yes!" Charlie comes apart, arching against him with a moan.
Bass is close and he pulls from her sweet warmth. He leans in, kissing her hungrily as he grasps his cock and jerks it three times from root to tip. When he comes, he spurts, thick and hot against her thigh.
Charlie pulls away with a sated smile and looks deeply into his smoldering blue eyes. "Good morning, Bass."
"Best morning ever."
Miles opens his bedroom door slowly, peering out through the narrow opening. He's across the hall and down two doors from Harry Truman's room. Miles hadn't slept much. He has a lot on his mind. It hadn't helped that he'd heard Harry and a woman going at it almost all night. Actually, from the sounds of things, it was probably two women.
Two very loud women.
Miles rubs his eyes. He's tired and frustrated and he's more than a little concerned about whatever seems to be happening between Charlie and Bass. What the hell is that, anyway? Either they are both way better at acting than they've ever been before, or –
No. Miles shakes his head. No or. Gotta be the acting thing.
After a brief wait, the door to Truman's room opens and a busty brunette walks out. She was one of the dancers at the Lone Star last night. Miles would recognize that rack anywhere. A slender Asian woman with long black hair follows the first girl.
Miles nods slightly to himself. Yep. Two girls.
He expects to see Truman wander out next and is surprised when a petite blonde and a tall athletically built black woman come out instead. Truman finally emerges, and hanging on his arm is a plump red head.
Damn. Five girls.
Miles scowls. Selfish bastard. Lucky and selfish, he corrects himself. He watches as the girls leave. Harry watches them walk away as well. Then he begins to scribble something into a notebook. He's still writing when he walks back into his room, kicking his door shut with a thump.
Miles wonders if Blanchard's intel is wrong. Ed Truman's brother is a weasel and an asshole and evidently loves the ladies, but he doesn't seem dangerous. The door doesn't open again for the next hour. Miles gives up.
"Which one?" Bass is eyeing the dresses that hang on hooks along one wall of the narrow bedroom.
"The blue one, I guess." Charlie is standing at the small table, washing as best she can using a pail of tepid water and an old strip of terry cloth.
Bass takes the blue dress from its hook and turns toward her. He stops, taking a moment to enjoy the view. Charlie is naked. Her hair is hanging long and loose down her back. The sunlight kisses her skin, giving it a soft glow. He takes the few steps that separate them. "You're beautiful, Charlie."
She looks at him over her shoulder and smiles. "You don't look so bad yourself."
He reaches out, running his hand through her hair, watching absently as the strands slide between his fingers. "Last night you said you've wanted me for a while."
"Yeah."
"Since when?" He steps back as she pulls on a tiny pair of panties and shimmies into the tight blue dress. "You used to hate me," he continues. "When did that change?"
"When I started to look at your ass, and when I stopped hating you are two very different points in time." She points to her back. "Zip me?"
He chuckles and slides the zipper slowly up her back. "So when did you start looking at my ass?"
"Well, I guess it was a week or so after you saved me from those dirtbags in that bar. We were almost to Willoughby and you got stung by that bee. Remember?"
Bass thinks back. It had all been so long ago. "Yeah, I guess so." He tilts his head, watching her thoughtfully. Slowly a grin spreads. "Wait. I remember. You had some salve with you."
"It was a recipe Maggie had taught me. I still use it."
"And you offered to apply some of your salve to my bee sting."
"Before I knew where it was located, exactly," she laughs at the memory. "When you dropped your pants right then and there and showed me that bare ass…"
He nods. Just a hint of a smile plays at his lips. "And when did you stop hating me?"
Charlie sighs. "The Patriot War. You showed your loyalty so many times. You were always there when we needed you. You saved Aaron's life during that raid at the border, and risked your own in the process." She trails off, not meeting his eyes.
"You stopped hating me because I helped out in the war?" He sounds skeptical.
"Do you remember when we were fighting that group of recruits from the training camp near Savannah?"
"Yeah?"
"Those two guys were ready to kill me, and you came in and blew them away and…." She shrugs. "It wasn't just that. I'd watched you kill before. Even kill for me."
"What was different?"
"You had this look in your eye. It was like you would do anything to save me. And I already knew you felt that way, sort of. I knew you wanted to keep me safe for Miles, but that was the first time I really felt you were saving ME, not just your best friend's niece. When you looked at me and your face was all speckled with their blood and you asked if I was okay, it was like whatever hate there was left – it just faded away."
Bass pulls her into his arms. "I'd been doing it for you for a long time by then. Must have let my guard down."
"You didn't want me to know it was for me? Why?"
"Figured you'd stick your knife in my heart if I ever told you what I was really thinking. I never thought I had a chance with you." He kisses her temple gently.
"When did you start to like me?"
"It was at the school."
"The school where we saw the Patriots catch fire?"
"Yeah. But before that when we were in that hallway and I left you." He glances away, frowning.
"You left me, but then you came back." She nods.
"Yeah, I came back because I realized I couldn't leave you there. You were too special."
"To Miles."
"And also to me. Still are."
Miles is scarfing down a heaping bowl of scrambled eggs in the boarding house's dining room. The lady that runs the place reminds him of June Cleaver – if June Cleaver carried a Colt 45 in her apron pocket.
June refills his coffee cup without being asked. He takes a tentative sip from the steaming mug and smiles. This is real coffee - not that post blackout bullshit roast that most places serve. He closes his eyes, inhaling the heavenly aroma.
"Hey, Stu."
Miles glances over to the chair next to his own. Harry P. Truman is sitting there, smiling that plastic smile that reminds Miles so much of Ed. "Uh, hey."
"I have a question for you."
"Well then you'd better go ahead and ask me." Miles takes another sip of his coffee.
"Do you like the ladies, Stu?"
"Well, maybe not quite as much as you do, Truman. I saw that parade of tail this morning. You are a lucky man." Miles smirks and takes another drink of his coffee.
"How would you describe your perfect woman?"
Miles isn't sure why he's being asked this, but sees no harm in telling the truth. "Naked, willing, mute."
Truman laughs heartily and smacks Miles on the back. "Yeah, that would be perfect, wouldn't it? You be around the Lone Star later?"
"Yeah, heading over in a bit."
Truman pats Miles on the shoulder. "See ya there, Stu. Maybe we can talk some more."
"Can't wait," Miles drawls.
Bass is behind the bar but his eyes are on Charlie as she waits tables. The blue dress hugs her curves and he's well aware that he's not the only person who's noticed. Bass watches as a burly guy in a Stetson strokes her arm as he orders a drink. Bass's jaw tightens. He takes a deep breath. This is harder than he'd thought it would be.
He can't even remember the last time he cared enough to actually be jealous. Years. Decades, maybe. Regardless, it's not a feeling he enjoys. Bass pours a whiskey and then glances her way again. As he watches, a fight breaks out. Stetson is throwing a punch at a skinny red-headed guy and Charlie is shoved into a table.
Bass jumps over the bar and charges right into the fray. He punches Stetson hard, catching him in the solar plexus. The big guy doubles over in pain. The skinny one launches himself at Bass and Bass effortlessly flings him aside. Red is groaning but Bass ignores him, moving to Charlie and pulling her close.
Miles walks in just in time to see Bass wrapping his arms around Charlie with two idiots lying on the floor at his feet. He watches as Bass presses his lips to Charlie's temple while he strokes her lower back.
After a few moments, Bass makes his way back to the bar.
Miles plops down on a bar stool. "Laying it on a little thick aren't you?"
"Nope. Just looking out for my girlfriend, Stu."
Before Miles can respond, Bass walks to the other end of the bar to help a customer.
Rufus appears in front of Miles. "Can I get ya anything?"
"Does this stupid bar sell anything stronger than whiskey?"
"Sure do." Rufus reaches under the bar, and then slams a bottle of a mysterious liquid in front of Miles. It is murky and green.
Miles blanches. "What do you call it?"
"Damnation." Rufus pours a glass and pushes it into Miles's waiting hand.
Miles takes a sip. "What is this, nuclear run-off?"
Rufus chuckles. "Well, shit. Now that you've figured out my secret recipe, you're gonna have to die. What's got into you anyway? Seem kind of grouchy about your friends."
"First of all, I'm always grouchy, but I don't like them pretending to be a couple." Both men eye the front. Charlie is getting ready to go on stage for her first set. Before she walks up the stairs, Bass is there pulling her close. He kisses her lustily, clearly marking his territory before anyone can get any ideas.
Rufus raises one shaggy eyebrow. "Ain't much pretending going on there."
"You're wrong. This is all for show."
"So, you don't think they're a couple? Don't think they like each other?" Rufus raises one eyebrow.
"No way. This is just a job, and Bass would never go there. Not with her. She's my – well, he knows that would be a bad idea."
Rufus shakes his head. "Listen I don't know you guys, but I do know what fucking sounds like and what I heard through the wall last night was not pretend fucking."
Miles bristles. "Maybe it wasn't them?"
"It was them. I have a corner room. Hers is right next to mine. The walls are like paper."
"But maybe it wasn't actually them? Maybe someone else was in that room?" Miles is grasping at straws.
"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." Rufus rolls his eyes. "Someone else snuck into their room to get lucky – someone else named Bass and Charlie."
Miles clenches and unclenches his fists. "Shit," he says.
Rufus nods toward where Bass and Charlie are talking. "Might want to give them a refresher on maintaining a cover story, by the way. They need to use their new names all the time."
"Yeah, because the names they use while they fuck each other is the problem."
"Well, I don't know why you're so bent out of shape. They seem to like each other. Quite a bit if this morning's repeat performance was any indication."
"This morning?" Miles takes another gulp from his glass. His hands are shaking, and he thinks maybe his head is going to explode.
"Oh yeah. She's been staying here for almost a month and last night was the first time I heard any noise at all from her room since got here. This morning they were going at it again, way before I wanted to actually wake up, to be honest." Rufus shrugs. "But as wake up calls go, it wasn't all bad."
Miles closes his eyes and concentrates on breathing. He also concentrates on not pulling out his gun and shooting Bass in the head.
Concentrating is hard.
Miles points to his empty glass. "Need more of that."
Rufus chuckles as he pours.
Miles decides the only way to deal with this new development is to ignore it for now. Nothing good can come from confronting them right now. He changes the subject. "So you and Blanchard are friends?"
"Oh yeah. Known Frankie forever. He used to come out this way a lot to have some fun with the ladies, back when we had really good whore houses. They're all shit anymore. No matter. These days all Frank has time for is Texas. Too bad too. That man knows how to party."
"What about Truman? What's your take on him?"
Rufus shakes his head. "That guy's an idiot. And a pervert. And a shit. A few of the girls have hinted around that he's sometimes rough when that isn't what they signed on for. I think that's what had Frank worried at first. He didn't want Jo to be in a position where she might get violated. And I guess he thinks Harry is trying to start some sort of revolt but I don't think he has the brains needed for that. Anyway, since Jo is important to you two, Frank encouraged her to call you in."
They both look to where Bass and Charlie are talking. They're in the shadows but still visible enough that Miles can clearly see when Bass runs his hand up under the short flowing skirt of the dress she's wearing. Bass grins down at Charlie and she looks up at him with a tender smile. There is a sweet intimacy between them that makes Miles look away, uneasy.
"Fuck," he mutters into his drink. "They barely liked each other the last time we were all together."
Rufus tilts his head, still watching the couple in question. "Or, maybe they were acting before, and this is the real thing?"
"I hate this fucking assignment."
Charlie is just moments away from her second set. Bass has his hand up her skirt and is stroking her hip with feather light touches. "I really love watching you dance." Bass nuzzles her throat, tickling her skin with his beard.
"Yeah?"
"Oh yeah. Hate anybody else gets to see you though."
"It's part of the cover. You know that."
"I know." He gazes into her eyes, deep in thought. "What happens after all this?" He motions with his free hand to the bar at large.
"Another job for Texas, I guess. What about you?"
He shrugs. "What would you think about having someone working with you?"
Her eyes sparkle. "You want to come on the road with me? Work for Texas together? Be a team?"
"I don't really give a shit about Texas, but yeah. I'd love it if we could work together."
"What about Miles?" Charlie toys with the collar of Bass's shirt, sliding her fingers along the smooth expanse of his chest.
Bass glances over at his best friend. "I need to talk to him. He's not going to like it."
"I'm a big girl, Bass. I can make my own decisions."
"I know that. I'm just not sure Miles is going to be on board with me being one of those decisions."
Charlie furrows her brow. "He's going to have to get used to it. I want to keep you."
Bass leans in and whispers against her ear. "I want Miles to approve, but even if he doesn't – if you want me, Charlotte - I'm all yours."
A/N Hey Love, sorry for the wait between chapters. Real life has been busy. :) Hope you are still enjoying this. There will be one more chapter to wrap up this story.
A huge thank you to the immensely talented Romeokijai for assisting with her beta skills. You rock.
For anyone interested, I do have a new multi-chap fic that I'm only posting on AO3. It's titled "Taken". Feel free to check it out.
As always, comments are greatly appreciated. -Lemon