Chapter Forty-Four
The following morning hit Joey hard. After a difficult night's sleep she was far from ready to face the day but she was eager to find out what the station had decided regarding her and Charlie's fate. As soon as it turned nine o'clock, she phoned reception. It rang for an agonisingly long time.
***
Charlie was up and out early. She felt like death. Her body, mind and soul felt like it was being slowly and painfully destroyed and yet she was at work before nine o'clock waiting to hear what was to become of her. Watson spied her and sighed.
"Have you made a decision?" Charlie asked, not bothering with pleasantries.
Watson took her to one side, deciding not to string it out any longer.
"Yes, we have," she said.
"And?" Charlie urged, almost hopping from one foot to another.
"We've decided there's no case to answer," Watson told her. "Yours and Joey's stories match up and we can't see that you've done anything wrong."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Charlie said, forgetting herself and pulling her colleague into a hug.
Surprised, Watson hugged her back, realising perhaps for the first time just how much Joey meant to Charlie. The phone rang, interrupting them.
"Excuse me," Watson said, heading over to answer it.
***
Watson answered Joey's call.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hi, it's Joey Collins," Joey said timidly. "Have you made a decision?"
"We have," Watson replied.
"And?"
Still perched on the sofa she had slept on, Joey felt like her whole life was dependent on this very moment. In many ways, it did.
"There's no case to answer," Watson informed her.
"Really?" Joey squeaked.
"Charlie's right here if you'd like to talk to her," Watson offered.
"Yes please! Thank you, Watson! Thank you so much! Thank you!"
Watson grinned, accepting Joey's gratitude and handed the phone to Charlie.
***
Charlie and Joey raced home, arriving more or less at the same time and bounding into each other's arms. They smothered each other in frantic kisses, clinging on in desperation. Tears of joy and relief spilled down both their cheeks as they stood in the middle of the living room pulling each other close, clawing at each other. There was no such thing as being close enough today.
***
Finally, the women sat down together on the sofa.
"Why did you come and see me last night?" Joey asked.
Charlie immediately opted for the truth.
"Hugo made a pass at me," she said flatly.
"What?" Joey said, alarmed.
"I rejected him before he could get anywhere and I wasn't even nearly tempted but he did try," Charlie said. "He said I was just pretending with you and that we weren't real. And it made me need to tell you that we were."
Joey smiled, touched by the sentiment.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you too," Charlie said. "I really do. Joey, I've been so scared."
"Me too. I'm so sorry for what Brett did. I know the complaint's been dropped but it won't have any effect on your record will it?"
"It shouldn't do," Charlie said, hoping she was telling the truth.
"Good. I am sorry."
"It's not your fault."
Silence fell between them.
"Joey..." Charlie ventured.
Joey gazed at her earnestly.
"You don't think... You don't think that I took advantage of you, do you?"
Joey looked shocked and utterly alarmed.
"What? No! Of course I don't! Why would you ever think that?"
"Well, even before getting together was on the cards I invited myself into your bed."
"Well, technically I was in your bed," Joey pointed out.
"You know what I mean," Charlie said, poking her tongue out.
Joey rewarded her with a sneaky kiss, making her laugh.
"Charlie, we both know what a sex offender is. A sex offender is someone like Robbo. You rescued me from him. You, Charlie... are an angel. You're so far away from someone like him that to equate you with him would be funny if it weren't so tragic. You have done nothing wrong. All we did was fall in love and nobody has the right to have a problem with that. I know we've been through a lot recently so let's just draw a line under it and move on. Let's just be the happiest we can be," Joey said.
Charlie smiled, feeling comforted. They came together in a tender kiss, wrapping their arms around each other.
***
A short while later, Joey wondered what Charlie would like to do now that they were free to be together again.
"Well, firstly, I want to clean my poor car," Charlie said.
"Done!" Joey declared.
Charlie eyed her curiously.
"I did it as soon as you left yesterday," Joey explained. "I didn't want you to have to see it when you got home."
"You're actually perfect," Charlie declared, kissing her passionately.
"I try," Joey grinned.
"Now, what would you like to do?"
"To be honest, I need a shower. I was too anxious to think about mundane things like washing this morning."
"Need any help?" Charlie asked with raised eyebrows.
"Oh, definitely," Joey said, climbing off the sofa and pulling Charlie with her.
***
Inside the bathroom, Charlie locked the door while Joey opened the shower cubicle and turned the water on. Turning around she gasped in surprise to find Charlie was already right behind her. She giggled when Charlie leant in and kissed her.
"A night apart from you was way too long," Charlie murmured against Joey's lips.
She moved her hands to Joey's hips, finding the hem of her t-shirt and lifted it up and over her arms, discarding it quickly on the floor. The water from the shower got hotter and steam began to fill the room. Charlie stepped back and admired Joey's body as she stood in jeans and a bra. Stepping in close again, she bent to kiss Joey's tummy, reaching behind her and undoing her bra, also letting that drop to the floor. She grinned, pleased with her handy work as she let her fingers glide back to Joey's hips, slipping her jeans and underwear off. She didn't think she would ever stop admiring how beautiful her girlfriend was.
"You're perfect," she decided.
Joey giggled shyly and let Charlie guide her into the shower. Standing under the hot water, she watched Charlie strip off quickly and was thrilled when she stepped in to join her. They met happily in a kiss, wrapping their wet arms around each other, holding each other so tightly that not a droplet could exist between them.
"I love you," Joey said softly.
"I love you too," Charlie replied, kissing her again.
She stepped back and reached for the bottle of shampoo, opening it and squirting some onto her hand. She began to massage it into Joey's long hair. Joey closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling, opening up only when she heard Charlie giggling.
"What are you doing?" she asked with a pout.
Charlie chewed her lip guiltily.
"Making funny shapes with your hair," she admitted.
Joey burst out laughing. Grabbing the shampoo, she declared war and began to do the same thing to Charlie.
***
Eventually, Charlie and Joey rinsed their hair off, still giggling.
"Now for your body," Charlie said, keeping her voice low.
She reached to lather her hand with shower gel. Turning Joey round, she began to massage her lover's shoulders and back. She moved down to her buttocks and then sank down, turning Joey back round so she could pay attention to her legs and feet, adding more soap whenever she needed to. Charlie then worked back up Joey's body, starting with her legs, moving up to her hips, tummy, shoulders and then her neck, having avoided the places that she loved most. Soaping her hands one more time, Charlie began to explore Joey's breasts slowly and gently, making her moan as she paid her special attention. Charlie kept her mouth occupied with Joey's lips and her hands moving. The soap eventually washed away but her soft strokes continued and her fingers were joined by her tongue. Losing herself to a state of joyful oblivion, Joey leant back against the cold tile, allowing the water and Charlie to wash over her. Leaving her hands to continue playing, Charlie slid down further, kneeling on the floor. She nudged Joey's legs further apart, settling between them. She smiled, taking in the sight of Joey, acknowledging that Joey was more than ready for her. Feeling the water cascading down over her head, drowning out most of her other senses, Charlie allowed herself a small taste. She felt Joey shudder slightly against her tongue, encouraging her on. She made a bolder move. Joey welcomed her in. Nothing would stop Charlie now until Joey was entirely satisfied. Leaning against the wall, her palms flat against the surface, Joey indulged in the wonderful pleasure Charlie was providing. She felt like she could never get enough of her. It was amazing how well they had got to know each other in this way. Charlie knew exactly how to please her, exactly what made her happy. And this was exactly it. As Charlie worked, Joey was grateful for the rush of the water drowning out her loud responses to the orgasm that flowed through her.
***
Charlie and Joey stepped out of the shower, having very thoroughly soaped each other a total of twice each before they finally turned the water off. Grabbing a large towel, Charlie opened it up and Joey stepped into it. Charlie began to dry her gently, immediately delving beneath and becoming intimate again. Lying on the floor together they made love once more. There was no such thing as enough.
