Skins & Needles (COMPLETE)

Returning to Normal Part 3

Arsen

Charlotte sat alone at the bottom of the steps, her head in her lap, and I almost turned around. It filled me with both hurt and hope seeing her upset. If she was hurting, then it seemed I wasn't alone in whatever it was I was feeling for her. At the same time, that made it all worse.

I wish she knew.

The door slammed behind me, and that was all the clouds needed to finally release their contents. A drop of water hit the steps, and Charlotte stood from her seat and turned to face me.

"Hey," I said intelligently. Talk to me, please. Just let me hear your voice.

"What're you doing here?" she asked after a moment of searching my face, a half-hearted smile gracing her lips. "Come to get inked, finally?"

"Not today," I said, and took a step toward her. "Just here with Adrian and Ethan."

"Oh, I see." She bit her lips a little and looked away. I could see in the way she held herself that something was eating her up, but I knew better than to ask what.

"How are your ribs?" I asked. The rain was picking up, but slowly. It fell in a light sprinkle, and Charlotte tilted her head back to catch a few drops on her face.

"Much better," she replied, and returned her gaze to mine. "See?" She stretched her arms above her head before letting them fall back down.

"I'm glad to hear."

She smiled again and scratched her eyebrow nervously. Don't be nervous. It's not you.

"How have things been? Miss my cooking yet?" She said this jokingly, but I saw a sadness glimpse over her features, and that slightest of slips was all it took to break my resolve.

I descended the last few steps and pulled her into my arms, tension I didn't realize had built up releasing from my shoulders when our bodies connected. Charlotte responded instantly, wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing her face into my chest. I breathed in deep, completely engrossed in her, and she let out something between a hum and a sigh, as if this reunion was somehow painful, but it was impossible to ignore how much more complete I felt with her near.

"I've missed you," I admitted, and pulled her tighter against me.

"I've missed you too." Her voice was so soft, like she was afraid to admit it, but that made her confession all the sweeter.

For a long moment, we stood like that, holding each other in the rain for God knows what reason. Something strong pulled us together, whether it was a mate bond on my end or just pure chemistry, and I hated that I had to deny it more every day.

"I really want to kiss you," I said without thinking, and Charlotte stiffened.

"I want to kiss you too."

I rubbed my hand up and down her back until she relaxed again.

"We can't though, can we?" she asked, her voice thick from fighting back tears.

I held her hard, maybe too hard, but I needed her to know that I wasn't staying away because I didn't want to be involved with her. At first I was hesitant. She was an outsider, and I knew we could never last, so I wasn't even considering it. Wasn't even considering her. But all too quickly, within one night of spending time with her, my inhibitions died. She killed them with her attitude, her smile, her everything. And now I just hated that she would never know, and there could never be us.

"We can't," I said at last, and I felt her slump against me, the fight leaving her body as she processed what I said. I didn't let her go though. Not until the rain was coming down steadily enough that we would wind up drenched if we stayed outside.

"Come," I told her, forcing myself to pull away from her. She wouldn't look at me as I led her up the stairs to stand under the canopy, and knowing I might never have those hazel eyes on me the way they were the last night she was with me was a javelin through the gut.

"I need to go back in," she told me, glancing at me shyly over the rim of her glasses. Her eyelids were decorated in red, white, and blue shadow, and somehow, the rain hadn't marred her makeup. Cosmetic technology had progressed past my limited knowledge.

"I understand," I nodded. "I just wanted to..." I trailed off. Why did I come out here? I didn't get time to think up an answer.

"Uh, before we head back in, I have something for you." She said this hesitantly, but her lips were quirked up at the corners. "Promise you won't look at it until you get home?"

"Why?" I wondered, watching as she pulled an envelope out of her back pocket. Had she been expecting me to come in today, or kept it on hand just in case?

"Hmm..." She tapped her chin. "It's... private."

"Charlotte," I warned, but couldn't help my own smile. Even after all the nonsense that had gone down, she was still playing her games. She always comes back. Unstoppable. Unbreakable. Incredible.

"Here!" She took my hand and placed the envelope in it. "I hope you like it."

It didn't feel too heavy. Probably just paper inside. I was still careful not to bend it when I slid it into my jeans.

"I'm sure I will. After you?" I motioned to the door and she nodded and turned to head in. Before she could open the door though, I was acting without thinking and pulling her back around. One hand took her waist, and the other caressed her cheek, and I was an inch away from kissing her before I yanked my internal chain and froze.

"Arsen," she breathed, and I groaned.

"It's so hard not to just..." I squeezed her body against mine and she gasped.

"Then let me," she said, and I slackened my grip. I would have let her do whatever the hell she wanted, but instead of pressing her lips to mine, or anything I was hoping for, she just took my face between her hands and kissed me once on the nose.

"What was that—"

I cut off when she started laughing, and remembered she was wearing pretty aggressive lipstick.

"Is there..." I motioned to my face. Charlotte shrugged.

"You'll never know!" And she spun back inside before I could stop her this time.

"Shit," I muttered, glancing around for anything reflective before resorting to wiping my nose with my hand.

Nothing.

Tricky little temptress.