Stella and the Boxer

Chapter 10

“Do you like cherry coke?” I ask, setting Cooper’s food down for him and settling into the swing, taking my plate from Charlie, “It’s my favorite,” I add.

“No, I don’t drink much soda, to be honest. I like a coke now and again, but I bought that today because you’d ordered one at lunch on Sunday.”

I smile at Charlie and then look down at my plate, collecting a bit of vegetables onto my fork.

“You are very thoughtful,” I say, taking the bite.

“I’d say you taught me well, these are very good. The chicken is good, too.”

“I can teach you even more sophisticated meals, grilled vegetables are only just the beginning,” Charlie says, smiling and raising his eyebrows. After he says it though, his dark blue eyes fall slowly and the same uneasiness that I saw in him earlier returns. I wonder if it has something to do with his trainer, or if there’s something that he’s not telling me.

“Have you heard from Casey Isaacs? Is Mark alright?”

He looks up from his plate, but not towards me. His blue eyes drift out beyond his yard, and I desperately want to know what is on his mind.
“She hasn’t called or texted, I assume everything will be okay for tonight. Hopefully I’m wrong, and things will turn out all right.”

We talk about lighter things after that and after we finish eating, we clean up the kitchen together. It’s getting late and I’m feeling so sleepy. The past couple of days with Charlie have been amazing, but it’s been such a ride, too. I know I’ll sleep well again tonight though, because I feel safe with him.

As I’m wiping the counter, I feel Charlie’s body press to my back, and he brings his big arms around in front of me, stopping my hands that hold the dishrag.

“I think it’s clean enough, baby,” He whispers near my neck, kissing me. I tilt my head, hoping that he will kiss more of my neck, because his lips feel so perfect on me. Instead, he takes his hands from mine and places them firmly on my waist, spinning me around and picking me up, setting me onto the counter. His deep but playful eyes look into mine, and a smirk sets in on his sweet lips.

His face is so close, but I don’t move towards him. I’m in such a daze. His hands are on my thighs; they are so soft and warm. He moves them up, letting his fingers slip into my shorts, but not far, before leaning in to kiss me.

I kiss him back, opening my mouth and moaning into his. I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want Charlie.

We keep kissing; I start to play roughly with his hair, tugging at his curls. He pulls his hands from my shorts and grabs my waist, pulling away from my lips. I keep my lips on him, kissing his perfect jawline, under his ear, down his neck.

“Stella,” He whispers, and he tightens his grip on my waist, picking me up and carrying me through the living room and down the hall, into the bedroom.

***

I lay under the covers after, feeling sleepy and dazed. Charlie lies beside me, but further down on the bed, one of his arms is settled loosely around my lower waist and his head rests on my tummy.

Most of Charlie’s curls lay more in waves, but there are scattered, short ringlets that I like to twirl around my fingers. As I play with his hair, I smile to myself.

“Before you actually introduced yourself to me, I had heard Mr. Miller call you Charlie, but I only thought of you as ‘the boy with curly hair.’”

Charlie laughs lightly against my bare skin.

“I just wanted you to be the one to introduce yourself to me. I don’t know why.”