Chapter Six Continued...
Charli grins and struts through.
I observe her from the door. She is wearing an oversized grey shirt and black leggings. I could never pull off big shirts without looking like a tent. On her, it works. Her shirt is riding up, sitting on the curve of her...
She turns to look at me.
"Are you coming or what?"
I nod my head and walk through the door. She insists we take the tiny elevator. The last time I was in here it was with someone else pressed against me. Now Charli is. Her eyes are glued to me. She is staring at my lips. Is she going to kiss me?
My panic is rising. I've made a mistake. I shouldn't have invited her upstairs. I'd wanted to hang out, Netflix and Chill. Is she expecting more? I don't know if there is anything more I can give.
The bell rings.
I slip out before the doors are fully open. I walk to the door and fumble with keys. I try to insert the key into the lock but drop them all. I pick them back up and try again.
"Do you need help?" Charli asks.
She is standing patiently next to me. There are only three keys on my keyring. I'd been flipping through the same three for the last minute. I'm panicking. I've invited a beautiful, sexy, and forward girl up to my apartment.
Is anyone else panicking?
I slid the key into the lock. I open the door and peer inside. It's empty. I knew it would be. Aurora wouldn't be back for another day or two. Part of me had been hoping she'd come home early. I wish she'd been waiting for me inside.
Charli steps through the door and looks around. She kicks off her shoes. Her bare feet pad onto the tile and then onto the plush carpet in the living room. I remove my own shoes and walk over to her. She is gazing out the window.
"The sunset will be beautiful from here," Charli says.
I note the sunset isn't for another few hours.
"Can I get the grand tour?" She asks.
She's joking. By walking in, she'd already seen most of the apartment.
"Sure, may take a while. This place is huge."
"I've got time." She says and smiles at me.
Her easy humor has already setting me at ease. The panic is settling a bit. I'd possibly been overthinking everything.
"You're standing in the living room."
I motion around us.
"Nice, nice. Spacious." She says while peering around the room.
"Over here..." I walk over to my door but hesitate before opening it. It feels intimate to show her my room. And my bed. "...is my room."
Charli comes up behind me. She presses her hand against my back. Then she peeks around me to look.
"Wow, you're living like a queen. Is that a hot tub you got in there?"
She points to the tiny sink. I laugh nervously.
Then she steps away from me and walks over to the others side of the apartment.
"That's Aurora's room," I say.
She already has the door open and is snooping. I hastily follow her inside.
"Of course, she gets the bigger room." She says.
"It's her families flat." I defend.
I'm anxious to get her out of the space. I point to the bathroom off Aurora's room.
"The bathroom is there if you need it."
"She's messy," Charli says while dramatically leaping over large piles of clothes. "I wouldn't have guessed."
She looks up at me from her game of hopscotch.
"Do you sleep in her bed when she is away?" She asks.
"No, I wouldn't."
She shrugs her shoulders. "Why not? It's bigger."
Honestly, I'd consider it when she left. It's not liked she'd ever know. But the thought of sleeping in her bed...The smell of her sheets and her pillows. I wouldn't be able to keep my sanity let alone get any sleep.
Charli sits down on the queen-sized bed.
"No, Charli! Get off!" I snap.
It had come out louder than I'd intended. High-pitched and panicked. Charli on her bed feels extremely wrong.
"I haven't shown you the kitchen," I say sweetly in an attempt to soften my earlier harsher tone.
She raises her eyebrows and smirks at me. I motion towards the door and wait for her to stand. She does but slowly; taking her time. She even bounces on the bed once for good measure. I realize she'd sat on her bed on purpose. She'd been trying to see my reaction. And I'd given her one. What had she learned from it?
I barely wait for her to cross the threshold before closing the door behind her.
"And this is the kitchen," I say.
I walk behind the countertops and force a smile on to my lips. I'm more irritated than I want her to know. Charli on her bed has shaken my nerves. I take a deep breath and open the fridge.
"We don't have much food in here..." I'm rambling again. We'd just ate a late lunch, but I'm on edge all of the sudden. I'm not sure if I'm angry, anxious, or excited. "...but there are things to drink, we have lemonade, water, or wine if you..."
Charli shuts the refrigerate door. She is standing behind me. Her hand is pressing against the small of my back and she is leaning into me. The panic is rising again. There is an incessant fluttering in my stomach and my heart is pounding in my ears. If I turn around, I know she's going to kiss me. Do I want her to?
"Belle..." She says softly.
I turn to face her. Her brown eyes are staring at me. Only they aren't warm anymore but smoldering. She drapes her arms around my neck. She'd done it cautiously, slowly, as if to give me ample time to stop her. Time, I need. My mind is racing. I don't know if I want this to happen.
She gently pulls me down to her. I don't resist but lower my face closer to hers. Her breath is on my lips.
If I give in, what does it mean?
Charli kisses me.
It's the first time I've kissed someone shorter than me. It's different; the angle. I'd noticed it before. It's not liking kissing Aurora...
She breaks the kiss and stares up at me.
"Kiss me," She says.
Isn't that what we were doing? I lean down and press my lips to her mouth. Charli's bottom lip is not as thick hers; she moves her mouth different. Breathes differently. She tastes...
She pulls away from again.
"Seriously, you can do better."
"What?" I snap.
If she doesn't like the way I kiss, then she doesn't have to kiss me. I start to pull away, but she holds me close.
"Kiss me like you did earlier."
The kiss in the metro station wasn't real. Pretend. I'd done it to help her out. It hadn't meant anything. This meant something. Shouldn't that be enough? I kiss her again and try to replicate the kiss from earlier. It had been nice. Had she been in control? Or had I? Maybe it was equal?
She breaks the kiss again.
"Stop thinking." She says.
I groan.
"I can practically feel you analyzing." She continues.
I avert my eyes. I'm embarrassed and it's also more than a little irritating. I'm kissing. I don't know what else she wants from me. I pull away again. She drops her arms from around my neck but then wraps them around my waist instead. It's confusing. She is telling me one thing and then doing another.
"You'll have to get over her eventually." She says quietly. "I can help you."
"What?"
I'd heard her, but I can hardly believe my ears. It's forward even for her. And who said I wanted to get over her? She'd forgive me at some point. I only need to wait it out. It's not like Apollo was coming home with us. Once we got back to the states, how much longer could Aurora stay angry with me?
"I'm going to say this. You need to know it's not to hurt you..." She starts.
I mentally prepare myself. If Charli, who didn't preface anything, is warning me it's going to be something I really really don't want to hear.
"But you're here alone with me." She says softly. "And she's alone with Apollo. Do you think she is holding back?"
Ouch.
Her words slice deep. It leaves a painful picture in my head. Aurora alone with Apollo. Her climbing into his bed in the middle of the night, like she'd climbed into mine. She'd been seductive and passionate. I'd turned her away. Would he?
"You're hurting. You're not over her but it's okay. Let me help you forget."
Her arms are draped around my neck again. Her body is pressed against me. She is warm and soft. She feels good.
And she is right.
I am hurting, I can feel it deep in my chest. I've been hurting for a long time. Seeing her with John hurt, seeing her with James hurt, and seeing her with Apollo hurt. Seeing her with my...ex hurt. Charli doesn't hurt. She makes me feel good. I can get lost in her. It would be easy.
"Don't think so much. Be with me." She says.
Her lips are close. She is waiting for me to close our distance.
"Kiss me." She whispers.
I kiss her again. I let myself fall into her this time. I press my lips against hers and part her lips. I wrap my arms tightly around her and hug her close to me. She's controlling my mouth again. Her mouth is carnal and passionate. She's aggressive, her teeth sliding against my tongue and my lips. I can barely breathe, and I don't want to. There is no guilt, no pain. I don't feel anything but pure desire and want.
I want her. I want to get closer to her.
I push off the refrigerator and shove her against the cabinets. She's lighter than I expected and slams into them. Charli grunts. I pull my lips from her.
"Are you alri...?"
"Don't you fucking stop," She growls.
Then she yanks me back down to her lips.
I slide my fingers under her shirt. Her skin is warm and silky. I want to feel more of it. As if reading my mind, she yanks her shirt off. She does it so smoothly I barely notice the brief second her lips weren't on mine.
Without breaking our heated kiss. She grabs my hand and brings it to her breasts. I cup them in my palm and kneed her smooth skin between my fingers. It's not enough, I want to touch every part of her. I run my hands up and down her body.
She grabs me by the shirt and leads me out of the kitchen without pulling her lips from mine. We both stumble; bumping into the cabinets and walls. Objects hit the ground as we knock into them. It's a struggle not to fall over her feet but I don't want to stop touching her. I let her lead me wherever she wants. My room, the couch, the floor. I could care less, as long as she lets me feel more of her.
A door opens and I open my eyes. It's not my room but Aurora's. She is pulling me in.
Charli wants to have sex in Aurora's bed. It'd be fun for her; a rush. It'd be a rush for me too. For a different reason. It'd be too easy, surrounded by her things and the smell of her, to close my eyes and forget it wasn't Aurora moving between my legs. It's tempting. More tempting than I want to admit.
I grab her by the waist and pull her towards the living room instead. She doesn't resist but lets me guide her. Charli jumps and wraps her legs around my waist. Her weight on me is a surprise. I stumble backward and crash on the couch. She straddles my waist and pulls my shirt off. Then she is on me again.
Her tongue flicks across my skin. She nibbles and bites my skin as she makes her way down my body. Her sharp bites hurt but in a good way. She reaches behind me. Charli unclasps my bra in one motion then drops it to the floor.
We are moving fast. Too fast.
Charli grinds her hips into my lap. I should stop her. I've known her for less than a week. My pants are still on. But she is pushing hard. Furiously rubbing her hands between my legs, while she pumps her hips into me. There is a familiar tightness building between my legs. The pressure is growing fast and deeper.
"Charli...I..." I gasp.
I want to tell her to slow down. But it feels too good and I can't form the words. I'm dizzy and lightheaded from the building pleasure. I can't seem to fill my lungs with enough air.
I'm trying to think but her hands are still frantically stroking between my legs. I can't concentrate on anything but her body, the feel of her hands, and her lips on my skin. It's too much too quickly. I'm too close to losing it.
I sit up and flip her onto her back. She's not wearing a bra. I didn't see her remove it. I pin her with my body, pressing my breast against hers. Her hands are no longer between my legs and I try to take a second to collect myself. I breathe and try to let the throbbing ease. She only gives me a second.
She starts unbuttoning my pants. Her hands felt good with pants on without them...I shudder. I grab her hands and pin them over her head. I kiss her to slow things down for a few more moments. But she's gyrating underneath me and it's making it impossible. I move my mouth from her lips to her neck. Trail doing her body to her breasts.
Charli moans.
Why had I wanted to slow down? There's a reason but I can no longer remember what it is. I slide my fingers under the waistband of her pants and start to tug them off. She arches her backs as I pull them free. I fall back on to her kissing her neck, her breasts, her navel, and trailing down to her inner thighs.
I look up at her, she is all but naked. Only a small bit of fabric between her legs. Her eyes are on me. Still smoldering. She is sexy, experienced, and intimidating. I'm a virgin all over again. I know what feels good. What I don't know is how to make her feel these things.
"I don't..."
"Take off your pants." She says before I can finish my sentence.
My heart is pounding out of my chest, but I obey. I lean back against the couch and start to remove them. She yanks them off the rest of the way, then climbs on top of me.
Charli whispers in my ear. "I'll teach you."
She slides down my body and positions herself between my legs. She spreads my legs further apart. I watch her as she pushes the lacy fabric aside with her teeth.
The front door swings open.
Bags clatter and slide across the tiled floor.
I jerk up; my abruptness knocks Charli off me and she hits the ground.
"Chto za chert!" (What the hell!)
I reach for my pants and try to cover myself.
Distraught grey eyes are staring at me. Aurora assesses my state of undress then her eyes fall to the naked girl on the floor. Then her eyes land back on me and my heart sinks to my stomach. She doesn't attempt to hide her pain from me. I can see every line of agony etched in her face. A small gush of air escapes her lips.
Could she forgive me for this?
"Ari...I..."
She turns and storms out of the apartment.
I start to stand but remember my lack of clothing. Apollo had been standing behind her. He is covering eyes with his hands.
"Je suis tellement désolé mademoiselle." (I'm so sorry ladies.)
Then he uses his free hand to feel the air for the door handle. After a few failed attempts, he finally grabs it and closes the door.
"Yikes." Charli says, "You said they weren't coming back till tomorrow?"
I'm in shock. Frozen. Aurora bags and things are on the floor. I frantically search for my clothes. They're scattered everywhere.
I've made a mistake. I hadn't been thinking. I had to go after her. I had to explain.
"Explain what? What are you going to tell her?" She asks.
I guess I'd been talking out loud. I find my pants from behind the couch and pull them on.
"Are you...you going to tell her this was a mistake?"
I'm aware Charli is speaking to me, but I'm not in the mindset to respond. All I can think of is her face contorted in pain. How could I have given in so easily?
Where are my shoes? Probably underneath all of Ari things. I run over to the door and fling myself on to the floor.
"Hey, I know you're losing your shit." Charli is on the floor beside me and her hands are clasping my forearm. "But we didn't do anything wrong. You said it yourself. She is not your girlfriend."
What she is saying is true. But it didn't mean I hadn't hurt her any less. I slip my feet in my shoes.
"You sure you want to go after her?" She asks. "Apollo is with her."
I start to stand but stop. Apollo probably is with her. Holding her and consoling her.
"Hey," Charli says, "Just promise you'll be careful."
I look up at her from the floor.
She'd gotten dressed faster than me. There is a weary crease in her forehead. Her eyes are wide and full of concern. She looks a little sad too. Have I hurt her feelings?
"Charli, I'm sor..."
"Don't apologize." She says before I can finish. "You're fine, I understand."
Her understanding only makes me feels worse.
"I'm going to leave. Let you process." She says.
"You don't have to...."
"No, I have to." She says. "Emotions are high. It wouldn't be good for me to be here when she gets back."
I wasn't so sure she was coming back.
She leans down and kisses me on the forehead.
"Belle, you didn't do anything wrong."
I nod my head, but I don't believe it. I've done everything wrong.
"Text me? Or don't. I mean if you don't want to, but I want you to." She says.
She leaves before I can answer.
What had I done? It's too late to go after her. I wouldn't know what to say to her. And she is with Apollo. A guy she'd ditched me for.
Who had betrayed whom? I don't even know anymore.
TBC...Up next Chapter Seven.
It doesn't get much hotter than that. No really...I draw the line at getting too explicit. Keepin' it R, staying away from the Mature tag. But hopefully, it was a good chapter without all the sexy details. Remember to vote and enjoy your weekend.