A couple of hours had passed when Charlie finally called to check in.
"Half of our costumes aren't here."
"What?"
You could tell from the sound that he was taking a drag of a cigarette. He hadn't smoked, that you knew of, during any of the time he had spent with you. You realized it was a probably a stress thing unless he was trying to be respectful or really good at hiding it.
"We're fucked."
"How are they not there?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. When everything came in for load in and got sorted, they weren't here and no one fucking thought to tell me until today. All I know is we're going to have to shag major ass to get things ready by opening. I'm kinda glad you didn't come with me because I've been a total dick since I got here."
You knew Charlie could be hot headed. You had experienced a taste of his temper over the incident with the flowers, but nevertheless you wished you could have been there to support him. And, to his credit, you knew that anger was over feeling hurt more than anything else.
"How can I help?" Even though you weren't in any real position to do anything, you still extending the offer. He knew it too.
Charlie let out a breath you could tell he had been holding in. He was relaxing, you hoped.
"Honestly? Just talking to you made me feel a little better."
"I'm happy I could help."
He was quiet and then—
"I can't wait to hold you when I get back. I just want to forget all of this for a while."
You could hear someone in the background giving him grief and causing him to grumble.
"God dammit. I'm sorry. Hang on, please."
He pulled the phone away from his mouth. He was yelling.
"What? I'm on a call. What? I can't--Go tell him I said I don't care. Tell him he can wait. Apparently everything else fucking can."
He returned, his voice softer. "Sorry, I'm back."
"I may step out for a little while."
"What, why?"
"I wanted to get bottle of wine. I thought it might help you unwind later."
"Hmm...That does sound nice. You wouldn't have a way to get back in, though. I forgot to leave you my keys."
"Oh. Right." That would complicate things.
"I can pick one up for us. I told you I planned on grabbing dinner."
He was quiet for a moment and took another drag.
"Does it feel strange to you, by the way?"
"What?"
"Talking on the phone again. I ask because now after we hang up, you know I'm coming home to you."
If you were being honest, you hadn't really thought about it. As you looked around his apartment, you realized just how surreal it was. Before a couple of nights ago, you hadn't even seen Charlie's face and now you were alone in his apartment and sharing his bed. It was a lot to take in to say the least.
"I don't really know how to explain what I'm feeling."
"Oh."
"I mean...I didn't know if we'd ever be here or where we'd end up and yet— here I am... on your couch—surrounded by little trinkets and things you've told me stories about and everything smells like you...I kinda just want you to be here already. Is that crazy?"
"I don't think that's crazy at all."
A comfortable silence fell over you.
"I don't want to, but I do need to go back inside. I'll text you when I'm on my way."
"Okay."
______
While you waited for Charlie to return, you found yourself standing in the kitchen staring blankly at the cabinets. Whenever you had a bad day, there was one thing that never failed to make you feel better and that thing was homemade chocolate chip cookies. The dough. The aroma that filled the apartment as they baked. That first bite of a warm cookie fresh out of the oven with a cold glass of milk. It was perfection. You felt a little hesitant at first about cooking when he wasn't there, but you quickly decided everything would be fine. After all, he had told you to make yourself at home.
You began rummaging through cabinets until you found what you needed. All purpose flour, baking soda, brown and granulated sugar, eggs, and butter. He didn't have any chocolate chips, but he did have a few chocolate bars in the cabinet, which you assumed were for baking. Chocolate chunks were better anyway. You were both pleased and impressed Charlie was so skilled in the kitchen, especially now. Finding flakey sea salt was as much of a joy as it was a surprise and you knew adding a little touch of it was going to make the cookies that much better.
You carefully mixed all of the ingredients together until you had the dough looking exactly how you wanted and placed the bowl into the fridge to chill. You also managed to find an ice cream scoop in one of the utensil drawers. Perfect, you thought. This will make sure they're all the same size so they'll bake evenly.
You preheated the oven and prepped your baking sheet with parchment. A few short minutes later, the oven beeped alerting you of your desired temp and you got to scooping the chilled dough onto pan.
You felt so nervous. You hadn't baked for anyone in a long time, not like this.
After you carefully placed the cookie sheet into the oven and set a timer to ensure they wouldn't over bake or burn, you began tidying up. You washed the bowl and utensils, wiped down the counter, and left everything to dry thinking about the moment he'd be back. The cookies were just becoming fragrant. You hoped upon hope he'd like them. You looked over at the coffee pot and realized you might as well prep it for the morning to save Charlie the trouble.
Just as you were replacing the water reservoir on the coffee maker, you heard the front door open.
"Charlie?" you called out to him.
"It's me. I got pizza!" You heard him close the door and toe off his shoes.
"What smells so good?"
"Come and see...I'm in the kitchen." You said, playing coy.
Charlie walked in and saw you leaning against the counter.
"Did you bake for me?"
You smiled and gave him a nod.
"They're almost ready."
"You baked for me."
He was in disbelief as he stood there and breathed in deep, closing his eyes.
"Chocolate chip?"
"Mmhmm. I hope it's okay...I used the chocolate bars you had in the cabinet because you were out of chocolate chips, but that really only makes them better. Once I take them out, I'm going to sprinkle them with a little sea salt."
"I can't believe you baked for me...and you did the dishes..." He looked past you to see the coffee maker. "Did you...?"
You nodded again. You could see it in his eyes. He wasn't used to this. He was used to taking care of others, but never having others take care of him.
The timer on the stove rang out. You moved to pressed the buttons to silence the alarm and kill the heat before you picked up an oven mitt.
"Can you grab the cooling rack out of the drawer there and sit it over here for me?"
Charlie smiled. You really had made yourself at home in his apartment while he was gone. Not even there two days and you already knew where to find everything. He was in awe of you.
You took the cookies out of the oven and they looked as incredible as they smelled. You removed the mitt and reached for a spatula. With good intentions and a steady hand, you transferred each cookie to the cooling rack.
Once you moved the very last one, you felt his arms wrap around your waist from behind, his head coming to rest on your shoulder. His fingers gently moved your hair out of the way and his lips found your neck, gingerly kissing the skin there. You spun around in his arms and saw it in his eyes--that thing you had questioned before he left. He didn't dare say it, but he didn't have to. It was written all over his face.
You could feel your heart fluttering in your chest. You raised up on your tip toes to reach his lips and Charlie pulled you in closer. You could feel it between you as you stood in the warmth of the kitchen.
To him, you were chocolate chip cookies. You made his day better.
He said your name, his voice low and quiet. You wanted to remember the way his face looked in this moment.
He cradled your face in his hands and kissed you like you were his air. You ached for him. Charlie lifted you up onto the counter and stepped in between your legs. His kisses became more urgent. Your hands worked their way to the buttons on the front of his shirt as he began pushing your skirt up around your thighs.
"Charlie," you moaned breathlessly. His lips found your neck again as he pulled you in close. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he unbuckled his belt. "I need you so much."
His hands met your hips. His fingers hooked into the waistband of your panties as he kissed you. "Lift up," he said as carefully guided them down and off of you.
He was still for a moment, gazing into your eyes. He needed to know you were right there with him. He pressed his forehead against yours as your fingers toyed with the hair at the base of his neck.
"This should be special." You whimpered as he stepped back. "Isn't it special because were together?"
He lifted you and gently set you down and buckled his belt. "You deserve more than a quick fuck on the counter."
"I kinda wanted that quick fuck on the counter." You mumbled as you adjusted your skirt. He chuckled. "Believe me, me too." He said, reaching for a plate from the cabinet behind you and kissing the top of your head. You loved how he towered over you. It made you feel as protected as it did small.
"Are these good to plate up?" You looked over to check how they were cooling. "I think so." He picked up the spatula and began transferring them. You were surprised he wasn't going to talk about it. Just like that, Charlie had decided you were going to have to wait for him to properly fuck you and as much as it frustrated you—there was also something inherently sexy about it.
He set the plate of cookies down and grabbed two more empty plates along with silverware, tongs, bowls, and napkins. He gestured to another cabinet. "Can you pull out two wine glasses for us?"
You nodded. "What're the bowls for?" You asked.
"I got us a Caesar salad to share to go with the pizza." "Oh." "And garlic knots...I might have gone a little overboard." You let out a small chuckle.
Charlie was rooting around in a drawer for a corkscrew when you realized you felt a breeze under your skirt. Your panties. You looked around the kitchen for your bottoms which were somehow missing.
"Have you seen my underwear?"
"Can you not find them?" his voice was mischievous.
You were still looking high and low, even bending down on the off chance you missed them. As you stood back up, you watched as Charlie's hand shoved something further down into his pocket, a slight smile on his face. "Strange."
————
After dinner and two glasses of wine, the conversation and alcohol managed to lead you back to the topic of sex. Charlie poured the last bit of wine into your glass.
"How old were you when you lost your virginity?"
You had shared a lot over the last few months, but this was a subject neither of you had been so bold to touch.
Charlie swirled his wine in his glass. "I was in high school so...17?"
"Are you doing the math in your head?" He playfully narrowed his eyes.
"No...and what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Same question."
"I'd rather not say."
He straightened up in his seat on the couch as he said your name.
"Are you—have you never had sex?"
Your eyes grew wider.
"Do you think a virgin could have blown you like that?"
"You tell me."
"I've had sex before."
"With another person?" Charlie teased.
"Yes, with another person," you replied sarcastically, rolling your eyes.
"The fiancé?" "Yes."
"And?"
"And?"
"How old were you when you lost it?"
You sighed, tugging at the hem of your skirt. "24."
Charlie took another sip of his wine before touching your knee and your eyes met his. He was smiling, reassuringly.
"There's no need to be embarrassed." You took his hand in yours and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"So...less about me and more about you."
Charlie laughed. "Okay. Ask away."
You changed positions to sit on your knees on the sofa.
"How many beds had you conquered by 24?"
"You say that like I pillaged and plundered."
"It was Indiana."
He nearly spat out his wine from you catching him off guard. You loved making him laugh. After composing himself, he answered.
"Honestly—only 2, including the first. I knew too many people with unplanned pregnancies and it kind of scared me into keeping it in my pants."
You took a sip of your wine, taking him all in.
"Once I moved, though, that was a completely different story."
"Why, Charlie Barber. Are you telling me the big city turned you into a slut?" You giggled.
He shrugged, gesturing with his fingers to signify "a little bit".
You were both quiet for a moment. You opened your mouth a couple of times, but decided what you had to ask was best kept inside your head. Curiosity killed the cat...
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Ask."
...but satisfaction brought it back.
"What's your number?"
"You have my number. You call me all the time."
He smirked.
"You know what I'm asking."
"How many notches? The "body count" as people say these days? Fuck, I feel old for even saying that. Is that what you're asking?"
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."
He sighed.
"10."
"Solid number."
"What are you, an Olympic judge?"
"Honestly, a little surprised."
"Why? Did you think it would be less?"
"No. I actually thought it might be more."
"Do you want me to list them?"
You were amused.
"You remember all 10 of them?"
"Ha. Ha...and most of them."
"If you want to..." You gestured to the room. "This is a safe space."
He took a deep breath before finishing his glass. "We're gonna need more wine."
"Charlie, we really don't have to unpack this."
"No, this is good. If we plan on sleeping together at some point, this is important to talk about."
You shrugged and swirled your wine before taking a sip. He wasn't wrong.
Charlie got up to venture into the kitchen and quickly returned with another bottle of wine.
Once he was seated again, he picked up the corkscrew and got to work.
"Erica— my first, Michelle, Sarah who was my first girlfriend out here, a redhead whose name I forget that I met at Sardi's, one bartender whose name I didn't even ask because it—well, you get the idea. Nicole, Mary Ann, an ensemble member from a show I worked on in LA, a Tinder date, and you."
"Is..."
"Yes."
"I didn't say anything."
"The answer is yes. Mary Ann's the one you think she is." You were surprised he knew exactly what you were thinking before you even asked.
"That must have been interesting?"
"How so?"
You were careful how you chose your words. You felt like you should tread lightly. Charlie poured a little more wine into your glass.
"Most...um..."
"Infidelities?"
"...Don't wind up together after a divorce if the person leaves their spouse at all."
Charlie was quiet. Pensive, you hoped.
"After Nicole and I ended things officially, Mary Ann kept pushing me to try to make "us" work. The only thing is there wasn't an "us" to work towards. I didn't lead her on. She was very clingy...We wanted different things."
"Yeah?"
"To put things plainly, I wanted something to fuck and she wanted a happy ending."
"Yikes."
"I sound like an insensitive asshole, don't I?"
"There's nothing wrong with hooking up."
"To be clear, you know that's what this isn't, right?"
He set his glass down on the table and moved closer to you to look you in the eyes. You put your hand on Charlie's face and leaned in to kiss him.
"I know. I've always known it's more than that."
You cleared your throat.
"Mine's 3 by the way. 4 counting you."
Charlie grinned. "I'm waiting."
You set your glass next to his.
"There was Alan, my ex-fiancé. The sex wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Sean, who I think might have been gay now that I think about it, and..."
"And..."
"A guy I met at the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve"
Charlie was grinning from ear to ear.
"Wow."
You were hiding your face, your voice muffled, "Shut up! It was my first year out here."
Charlie was snickering when he suddenly started to sing.
"Start spreadin' the news..."
When he saw your eyes, he giggled partly out of his own entertainment and fear.
"I'm leavin' today..."
You pounced on him, in his lap as you tried to hold him, but his frame was so large he always wiggled free.
"If you're really gonna try to hold me down, we should go to the bedroom...it's safer."
Never one to say no to a challenge, you stood up and grabbed his hand. "Come on." Charlie obliged you, interested and laughing all the way.
————
Once you were in his room, you pushed him back on the bed and crawled on top. Charlie let his arms fall by his sides like a rag doll. You carefully picked his hands up and put them above his head, your hands holding onto his wrists the best they could. Compared to his, yours looked positively petite.
"Are you satisfied? Happy with your handiwork?
"Mmhmm."
His eyes turned dark and mischievous.
"And you're sure you've got me pinned down? That I can't budge a bit?"
You ground your hips on top of him, causing him to groan.
"You're trapped," you said leaning down to kiss him, your body now flush with his as you unknowingly lessened your barely there grip on his wrists.
Charlie smirked against your mouth.
"Somebody got distracted."
If you wanted to play wrestle, Charlie was more willing to play along. The next thing you knew, you were squealing. He had flipped you over and was on top of you. You weren't giving up without a fight. You gave it your all, trying to wriggle our from underneath him tittering all the while. His hands slid up your arms to secure your wrists, his legs holding you in place—truly pinning you down opposed to your efforts from before. "Nuh-uh. Can't escape. You're mine."
————
You rode the subway together into the city the next morning. Charlie woke up early to make breakfast for the two of you and you showered separately despite his insisting the water you'd conserve by showering together would benefit the environment. On the train, he was silent. He had his nose stuck in the script for his show most of the ride as he sat next to you, occasionally interlacing his fingers with yours.
When it came time for you to part ways, he pulled you in close for a loving kiss goodbye.
"I'll see you later, beautiful."
You didn't want to leave, but duty called. Once you arrived at work, you were busy to say the least. You managed to grab a cup of coffee as soon as you got in, but otherwise it was go-go-go. You and a few colleagues went over the rundown for the day. You also made some quick edits to a couple of sketches you'd be using at the pitch meeting later. Once you were finally able to slow down and get settled into your chair, your phone vibrated on your desk.
Charlie: What have you done to me?
Charlie: I miss you already.
About that time, you heard the familiar crinkle of Jules sitting on the paperwork on the edge of your desk. You looked up to see her grinning from ear to ear as she said your name.
"Tell me everything."