My palms start sweating, my heart races.
I told Finn that he needs to protect himself, and here is the little boy, thinking that he is a grown ass adult. Forget stranger danger, this kid is thinking that the grouchy bastard is his friend.
Or his prey.I snicker at the thought.
“Finnick Cole,” I whisper and shout, but he ignores me. Before I can snatch his troubled behind, he taps on the window.
The two men jump in their skin, and all I could think is that these men could be pulling out guns with the surprise that Finn just gave them. “I swear to Jesus! I’m not a fan of grounding you, but you are on the verge of it.” He just waves. The biggest grin on his face.
I pull him back and offer a slight shrug and move away from the truck. The men don’t say anything. I hurry him into the store out of sight and hopefully out of mind. A million thoughts run into my head. Embarrassment is not something I handle well. The bell of the store rings as we enter and start to roam the store for our lunch and snack.
For a brief moment, I was more worried about what would happen if it wasn’t Keola and whoever else was in the truck. As much as I trust him, what if Finn were to be taken right then and there? I don’t think my life would be the same and I think I’d lose my mind.
“Lottie?” Finn breaks me out of my mind.
“So help me Finnick Ashers if you ever pull a stunt like that again. I’m shipping you off to Aunt Lilly.”
“Like that is going to scare me. You wouldn’t survive without me.” Damn this kid. He is right. Who else is going to turn on the coffee pot in the morning for me. He trots off through the aisle and I start to rummage through the shelves.
Suddenly, I am very aware of a large presence that is gracing my space.
“It’s very rude to stand there and gawk at someone.” I say, avoiding eye contact. Also playing it naturally as I don’t think I couldn’t handle his smart mouth or stupidity right now.
A deep grumble sent a chill through my spine, “If there’s someone breathtaking, I think gawking is in order.”I’m sorry, what!Heat rushes to my cheeks, not expecting a comeback that could render me shy. I start to fumble over my words, and it turns out it’s not words that came out but a slight whimper. “I’m.. sorry.. I…” I try to recover gracefully, but fail miserably as a jar of jam I had picked up previously slips from my hands and bouncing from side to side.
It is a game of hot potato in my hand. My hands are sweaty enough, I couldn’t grasp it before it shatters on the floor.
“Fucking hell.” I mutter. I look around for a store clerk.
“How can an intelligent woman get to be so flustered? Oh, Charlotte. Did I say something?” The way he says my name, it is like a beacon of sin calling to me. It’s not the heat of my cheeks that I’m feeling, there is a heat that travels lower. He casually laughs, leaving me. My hopes for good, but alas, it isn’t.
“Oh, Ms. Lottie. Everything okay?” Ms. Melanie, the store clerk rushes over with a broom and a mop.
“I’m okay Melanie. Just an accident. I’ll pay for the damage.” I reassure her.
Her hands brush it off, “No need. You’re my favorite customer.” She grins happily. I walk around the mess and suddenly feel a wall of toned muscle stop me. Blocking my path, trapping me.
This is closer than we have been before, and I’m well aware that deep down inside of me, I’m ready and willing to take anything he gives.
That could be the horny side of me speaking as well.
I quickly turn my back against him, he puts his finger under my chin, tilting it up to look at him, a smooth smile welcomes me. “Keola.”
“Charlotte.” My eyes widen at the sound of my name, the way he says it. Like the damn world stops.
“Wha. wha. What are you doing here?” I skittishly ask.
“Seems like your boy wanted to say hi. But not his aunt?” Oh this is him flirting, he wasn’t mad about Finn scaring them. But about me.
“I didn’t think there was someone to say hi to.”That’s the smartest thing I could say?
A soft laugh escapes from him, “I think there is.”
I go quiet, this would be the time that I would escape, but he feels warm, secure. His hands started to lightly brush down my arms. Right here, I am going to melt right here. I can’t help but sigh.
“Charlotte, is there something you want to say?” He asks me, waiting for a response.Get yourself together woman, just because a man shows you affection for the first time doesn’t mean anything.
Is there something I want to say to him? How odd that I see him now everywhere I go. Was he here all along and I just didn’t know about it? What about how he infuriates me thinking that one minute he is judgmental and arrogant and the next my body responds to his touch.
