Something told her that, when the time came, Derek was going to show her everything she’d been missing.
The thought had Charlie’s innermost muscles tingling with anticipation, and when he ended the kiss, she couldn’t help but let out a sound of protest.
He tucked some hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, darlin’. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Letting go of the last bit of resistance to his plan, she whispered, “Okay.”
He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the nose before walking them out to the living room where his friends were waiting.
“You ready?” He looked to the teammate he’d introduced earlier as Grant.
The formidable man gave Derek a slight nod, his deep voice steady. “Whenever you are.”
“Good.” The woman staying with her sighed. “The sooner you two leave, the sooner Charlie and I can have some fun.”
“Careful, Mac.” Derek’s eyes glittered with mischief. “You keep sayin’ things like that, and Grant and I may stick around for the show.”
He gave Charlie a playful wink, making her chuckle.
“You wish, geek boy.” Mac rolled her eyes.
With a final kiss on the forehead, Derek said goodbye and left with Grant. She prayed for them both to return home safely and that Caleb wouldn’t have a reason to leave court early and go home while the two men were still at her apartment.
“I thought they’d never leave,” Mac smiled from beside her. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Derek and Grant like brothers, but sometimes it’s nice to get a break from all that testosterone, you know?”
Charlie smiled back at the woman, though at the moment, she didn’t agree. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with Derek.
“So, how does this really work?” she asked.
Mac shrugged. “D told me you two went shopping yesterday, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s not really your top pick for the day.”
“I don’t need anything, but if you want to go look at some stores, we can. And please don’t feel as though you have to entertain me the entire time you’re here. Honestly, I would’ve been fine by myself. Caleb has no idea where I am, and Derek will be back by tonight. I hate that you had to come all this way just to babysit me.
“It’s seriously not a big deal. It’s been way too long since I’ve had a girls’ day, anyway. Liv and I usually try to go at least once a month, but this pregnancy has kept her pretty sick. I would ask Lexi, she’s Trevor’s wife,” Mac quickly explained. “But she’s always at work. Either that or she’s hanging out at home with Trev.”
So many new names to keep track of. Charlie was beginning to think she’d need to make a list.
“Anyway, that usually leaves me to either hang out with Coop or home alone to veg out on the couch.”
Charlie would have to ask her later who Coop was. “Well, I’m glad I could help, I guess? And, I do know that it makes Derek feel better knowing you’re here.”
“Yes, it does. Now, what do you say we find someplace that does a good mani-pedi?” She looked down at her fingernails. “All our ops and the time spent cleaning my gun plays hell on my nails.”
Charlie smiled at the odd statement. “I’m sure it does.”
She studied the other woman, trying to imagine the petite blonde fighting alongside men like Derek and Grant. It was hard to picture such a cute, vivacious woman as a soldier. A killer.
As she looked at the other woman’s long, blonde ponytail, an idea struck.
“Actually, I think a day at the salon might just be what I need.”
Mac’s eyes lit up, and when she smiled, a tiny dimple made an appearance in her left cheek. “Excellent.”
Charlie smiled back. “I’ll get my purse.”
Derek had given her a ridiculous amount of cash this morning when he’d first gone over the plan with her. She’d tried to politely decline, but Derek being Derek, had gone to her purse and shoved the bills inside, anyway.
As she and Mac left the beach house and started down the sidewalk toward Mac’s car, Charlie couldn’t help but smile. She’d done that so much lately, and it was all thanks to Derek.
