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Leaving was sounding better and better, because once she was away from the powerful magnetism that surrounded Charlie, the brighter this night would look. Once she was downstairs and had her clothes picked up and haphazardly put on, Ary turned toward Charlie when she heard him enter the room. The stillness was a heavy presence that surrounded her; not to mention the sudden weirdness that bounced between them. Of course she could have taken the Morning After Pill… if they worked on shifters. But seeing as they didn’t, she was here with the unknown looming down on her.
“Thank you for… tonight.” God, Ary. Smooth. Real freaking smooth. They stood there, neither saying a word. The whole situation had felt so very right at one time, and now it was so very wrong. She turned to leave, but then remembered he had driven.
He sighed heavily and said, “Come on, kitten.” Charlie grabbed his keys off the counter, and she followed him outside. Once she was on the bike with the helmet on, Charlie climbed on. He reached behind him and grabbed her hand, bringing it around his waist then doing the same to the other one. His abs clenched under her hands, and she swallowed. Her arousal started to creep through her body, and she pushed it away.
Everything had gotten so weird between them, and instead of her being curled around his hard body and in his warm bed, she was feeling awkward sitting behind him as he raced down the road. The roar of the engine didn’t soothe her as it did earlier in the evening. They reached Shifty’s quickly, and a part of her was relieved while another part was disappointed. It had been several hours, and she could see her car sitting alone under the streetlamp.
Candace and Melissa had driven together, and Melissa’s car was vacant. Climbing off the bike, she handed Charlie the helmet, but before she could turn and escape, he took hold of her hand and stopped her retreat.
“Listen, I didn’t mean to freak like that. It’s just….” He ran his hand over the back of his head. The engine still hummed, but it seemed to fade in the distance as she stared at him.
Sighing, Ary knew she was acting ridiculous, but she had never encountered anything like this. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” It wasn’t like he knew she was fertile in just a few days. Shifters had a great sense of smell, but they couldn’t scent something like that days away. She was at least thankful for that, because she’d really hate to see Charlie’s expression or how he’d act with that. No, nothing bad would happen, and she needed to chill the hell out. “I freaked too.” Looking at the gravel, she kicked a few stones. “As hard as this may seem to believe, I don’t go home with random men.” Lifting just her eyes to look at him, she was surprised by the gentle expression he wore. It changed his whole demeanor.
“I know, Ary. I never thought you were easy.” The brush of his thumb back and forth over the back of her hand soothed her. “I wanted you, and I knew you wanted me. It was as simple as that.”
A one-night stand.
She had gone in knowing this, of course, but hearing him all but say it still made her feel slutty. “I just wanted you to know.” Pulling her hand away, she offered him a smile. God, this is so damn strange. Is this how all one-nighters are when everything is said and done?
“Okay, well, thanks.” Ary cringed at her words and internally berated herself. She walked away, not expecting him to call her back, but feeling even shittier that he didn’t. No more going home with random men. If she had to go through this again, she might be liable to shoot someone later. Once in her car, she forced herself to keep her eyes anywhere but where Charlie still sat.
She could hear the purr of his Harley, and like a string being pulled and forcing her gaze to his, she looked at him. He sat there in all his hotness, one hand on his thigh and one leg braced on the ground. His blue eyes regarded her curiously, and maybe if she weren’t surrounded by metal and glass, she could have scented the air to gauge his emotions. Lifting her hand in a pathetic wave, she started her car and left, yet he still sat there, and she watched him disappear through her rearview mirror.
She reached for her cell in her purse and slid her finger over the screen to unlock it. She needed to talk to Melissa about everything. Although she knew Candace would have been the comforting friend she needed right now, Melissa’s quick wit and matter-of-fact attitude would slap some sense into her. She also didn’t want to freak Candace out with the gritty details of her night, but knew she had to talk about them.
