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Charli watched long enough to see the part where her legs were spread for the camera. She swallowed, then held the phone in front of her chest, tapping her fingers quickly.
“What are you doing? I told you it doesn’t matter if you delete it.” Sophie reached across the table for the phone.
Charli turned her shoulders to finish what she was doing, then flopped the phone back on the table in front of Sophie. “I didn’t delete it. I sent it to your entire contacts list.”
“My fucking parents and grandparents are on my contacts. Are you—” Sophie’s whole face went red as she frantically tried to send messages to smooth over the damage Charli had just done.
With a shrug, Charli motioned for me to get up. “If you want to film us again, try to calm it down with the zooming in and out. It looks amateur.”
We left Sophie seething in the booth. Outside, I took Charli by the waist and pushed her up against the brick wall of the restaurant. I ran my thumb along her jaw. “That was hot as hell.”
“Glad you think so. Now that she’s not watching, can I go die in a corner at the thought of the entire school seeing between my legs?”
“You’re mine. Everybody knows it now. You’ll never hear a whisper of it. I’ll make sure of it.”
She gave me a crooked smile. “My black knight.”
“Not your knight in shit-stained armor, anymore?”
“No. I’m promoting you. And I know you said it doesn’t matter, but I need to confess. I saw the picture from Sophie and thought the worst. It pissed me off, so I went in your room and snooped. I found the last email you sent your dad.” She lowered her eyes, cheeks reddening. “I read it, too. But once I saw the email, I knew the picture wasn’t from you. I—” she faltered, taking a deep, shuddering breath and then looking up at me. Her eyes were big, and puppy-like.
“You snooped on my computer?” I tilted her chin up, making sure I had her full attention. “Lucky for you, I like how fiery you are. I like that you wanted to burn my fucking life down after you saw that picture. You won’t let me walk all over you. You’ll keep me honest, and you don’t give a shit what everyone thinks about me. You’re real, Charli. That’s why I’m crazy about you.”
“You were crazy before me,” she teased.
I grinned. “You’re always so damn sassy, aren’t you?”
“Only because it makes you smile.”
I kissed her. I loved how she melted into my kiss, puddling into my arms so I had to scoop her up and hold her close. She was fire and ice, untamable and more beautiful because of it. Every little moment of submission was like that fleeting few minutes before the sun sets, when everything in the world glows like gold. The fact that it doesn’t last or come easy is exactly what makes it so mesmerizing.
While I held Charli and kissed her deep, I knew one thing. I might not be able to stop the storms that would come for the both of us, but I knew I’d keep her dry. I slid my thigh between her legs, swallowing up her moan when she pressed herself against me. Well, not entirely dry.42CharliOnce the smoke settled with Sophie and the mass text I’d sent out, I knew I needed to talk to Zoe. I’d been dreading the conversation, but I owed it to her to get it out in the open before she heard it from someone else.
I asked her to meet me at the park on Main Street. She sat down beside me on a bench, grinning. “This seems ominous. Meeting in a public place, and all. Are you worried I’m going to murder you, or something?”
“Maybe a little?”
Zoe laughed, then surprised me with a hug. “I heard about the video.”
“Already?” I guessed I shouldn’t have been surprised. The text went out last night on a Friday. It probably circulated through the entire student body by now. “I wanted to talk to you about it. About me and Cassian.”
“Okay. Why?”
I scrunched my eyebrows together. “I figured, since you and Clint are together, you’d… Well…”
“What, that I’d try to forbid you from dating him or something? I mean, yeah. Cassian tried to kill Clint and was a major asshole. But it’s your life, Charli. I’m your friend, and I want you to be happy. If he makes you happy, and if he promises not to break your heart, then I’m happy.”
I felt the stress I’d let build up melt as I collapsed into her chest. She hugged my head, laughing. “You’re ridiculous. You really thought I’d be mad?”
“A normal, sane person would be mad. So, yes. I thought you were mortal.”
