Page 615 of Tease Me


Font Size:  

She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

“I love you.”

34

Sutton’s quick visit did more to stir her anxiety than settle her. She didn’t believe her sister had quit the drugs. She felt guilty for assuming Sutton had lied, but she’d also been through enough with her to have reason for doubts. She worried about Bryony, mostly, and she felt guilty for that, too. Because if Bill was putting his hands on Sutton, if he was abusing her sister, shouldn’t she be just as determined to get her away from him?

She’d been through that once with Sutton, too. Tatum had talked to Sutton for hours, trying to make her see reason. In her early twenties, with a toddler, she didn’t need to live with a man—he was a kid, really—who would hit her or push her and knock her down. Tatum had asked Sutton to come and live with her, but her sister claimed to be in love with the guy. Tatum figured it was more that Sutton didn’t want to live with Tatum and follow her house rules. Thankfully, that guy dumped Sutton.

But there were times, too, when Tatum assumed her sister was living on the streets. With her niece.

Charlie had become a fixture in her life. Solid, strong, giving. It didn’t matter what mood she was in; he was there. Patiently waiting for her sullen anger or her stoic quiet to ease. Ready to laugh with her when she was happy. He held her every night, whether they were at his place or hers. Whether they spent the whole night together or he left her place after midnight. They made love, but Tatum loved the times they didn’t just as much. They cooked together. Watched Forged in Fire and Hell’s Kitchen.

And cartoons. Tatum was tickled to learn that Charlie was a Warner Brothers fan. He loved Bugs Bunny; she loved watching him watch Bugs.

Tatum joined Charlie at another tasting—this one was blind, meaning only Pete and Vianne knew what their samples were. She did find it interesting to watch them all taste their pours and think about it, but she had zero interest in joining in. She could drink. She didn’t seem to have an issue with dependency, but after everything she’d seen between her father and Sutton, nothing about it appealed to her.

“I have a question for you.” Charlie hooked his arm around her neck and drew her in close. Tatum snorted softly when Sev groaned across the table. Technically, he was too young for the tastings. Tatum might have made some noise about that, but she had noticed no one let him drive on the tasting nights. And he never drank more than the lineup of one-ounce pours.

“What’s your question?” She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on Charlie’s cheek.

“I need a date for a wedding.”

“We’ve been sleeping together all summer, and this is how you’re asking me to go to a wedding with you?” She tipped her head back and opened her eyes. “So charming, Charlie.”

His smirk was contagious; Tatum felt her lips tip up in a grin to match his.

“You know I’m charming,” he reminded her.

“Whose wedding?”

“Mal’s best friend, Roman. They were kind of joined at the hip when they were little kids.”

“Why, though?” Sev shrugged. “He had us for brothers.”

Charlie turned his grin toward Sev and shrugged.

“When is it?”

“Two weeks.”

“And you think I can find something to wear to a wedding in two weeks?”

“I do.” Charlie nodded. “Because you’re not a woman who fusses over what you wear or what you look like.”

Before Tatum could decide how she felt about Charlie’s comment, he continued.

“And somehow you still look smokin’ hot every time I see you.”

“Really?” She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Even first thing in the morning before we roll out of bed?”

“Especially then.”

Sev made a gagging noise.

“No offense to you, Tatum,” he said quickly. “But no. No way am I gonna find myself tied down like you dumbasses.” He pointed a finger at Charlie and nodded toward Mal, who sat at the opposite end of the table with Everleigh and Joy.

“Tied down with a smokin’ hot woman like this?” Charlie waggled his eyebrows at Tatum. “Yes, please.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like