Easy Kisses

Page 29

I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.
***
It’s a gorgeous sunny morning less than a week later when I pull up to Head Over Heels and cut the engine. I love New Orleans, and I can already tell that Charly’s shop is something for her to be proud of.
The sign hanging above the door is wrought iron, blending with the historic French Quarter feel, and the name of the store, Head Over Heels, is written in a whimsical, fun font. The building itself must be at least a hundred years old, but it’s been recently painted and is well maintained. The display windows are large and decorated for the season, with beach umbrellas, sunglasses, magazines, and a sign that says, Only amateurs wear flipflops to the beach.
I grin and walk into the shop, triggering a bell, announcing my arrival. I’m nervous as fuck. She might tell me to get the hell out. But she might be happy to see me.
I didn’t call ahead. I decided to just surprise her.
“I’ll be right with you!” Charly calls out, then returns to the man she’s talking to. Her back is to me, so she hasn’t seen me yet. I hang back and wander through the racks of shoes, but my eyes are pinned to her. Her hair is up in an intricate knot on top of her head; she’s in a soft pink dress with killer black heels.
I want to find out what she’s wearing under that dress.
“You know I love you,” the man says, shaking me out of my daydream.
“I love you too, you big lug,” she says and he folds her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
What the fuck? Did I just walk in on an intimate moment with a new boyfriend? Maybe I should have called after all. This is humiliating.
“You have a customer,” he murmurs, and Charly whips around with an apologetic smile on her face, then stops cold when she sees me. Her face pales and the smile slides off of her face.
“Simon.”
“Hello.”
“Do you know him?” her man asks, and Charly nods and wipes her hands down her hips, as if they’re suddenly sweaty.
“I’m sorry, yes. Ben, this is Simon Danbury. Simon, this is Ben.”
“Hello,” I say and shake his hand, then turn back to her, feeling gutted and so bloody disappointed. “I’m sorry for intruding. I’ll go—”
“No, that’s okay. I was about to leave anyway,” Ben says and winks at Charly. “It was nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I reply, never breaking eye contact with Charly. The bell dings as he leaves, and we are suddenly left in silence. “I should have called.”
“No! I mean, yes.” She shakes her head and walks behind the counter. “I mean, no. This is fine. You’re fine.” Finally she stops, leans her hands on the counter, and shakes her head. “You surprised the bejesus out of me.”
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well, you did.” She sighs and stares at me with those whiskey colored eyes. “Why are you here?”
“To see you,” I reply.
“You flew all the way to New Orleans just to see me?”
“Why does that sound unreasonable?” I can’t stand it anymore. I reach over and drag my fingertip down her temple to her chin. “Your skin is even softer than I remember, and I didn’t think that was possible. Are you with Ben?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me.”
“Ben’s a friend of the family.” She bites her lip as I let my finger glide down her throat and to her collarbone.
I cock a brow.
“Seriously, if Ben is in love with any of us, it’s Savannah. He’s loved her since we were kids. He just needed some advice.”
“I see.”
“Were you jealous?”
“I didn’t like it,” I reply honestly. “I know I don’t have a claim on you, and I have no right to be jealous, but seeing another man’s hands on you didn’t feel good.”
“I don’t think you’d be here if you didn’t give a fuck,” she replies, reminding me of what I said to her in Montana.
“And I give a fuck.”
She sighs and watches me for a moment. “Did you come to town for a weekend of sex?”
And just like that, she’s pissed me off.
“No, Charlotte. I didn’t come to town to get off. If that were my goal, I could do that just about anywhere. That’s not my style.”
“Okay.”
She cocks a brow and braces her hand on her hip, and I’ve never been so fucking attracted to anyone in my life. Strong women are incredibly sexy.
“I’m here because I missed you, and I wanted to see you.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t call.”
“I’ll be honest. For a while I was just stubborn, and convinced myself that you didn’t want to see me again.”
“I’m not sure I do.”
I still. Her eyes are happy, and her body language is open. Am I misreading this?
“But then I realized that I missed you and I wanted to come find you, even if it was just to take you to dinner to see how you are.”
“You came for dinner?”
“You’re making this quite difficult.”
Her lips twitch and I feel just a bit better.
“I really wanted that phone call, not that I would have admitted it.”
“I’ll add you to my phone right away.”
She bites her lip for a moment, and then suddenly runs around the counter and launches herself into my arms, holding on with all her might.
“I’m happy to see you.”