Audrina

Strolling alone in the darkness, I found a temporary peace that placed my mind at ease.

I walked along the side of the road until I came to my driveway.

I bent down to pick up yesterday's paper from the doorway, and saw something that sent a thrill through me.

Eyes peering from my window.

Eyes I'd seen too many times before and had thought it would take longer for me to meet again, but it would seem I was wrong.

Sighing, and bracing myself, I called up to the wolfish pain in my ass, "Whatever is it now, Charlie?"

I reached into my pocket, slipped out my keys and unlocked the door, unsurprised to find Charles Channing no longer in my window and currently in my doorway.

He swept his arm to the side, cocking his head to allow me entry into my own house. I rolled my eyes and walked in.

"I simply missed you, love. How are you doing these days?"

He closed the door and locked it behind us, then followed me into the kitchen.

I sighed once more and slipped out of my shoes before pulling myself onto the counter top.

"Oh, you know, swell."

Charlie laughed and stepped closer to me, bracing his hands on the counter beside me.

"No, Audie, really-how are you?" He cocked his head at me, the grin now a small smile.

I ran my hands down my face and decided it'd take less time to just answer.

"Well, I've had a rough few weeks, Char. Two funerals and my grandmother is driving me crazier than I already am. I also haven't seen you in several months." I glared at his yellow eyes with the last part.

"I'm sorry. How was the family?" He was closer somehow, though I was doubting he'd moved a single inch.

"They had a few mild hurricanes, but they're better than I thought they'd be."

"Good." He breathed the word over my face.

I could barely stand not to move towards him, but I knew if I tried anything first, before he did, I'd end up more frustrated than I was already. So I sat on my hands and waited.

He chuckled.

That deep and low laugh tinged with a growl that was more a sound of amusement than any kind of laughter.

That sound I loved.

"I don't have the patience to play with you tonight." I was sure he was closer now, his face almost touched mine.

"Aren't I lucky, then?" I smirked and glanced up at his eyes, still a burning bright gold.

He smiled back with a quick quirk of the lips and slid his hands to my cheeks.

"I truly did miss you." He was so warm and familiar. I hated when he left.

"That explains the sooner-than-expected visit." I responded and then regretted it immensely.

He sighed and closed his eyes. I shook my head at him.

"No, Char, that's not what I-"

"Shut up, it is what you meant and you had a reason to mean it, just...give me a second, okay?"

I shut my mouth and nodded, sulking at my missed kiss he'd been so close to giving me before I stuck my foot in my mouth.

He took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes for a long moment, thinking, I can only assume.

Most likely, he was arranging his words together in his head.

Finally he spoke to me again.

"I was going to say this later because I figured it would be easier after having a few hours to get used to being close to you again, but I think I should tell you now."

He inhaled deeply and began again, rubbing his thumb along my jawline absentmindedly.

"I'm not leaving again. Ever. I am staying. I mean...I'm staying if you'll let me stay...I don't mean to assume that you would still want me after all I have put you through...The thing is, Audie...you scare the shit out of me."

I looked up sharply at that little tidbit and he smiled wryly, then continued.

"Yeah, you do. You understand me far better than anyone else. You know me better than I know myself. You know when I want to run before it's a full thought in my brain and you make it so damned easy to relax. It freaks me the hell out. I don't know how to relax anywhere but with you. You're so...peaceful to me, you slow my mind down until all I can think about is you and how amazing this is...So I don't want to leave you ever again, I want to stay with you, if...if that's okay...I know I don't deserve it, but I have to ask. I've never wanted anything this badly."

His hand had stopped moving halfway through and I now placed my own over his. Then I reached up with the other hand and pulled him gently by the chin closer and closer until my lips almost kissed his every time I breathed.

"Then don't go. Ever. Stay with me."

"You mean that?" He pulled back and searched my face.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

"Of course I mean that, dumbass." I whispered into his ear, and promptly felt myself being pushed back onto the counter.

"Would you...would you say that again? Please?" He looked down at me terrified.

"Please, Charlie, stay." I slipped my hand to cup his cheek and he closed his eyes once more and breathed out. Then he leaned down and brushed his lips against mine and kissed me seriously, like he meant it, because he did.

"God, say it again, Audie. Say it one more time for me." Charlie panted against me and I whispered back to him.

"Stay."

He covered my face in slow, gentle kisses and I thought my heart would burst I felt so loved. He pulled me back upright and pressed my body against his in a warm hug.

"I love you." He nearly choked the words into my ear. I felt tears spring into my eyes and felt like a damn pansy, but it didn't matter.

I kissed his cheek and whispered back, "I love you, too."

I tightened my hold on him and snuggled my face into his neck. It had been too long since I'd been graced with the pure smell of him, the deep, warm, scent of pine trees and smoke that always lingered on his skin. I'd missed him more than I had wanted to admit, even to myself.

He squeezed me and let out a short bark of laughter, then leaned back to look and me. He kissed my nose and then licked the tip of it, laughing when I scrunched it in response. He picked me up and carried me to my bedroom and laid us both down on my bed, pulling the blanket over us. I looked up at him, and the terrified, frightened look in his eye was gone, replaced with happiness and joy and comfort. I was happy for the comfort, in particular; I knew how little comfort there had been in his life. He deserved to be relaxed and comfortable.

He wouldn't stop kissing me, and I didn't even want to try to make him stop. I'd never seen him like this. He was usually so careful, so guarded, probably because he knew he was going to leave eventually, but now? He was like staring at the sun without sunglasses and sunscreen. He was all the way open and he was happy.

"I've missed you Char." I snuggled into his body and he nuzzled into my neck.

"Mmmmm, I've missed you, too, Audrina." I felt his lips press behind my ear and shivered a little, to which he responded with a smirk that I felt, rather than saw.

He twirled his fingers around strands of my hair, and propped himself up on his elbow to look at me. He cocked his head to the side and smiled slightly.

"What?" I asked.

Charlie shook his head and traced my face with his fingertips.

"Nothin'." Was the murmured reply.

I furrowed my brow, confused and he laughed and kissed my forehead.

"Nothing, babe...you're just beautiful is all," His fingers slipped down to trail over my lips and he continued, "Yeah-you're just fucking gorgeous and perfect, that's all."

"Shut up." I shoved at him a bit and covered my face with the blanket.

"Would you rather me show you then? I make no promises to keep quiet, but I am perfectly fine with showing you how absolutely, stunningly ravishing you are..." Then I felt his lips through the blanket.

He was kissing me through the goddamn blanket.

I groaned and flipped the cover down, embarrassed by the ridiculousness of it all.

He just looked down at me and grinned.

"Does that mean I have permission to show you how beautiful you are?"

The jackass didn't even wait for an answer, he just slipped his lips over mine and then nipped at them. Of course, I gasped at that and his tongue made its entrance into my mouth. He slid his tongue in between my lips slowly, and over my own tongue only to swirl it beneath mine and suck his way back out.

I could feel the wetness between my legs now and I moaned softly as he repeatedly slid his tongue in and out of my mouth, occasionally licking and sucking. At some point, his big body slipped between my hips and I wrapped my legs around his waist at the realization.

He broke the tongue-tying session and I took the chance to nibble at his jaw, which he apparently liked a lot because he hissed when I did so. He pressed his lips to my throat and kissed down, suddenly in a hurry to get to my chest. He chewed gently on my collarbone and flicked his tongue across the tops of my breasts before pausing to take our shirts off. The shirts were tossed beside the bed, followed shortly by my bra.

I ran my hands down his chest and reveled in the feel of his warm skin touching mine. I pinched his nipples gently and in retaliation, he sucked one of mine into his mouth without warning. I moaned loudly at the shock and he flicked the very tip of his tongue over both nipples before sucking them back into his mouth, one by one. His hands roamed down my stomach and he ran his thumb over my tummy in the sexiest damn fashion. I pulled him by his hair to my mouth and kissed him hard until I had to pull away to breathe.

The break for air was a chance that he took to take my pants off and then the tips of his fingers toyed with the edge of my panties. He knew how worked up I got when he teased me, when I got frustrated, and I was getting frustrated about two minutes into the panty-line play.

He laughed at me again and pulled at the elastic with his teeth, then let it snap back into place a few times before hooking his fingers in the sides and finally pulling my underwear off. He ran his hands up and down my calves and then my thighs and kissed down my hips.

"Mmmmm...I did miss you, lovely...terribly..." His voice trailed off and then he was licking up the slit of my pussy. He sucked at my pussy lips and kissed at the sensitive skin before finally just making out with my pussy like it could kiss him back.

It drove me insane.

"Fuck..." Apparently all I could manage was a single, drawn-out, moan of an expletive.

He made a sound of approval and slid his tongue up to my clit, slowly flicking at it. I was beyond frustrated and impatient and so damned hot. I felt his fingers toying with my entrance and tried to press myself closer, but he pulled them away and licked even slower over my clit. He got tired of restraining himself eventually and slipped two of his long fingers inside me and massaged. I almost came right then and there, but he knew exactly how to keep me on the edge without tipping me over, he always had. Finally, he started pumping his fingers in and out, the slow pace his tongue had on my clit was a contrast that amped me up even higher.

I was probably moaning. A lot. I was probably moaning a lot.

His fingers pumped into me faster and he started sucking on my clit mercilessly and I groaned.

"Charr...mmm...please..."

His other hand gripped the back of my thigh, biting into my skin and I came hard. Char lapped at me until I had finished shuddering, and then he kissed down my legs and back up, until he'd kissed me from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Of course, he took his goddamn time about it, too.

I pulled his face to mine and sucked his tongue deep into my mouth and he whined.

I smirked and laughed before kissing down his throat. I was about to start down his chest when he said, "No. I can't. I can't handle that tonight, Jesus, Audie..."

I pouted again.

He pulled me tight against him. I could feel how hard he was, how close he was, and I couldn't help but rub my hips against him.

"Shit, baby, please, have mercy on a bastard, will ya? Oh, f-..uck.." He jerked his head back and cursed when I took him in my hand and stroked my fingers over his cock lightly.

He growled and yanked my hand away, slamming his lips on mine again. I bit at his swollen lips and he fucking purred. It was damned adorable.

Then he pressed the tip of his dick between my folds and played in my wetness for so long I was about to come again. He finally pushed himself slowly inside me, so that I felt every fucking inch of him and my eyes rolled back into my head at the feel of him inside me. I rolled my hips into his and he growled louder than he had before and started pumping. He slid in and out of me so slowly at first, it was goddamned torture, but then, he picked up the pace and I grabbed at his back and scraped my nails down from his shoulder blades to his ass.

Charlie whined in my ear and then nipped at it.

He pumped faster and faster and then we were both about to come. I bit hard into the hollow where his neck met his shoulder and he lost his fucking shit. He came and it was such a jolt that it jerked me into orgasm with him.

When we were both finally done, he collapsed on top of me, then rolled us over.

We were still shivering minutes later, occasionally kissing whatever pieces of skin were closest.

"Mmmm... yeah, I fucking missed you." He kissed my ear and I laughed.

"I'll bet you did, baby."

I could feel him smiling, which made me smile.

"Hmmmmm...you're not gonna want to take a shower yet, are you? 'Cause I think I'm about to pass out." He ran his fingers lazily through my hair and I shook my head in his chest.

"Nah, I need to recuperate."

He grunted and then said, "Sweet dreams, then, love."

"Mmm, you, too, sweetness." I snuggled my face into his chest and let myself drift into sleep.