Just One Kiss
Chapter 4
Charlie parked his equally crappy car behind my own where I sat and Liam
still stood by, watching the car move towards us. I looked back and forth
between Liam and Charlie, studying both of their expressions. Liam’s eyes were
wide with curiosity, probably completely absorbed by the once moving vehicle.
And Charlie had a defensive appearance to his face. I knew he was wondering who
this practically naked guy was that was standing next to me car. I’m sure those
thoughts weren’t the kindest knowing how protective he is over me. Damage
control wasn’t going to be neither fun nor easy.
Charlie got out of the car and walked the few short steps until he was a minor amount of feet from me. “What happened again?” It was more of an accusation than a question. I noticed he didn’t glance at Liam.
Charlie got out of the car and walked the few short steps until he was a minor amount of feet from me. “What happened again?” It was more of an accusation than a question. I noticed he didn’t glance at Liam.
“Hi Charlie. This is Liam, Liam, Charlie.” Liam nodded in Charlie’s
direction and my short introduction forced Charlie to give attention to Liam.
He hurriedly stuck out his hand to be shook by Liam but Liam only looked
confused by Charlie’s gesture. I could see he felt awkward when Liam didn’t
accept his greeting so he dropped his hand.
“Hi Liam.” He turned back to me. “Well, what did you do?”
I sighed. “I told you. I tripped cause something startled me. But I’m ok, well, it doesn’t hurt really bad unless I move it.”
“All right, let’s get going to the hospital.” Charlie started to bend down to take me from the car but I stopped him.
“What about those clothes I asked you to bring?” He stood back up.
“They’re for him?!” He pointed over his should at Liam with his thumb.
“Yeah. I told you they weren’t for me.” He looked at me in disbelief and then turned his head to look over at Liam. And then he returned his attention to me.
“Am I going to get my clothes back?”
“I’ll buy you new clothes, don’t worry about that. So, did you?”
“They’re in the car.” I knew he wouldn’t let me down.
“Thanks Charlie.” I said with a smile to show him I meant it. He began to bend low again to retrieve me from my rental car, this time a painful grimace spread over his face. His back, I guessed, was still hurting him and he hadn’t even begun to lift me. I put my hand on his shoulder. “Oh Charlie, maybe you shouldn’t try to carry me.”
“How else are you going to get into my car?” I glanced up past him at Liam. “Him? But-”
I cut him off. “He carried me here. He won’t hurt me. Don’t you think he would have by now if that was his plan?” Charlie sighed.
“Yeah, I suppose. Who is this guy anyway? And why is he dressed like that?” It was time for my big lie.
“He’s an actor. He doesn’t live far from here and he was out practicing for his next role when heard me scream. I had been exploring the castle, doing just fine until I got the crypt. Something moved out of the corner of my eye while I was looking at this one tomb and I freaked, tried to turn and leave but I tripped. Liam heard me and came to my rescue. He ripped up his own shorts to fix this brace for me. He’s been nothing but helpful and nice when he didn’t have to be.”
“Hmmph. Fine. But only because of my back.” Thank God he bought that, I mentally sighed.
“Yes. Don’t hurt yourself please.” He gave a brief smile, but his serious face quickly returned. I reached behind me and grabbed my purse.
“Liam.” He called over his shoulder and then turned to the mysterious ancient man. “I need your help in taking Kate to my car. I’ve got a bad back.”
Liam smiled. “But of course.” Charlie stepped aside while Liam gracefully approached me and gently took me in his bulging arms yet again. There was the momentary rivulet of pain from my ankle as it was free to dangle while Liam cradled me but it was fleeting.
I gave a reassuring smile to Charlie and he looked back at me with a strained grimace of a smile as he held his back with his left hand. Charlie shut my car door and then led the way to his own car. He opened the passenger side door for Liam to set me down in Charlie’s car.
“Thanks man. I appreciate your help.” I could tell Charlie was trying to say bye to Liam.
“Um, Liam’s coming with us.” Charlie glared at me in shock. “Are you going to argue with me or can we just get going?”
“Ok. Fine.” Charlie turned back to Liam. “The clothes are in the back. You can change on the way there.” Charlie stalked around to the driver’s side to leave Liam to let himself in the car. He’d forgotten to shut my door.
“Liam.” He turned his lovely blue eyes to me. “Remember how I opened the car before? It’s the same thing. But before you get in, can you shut my door? I can’t reach it.”
“As you wish.” He said as he complied with my request. Liam was soon in the back seat along with Charlie and I in the front. Charlie started up the car.
“So, where’s the nearest hospital?” He asked, probably aimed at Liam. But I knew Liam would have no idea so I opened the GPS on my phone.
“I’ve got one on my phone. It’s not very far.”
“OK.” He put the car in drive and he followed the directions my phone gave him.
“Hi Liam.” He turned back to me. “Well, what did you do?”
I sighed. “I told you. I tripped cause something startled me. But I’m ok, well, it doesn’t hurt really bad unless I move it.”
“All right, let’s get going to the hospital.” Charlie started to bend down to take me from the car but I stopped him.
“What about those clothes I asked you to bring?” He stood back up.
“They’re for him?!” He pointed over his should at Liam with his thumb.
“Yeah. I told you they weren’t for me.” He looked at me in disbelief and then turned his head to look over at Liam. And then he returned his attention to me.
“Am I going to get my clothes back?”
“I’ll buy you new clothes, don’t worry about that. So, did you?”
“They’re in the car.” I knew he wouldn’t let me down.
“Thanks Charlie.” I said with a smile to show him I meant it. He began to bend low again to retrieve me from my rental car, this time a painful grimace spread over his face. His back, I guessed, was still hurting him and he hadn’t even begun to lift me. I put my hand on his shoulder. “Oh Charlie, maybe you shouldn’t try to carry me.”
“How else are you going to get into my car?” I glanced up past him at Liam. “Him? But-”
I cut him off. “He carried me here. He won’t hurt me. Don’t you think he would have by now if that was his plan?” Charlie sighed.
“Yeah, I suppose. Who is this guy anyway? And why is he dressed like that?” It was time for my big lie.
“He’s an actor. He doesn’t live far from here and he was out practicing for his next role when heard me scream. I had been exploring the castle, doing just fine until I got the crypt. Something moved out of the corner of my eye while I was looking at this one tomb and I freaked, tried to turn and leave but I tripped. Liam heard me and came to my rescue. He ripped up his own shorts to fix this brace for me. He’s been nothing but helpful and nice when he didn’t have to be.”
“Hmmph. Fine. But only because of my back.” Thank God he bought that, I mentally sighed.
“Yes. Don’t hurt yourself please.” He gave a brief smile, but his serious face quickly returned. I reached behind me and grabbed my purse.
“Liam.” He called over his shoulder and then turned to the mysterious ancient man. “I need your help in taking Kate to my car. I’ve got a bad back.”
Liam smiled. “But of course.” Charlie stepped aside while Liam gracefully approached me and gently took me in his bulging arms yet again. There was the momentary rivulet of pain from my ankle as it was free to dangle while Liam cradled me but it was fleeting.
I gave a reassuring smile to Charlie and he looked back at me with a strained grimace of a smile as he held his back with his left hand. Charlie shut my car door and then led the way to his own car. He opened the passenger side door for Liam to set me down in Charlie’s car.
“Thanks man. I appreciate your help.” I could tell Charlie was trying to say bye to Liam.
“Um, Liam’s coming with us.” Charlie glared at me in shock. “Are you going to argue with me or can we just get going?”
“Ok. Fine.” Charlie turned back to Liam. “The clothes are in the back. You can change on the way there.” Charlie stalked around to the driver’s side to leave Liam to let himself in the car. He’d forgotten to shut my door.
“Liam.” He turned his lovely blue eyes to me. “Remember how I opened the car before? It’s the same thing. But before you get in, can you shut my door? I can’t reach it.”
“As you wish.” He said as he complied with my request. Liam was soon in the back seat along with Charlie and I in the front. Charlie started up the car.
“So, where’s the nearest hospital?” He asked, probably aimed at Liam. But I knew Liam would have no idea so I opened the GPS on my phone.
“I’ve got one on my phone. It’s not very far.”
“OK.” He put the car in drive and he followed the directions my phone gave him.
Hmmm. I think Charlie has no clue. He is looking pretty hot, too, but probably has no chance against tall, dark, handsome and mysterious LIam.
ReplyDeleteTall, dark, mysterious man usually wins ;)
ReplyDelete