The luckiest

Chapter 3

“You knew, Charlie.”

“I know and I’m sorry.  I just didn’t want to have you cancel and they’re getting married.  How exciting is that?”

“So that’s what Jamie came to see you about last week?”

“Well, it was about a ring.  Connor is the designer that made your ring.  I just pointed Jamie in the right direction.

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you going to be mad at me?”  he sounds absolutely regretful.

We’re having breakfast at the breakfast bar and I won’t even look him in the eyes.

“Ginny?”

“What?”

“We’re leaving for our break in a bit.  Could you please drop this?”

I look at him, my lips pursed, “Charlie.  Your sister is a b***h.  She knows this and she needs to stop disrespecting me in my house.  If it doesn’t stop – I’ll dish out some Cleary justice.”

“They’re getting married, tough luck.  Stop pouting about it.  I knew they were coming to dinner; I’m sorry I omitted that fact and another thing, you’re a King, not a Cleary sweetheart.”  He slams his coffee mug down and heads right by me, probably back upstairs.

Now I’ve done it!  I refuse to run after him, though.  That man clearly hasn’t learned how to handle me yet or he has a set of balls on him.

The rest of the day is handled with care not to get into too much of a conversation or not to be in the same room longer than necessary.  At one point, I consider apologising because he is standing shirtless in the closet, his back to me.

I can’t stop staring.  He turns around, “Something you need?”

Oh my God, yes!  I want to shout it out as I imagine jumping him.

“Nope, nothing at all.”  I lie and painfully make my way out of the bedroom.

The man is playing dirty.  I busy myself with packing for our trip, which is bound to be interesting after this little fight.

I know he has to speak to me at some point because I’m packing both of our bags.  I play the waiting game and I admit to myself that he’s good.

He even busies himself with the twins while I put together a list of where everything is for my parents.

By late afternoon, I am done with everything and spend some time with the girls.  They’re bubbly and busy.  I’ll miss them, but I need the break and they need a break from me.  I need some me-time in order to be a good Mom.  It sounds selfish, but I have seen women at the volunteer centre while I worked there, who had never even had an afternoon to themselves; it was sad and I’d vowed never to let myself get to breaking point.

My parents arrive, with what seems like luggage for a week.  Suddenly, the anxiety of leaving the girls creeps up on me.  I shake it off, but one look at them and my heart feels like its about to break into a million pieces.

“Honey!”  my Mom says, enveloping me into a hug, “They’ll be OK.  I’ll send you little updates now and then.”

“Promise?”

I feel the lump in my throat as I pick Cara up and snuggle her against me and then Caitlin.  I feel Charlie stroke my arms from behind me and he kisses the top of my head, the tension from the day, draining.

“OK, let’s go, Ginny.”  He says and says his quick goodbyes to the girls.

How does he do it?  I take a deep breath and look for my handbag.  I say my goodbyes to the parents and head to the cab.

Our connecting flight from New York to Vermont experiences a slight delay and we find the closest coffee shop.  The tension slightly relaxed between myself and Prince Charming, I entwine my fingers with his and nuzzle his neck.  He kisses my forehead.

“I win.”  He whispers against my ear.

My head jerks up and I want to slap him, but find him way too adorable, so kiss him firmly on the mouth.

“I love you, Charlie.”

“Yeah? “

“Yeah.  Now love me back, damn it!”

He laughs, “You don’t even have to ask.”

Gosh, who wouldn’t love him.  He’s my best kept secret and I hope no one tries to take him from me.

I don’t think any man could steal my heart out of his hands.  In fact, I know it.

“You OK?”  he asks, holding me gently by the shoulders.

“Yeah, just so happy you’re mine.”

“Now go and be a happy wife on a comfy seat over there, while I get us something warm.  Mocha?”

“Yes, please!  Make it a tall one.”

I laugh at his description of the airport waiting lounge seats as comfy.  JFK is bustling as usual and I manage to get a seat directly across from the Starbucks.  I check my phone for any messages from Mom.  Just one saying to enjoy our trip and to try not to worry.

I busy myself sending a text to Holly to make arrangements for our visit next weekend.  We’ve agreed to head to Cape Elizabeth with the girls and spend the weekend at their place.

“Ginny?”  I recognise the voice, but don’t believe it until I look into those blue eyes.  Immediately a knot forms in my stomach and I sit up right.

“Cane?  What?”

“Yeah!  Oh my God!  Its been, what, like six years?”  He is just as suave looking as back in college.

“Yeah, it has been.  Where are you off to?”

“Meeting some clients in Burlington.  You?”

“Vermont too.  Mini-break.”  With my husband, I remind myself.

“Weekend with the girls?”

“Uh, no.”

“Breakaway with the husband actually.”  Its Charlie’s voice.

****

Oh.  My.  God.  I start feeling all hot and my mouth goes dry, very dry.  Charlie sticks out his hand to shake Cane’s.

“Charlie King.”

Cane looks at his proffered hand and its almost a smirk that creeps onto his face.

I try my best not to seem edgy.  I don’t want Charlie to think something’s up when there is nothing up.  He eventually takes Charlie’s hand, “Cane Ashby.  Old friend of Ginny’s.”

Phew.  Charlie looks to me and I know he recognises Cane and then starts putting together the pieces.

“Ah, you went to school with us.  Also, you two dated briefly, right?”  Kill me now.

“Uh, yeah, we did.  For the better part of six months.  Charlie King.  Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“I only started at CE in Junior year.  You probably wouldn’t remember me.”

Cane looks over at me as Charlie pulls me closer, “Well, its been great catching up.  Enjoy your vacation.”

“Yeah, good seeing you again.”  This warrants a look of sorts from Charlie.

Cane heads off and I’m left with a curious husband, “Cane Ashby, huh?  What’s he been up to?”

“Yeah.  Cane Ashby.”  I think of how he must still be a bachelor of note.  He still looks amazing.  Not balding and fat like I’d hoped.

“You OK?”  Charlie asks.

“Yeah, I am.”  I look at my gorgeous husband and know I am the luckiest woman alive.

“Let’s get you all warmed up and you can check in with your folks if you like.”  He kisses me on top of my head.  I love when he does this.

“OK.”

The flight is quick and painless; I even doze off for a bit.  We land in Burlington and then get a cab from there to Lake Champlain.  My excitement begins to build.  I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.

The sun has almost set and the view of the almost frozen lake is breath-taking.  I make a mental note to thank my husband in kind.  He looks down at me, “So?”

“You did well, Charlie.  Its amazing!”

“Thank you, kindly Mrs King.  Now, shall we christen the entire place tonight or are you too tired?”

I giggle, “I’m never too tired!”

We’re lying on the plush rug in front of the fire place, limbs still tangled and bodies damp with perspiration.  Charlie runs a finger from the centre of my collar bone, down to my C-section scar .  The feeling gives me gooseflesh and that delicious unfurling begins in my stomach.

“You know, I got a bit jealous when I saw you with Cane at the airport.”

“Hmm.”

“He isn’t too appealing to you, is he?”

“Hmmmm no.”

I can’t manage a proper answer as he splays his fingers over my s*x, his fingers teasingly close to my c**t.  My heart is starting to pound against my chest.  Biting down on my lip, I frustratingly run my hands through my hair.

“Something wrong?”  Charlie whispers.

Afraid to break the spell, I shake my head and let out a little moan.  He strokes my face with his free hand and after a quick glance at one another, his mouth is on mine; hard, wanting and hot.

My breathing is hard and in short bursts as he moves his mouth down onto my neck, along my clavicle and eventually over hard n*****s.  I lift my head in shock as he grazes his teeth on them.  My thighs are slick with arousal.  Almost as if in sacrifice; I relax my body and give it over to my husband for complete domination.

His want for me is enough to almost see my undoing.  I hold back as best I can as he slips his fingers in between my folds.

As my body responds and my need for him grows, I grasp at him, reaching blindly.  My hand finds him, hard and thick.  He’s hot to the touch and I feel it throbbing in the palm of my hand, as if he is about to explode.

“Charlie,”  I manage hoarsely, “Please.”

“What?”

“Please.  Now.”

“Say it.”

“I want you.  Inside of me.  Now.”

“With pleasure.”

He is hovering over me in seconds.  He slips into me effortlessly, filling me to the hilt.  I think I may pass out from the pleasure as he moves slowly, but so assuredly.  What I have done to get this lucky?

The man is gorgeous and great in bed.  I smile smugly as he moves.  He pulls out suddenly.

“Turn around Gin.” And without waiting for me to do it, he rolls me over and places a hand gently on my back, “Now, stay flat.”

I don’t say anything.

He manages not to put all his weight onto me as he slips back into me.  I can feel every inch of him this way!  He starts and immediately I hear his breathing spike.

This is such a turn on.  I can’t help, but moan.

“Don’t moan!” he whispers harshly.

“Why not?”

“It turns me on.”

I smile.  Great minds.  We just fit so well.

“Charlie?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Faster, please.  Now.”

“Uh-huh.” He says as he goes deeper and faster.

I don’t even manage to last another minute as he pushes in over and over.

He has both hands on either side of my face on the rug and I notice how white his knuckles go, as he clutches on, almost as if struggling to let go.

“Charlie, I love you, only you.  Always.”

“Always, Gin, always.” And he let’s go, finally, falling into a sweaty heap on top of me.