The Vampire Playboy - Blood and Lust

Chapter 21

Charlie's POV

"Oh hell no, not tonight Satan!" Olivia said dripping with venom whilst rolling her eyes.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh followed by a smirk that I couldn't prevent coming across my face whilst still casually leaning against her car.

"Charles, it's late and I've had a long shift at work, I'm tired, you made your feelings pretty clear earlier, I don't have the energy for this or you," she said waving her hand in my direction.

I felt bad instantly, I knew I'd been out of line earlier and truth be told I wouldn't be here right now if Noah hadn't begged me to just try to be civil. Little did he know that being horrible to her and pretending I disliked her was the only way I could keep myself a safe distance from her. I'd spent two weeks trying to stay away from her, watching her and Noah from a distance and feeling immense jealousy every time he touched her. Each day that passed I'd die a little inside knowing that they looked happy together and I'd never get to be with her. I wanted to approach her so many times, I was running out of excuses for not hanging out with Noah and when I heard she had asked Owen about my whereabouts it took everything not to just turn up at O'Malley's.

I only came tonight because Noah begged me to see her reaction to the car. I didn't tell him I'd been there and watched her as she got the call. I hadn’t meant for her to see me, that was an accident, she was happy to see me and I'd gone and ruined the night for her and Noah. Noah was adamant nothing had happened between them yet but I heard his joke earlier and yeah I'd lashed out because of it. Not only had I let some random girl hit on me I'd been awful about Olivia. Noah was rightfully pissed, he'd demanded to know what my problem was with his girlfriend and I had no real answer or excuse. I'd seen Liv's face drop when she saw the girl in my lap and she looked crushed by my words.

So what the f*ck was I doing here now? Noah that's why. But s**t, Liv was hot when she was pissed too. Tonight though, she didn't look pissed, no this was something else. She was sad and tired looking. It felt like a stone had just dropped into the pit of my stomach settling uneasy, guilt gnawing at every inch of me. This wasn't me, I rarely felt guilt especially when it came to humans. I hadn't switched off my humanity for many years but I'd simply lived too long to feel guilty about everything I'd done and everyone I'd upset.

Liv stood in front of me with her arms crossed waiting for me to move. The moonlight reflected from her eyes and highlighted her perfectly formed lips that were currently set in a hard line. I could see the outlines of her curves in her uniform causing me to lick my lips involuntarily. Liv's eye's dashed up in recognition of the gesture but her face remained like stone.

I moved to the side letting her open the door, before she could protest I got into the passenger side.

I watched as she opened her mouth, probably to tell me to get out or call me an asshole. I deserved both. I wanted neither.

"Do you drive manual or automatic?" I asked her.

"Manual." She replied coldly.

Shit. How did I not know that and why didn't I think to check with Reid what kind this car would be?

"Ok, have you driven an automatic? If not, don't worry, they're actually easier than a manual."

She shook her head.

"OK well, put your left foot on the brake, you don't have a clutch so just plant your left foot to the floor and keep it there, and then press the start engine button."

She did as I said and the car purred to life, illuminating the street in front of us. The engine sounded impressive and I could tell the car was top of the range with all the amenities and extras. I'd have to personally thank Reid again for this.

"Now put that lever to drive and slowly take your foot off the break and the car should start to move forward for you"

I felt the car move slightly then stop. I smiled and looked at Liv. She was staring straight ahead not smiling, her expression still hard as stone. I had two choices here, I could get out and use my speed to get me home in no time, she would probably be more comfortable with that or I could ask her to drop me at the hotel and use the drive to smooth things over slightly.

"Would you mind dropping me off at the hotel?"

"The hotel? Why is blondie there waiting for you Charles?" She hissed.

Wow, was she bothered? I normally hated when people called me Charles, but not her, I knew she did it as she thought it annoyed me, but secretly I loved it. I loved how my name sounded on her tongue, how her Scottish accent caressed and rolled the R around her mouth. I laughed, which was the wrong thing to do. Liv clicked her tongue, let out a sigh and began to drive.

"I own the penthouse suite there." I eventually said, trying to break the ice and the thick tension which hung in the air, it felt suffocating.

"Hmmm, that must be awful convenient for your revolving door of blondes"

Ouch, this wasn't going how I planned.

"It's convenient for my business meetings and for having business contacts stay there without bringing them to my home, but yes, I have taken girls back there, I won't lie and say I haven't. But no, blondie as you called her isn't there waiting for me."

She was angry with me and now we were close to the hotel.

"Liv, about earlier."

She put her hand up in front of my face interrupting me and shook her head. I could see her bottom lip tremble slightly and her eyes looked like they were glistening. She took a deep breath and swallowed hard as though she was trying to compose herself.

"No! You don't get to keep doing this. You don't get to treat me like s**t in front of others and then try to be nice when we are alone. I'm done with that." Her voice trembled as she tried to sound assertive.

I swallowed hard. She was right. That's what I had been doing and I hadn't even realised. I was a selfish i***t.

"Actually, could you take me to my house? I just realised I have a meeting in the morning and all of my things are at my house."

"I don't know where you live" there was no emotion in her voice this time, her voice didn't tremble like before.

"Give me your phone, I'll put it into your maps and you can follow the directions. That way you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to."

She passed over her phone without even looking at me. I was starting to feel desperate, I'd truly messed this up. I input my address and then without thought or concern for the consequences I sent myself a text from her phone so that I'd have her number.

We made the journey in silence, I couldn't think of anything to say that didn't sound dumb or wouldn't make her angry. She was right, my behaviour towards her had been worse than I'd realised. The silence was deafening for me. I could hear her heart beating fast, and I could feel she was upset and angry. And probably humiliated if I was honest.

We began turning into the long private road to my driveway, I took the clicker out of my pocket for my electric gates. Liv's mouth fell open forming a small o shape as the gates came into view, they were nothing fancy, just black solid gates which were illuminated by spotlights. We remained silent as we continued driving through them with the house coming into view moments later. It had once been a large farmhouse with the surrounding land. I'd spent years renovating and extending it until finally, it had become my home, my sanctuary. I rarely brought anyone here, and I'd never brought a human here before. I watched as her eyes looked over the house, but the stubborn streak in her didn't allow her to stay anything as she stopped the car.

"Thanks for the ride home, I appreciate it. The gates should open automatically as you get to them. If you put David's address into the maps you should be there in about 10 minutes. Drive safe" I said as I got out of the car. I wanted to say so much more but I knew they would be selfish and wasted words. I had to let this go. I had to let her go, for the sake of Noah and her.

I heard the gravel crunch under my foot as I walked towards the house, the echo disturbing my thoughts. I turned when I heard the car door open and footsteps.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion at Olivia.

"Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you to make you despise me? Please just tell me and I'll never talk to you again." Liv pleaded, her eyes glistening, a solitary tear streaking down her face.

She looked at me as though she was willing me to say something but I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes widening before letting out a breath I didn't even know I had been holding.

"Hate you? I don't hate you. You think I hate you?" I whispered, the pain evident in my voice as it shook.

She nodded her head and another silent tear fell. Before I knew it I'd closed the gap between us, placing my hand at the small of her back pulling her into me, my mouth crashing to her mouth hungrily taking whatever Liv was willing to give me. I was starving for her kiss. She tried to push me weakly away but I held her firm against me and after a few seconds she stopped resisting, her lips reciprocated that hunger, matching my movement and pace. Her hands wandered to the back of my head twisting and gripping my hair. My hands raced up and down her back and sides. I could feel my heart thudding against my chest and I felt like it was going to break out. She was on the tip of her toes reaching up at me because of her height and wobbling all over the place, I gripped her waist tight to keep her steady and stop her from falling over. Liv jumped and wrapped her legs around my waist, I gripped hold from under her legs, enjoying the feeling of her round pert ass in my hand. I moved forward until she was pinned between me and the car, our lips not separating. I could smell Liv's arousal, which only served to spur on growing heat and hardness between my legs. I knew that with her legs wrapped around me, only the material of our clothes separated us, Liv would definitely be able to feel that I was hard. That I wanted her.

I felt dizzy and slightly dazed when we finally parted, I suddenly felt nervous and my palms had become sweaty. I set Liv down on her feet and took a step backwards allowing a little distance. She sucked in a breath of air and I noticed her cheeks were flushed. Sexy as hell. I wasn't ready for this to be done yet. I took another step forward, cupping her chin with my palm, I tilted her head up to look at me, her eyes met mine and I was lost once again, drowning. I lowered my lips to hers gently this time, hers slightly parted, I took her bottom lip in mine, this kiss was freely given by her, her hot breath lingered and I inhaled the cotton candy and peaches scent, drinking it in. Shivers began from the top of my head and ran to the tip of my toes from the soft feeling of her tongue brushing mine. My free hand travelled the curves of her body, her mouth hot and swollen driving me on, searching for ways to shape our mouths to the other, to inhabit, to indulge to become. My free hand found her, I tangled my fingers in hers. Our lips parted leaving us both breathless, I pressed my forehead down to hers. There were no words, just panting to break the silence.

My world had been irreparably rocked.