I'm zipping up my pants, watching Charlie get dressed. She's gorgeous and although it’s misogynistic because I enjoyed her efforts so much, I almost wish I had to teach her a thing or two about a good blow job. She worked me so fast, I was holding back my orgasm most of the time her mouth was on me.

“When are the others supposed to be here?” she asks, pulling her shirt over her chest and covering up some of her best assets.

“I'm surprised they aren't already. I'm sure Dane will be late, but Marcus? I thought they'd be here by now.”

“Maybe Cat's having an effect on him.” She pulls her hair back into a ponytail and puts her suitcase on the chest at the end of the bed.

I can't lie that being with Charlie has reminded me of Melissa. Not that Charlie is anything like Melissa, she's quite the opposite actually. Charlie is more carefree, makes jokes and lets a lot roll off her back. Growing closer to her has made me remember the only other time in my life that I had a woman in it.

It's moments like this when I question why I've gone without companionship all these years. Like the simple moments of spending the weekend in a cabin with our friends, or driving up here with her hand in mine as she sang to every song on the radio. Okay, I do need to introduce her to some of my favorite classic rock because one man can only listen to Justin Bieber songs so many times. It's the fact that tonight, I’ll get to snuggle up behind her and hold her the entire time we sleep. I was stupid for waiting this long.

A box drops in my lap. “You seem pretty deep in thought.”

I eye the box and then her as she situates herself on top of the mattress, with an expression that reminds me of Syd when she gives me my birthday gift—as though she wants to rip the paper away and open it all on her own.

“A gift?” I ask.

“Uh huh.”

I shake the box. It’s light and nothing except the shifting of something can be heard.

“Why?” I start to tear part of the wrapping paper away.

She leans forward. “I think it's time we upped your game in the undergarment selection.”

“You don't like my boxers?” I ball the wrapping paper up.

“I like you out of them much more.”

I grin and open up the box and there sits a pile of boxers. Starting with the top one, I pull it out. “You really into this role playing thing?” I hold up a red pair of boxers with a cross over the dick area and on the side, it says the doctor is in.

“Keep going.” Her smirk tells me there's worse to come.

Boxers number two are blue and say “It ain't going to suck itself” across the front. “Nice. I'll wear these later tonight.”

She takes them out of my hands and hits me over the head with them.

“One more pair,” she urges.

The third pair demonstrates just how off her rocker Charlie really is. It’s a pair of boxer briefs with a spot for me to put my dick through. “You're kidding right?”

“Well, it can't pop out on you since the elephant nose fabric covers it all.” She laughs, pulling the extra piece of long fabric out.

“Thanks?” I pose it more like a question.

“You're welcome. Oh and there are two other ones that are just regular boxer briefs.” She leans forward, casting a small kiss on my lips.

“Does this mean, I get to do the same and buy you some underwear?” I put them in the box and toss it on the chair, pulling her to me.

“I have no objection to wearing new panties and bras that you pick out.” With her back to me, I nuzzle my head into the crook of her neck. The scent of her perfume makes me hard as usual.

Then we hear a car pull up outside, ending the small amount of time we’ve had alone this weekend. I knew I should’ve booked us a separate cabin all our own.

* * *

Dishes clatter and Dane's voice booms throughout the cabin. That serenity Charlie and I experienced hours ago would be nice right about now.

Charlie hops on my back and I carry her through the archway of the family room into the kitchen.

She lives for this crowd of people. Why wouldn't she? She's grown up in a huge family filled with aunts and uncles, cousins of all generations. Hell, I think she has a sixth cousin twice removed that still attends their Christmas events. No one is ever turned away from the Rose household.

Isn't that why she was so persistent with me? In a way, she couldn't leave me behind as everyone moved on with their lives and that's the reason she's attached to my back with her lips at my ear.

“Just a couple hours and then we'll pretend we’re tired and go to bed,” she whispers.

She knows me better than her brother, my best friend since preschool.

I nod.

“Look at you two, all cozy and affectionate.” Dane points the wooden spoon at me.

Heat floats up to my cheeks and I'm thankful the beard helps shield my embarrassment from being called out. It's odd being with Charlie here in front of my friends. I'm just not sure why.

“Shut it, Dane,” Charlie says behind me, dropping from my back as soon as we enter the room. She busies herself with Ava and Cat at the stove, the three starting to talk about the meal being prepared.

Marcus grabs two beers out of the fridge and nods out toward the deck.

I cringe from the cold, but I see the gas fire pit going. Sliding into my boots and shrugging on my coat, I join him.

He passes me a beer and says, “So, you did it huh?”

I nod, taking a sip.

“I'm proud of you.” His smile confirms his words.

“I didn't just win the Nobel Peace Prize, calm the fuck down.” I down another gulp. I hate all this touchy feely shit.

“No, but you conquered a fear.” He leans forward and grips my shoulder, squeezing lightly.

I met Marcus shortly after he came to Climax Cove years ago, and we bonded over having daughters and no mothers. Although we might be cut from the same cloth in respect to the fact that we like control in our lives, he's way more comfortable with his emotions than me.

“I had to grab my balls and man up,” I say with a shrug.

He chuckles, his eyes on the fire instead of me. “You'll be happy. Charlie's great and she seems like a great fit for you.”

“I'm taking her to dinner on Sunday at Melissa's parents.”

He's silent for a moment. “Really?”

I nod.

“Why so soon? I mean you guys just started dating, right?” There's no judgment in his voice, more curiosity.

“It’d be disrespectful for them to find out from anyone else. We've kept it quiet so far, but I'd like to take her out to dinner at some point.” He clicks his bottle to mine.

“I like this new version of my friend much better.” Marcus leans against the railing, what little we can see of the snow-covered mountains in the dark our only scenery.

The French doors open and out flows, Dane and Vance, with more beer in their hands.

“The ladies have it handled.” Dane nods to the kitchen.

We all circle around the fire, silence descending down on us. It's odd without the kids joining us, but soon we fall into line and start chatting about the upcoming football games this weekend.

A half hour later, my balls are about to freeze off even with the fire pit and thankfully Charlie appears at the door to tell us that dinner is ready, her yoga pants outlining every curve of her body that I plan on licking later tonight.

The four of us go into the dining room where the girls have laid out the entire meal on the table.

“Man, I had no idea you could cook this well,” Dane says, smelling the food on the table. “You've been hiding your skills from me.” He points to Ava who smacks him over the head.

“Punishment is mine tonight.” He waggles his eyebrows a few times letting everyone know at the table exactly what is about to transpire in their bedroom.

“Everyone sit down.” Cat takes her seat next to Marcus, laying her paper napkin in her lap and sitting up straight.

“I feel like the fifth wheel,” Vance says from across the table.

“You're actually the seventh wheel,” Charlie corrects him and everyone at the table laughs.

“Tell us about L.A.,” Ava says, her knife and fork poised over her chicken. “I've never been.”

Dane glances over at her and then concentrates on his plate again. I swear maybe he was jealous for a minute there.

“It's nice, it's expensive, and like you’d expect is a ‘who you know’ kinda town. That's what is so great about Climax Cove. Everyone isn’t constantly on the go and you can take people at face value.”

“You enjoyed your bingo night then?” Dane asks and everyone laughs again.

“I did.” Vance puts his fork in his mouth, smiling around it.

This kid bit at the first chance to get out of this town when he could and now he's saying how great it is to return? I don't buy it. Something’s up.

“Do you know any celebrities?” Ava asks, her eyes lighting up with the possibility. Again, Dane's eyes shoot to her and then back to his dish. The green monster is definitely rattling his cage.

“Sure, I've worked with a few but then you get invited to a party and in walks Brad Pitt and George Clooney and you don’t bat an eye. You get used to it.” Vance cuts his chicken.

I lean back in my chair, my hand finding Charlie's leg under the table. She reaches behind me and her fingers run down the back of my head, playing with the ends of the longer strands on the top of my head.

“That's so fascinating. Who is the biggest celebrity you’ve met?” Ava's on the edge of her seat.

Who knew the girl was so celebrity crazy.

Vance looks up at the ceiling as though he's thinking. “I'd say Jack Nicholson? Yeah, I ran into him at a premiere. Coolest guy ever.”

“Oh man, I'm jealous,” she says.

I stifle a laugh.

So is Dane.

Vance has a smug grin on his face that says ‘ain't my life grand?’

Dane's chair slides back on the floor. “Anyone need a beer?”

Ava stares up at him confused by the abrupt movement. “You okay, babe?” she asks.

“Just thirsty. No one else?” He tips his beer at each of us. “Just me? Okay.”

He disappears back into the kitchen and Charlie's hand stops moving on the back of my head. When I look over, I find her gaze following Dane out of the room.

A seedling of jealousy sprouts in the pit of my stomach. Their close relationship has always bothered me. The way Dane doesn't mind touching her. Yeah, yeah, it’s in a sisterly way but he's not her brother.

She leans in close and I could say the words for her, because I know what she’s going to say, “I'll be right back.”

My hand falls off her leg and she stands, venturing into the kitchen after Dane.

I look up at the table and Ava's eyes are fixated on Charlie's back, her hand mindlessly grabbing her wine glass and chugging down half the contents before she re-joins the conversation.

A conversation about art. I get that Cat's an artist, but a day staring at paint on a canvas is not my idea of fun. Marcus is bragging about her, while Vance seems genuinely interested. Probably because his Twitter feed is one art gallery opening after another. I can only imagine his pretentious house in L.A. is filled with metal sculptures that resemble people having sex. Probably his version of foreplay with the women he brings home.

Okay, I might just be bitter that my girlfriend of only a few weeks just went into the kitchen with my best friend. It shouldn't bother me, I know I have nothing to worry about, but damn it my blood won't stop from heating.

Ava's gaze keeps flickering from the kitchen back to the table. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s a little insecure about their newfound happiness?

A few minutes later, the two of them walk back in, Charlie with another bottle of wine and Dane with more beer. Ava grabs the bottle and refills her glass, downing half of it in a couple of gulps.

Yep. Someone has definitely lit the fuse on the stick of dynamite that is our little getaway with friends. Let’s just hope it fizzles out rather than explodes.