Chapter Four
Charlie’s eyes fell on Lila, the bit of black lace peeking out from her tank top, her hair tousled and loose around her shoulders, those bright blue eyes staring back at him, and suddenly he wasn’t sure why he’d come there. Hell, he could scarcely remember to breathe.
He cleared his throat in hopes that it would settle him down, but as he started toward her, his heartbeat kicked up instead, until he stood over her, her perfect chin tilted up to look at him, her plump lips curved into a smile that lit her entire face. And damn. What was he thinking again?
“Hey there, little brother.”
His attention flicked over to Sophie, who still drove him insane despite Zac’s insistence that she wasn’t so bad. “Not yet. And even then, no.”
“You love me, admit it. I’m the sister you never had.”
“I have a sister.”
“Oh. Right.” She giggled, and he thought he ought to call Zac now to prepare him for the drunk call he’d likely receive in an hour, when the buzz she was showing now turned downright messy. Sophie was all spark and fire, and though Charlie had grown to appreciate what his brother saw in her, she would never have been his type.
Unlike the dark-haired woman sitting in front of him.
Lila was sassy, too, but in a more understated way. In fact, everything about her was understated. She was beautiful in a way that spoke for itself. She didn’t need loads of makeup or styled hair to show the world that she was gorgeous. That smile of hers told the story all on its own.
And now he was staring again. Damn it all to hell, he needed a drink to settle his nerves before he did something stupid. Like make a move on his best friend’s little sister. As though the thought of Lucas had been the cold shower he needed, he remembered why he’d come to Maguire’s in the first place.
“So what’s up with you, then? Looking for someone?” Sophie waggled her eyebrows and then glanced at Lila and grinned again.
Clearly, he would need to ask Zac to get his fiancée under control before Lila figured out that Charlie talked about her a little more than he should. Or a lot more than he should. Ignoring Sophie, he focused back on Lila and forced his brain to work instead of absorbing another detail about her. Like the cute-as-heck freckle beside her right eye. Damn, he was in so much trouble, and she just returned to town. “Actually, Lucas sent me looking for you. Said he called you a few times.”
She pulled back. “Oh. I must have turned my phone off.” Fumbling through her bag, she pulled out her phone, turned it back on, and then her eyebrows knitted together in obvious concern.
“He called five times. Did something happen?” She bit her lip and peered back up at him, but Charlie was too lost in her mouth and those white teeth clamped down over her naturally rosy lips to hear her.
“Sorry, what?”
It was Sophie who answered, getting far too much joy out of this exchange. “She asked if something happened. You all right there, Charlie? You seem a little . . . distracted.” She laughed again, and he glared back at her, praying she could read minds along with that superpower of hers to wreck his mood. But instead of saying anything to his soon-to-be sister-in-law, he focused back on Lila.
“I don’t know. He just called me and asked if I’d seen you, then said he needed to talk to you. Both of us, actually. And so I said I’d find you and we’d head to his house.”
Immediately, she stood, grabbed her bag, and faced the girls. “Sorry to cut this short, but this doesn’t sound like Lucas. Okay if I head out to find out what’s going on?”
“Of course,” Audrey said. “Call and let me know, okay?”
“I will.” They hugged and then Charlie and Lila headed back out.
Charlie followed Lila outside, then down the sidewalk toward his truck. “That one’s me,” he said, motioning to it.
“He’s been deployed again, hasn’t he?”
Worry seeped through Charlie’s mind, coursing through him, until it settled in his stomach like a virus that would have him up all night. “Honestly? I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
She nodded and slipped into the passenger seat, her spine pencil straight, her eyes trained out the windshield. “I can feel it, ya know? Five deployments in three years, and it never gets easier to hear him say good-bye.”
The pain in her voice made Charlie wish they were closer, that he could pull her to him and help her work through this before she saw her brother. Because he knew firsthand how hard it was to say good-bye to Lucas, never knowing the specifics of where he was going or how long he would be gone. Never knowing if he would make it back home.
But Charlie also knew that Lucas loved his sister more than anything, and it would destroy him to see her breakdown over him leaving. He’d worry, and wherever Lucas was going, he didn’t need to worry about home.
“I’m not going to cry.”
Charlie glanced over and then back to the road. “It’s all right if you need to, though. I get it.”
She shook her head, cleared her throat, and tucked her chin for a moment before focusing out the windshield again. “No. If he can be strong enough to go protect our country on whatever insanely dangerous mission they’ve assigned to him, then I can be strong enough to put on a tough-girl face and say good-bye to him without falling apart. It’s the least I can do for him. I wouldn’t want him to worry about me and then he—he—” She drew a sharp breath and clenched her fists.
“Hey.” Without thinking, Charlie reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing tightly. “We don’t even know what this is yet. Don’t let yourself get upset. At least not yet.”
She turned toward him for the first time. “Lucas called me five times. Then called you to come find me. At ten o’clock at night.”
All right, she had him there. “It could be—”
“He’s getting deployed, Charlie. You know it as well as I do.”
They fell into silence as Charlie pulled down Lucas’s gravel driveway, every light in the house on, which was another bad sign. Lucas was a power hoarder. He hated to waste anything, so if he was this awake and active this late at night, then it must mean he was packing.
Charlie was still holding Lila’s hand when they parked, but he released it as soon as Lucas stepped outside, a tinge of guilt working through his stomach. But he reminded himself that he was just comforting her, not making a move on her. Even if he’d felt like doing just that only minutes before at the bar. Damn, he needed to get his head on straight. They’d seen each other twice since she had gotten back, but those two occurrences had hit him like a freight train, all those old, pent-up feelings toward her resurfacing.
Stepping out, Charlie tucked his hands into his jeans pockets, an old Rolling Stones T-shirt and flip flops completing his look, because while he wasn’t at the beach anymore, he’d never stop dressing the part.
“Thank God,” Lucas said, starting toward them. He pulled Lila into a big hug. “Didn’t think I’d get to see you before I left.” He checked his watch, cringed, and then glanced back at his sister.
“I knew it,” she said. “When do you leave?”
Lucas took a step back and ran a hand over his buzzed head. “Ten minutes.”
She nodded, though Charlie could tell she was holding in her emotions. “Any clues how long you’ll be gone or where you’re going?”
The storm that had been threatening earlier boomed overhead again, tiny droplets of rain beginning to fall. The air smelled like earth and air and peacefulness, and yet as Charlie’s gaze landed on Lila and held, he didn’t feel peaceful. He felt pain.
Cocking his head, Lucas reached out for her hand. “You know I can’t say.”
She nodded again, but this time her bottom lip began to tremble.
“Ah, Tiny, don’t cry. Please. You know I’m the toughest bastard out there. Ain’t nobody gonna hurt me.”
Charlie cleared his throat. “Dude, you are not even close to the toughest bastard out there. That role’s been filled since we were six years old and your pansy ass refused to go into Old Richardson’s haunted house.”
Lucas eyed him, a crooked grin easing the tension in his face. “I’m the pansy ass, huh? Clearly you don’t remember peeing your pants on the Spidartron at Six-Flags in fifth grade.”
Lila laughed as she eyed Charlie. “He’s got you there. I’ll never forget us having to hit the water ride to hide your wet stain.” She laughed still louder, and Charlie and Lucas exchanged a knowing look, their plan to distract her working. They were always a good team when it came to Lila. Together teaching her to ride a bike. Together threatening boys who broke her heart. Together moving her into her college dorm.
“Care if I talk to this asshole alone for a sec?” Lucas said to Lila.
She glanced between them. “Um, sure. Plotting your world domination?”
Charlie winked. “You know it.”
Lila started on inside, and Lucas waited until the screen door closed behind her to turn on his best friend. His face was serious, more serious than normal.
“Look, I need a favor.”
“Anything,” Charlie said without hesitation.
“Need you to take care of Lila.”
Charlie’s eyes went wide and a smirk broke across his face. “What kind of care are we talking about here?”
Lucas punched him in the chest, jokingly but the dude was a Green Beret, so Charlie felt that shit deep. “Damn perv. She’s my sister.”
“Just making sure we were talking about the same thing is all.” He flashed Lucas a grin.
“Nah, seriously though,” Lucas said. “She’s been through a lot. Not really wanting me to talk about it, so I won’t. But I’d feel better if I knew someone was here looking out for her. Can I count on you?”
Charlie grinned again, and Lucas pointed at him. “Not like that. In fact, add that to the list—look after her and keep your hands to yourself. The last thing I need is to come back to a sister with a broken heart because my best friend couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.”
“Hey, I take offense.” Charlie crossed his arms to further his point, though he couldn’t stop the nagging voice in his head that said Lucas was onto something here and likely had a right to put his friend in place.
“Just look after her for me. She’s in a vulnerable state right now. I need to know she’s okay.”
Charlie patted Lucas’s shoulder. “All joking aside, you know I’m here for her. I’d never let anything happen to her. You know that.”
Lucas nodded. “I know. Which is why I pushed for her to move here. At least if I can’t be around her, you would be. I trust you more than anyone. More than a brother.”
And just like that, Charlie knew he had no choice but to tuck the idea of Lila away. He wouldn’t risk breaking his best friend’s trust.
“I’ve got your back.”
Lucas eyed his watch again, and then back at the house. “Damn, I gotta go.”
“We need you to be careful, okay? I know you will be. But Lila’s not the only one who worries about your sorry self.”
They hugged as Lila stepped back outside. “Am I allowed out here again or am I breaking up the bro-fest?”
“Damn, this is going to be painful. She’s as much a smartass as you.”
“Worse,” Lucas said with a grin, and then Lila pushed him, before pulling him into a hug.
“Be careful.”
Lucas placed his bag into his Jeep, and then hugged each of them again.
“Love you, little sister.”
“Love you, big brother.”
He and Charlie clasped hands and then hugged. “Be back when I can. You’ll lock up for me?” he asked Lila, who nodded yes. They waved as he got into his truck and shut the door, and then he drove away. Every time this happened, Charlie wondered if it would be the last time he would see him, and every time he’d curse himself for thinking it. Today was no different.
“He asked you to look after me, didn’t he?” She wiped away a stray tear, then another.
“Yeah, but I told him he should be asking you to look after me. You, Tiny Girl, can take care of yourself.” She laughed, but it soon turned into a sob, and Charlie pulled her to him, holding her close to his chest.
“What if he doesn’t—?”
“Shh.” Charlie ran his hands over her hair and held her tighter. “Don’t even think it. He’s coming home. And we’ll be here, ready to celebrate with him when he gets here.”
She pulled away. “You really think so?”
Charlie swiped his thumb under each of her eyes to wipe away her tears. “I know it. No one’s tougher than Lucas. Couldn’t tell him that, ego and all. But I would bet my life on it. He’s coming home.”
She nuzzled into his chest again, and Charlie placed his chin on top of her head. He would keep his word to protect Lila, at all costs. Now if he could keep his other agreement and keep his hands and feelings to himself.
* * *
Lila drew a breath, allowing Charlie’s all-man, slightly lemony, 100 percent sexy scent flood her senses until, little by little, she felt better. She inhaled again, eager for more, when Charlie cleared his throat and she glanced up at him to find a crooked grin staring back at her.
“Are you smelling me?” he asked, his tone light.
She recoiled. “No.”
“Kind of looked like you were. The question is whether you were smelling me in a good way or a bad way, but it looked like you were a second away from licking me, which hints at good.”
Lila pushed him back and shook her head. “Always Mr. Arrogant.”
“Always Ms. Denial.”
They squared off, but both were smiling, and she shook her head again. “You were always good at that, weren’t you?”
“What?”
This time when she glanced back up at him, it was with tenderness in her eyes. “Making me feel better. No matter what it was, you could say something, distract me, and suddenly I forgot why I was upset in the first place.”
Charlie took a step toward her. “Remember that time you tried out for cheerleading? But you were the most uncoordinated person imaginable?” Then he put his hands in the air and started screaming, “Gooo Tigers! T-I-G-E-R-S Tigers!” Lila swiped at him, but he ducked out of reach, laughing. “And then you twisted your ankle trying to do one of those cart-around things.”
“They’re called cartwheels, jerk.”
“And you called me to come get you, because Lucas was retaking a test, and couldn’t take you to the hospital, because you said you’d broken it. I carried you to my truck and took you home and iced you back to health. Come to think of it, I’m the one that should have been the doctor.”
Lila rolled her eyes. “You just wanted to stroke my leg and cop a feel. I know your kind.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Oh, yeah, and what kind is that?” He glanced down at her, and then all of a sudden he straightened and took a giant step back, his eyes anywhere but on her. “Anyway, ready to get back?”
What just happened?
Lila tried to get his attention, but she could tell that he’d checked out, disappeared back inside that head of his. Which was always one of her problems—she wanted him, but he never let her in, never even considered her as a possibility. “Actually, can you just take me to my car? I don’t really feel like hanging out anymore.”
He finally met her questioning gaze. “Are you all right? Because I can stay with you if you need? You know, on the couch or whatever.” He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. If Lila didn’t know any better, she’d guess he was nervous. But that was stupid.
“That’s okay. I’m turning in early. Plus, Annie is there. Did you know I was living at Annie’s? Over the detached garage, and she likes to walk in on me in the most inopportune times imaginable. Which could be awkward if we . . .” What did I just say! “And did you know she sleeps with her .22? She told me when I moved in never to walk into the main house unannounced or I’d risk getting shot!” And now she was rambling—awesome.
But the idea of Charlie at her place—well, Annie’s place, but her for-now place—and him acting all nervous about it made her heart perk up and that annoying voice in the back of her head ask the question: Maybe?
Charlie was staring at her now, a full-on, mega-watt smile spread across his face. “First off, yes, I knew Annie slept with her .22. Got the thing when a raccoon snuck into her garage—the attached one, not the detached you’re living over. But no, I didn’t know you were living there. And secondly—” The grin slanted, his eyes flashing with flirtation. “What exactly did you think we’d be doing that would make it awkward if Annie walked in?” His eyebrows lifted as he waited for the answer, and Lila contemplated crawling into the ditch by the road and hiding until Charlie left. But clearly he was enjoying this too much to let it go. “Is my tiny girl having less than tiny thoughts?”
Lila shook her head and started for the truck, then remembered she had to lock up Lucas’s place and shut out the lights, pivoted and marched to the front porch. “What does that even mean? And no, Mr. Arrogant. Not every thought every woman has is about you. Certainly not mine.” Good God, she needed to avoid Charlie before her nose started growing from all these lies.
He was right behind her, his warmth radiating against her back as he reached around her for the door to open it. “I’m not saying all women. All right, maybe all women. But I’m specifically talking about you.” And then they stepped inside, and it was like someone flipped a switch in Charlie, and his cocky smile turned to a frown.
“What are you . . . ?” Lila followed his stare to the shelves framing the widescreen across from them, and a photo of the two of them—Charlie and Lucas—in high school, arms draped over each other’s shoulders, more brothers than friends, sat dead center on the right-hand shelf. “You okay?”
“What? Oh—yeah. Fine.” He shook his head and once again ran his hands through his hair, an obvious nervous tic, and Lila found herself wondering what was going through his mind. “Look, just remembered that I have some place to be.”
“At ten thirty? On a school night?” she teased, but when Charlie didn’t return her laugh, she knew something had gotten to him. Maybe he was as worried about Lucas as she was and being here, in Lucas’s house, made it worse. She didn’t know. “I’ll just lock up if you want to wait in the truck.”
“Why don’t I go turn the water off?” he asked.
“All right.” She turned around so she wouldn’t have to see the awkward expression on Charlie’s face anymore. Already she felt uneasy around him, but now he was darting from the carefree, flirty Charlie she knew to the uncomfortable, awkward man she’d just witnessed too quickly for her to keep up. Writing it off, Lila went to work shutting off the lights, checking that the air conditioner was on, but set to eighty, and then locking the front door.
The night air had turned chilly, and the rain that had teased them earlier was coming down now in sheets. Lila took off running for the truck and slipped inside, her clothes wet and her hair hanging around her face in shiny tendrils.
“Wow, cold.” She grinned as she peered over at Charlie, but he was staring down, refusing to look at her. He shook his head, muttered something, and then put the truck in drive.