Best of You // Foo fighters

The hunt for Char leads me down a hallway in Brianna and Zack's penthouse suite. The first door I open is a closet. The second is a bathroom. At the end of the hallway is a set of double doors which any bonehead could figure out is the master suite. Char wouldn't go hide in there.

Or would she? After the last hour, I honestly have no idea. Maybe her friendship with Brianna goes past the decorum that a manager has with her talent. That does seem to describe the relationship between them. However, I'm not on that list. Nowhere near it. Brianna's open bedroom door may extend to Char, but it certainly wouldn't extend to me. I hope to God that's not where Char went because it would effectively end this chase.

Not that I'm chasing her. I'm looking for her. There's a difference.

If I can't find her in any of the other rooms, I tell myself I'll only open Brianna's door to quench my curiosity about where Char went and offer my shoulder to lean on. Even though I'm still not positive I should make any offers where Char's concerned. But I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't.

I open the next door I pass to a darkened bedroom with one noticeable feature: a giant lump in the middle of the bed. Bingo. Lightly, I step into the room and shut the door as softly as possible. I don't want to sneak up on her, but I also don't want to make a shit ton of noise as I invade her privacy. I'm honest enough with myself to admit that's what I'm doing.

My efforts at remaining quiet are thwarted by a pair of shiny black stilettos strewn haphazardly in the middle of the floor as I trip over said shoes and hurtle onto the bed lump.

A loud 'umph' groans from under the bedspread as I roll away quickly, dropping onto the floor with a thud. The sheets rustle with a whoosh as they're torn back from the edge of the mattress.

"What the hell, Jake." Char's voice is controlled rage. "I'm literally hiding in here. Take a hint."

"I know you're hiding. The dark room and lumpy covers gave you away."

"You have no shame, do you?"

"Shame or not, I know when someone just needs to be heard. I'm here to listen."

"Ugh!" Char throws her head back onto the pillows, pulling the covers over her head. I crawl from my spot on the hotel room floor to the edge of the bed and rise onto my knees, leaning my chin on my arms against the mattress.

"I'll leave," I say.

"Good."

"Eventually." I can't help the smirk that forms when I feel her entire body clench as she lets loose some kind of growl. It's the sexiest fucking sound I've ever heard her make. Sucks for me that she's making it while pissed off. I'll back off in a minute, but I want to make sure I give ample opportunity for her to open up to me. I want her to understand I really mean it when I say she can talk to me.

Way to go, Jacob. You're finally maturing.

My mom's voice plays in my head as I realize these are not the actions of the old me. I've never been a good listener. Zack could attest to that. But Char needs someone. And I want to be the someone she turns to.

"Believe me, Charlotte. I'm here for you if you need me. I'll go as soon as you understand I'm completely serious."

"Charline." The lump next to me sighs.

"What?"

"My name is Charline, not Charlotte."

My smile has never been so bright. "Even better. And my name is Jacob, not Jake."

The smallest whisper barely meets my ears. "I know." But it's enough to set my heart racing.

A minute or two goes by in silence. I'm about to get up from my position next to the bed when a thought hits me square in the chest. This woman has brought me to my knees, literally. And yet, it's true figuratively just as much. I can't hold back the laugh that breaks free.

"Thanks a lot," Char, my Charline, says.

"I'm not laughing at you."

"Sure."

"I'm next to where you're lying on the bed, on my knees begging you to talk to me. It's pretty symbolic, don't you think."

Another beat of silent tension before Char answers me.

"This is such a mess."

"It doesn't have to be."

"Ha! Easy for you to say. You're a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants guy. Easy going. Breezy. I'm a ball of anxiety and dread on a good day. The bad ones, you don't even want to know."

I consider her words for a half a minute. "No, that's not you."

"Gaslighting much? I think I know myself pretty well, thanks."

This time I do stand. Then I walk back to the door, pull it open and check the hallway. No one's looking for us which means both Brianna and Zack trust me with her. That gives me the courage to do what I'm about to do. I close the door, locking it for good measure and privacy, hoping that Char will open up to me but knowing I'll turn around and leave if she insists that I go. When I turn back to Char, I find her sitting up in the bed looking at me with wide eyes. Her hair is a mess from the sheets, no longer in its smooth camera-ready style. Her make up is smudged, the only hint I have that she's been crying. My heart aches. My arms actually ache, wanting like hell to wrap them around her. But she's not ready for that. My porcupine still needs time before I can offer her any type of affection.

"I see who you are." I take a step closer to her. "I see the bubbly, caring, happy woman you've stuffed so far down your power suit you've lost her to the corporate bull crap in this industry." I reach the edge of the bed where she's still sitting, now looking up at me with something close to hope. "You might be anxious now, but that's not who you've been. That's not really you. That's the shit you've found yourself tangled up in. It's a temporary predicament." I take the chance and lower myself to sit next to her on the bed. We're facing each other. I reach up to curl a wayward lock of hair behind her ear without thinking through the probability that she'll deck me for it. She doesn't. I feel like I just won the lottery.

"It's not temporary if it's a character flaw."

My jaw drops. "What?"

"I fell for his lies. He deceived me so deeply I was willing to deceive others, my family, to help him out. How stupid am I?"

"Not stupid at all." My words do nothing to reassure her, I can see it written all over her face. She shakes her head a minute later.

"I used to trust my gut. Trust I could see through people. I did it with Bree's slimy former manager within two seconds of meeting him. I knew with each of Bree's 'boyfriends' that shithead set her up with. Even with Zack when I first met him. I could tell he was good, that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe. I trusted Clinton with the drama and the FBI. For god's sake even our receptionist, Rachel, who's a raging bitch. I saw through her mask to the good person she is at heart.

"But Curt? I was bamboozled." Char laughs, looking up at me. "Is that even a fucking word?" Her hysteria takes over, tears running down her face as she laughs. Or cries, I'm not entirely sure which. Char lies back on the bed, her hair spilling onto the pillow as I stay rooted in place, no longer trusting myself at the sight of her lying before me to remain gentlemanly in her time of need.

"I can't let that happen again. Someone who just wants to use me, use my connections, my friendship with Bree." She huffs. "It wasn't even a crush that he had for Bree! It was manipulation, deceit, every bad stereotype of the guy who will stop at nothing to get ahead. If I couldn't see through him to that? What else am I missing?"

The ache in my arms is unbearable so I do the most natural thing in the world. I take Char in my arms and pull her close. Her chest rises and falls with rapid breath. At first her arms remain by her side but within a few seconds she's wrapped them around my waist. Her face dips down, pressed against my chest and I've never felt so content. Even with her emotions on full throttle, being able to hold her is the only factor that matters.

"You aren't missing anything. Curt conned his bandmates. He conned the roadies. Fuck, he conned Clinton. That guy would have never let Curt anywhere near Brianna if he thought there was the slightest potential he was using her. And I haven't even mentioned Zack's need to protect her."

Char sighs, my only sign that I'm on the right track.

"You've got to stop taking on the responsibility for what happened. Your brother made a choice to act on your behalf. But it's Curt who put all of us in this position. Not you, baby."

Char shudders something close to a sob. Her head comes up as mine dips to look at her. Our eyes connect. I gaze at the gold flecks woven within the deep green color looking at me, clenching as I see her gaze harden.

"Why are you really here?" she asks. Not what I was expecting.

"What?" I search her eyes, her face for a hint of understanding. For some clue that she's joking. But it's not there.

"You want me to help you make a name for yourself. To wipe away your shitty reputation, that you created yourself with your stupid bad decisions. You used people too. Maybe not to the same degree, but you're cut from the same cloth."

"I am nothing like Curt." I erase the little distance between us bringing us nose to nose. "When will you finally understand that I've been waiting for you. From the first day I opened my apartment door to you in that bright green jumper and curly red hair. You bounced right past me and I caught the scent of your citrus essential oils. I watched you fuss over Brianna, taking charge when she was at her lowest and allowing Zack, the best guy I've ever met in my life, take over and see to it that she was safe. I couldn't take my eyes off you. I still can't."

Eyes wide, Char listens in stone silence. When I finish, she stares at me for a solid minute before speaking.

"You...remember what I wore that day?"

My hands cup her jaw. "I remember everything because Char, you are un-fucking-forgettable."

The last syllable is hardly out of my mouth and Char is crashing her lips against mine. Her arms still wrapped around my back, I feel her fingers dip to the edge of my shirt then venture underneath. The absolute full body chills I get when her skin makes contact with mine sends me into a frenzy. I tilt her head to deepen the kiss, rewarded by Char's willingness to open for me. My tongue invades, tasting every inch of her, finding her flavor is my favorite.

Char does the sexiest boss bitch move ever and twists us until I'm forced to lay back on the bed, underneath her. I groan as her thighs press into mine. My hands have a mind of their own as they wander down her body, desperate to touch her in places that cause more chills for both of us. But I can't get them where I need them to go. The sheets were still covering her lower half and with the gymnastics she just performed we're now tangled in them.

In an absolute fit of frustration, I press against Char's shoulders, so she's pushed up and away from me. Then I grip the sheets and rip them off both of us, tossing them onto the floor. Char's eyes are wide with surprise and dark with desire. The two of us, chests heaving, are locked in a standoff. Who will break first? Who will push through that final barrier?

I'm the one who crumbles. Following Char's lead, I twist the two of us so she's now on her back, her hair spread across the pillow like it was earlier. My hands roam down her side, no longer hindered by the offending sheets, then across her ribcage, under her breast. I haven't even breached the shirt covering her up from me and she's shuddering, lifting her chin and letting her eyes flutter closed.

"Yes, please," she murmurs.

It's a victory I've never experienced.

"Damn, Char. So responsive. So fucking sexy." My lips chase after my hands. Then I'm lifting her shirt. She's lifting mine. Our bodies press together, close but never quite close enough. Sweat slicked and trembling just.from.this. I've never been so hot with so little. This foreplay hasn't even gotten x-rated and I'm losing my damn mind. I roll to my side, pulling Char with me. Her leg hitches up over my hip and I'm so fucking gone for this girl. The little clothes we still have on are quickly becoming disheveled. Something in me says to slow down. To not take it further yet. To wait until she's fully committed to me.

Because right now, legally, she's still committed to someone else. She's assured me it's on paper only, but I also know this entire thing has broken her. I refuse to be the guy who finishes the job. I refuse to hurt her any more than she's already been hurt.

I pull back enough to look in her eyes. I let the entire breadth of feeling I have for her shine in my gaze, holding none of it back. "Baby, you have no idea what you do to me." Char glances between us to where I'm rock hard. She thinks I mean in a physical sense, which I do. But what she's done to my heart is so much deeper.

"Clearly, I want you. So fucking bad. But let's take things one step at a time. Is that okay?" God, I hope so.

"Okay." Char allows me to pull her close, snuggling into me. I let the sound of our breathing and the heat of our skin lull the two of us until we're so relaxed, we fall asleep, her in my arms.

Exactly where she belongs.

Well, it was almost on. I fully intended this chapter to have all the spice but Jacob decided it wasn't the right time. But I'm pretty sure Char has turned the page and is ready for the real deal now. They have a giant mess to clean up first!

It's finally my summer break so I'm hoping to spend lots of time writing ahead. I'm thinking I'll either work on the next Salt Creek book, or Clinton's book next. I've thrown in the towel on writing two at once though. Maybe once my kids are all grown and out of the house!

Love this song by the Foo Fighters! That's what Jacob sees in Char, the best of her...

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Thanks for reading!! I'm trying to get moving on more authory stuff like my own website so I'll let you know when it's up!