every night, she went into the nursery and ran her fingers along the edge of the crib, the soft fluffy ear of a stuffed rabbit, and finally picked up a framed photo of Adam right after he was born. As she did every night, she kissed the glass covering the photo, right above his sweet face.
Dead tired and aching with exhaustion, Charlotte went into her room and changed out of her work clothes. It was only eight at night but she was so tired that all she cared about doing was sleeping. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she went downstairs to make sure everything was locked up and grab a glass of water.
By eight-thirty, she was stretched out in her bed, dead to the world.
Chapter Eight
New Year’s Eve, 2003
T he party was in full swing. The little apartment Brandy and Charlotte shared managed to hold twelve people without exploding. For the first time, Charlotte didn’t feel out of place in the crowd. Every year, Brandy talked her into having a New Year’s Eve party with just a few of their friends, and, typically, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Tonight, though, she only felt happy.
Charlotte looked around. The party wasn’t huge, but a group of this size was usually enough to make her feel itchy. The reason for the change came up behind her and put his arms around her.
“Hey, baby. You havin’ a good time?” Derek asked in her ear.
She tucked her chin into her chest and grinned at the floor.
“Yeah. I’m having fun,” she answered.
He squeezed her closer. “Good. Want something to drink?”
Charlotte nodded.
“Let me guess…white wine?”
She giggled and nodded again.
Derek tickled her a little before he released her to head for the kitchen.
“All right, people!” Brandy jumped up on the coffee table and Charlotte held her breath. One of these days that woman was going to jump on a piece of furniture and it was going to collapse under her. “It’s almost time.” She glanced at the television as the count down started.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven,” Brandy chanted. The rest of the people followed her lead, including Charlotte.
Just as she reached four, a hand wound around her waist from behind. Charlotte smiled to herself and closed her eyes. Derek was going to kiss her at midnight on New Year’s. It was the first time a boyfriend had done it, but she always thought it was romantic.
As the countdown continued, she kept her eyes closed and turned to face him. When Brandy reached one, warm, firm lips closed over hers. Charlotte felt the touch of those lips all over her body. For the first time in her life, she knew what the romance novels were talking about when the heroine’s knees went weak. Her legs threatened to give way under her.
Still, the kiss was chaste, only their lips touching. Finally, Charlotte pulled away, smiling slightly. Without a doubt it was the best kiss of her life, sweet and gentle, but with an undercurrent of heat. It was the perfect way to ring in the New Year.
Slowly, her eyes opened and met the blue-grey of Greg’s. Charlotte stiffened slightly. The most beautiful kiss of she’d ever experienced and she had shared it with one of her best friends, not her boyfriend.
“Happy New Year, Charlotte.” Greg’s voice was just loud enough for her to hear it over the shouts and laughter as people kissed and hugged throughout the apartment.
Her breath catching in her throat, she said, “Happy New Year, Gregory.”
Suddenly, Derek was beside her, turning her into his arms, and the moment was broken. He kissed her long and hard. By the time the kiss ended, Greg was long gone and Charlotte wondered if she was the only one who felt the beauty of that moment.
She didn’t know why, but it made her sad to think that all that wonder was one-sided. Greg disappeared not long after that. She never had a chance to speak to him about it again because, the next day, Derek proposed to her and she put thoughts of that kiss out of her head. Greg was her friend
Dead tired and aching with exhaustion, Charlotte went into her room and changed out of her work clothes. It was only eight at night but she was so tired that all she cared about doing was sleeping. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she went downstairs to make sure everything was locked up and grab a glass of water.
By eight-thirty, she was stretched out in her bed, dead to the world.
Chapter Eight
New Year’s Eve, 2003
T he party was in full swing. The little apartment Brandy and Charlotte shared managed to hold twelve people without exploding. For the first time, Charlotte didn’t feel out of place in the crowd. Every year, Brandy talked her into having a New Year’s Eve party with just a few of their friends, and, typically, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Tonight, though, she only felt happy.
Charlotte looked around. The party wasn’t huge, but a group of this size was usually enough to make her feel itchy. The reason for the change came up behind her and put his arms around her.
“Hey, baby. You havin’ a good time?” Derek asked in her ear.
She tucked her chin into her chest and grinned at the floor.
“Yeah. I’m having fun,” she answered.
He squeezed her closer. “Good. Want something to drink?”
Charlotte nodded.
“Let me guess…white wine?”
She giggled and nodded again.
Derek tickled her a little before he released her to head for the kitchen.
“All right, people!” Brandy jumped up on the coffee table and Charlotte held her breath. One of these days that woman was going to jump on a piece of furniture and it was going to collapse under her. “It’s almost time.” She glanced at the television as the count down started.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven,” Brandy chanted. The rest of the people followed her lead, including Charlotte.
Just as she reached four, a hand wound around her waist from behind. Charlotte smiled to herself and closed her eyes. Derek was going to kiss her at midnight on New Year’s. It was the first time a boyfriend had done it, but she always thought it was romantic.
As the countdown continued, she kept her eyes closed and turned to face him. When Brandy reached one, warm, firm lips closed over hers. Charlotte felt the touch of those lips all over her body. For the first time in her life, she knew what the romance novels were talking about when the heroine’s knees went weak. Her legs threatened to give way under her.
Still, the kiss was chaste, only their lips touching. Finally, Charlotte pulled away, smiling slightly. Without a doubt it was the best kiss of her life, sweet and gentle, but with an undercurrent of heat. It was the perfect way to ring in the New Year.
Slowly, her eyes opened and met the blue-grey of Greg’s. Charlotte stiffened slightly. The most beautiful kiss of she’d ever experienced and she had shared it with one of her best friends, not her boyfriend.
“Happy New Year, Charlotte.” Greg’s voice was just loud enough for her to hear it over the shouts and laughter as people kissed and hugged throughout the apartment.
Her breath catching in her throat, she said, “Happy New Year, Gregory.”
Suddenly, Derek was beside her, turning her into his arms, and the moment was broken. He kissed her long and hard. By the time the kiss ended, Greg was long gone and Charlotte wondered if she was the only one who felt the beauty of that moment.
She didn’t know why, but it made her sad to think that all that wonder was one-sided. Greg disappeared not long after that. She never had a chance to speak to him about it again because, the next day, Derek proposed to her and she put thoughts of that kiss out of her head. Greg was her friend
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