Special Forces_Operation Alpha_Protecting Charlotte Read online

  “I want! I want!”

  “That’s what I thought.” She handed everything over before turning to walk away. “My job here is done.”

  My family was totally awesome. With Aunt Tina’s intervention, I was able to get showered, changed and made up with about ten minutes to spare. It was a good thing too because the doorbell rang when I reached the bottom of the stairs. I didn’t hesitate to pull the door open, and there he was—the boy I’d always longed for, all grown up.

  He’d changed out of his uniform, but he looked just as hot in a pair of dark jeans, a hunter green button-down shirt, and a black leather jacket. The motorcycle I noticed parked at the curb only amped up his sex appeal. And the bouquet of butterscotch chrysanthemums and lush greens he thrust into my hands melted my heart.

  “I know you said I didn’t need to bring anything, but it didn’t seem right to show up empty-handed.”

  I wasn’t surprised since his mom never came over for a get-together without a gift of some kind. “My mom will love them.”

  “They’re not for your mom, Charlie-bean.”

  I hadn’t heard anyone but my dad call me that nickname in years. I still got the same butterflies in my stomach when Chad used it as I did back when I was thirteen and started noticing him as a boy and not just my friend.

  The sounds of my noisy family drifted towards me, reminding me that we weren’t alone. I wanted some time with Chad before they intruded, so I stepped onto the porch with him and closed the door behind me. Tugging his hand, I led him over to the dark walnut, rollback swing my dad had put up for my mom a couple of decades ago.

  “I can’t believe the old swing is still here,” he said, plopping down next to me. “It looks exactly the same.”

  “My dad will tell you it’s because he’s such an amazing handyman, but my mom always says it’s because of the Amish craftsmanship of the swing she picked out.”

  “They really haven’t changed a bit, have they?”

  “Nope.” I toed the porch floor to put the swing in motion. “But you sure did. What have you been up to all these years?”

  “Well, I managed to make it through the rest of middle school and all of high school without your help.” I laughed, remembering how much he used to complain when I insisted we get our homework done before we played. “But college wasn’t for me, so I joined the Army after graduation. Did my six years, but I decided not to re-enlist. I spent about three months in Atlanta with my parents, trying to figure out what to do next, when I realized how much I missed Brooklyn. So, I moved back, put my time spent as an MP to good use, and became a cop.”

  “Wow,” I breathed out. “You’ve done a heck of a lot more with your life than I’ve managed.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “Between school and an internship of sorts, I’ve only been in the real world for a couple of years.”

  “Hey, now,” he protested. “Don’t minimize your accomplishments. You earned a degree, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “In what?”

  “I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Game Design from NYU.”

  “Shit, Charlotte,” he rasped. “Are you telling me you design video games for a living?”

  I felt my face heating up since Chad was the reason I’d become a gamer in the first place. “Yup, I was super lucky to get accepted into the major. It’s amazing. And the school’s Game Center has a three-month program that I did after graduation where they gave me the resources and guidance I needed to see if a game I designed while I was in school could find commercial success.”

  “And did it?”

  “Yeah,” I admitted shyly. “I guess it did.”

  “What’s it called? Would I have heard of it?”

  “No wonder you became a cop,” I laughed. “You’re very good at interrogating people and getting them to talk.”

  “Damn straight, I’m good,” he rumbled. “C’mon, Charlotte. Fess up. Tell me about your game. Don’t make me go all bad cop on you.”

  “It’s only an app. For now, at least. I’ve been talking to Sony about possibly doing a version for Xbox One.”

  “The name, Charlie-bean.”

  “Cop Car Clash,” I whispered, closing my eyes and bracing myself for his reaction since he was on the force.

  He didn’t say a word, but I felt him shift on the swing’s bench. My eyes popped back open when he placed a warm, hard object in my hands. His phone. Peering at the screen, I realized he’d pulled it out of his pocket to show me that he had my game installed on it. Looking more closely, I noticed his high score listed in the upper left corner.

  “I guess you’ve heard of it then,” I giggled.

  “All the guys at the precinct have more than heard of it. You’re going to have to teach me all the tricks to the game, so I can score high enough that none of the other guys can ever beat me.”

  “I think that could be arranged,” I agreed.

  “So damn cute.” He leaned forward, his lips gently brushing against mine. His tongue licked the seam of my mouth, asking for entry. My lips parted, letting him in. As our tongues tangled, my brain short-circuited and I trembled in his arms. After all these years, Chad Tomlinson was kissing me.

  It was over all too quickly, as Chad pulled back slightly, nibbling on my lower lip before ending the kiss.

  “Come on a date with me,” he breathed against my lips. “Tomorrow. Ice skating.”

  “Abe Stark?” I asked, thinking of the rink where we’d played hockey together when we were younger.

  “Nah, I was thinking Prospect Park since this is a date and not a hockey clinic.”

  “It sounds perfect to me.” It really did. Then again, I couldn’t care less where we went because all that mattered to me was that I was going on my first date with Chad, not including the lunch we had with my family. It wasn’t exactly romantic, but since we kissed and were going to eat a meal together, I decided to count ice skating as our second date instead.

  4

  Chad

  My hands jittered as I waited for Charlotte to meet me near the entrance to the rink at Prospect Park. I’d planned on picking her up at her parents’ house since she was staying there for a couple more days, but she had a meeting this morning and told me it’d be easier to meet up afterwards. I’d actually been looking forward to the whole traditional picking the girl up at her front door thing, but it was probably for the best because I was damn edgy.

  I’d been on enough first dates that I shouldn’t be nervous. But this was Charlotte. The Charlotte I’d wanted since I was thirteen and had my first wet dream. The Charlotte I’d thought about when I’d served overseas. My Charlotte, who I’d finally kissed last night. I might be crazy for thinking it, but I was hoping this was the last first date of my life.

  I shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts, knowing damn well that I was getting ahead of myself, and caught sight of her in my peripheral vision. She looked fucking incredible dressed in a pair of tight jeans and an oversized purple sweater. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and if it weren’t for her generous curves, I almost would have thought I’d gone back in time, the sense of déjà vu was so strong.

  “It seems like old times, you and me at a rink. Doesn’t it?” she asked as she walked up.

  “That it does,” I agreed before dropping a kiss on her plump lips. “Only a damn sight better since I have kissing privileges now.”

  “Give him an inch, and he takes a mile,” she laughed, wrapping her arms around my waist for a quick hug.

  “It’s only fair since I’m giving you the same mile in return.” I stole her lips for another kiss. “Any day, anytime. You want to kiss me? Go right ahead.”

  “Be careful what you offer, big guy. I might take you up on it.” We moved towards a bench to switch out of our shoes and into the hockey skates we’d both brought with us. “But first, I’m gonna kick your butt on the rink and show you how it’s done.”

  “Sure you will,”
I scoffed. “We both know who the better skater has always been.”

  She tucked her bag away and headed towards the ice. “Yeah, but when’s the last time you’ve been on the ice?” she tossed over her shoulder.

  “Shit,” I mumbled to myself as I followed. It had been way too fucking long, judging by how the ice felt under my feet. “I hope it’s like riding a bike.”

  “It isn’t,” she laughed, circling around me to grab my hand. “Don’t worry, though. I’m here to help.”

  It didn’t take me long to get the hang of it again, but I didn’t let Charlotte in on that little secret. Not when the feel of her hand in mine felt so damn good. Instead, we skated around the rink hand-in-hand for a couple of hours, talking about nothing and everything, until we were both starving.

  “Pizza?” she panted as she dropped down onto the bench to switch back into her shoes.

  “Sam’s?”

  “As if we’d go anywhere else!”

  Shoving my skates into my backpack, I smiled at the sight of the surprise I’d brought with me. I decided to wait until we got to the restaurant to share it with her, though. She was going to have questions, and my stomach was growling I was so hungry. It would take a little while for them to bake our pie anyway.

  Sam’s was packed, as always, when we walked in, but the waitress recognized me since I came in at least once a week with Luke. My partner was addicted to pizza almost as much as he was women.

  “Office Tomlinson,” she greeted me, her eyes sliding to Charlotte and a big grin splitting her face. “It looks like you’ve upgraded dining partners today.”

  “Yeah, but do me a favor and don’t mention it to Luke. You know how he is about this place.”

  “I promise not to say a word,” she laughed as she led us to a table. “Except maybe to remind him that he could do better than bringing you here all the time.”

  I didn’t have the heart to tell her not to expect him to bring a date to his favorite pizza place. He had a rule against it because he figured it might increase the odds of running into them again when he was here.

  “Can you ask Lou to put in a pepperoni and extra cheese with garlic for us?” I asked. “We went skating for a couple of hours and worked up an appetite.”

  “Sure, I can do that. You want some antipasto to tide you over until it comes out?”

  “Yes, a hot one and a cold one please,” Charlotte chimed in before I could answer. “And two Cokes please.”

  “You got it.” She wandered off, leaving Charlotte and I staring at each other across the table.

  “You remembered my favorite pizza.”

  “Of course I did. We’ve had it about a million times,” I replied. “And you remembered what I like to drink.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drink anything other than a Coke with pizza.”

  “Beer works for me now, too.”

  “Crap, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I’ll drink both the Cokes if you want to get a beer instead.”

  “I’m good,” I reassured her, laying one of my palms over her hand and trapping it beneath mine.

  “Good,” she sighed.

  While we were waiting, I bent low to retrieve the present I’d brought. I pulled the gift bag out of my backpack and plopped it on the table in front of her, enjoying the look of pleased surprise on her face.

  “You didn’t have to bring me a present.”

  “Technically, it’s not for you. It’s for you to give to your dad for Christmas.”

  She yanked the tissue paper out, and her face lit up when she saw the Brooklyn Blades jersey inside the bag. Her expression more than made up for all the shit I took from the guys about what they called the first sign of me being pussy-whipped.

  “Since I wasn’t in time to rescue the jersey for him on Black Friday, I thought I’d make it up to you,” I explained.

  She pulled the jersey out of the bag, and her jaw dropped open when she saw that it had Jack Tyler’s name and number on the back. He was the captain of the team and a big deal to Brooklyn Blades fans. “Tyler is my dad’s favorite player. Thank you so much. He’s going to love it.”

  She hadn’t even seen the best part yet. I reached out and turned the jersey around so she could see the front—where Jack Tyler had scrawled his signature in black permanent marker.

  “Holy crap! How the hell did you get this? It’s too much, I couldn’t possibly.” She tried shoving the jersey back into my hands, but I wouldn’t let her.

  “Take it,” I urged. “It was free. Luke, my partner, went to the same boarding school with Alec Rourke from the Cavaliers when they were younger. He saw him last night when the Cavaliers were in town to play the Blades and somehow managed to snag the jersey for me to give to you.”

  “Wow. That was awfully nice of him.”

  “Yeah, unusually nice,” I chuckled. “He’s still trying to work his way out of the hole he dug himself.”

  “Whatever the reason, I’m thankful.” She beamed a smile at me, her eyes lighting up with happiness. “One thing’s for sure, if my dad didn’t already approve of us dating, this would certainly clinch it for you.”

  My chest expanded at her admission that she’d talked to her parents about us, and I offered one of my own. “That’s good to know since my mom was over the fucking moon when I told her about our date.”

  I barely noticed when our drinks and antipasto were placed on the table. I was too busy smiling in response to the shit-eating grin on Charlotte’s face.

  “You talked to your mom about me?”

  “Fuck yeah, I did,” I confessed.

  “What did she say?”

  “About damn time.”

  Truer words had never been said. I'd waited a long time for this, but Charlotte was well worth the wait.

  5

  Charlotte

  I rubbed my hands together in excitement, but also, to help keep them warm since it was cold outside. I’d told Chad to meet me in front of the Sun House Café and to dress for the outdoors, but I hadn’t told him anything else about the date I had planned for the two of us. I’d arrived about ten minutes early and ordered a couple of hot chocolates to fill up the thermos I brought with me. But I couldn’t wait inside for him with all the stuff I had. The swirling snow was perfect for where we were headed next, but not so much when it came to standing in one place.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Chad murmured as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I hope you weren’t waiting out here for me too long.”

  “Nope. Only a couple of minutes.” I twisted in his arms to go up on my toes and gave him a peck on the lips.

  His hands slid up my back and neck to tangle in my hair as he took control of what I’d intended to be a quick kiss. Uncaring of the people walking past, his tongue tangled with mine when my lips parted on a gasp. “Damn, I missed you,” he breathed against my mouth.

  “It’s only been three days,” I whispered back, not wanting to break the spell he had me under. It felt like there wasn’t anyone else in the world except for the two of us. I was giving serious consideration to scrapping my plans for our date and dragging him back to my apartment instead.

  His nose brushed along mine as he stepped away. “Yeah, but it seemed much longer than that. I’ve already gotten used to seeing you pretty much every day over the past couple of weeks.”

  “Me, too,” I agreed.

  “It’s a good thing that my parents decided to come visit me for Christmas.”

  I tilted my head to the side. “Why’s that?”

  “If they hadn’t, I would have had plans to head to Atlanta instead. And then they’d be disappointed when I wanted to cut my trip short so I wouldn’t be away from you for too long.”

  “Aww, that’s sweet.”

  And charming.

  Sexy, too.

  “I’m only sweet when it comes to you,” he growled.

  I was almost certain that the red tinge to his cheeks had nothing to do with the cold wi
nd and everything to do with his admission. “I don’t know, Tomlinson. That’s a whole two weeks away. Who’s to say we’ll still be seeing each other?” I teased, hoping to deepen his blush. Only that wasn’t the reaction I got, not that I wanted to complain about his response since it was deliciously possessive.

  “Me.” He yanked me against his chest, and everything I’d been holding dropped at our feet as I stumbled forward. “I’ve finally got you exactly where I want you. Where you’re supposed to be. Don’t think for even a minute that I’d let you go without a fight.”

  “Simmer down. There’s no fight needed since I’m not trying to go anywhere.” I patted his chest, and the fierceness in his gaze ratcheted down a couple of notches. “Well, except to the park with you.”

  “The park?” he echoed, glancing down at the pile on the ground near our feet. When he lifted his head, his green eyes were filled with excitement. “No fucking way! You still have it?”

  He bent down to pick up the toboggan that we’d ridden on hundreds of times before. When he also snagged the small bag sitting next to sled, I held out my hand for it. He rolled his eyes, hefted the bag so he could carry it over his shoulder, and held his free hand out to me. Laughing, I slid my hand into his grasp and led him down the street towards Sunset Park. “I can’t believe your mom kept this thing all those years.”

  “Don’t give her all the credit,” I protested. “I can’t tell you how many times she had it stacked onto a pile of stuff to go to Goodwill.”

  “And yet it’s still here.”

  “I saved it,” I admitted softly. “Each and every time she went on a cleaning binge.”

  “Now who’s being sweet?” he teased, squeezing my hand.

  “How could I let her get rid of the toboggan? It was the only gift you ever gave me.”

  “Not true! What about that Tamagotchi?”

  “Doesn’t count,” I groaned. “The only reason you got me that was because you wanted it, and you needed mine to have one to connect to.”