We need to talk
Charlotte’s POV
The breeze carried the fresh scent of the lake as I pulled my shirt over my head, toes sinking into the warm sand.
"This still feels crazy. Your mum’s really getting married," Kate said, grinning as she wriggled out of her jeans. The lake stretched wide and peaceful, hidden far from the city noise. It was our secret place, no phones, no parents, just us. A small cabin sat nearby, but we had never seen anyone around. Today, it was just the soft lap of water and the hum of summer.
"Hey shorty, we’re here to have fun, not remind Charlotte of her family drama," Loveth teased, tossing his shirt onto the car. Through the dusty window, I caught a glimpse of his bare chest. It used to distract me. Not anymore.
Today, my mind kept wandering somewhere it shouldn’t, to Luther, and what he might look like shirtless.
"As if you don’t love gossip," Kate shot back, sticking her tongue out when Loveth flipped her off. We all knew sneaking out here wasn't exactly allowed, but that never stopped us before.
"Can we just swim already?" I asked, stepping out of my shorts and stretching under the sun.
Loveth grinned wide before sprinting naked into the water, laughing like a maniac.
"If there were no rules, I’d totally jump him," Kate joked, chasing after him with a wild laugh.
I hesitated, watching them. Lately, Kate's eyes lingered on Loveth longer than they should. The way she bristled when other girls flirted with him... It wasn’t nothing. I could feel it.
"You coming or what?" Kate yelled, flicking water at Loveth’s face.
"If you don’t hurry, Charlotte, I'm dragging you in myself," Loveth warned, flexing like an idiot.
Laughing, I ran and crashed into the lake. Ice-cold water hit me like a slap.
"Bloody hell! You could have warned me!" I yelped, shivering.
They just laughed harder, splashing like little kids. We'd been doing this since forever, whenever life got too heavy, we’d strip away the world and dive right in. Clothes, worries, rules, none of it mattered here.
"It’s barely noon. What did you expect?" Kate teased, sticking out her tongue.
"But the sun’s boiling!" Loveth laughed, right before Kate smacked him playfully.
Suddenly, he caught her wrists mid-swing, gently pinning them above her head. His eyes dropped from her face to her chest, and everything between them changed.
Kate leaned in, her breathing slow and heavy. The shift was so sharp, I felt it in my bones. I turned away fast, like I’d just walked into a moment I wasn’t meant to see. Wading back to shore, something near the cabin caught my eye. I squinted and froze.
Luther! Even from across the distance, I knew he was looking at me. Heat flushed my skin as he turned and slipped into the cabin, the door swinging behind him. Heart racing, I bolted out of the water, pulling on my jeans and top without bothering to dry off. I grabbed my phone and slid into the car, pretending to scroll through emails, desperate to calm down.
Minutes later, Kate stumbled over, hair dripping and cheeks pink.
"Wow, the water scared you off that quick?" she teased, grabbing her dress from the backseat.
I forced a tight smile, eyes glued to my screen. "Yeah. Too cold for me."
The truth burned in my chest. It wasn’t the water that had scared me. It wasn’t even Loveth and Kate forgetting I was there. It was Luther. The way he had looked at me. The way my whole body had reacted and the worst part? I couldn’t tell a soul. Not even Kate.
"Look, Charlotte, I really thought coming here would cheer you up," Kate said as she pulled her dress over her wet skin and put on her underwear.
"Thanks," I muttered, not even glancing at her.
"Hey ladies, what about grabbing some lunch and ice cream after this? My treat," Loveth offered, walking over. I quickly turned my head so I would not see him. Seeing him naked had never been awkward before, but now it just felt wrong.
"Just take me home," I said, brushing off his offer. I did not want to spend another second around them.
"Did we do something wrong, Charlotte?" Kate asked, her brows pulling together as she sat beside me. She knew I usually loved it when Loveth offered to buy us ice cream.
You brought me here to have fun, but you two were so wrapped up in each other that you did not even notice when I left the lake. Now you are standing here acting like nothing happened. Just drive me home. Actually, forget it, I will walk to the main road and call a taxi. I do not want to get in the way of your... tension. Everything I saw between them reminded me of the man I was trying so hard to forget. I craved standing that close to Luther, the way Kate had been with Loveth.
I reached for the door, ready to leave, but Kate grabbed my arm.
"We are sorry, babe," she said quietly, hanging her head, something she only did when she truly felt bad.
"I do not know what you think you saw, but it was nothing," Loveth added quickly. I caught the flash of pain in Kate’s eyes before she hid it behind a small smile.
"Loveth is right," she said, clearing her throat as her voice wobbled. It reminded me too much of how I had felt when I left Luther standing alone in the kitchen last night.
"I am sorry today did not turn out the way we hoped," Loveth said, his voice softer now. "But you are still getting your favourite ice cream. Then we will take you home."
"And do not say no this time," Kate added, giving me a hopeful look. I gave a small nod. They thought ice cream would fix things, but they had no idea where my mind truly was, stuck on a man I should not want.
****************************
"We need to talk."
Those were the first words my mother threw at me the moment I stepped into the house. I ignored her and walked straight toward the stairs.
"Hey, Charlotte," Stanley called from the living room, sitting on my favourite couch, the same one where I had sat with Luther the night before. The memory made my steps falter. For a second, I let myself imagine Luther pulling me onto his lap, the way men did in those steamy movies. I swallowed hard and kept walking.
"Your mother said you would not be back until later," a deep voice said from behind me. My heart skipped at once. What the hell is he doing here? I turned just enough to see Luther standing by the kitchen entrance, looking too good for my own sanity. He must have come over while we were out getting ice cream.
"Oh, Luther offered to cook lunch for us since he will be leaving tomorrow for a business trip," my mother explained brightly. The smell of food filled the air, making my stomach grumble.
I still did not speak. I refused to look at him, no matter how badly I wanted to.
"Lunch will be ready in twenty minutes," Luther added casually.
Without a word, I hurried upstairs to my room, my mind spinning. How was I supposed to sit at the same table with him? Pretend everything was normal? That ache from last night returned, stronger than ever. I dropped my bag and kicked off my shoes. I stood there for a second, fighting the urge growing inside me. But it was no use. My hands moved on their own. I unbuttoned my jeans and pushed them, along with my panties, down to my knees. My fingers brushed lightly over the hood of my pussy, desperate for some relief. I closed my eyes, pretending it was Luther touching me, needing to ease the ache he had left burning inside me the night before.
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