Free Take Me Out by Dawn Robertson Page A

welling in my eyes felt ridiculous. Once again, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me. I grabbed our magnetic notepad off of the fridge and started to jot down a list, starting with my mocha Frappuccino.
    We all wrote down what we wanted and Bentley took off with Jake by his side. I knew Jake would pull the bro card on him and try to get the details I wouldn’t dish out.
    I picked up my phone to listen to my voicemail, when I checked, I saw four missed calls and two text messages, all from Landon.
    Are you ok? I saw you leaving the bar last night but couldn’t get your attention.
    Please call me!
    Charlie, what did I do to deserve this?
    My stomach tightened, knowing that Landon had seen my antics last night on the dance floor and witnessed me leading Bentley out the door. I was in for a whole world of shit and I knew it. I had no one to blame but myself.
    I listened to the voicemail.
    “Charlotte, are you okay? I saw that scumbag with his hands all over you last night. I am praying he didn’t hurt you. Please call me so I know you are okay.” I hated hearing the panic in his voice.
    I picked up the phone, debating on calling or texting him. I decided to send a text message. It was impersonal, but Bentley would be back any minute. And honestly, I couldn’t take hashing things out on the phone with Landon.
    ‘I am okay, home nursing my hangover. I’ll call you later when the room isn’t spinning. xoxoxox’
    I handed my phone to Shay so she could examine the mess I’d gotten myself into while I gave her the two short answers she wanted.
    “Yes, we had sex. Yes, I wanted to. Oh and it was amazing.” I smirked.
    “Oh no you didn’t!” Shay slapped her hands against the counter, her mouth slightly agape. “LAWD! We will be talking about this one later young lady,” she lectured. “But I guess you couldn’t live missing out on the amazingness we adults call sex,” she called out to me as she disappeared down the hall, laughing the entire way.
    By the time Bentley and Jake got back, they looked like old friends and I knew I was in trouble.
    “Eat up boys,” I said to them, motioning to the eggs, bacon, sausage and toast I had made and set out on the counter buffet style while they were gone.
    I finished up my plate and frap before excusing myself for a shower. I still had the leftover sex from last night lingering all over me. While it was a good experience, I was more than ready to clean up for the day. As Bentley finished up, I leaned over to whisper in his ear “I’m going to go enjoy a shower, why don’t you join me?”
    The look on his face was priceless. He couldn’t finish eating fast enough and Jake’s narrowed eyes told me he knew exactly what I’d just said. I turned to walk down the hallway with Bentley following close behind.
    My bathroom was my favorite room in the apartment. A Jacuzzi garden tub and large double shower, lined with white tile and blue accents took up most of the room. A double sink with cherry wood cabinets on each side and four horizontal drawers in between the sinks finished the modern style design. When everything was wrong with the world, I hid in my tub soaking the worry away.
    As soon as I turned the water on I felt him behind me. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around my stomach, squeezing while planting a soft kiss on my neck. He backed away and stripped naked, then reached for the hem of my nightgown, pulling it over my head so I stood before him in the same state.
    “Did you enjoy yourself last night?” He asked me sweetly.
    “Yes. Did you?”
    “Absolutely, I loved every minute. How are you feeling today? Are you okay?” His question hung for a minute before I could get the right words together. His face was filled with uncertainty, as if he was afraid he had pushed me to do something I would regret now that it was morning. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
    “I’m just fine,” I assured him. “I enjoyed last night and don’t regret it one