Free Charlotte (Marked Heart #2) by M. Sembera Page B

There were things that she didn't find worth talking about and her scars were right at the top of that list. Deciding it had to be the bartender in him, when he wasn't being a judgmental ass, he was unbelievably easy to talk to.
    The moment was getting a tad on the awkward side, when Charlotte remembered she had asked him a question.
    "Hey," she seemed to blurt out of nowhere, before saying, "Now, what about that beanie of yours."
    With a blank expression like she had startled him out of deep thought, he walked back to the table, saying, "A couple of years ago, I got into a fight outside The Dog House."
    Joining him at the table, Charlotte turned her chair to face him, interested in his story.
    "This guy was runnin' his mouth about my sister. So we took it out to back. I was whoopin' his ass until he put my head through the passenger side window of Ailin's car."
    Charlotte gasped, "Oh my gosh!" when Auggie pulled his beanie off, saying, "Twenty-two stitches," and held his hair back with his hand revealing a long thick scar that hooked around to the back of his head.
    Without realizing what she was doing, Charlotte reached over and ran her middle finger across his scar.
    "Sorry, go ahead," she quickly spit out when he jerked away and looked at her like she had electrocuted him.
    It took him a few minutes before he continued, "It looked pretty nasty, so Jacks got me a couple of beanies to cover it while I was tending bar. I kinda got used to wearin' 'em and ya know it feels weird not to now."
    Nodding , she turned back to face the table. Charlotte actually felt pretty bad about touching his scar. Knowing she would have freaked out if he had touched her mouth while she was talking to him, she had an understanding of how sensitive something like that was.
    In an effort to get back to the task at hand, Charlotte stared at the ledger and receipts.
    "I have an idea."
    She could feel Auggie looking at her but kept her eyes focused on the table.
    "Let's try this," picking up a receipt, saying, "I'll read them off to you and see if that helps."
    "Okay."
    Aside from reading the totals, not much more was said. Charlotte's idea momentarily solved a problem , but he still didn't quite have the hang of it.

9
    Intruder
    Another lo ng and boring week had finally made its way to Thursday as Charlotte searched Auggie's front porch for his spare key. Grateful the street was empty at midnight, not only did she not want to be discovered at his house, she was sure she looked fairly suspicious out there. Finding his spare key, she unlocked the front door and let herself in.
    Setting the information she found on dyscalculia, a form of dyslexia having to do with numbers, on his coffee table , she waited for him to arrive. He would definitely fuss at her for breaking and entering. In addition to helping him get to where he could handle the books on his own, she needed to catch him off guard. She needed a favor and let's face it, Auggie wasn't a do a friend a favor type of guy.
    Finally , she heard the door knob turn before the front door opened. Leaning back in his chair, she watched as Auggie closed the door behind him with the back of his boot before walking right past her. Her initial amusement at him not realizing she was there was quickly replaced with a dull ache when he undid the first two buttons on his shirt before pulling it off over his head. Dropping his shirt on the floor, he kicked his work boots off on the way to the kitchen. Charlotte carefully memorizing the way the Celtic cross on his back started just below the nape of his neck, spread across his shoulder blades and ended just above his waistband.
    The ledger, the information she brought, even the favor she was planning to ask all slipped away as he stretched his arms out to the side with a loud yawn. It was a downright sin for him to cover something so glorious with those hideous plaid shirts. As he continued to the fridge, Charlotte wished she could simply sit and watch what she