Free What About Charlie? by Haley Michelle Howard Page B

bags.”
    “Well, let me fix you some breakfast while you’re taking your shower.”
    “Thanks, Charlie. You really look out after me. I appreciate it.”
    “I appreciate your looking after me too, Evan.”
    For several moments, they stood there gazing into each other’s eyes, unspoken words and emotions passing between them. Neither thought they should keep standing there, but neither wanted the moment to end.
    Finally Charlie looked away. “You go take your shower while I get breakfast.”
    Evan, watching her walk away, felt even more melancholy than before.
    After showering and dressing, he found Charlie in the kitchen frying bacon and mixing pancake batter. He smiled. Pancakes were his favorite breakfast. Charlie knew that.
    “It smells great in here, Charlie.”
    She looked up from the skillet and smiled. “Thanks. It will be about 10-15 minutes before breakfast is ready.”
    He nodded. Going to the kitchen cupboards he pulled out plates and silverware, setting the small kitchen table as had become the habit since he’d been staying there with her. After he finished setting the table, the dryer buzzed. So he went to the laundry room off the kitchen and proceeded to fold clothes, pulling them out of the dryer item by item.
    He paused when he pulled out a lacy pair of silk panties. The feel of the warm silkiness on his fingertips was like a caress. He held them up in both hands, feeling slightly embarrassed and voyeuristic to be handling Charlie’s most intimate clothes, yet not so embarrassed as to put it down. At times he’d wondered what type of underclothing Charlie wore. Figuring her for a plain cotton underwear type of woman, this was a nice surprise. A really nice surprise. He could see her wearing it, the lace against her pale, creamy skin. He could envision her slowly pulling them down her legs or even better yet his hand slowly pulling them over her thigh…
    He felt himself harden.
    “Evan…”
    Looking up, Charlie was standing in the doorway looking at him. How long she’d been there he didn’t know. He quickly looked away from her, a blush filling his cheeks. He plopped the underwear in his hands on top of the dryer.
    “I was folding the clothes.”
    He looked back at her and was surprised to see her smiling.
    Charlie’s wide green eyes were searching his face. He waited for her to say something about how he’d been staring at her underwear. Instead she said, “Breakfast is ready.”
    At breakfast nothing was said about the underwear, so Evan decided she must not have been standing there long. After eating and cleaning up the kitchen, he was ready to go home, though he was reluctant to do so.
    He and Charlie stood facing each other on her front porch.
    “When will you be coming back to St. Louis?”
    “Probably within the next few days. I have almost everything done. I have to call the phone company to have the phone shut off and sign a few more papers. That’s it.”
    Charlie looked up into Evan’s eyes, wishing that he wasn’t leaving. Whatever was happening between them was ending and she was sad to see it go.
    “Thanks again for coming, Evan. If you hadn’t, I don’t know what I would have done.”
    Smiling down at her, he cupped her cheek with his strong hand, thinking she was one beautiful lady. Why hadn’t he noticed before? “That’s what friends are for. Whatever you need, I’ll be there. Always.”
    Sadly she shook her head, a dose of reality suddenly hitting her. “You can’t say that, Evan. One day you’ll be married and you’ll have a family. You won’t be able to drop everything and come running to my rescue.”
     
    ****
     
    His insides shook. He couldn’t see himself turning his back on Charlie for anyone. Period.
    His eyes hardened. “You have my word, Charlie. You will always be able to depend on me to be there for you, no matter what.”
    Evan’s anger surprised her, then she realized he felt she was questioning his integrity. “I don’t doubt your