Loves Me Not

*REVISED* Chapter Twenty

Well this is a pleasant surprise.

My eyes boldly trace along his body, sweeping down from the stubble on chin to his black Timberlands, and then back up to his black peacoat that is eerily similar to mine.

"What? No textback?" I watch a puzzled smile pull at his lips as his eyes study me.

I look over at Ellie to see here eyes widen. "What text?" She tries to mouth discreetly.

I smile at the both of them, although I direct my comment at him. "I was just a little busy."

"Not too busy to text me in the first place."

Both Ellie and my eyebrows shoot up, surprised by his forwardness. I don't know how to respond, purposefully not looking at either of them as I try to figure out what's next. Thankfully Addie saves me, pulling all of our attention to her.

"Can you buy me hot chocolate again, Ellie?" She begs, her arms still wrapped around Ellie.

Ellie unwillingly drags her gaze from Charlie to smile down at the young girl. "How about we all go to Dunkin's and I'll get you a donut instead?"

Addie launches herself at Charlie, grasping his knee-length peacoat. "Pretty please?"

"Anything for you, Muffin." Charlie ruffles her hair.

Addie grabs Ellie's hand and drags her toward Dunkin' Donuts.

I wait a few steps before I follow behind her, tossing a teasing smile Charlie's way encouraging him to catch up. He falls in step with me easily, his shoulder brushing against mine every few steps.

"So what's your game?" He asks after a few silent seconds.

I laugh as I purposefully bump against him. "What kind of girl do you think I am?"

He grins knowingly as he bumps me back. "One with an end game."

I clutch my chest dramatically, hoping to disguise the shock across my face with faux hurt instead. "You wound me, sir."

He laughs along with me, but I can see the seriousness in his eyes.

"Honestly?" I finally ask, slipping my hands into the pockets of my peacoat. "I don't have an endgame with you. You're kind of just..."

"An afterthought?" He finishes for me.

I stop; my feet coming together as I turn to stare at him. "What would make you say that?"

He stops and turns to stare at me as well, his hands crossing over his chest. "You haven't texted me all week."

I roll my eyes dramatically as I purse my lips. "I'm pretty sure communication works both ways. And considering you were the one that said he was gonna text me, I don't understand why you're putting that on me."

"Kaiydeen, this isn't the 1900s. You don't seem like the type of girl who just sits around and waits for what she wants to come to her. You could have texted me at any moment, like you did today, but you didn't."

My right hand comes out of my pocket to drift between us, looking like it's going to stroke gently along his chest, but instead I reach up to tug on a stray curl of my puff. 

"Maybe I just wanted to see how bad you wanted it." I smile arrogantly as I start walking again, my eyes sweeping for Ellie and Addie but they are nowhere in sight.

He chuckles as he catches up once again. "Well, I can always show you tonight."

I quirk an eyebrow as I walk silently, losing interest at the idea of going that far with him.

"That came off wrong, didn't it?" One of his hands scratches his scalp before dragging through his hair. I don't respond, simply smiling as I spot the Dunkin Donuts with Ellie and Addie inside.

"I just meant, we should get to know each other better. Maybe over dinner."

He spots the shudder that runs through my body and immediately backtracks. "Or not dinner. That's definitely too formal. How about a movie? They have to have theaters here! Or a walk around the neighborhood?"

I don't respond to any of his suggestions, simply continuing my polite smirk.

"Sending letters through the mail? C'mon girl, throw me a bone here!"

I look at him intensely, trying to see if I'm the only one that has an endgame here. "How about you chose whatever you want, and just text me when I need to get ready?"

Before he can respond Addie runs over to us with a donut in hand, giggling endlessly as she drags Ellie behind her.

"Look Charlie! Ellie bought me a sprinkled donut!" She takes a big bite out of it and is subsequently covered with crumbs.

Charlie smiles down at the girl, but the mischief in his eyes is directed at me. "It's time to go back home now Addie. I have some things I need to plan out."

I fight back a devious smile to match as Ellie peers at me curiously. Addie's bottom lip pokes out in a pout as she complains half-heartedly, but she grabs Charlie's hand and allows him to lead her away with nothing but a mumbled goodbye.

Ellie stands quietly beside me, munching on a bear claw. She hands me a cinnamon roll and I graciously accept it. "So you texted him?"

I watch him walk away, disappearing into the crowd. "Yup."

Ellie spins around cockily, her hair swatting my face as she walks in the opposite direction. "This is so easy it's almost boring."

A/N Well, here's the new chapters! Do you guys like where this is heading? Who is your favorite so far: Jeremiah or Charlie? Are you excited to see what happens between the Kaiydeen the men in her life?

Y'all will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what happens next, UNLESS my new book The Cliche Gone Wrong gets up to 50 reads or up to 10 votes! You can also read my other book that's posted, No Mercy, and leave 5 likes on that, which will also earn you a new chapter! Otherwise, you'll just have to wait a little bit longer to see what happens to Kaiydeen.

Much Love,

Naomi