daddy issues → brad simpson | ✓

28 - with you

BRADLEY

"Come here," I say after we had both caught back up with reality. She sits up and I pull her close, pressing my lips for one last kiss, closing my eyes and relishing in the moment before moving away. "Lets get you cleaned up."

"I can clean myself up, it's fine."

"I know you can," I smile, pecking the tip of her nose which she scrunches. "I'll get you some underwear. And a new shirt."

She doesn't protest as she stands off of my bed and goes to the toilet. I move over to my drawers, pulling out a packet of new boxers that I'd bought. I take out a pair of Calvin Kleins and put the packet away before grabbing a long shirt from the drawer below.

I wait for her to flush the toilet and clean her hands and get myself into some clean boxers before opening the door and passing her the boxers.

"Thanks," she smiles as she slips them on. I pull the shirt over her head and put her arms through the wholes, her left then her right. She cooperates with my gentle movements before engulfing me in a tight hug.

"We should probably go to sleep," I sigh as we stand in the middle of my bathroom, hugging each other tightly. "Do you want something to eat first?"

She lifts her head from my chest and holds back a yawn as she speaks, "I think I'm gonna go to sleep."

"Okay," I nod, guiding her out of the en suite and into my room, my hand tugging gently on hers. She was clearly exhausted after the very eventful night but my mind was wide awake at the fact that I'd been so honest with her.

I was so uncertain how the conversation would go, where it would go. The voice in the back of my head was telling me to shut up before she rejected me but as soon as I started speaking to her, the words just kept tumbling out of my mouth and I couldn't stop them.

"I'm gonna change the sheets," I say and take off the quilt covers that she was once lying on top of and I replace it with another clean, white sheet, looking brand new. She crawls on top of the sheets and I can help but stare at her ass as my shirt rides up on her body.

She climbs under the sheets and sinks down, eyes closed and I smile softly to her, even though she can't see me. I turn on the lamp by my side of the bed and turn off the main light before joining her under the sheets. I switch off the lamp and turn towards her, and I notice her back facing me as one of her hands were between the mattress and pillow as she got comfortable in my bed.

My hand runs over the side of her body and I eventually let it hang over her hip, tugging her closer to me as I take in the smell of clean sheets and Charlotte in my arms.

"Goodnight, curls," she mumbles.

"Goodnight, pretty face."

♡

I turn over on my side, expecting to feel Charlotte there but she wasn't. The sheets were empty and I frown. Had she left already?

I glance to the clock on my bedside table and see that it's almost twelve in the afternoon. I throw on a shirt and some jogging bottoms quickly and make my way downstairs. Instantly, I was greeted by the smell of bacon and eggs and toast as I reach the bottom step and I was relieved to know Charlotte hadn't left.

I smile at her as she scrambled some eggs with one hand and moved the bacon around so that it wouldn't stick to the pan with the other. She hadn't notice me walk in yet so I take it my advantage and stand behind her, running my hands over her arms slowly and place my hands over hers, removing her left one from the wooden spoon scrambling the eggs and take it myself, doing it for her.

"Good morning," she breathes out as I place a kiss to the skin exposed on her neck. "I was gonna bring this up when you woke up but clearly you woke up earlier than I thought."

"It's the thought that counts," I place another kiss to her shoulder. "I think the eggs are done."

"Yeah, the bacon is, too," she agrees and I move away, taking the pan off the stove and carefully take it to the plates that had buttered toast sat on them. I separate the eggs equally on the plates before dumping the pots in the sink, waiting for Charlotte to do the same.

She slides me a plate and a knife and fork, moving to the kitchen island to sit down and I follow her.

"I'm gonna look for some new jobs today," she informs me as she cuts up a rash of bacon. "Tiara said I can stay with her until I find a job if I don't get a new one in time, or can't find a cheaper place."

I freeze at the mention of Tiara's name.

"Are you gonna tell her about us?" I ask cautiously and I look up to see her biting her lip, unsure.

"I don't know how," she admits. "I want to, but she could hate me and even though she's a pain in the ass, she's been my best friend for so long. I don't think I could lose her, especially over a guy. Does the make sense?"

"Yeah," I nod. "It makes sense. I don't have to tell the boys if you don't want to either. It can be a secret for now. But I don't think I can keep my hands to myself when I'm with you all of the time."

She smiles, "let me sort out my job and apartment and everything and then we'll talk about telling Tiara. But you can tell the boys, they seem trust-worthy, you know?"

"You should hang out with us one night," I suggest. "They come over on Friday's usually, just for some pizza and beer and films."

"That sounds like fun," she agrees, taking a bite of her bacon before scrunching up her nose and swallowing it. "Ugh, I forgot how much I hate bacon."

"You sound like James when he decided to try bacon even though he's vegetarian," I chuckle and she cracks a smile. "Do you want me to take you back to your apartment later then? Isn't that what boyfriends do for their girlfriends?"

Girlfriend. I liked the sound of that, it made my stomach feel all weird.

She smiles at me, "boyfriend, huh? We're really official."

"Damn right," I reply. "And it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I like it."

She shakes her head with a laugh and finishes her breakfast in silence. A comfortable silence. She ends up changing into some clean clothes—one of my white shirts and a pair of my Adidas joggers—while I put the dishes in the dishwasher.

Eventually we find ourselves stood outside my car that's parked in the car park at her apartment complex. Her arms are over my shoulders while my hands rested against her hips, her leaning back against my car.

"I'll be job hunting tomorrow as well," she hums against my lips. "So I won't see you until Monday. Try not to miss me too much."

"No promises," I grin down as I move away from her. "You should go now before I follow you up to the apartment and you get too distracted to look for jobs."

She lets out a small laugh, stepping away from me, "I'll see you on Monday."

"Miss you already," I place a final kiss to her lips quickly before she slowly turns around and goes up to her apartment.

For the first time in a while, I was really happy.

edited.