Tamed

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Saved

Charlotte

(Present Day)

Ollie is really freaking cute when he's injured. Probably a tad over dramatic, but I enjoy taking care of him. He's more vulnerable this way, more real. Honesty is hard to hide when your defenses are lowered, and I couldn't be more grateful.

This is time we need to be honest with each other. If we really are going to try and make this work, there can be no secrets between us. No one can hide from feelings they're too afraid to feel or make excuses for doing the wrong thing. Both of us need to know where the other's head is at.

I'm lying on my side with Ollie on his back beside me. We're not talking yet, I'm just lazily running my hand through his hair. He made a few comments about other parts of him he'd like me to stroke, but I ignored those. The last we need is a distraction.

He laughs and it stirs across the parts of me pressed up against him. He turns his head to me. "You must think we're crazy. I swear it isn't usually this dramatic."

"Oh, I think it is," I say with a small laugh. "Elliot told me all about last year and the shit you helped her orchestrate to keep her relationship with a Hunter a secret."

"I fucking had to," he cries, pulling his hand into his chest. "Hunter could have gotten locked up for messing around with his student. I couldn't let my boy go down."

I ask the obvious question. "Why didn't you just advise them to wait until she graduated?"

Oliver gives me a stern look. "Charlie, obviously I fucking tried that. There was no talking them out of it." He turns back to the ceiling with an dismissive sigh. "They were in fucking love."

"They still are."

His eyes cut back to me. "Yeah, they are—but they have shit to work on. Their age difference won't level out until she's through college."

I laugh. "Why?"

"Because girls don't mature until then."

This makes me laugh louder, pulling away from him to sit up straighter. "You're kidding me, right?" His face remains serious and I laugh a little darker. "And when do you douchebags mature? It sure as fuck isn't high school."

His eyes widen. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, it's okay," I say, interrupting him. I huff a breath. "I need to stop blaming you for how you acted when we were seventeen. It's not fair."

"No, you're right," he says quickly, taking my hand. He kisses my palm and then my wrist. "I don't know when it happens. I honestly think it's something we're forced to do." He takes a breath. "I think something really bad has to happen, like scare us into manning up and making smart choices."

I lower my eyes from his. "And you think that happened for you?"

He fingers touch beneath my chin, tipping my face back up. "The only thing in this world I'm fucking scared of is losing you. What does that tell you?"

My words get caught behind the lump in my throat so I nod. I'm about pull away when Ollie lowers his head down and presses his lips to mine. He kisses me slowly for a moment and then pulls back and whispers. "I love you." He kisses me once more. "I'm going to tell you every day for the rest of my life." His lips brush mine again. "I won't let a day go by where you don't feel loved." And again. "You will always know exactly how much you mean to me."