Beyond the Orange Moon (Mathews Family Book 2) by Adrienne Frances Page B

He pressed her against the door, needing several attempts to unlock it before he heard the click of sweet success.  
    “You’re the sexiest man I’ve ever seen,” she said against his mouth and ran her fingers through his hair.  
    He kicked the door closed behind them and had her up against the wall in one swift movement.  
    “I want you, Charlie,” she breathed.  
    His hands traveled up and squeezed onto the breasts he hadn’t been able to get out of his mind from the moment he met her. He felt her nipples harden through the thin material beneath his palms.  
    She let out a little gasp and thrust against him before throwing her head back. “Take me to my room, Charlie Bear,” she demanded with a drunken chuckle. “I want you inside me.”
    Charlie froze and a chill ran up his spine. He moved his mouth from her neck and stared into her eyes. “What did you just say?”
    Lucy smiled and put her hands on his face. “I. Want. You,” she repeated with a small laugh.  
    Charlie shook his head. “No … the Charlie Bear thing. Where did that come from?” He slowly released her until her feet were on the floor. “Why did you call me that?”
    Lucy shrugged and swayed. “You’re a big, muscular teddy bear. You’re gentle … and … I don’t know. It just fits, I guess. Why?”
    Charlie felt his face turn cold, washing over with white. What the hell was he doing, anyway? Adorable Lucy was wasted —wasted enough to regret this in the morning—and he was sober enough to care.  
    Lucy put her hands on his chest and looked at him with confusion. “Don’t stop, Charlie.”
    He lifted one of her hands and kissed her open palm. “I can’t do this, Lucy. You’re drunk and I’m not that guy.”
    “I’m not that drunk,” she said, her mouth gaping.  
    “Yes, you are,” he said, amused. That was a typical drunk statement if ever he had heard one.  
    “So, you’re just going to leave me like this?”  
    “Tomorrow, you’ll thank me.” Charlie stepped back and put his hands in his pockets, trapping them from reaching out to her. He shook his head and frowned. “You’re better than this, and so am I.”
    “Well, fuck you and good night, Charlie Mathews,” she slurred. She pushed past him and headed to what he assumed was her bedroom.  
    He winced at the sound of her slamming door and leaned against the wall. He raked his hand through his hair and shook his head with a frustrated growl. What the hell was he doing? He should’ve known that wouldn’t end well.  
    Wait … and how the hell did she know his last name?  
    He headed back to her room and opened the door. “Lucy? How did you—”  
    But she couldn’t answer. On the bed, she lay flat on her stomach, her back slowly moving up and down with each long breath she took. She was already out cold.
    He stood for a minute and took in the sight of her. He slowly bent down and slid off her shoes. He considered taking off her pants, too, but decided against it; he had already groped her enough for one evening.  
    He walked into the kitchen and, after opening every cupboard, he found a glass to fill with water. Next to a jar of pens, he noticed a bottle of aspirin and shook out two.  
    He walked back into her room and put the water and aspirin on her nightstand. After taking a few steps back toward the door, he stared at her for a few painful seconds. He wanted to crawl into that bed and tell her exactly why he couldn’t do all of the things he wanted to do to her. She wouldn’t understand in her state of mind, anyway.  
    He left with his thoughts still racing.  
    It was going to be a long, sleepless night after he took the freezing cold shower he needed.  

Chapter Six

    Lucy sat up and groaned at the throbbing in her head. “Ugh,” she cried out and flopped back down. She opened one eye and stared at the water and aspirin on her nightstand. “Thank God,” she said, and grabbed both with one hand. She didn’t know how they got