“Actually, I didn’t study it for as long as you seem to think.” Charlee was only grateful that he didn’t know her well enough or he would see right through her.
She was feeling a little perturbed about how the mixture of playfulness and intensity in his eyes practically burned a hole through her now. He’d made it categorically clear earlier that he had no interest in her, so she crossed her arms in front of her. Embarrassing her was obviously the goal here. “Haven’t you ever studied other player’s games? Maybe you’re not aware, but it’s pretty much a requirement at this level—”
“As opposed to my level?” He snapped back. The playfulness in his eyes was gone, the intensity now prevailing.
“That’s not what I—”
“Let me tell you something, Charlee.” She didn’t think it was possible, but he moved even closer, forcing her to uncross her arms or feel his body heat against them. “I may be a casual player for the most part, but I am familiar with classical chess study.” His eyes were darker now than they’d been that entire time.
“I didn’t say you weren’t. It’s just that . . .” She stopped when he very noticeably moved his eyes down from hers and stopped at her lips then he licked his own again, slowly.
He moved in so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her own mouth. Feeling his mouth so close to hers she could almost taste it, was so intoxicating she froze in place, staring at his lips. He got so close her heart nearly gave out on her, because there was no doubt what he was about to do next. God! Even knowing with every fiber of her being that she shouldn’t, that this could only end in heartache if she went there with him, she knew she wouldn’t stop him. She wanted him to—so bad. Then he stopped suddenly and smirked. “Don’t worry about it. I know exactly what you meant.”
With that, he pulled back and walked away, leaving her standing there, feeling flushed, breathless and completely mortified. She watched as he joined the others standing around watching the game between Bruno and Dempsey. He glanced back at her where she still stood frozen in place, trying desperately to compose herself, but he didn’t smile anymore. He didn’t even give her that stupid smug smirk she expected that said he knew just how willing and eager she was to have his lips on hers.
The tears stung her eyes now that she realized exactly what he’d done and why. She managed to finally move. Grabbing her bag and light jacket from where she’d been sitting, she glanced at the board on the table where Hector’s king still stood in checkmate. With the tears beginning to blur her vision, she rushed past Walter toward the door. “Where you going?” he asked.
She didn’t bother responding but couldn’t fight the urge to glance in Hector’s direction one last time. He was still staring at her but not hard like he had earlier. It was an almost remorseful stare, sort of how she’d felt when she realized how personally he’d taken her setting him up.
Walking even faster now because she felt like a complete idiot, Charlee hurried to the door. He may’ve walked right into her plan, but her victory had been short-lived. He’d managed to do to her in a matter of seconds what had taken her hours and hours—days of studying his game. And as far as she was concerned, he’d won hands down. Because while he probably thought her a pretentious bitch now, she’d never felt so captivated with anyone in her life.
***
“All I’m saying is if you’re this upset about it,” Drew paused, tilting her head and pouted at Charlee, “and clearly you are, there has to be more to this.”
Charlee shook her head, blowing her nose then dabbing the corner of her eyes with another tissue.
“Charlotte?”
Charlee glanced at her friend. She knew Drew only called her that when she was being very serious, even though right now all it made her think of was how it felt to hear Hector call her that.
She glanced down, staring at her hands knowing exactly what Drew was thinking. “No, Drew, it’s not about that. It’s been over a year and I’m over it. Besides that was totally different. I really don’t think Hector is like that.”
“I don’t either,” Drew said softly. “Most people aren’t, sweetie, but I get the feeling you don’t truly believe that yet.” Drew reached out and squeezed Charlee’s hand softly. “What Hector did was probably just out of pride. You got one up on him, and he reacted, but I’m telling you, Charlee, I have a sixth sense about these things. There’s something more going on here not just on your side but his as well. I haven’t seen you this upset about anything since . . .”
Glad that Drew didn’t go on, Charlee took a deep breath. Admittedly, it had been the first thing that had come to mind yesterday when Hector left her standing there to drown in her own humiliation. But Drew was right. This was different. Charlee had brought this on herself. He just reacted. She shook her head. It wasn’t about that at all. “I just hate that the one place where I feel most comfortable being,” she squeezed her best friend’s hand, “except here with you, of course, has now been contaminated by this guy. I could never walk in there again without feeling uneasy. Even today, I was certain, because of his fight tonight, he wouldn’t be there, and I still skipped out on the lab just in case.”
The compassionate expression on Drew’s face was suddenly replaced with a mischievous smirk. “About that fight.”
“No.” Charlee sat up. “Absolutely not. He didn’t say it, but after what happened yesterday, I’m sure the invitation has been revoked. He hates me now.”
“Charlee, you said you were certain he was going to kiss you.”
“But he didn’t. He just meant to humiliate me, which he certainly succeeded in doing.”
Drew sat up too, taking in another spoonful of the quart of ice cream they were sharing then waved the spoon at Charlee. “No, no, no, Charlee Brennan. Not so fast. You said he flirted with you even before any of this happened.”
“He flirts with everyone!” Charlee countered quickly. “And he asked about you, remember?” She took the quart of ice cream from Drew and sunk her own spoon in. “He lumped me in with Walter.”
Gawd, could this be anymore mortifying? But she blamed herself. To even think for a minute that he would actually want to kiss her, especially after what she’d done to him. The worst part about this whole thing was that he now knew that, just like all the other girls he’d ever encountered, she too wasn’t immune to his charm as she so snootily thought she was. Okay, maybe she didn’t think so before, but after seeing him with those girls Saturday night, she certainly thought she could be. And boy did he prove her wrong. Now every time she’d see him she’d know what he’d be thinking.
“Hear me out, okay?” Drew said as Charlee licked another spoonful of ice cream clean. She was well aware that, even if she didn’t want to hear Drew out, there was nothing she could do or say to stop her friend from saying what was on her mind anyway. So her shoulders slumped and she waited grudgingly. “You said you caught him looking at you more than a few times even before you began to play him, right?” Charlee nodded. “And knowing you, just like the night of the tournament, you made absolutely sure you showed no interest in him whatsoever. Which, by the way, good girl. After what we saw Saturday night, you don’t want him thinking you’re like those girls.”
“That’s just the thing,” Charlee said, letting her head fall back against the headboard of Drew’s bed. “Now, he knows I am!”
“No, he doesn’t,” Drew insisted. “It didn’t actually happen, and who’s to say you would have done it.”
“He—”
“No!” Drew was even firmer this time. “Okay, so you went a little goo-goo eyed on him and froze. You were nervous. A guy like him has got to know a girl like you is not used to that.”
“A girl like me?” Charlee sat up straight again. She knew exactly what Drew meant, but she felt the need to at the very least protest. “What does that mean?”
Drew rolled her eyes then scooted over closer to Charlee and leaned her head on her shoulder. “You know what I mean, Charlee. You’re shy and quiet but very sweet. I think anybody can see that about you from a mile away. You’re nothing like those stupid girls on Saturday, and there is no way he would think you are. He knew you’d freeze up. But he doesn’t know for sure that you wouldn’t have snapped out of it and pushed him away if he actually did kiss you. Heck, you don’t even know.”
Oh, Charlee knew all right. As mortified as she’d been, she’d gotten back to her bed last night, and even as she cried, she kept imagining what it would’ve been like. How amazing it would’ve been to feel those sexy lips on hers. She’d been thankful that Drew had been on a date yesterday and gotten home late enough that Charlee could feign the sleep of death. Charlee had been in no mood to talk about it last night. She wasn’t this morning either, but when she got home early after skipping out on her chess lab today, Drew knew something was up immediately. It didn’t take much before Charlee was in tears again and Drew came to the rescue with tissue, two spoons, and a quart of chocolate chip mint—her favorite.
Charlee shrugged, feeling too drained to argue.
“I have a theory,” Drew continued. “Now even though you don’t believe it, I’m telling you, believe in my sixth sense, Charlee. He acted very strange Saturday night. He couldn’t keep his eyes off you, and you’re saying he was doing it again yesterday, right? How many times would you say you caught him staring?”
Charlee exhaled. “I don’t know,” she said, dumping her spoon into the container of ice cream. She’d had enough.
“C’mon, Charlee, think. Roughly how many times?”
Charlee knew exactly how many times: four before he’d even come over to sit with them then at least four more times during her game with Walter. Not to mention the way he’d looked at her every time he spoke to her. It was why she’d begun to think maybe there was some interest, especially remembering what Drew had told her about the way she’d caught him staring at her on Saturday. But if Charlee—the most pessimistic person in the world—could let herself become hopeful over a few stares, she knew Drew the hopeless romantic with her unnerving sixth sense that always seemed to be spot on, would go nuts if she told her just how many times, in turn, giving Charlee false hope as well. Something she did not need.
She lifted a shoulder as indifferently as possible. “I don’t know three, four times maybe.”
Drew was on her feet at once. “I knew it!” She punched her fist into her hand, smiling. “We’re going to that fight tonight.”
Charlee’s mouth fell open just as her heart rate took off. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything. Before she could protest, Drew was already talking fast as she paced back and forth as she always did when she was trying to convince Charlee of something, just like she had back home when she convinced her to move out to California with her. This was not good.
“If for no other reason, we’ll do this so I can prove my point.” Drew lifted her palm up in the air when Charlee began to respond: another telltale sign that she wouldn’t be backing down. “This guy has a thing for you. Maybe it’s just an ego thing. Guys like him are not used to girls not showing any interest. Charlee, you go overboard doing just that when you’re nervous, and, obviously, Hector makes you very nervous.” She stopped and smiled. “Besides, this could be fun. Imagine all the other hot boxers we could meet tonight? Not to mention an exclusive party. What else are we gonna do tonight? Sit around drinking wine coolers and talk about the kind of guys we wish we could meet?” Drew danced in place now. “We can’t stay long anyway. We have Long Beach in the morning. We’ll just go for a little while.”
This was true. They both volunteered for the Special Olympics, and tomorrow morning there was a marathon in Long Beach. They had to be there bright and early to help set up. Charlee couldn’t come up with a good enough argument fast enough, and quite honestly it did sound more fun than staying home on a Friday night—again. But the thought of facing Hector so soon terrified her. She was hoping he’d cool off over the weekend. She did the only thing she could and gave Drew her best pleading look.
“Charlee, he’s fighting tonight, and Walter said he was part owner of the gym too. You really think he’s going to have time to hang out with anyone from the chess team?” Drew gave her that evil grin she wore so well. “No offendamundo, but he probably just invited you guys to be nice. I’m sure he won’t be spending too much time around any of you.” She reached out her hand to Charlee and tugged. “Let’s go. We got a party to get ready for.”
With a groan, Charlee stood to her feet. Why did she have to have such a persuasive best friend? If it weren’t for the sudden visual she was having of seeing Hector up close and shirtless in the ring like she’d seen in all the images she Googled-stalked of him, she’d certainly fight this tooth and nail. That and the curiosity of seeing exactly what the tattoo on his chest was about, won out. She could only pray now this, too, didn’t turn into a disaster like yesterday.