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But Charlie’s hand touched her arm gently and Violet looked up. Her lip wobbled, but Charlie met her gaze. He reached out, wiping away one of her tears. Violet couldn’t help it. She leaned into the touch like a moth to a flame.
Charlie’s other hand moved along her back, pulling her to him as if she weighed nothing.
He didn’t hold her like she was nothing, though. His arms enveloped her, and it was then Violet remembered how much bigger he was than her. She fit into him like a key into a lock, and the physical contact was enough to break her.
She hadn’t been hugged like this in a long time. So long that she felt like a failure for needing it, but so happy she wasn’t alone.
She cried harder than she had in years. It was an ugly, hard cry, but his arms never wavered. He didn’t push her away when the cries got worse. Instead, he held her tighter.
And as powerful as they were, the tears ended, and her emotions faded into a dull throb. She didn’t want to move, though. Charlie’s heat was intoxicating. Now that she had it, she didn’t want to let it go.
“Sorry,” she said, once her emotions had faded. “I … I needed that.”
Charlie smiled and rubbed her cheek once more, and she hugged him tightly. It felt like the night he had offered for her to move in with him, but so much more intimate. How had she done it all alone, without his support through everything? She couldn’t imagine going back to how things were.
“It’s okay to be upset.” His voice was strong and warm, reverberating through his chest and into her core.
Violet could have stayed there forever, but embarrassment was quickly winning over her need for physical contact. She had hugged him tightly for far longer than a friend should.
Slowly, and painfully, she let him go.
“Do you want a bath?” Charlie offered. “I can go get one started for you.”
Fuck. That sounded great.
Violet nodded, and Charlie helped her off the floor. She watched as he climbed the stairs and disappeared into the bathroom. Her whole body was cold now that he wasn’t wrapped around her.
When she heard the bathwater running, she climbed the stairs after him.
“Hey, Charlie?” She said, as she approached. She smiled softly at him. “Thank you.”
“Any time," he replied so earnestly she believed him.
Chapter Sixteen
Charlie
“This week’s sucked,” Violet said, flopping on the couch after she had gotten home from work. Charlie was sitting at the end of the couch, working on some coding. He put his hand on her leg placatingly.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not.” Violet pressed her hand to her eyes. “I keep meaning to text Liv and explain everything, but each day gets worse.”
“Liv knows you’re fine. Well, mostly.”
“I should call her tomorrow. It’s a weekend.”
“No, you should sleep in and take some time for yourself.”
Violet sighed. “I don’t know how to do that.”
“Hand me your phone.”
Violet looked him and raised an eyebrow.
“I’m turning your alarm off for one day. You need to rest, Violet.”
“She’s worried.”
