Good Enough to Share (Good Enough, Book 1 - Christmas) by Zara Stoneley Page A

exactly why Sophie meant so much to me. “Bottoms up to a
fun Christmas.” She was grinning like a naughty school girl. “Though how you
land my two favorite hunks and I get left with my sister and her brood I just
don’t know.”
    “I promise
there’ll be some leftovers for Boxing Day.” She’s probably laughing at me
because I’ve blushed, but it doesn’t matter. “I wish you were coming too,
Soph.”
    “So do I. Believe me, so do I. I do hope she remembers to actually
buy a turkey this year and doesn’t send me out on a rescue mission.” But it’s
not about the turkey is it? It’s about Dane and Charlie and exactly what we’re
going to be sharing this Christmas.
    ***
    “You’re back.”
Charlie grins a welcome from where he is slouched on the sofa and flicks the TV
off. “Any luck?” I grin back and some of the tension drifts away as if by
magic. I didn’t know whether it would be good between us or things would be
awkward after what he’d come back to this morning. But that was obviously just
me being silly, I knew Charlie better than that. And now it just felt good to
be home.
    “Crap.”
    “Oh, bummer.” I
could have sworn he looked almost pleased as he swung his legs off the cushion.
“Come and tell Uncle Charlie all about it.”
    “Only a highly
suspect uncle would look like you.” I didn’t often look at Charlie properly,
because he was a friend, and you just don’t study friends in the same way you
don’t really stop and look at your family. But I did look now, at all of him,
not just his bum like I had when he left the pub the other night. He was all
slim and sinew, sexy in a laid-back, relaxed and comfy way and exactly what I
needed after a confusing day.
    I sat down next to
him and he gave me the type of bear hug I needed, but he didn’t quite let go.
He left his long arm trailing around the back of me, his fingers just about
resting on my shoulder. And it brought a lump to my throat and a sudden need to
grab hold of him and not let go. So I bit on my bottom lip instead and stared
at the floor.
    He was barefooted,
and I don’t really like feet, the idea of sucking toes just puts me off, well
everything. But Charlie had long, even elegant toes. Laid-back, like the rest
of him and for one crazy moment I could imagine running my fingers down his
insole, running my tongue along the smooth skin until he groaned. I gritted my
teeth and made myself snap out of it. Hugging was bad, licking feet was a
hundred times worse.
    “Hey Mrs. Moody
cheer up.” His sweatpants were warm and unthreatening as I put a hand on his
knee and he leaned across me with an arm that was strong and capable, but so
unlike Dane’s obvious muscles, and tapped the very tip of my nose. He was lean
and almost delicate, nothing to spare, his warm chest against me so that I
could hear his heart thrumming in my ear. Yet he was so comfortable, familiar
and safe.
    “I’m fine.” I
don’t know why it had hit me like this now, Charlie’s had always been a stop
gap, but maybe it was just the time of year, or the fact I’d suddenly realized
how much I liked his company, or maybe it was Dane and Sophie and an evening
that had left me wanting so much more.
    “I’m not sure I
want you to go.” His breath was gentle against the top of my head, then he
rubbed his chin gently backwards and forwards, the soft movement stirring
something deep inside my stomach.
    “Really?”
    “I’d miss you.”
His long fingers brushed the side of my face lightly, his fingers tangling with
my hair and I held my breath. I didn’t know what to say, and I didn’t want to say
anything that would stop him talking. I just wanted him to carry on talking,
carry on holding me, carry on making me feel safe and wanted.
    “I’d miss you too,
Charlie.”
    “No.” He spiraled
the lock of my hair tighter around his finger until it tugged at my scalp, at
something a bit deeper inside. “I’d really miss you.” I pulled away then and
looked at