Coming Home

I smiled as Charlie picked up my hand. It was kind of weird to date someone who used to give me orders, but I also really enjoyed it. He was an amazing guy, the kind of guy I could actually see something more with.

"What are you thinking about, Reaper?" Charlie asked, poking my side.

I looked at him, getting lost in his deep blue eyes. I was a little pissed I had never noticed how hot Charlie was when we were in the same company. He was one attractive man. "I was thinking how I never really thought about you in a sexual way before..."

Charlie quirked an eyebrow at me. "And now?" There was a smile on his face.

"I just keep thinking how amazing you are." I smiled at him. It was so nice to date him, to be with a guy who knew what happened to me and was okay with it. "Plus, you are really good looking."

He laughed and pulled me to him. "Thank you, Rae. You are also really good looking. I'm glad we bumped into each other again." He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. It was nice to have such soft lips pressed against mine.

"Charlie, can I ask you a kind of weird question?" My head was still kind of in a daze from kissing him.

"Only if I get to ask one in return."

I drew in a deep breath. "Are you really okay with the whole missing leg thing?"

Charlie looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. I could tell he was trying to figure out what my question had to do with anything. He grabbed my chin so I couldn't look away from him. "Rae, listen to me. I have known you since you joined my crew years ago. From the moment you became a Force Recon expert, I knew there was something special about you.

"You became one of my best company members and one of my best friends. Watching my time get blown up nearly killed me. I saw you in the hospital when we got off tour. You were still pretty out of it. I've known for six years you didn't have a leg.

"In those six years, we didn't talk too much, but when we did, I just remembered my friend. Rae, I don't give a flying fuck if you are missing one leg or if you had both. I like you, Rae. And I'm hoping we are gonna move beyond dating." He blushed.

A smile fought its way onto my face. Charlie was an amazing man, and I just wanted to hear that it wasn't weird for him. I had been avoiding dating because of the whole one leg thing. "Thank you, Charlie. It's been on my mind for a bit."

Charlie kissed my forehead. "No questions are off limits, Reaper. Now, can I ask mine?"

I nodded, resting my head against his chest.

"It's okay if you don't want to answer this, but are you still married?"

My eyes widened. "I totally forgot you knew about that." A nervous laugh bubbled out of me. "No, I am not. He granted me a divorce pretty shortly after I got back to the States. I have been a single woman for nearing six years now."

Charlie smiled, his blue eyes sparkling. "Good. I want to date you, but I don't want to compete with a rockstar."

This time a real laugh made its way out of my mouth. "Charlie, he is no competition. We were too volatile to ever work." I kissed him on the lips. "That man is very far from my mind." As he had been for six years.

Notes

Dating world! What are we thinking? Sorry I was away for a little while, I got distracted with work bullshit.