Love Is Strange - Chapter Seven, Part Three
Title: Love Is Strange
Pairing: Ringo Starr/Charlie Tillman (OC)
Rating: G (But, subject to change)
Summary: Interracial. During The Beatles first trip to the States, Ringo Starr connects with Charlie Tillman, a member of the black girl group The Debutantes and friends of The Beatles. What happens when two people who appear to have nothing in common have more in common than they thought possible?
Notes: Takes place during the events of ‘Dearest’.
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Chapter Seven, Part Three - Alone Together
Ringo pulled out of their heated kiss. “Should we continue the rest of our -” His question was muffled by the press of Charlie’s mouth against his in another fiery kiss.
For several moments, the couple passionately kissed each other. Ringo enjoyed this exciting moment. He understood Charlie didn’t easily give herself and being desired by her aroused him. Ringo smiled against her full lips and finished his question. “Evening out?” He pulled back to stare in her dark brown eyes, Charlie’s pupils were large.
“What?” Charlie absentmindedly asked.
He chuckled and pressed his mouth against her ear. “Should we continue the rest of our evening out?” He tightened his arm around her waist.
She placed her hands onto his shoulders. “It’s getting late.” Charlie pointed out. He lowered his head and moved his lips onto the smooth and warm skin of her neck. She shakily exhaled. “It is late.”
He mumbled against her neck. “Is it? I hadn’t noticed.” Charlie tightened her grip on Ringo’s shoulders. He continued, “When I’m with you, girl I lose all track of time.” His voice was serious and low.
“That’s terribly cheesy.” She whispered and gently ran fingers through the back of his hair. He kissed her neck. “It’s not.”
“Alright you two. Break it up.” Their police escort for the evening gruffly spoke up and startled the amorous pair.
Ringo had forgotten that they weren’t alone. “We was just -”
“They want to close up.” He cut him off.
“Alright,” Ringo unwrapped his arm from around Charlie’s waist and helped the young woman into her coat. “Thank you. You’re a real gentlemen, aren’t you?” She flirtatiously stated.
Ringo chuckled. “Me mam will be all done up that you think her son is a gentleman.” He grabbed hold of her hand. They followed the officer to the front of the restaurant. Along the way, Ringo stopped to thank and compliment the owner and the staff. They stepped outside into the cold night and walked over to the waiting car. He opened the door for her. “Where to next?”
“I don’t know.” Charlie stood in front of the open door. “I do know that I don’t want to go back to Wanda’s.” She candidly replied.
He gently squeezed her hand. “We’ll go anywhere you want, Charlie. You’ve just got to tell me where it is you want to go.”
She slipped her hand out of his and climbed into the car. Ringo followed in after her and shut the door.
“Where to?” The driver asked.
She lowered her voice. “Back to your hotel.”
He smiled. “I can’t say no to you.”
(----)
“Would you like a drink?” Ringo offered, he stood behind Charlie with his arm wrapped around her waist.
“No,” She gently caressed his hand with the tips of her fingers. Charlie wanted to be clear headed, and remember everything about their evening together.
He pressed his mouth against her neck and whispered against the skin. “What is it you want?” The tone of his voice was unmistakably sexual to her. Charlie wanted him but she didn’t know how to say it without feeling powerless. Ringo continued, “I want you.” He tightened his arm around her waist and pulled Charlie closer to him. She could feel the press of his arousal against her backside. “I’ve wanted you since I first saw you.”
Charlie didn’t want to believe him, but she’d picked up on Ringo being a straightforward kind of guy. His honesty made her uncomfortable. “I think I will have that drink.” She pulled away from him. Now, Charlie wanted a few drinks to detach herself from the act of sex.
“You don’t believe me.” He grabbed hold of her arm and stopped her from walking away.
She pulled away and turned to face him. “What does it matter? You’re leaving in the morning for sunny Miami.” She pointed out.
“It matters to me because I like you.” He earnestly answered. “And, I think, maybe you like me too.”
She didn’t want to open up to him. Charlie recalled her conversation with John in January. She had suggested they keep in touch, and was blindsided when he told her that wasn’t a good idea because he was married. She’d felt foolish but more importantly hurt by his indifferent announcement. “John thought he felt the same way as well.”
“Can we talk about us? The rest doesn’t matter to me.”
“What you’re feeling, it’s not real.”
“You feel it too.”
She impulsively pressed her mouth against Ringo’s and grabbed hold of his face. They heatedly kissed. He mumbled against her lips. “Don’t you?”
Charlie ignored him and hiked up her skirt. She wrapped a leg around his waist and wantonly rubbed herself against him. Ringo grabbed her other lifted her up. She tightened her legs around him and pushed her tongue in his mouth. He walked them over to the sofa and clumsily dropped her onto it. Ringo propped himself up on his hands. “I don’t want you like this -”
She smirked. “I think you do.” She pressed her hand flat against the front of his slacks. He closed his eyes and moved against her hand. She went for his belt buckle. But, he grabbed hold of her hand and prevented her from undoing his belt. She was surprised and frustrated that he stopped her. Men always wanted to go further, regardless of what you wanted. Charlie wondered how she managed to find the one guy that could control himself.
He sat up and stood up from the sofa. “Not like this, love.” Ringo held out his hand and she grabbed hold of it and allowed herself to be pulled up. “We’ve got all evening together.” She assumed he was going to lead her to his bedroom but he guided her to the middle of the front room. “Dance with me.”
“But, there isn’t any music.” She pointed out.
“There is,” He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ringo pressed his lips against her ear and whispered. “There are many, many daft things that will keep me mad about you. May I go on and list a few?” His words sounded familiar to her, but she couldn’t quite place them. He sang into her ear. “The way you wear your dress. The way you sip your Coke. The memory of all that no, no they won't take that away from me.”
She remembered being a child, not even school age. Charlie could hear the sound of Billie Holiday’s voice coming from Ida’s record player in the front room. It was turned up loud but it sounded muffled from the back bedroom. “No.” She forcefully pushed Ringo away from her.
“I weren’t trying to upset you.”
“You didn’t.” She defensively replied. “I need to leave.”
“You haven’t got to run out. We haven’t go to do anything, Charlie. We could just -”
“Talk?” She laughed, and crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, you’re a nice guy, Ringo, but,” She paused, Charlie didn’t want to feed him some trite line. He’d been honest with her and she wanted to show him the respect and courtesy he’d showed her.
“You’re not interested?” His voice was flat and his face was expressionless. She couldn’t tell how he felt.
She hesitantly replied. “I am.”
“Me too. You can stay, and we could just talk if you want.”
Charlie didn’t want to talk. She felt that she’d already said enough. She reached out and grabbed hold of his hand. Charlie guided him out of the front room and walked to Ringo’s bedroom at the back of his suite. The door was slightly parted and she lightly pressed her palm onto it and pushed the door open. She stepped into the room and let go of his hand but he swiftly grabbed hers. He turned on on the light. She kept her back to him. “Turn off the light.”
“No.” He walked around her and over to the bed. Ringo pulled back the comforter and kicked off his shoes before he climbed into the bed. “Room for one more.” Charlie kicked off her heels and joined him bed. She waited for him to put the moves on her, but Ringo only pulled her to him. Neither one of them said a word and Charlie closed her eyes. The steady beating of Ringo’s heart had lulled her into a light sleep. “Come with me to Miami.”
“Okay.” She accepted his offer. Maybe, in her sleepy state Charlie wasn’t thinking properly or she just really wanted to be with him.
End of Chapter Seven, Part Three - Alone Together
Chapter Eight, Part One - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes