The Long Weekend

"Hey Charlie." She glanced in the direction of a lanky redhead. His beard was full and bright, his whole face shining under a fiery ginger aura.

"Hey Paul," Charlie replied. She was genuinely happy to see him. Paul was extremely chill. He also happened to be Mimi's boyfriend. They were so adorable; the petite loudmouth redhead with her 6'2 boyfriend whose hair was equally as red. Most people referred to them as the Super-Gingers whenever they were together.

The other two people at the table were Mimi's roommate and her boyfriend. Charlie didn't care for them. Agnes (or Jessica, if you went by birth certificates) was completely unbearable, from the granny clothes and fake glasses she wore, to the way she constantly seemed to preach at people rather than talk like a normal human being. Her boyfriend (Charlie couldn't bother to remember his name) was just as dull.

Charlie had never seen met the rest of them and since they didn't bother to introduce themselves o or even acknowledge her existence she decided to ignore them right back. The only reason Charlie tolerated them was because Mimi and Paul were really cool.

She took a generous swig of her beer. It was going to be a really long night. She wasn't planning on getting drunk, but given her situation that plan was out the window. When the server came round Charlie ordered two more beers and a shot of Jameson. Might as well go all the way with it, she thought.

Two hours later she was nice and toasty. The alcohol loosened her up considerably; she later learned that the two unknown girls that hadn't bothered to introduce themselves were a couple, Brock and Lydia.

They were still a little unfriendly, but managed to keep their cunt-like behavior to a minimum. The guy, she discovered, was called Linus. He wasn't too bad, a little cute in that scruffy "I play in a shoegaze band" kind of way.

The alcohol gave her that extra boost to flirt with him. They chatted easily while shooting pool. Charlie wasn't big on billiards but it gave her something to do besides sit at the table and listen to extremely mundane talk about subterranean mixtape releases.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. 'Subterranean'? Really? Why couldn't they just say 'underground' like the rest of the world?

As she leaned over the table to take her shot, she felt Linus' hand graze her ass. Charlie whipped around, one dark eyebrow raised in surprise. "Really?" was all she said.

Linus grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. You can't just point that piece of beauty in my direction and not expect me to touch."

Charlie rolled her eyes. She was drunk, but not THAT drunk. "Sorry, playa. If that's what you're looking for, you can just keep it moving. It's not that kind of night."

He cast her an extreme puppy dog look. "Aww, but you're so pretty. The only reason I showed up tonight was because Mimi said her hot friend

Charlie was going to be there. You really think I wanted to hang out with Agnes' boring ass?"

Charlie had to laugh; Linus was bold as shit, but luckily he was also kind of cute too. He was about her height with sandy hair and dark chocolate eyes. "Fair enough. You're lucky you're cute, otherwise I'd have to tell you about yourself."

"Oh yeah? Cute enough to take home?"

"You're not that cute." His eagerness was kind of a turnoff. "Speaking of home, I need to be leaving." She placed her pool cue on the rack and felt his hand on her shoulder.

"What's the rush? I can always give you a ride."

Somehow she got the feeling he wasn't just talking about a car ride.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I'm a little tipsy and I've got to get some sleep if I'm going to be functional for work tomorrow. It was nice meeting you." Charlie eased gently out of his grip and headed back to the table, where Mimi was engaged in a heated debate with Lydia.

"Hey homie, I'm gonna jet" Charlie said. She ignored Lydia's eye-roll at her usage of 'homie'.

Stuck-up bitch, she thought.

"What? You're leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm wiped out. Plus, I was gonna head into work and see if I could pick up a shift tomorrow now that I'm not going on vacation. I need some energy to deal with all that bullshit."

Mimi nodded. "I hear you. Plus I can definitely see you getting rough with Linus in the near future, and not in the way he wants."

"Oh my god, what is with him? He's like one step away from humping my leg."

They chuckled. "Yeah he's really into you" Mimi said. "When he found out you were newly single he almost had a heart attack."

"Yeah well he needs to put the cuckoo back in the clock."

"Don't worry boo. I'll keep him in check. Are you sure you don't want a ride home?"

Charlie shook her head. "No, no I'll be fine. I have my pepper spray and all that good stuff. "

"Okay, well text me or Paul when you get home."

"Will do." She kissed Mimi on the cheek and ruffled Paul's hair. "I'll see you guys later."

The walk home was short and uneventful. Charlie knew she should have probably accepted the ride back to her house.

A young woman walking the streets at this hour was a dangerous notion. But she would have taken an unknown assailant over Linus any day. He was cute, but his "harmless" flirting and awkward advances were just too much for her tonight.

Although truthfully, had she been any more intoxicated she would have taken him up on his offer. Her breakup with Brent made her realize how much she missed sex. Scratch that: she missed GOOD SEX. Brent was fine, but he was boring as hell in the bedroom.

Looking back, she realized it was easier to put up with his lack of putting it down instead of speaking up. He was incredibly safe, preferring missionary over anything else. The phrase "going down" would make him run for cover but his prudish ass was more than willing to partake when she pleased him orally.

Just another reason she was so thankful to be rid of him and his boring dick.

Charlie shrugged off thoughts of Brent as she turned into the driveway of her house. There was a huge dark pickup truck parked on the street in front of the house, looking quite foreboding in the darkness of the late evening. With a shudder, she hurried up the porch steps, eager to be safely inside.

The house was dark and quiet as she unlocked the door. Stepping inside, she quickly locked and bolted the front door and sent a message to Mimi and Paul. The interior was just as dark, save for a small lamp in the living room that she and Katia always left on when they left.

Slipping out of her flats, Charlie padded down the hallway and turned left into the laundry room. She peeled off her clothes and stuffed them into the giant hamper. Opening the dryer, she took out a gray v-neck sleep shirt and put it on.

She climbed the steps two at a time, her exhaustion getting the best of her. She was ready for bed. Charlie pushed open her bedroom door and stepped inside. It was pitch dark, but she knew her way around. She tripped over something that felt like a boot. Funny, I don't remember leaving my boots out, she thought.

Ignoring that niggling feeling she walked over to her bed and was about to slip inside when she noticed that there was someone already in there.

What. The. Hell?

Charlie crept closer to her bed. Whoever it was, they were big. Taking a step back, Charlie blindly reached for some kind of weapon. Her hands finally found a plastic baseball bat. She shrugged. Well that would have to do. Raising her arms high, she brought the bat down hard on the human lump in her bed.

"Ow!" the voice growled. "What the fuck?"

"The fuck is right! You picked the wrong house to rob, jackass." She continued to pepper the body with licks from the bat. The person scrambled to their feet, and from the illumination of the moon within the room Charlie could tell that her earlier assumption was right.

He (she could tell from the voice that it was a male) was one huge motherfucker. A small shiver of fear crept down her spine as the person inched closer. She would not go out like a bitch. She might be attacked and raped but his ass would be hurting too.

The guy tried to dodge her blows, but she followed him, only hitting harder. When he finally reached for the bat, Charlie yelped and tossed it at him, making a dash for the hallway.

There was a much heavier bat downstairs by the front door. Let's see how her attacker could withstand Katia's Louisville Slugger. As she was leaving, she tripped over those damn boots and her shoulder hit the light switch, blinding them both.

The man cursed in a different language before shielding his eyes.

"Hey!" The guy called. "Will you just calm the fuck down?" A giant hand reached out and gripped her shoulder, stilling her escape.

It was then Charlie noticed a tinge to his voice. Was that a Russian accent? Her stomach dropped as she turned to face him, his grip loosening. Whoa, she thought. He was BIG. Charlie, in all her 5'11 glory felt like a damn dwarf when looking at him.

He was easily about 6'6, with broad shoulders and thick arms. He was bare-chested, clad only in a pair of loose blue pajama bottoms. "Oh my god.

Are you Katia's brother?"

He grunted. "Yes," he rumbled. "I am Gavril."

Charlie's sigh of relief was quickly replaced with irritation. "Why the hell are you in my room?"

"I am sorry, it is a simple mistake. This used to be my room when I lived here. I had no idea it was yours now."

Her look was incredulous. "No idea? Didn't you see all the girly shit in the room before you invaded my space?"

Gavril shrugged his massive shoulders. "Like you I did not turn on the light. I really am sorry."

Charlie conceded. The guy looked genuinely remorseful. "I'm sorry too, for hitting you. You just scared the shit outta me. I'm a little tipsy and coming home to find a giant in my bed really wasn't how I saw my night ending."

He nodded sharply. "I understand." His gaze traveled to her attire.

Charlie felt a little self-conscious; she was practically naked in front of a stranger. The sleep shirt barely skimmed the tops of her thighs and was a little form-fitting. She knew her curves, more specifically her nipples were on display thanks to the cool air in her room.

Gavril cleared his throat. "I really am sorry. I guess I'll head over to the guest room." Charlie stepped aside so he could pass. "I'll, uh, see you tomorrow I suppose."

She nodded. "Yeah. Goodnight."

He stepped out into the hallway before suddenly turning. "Figured you might want this back," he said, handing her the bright orange plastic bat.

"Oh, uh, thanks" she said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "Sorry again."

"No problem. Goodnight." He turned and left, heading for the guest room down the hall.

Charlie sighed. This shit was too ridiculous, especially for three in the morning. As she climbed into bed, the faint, unfamiliar scent of male cologne surrounded her. Great; now her sheets smelled like him. It wasn't too bad, because he smelled nice. It was just a sharp reminder of what she was missing.

Her last thought as she drifted off to sleep..."Damn, he was actually kind of cute."

********

Gavril awoke the next morning feeling like an absolute heel. The bedroom debacle last night was entirely his fault. The nearly five hour drive put a strain on him. He wasn't used to long-distance roadtrips in the car, especially alone. When he arrived at his sister's house he quickly shed his clothing and headed straight for his old room. It was a simple mistake.

He knew his sister's roommate would still be there; Katia mentioned something about her vacation plans falling through. He didn't think their first encounter would be so violent. He grinned, thinking about how comical she looked, her dark hair fanning wildly about her face as she tried to dodge him.

He rose from the bed, padding down the hall to the bathroom. After she'd fallen asleep last night, he snuck back in and grabbed his bags from her room. He made sure not to disturb her, lest she start swinging that wretched bat again. As he brushed his teeth, he thought about the ridiculous events of the prior evening.

She caught him off guard and if he hadn't been so exhausted he probably would have put up a fight after the first couple of blows. He realized she was most likely intoxicated and startled. He knew with his size, he was an imposing figure.

He saw the shock on her face when she finally saw him in the light. And there was also a spark of something else; lust, perhaps? He wasn't sure.

She was pretty liquored up and that adrenaline rush heightened all her senses.

He had to admit, she was kind of sexy; that tiny sleep shirt did nothing but enhanced her curves. Gavril was impressed; he liked them tall and curvy. All that womanly goodness in a hazelnut-colored package...he couldn't help but be intrigued.

Gavril groaned; this was not the purpose of his visit. He was supposed to be here for sports, not girls. Eastbrooke's annual "Terrific Tigers" ceremony was Saturday. As a recipient of the award during his tenure as a Tiger, Gavril was encouraged to attend the ceremony and pass the baton, so to speak.

The award was given to a senior male and female athlete every year that showed exemplary heart and spirit in their particular sport. Gavril won the award for his amazing senior year on the Tigers hockey team.

With his cool head and grim determination, Gavril led the Eastbrook Tigers to a national championship, a feat which hadn't been repeated since he graduated.

He rolled his eyes. He wasn't looking forward to the banquet. He hated large crowds, and he hated kiss-asses even more. Those were reasons enough to never go to another Terrific Tigers ceremony ever. That part of his life was over and he had no intention to relive his "glory days". College was just an annoying necessity to get where he really wanted to be.

So he would endure a night of schmoozing and glad-handing if that meant he would establish some connections to further his career. But he put thoughts about the ceremony on hold, at least for the moment. He had a few days to relax.

First things first, he planned to make breakfast.

It was going to be a peace offering for his sister's roommate. Katia never mentioned she was so good-looking.

********

"Bacon...bacon...I smell bacon..." Charlie mumbled sleepily. With a loud yawn, she opened her eyes.

The smell of food was absolutely tantalizing, especially since she couldn't even remember the last time she ate. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled loudly. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand next to her bed. It was nearly 11:30.

She hated sleeping in so late, especially on a weekday.

Her mind flashed back to the night before and she winced. She beat the crap out of her best friend's brother. With a plastic bat. There were no words to describe the situation. The thought of facing him again proved to be a bit unnerving.

What was she going to say? How would he react? Charlie scoffed; worrying was so not her style. She sat up and swung her feet onto the floor, into her bright green slippers. She was going to be brave, She was going to be fearless, she was going...to put on pants before going downstairs.

Charlie slid into a pair of black shorts before shuffling out of her room. After making a quick pit stop in the hallway bathroom to brush her teeth, she headed down to the kitchen. The smell of the bacon was absolutely tantalizing. Charlie was a sucker for bacon and all its crispy deliciousness. Gavril scored some major brownie points.

"Hey," she husked as she entered the kitchen.

Gavril was at the stove, his hands moving quickly, shifting the contents in a frying pan.

He was still wearing his pajama bottoms and his torso was now covered by a black tank top. He was still huge, his bulky build making the kitchen seem small.

"Dobroe utro," he rumbled. "I trust you slept well?"

She shivered slightly at his accent. Living with Katia for so long had its benefits. She was able to pick up a few Russian phrases. "Good morning to you as well," she said, returning his greeting. "I slept like a rock. You?"

Gavril shrugged. "Not too bad. It's weird being back in this house."

"You don't visit Katia." It was more of a statement than a question, but he shook his head nonetheless.

"I try to see her on family holidays. My schedule does not permit me a lot of free time."

"Oh." They were quiet as an awkward silence settled into the room. Charlie sat on one of the high-backed stools in front of the island as Gavril turned his focus back to the stove. The silence grew as she studied his profile.

He wasn't classically handsome, but he was by no means a slouch in the looks department. His hair was dark, a deep brown almost-black color that reminded Charlie of Katia's pretty curls. His wavy hair was close-cropped on the sides, with rebellious tufts sticking every which way on top, resembling some sort of haphazard Mohawk. He sported a serious amount of scruff, but instead of looking haggard and patchy it added to his overall rugged appeal.

As if he could feel her studying him, he shifted his gaze to her. His eyes were a gorgeously soft hazel color. Charlie was intrigued; Katia never mentioned that her brother was so damn...handsome.

She'd met Mr. Denisov and Katia's younger brother Kirill but they all had similar features—dark hair and green eyes. Gavril's eyes were noticeably different. They weren't as bright green, but they had a vibrant and arresting quality.

Charlie saw his lips moving and finally blinked out of her stupor. "I'm sorry, what?"

His lips set in a line. "I asked if you wanted some breakfast. I made it as a peace offering."

"Oh. Sure" she said, feeling a little sheepish.

"Thanks."

He nodded. "No problem." Gavril began opening cabinets, getting down plates and cups and taking out silverware from the drawer.

"Well you certainly know your way around," Charlie observed.

He chuckled softly. "Of course. I did live here. I doubt it's changed much."

She felt like slapping herself. "Oh. Right. Listen, about last night...I was intoxicated and a little wound up. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Bez problem (no problem), Charlie" Gavril said as he set a plate in front of her. "I was the asshole for not paying attention."

Charlie eyed the plate in front of her with unabashed lust. Thick strips of maple bacon, fresh cut strawberries, and giant buttermilk pancakes. In short, food porn heaven. "Wow" she remarked.

Gavril grinned as he set his plate beside hers. He poured them both some orange juice before plopping down onto the stool next to hers. "Eat, and then we'll talk."

She didn't need to be told twice. "I apologize in advance. I'm gonna destroy this awesome breakfast. Don't be frightened; it's just me being a giant fatty."

He laughed earnestly as she drizzled syrup over her pancakes before taking a huge bite. His laughter died down once he heard the noise in her throat. It was a moan of pure pleasure that made him curious. He'd never seen someone respond so boldly to food. She was an interesting one, his little sister's best friend.

Charlie slowed down, taking into account that she was acting like a starving refugee in front of a stranger. An attractive stranger to boot, she thought. "I am so sorry you had to witness that."

Gavril laughed as he crunched into a piece of bacon. "Don't be. I like a girl with a healthy appetite. I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Charlie. Katia talks about you all the time."

"Yeah? Well don't believe any of it" he replied between gulps of orange juice. She decided she liked his accent. It was a little more pronounced than Katia's. The way he infused his Americanized accent with Russian phrases was quite charming too.