The right time

Chapter eight

    Charlotte sits quietly in the car next to James as he drives slowly through the streets, listening to music. She looks at the city lights through her windows. James smiles over at her, seeing how beautifully the light reflects on her skin. She sits back in her seat and looks at him with a sweet smile.
    "It's so good to see you again, Charlotte," he says. She smiles and inhales deeply.
    "I didn't come to your wedding because I couldn't stand seeing you marry someone else," she shrugs her shoulders. "I wouldn't have been able to handle seeing you... yeah."
    "I know," he replies, looking at the road ahead of him. "I was hoping to just see you once, but I knew if I had to marry her seeing the look in your eyes, I wouldn't have been able to do it."
    "Perhaps it's a good thing then that I didn't come," she says with a faint little smile. James pulls down beside the road, facing the fountain with a man on its horse in the middle of the fountain. Charlotte exhales loudly, looking down at her lap. "I want closure, James. But I don't know if I... I don't know if I'll ever stop..."
    "What?" He asks. She looks up and inhales deeply.
    "I don't know if I can ever stop loving you," she finally says and looks up again. "I don't know if I want to stop either."
    "I know this doesn't feel fair, Charlotte. Mom was never nice to you, and I allowed that. I was supposed to stand up for you from the beginning and protect you, but I didn't," he says and rests his head back against the seat staring at her. "I love you so much."
    Her eyes shoot at him. He reaches out her and touches her cheek.
    "If we could do it over again, I'll do it right. I promise," he says and sighs. "I might have something that belongs to you."
    He pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the hairclip he picked up. She gasps and sits up straight, taking it from him.
    "Smells like you," he chuckles. She giggles and gives the hair clip back to him.
    "Keep it," she says and nods her head slowly. "I know how important a smell can be. I still have one of your shirts at home that I've never washed, but I often sleep in. So remember me, James, the way I'll always remember you."
    He smiles and looks in front of him again. A bit hesitantly, Charlotte reaches out and places her hand on his thigh. He looks down at her hand and then over at her.
    "I can think of a million ways we can end tonight, but right now, I'm only looking for one," she whispers nervously. James takes her hand into her and brings it up to his lips, kissing it.
    "What do you have in mind?" He asks. She looks at the time around his arm and smiles.
    "We can drive around a bit more and talk. Then we can have a glass of wine and afterward... depending on how late it is, maybe we can get a hotel room and spend the night," she says and inhales deeply. Deep down, she knows it's a bad idea, but how can she stop herself if this is what she wants. She wants to be in his arms again and in his presence.
    "Spend the night?" He asks. She nods her head slowly and smiles like a little shy girl. "Okay. Whatever you want, princess."
    She bites her lip and nod her head, looking ahead of her as he let go of her hand to get them moving.
    Charlotte hugs herself where she's sitting on the roof at the hotel under tiny little lights and a million stars above them. James is sitting at the other side of the table, looking around them then at her. Her eyes move to meet his where they're gaze locked. She swallows on the spit in her mouth and inhales deeply. James smiles at her, just sharing this moment looking at her.
    "This is such a beautiful place," she finally interrupted the quiet between them and looked up at the lights. "Dining on a roof was the best idea anyone could've come up with."
    "Beautiful indeed," he agrees. Her eyes shoot at him like darts. "This place reminds me of Janet's third birthday party. Do you remember? We took the girls out, and later that night, when we got home, we slept together for the first time in a long time. The girls fell asleep, and we laid them down and made our way to our room as husband and wife."
    "James, I don't think a dying marriage should've been the excuse for a divorce," she adds and glares at him. "I would've preferred you cheated or something. Gosh, I wish you did, then I could've lied in bed tonight knowing I can go on."
"I could never cheat," he says and shakes his head slowly. "But it feels like I am cheating by being with Emma."
"Yet, tonight you are with me where you should've been with your wife," she nods her head slowly. "Who are you cheating on now?"
"I've been cheating on her this whole time, sweetheart," he says and gets up. He shows his hand to her and smiles. "Dance with me."
She hesitated for a moment before giving in to him. Gently, she placed her hand in his and got up from her seat. He walks her to the empty little space and pulls her closer to him. She rests her arm around his neck, and he has his other arm around her waist. He presses her against his body as tight as he can, resting his cheek against her forehead.
"You're finally in my arms," he whispers. Just feeling her hand in his and having her this close to him is enough for her.
"No more talking about Emma or the past tonight," she whispers. Her breath hitting against his neck. "Just us now, okay? Just us."
"Just us," he agrees. "We should've been married now."
"Ohhh," she chuckles and looks up at him with such faint eyes. "I'm afraid that's not how it works."
He chuckles and looks at her face. They stare at each other for a long while before he moves closer to her face. Since she doesn't pull away or anything, he lets his lips touch hers.
She opens her mouth under his deepening every kiss.