one night?

chapter 13

"I'm ready, tell me off for being late," Charles said, looking to the wall with the demeanor of a sad puppy.

"I don't have to; you know it was incredibly rude. You knew how important this was for me, but it's okay. You had other priorities or activities, and I can't control that. If you wish to be transparent about what you were seriously doing, that's on you, not on me," I said without a stutter. He wasn't going to guilt-trip me, and honestly, I didn't want to fight tonight. I wanted to end on a good note.

"I'm so sorry; I promise to be punctual next time," he replied simply.

"It's okay."

"You know I didn't want to disappoint you," he said, pulling me close and giving me a small kiss.

"I know."

"But now, why didn't you tell me about the death threat?" he said, holding me close. My face shifted quickly.

"Honestly, I forgot. It was a simple DM; it didn't cross my mind."

"Okay, okay," he nodded. I could assume he didn't want to fight either. "Let's not forget things like this, okay? And if you hear more about that, please, please tell me. Because it's not a simple DM."

"Of course," I said, giving him a sincere smile.

"Now may the lovely lady please drive us to her castle?" Charles said with a quick reverence towards my car.

"Dummy." We got into the car. "At what time do we leave tomorrow?"

"I think around ten. If we wake up at seven in the morning, we will be fine," he said as I started my car.

"Perfect, that leaves us plenty of time to get ready," I said nervously driving my car. "I'm nervous; you're like the Formula One driver, and I'm driving you around."

"Chérie, it's going to be fine," Charles put his hand on my thigh, and it made me shiver. "I am, in fact, an excellent passenger."

"Oh, are you now?" I teased him and relaxed my shoulders. He doesn't care.

"Yes, I am," he laughed, and I felt relieved. "And besides, you're a good driver so far."

"So far," I repeated, and he nodded. "Did you like my friends?"

"I loved them. I know Sofia didn't like me much, but they were great. They are really protective of you, in different ways."

"They are, and it's something I need. Especially after what I've been through."

"I'm glad they have your back."

"Yeah, and I'm glad you liked them," I said.

After a few minutes, we arrived at my place, and we were ready to throw ourselves onto the bed and fall asleep immediately. As we cuddled, I couldn't help but think that everything was starting to look good. That the PR relationship might work and that it wouldn't be such a chore. I couldn't help but hope that Charles and I could grow together, and that maybe he was the guy for me.

The next day, we were already getting ready for the flight to Monaco. We packed the most essential clothes, and I had made sure that everything was in order. I was feeling so much more confident and excited. As we flew over the ocean, I couldn't stop thinking about how this whole situation had turned out. Charles and I were not just in a PR relationship, but actually having something more. He had become someone I felt connected to, and that scared me.

Once we landed in Nice, we got into a cab and went straight to his apartment in Monaco. His apartment was a mixture of himself and his lifestyle. The hallway that led to the living room had an elegant white piano, a huge painting near the dining table, and the couch I knew I would love from the start. Next to the living room was the sleek kitchen with a white marble countertop, surrounded by white cabinets alongside a wine fridge. His apartment had three bedrooms; I left my things in the guest room as Charles indicated. He left to get today's ingredients for lunch, and I was left alone in the apartment.