sweet escape [c.l.]

chapter four

Before

"Seat down, Mon Ange. I will be doing the cooking today," Charles pulled up a chair so Rory could sit in front of the island while he cooked.

"You cooking?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Chérie," he got closer to her and hugged her from behind, "I will be cooking for us today."

"And what's on the menu, chef?" Roy laid her head on his chest appreciating the way he was caressing from her cheek to her neck and back to her cheek again.

"Well, I can actually only cook pasta, so we are going to have some spaghetti carbonara." Charles admitted with a chuckle.

Rory laughed. "Sounds perfect," she reached up, pulling his head so she could kiss him.

Now

"Thank you for letting me use your shower." Rory came out of the bathroom running a towel through her hair as she entered the kitchen.

"It was the least I could do after I embushed you from your house." Charles remarked, a smile playing on his lips.

Rory laughed while sitting up on one of the stoles and stealing a piece of bread Charles had carefully laid out on a board, "What are you cooking?"

Charles blushed slightly, "Spaghetti carbonara." they made eye contact, both of them with a smile plastered on their faces.

Seeing Charles like this, all focused on making her dinner with a towel on his shoulder reminded Rory of the time they spent together during the holidays. Despite them not having spent that much time together, they had grown familiar with each other and their little manners and that feeling was still present.

"Your specialty?"

"Pretty much." he smiled at her, "So, what was bothering you today?"

"Oh, I need some wine before that." she walked to the shelf to pick up glasses, "Top shelf?" Charles nodded.

Rory picked up two glasses and took them to where she was sitting before. She picked the already opened bottle of red wine and poured it in the two glasses, handing one to Charles before taking a long sip from hers.

"I told you that I went to talk with Alejandro right?" Charles nodded, "Turns out he is here because my mom told him that I was working here and they both, alongside my dad, decided that Alejandro working closer to me would be the perfect opportunity for us to get back together."

"What?" Charles turned off the stove.

"And there's more," she turned to face Charles who had walked to her side, "he tried to kiss me," Charles fist clenched imagining the scene, "and I made up that I had a boyfriend to make him stop." Rory drank the rest of her wine.

"Are you okay?" Charles asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," Rory reached out to squeeze his hand, "nothing good company and some wine can't solve."

"So, how did seeing him make you feel?"

"It was weird, it had been years since I last saw him and running into him the day I was trying to make a good impression on everyone."

"If it makes you happy, everyone I talked to liked you." A smile grew on Rory's lips.

"That certainly helps."

"Did old feelings rise to the surface when you saw him?" Charles was scared of the answer, but he needed to know.

"God no. The feelings I had for him are dead and gone and buried. The worst of all of this is that my parents still want me to get back together with Alejandro."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope. After I talked to him I called my mom and she said that she saw no reason for me not to be with Alejandro now." Rory rolled her eyes.

"Sorry to say it but your mom is crazy."

Rory laughed, letting her head rest on Charles' chest while he caressed her back, "I know."

"Charles Leclerc sit down, I will handle the dishes."

"No, I took you out of the house. We will do them together." Rory just looked at Charles and then rolled her eyes, she was not winning this argument.

Rory started walking to the kitchen with the plates on her hand and Charles followed her closely with a smirk. They fell on a natural rhythm, Rory would wash the dishes and he would dry and put them away. The only sound, besides the casual clatter of dishes, was the soft background music, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Midway through, Rory started scratching her nose with her sleeve but it wasn't that much use, so she turned to Charles, "Charlie, can you scratch my nose for me?"

Charles didn't think twice and let the cloth fall before gently scratching Rory's nose. "Better, Mon amour?"

Rory nodded with a smile on her face making direct eye contact with Charles. The boy let his hand fall on her cheek and gently caressed it making her lean further into his hand while maintaining eye contact. Charles took one careful step closer to Rory making sure that she was okay with it and when she nodded he let his hands fall to her neck gently caressing with his thumbs and closed the distance between the two of them.

When their lips touched softly the two of them got lost in the kiss and all the memories of their time together in Andorra flashed before their eyes. The kisses, the dates, the sweet moments with a person that had started as a stranger and ended the holiday as one of the most important in their lives.

"No," Rory muttered against Charles' lips, putting her wet hands against his chest pushing him away, "we can't do this."

"What?" The hurt was evident in his voice and his eyes, "But I thought you also wanted to?"

"I did... I do," she ran her hands through her hair not long, caring that they were wet, "It's just, we agreed that we wouldn't do it and I don't want to break our promise."

"Mon Ange, screw that, if we want to be together we can just let that go. Unless..." his voice started to tremble, "you don't want to be with me."

"I do." the tears started piling up on her eyes, "I just... I can't right now. Especially now that Alejandro is back and I realized that there are a lot of things regarding him and my past that need to be resolved first."

Charles's heart sank as he searched Rory's eyes for reassurance, his mind racing with worry and fear of losing her. She was the best thing that had happened to him in a long time and he couldn't let that go. He reached tentatively, his fingers brushing against hers, seeking comfort and connection amidst the uncertainty.

"Mon Ange, I'll wait for you, Rory. As long as it takes."

Rory looked down at their intertwined hands as her breath caught in her throat, her own heart heavy with emotion. "Charles, I can't make you do that. You deserve someone who can give you all of themselves."

His gaze softened, his fingers gently brushing away her tears. "Rory, you are worth the wait. You are one of the best things that has happened to me, and I'm not giving up on us."

Rory took a shaky breath. "I need time, Charles. I need to figure things out."

He nodded, his expression filled with understanding. "Take all the time you need, mon amour. I'll be here when you're ready."

I feel pain, physical pain.