As soon as we arrived back at the house, the anticipation was palpable. Charles, with an unmistakable air of excitement, handed over his elegantly wrapped card and gift to my sister, who received it with twinkling eyes. Carefully, she peeled open the card, a warm smile spreading across her face as she read its contents, offering a heartfelt "thank you" to Charles. The real suspense began as she moved on to unwrap the gift. As the paper fell away, revealing a pair of earrings, her eyes widened in disbelief. These weren't just any earrings; they were the ones she had been eyeing for months, their exorbitant price tag making them a distant dream. Now, here they were, glinting in her hands, a tangible symbol of generosity.
Without hesitation, she burst into a frenzied dance of joy, her screams of "thank you, thank you, thank you!" filling the room. She enveloped Charles in a tight hug, her excitement palpable. Charles, caught in the whirlwind of her gratitude, hugged her back, his laughter mingling with hers, a simple "no problem" his response to her overflowing thanks. It was a moment of pure happiness, a cherished memory in the making.
Observing the scene, I couldn't help but chuckle and turn to Rory, who was watching with an amused expression. "Looks like she won't have any reason to complain to me now," I remarked, gesturing towards the jubilant scene before us. "She's finally got the earrings she's been dreaming about for ages." Rory nodded, a smile playing on his lips, understanding the relief and joy that filled the room. It was more than just the gift; it was Charles' thoughtful gesture that spoke volumes, transforming an ordinary day into something extraordinary. In that moment, all previous desires and complaints seemed trivial in comparison to the shared happiness and gratitude that enveloped us all.
As her friends began to trickle in, laughter and chatter filling the air, I realized it was pool time. My sister, ever persuasive, insisted I join them, not willing to take no for an answer. Reluctantly, I agreed, dragging Charles along to my room for moral support, or perhaps just to avoid going solo. He made himself comfortable on my bed, a smirk playing on his lips, an amused observer to my wardrobe dilemma. I rifled through my clothes, pushing aside dresses and shirts in search of the perfect bikini. The pressure of choosing something quickly, under Charles's watchful and somewhat teasing gaze, added a layer of fluster to the task. He offered no help, just occasional chuckles as I muttered to myself, debating between options. Finally, settling on a bright blue bikini that I hoped would make a splash, I glanced over at Charles, who raised an approving eyebrow. His smirk had morphed into a genuine smile, a silent encouragement that somehow calmed the nerves fluttering in my stomach. With a deep breath, I geared up for an afternoon by the pool, Charles's amusement a reminder not to take the moment too seriously.
"Sooooo who was that on the phone in the car and why have you been talking about me to him?" Charles inquired, his gaze drifting towards the ceiling.
"That's Christian, he's my best friend. He's the first person I met when I moved to Monaco, and he's also my neighbour. There's four of us in the friend group, but two are dating. They're all like family to me especially Chris because I would of been lost in Monaco without him and his boyfriend at the time, And I was talking about you to him because why wouldn't I? He always knows when I like someone, and you're too much of a cutie to not tell him," I replied, a playful smile dancing on my lips.
"Ohhh, right, best friend. Okay he sounds like fun gonna have to introduce me, and oh yeah? You think?" Charles smirked in response.
"Yeah, I do. And I literally called him as soon as I got out of the shop when I bumped into you," I said, giggling as I put the rest of my clothes back in my cupboard.
"Of course, you did, my love," Charles chuckled, sitting up and casting a fond gaze in my direction.
I change into my bikini, and Charles can't tear his eyes away from me.
"Wow, mon Amor, you look beautiful," Charles murmurs, his arms encircling your waist as he pulls you in for a kiss and placing tiny kisses on your stomach.
"Thank you, darling. Now come on, you're coming in too," i say, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I can't, I have nothing to wear afterwards," he protests, planting kisses along your neck.
"You can wear your joggers that I had in my cupboard," you suggest, meeting his gaze with a playful smile.
"Perfect. Then I'm coming in," he declares, unwilling to let you go as he resumes kissing you.
"Charles, come on, we need to go down," you giggle, attempting to break free from his embrace.
"Right, yeah," he agrees, finally pulling his top off as you both head downstairs.
