Summary - Charlotte and Mia return to 'the bar' and Sara makes Charlotte feel insecure.
As Charlotte and Mia entered the bar, they both scanned their surroundings, looking for a suitable table. Mia spotted one first so she gently caught hold of her girlfriend's hand, leading her over to a little corner booth.
"Ah this is nice." Charlotte said smiling.
As the two women sat down and settled into their seats, Mia placed her hand lightly on Charlottes thigh. They always liked to be touching in some way, it was comforting for both of them. Mia couldn't help but stare at the brunette, she was so beautiful - as light from the tabletop candles flickered across Charlottes face, Mia couldn't imagine a more perfect sight.
"Good evening, what can I get for you two ladies?" a sweet voice snapped Mia from her thoughts so she turned to face the source. She recognised immediately that it was the same waitress from last time. She flashed her a small smile and requested,
"Two gin and tonics please." Just like last time.
Something else that was just like last time was the look on the waitresses face. As her eyes focused on Mia, a flirtatious smile danced across her lips as she replied "coming right up."
Mia turned to look at Charlotte once again, however this time she was not greeted with those beautiful blue orbs. Charlotte was looking in the direction of the waitress, watching her walk away. The look on her face was definitely angry, but there was a hint of something else that Mia couldn't quite place.
"Sweetheart, she has no chance. I have no interest in her, she's just fishing for tips."
"I hate her." Charlotte blurted out, as if saying those words would save her life.
Mia's eyes widened in surprise "no you don't Baby, you don't hate anyone. Don't let her get to you."
At this Charlotte looked down at her hands. "Well no, I don't HATE her. But I do hate the way people look at you sometimes Mia. I trust you with my whole heart, but I wish people wouldn't leer at you like that. Plus, surely she can tell we're together? She clearly thinks you can do better, both times now she's barely even acknowledged me. She doesn't even see me as a threat."
Hearing Charlotte speak like this was hurting Mia's heart. Why couldn't she see how perfect she was?
"Char, you are so beautiful. I wanted you from the moment I met you and I won't ever be letting you go. Anyone leering at me doesn't care about me, they just want to use me, that's not a compliment Sweetheart. Please don't let it get to you, that waitress has absolutely nothing on you."
Charlotte smiled at her girlfriend's words, thinking briefly about how far they had come over the past few months. For a brief period of time, the brunette genuinely thought her heart would never heal. When she first met Mia, she felt so drawn to her and despite everyone doubting them, they truly were perfect together. She still couldn't believe that the most beautiful woman she had ever seen desired her so deeply.
"Here we are ladies."
As the waitress leant over their table, Charlotte glanced at her name tag - Sara. That's a pretty name, she thought - always looking for the positives. That thought quickly dissipated when Sara leant as far forward as possible, with her hands on the edge of the table. She was looking intently at Mia, blatantly encouraging the red head to look down her shirt.
"Let me know if you need anything else, I'm completely at your service" she purred, before slinking away.
"Wow...she really is forward isn't she?" Mia laughed, hoping Charlotte had taken her earlier words on board. It looked like no such luck however, as this time her girlfriend looked more forlorn than anything else. She watched as Charlotte grabbed her drink, and her heart lurched forward in her chest as she realised the brunette was clearly trying to stop herself from crying. Mia shifted over to close the small gap between them and began to rub the lower part of Charlottes back.
"Sweetheart, please don't get upset. I love you so much, you have nothing to worry about."
Charlotte responded by gently placing her head on Mia's shoulder. She knew if she did this, the red head would play with her hair, which she always found soothing. As expected, Mia began to stroke Charlottes hair, twisting little strands around her fingers and releasing them. Charlotte had never felt so safe in the arms of another person, and she couldn't believe that at one point, she had tried so desperately to resist her attraction to Mia. She could smell her perfume so clearly, a mixture of cherries and raspberries, with a hint of caramel. That scent always transported her back to that day in the office, and her disastrous attempt at flirting with the red head. More specifically, it reminded her of the way her heart fluttered when Mia told her that her inability to flirt had made her even more attracted to Charlotte.
As her eyes scanned the room, Charlotte spotted Sara leaning up against the bar. She was chatting to a male bartender, laughing at whatever he'd just said. She really was a pretty girl, and Charlotte felt bad for feeling angry with her - she couldn't blame her for being attracted to Mia. Who wasn't? She smiled as she realised, yes, that's right - and she's all mine.
Mia was taken by surprise when Charlotte suddenly turned her head to the side to catch her lips in a kiss. Over and over, Mia would do anything to kiss this beautiful woman. It baffled her that Charlotte felt insecure - she didn't even want to imagine how many times people had asked what the brunette saw in Mia. She couldn't believe that Charlotte was letting her hold her perfect, kind, wonderful heart for safe keeping like this.
It was the greatest treasure she had ever held.
