Next to Me

Chapter Four: Getting Closer

Charlotte yawned as she walked into her apartment, she ran a hand through her hair; she had pulled a long shift and she had come home exhausted; it had been a week since Sergio had come into her life and she was slowly becoming used to have him in her home.

“Difficult shift?” Sergio asked as he leant against the living room doorway, she looked at him and nodded as she ran her fingers through her hair as she put her things into her room before she looked at him.

“You have no idea,” Charlotte said as she closed her eyes for a moment, Sergio watched her; he didn't know how to repay her for what she had done for him, he just didn't know how.

The blonde was risking her life for him and he wanted to do something special for her to thank for what she was doing for him; he watched her for a moment before he smiled.

“How about this… you go take a nice long bath and I’ll make us dinner,” Sergio said as he watched her, the blonde looked at him as he rolled his eyes before he headed for the kitchen; he knew that she was a little confused but he had been living with her for a week and she had done a lot for him.

Shaking her head, Charlotte headed for her bathroom and started a bath; she watched as the water filled the tube before she headed for her bedroom to get some fresh clothes out for after her bath.

“You don’t have to do this you know?” Charlotte called as she ran a hand through her hair, she didn't want Sergio to feel like he had to do something like this for her; she was used to standing on her two feet and didn't want him to feel pressured into doing this.

***

“So tell me about you,” Sergio said as they had dinner together, he sipped on his water as Charlotte looked at him; she knew that they hadn't really talked much except for the safe subjects like her job and their days.

“There not much to tell… I was born and raised here in Madrid, my parents are both in medicine and I had a brother,” Charlotte said shrugging as she leant back on the couch, she twisted her spaghetti around her fork; Sergio raised an eyebrow at her, she wasn’t like the women that he knew from back home or he knew through work.

“What happened to him?” Sergio asked curiously, his eyes glancing over at the pictures on the wall; there weren’t a lot of them but there was one of her parents and one of a blonde boy that was no older than fifteen.

Charlotte ran a hand through her hair and shrugging her shoulder, she swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought about Ethan, it had been two years since she had last seen him and there wasn’t a day that she didn't miss him.

“He just disappeared two years… went to college one day and didn't come back, the police weren’t any help and we never found out what happened to him,” Charlotte said as she watched Sergio, she doubted that he knew what it was like to lose someone like that; she nibbled on her lip as she thought about how little she knew about him, he never talked about himself and it made her curious about why.

“I’m sorry,” Sergio said softly, he knew that if the police weren’t any help then it had been for a reason; he swallowed at the thought that Charlotte would never learn what happened to her brother.

“It’s okay… I’ve gotten used to it, my parents worry that the same thing will happen to me,” Charlotte admitted as she continued to eat, she hadn't really had time for lunch so she was glad that she could eat now.

Sergio offered her a small smile, he hated that she had no idea that something like that could happen to her and it was all because she was hiding him in her home.

“What do your parents do?” Sergio asked as he turned the conversation away from her brother, he felt his stomach churn guilty as he watched the blonde who was risking her life without even knowing it; he wished that there was some way that he could repay her for her kindness.

“My padre is a doctor and my Madre is a midwife,” Charlotte said shrugging, she watched as Sergio raised an eyebrow at her; he knew that she had followed her parents into the family business just like he had done even if he couldn't talk about it.

“So you always wanted to be a doctor?” Sergio asked as he ate his dinner, he watched her as she nodded her head before she started to talk about her past a smile on her face as she did so.

***

“Gracias,” Charlotte said as Sergio handed her a glass of wine, she smiled at him as he sat down next to her; the television played quietly in the background as they talked quietly between themselves.

“I think I have told you everything about me,” the blonde mused making Sergio chuckle as he watched her, she was dressed in a penguin and stars cami and short set while he was just in a pair of sweat pants; he sipped on his drink as he watched her.

“Really nothing else to tell me… no boyfriend that I don’t know about?” Sergio teased as he watched her, he knew that no one had called for her and it had made him curious about why a woman like her was alone; if he wasn’t in the family business then he would have taken a chance with her.

“Nope no boyfriend… single for about a year now,” Charlotte replied as she sipped on her drink, Sergio raised an eyebrow at her as she looked away from him and focused on the television screen; she didn't want to talk about her relationship with Chase and she doubted that Sergio wanted to hear about it.

“Really?” the Spaniard asked making Charlotte nod her head, she sipped on her drink as she watched him; she knew that he wouldn’t answer any of her questions but she was starting to get a little tipsy.

“What about you? No girlfriend at home waiting for you?” the blonde asked making Sergio look at her, he shook his head as he thought about his last girlfriend; she had dumped him when things had gotten serious between them.

“The same no girlfriend,” Sergio said shrugging his shoulders as he became aware of how close they were sitting, he swallowed as he felt his heartbeat pick up at how close they were sat and his eyes looked away from Charlotte.

“That’s a shame,” Charlotte said before she quickly stopped herself from rambling, she set down her drink knowing it would be better if she didn't drink anymore; she suddenly felt a little self-conscious.

Sergio brushed some hair from Charlotte’s face making her blue eyes snap to his face, she swallowed as he paused wondering why he had done that; he licked his lips as he thought about leaving the room before he did something stupid.

“I should go to bed,” Sergio said as he unconsciously leant towards the blonde, he kissed her softly as he drew her close; he held her close to his body as her fingers brushed through his hair before they rested on his shoulders.

Charlotte moaned softly as Sergio’s tongue brushed against her lips, he held her close as he teased her mouth open; she knew that they should stop especially since they had only known each other a week.

The blonde had a feeling that this kiss was going to change a lot for them, she just it wouldn’t change everything for them.