Next to Me

Chapter Seventeen: Taking Things Slow

Charlotte smiled to herself as she climbed out of bed, it had been a month since she had moved out of Sergio’s home and into an apartment that she had set up for herself; it had taken some time to adjust with her break from Sergio but she was glad that she’d done it.

Checking her phone, the blonde sighed as she saw a message from her boyfriend, she hadn’t really seen him since she had moved out of his home and she’d made every excuse in the book so that she wouldn’t have to see him.

Charlotte knew that she was not only hurting him but herself by acting like this however her mind was still adjusting to the fact that she didn’t know what to do about their relationship; they had been together for nearly four months now and she knew that she still loved him.

Shaking her head, the blonde set down her phone as she headed for her en-suite bathroom so that she could prepare for work; she hadn’t been able to go back into medicine since she’d never get to finish her education.

Charlotte had instead taken on being a nurse at a local doctor’s surgery until she was ready to get back into her studies; she knew that until her death was out of the headlines that there was only so much that she could do.

Dressing quickly, Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror and nibbled on her lip, she knew that Sergio was desperate to see her and Mirian had called her constantly since she had moved away from the Sevillian.

“Get it together Charlie… what are you afraid of?” the blonde asked herself but she knew the answer, she was frightened of Sergio hurting her; she had never felt like this before and she needed to get to it.

***

The morning seemed to go peacefully for Charlotte and the blonde smiled as she stepped outside for lunch, she brushed some hair from her face as she shivered lightly and started to head for one of the local cafés.

However she didn’t get far before David grabbed hold of her, she squeaked in surprise as he dragged her towards a black Audi Quattro SUV that was parked just at the side of the road; Charlotte glanced at the look on the head of security’s face knowing that this wasn’t a social call.

One of the back doors were opened and Charlotte climbed inside, she chewed on her lip as the door was closed behind her before she looked at Sergio.

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at her boyfriend, his brown hair was a mess and dark bags under his eyes and his clothes were a mess.

“Sese?” Charlotte murmured as she looked at him, she didn’t know what had happened but she had a sinking feeling that this was because of her; she swallowed as her blue eyes took in his figure knowing that he was suffering because of what she had done.

Sergio sighed as he rubbed his eyes tiredly, he had barely been able to sleep since she had moved out and when she had stopped answering his calls; he knew that he had made a mistake in letting her go.

“I was worried… I thought something had happened to you,” Sergio said as he pulled his hands from his eyes and looked at her, he glanced ahead as David climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the curb; the head of security didn’t look back as he took off down the street.

“I’m sorry…” Charlotte whispered, she had never meant to hurt him like this and she knew that he would have come looking for her sooner or later; she hadn’t expected it to happen like this and she knew that she had been stupid.

The Sevillian sighed as he watched her, he had expected that she’d try to push him away; the last few weeks had been hard on them both and with Mirian telling her about Lara, he had known she’d be afraid of what this meant.

Charlotte watched him silent for a moment before she carefully climbed across the seat and cuddled into his arms; Sergio wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he sighed in relief.

“I’m so sorry… I never meant to hurt you,” Charlotte whispered as she thought about what she had put him through, she thought that putting so distance between them would be good for them but now here in his arms; she felt like she was finally home.

***

Sergio kept Charlotte in his arms as they settled down in her apartment, he closed his brown eyes contently as he thought about the past five weeks; he knew that they needed to talk about what was going on but he was just relieved to have her in his arms again.

"I think we need to take things slowly… we’ve been together for nearly four months and everything has just moved so quickly,” Sergio murmured making Charlotte nod her head in agreement; he had been planning a future together with her and he knew that if he wanted that then things were going to have to change.

Sergio was going to wait forever if that was what it took, he wanted Charlotte and he was going to do whatever it took to make it happen; he loved her more than anything.

“I’m sorry that I worried you so much… I never meant for it to go this far,” the blonde whispered making Sergio nod his head, he had already organised for her to take the rest of the day off; he wanted to spend time with her while he had the chance especially since he had to travel to Madrid again in a few days for some work.

Charlotte pulled back from the Sevillian and looked at him, she knew that there was something wrong and she hoped that she hadn’t upset him to much; she nibbled on her lip as she watched him.

“I forgive you amor… I’m just a little distracted about work,” Sergio said as he cupped her chin and pulled her into a kiss, he didn’t want to leave her behind; he grinned as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he was glad that she had yet to remove her 9ct gold one carat diamond bracelet that he had given her months ago.

“I love you Charlotte and I would do anything for you,” Sergio said as he ran his fingers through her hair, he smiled at her as she pulled back knowing that he wasn’t going to lose her anytime soon; he would make sure that she was safe no matter what was going on in his life.

The Sevillian looked at her concerned, he didn’t know what it was but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something different about her; he watched her concerned knowing that there was something that she wasn’t telling him.

"Charlie… what’s wrong?” Sergio asked concerned about her, he brushed some hair from her face knowing that she was keeping something quiet; the blonde was hiding something from him and he didn’t like it.

Charlotte took a deep breath as she shook her head, she knew that he would pick up on the fact that she wasn’t feeling well; she hadn’t felt well in about a week and she was starting to think that there was something that she was missing.

“It’s nothing… I just haven’t been feeling well recently,” Charlotte said making Sergio eye her warily, she smiled at him as she tried to reassure him.

The blonde kissed him making him sigh as he held her close, the last thing that he wanted was for her to become upset about what was going to happen when he went to Madrid.