Chapter 1029 - I am crazy about you (1/2)

~ Los Angeles, Charlie's villa ~

Emma is sitting on the sofa in the living room and looking around. After months of not coming here, everything is how she remembers it… and it feels like she was here yesterday.

”Here you go…”, Charlie handed Emma a glass of orange juice and took a seat next to her.

She lifted her eyebrows questionably. ”Juice?”

”You had enough wine, right?”, he asked. ”I don't want you to get drunk and then blame me for it.”

”Thank you.” Emma thought how this is different than what she got from Brian who even swapped glasses so that she gets the second one. And Charlie wants her to stay clearheaded. She appreciates that.

Charlie observed Emma and he was not sure what to say to smoothen out this tense atmosphere. Tonight didn't turn out how he hoped it will. Instead of a nice evening, it rolled into a disaster and for few excruciating moments he was confident that he will lose Emma.

”Thank you for coming here to talk to me. I was afraid that you will refuse and that you will… leave me.”

Emma saw his hand move toward hers and stop midway. She looked at Charlie and felt her heart constricting. She caused all the mess and he is the one thanking her and suffering because of that.

Her hand moved toward his, closing in that other half of the distance between them. She felt his hand under hers and it was warm and comforting… He turned his hand palm up and gently caressed hers with his thumb and Emma was confident that is the place where her hand belongs. In Charlie's.

”Charlie, I am sorry that I left without a word. I panicked and I didn't know how to face you.”, Emma admitted.

Charlie was happy that Emma held his hand. Her fingers interlacing with his sent a warm and fuzzy feeling through his body.

He kissed the back of her palm and did his best to suppress his anger while thinking about what happened. ”Those women will get what they deserve. I will not let it slide. No one gets to harm you. I will make sure of that.”

”They didn't harm me. They tried to provoke me with some childish remarks, but when that didn't work… I was caught off guard. I'm so sorry about the dress.”

”The dress is not important. What matters is that you are OK.” He wanted to say that it also matters that she is with him instead of Brian, but he kept that part for himself because Brian is irrelevant, and he will not allow his doubts and jealousy to bubble up and spoil his time with Emma.

”How can you say that the dress is not important? It's the most beautiful dress I wore. I was thinking of preserving it somehow for memories, but now it's ruined…” Emma paused and looked at Charlie with panic. ”Or do I need to return it?”

Charlie smiled. ”The dress is yours. It WAS yours. You said it, it's ruined. Throw it away. I will get you another one.”

”Don't throw the money away so easily.” She was looking at the stain which starts halfway up her thigh. Emma thought that the dress can be cut into a minidress and it will still be beautiful.

”The money spent on you is not thrown away.”

Emma shook her head in disapproval. ”I am not comfortable with that. Even if you take it lightly, I can't. It's your money and I'm sure you can find more useful ways to spend it.”