Disclaimer: All recognized characters and places are not mine. The plot and any spelling/grammar mistakes are...

Again I want to thank Loki's Only Love for betaing this for me...

Chapter 3

Once we reached the reception Isabella, Patricia, and the reverend each went their separate ways. Charlie, on the other hand, led me towards the dance floor where several couples were already dancing. A slow song was playing as he stopped just shy of the dance floor. "Dance with me?" he asked.

"You dance?"

"When the occasion calls for it." His eyes swept across the couples dancing before returning to me. "Dance with me?"

"Okay," I answered not being able to deny him anything today.

That one word answer was what he was waiting for as he brought me up on the dance floor and enfolded me within the warm embrace of his arms. I placed my hand on his shoulder and together we started swaying in time to the soft music that played around us. As we moved I let my hands slide down his chest and wrap around his back so I could lay my head against his shoulder. Everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours flitted through my mind. From getting on the plane, arriving at Lorenzo's villa, seeing Charlie again, to him asking me to marry him. I let my thumb run over my ring and sighed. I could feel Charlie's lips in my hair. "What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly.

"You, me, us and how my life has changed over the past twenty-four hours."

"Do you regret anything?" he asked cautiously.

I shook my head from side to side. "No."

He let out a breath making my some of my hair move. "Good."

"Do you?" I asked pulling back to see him.

"No. I mean I wasn't planning on marrying you today. I just hoped that you'd come and we could speak but I'm glad that you're my wife. You can't get rid of me now." He was smirking as he spoke.

Wife. That was the first time he had said that word and though it sounded kind of strange it also sounded nice.

"If I'm your wife that makes you my husband."

He softly repeated the words smiling widely. He looked so handsome like that. I tipped my face a little and brought my lips to his. He immediately responded and I felt his warm breath as I closed my eyes. His lips moved from my lips to my cheek marking a path down to my throat and ending with a kiss on the spot right under my ear. My hands roamed up his back and fisted his hair wanting to keep him where he was. His lips felt amazing. Too soon for me, he lifted his head so that I could see him again. As I looked into his bright eyes I thought about what he just said.

"Charlie?"

"Hmm"

"You said you weren't planning to marry me today. Does that mean you were planning to marry me someday?"

"Sophie, marriage was the furthest thing on my mind when I first saw you. I just wanted you not to be angry at me."

I cocked my head to the side. "Why would you think that I'd be angry at you?"

"Well, for kissing you while you were still engaged for one thing," he answered.

"I'm as much at fault with that as you are. I mean I kissed you back."

"You did," he agreed.

"Was there another reason you think I might be angry?"

"I did follow you back to Verona when you left."

"You did? Why?"

"Because I was being an idiot for letting you just leave like that. But when I saw you with Victor I rethought my decision."

"Oh." I pictured Victor hugging me on the hotel balcony from Charlie's point of view. It did appear that that I was happy to see him. I was in a way but not like Charlie probably thought. He looked almost scared for what reason I didn't know so I lifted my hand to the nape of his neck and pulled him to me bringing his lips to mine. His hands squeezed my waist and I gasped not expecting that. He took advantage of this by deepening the kiss for a minute before pulling back.

Before I could tell him that I couldn't fault him for what he had done I heard a familiar voice.

"There you are!" Claire exclaimed. Charlie and I both turned to see her standing a few feet away. I quickly and discreetly moved my left hand around Charlie's waist under his jacket.

"Here we are," Charlie told her.

"Well, you two keep sneaking off that I was beginning to wonder if I'd get the chance to see you before the night ended."

We had in fact sneaked off a couple of times but I didn't know how to respond to Claire. Neither did Charlie it seemed since he didn't say anything either. Claire grinned like she knew something but she didn't want to voice it. I'm sure whatever she thought wasn't close to the truth of what actually occurred tonight.

"It's getting late so Lorenzo and I are going to turn in," she said turning pink. Charlie shifted uncomfortably at her words. We both understood that this was her wedding night and what that usually entailed. She continued not noticing Charlie's tense posture. "Anyways, I just wanted to let Sophie know that her luggage was taken upstairs and put into the room next to yours Charlie."

"How? My car keys are in my bag. I'm sure of it…"

"The room was already made up for guests and you left your bag on the table so I took the liberty of borrowing them so that Lorenzo's son could get your bags. I hope that you don't mind. I returned them to the bag." She sounded contrite while saying the last part.

I shook my head. "It was really thoughtful of you and I must admit I forgot that I left my bag sitting on the table."

She patted my arm affectionately as Charlie relaxed. "It' still there. Toni was keeping an eye on it. Though everyone here is either family or friend and no one would take it."

Toni was Lorenzo's eldest daughter-in-law.

"I know," I said reassuring her.

Lorenzo came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She looked up at him and gave him soft, sweet smile. "Are you ready?" he asked returning her smile.

Claire nodded. "Charlie, will you show Sophie up to her room? Like I said earlier it's the one next to yours."

"Of course," he answered.

"Okay, see you two tomorrow."

After they left, I turned to Charlie. Music was still playing and there were a few people still on the dance floor. "Care for another dance?"

Instead of answering he gently took both my arms and repositioned them so that my hands rested on the nape of his neck. He then slipped his behind my back and pulled me closer.

"So I take this to mean you want to dance?" I asked teasingly, moving even closer so that we were chest to chest.

"Yes," he answered breathlessly.

We started moving to the music but we were soon interrupted by Toni. I hid my left hand again on Charlie's waist. She was holding my bag. She was the same height as me with brown hair, a tanned complexion and dark eyes. She was wearing a light blue dress. She smiled apologetically before saying, "I am ready to turn in so I thought that I'd give you your bag since Claire asked me to keep an eye on it."

I took my bag from her. "Thank you Toni."

I placed the bag under my arm when Patricia came up to us. "Just wanted to say goodnight before you two lovebirds get the chance to go upstairs and enjoy the rest of your night," she said a teasing lilt to her voice.

"Patty…" Charlie groaned.

She laughed at his reaction. "See you two tomorrow…"

"Night," I managed before she left.

I saw Isabella, Maria and the other Juliet secretaries glancing in our direction. "Want to get out of here before others interrupt us?" I leaned up so that my mouth was right by his ear. "We can always finish our dance in my room," I whispered, nipping his earlobe with my teeth.

"Yes," he answered, his voice husky.

I stood straighter and gave a wave to my friends and gestured that I'd talk to them later. They waved back as Charlie took my hand and we headed towards the villa. I didn't know where the guest bedrooms were located so I just followed him. We walked through a hall. I quickly peeked inside one of the rooms located off the hall to see a den area as we continued on to a set of stairs. We ascended the stairs and found another hallway with doors on either side. Charlie took me to the third door on the right and opened it, allowing me to enter before him. He shut the door behind him after he walked in the room and turned on the light.

"So this is my room?" I asked. The walls were painted light yellow and there was a bed with lavender sheets and comforter on the far wall with a white bureau and vanity table on the wall nearest us. My dark bag sat next to the bureau.

Charlie nodded. "Mine is the one next door." He pointed to the left.

"At the end of the hall?"

He shrugged. "I've always liked having the room at the end of the hall. Do you like yours?"

"It's lovely." I walked around the room noticing a door on the left. Thinking that it was probably the bathroom or closet. I didn't go to it or open it. I placed my bag on the bed before turning back to Charlie. He stood where I left him watching me.

Charlie sauntered over to me and wrapped his left arm around my waist pulling me against him like he had earlier. "Did you mention something about a dance?" His voice was soft and warm.

I placed my hands on his shoulder. "I think I do recall mentioning something of that nature."

"Hmm…" he hummed happily.

"But there's no music," I told him.

He left through the door and returned a moment later carrying a black iPhone. He pushed a few things on the screen and music began coming out of its speakers. Charlie took my right hand and twirled me before bringing me back to him, the move leaving me breathless. He grinned mischievously at me as he slid my arms to the back of his neck letting them rest against his hair. He trailed his hands down my arms leaving tingles on my skin. They ended up on my waist.

"You're full of surprises today," I managed once I caught my breath.

"And that's a problem because..."

"No problem. Just stating a fact."

He kissed my arm. "Do you like the surprises?"

"Yes."

"Good to know."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Planning any more surprises tonight?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise."

I just shook my head at him liking this new side of Charlie that I was seeing.

A new song started playing on his phone. "So are we going to finish this dance?" I asked.

Instead of answering he leaned in and kissed me. His lips were so warm and adoring as they melded with my own. Yet they weren't done with my skin. When he was done with my mouth his lips moved to my jawline kissing down my throat and up my arm. I grabbed his hair to make sure that he stayed where he was though I doubt he had any plan to move away. When he completed his circuit he pulled his lips from my skin which was still warm and tingly everywhere his lips grazed my skin. His attention turned back to my face. His eyes were searing with love and desire.

"I can think of something more fun than dancing," he said flicking his eyes over my shoulder to where I knew the bed was located.

I nuzzled the hollow of his throat before tilting my head so I could whisper "I love you" in his ear.

We never did finish the dance….