Thanks for your lovely reviews! They made me very happy and gave me a few laughs! I can tell you that I have finished all 12 chapters, so I am able to update regularly! Enjoy!
Try to deny it and try to protest, but love won't let you go once you've been possessed.
As the fates had it, Beryl and Bill were still sick to their stomach and turned down their dinner request. This was much to Elsie and Charles's disappointment. They went back to their respective rooms, showered, and dressed.
An hour later, he was at Elsie's door. He wore a light pink shirt with slacks.
He watched her come out of her room. She was dressed in a burgundy dress with glittering earrings and her makeup was exquisite.
"Well you are a big girl."
She looked down at her attire. "I hope you don't mind."
"Mind, I'm counting on it." He offered her his arm and she took it.
Charles pulled her chair out again and she didn't object this time. He ordered them a bottle of red wine and they waited.
"I enjoyed my chicken yesterday," Elsie began.
"Did you? I rather liked my beef as well."
"Yes, though I think I will try something different tonight."
"Yes, me too. There are so many possible options it makes it hard to choose."
"Well we could get two plates and split them. Couldn't we?" She looked over her menu at Charles, gauging his reaction.
He relaxed a bit. "Yes we could and we shall."
They chose their platters.
Charles sat back in his chair. "Well, what should we name our catch?"
Elsie thought for a moment. "Claude."
"Really, Claude?"
"Yes! I had an uncle Claude who looked just like him." Charles chuckled trying to think of a person with that green a face.
The waiter finally brought the wine. Charles poured and Elsie made a toast.
"A toast to not casting judgements prematurely."
"Here, here." They clinked glasses and Charles watched intensely as Elsie swallowed.
She smacked her lips. "It's delicious. Not too bitter, but with a pleasant nutty taste."
"I'm glad you are enjoying yourself." He winked at her as he sipped more of his wine.
After both had more than a few glasses, their chairs were a little closer to each other and their lips were a tad looser.
"When I first met Joe, I was already in my late 20's. My time to find a suitable husband was ticking. He had such big aspirations and always mad me feel a big part of them. He wanted to get a flat in Paris, Germany, Spain, all of the countries he travels to on business. He said he would take me with him and we would have such a grand time." She had to laugh thinking back on it now. "He's never taken me anywhere. Never even made the offer."
She sipped some more wine and quieted.
Charles stepped in with his own story. "I always thought having kids would be my greatest adventure. I longed to have a son or daughter to show off or teach the way of things. And I couldn't wait to share that with Alice. I loved her so. You are right when you said she completely changed when Alfred was born. He never left her side. She hated when anyone else would hold him, even me. She is so protective of them, like if they're out of her sight for a moment something will happen. I love them, I do, but I don't know them and they don't know me."
Elsie looked up at him with sadness and understanding. "I always wanted children." It was almost a whisper.
"I always assumed that was something you never wanted. Why didn't you have any?"
Elsie huffed. "It's rather hard when you sleep in separate beds."
"Really? Elsie, I never knew." His eyes widened. Another commonality.
She turned her head and body away. "Now I am embarrassed."
"Elsie," he asked her to turn to him. "Would it help if I confessed that Alice said two kids were enough and moved in twin beds the next day?"
She turned and looked at him. "Really, Charles?"
He nodded.
Elsie shook her head and spoke quickly. "Charles, if only we could reverse time and go back those 20 years and…"
"Elsie," he tried to stop her from continuing.
"…we could start all over. From that first moment I met you…"
"Elsie…"
"…and the first time we…"
"Els, please stop." That got her quiet. "We cannot go back so please stop talking about it like we could."
She was silenced, and quite sad at the moment. Charles was also swimming in regrets as a song change happened. The band played slower and smoother.
"Charles, would you care to dance?" She tried to break the atmosphere.
"I suppose, if you promise to keep your distance," he teased.
She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "I'll watch it."
She took his outstretched hand. He lead her to the center of the dance floor and pulled her into his arms. Her right hand rested in his left. His right hand gently circled around her waist, pulling her close to his chest. Her left hand twisted around his arm and gripped his shoulder. She immediately let her head fall against his chest. He had no complaints.
They swayed gently to the music for longer than either realized. The band announced their last song of the night. Charles and Elsie made the most of it. They both learned the tune and began humming it so the other could hear.
Elsie looked over Charles's shoulder and saw their frustrated waiter gesturing towards their now very cold food. She whispered to Charles, "Our waiter seems to think we should be eating dinner."
"Silly man," Charles muttered and they finished their dance.
When the last note rang through the night. Charles pulled away, but kept her hand in his. They nibbled on their very cold dinner and finished their wine. When they were done, he helped her stand.
"I'll walk you back to your room." He lead her out of the bar.
"You will do no such thing Charles Carson." She lead him from the bar and in the opposite direction of their rooms. "We have a bet to settle."
Charles was flustered. "You're not going to hold me to that are you? Besides, if I hadn't helped you with that fish, he would have caught you!"
She smirked. "You know no such thing. I was merely playing him. I could have taken him myself, I though it would be nice if I would let you help, get some satisfaction out of the outing. Stroke your pride a little."
"That's enough rabbiting on now! You did no such thing."
She sealed her lips, not willing to deny anything. "You're still going in the water, Charles. Else think how silly you'll look when I tell Beryl you always feed half your chicken and beans to their dog."
"I never have!" he defended.
"I know, but you will look pretty silly when I tell Beryl."
"You play dirty, Els."
"I play to win." They reached the edge of the water. There was no one else in sight. The wind blew the cool sea air onto their faces. Elsie's hair was pushed back from her face, revealing the freckles that lined her neck and chest. Charles gazed at her, thinking that he had never seen such a perfect creature.
She inhaled and exhaled closing her eyes. She opened them to find Charles staring at her. "Go on."
He rolled his eyes. This task was getting much less tedious by the second. It was like they stepped back in time.
He took off his shoes and left them on the shore. She did the same.
She wiggled her toes in the sand and closed her eyes. "I love the feeling of sand between my toes."
His grin was a mile wide. "I know."
He removed his shirt and his pants so he was only in his shorts. "You are going to have to take those off too, to do it properly."
He looked back at her. "I thought I would go out into the water a bit and then remove them. That is unless you would like a show?" He wiggled his eyebrows and put his hands on his hips.
Elsie laughed and shushed him out further. When he was far enough out to cover his waist, he removed his shorts and threw them on some nearby rocks. He raised his hands above his head in showing he had performed her task.
"Now you have to dunk your head under the water," She yelled out to him, still smiling.
"I can't hear you!" he yelled back.
She hiked up her dress and waded up to her knees. "I said you have to dunk your head under."
He moved closer to her. "Only if you'll do it with me."
"Absolutely not Charles. You are the one who lost the bet!" She giggled as he moved closer to her.
"And the bet stated that I would go skinny dipping which is precisely what I am doing. But if you want me to get my head under, you are going to have to join me." He was now crawling on the ground, keeping himself covered, but zeroing in on his target.
"Well, then I guess we will both be disappointed, because this is as far…. Charles!"
When he crawled all the way to her feet, he suddenly sprang up and lifted her in his arms. She kicked and put up a strong fight, but he was stronger. He carried her out to where she could no longer stand and took them both under. When she came up for air, she spit water in his face and tried to brush all her hair out of her face. She found Charles standing there laughing like she hadn't seen in years.
"Charles Carson, you bloody fool!" She skimmed her hand on the surface and splashed him right in the face. The motion caused her to go under again, but Charles pulled her up and to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders for support. He brushed her sticky wet hair from her face and their eyes met.
It could have been only a second or an hour, neither knew. Their eyes and desires were one. Their mouths drew closer to the other.
"Charles, we shouldn't," Elsie whispered.
He moved his mouth closer. "I know."
Charles felt her lip brush his. Before he was able to feel anything else, she dropped her head and let out a sneeze. The moment passed.
She loosened her hold on him. "I'm sorry, Charles."
He pulled his face away from hers. "Me too."
He carried her back to where she could stand. She walked back to the shore and threw him his shorts. He quickly put them on before emerging from the sea. Elsie held out his pants and shirt. He put on the pants, but wrapped his shirt around her shoulders when he saw her shiver.
"Come on, let's get you warm." He rubbed her arms to warm them as they walked back to their rooms. He stopped at hers first. She opened the door and shuttered when his arms left hers. She handed him back his shirt.
"Good night, Els." And she shut the door.
He returned to his room, showered off the salt water, and donned his pajamas. Even in his comfortable bed, he knew sleep would not come easily.