spanng="EN"Analise’s POV

    spanng="EN"I held Charlie’s hand as Jon drove me back to mypany for the night. My home will be ready for me to move into on Monday. I was already nning to move the bedroom suite I ordered for my room into the extra bedroom. I wanted to pick out our bedroom suite together. Charlie was rubbing slow circles on the back of my hand; the gentle circr motion wasforting. He was happy, and I have to say that I am, too.

    spanng="EN"I was shocked by my own agreement, but I already knew my parents supported the marriage. The evidence was all there. Dad having a meeting, and then Charlie and his grandfather suddenly appearing with him. They had already received his blessing, or he would have shut them down quick when Charlie asked me to marry him. The second tip–off was that my mother was recording the proposal. She had been moved to tears, and there was another reason that I held closer to my heart.

    spanng="EN"Charlie already loved me. I felt it during our kiss. He was passionate but gentle. He remembered my injury, but I felt that kiss in a way I’ve never felt a kiss before. He held me so close that I could feel his desire for me, both in the video and during the photo shoot. I smiled at the memory. I’ve never had that kind of reaction from a man before. Charlie wasn’t ashamed of me. He wanted to show me off to everyone he could. He wanted to whole world to know that I was his. That was also a first.

    spanng="EN"I wasn’t going to look at the reason why too closely. I could work with the fact that he obviously wanted me, at least for the time being, and that was enough. Maybe after some time together, it could blossom into love.

    spanng="EN"Marriages have been built on less, and I’m being greedy for once. I wanted Charlie very much. He was very attractive, and I could tell he cared for me much more than Roger or Holden, even did.

    spanng="EN"I could see the fear growing in his eyes as he waited for me to answer him after he asked me to marry him.

    spanng="EN"He was actually scared I was going to reject him. I remember feeling the same way as I waited for Roger to answer me when I insisted all I wanted in return, for my help was for him to marry me. It had been a paralyzing few minutes while he looked down at me, like I was crazy.

    spanng="EN"But that was really the only thing I wanted from him in payment for making his dream a reality. I had money, but what I wanted was for someone to love me. I naively thought Roger could be that man. I’m so d that he did what he did to me now. At the time, I truly was heartbroken, but now, all I feel is relief.

    spanng="EN"I knew the fear of being rejected. I couldn’t breathe while Roger slowly yed out the pros and cons in his head. He knew that without me, hispany was dead in the water. Did I force him into it? Yes. Yes, I did. I had worked tirelessly for over five years to get him where he is. What did he do to repay me? He lied and deceived me. I hadn’t deserved that. He could have tried to hire someone in my ce, but I smiled at that thought. I knew that no one would have been able to stop the inevitable. He was done.

    spanng="EN"I also knew the fear of finding out that someone you love doesn’t love you back. Someone you care about more than yourself. Someone you find out doesn’t think you’re good enough for them. But that was my past; Charlie had flirted with me from the first day we met. His gentle teasing, checking me out when he thought I hadn’t noticed. It made me feel wanted, desired even, for the first time in my life. I didn’t want to give that up. I wanted to thoroughly explore it. Better yet, I wanted to thoroughly explore him.

    spanng="EN"The cherry on top? He asked me to marry him, and that was a first. Holden was ckmailed by his parents into the arranged marriage. I had to ckmail Roger into proposing to me. Charlie had not only wanted me, but he actively went out of his way to buy my ring. The one that I designed. Which meant that he had cared enough to ask those closest to me what I truly wanted. He wanted to give me the ring of my dreams, and I felt fresh tears burn my eyes.

    spanng="EN"I can’t remember a time when I was this happy, and I pray that it isn’t a fluke. I believe he wants me and cares for me. I don’t know if it’s love yet, but I can patiently wait for that. I care for him more than Roger and Holdenbined. I can only speak for myself, but I believe I’m falling in love, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

    spanng="EN"“I hope those are tears of joy?” Charlie quietly asked.

    spanng="EN"I nodded and wiped at them with my free hand, “They are,” I replied.

    spanng="EN"“Are you sure that you’re alright with us using the wedding you nned to marry Roger, for us to marry? I’m seriously fine with waiting, but I don’t want all that nning, time, and money going to waste,” Charlie told me as he slid closer to me. He let go of my hand and carefully wiped a lone tear from my cheek with his thumb.

    spanng="EN"“Absolutely sure,” I told him with a smile. He stopped moving and looked at me, captivated.

    spanng="EN"“So this is what your actual smile looks like. Promise me that you will always smile at me like this. I can promise you that I will make sure I do everything in my power to make you smile like this for the rest of our lives,” Charlie told me.

    spanng="EN"We pulled off the main street and up to the gate at mypany. Charlie quickly unbuckled and moved closer to me. He lifted my left arm and kissed the pulse point on my wrist. He smiled as he felt my pulse pick up immediately. How can he make me feel like this? With just a small kiss? I wanted more. No, I needed more, but I can wait ten more days. I’ve waited this long, what’s another week and a half?

    spanng="EN"The gate guard waved us through. He stopped us because he didn’t recognize Jon. I was d that they were cautious, and Charlie was too. He walked me to the entrance of my office, and let me slip in to turn off the rm. I turned back towards him, and he was right there behind me, waiting for me to turn into his arms.

    spanng="EN"“Thank you,” he whispered.

    spanng="EN"“For what?” I asked, truly puzzled.

    spanng="EN"“You are taking a chance on someone you just met. But I can promise you that I will never take your feelings or your love for granted. I can’t promise you a perfect life, but I can promise you a perfect love. I would do anything to keep you safe in my arms. I know it’s quick, but I do love you, Ana. I won’t let Holden try to take you away now that he’s changed his mind. He messed up, but I don’t mind swooping in and saving you from a life that wouldn’t make you happy. See you at ten tomorrow morning?” Charlie asked.

    spanng="EN"“Yes, and I will bring swatches of the color palette and my measuring tape, in case they want me to make their dresses,” i replied.

    spanng="EN"“They are going to love you, grand–dad already does,” Charlie told me. I saw his head tilting down, and I lifted onto my toes to meet him. I wanted this kiss. He started off gentle, but groaned into my mouth and gave up all pretense of patience. His kiss deepened, and his fingers cupped the back of my neck as he ran his tongue into my mouth. I moaned back, and it sent him over the edge, using one hand to hold me in ce against him, and the other wrapped around my waist to pull me closer.

    spanng="EN"When he broke the kiss, I was looking up at him. Desire filled his eyes, and his chest heaved as he tried to control his emotions. I know he saw lust in my eyes, and my chest was heaving as well, trying to get my breath back.

    spanng="EN"“What you do to me,” He said as he pulled me in for a hug. I could hear his heart racing as I turned and ced my ear on his chest and felt the same strong heartbeat that my heart was making.

    spanng="EN"“I want to stay, but I want our first time to be everything you ever dreamed of, Ana. I won’t ruin it by taking you here, no matter how badly I want to do just that,” Charlie told me. We held each other for a few minutes before he finally pulled away.

    spanng="EN"I’ll see you at ten sharp, angel,” Charlie told me before squeezing my hand and then walking outside. He waited for me to lock the door and reset the rm before he went back to the SUV. My heart ached before Jon even backed out of the parking space. I already missed Charlie.

    spanng="EN"I headed to my office, locked my door, and headed to take a shower. My wound was healing nicely, and I was given the go–ahead to wash my hair tonight. I made sure to avoid the area as much as I could, but I wanted to look nice when meeting his family tomorrow.

    spanng="EN"I dried off and grabbed a new set of pajamas. It suddenly hit me that I need to get something nicer than regr pajamas for our honeymoon. I hadn’t really done that yet. Roger’s kisses had never made me feel them in the pit of my stomach. They didn’t make my toes curl the way they did when Charlie kissed me. I knew that Roger was probably nning on a minimal amount of sex, and I had been okay with that.

    spanng="EN"I suddenly realized that I had settled for Roger. He was attractive, and I thought I loved him, but now I’m seeing the difference. I miss Charlie so much that I feel like a part of me is missing at the moment. I felt more anger and embarrassment when Roger did what he did. That feeling was probably made stronger because Holden had sent me the video. My shame wasplete at Holden knowing that my own fiancé didn’t want me either.

    spanng="EN"That was the real reason for feeling humiliated. The fact that Roger was going to intentionally make me a mistress, after all I did for him. That was a p in the face that I had to pay back. Roger and his family thought they could walk all over me, but they’ll soon know that they never had the upper hand. I allowed their disrespect, thinking they understood I was giving them respect in doing so. I appreciated that Holden saved me from what Roger had nned. I don’t know if I could have ever recovered from that disgrace, but I know Holden hadn’t done it out of love. I didn’t know what Holden’s game was, but I did know that whatever it was, it wasn’t going to work on me.