Since I wasn't an incredibly adventurous person, I loved how the new slip I had bought from Victoria's Secret provided me a good amount of coverage, yet was still sexy and made me feel very confident.

The material was red satin, just-and-just covering my behind and extenuating my curves. The plunging v-neck had a lovely chantilly lace trim, with thin straps holding it up.

I was tiptoeing over to Theo's room, not being too careful since I heard my father snoring loudly down the other end of the hallway.

It was past midnight. We had enjoyed a lovely dinner, and I couldn't have been happier as to how well I got along again with Louis. He had changed for the better, and I thanked the Lord for it.

When morning would come, we would celebrate my father's birthday.

Gently, I knocked twice on the door of the room Theo was staying in, before silently twisting the handle and opening the door just enough to able myself to slip in.

I closed the door and turned around to find him on the bed, leaning against the backrest, shirtless with the duvet tugged to cover his lap, with his phone resting in his hand.

It was dark, but the open curtains enabled moonlight to cast a dim glow by the bed.

"Wow," was the first thing that left his lips after I began nearing him. His dark eyes ran over my complexion, darkening even more when he shifted and placed his phone on the night table.

I arrived by the bed and lifted my right knee onto it, about to climb towards him.

"Do you like it?" I asked quietly, smiling mischievously to myself. The way he watched me made me feel even more sexy and confident.

"I love it..." he sounded quite preoccupied, his tongue darting out quickly to run over his lower lip as he took me in.

"I just bought it from Victoria's Secret," I told him, smile widening when he cleared his throat quietly.

His eyes raised up to meet mine, causing my core to clench with how intense they were, "you look gorgeous in anything. Right now is no exception."

I took it upon myself to then manoeuvre myself over to straddle his duvet-covered lap. I placed my hands on his hard chest, feeling his muscles underneath my palms.

"Hi," I lowered my voice almost down to a whisper, loving the way he was watching me. His back was still against the headboard, his hands slowly moving onto my bare thighs.

"Hey," he chuckled, his tone mirroring mine while his hands pushed up the silk material of the slip as they moved even higher on my thighs.

"What's the connection between you and Lucy?" I had to ask him, as close to him as possible with a deep craving for care and closeness.

His brows furrowed, dark features darkening, "what do you mean?"

"You know her from somewhere, Theo. It's fine if she is an ex, I'm fine with the fact that you've had others before me," I was assuring him, but somehow with the change in his expression I realised maybe I was on the wrong track.

"She isn't an ex," he shook his head, "she's nobody. Don't worry yourself about it, Tinker Bell."

"You telling me not to worry is making me worry," I told him, glancing down at our laps with a quiet laugh.

I felt him brush a piece of my hair behind my ear, his other hand still staying very high up on my bare thigh.

"Don't. She's your brother's girlfriend, whom he met in rehab. How is there any way I could know her?" Theo had his brows raised at me a little when I looked back up again, finding his gaze. He wouldn't lie to me, would he?

I just gave him a nod.

"As lovely as this looks on you, I can't help but want to take it off..." he murmured after a second, his eyes moving down from mine.

I smiled, relaxing again as completely different thoughts entered my mind. I leaned in to press my lips against his, my hands cupping his jaw in the process.

He kissed back, his hand moving up from my thigh and underneath my slip to hold me against him from the small of my back. His other hand was moving along my waist, his thumb brushing over my breast every now and then.

Just as I was about to pull the slip over my head, his following question made me pull back completely.

"How many children do you want?"

I spluttered and stared at him, "excuse me?"

He chuckled and ran a hand over his face, "that came out a little wrong."

"A little? You think?"

"What Louis said when we'd arrived, about your dad having spoken something about grandkids," he explained, "it just got me wondering."

"Oh," I was still rather amused at the sudden change and a little confused as to why he'd brought such a subject up, knowing it would ruin the mood which I had purposefully tried to set to a specific one by wearing a slip like this, "I've always wanted to adopt. There's so many children in need of good homes."

"You don't want to have your own?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. When I'm done with my studies and am financially stable, then I'll start thinking further about maybe having kids or adopting one. What about you?"

"I want a boy. I'd train him to be the best footballer of his generation," he told me proudly with a grin, and I giggled gently while shaking my head at his plans.

"What do you mean you're not financially stable?" Theo then wondered.

I sighed, knowing the mood was now completely gone.

"I have to pay back student loans and things like that, which I needed to pay my studies with," I explained, "most young adults have them, it's no big deal."

"How much do you need to pay?"

"I'm not talking about this with you," I shook my head with a confused smile.

"Why not?" He seemed truly intent on knowing, "student loans will only hold you back when you finish your studies..."

"I'll have them paid when I start working as a registered nurse, it's fine," I brushed it off, "why does this interest you, anyway?"

"I could always help you with them," he offered, dark eyes very serious, "it would be nothing—"

"No. Absolutely not, Theo," I shook my head firmly, "I've worked very hard to get to where I am now, I'm not going to have anyone but me taking care of my financial situation."

"Which is exactly why I'm offering to help you, birdie," a small smile tugged at the sides of his lips, finding me amusing, "you're way too stubborn for your own good."

"We're not discussing this anymore," I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I still felt hot with his hands on me, feeling me, but this conversation was really lessening my arousal.

"Sure," Theo gave me a small nod, "I want to ask one thing of you, though."

"Theo..."

"It's got nothing to do with your student loans, don't worry," he smiled, and I gently rolled my eyes.

"Visit me in Russia. I want to fly you out."

"You've asked me before," I reminded him.

"You didn't give me an answer, Scarlett," he spoke, "it would just be one weekend, the last week of the Cup. Right now, it looks like we're heading towards the finals, so we're either playing for third of first place during that weekend."

"That sounds serious," I grinned lightly, "you won't have time for me."

"Of course, I will. I've asked to have one day completely free without any training between games, which I want to spend with you," he informed me, "it's a week away. I'll take care of all the expenses, I just need you there."

"Why? I'll only be a 'distraction'," I threw a bit of shade towards the gossipers who'd called me that.

He grinned, his hands slowly moving the satin slip up my body, "you won't. More of a motivator, if you ask me... say yes, Scarlett. We'll get to see the country and just be regular tourists."

"There's nothing regular when it comes to you. Especially when spending time with you in public," I frowned a little.

Theo shook his head, "trust me on this, baby."

I sighed, his eyes mesmerising me completely, "alright, fine. I just need to ask to have the weekend off, which means I'll have to do so much more work than normal during the week... I don't want you to pay for me, though, it makes me feel uncomfortable."

"Okay. You'll just take a private jet, then."

"No way," I held back a laugh, shaking my head furiously.

"Yes. Unless you want me to start paying for first class..." he smirked casually, "you and Emma could fly out together, no?"

"Fine. Let's discuss this later, I'm too happy about how well this visit is going to start planning the future," I told him with a gentle smile.

Theo nodded, lifting the slip over my head and leaving me in just a pair of red lace panties.

"I'm glad you're getting along with your brother. How do you feel about it?"

"It's a little strange, I'm still trying to process everything. He's so different now; good different..." I said, "I know my dad's so happy to have us in his life again. I also know he doesn't show it, but he's obsessed with you."

"You think so?" He chuckled, "he's a very kind person, Scarlett. Trying to make up for time he's lost during your childhood now, it's sweet even if you might find it annoying that we're sleeping in different rooms."

"I understand his motivations," I sighed, "I just feel a little like a fool for having asked you to come here when we relatively have no time to ourselves..."

"Don't. I'm honoured you've let me meet your family, love."

With his hands now moving along my bare sides, I no longer wanted to talk about my family.

I leaned in and kissed him.