I was completely occupied with my thoughts during the rest of the morning.

I took a shower after Elliot and Emma had left and the house was cleaned up, and got dressed.

To: Theo: Hi, Elliot and Emma have gone home. If you're free to come over, please do x

From: Theo: Ten minutes x

I was very troubled by him giving up this incredible opportunity for his career just so he could live with me.

I've never wanted to hold him back from football, knowing exactly how talented he was and able to go so incredibly far. Him being statistically the world's best football player meant he had endless opportunities available for him, and it would be a shame for him not to be able to play with the best of the best.

I had whipped up a quick lunch for us, thinking he must be hungry. Once I had set the table for us, the doorbell rang.

"Hi," I spoke after I'd opened the door and greeted Theo with a careful smile.

He looked tired, and I felt bad. He was wearing a black hoodie and jeans, with the hood of the hoodie up.

"Hi," he replied and cleared his throat.

He stepped inside and, as soon as I'd closed the door behind him, I turned towards him and was leaning up to kiss him.

I felt extremely conflicted when he avoided it, and leaned back. I understood him completely, though. If I had seen another woman kissing him, even if he had pulled back quickly like I had, the image would still be seared into my mind and it would be close to disgusting to think about.

"He kissed me, I pulled back," I reminded him, and he nodded almost dismissively, hands tucked into the front pocket of his hoodie. His body language was extremely telling right now; he felt awkward and conflicted.

"It's really good to see you again," I decided to tell him, "I've missed you a lot."

"I've missed you too," this seemed to relax Theo a bit, "I'm sorry that we haven't been able to talk often. It was so time consuming to start working with my lawyer and Real's lawyers to shorten the contract, along with the practice and league games..."

"It's fine, I understand completely," I assured him, "I've made us lunch, by the way."

"Yeah?" He gave me a small smile as I glanced back over my shoulder to see him following me after I'd begun making my way calmly toward the kitchen table.

"I thought you might be hungry. Have you had a chance to eat breakfast yet?" I asked him.

Theo shook his head, "no."

"Oh. This can be a sort of brunch, then," I decided.

We sat down at the table, opposite each other, and began eating the salad I had managed to make. Theo picked most of the pieces of chicken for himself.

"Protein," he told me when I raised my brows at him.

"Okay, fine," he gave in with a chuckle as my expression stayed challenging.

I smiled when he reached over to place a few of the pieces of chicken on to my plate.

"So..." I cleared my throat once we'd begun eating.

"I don't want the be that guy that restricts their girlfriend or fiancée, or whatever, from having certain friends. I don't want you to be friends with Elliot, though," he began, sounding as if he'd been holding this in since he'd arrived here, "I know how guys work. He could have accepted that you're with me, and that he's just a friend to you, but he kissed you. I don't like that at all."

"Look, neither do I. He made a mistake. And I might've said that you and I weren't doing so good... he most likely interpreted that as me meaning something I didn't..."

Theo's brows furrowed, "we aren't doing so good? Since that twat kissed you, sure, but why before?"

I shrugged, "you and that Spanish model. Us not texting or calling nearly as much as we used to..."

"What model? Do you mean Sara?" He seemed genuinely baffled.

"I don't know her name," I sighed, "but the one you've been photographed with. There's so many rumours that you have something with her, but you never cleared it up with me, and of course I over-thought it."

"There's dozens of rumours of me being with several other women. Do you expect me to have time to hunt them down and clear each one for you?" Theo raised his brows at me, and I realised what I'd sounded like.

"No, no," I shook my head in defeat while we ate, "of course not."

"Sara's a friend. She understands this whole long distance thing, she's helped me a lot," Theo then explained, "there's nothing sexual."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions," I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a tad embarrassed now.

"It's fine, love. But I still don't want you to be friends with Elliot."

"I have to be civil with him because I see him at the hospital often, and Linda's very fond of him... but I'll take some distance," I decided, and he nodded approvingly.

"You have no idea how much I want to punch him," he told me, completely seriously, "but I have a feeling I'm getting too old for that. You'd also be mad at me or it'd become a scandal if somehow someone outside saw...."

"It's good that you didn't do anything regrettable," I gave him a small smile, "I'll send him a text tonight about how what he did was definitely not okay, and we can't be as good friends as we were..."

"Good, good..." Theo returned my smile.

I wanted nothing more than to hug him and kiss him, but knew he would reject me again and it'd end up hurting me.

"Theo, it doesn't feel right," I began after a short moment, focused on his intense dark eyes, "you giving up Real Madrid for me..."

"I don't want to live away from you. I'm happier in England, anyway. Mum and my friends are here..." he explained.

"If we had never met, would you be staying in Madrid?" I had to ask him.

"Most likely," Theo honestly confirmed my slight fears with a shrug, "my life would be absolute shit, though, God knows if I'd still even be playing football if I hadn't met you."

I sighed, "Theo..."

"Love, I'm moving back to be with you. I don't care which club I play for, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not in this for more fame or success, I just love playing football," he explained and surprised me by reaching his hand over to take ahold of mine gently.

My gaze was focused solely on his, his small touch making me want even more to just pounce of him; suffocate him with hugs and kisses, reunite us mentally. His thumb moved gently over my knuckles, creating an intense form of intimacy.

"Aren't you happy I'm moving back?" The sides of his lips tugged up a little.

"Of course, I am," I found myself frowning, "but that's the selfish part of me. I hate to be a reason that's affecting your career negatively..."

Theo laughed, "haven't you heard a thing I've said, Tinker Bell? I don't care which club I'm in, as long as I can play football. That ideology makes it possible for me to be able to be with you without you affecting my career in any other way than positive."

I looked down at his hand holding mine and squeezed it gently.

"Don't overthink this. I'm moving back to London, it's finalised," he continued, "you're going to have to start taking showers with me... daily."

A small laugh left my lips, and I looked back up at him.

"You're gorgeous. Absolutely stunning," he added before I could begin thinking of what to reply with.

"Thank you," I gave him a smile, "you're really not too shabby yourself..."

Theo grinned and shrugged lightly, "we're okay, right? Is there anything else on your mind?"

"There's many things on my mind right now, but we're okay," I assured him, "I really hope you won't regret transferring back..."

"Good. And I won't," he gave me a nod, "what have you been up to? Tell me everything."

I smiled softly, just taking this incredible man in for a moment, before I spoke.

"Studies and work are draining. I haven't had time for much else," I began.

We chatted, catching up with each other and telling each other even the most insignificant happenings of the last few months, which still seemed to interest one another.

"Is she alright?" Theo seemed absolutely horrified after I'd told him Frosty had received a vaccination a week ago.

"She's fine," I giggled and sipped my wine, "she's recovered phenomenally."

"She hasn't even greeted me yet..." he then looked around for my cat.

"She's upstairs in my room," I told him and straightened up a bit in my seat opposite him.

A slow smirk began forming onto his lips as he found my gaze again, "is this some sort of plan to get me in to your bed? God, you're relentless, Scarlett!"

I gasped a laugh, "you're silly, Theo. You can say hi to her later. Are you tired?"

"Tired?"

"Yes, I mean, you said something about not having slept at all when you left after... you know..." I motioned with my hands a little so he understood.

"I'm a little tired. Not so much now than before," he cleared his throat, "you're very energising to be around."

I smiled, "why are you complimenting me so much? It's beginning to scare me..."

"Scare you?" He chuckled, "what am I supposed to do if I can't compliment my fiancée?"

We still hadn't kissed yet. We had been apart for three months after I'd last seen him in Spain, and a proper hug hadn't even been shared!

My body was tingling for this physical space to vanish as soon as possible, even when I enjoyed talking to him more than anything else. I needed him to touch me and feel me, I needed to have him against me and do the same to him.