Chapter Twelve - Letting Loose

I open the door just in time to see Theo stepping out of his car in a velvet black suit. Holy fuck, I think to myself as I watch his eyes roam my figure. Aria runs ahead and they hug each other before he pulls out a lone white rose. It's short enough to fix in her hair and he secures it with her bobby pin before kissing her forehead.

"You look gorgeous bug."

"Theo! Stop calling me that!" She crosses her arms with a playful huff.

"Tough luck!" He grins before helping her into the car just as I reach them. He turns to me after closing the door and a handsome smile blooms across his lips. "And you, like always, take my breath away Charlotte."

I chuckle softly as he takes my hand and pulls me close. "Thank you. You look very handsome too, I love the velvet."

"Thank you." He murmurs before kissing me slowly.

We pull away hesitantly and gaze into each other's eyes, grey to green. I sigh in content as he rests his forehead against mine. Our hands brush lightly against each other's, fingers trailing our skin teasingly. Small smiles quirk the corners of our lips before we step away with the hidden promise of stoking the flames of our burning desire some other time.

"Shall we go? We wouldn't want to be late." I gesture towards the car.

"I wanted to ask you something first...I've been meaning to ask for a while now." He suddenly looks nervous. "I know now isn't the best time or place but I want my family to know that you mean more to me than just a date. Will you be my girlfriend Char?"

"Wow Theo, if I had known all it would take was a dress for you to ask me I would've worn one sooner." I wink and he chuckles in relief. "Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."

He pecks my cheek but unable to resist we kiss each other deeply before we get in the car. I'm a flustered mess as I put my seatbelt on and my gaze flickers to Theo only to realize he's just the same. His eyes swirl with a heady mix of lust and adoration as they roam my figure once again before settling on my lips. I shoot him a warning look to behave and he bites his lip before nodding.

Aria's too engrossed in the game on my phone to notice as the car starts. We drive off towards the hall, which is about thirty minutes away, with the radio playing softly in the background. Theo tells me more about his cousin who's getting engaged, their family and some funny memories of them together. The car ride flies by and in no time we're parking the car and heading inside.

"I'll go get Aria settled with the other children." I point to the room and he nods.

"Text me and I'll come back to the foyer. I'll see where my family is in the meantime." He smiles before we head off in opposite directions.

Aria certainly doesn't take long to get settled in with the other kids. The room is filled with toys, games, and some child friendly devices they can use. There's three women who will be supervising them for safety measures which is a relief. I've been anxious about leaving my daughter alone here but the second she heard I was going to a party that she could also attend it's all she was talking about.

"Okay, I'll check in on you from time to time. They'll be serving dinner soon so I'll come get you then." I smooth down the skirt of her sky-blue dress.

"Alright mum, can I go now?" She asks, almost bouncing on her toes in excitement to go play.

"Yes, have fun!" I chuckle and watch as she runs off.

With one last glance at her I smile at the women before leaving. As I'm texting Theo I almost miss the man making his way into the ballroom and almost bump into him. My eyes widen in surprise as he grabs my arm to steady me.

"Whoa there! I get that I'm the most handsome man you've ever seen but no need to fall to my feet now." He chuckles huskily and I pull away immediately.

"Aren't you a little too full of yourself?" I arch a brow as I fix my dress.

He's tall and lean, exuding authority like no other. Dark strands of his hair fall into his eyes and he doesn't seem to care about them looking unruly as he runs a hand through them. His eyes are a pale blue, crystal clear like a lake but if it were covered in ice. I spot numerous tattoos on the side of his neck, peeking from the undone buttons of his shirt and on his wrists disappearing under his sleeves. They seem to compliment his dark, alluring exterior.

Nothing compared to Theo, I think to myself and feel my cheeks warm over the thought of him in his suit earlier.

"Feisty. I love that." He grins devilishly as he steps much too close. "What's a gorgeous woman like you doing here without a date?"

"Who said I came without one?"

"Touché." He nods before mischief dances in his eyes. "But I bet I can make your night much more worthwhile."

"Oh?" I feign surprise as he smirks. "I thought the most handsome man I've ever seen must be already taken?"

He sighs dramatically and it takes everything in me not to laugh. "Unfortunately, I have not yet found the one to tame my wild heart."

"And you never will by promising worthwhile nights to countless others." I joke and he grins genuinely.

"My oh my, I think I might be falling in love." He murmurs as a joke and I roll my eyes playfully before heading into the ballroom.

I find Theo standing near the doors typing on his phone with a frown. He glances towards them again before I step into his line of sight. "Hey, everything alright with Aria?"

"Yeah she was itching to go play the second she saw the room." I grin which makes him laugh.

"I'm glad, there's supervisors there so she'll be safe." He kisses my temple before taking my hand. "Come on, I want to introduce you to my family."

The nerves come back in full force. "O-Okay."

"Don't worry, they'll love you. Elena's there too and you've already met her." He smiles tenderly as he pulls me close. "It'll be fine, trust me."

He guides me to the middle of the hall where a group of people stand. I instantly spot Elena standing beside Roman and she waves at me excitedly. My smile falters a little when everyone turns to look at us before I force myself to relax.

An older couple stands between the group and they smile at me kindly which I return. The woman has blonde hair with blue-green eyes and a slim build. The man next to her has brown hair and green eyes with a muscular build. Half of the men look like her whereas the others look like the man standing beside her.

"Everyone this is Charlotte Davidson, my girlfriend. Char this is my mother, Michelle, and my dad, Evan." Theo introduces us and I chuckle softly when Michelle embraces me excitedly.

"It's so lovely to meet you Charlotte! You look stunning!" She compliments and tucks my hair behind my ear.

"As do you, the color suits you." I reply softly and she beams at me.

"Nice to meet you Charlotte." Evan shakes my hand and I return the greeting.

"You've already met Roman, Elena and Noah." Theo wraps his arm around my waist as we turn to the others. "This is Ryder and his wife Ella."

Ryder and Ella both have brown hair but he has blue eyes whereas hers are a beautiful emerald green. His features are sharp and angular but hers are softer and more delicate. I'm introduced to Hunter and Zoe next. His clear blues and features match his brothers but his hair is blonde. Zoe stands out with her red hair, green eyes, and visible freckles.

"It's great to finally meet you Charlotte! Theo hasn't shut up about you so we've been curious." Ella smirks at her brother-in-law who's glaring at her playfully.

"All good things I hope?" I tease as I nudge his side.

"Only the best don't worry." Zoe winks as I shake hands with all of them. "You should've seen the panic on his face when he couldn't find you earlier!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I bumped into this guy who started flirting with me the second he saw me." I shake my head in amusement

I look up to see everyone else glancing at each other with knowing looks. Theo frowns in displeasure before his eyes widen and a look of realization passes through them. A soft groan escapes him and he facepalms himself which makes me stare at him in confusion.

"Did this guy have dark hair, pale blue eyes and tattoos like...everywhere?" Ella questions with an amused smile.

"Yes! Do you know him?"

"Well, hello again gorgeous." I hear the familiar voice of that man and this time he puts his arm around my shoulders.

"Judah! That's my girlfriend!" Theo glares at him murderously and the man called Judah jumps away from me as if I'm on fire.

He fails to hide a smirk before switching to a serious expression. "I meant that she's gorgeous in a sister-in-law type of way!"

I blush fiercely as everyone laughs. Theo smiles softly and pulls me back into his comforting embrace again as Judah meets everyone. I feel Theo lean down until his lips brush against the top of my ear, eliciting an involuntary shiver from me. He whispers an apology about Judah's behavior and I squeeze his hand reassuringly to let him know it's alright.

"Judah Jackson." He holds his hand out for me to shake which I do. "I flirt with any woman who has a heartbeat so my sincerest apologies."

"Charlotte Davidson." I bite my lip to stifle my smile. "And it's alright...I now understand you're just searching."

He pauses before a slow burning smile graces his lips. "That's what we'll call it."

"Searching for what?" Evan asks curiously and Judah whirls around to face him.

"For a bride father! What else?!"

Evan can't help but smile at his son before turning to me. "So, I heard you moved to Dallas Charlotte? Where from?"

"From the UK. I got offered a job as a studio arts lecturer in the University of Dallas." I explain as we all walk over to our table for the evening.

"How are you liking it so far? And Dallas?" Ryder asks as he drapes an arm over the back of Ella's chair.

"The job is great and thankfully my schedule is flexible. The groups of students I teach are wonderful too, all very passionate." I smile happily before glancing at Theo. "Dallas is a nice place and everyone's been quite welcoming so it's been relatively easy to settle down."

"That's lovely to hear, I'm glad you're enjoying it." Michelle smiles warmly, she oozes motherly affection which I haven't felt in so long. "Are your family still in the UK or do you have any relatives here?"

Theo discreetly grabs my hand and squeezes it reassuringly. "Yeah, I have my paternal grandmother here. She doesn't live far from me and Aria."

"Aria?" Zoe questions curiously.

"Sorry, Aria is my daughter. She's six." I smile but become slightly nervous on what they'll think of me.

"Oh, I'd love to meet her! Is she here?" Michelle gasps as her eyes light up.

"Mom loves children..." Judah snorts as the server pours us our drinks. "Clearly!"

"Oh, don't be rude Judah!" She huffs with a smack to his head before turning back to me. "Has she been settling in okay? A big move like that can be difficult for children."

"Thankfully, she loves it here." I nod with a fond smile.

We continue chatting until the couple arrive. Everyone claps and cheers as they make their entrance before greeting us. They make some speeches, show us a slideshow of their time together before the food is served.

Theo, Judah, and Hunter leave to get the children for dinner and I grin when Aria runs up to me. She greets everyone politely as I meet Isaiah and Mila who are Ryder and Ella's children before meeting Ariel who is Hunter and Zoe's daughter.

"Mum! They have so many games!" She giggles excitedly as Theo takes his seat.

"She didn't want to leave at first." He chuckles and Aria turns to him.

"Because I was going to win. I won three games!"

"But you lost five." Theo shrugs with a playful smile. "I would've won all of them bug."

"No, you wouldn't! We'll play after and you're going to lose!" She smirks before poking his side to tickle him. "And don't call me bug!"

"Sorry..." He shrugs but I can see that he's going to tease her again. "Bug."

"Mum!" She whines softly at the same time Theo turns to me. "Char!"

Everyone at the table laughs at us as I shake my head. "Theo stop and Ari dinner's going to start so why don't you join Isaiah, Mila and Ariel?"

Both stick their tongue out at each other playfully before she leaves. Theo winks at me and kisses my cheek before I look up to see Michelle's and Evan's eyes on us. They stare at us with a content yet knowing look and I blush. I catch them grin at each other before digging in and smile to myself, relieved that they approve of me.

After dinner, the children go back to their games room. The music changes to a more upbeat rhythm and incites people to gravitate towards the dance floor. Judah's the first one to get up and surprisingly drags his dad with him. Evan glares back at Michelle who makes no move to go and save him. We burst into laughter when Judah tries some risky moves on him and earns nothing more than a scolding and some smacks.

"Come on Roman!" Elena grins widely but struggles to get her husband off the chair.

"Fuck no." I hear him mutter and within seconds all his brothers are pushing and pulling him off the chair.

"Thank you boys!" Elena blows everyone a kiss before they disappear into the crowd.

Evan comes back muttering curses under his breath before asking Michelle for a dance. I watch how they look at each other with so many emotions, their love visibly evident. Ryder and Hunter convince their wives to join before Theo turns to me. I chuckle before slipping my hand in his as we follow behind the rest.

We dance in time to the rhythm and the whole room comes alive. Everyone's cheering and hollering as the couple make their way to the middle. We clap in time to the beat as they dance before their families join in. I laugh as Theo twirls me around before pulling me impossibly close. My eyelids flutter shut as he rests his forehead on mine, his hands trailing a delicious path of heat as they caress my body.

"Theo..." I breathe although I doubt he can hear with how loud the music is.

I open my eyes to see him smiling down at me. His thumb caresses my bottom lip before his lips brush against mine. I feel him mouth "you're perfect," and it makes me smile widely before our lips press against each other. It's brief, mindful of the fact that we're at someone's engagement party, but it's oh so heavenly just like every other time.

I find myself wanting more of him, craving to go further. He pulls away and leaves a lingering kiss on my forehead before whirling me around. I yelp in surprise before laughing when he pulls me against his body. We dance together and find the others along the way who join in. A carefree smile is plastered on my face the entire time as we all dance with each other.

Eventually the fun comes to an end when it's time for dessert. I loop my arm around Theo's as we make our way back to the table. He tilts my chin up and kisses me sweetly but I quickly pull away with a gasp. I narrow my eyes and swat his arm playfully.

"Theo! Don't be rude, it can wait until later!"

"It's not my fault you're so tempting sunshine." He drawls innocently with a cheeky wink.

I'm at a loss for words and he grins boyishly when he realizes. I look down when I feel a blush warming my cheeks again for what seems like the hundredth time since I've met him. His rich laughter makes the butterflies go crazy as he tucks me into his side.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you." I shake my head with a smile before looking up.

Then I see him.

Update schedule is: once a week whenever I find time!

Vote if you are enjoying this story!

Chapter 13 is already up on Inkitt! Click the link in my bio or announcement post to read my book faster!

1. Download the app

2. Follow my profile

3. Put my book in your reading list!

- R.W. ♡