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"Wait!" Isla's voice halted Charlotte mid-step. "Could you also bring up some of those delightful shortbread cookies? They were divine."
"Divine?" Charlotte echoed, stalling. "Well, I suppose they did turn out rather well. I'll be back before you can say 'bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.'"
"Take your time," Isla said, unaware of the intricate dance unfolding around her. "I'm in no rush."
"Neither am I," Charlotte answered, a touch too quickly, her gaze darting to the top of the stairs where she saw Simon's shadow pause and retreat, the man himself evidently deciding to give them space.
She hastened back down, collecting the glass of lemon water from Simon with a whispered apology—and thanks—and a small plate of shortbread cookies. He gazed at her warmly and brushed her cheek with his lips, a promise and an enticement.
“Hurry back.”
Her heart was a hummingbird in her chest, the thrill of near-misses adding an unexpected zest to the night.
"Here you go, lemon water to cleanse the palate and shortbread cookies to spoil it right after," Charlotte said with a twinkle in her eye as she presented the treats to Isla.
"You're spoiling me rotten," Isla laughed, accepting the offerings. "It's a good thing I don't stay here often, or I'd never leave."
"Consider it a perk of being our most charming guest," Charlotte replied, her smile lingering as she imagined Simon waiting below, wine bottle in hand, ready to pour them both another glass. "Goodnight, Isla," Charlotte said, her voice soft. She watched Isla disappear into her room and listened for the click of the latch before allowing herself a moment to lean against the cool wall, eyes closed, breathing deep.
"Everything okay?" Simon's voice startled her as she descended the last few steps, his presence like a beacon drawing her back to the world they had woven together.
"Better than okay," Charlotte assured him, her smile genuine now. "We have the night to ourselves, and I plan to make the most of it."
But the night seemed to have other plans.
"Charlotte, darling, could I trouble you for a fan? It's rather stuffy in my room," Isla called again from the top of the stairs, her voice as light and airy as the summer curtains fluttering in the parlor.
"Of course, let me just—" Charlotte began, glancing at Simon who was decanting a new bottle of rich red wine with deft movements, his rugged hands careful against the delicate crystal. "I'll be right back."
"Take your time," Simon said, his eyes holding a promise that wove through the air between them like silk.
Ascending the grand staircase, Charlotte located an electric fan from the guest amenities cupboard, her thoughts racing. How could she keep weaving this enchanting spell with Simon while attending to Isla's needs?
"Here you are," she said, presenting the fan to Isla with a smile that masked her internal juggling act.
"Thanks ever so much." Isla's gratitude felt plastic.
Returning to Simon, Charlotte allowed herself to be pulled back into their private cocoon. Their fingers brushed as she accepted her glass of wine, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.
"Where were we?" Charlotte whispered, her gaze locked with Simon's.
"Right about here," he replied, leaning in closer, his breath warm against her cheek.
"Charlotte, I hate to be a bother, but the bulb in my bedside lamp seems to have gone out," Isla's voice drifted down to them once again, cutting through the burgeoning intimacy like a ship's prow through calm waters.
"Of course, Isla," Charlotte responded, a hint of strain beginning to show in her otherwise serene facade. She turned to Simon with an apologetic look before slipping away once more.
In the solitude of the corridor, Charlotte fetched a new bulb, her mind churning. How many more interruptions before the spell was broken entirely? Returning to Isla, who was lounging in bed with the overhead room light blazing, Charlotte replaced the bulb with efficiency.
"Anything else you need?" Charlotte asked, hoping her words didn't betray the tension gripping her chest.
"No, that should be it. Thank you, Charlotte. You're a lifesaver."
Back downstairs, Simon looked up, his smile reigniting the warmth within her.
"You’re very popular tonight," he murmured, drawing her close.
"Thank you, but I’m not exactly sure it’s a good kind of popular," she replied, resting her head against his chest for a fleeting moment of peace.
