A Typical Love Story

Chapter Six: Awkward Moments

Penelope sighed as she stepped into her own bedroom and closed the door behind her, she leant against it for a moment before she closed her eyes.

Penelope knew that Cesc was sulking in his own bedroom, she hated that they had run into Daniella and that the woman seemed so happy after what she had done to Cesc.

Penelope shook her head, she had just been able to resist the urge to slap the Lebanese for what she had done to Cesc; it wasn’t fair that she got to be so happy after what she had done.

Penelope walked over to her bed and plopped down on it, she lay back hating that Cesc was hurting and there was nothing that she could do.

The footballer was currently moping in his bedroom right now and Penelope didn’t know how to make things better; she just hoped that he would be able to snap out of this.

Penelope stared up at her white ceiling, she didn’t know what to do and she knew that it was a step back for Cesc right now; he had been doing so well and she wished to help him.

Chewing on her lip, Penelope looked at her clock and sighed, it had been hours since they had run into Daniella and it was getting late now; she doubted that anything good would be happening that night.

Penelope got to her feet and quietly moved into her bathroom so that she could run herself a nice calming bath; she deserved it after the day that she’d had.

Penelope was still hurting from Cesc’s words in the café even if she knew that was how he saw her; it had hurt to hear him say that she was just his best friend.

Penelope set about turning on the taps and poured in some lavender and water-lily bubble bath and added some bath salts; she smiled to herself getting out some vanilla scented candles deciding to treat herself.

***

Cesc smiled sadly as he slowly moved to set Lia in her bed, he pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head; he knew that it wouldn’t be long before Daniella’s lawyer contacted him.

Cesc truly feared what his former fiancée might do especially with Elie’s money now at her hand; he didn’t want to lose his daughter or watch Elie replace him in her life.

“I love you,” Cesc whispered looking around the room, he needed to speak with Penelope if they were going to stay with her; Lia needed a proper room and he was sure that his friend wouldn’t mind redecorating.

Cesc quietly walked out of Lia’s room, he didn’t know what was going to happen now; it had truly hurt to see Daniella happy with her ex-husband, he missed her more than he had ever truly imagined.

Cesc sighed closing Lia’s door, he leant against the wall knowing that he would fight for his daughter; he wouldn’t allow Daniella to cut him out of her life.

Lia was his little girl and while he did miss Maria and Joseph; they were never his, he felt bad that Elie had been out in the cold during the three years that he had been with Daniella.

Maria and Joseph had barely spoke to their father after they had moved to Barcelona to be with him and Daniella; they had been so excited about their future step-father that they had forgotten all about their real father.

Cesc closed his brown eyes, he hated that things had worked out like this but he needed to move on; he couldn’t waste his time on someone that clearly didn’t love him.

Cesc stood there for a moment, he had to move on with his life and he was glad that Penelope was with him; he didn’t know what he would ever do without his best friend.

Cesc opened his eyes and smiled, he had been a little off with Penelope since they had bumped into Daniella and he wished to apologise; she didn’t deserve his bad temper when she had done nothing wrong.

Cesc moved away from the cream wall and quietly moved towards Penelope’s bedroom, he had never seen inside and he liked to give her space but he needed to apologise.

Cesc paused outside the door for a moment, he listened quietly wondering what Penelope would be doing before he pushed the door open and walked inside.

“Penny, I wanted to…” Cesc started to say stepping into her bedroom, he looked around taking in the room before his eyes locked on the naked form of his best friend; he blinked surprised at the sight before him, he felt an odd stirring downstairs as he looked at Penelope.

“Cesc what the hell?” Penelope squeaked as she stopped what she was doing and grabbed her cream mid length dressing gown; she wrapped it around herself as Cesc slapped a hand over his eyes.

Penelope took a deep breath, she didn’t know what had made him enter her bedroom without knocked; she felt mortified that Cesc had just seen her naked.

“I’m sorry,” Cesc spluttered shocked at what he had just done, he hadn’t even considered that she would be naked; he swallowed even more surprised that a certain part of him was reacting to what he had seen.

Cesc had never seen Penelope as anything but his best friend, she was a constant in his life and now he was so confused about what had happened.

“Okay…” Penelope said allowing Cesc to look at her, she stared at him wondering what he had wanted; she was just glad that she had reacted quickly enough to him walking in like that.

Cesc opened and closed his mouth for a moment, he stared at Penelope trying to forget the image that was now stuck in his head; he had never thought of her like that before in the eleven years that they had known each other.

“Is there something that you wanted?” Penelope asked, she brushed some hair from her face as she smiled weakly at Cesc wanting to try and ease the tension.

Cesc nodded his head quickly, he couldn’t un-see Penelope naked and it seemed to be replaying in his mind; he didn’t know what was going on but he didn’t like it.

“I was thinking that maybe we could, I don’t know… decorate Lia’s room tomorrow?” Cesc spluttered trying to focus on anything but how short Penelope’s dressing gown was; he felt aroused and his mind couldn’t focus right now as the blood moved elsewhere in his body.

Penelope nodded her head, she looked away from Cesc as he continued to stare at her; she had never seen him like this before but she knew it was just a reaction to seeing her naked.

“I’ll leave you to get dressed… we can sort things out tomorrow,” Cesc murmured stepping slowly out of the room, he quickly closed her bedroom door behind him; his mind completely forgetting to apologise for his behaviour after running into Daniella.

Cesc groaned softly to himself, he couldn’t believe that had happened and he knew it would make things a little awkward between them; she was his best friend and that was all she would ever be.

Cesc felt a pang of disappoint at that thought, he had never thought of Penelope as anything more and now he was having all of these odd feelings; he shook his head before hurrying back to his own bedroom.

Cesc had a problem to deal with before he could even consider facing Penelope again, he would never live it down if she noticed that he had become aroused at her naked form.

Cesc didn’t know what had brought this on but he had to get rid of these feelings before they affected his friendship with Penelope; he doubted that she would ever see him as anything more than her best friend.