He crossed the street, then stepped on the brakes beside the barbershop, turning off the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt. Next to him, Charlotte hesitated as she unfastened her belt, unable to get out, her shoulders trembling with every thunderous sound from the angry sky above.
Outside, Lyudmila's father greeted his daughter under his umbrella and gently hugged her inside his coat to keep her warm. Daniel tried to join the hug innocently:
"Sir, I'm cold too."
The elderly man with faded brown hair chuckled lightly, handing Leonid a closed umbrella:
"Sir? Is that how you address your father-in-law legally? What a disappointment!"
Daniel smiled shyly, then said proudly:
"Even after proposing to your daughter, you'll always be 'sir' in my eyes, no matter what."
"I never expected you to be this committed."
Daniel laughed at Lyudmila's father's teasing.
Meanwhile, Leonid opened the umbrella and walked to the car door to help Charlotte out. He noticed how she was covering her ears, her dark eyes glistening with held-back tears.
"It's okay, you're safe."
He reassured her in a loud enough voice to be heard over the noise, raising his rain-soaked hand to gently brush her cheek:
"I'll hold you, and we'll walk together to my car. I parked it in advance, so we won't have to run toward the building."
Charlotte closed her eyes and rested her head slightly against his cold hand, feeling safe beside him.
"Come on, let me carry you, but first, hold the umbrella for me."
Charlotte was momentarily surprised, but she obeyed, holding the umbrella with her hands to shield him from the heavy rain. Leonid removed his jacket, shook it off, and then wrapped it around her body protectively:
"This way, I'll make sure you never get wet."
He took the umbrella back from her hands and gestured to her:
"Come closer."
Charlotte nodded and shuffled forward in the seat to get closer to him.
As she barely wrapped her arms around his neck, lightning suddenly struck above them. He quickly embraced her, and she closed her eyes.
"It's okay, just a flash of light, it won't hurt you."
Leonid patted her back, then carried her out with one arm, closing the car door behind them.
Charlotte clung to him like a child seeking a protective hug from her father, her face pressed against his neck, her body sticking to him without shame.
He smiled, whispering playfully in her ear, ignoring the storm around them:
"This way, you'll be leaving lipstick marks on my shirt collar."
He patted her thigh reassuringly with his fingers, then added lightly:
"Even during my shower today, I had trouble washing off the traces of your kisses on my neck… I couldn't believe how strong they were, especially given your constant complaints about me not kissing your lips to avoid smudging them."
Charlotte shivered with embarrassment and lifted her head to look at him.
"When did you distribute these kisses on your neck?"
"Before bed."
He answered as he quickened his pace toward his car, taking advantage of her distraction by their conversation.
"You probably don't remember when or how, because you were so sleepy… and emotional too. Honestly, you were very cute."
"You were… what?"
Her cheeks flushed intensely, coloring her ears and the nape of her neck, as Leonid transferred the umbrella to his arm holding Charlotte and smoothly opened his car door to place her inside.
"Finally, you're safe."
Charlotte was momentarily startled to be under the car roof, but she didn't take her eyes or arms off Leonid.
"Are you still scared?"
Leonid asked, noticing she was still clinging to him.
Charlotte shook her head quickly and pulled her arms to her lap, then remembered his jacket; she was about to remove it, but Leonid stopped her.
"It's okay, keep it on until the car warms you up."
Charlotte lowered her hands and nodded. Leonid glanced behind him and said:
"I'll go get our luggage. You can wait alone, right?"
He looked back at her, studying her for a moment.
"You won't be scared without me?"
Charlotte bit her lip, trying to suppress her desire to keep him close, then clenched her fists and nodded in resignation:
"I'll be fine… just be careful."
Leonid smiled lightly at her, then stepped back and closed the door behind him. He headed toward Lyudmila's father's car, where Daniel was waiting. As soon as he saw him, Daniel helped carry his bag and Charlotte's.
"I'll stay with Lyudmila; you can go back without me."
"Alright, see you later."
"Take your time, and stay close to Charlotte tonight."
Leonid nodded, handed Daniel the key to Lyudmila's father's car, and crossed the road toward his own car. He placed the two bags gently inside, then returned to Charlotte's side.
He sat first, shook off the umbrella, and closed it before shutting the door behind him.
Before starting the car, he rubbed his hands together, but Charlotte interrupted him suddenly:
"Give me your hands."
She stretched out her open hands to him in a desperate invitation. Leonid immediately complied, placing his cold hands on her palms.
The contrast between the coldness of his hands and the warmth of hers was strangely striking. Leonid lowered his lashes, watching her hands as they tried to warm his.
She didn't have to do anything like that he was trained to endure the harshest weather and biting cold yet he said nothing and welcomed her gesture openly.
Charlotte blew warm air onto the backs of his hands to heat them. She noticed just how rough and harsh his hands were, yet they felt like the softest hands she had ever held, pampering her and giving her a sense of safety.
They were the only hands that made her feel a sense of belonging… Was it time to thank him for noticing her, for choosing her among so many women?
"Thank you."
Leonid raised an eyebrow and looked at her with curiosity.
"Thank me for what?"
He smiled quietly.
"I was just doing my duty. I'm a gentleman, remember? But not when we're alone… in bed."
Suddenly, he felt warmth dripping onto his palms. He tilted his head and saw her tears falling onto her cheeks behind strands of chestnut hair as she tried to stifle her sobs while continuing to warm his hands.
Leonid sighed softly, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers, his eyes locking with hers.
"You make me feel ashamed of myself, Charlotte…"
He murmured in a low voice, cold as the winds raging outside the car.
"Were you afraid without me?"
"Yes…"
"Well, I'm here now… so why are you crying?"
He sighed and gently cupped her hands between his.
"Something else is bothering you, isn't it?"
Charlotte shook her head, denying it.
"No…"
"Then what are these tears for?"
"They're tears of joy…"
Leonid raised an eyebrow, staring at her with disbelief.
"Joy? You look completely sad and frustrated."
"I'm… just grateful."
Leonid paused for a moment, lowered his gaze, and ran his thumb over the diamond on her ring.
"Grateful to whom?"
He asked quietly, with a slight hint of irritation in his voice.
"To the person who makes you cry with gratitude?"
"It's…"
Charlotte lifted her head, her eyes meeting his through strands of hair.
He reached out gently, combing her hair behind her ear before resting it on her cheek, waiting eagerly for her answer.
Charlotte exhaled slowly, then whispered in a soft yet clear voice:
"It's… you."
Leonid's eyebrow shot up for a moment, then he leaned in slowly, his fingers sliding from her cheek down her neck, drawing her closer.
He paused briefly to give her a short breath before crushing his lips onto hers in a deep kiss, relentless and unhesitant. He gradually opened her mouth, engulfing her fully, one hand holding her firmly, the other gliding lightly over her body. His jacket slipped down her back, and he pressed his palm to her waist, pulling her forcefully toward him.
Their broken breaths grew more intense, their bodies pressed together in the confined space, each movement igniting their pulses further. The world faded; only the rain outside the glass and the fire blazing between their lips remained.
When he suddenly pulled back to let her catch her breath, his trace lingered on her: her trembling lips, her heaving chest, and her hand rising to touch his cheek, as if pleading for him not to leave.
His fingers trembled as they slid over her thigh, torn between the desire that burned him and the mind pulling him away.
After a moment of struggle, he turned his face aside, fearing that another lingering glance might ignite an unquenchable fire.
"We have to leave now."
He gently moved her hand from his cheek and slid back into his seat, tightening the seatbelt across his chest as if trying to restrain his heart before turning the car toward the apartment building.
Charlotte lowered her lashes, hiding the sting of disappointment behind them, then gazed at her hand for a moment before lifting it to her swollen lips, caressing them silently as if searching for traces of warmth left incomplete.