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“Are you nervous?” Her fingers intertwined with his, Charlene turned her head towards him while the city around them got ready for the night. A few shoppers carried their bags to one of the numerous black cabs while smaller groups of tourists marvelled at the glowing billboards at Piccadilly Circus.
“I am but I’m not trying to think about it too much. I’ve been so blessed over the last few years with you and Noah…I won’t deny that it’d be great but…there’s more important things in life than an award, you know?” Benedict smiled at his gorgeous wife and leaned in to press a kiss onto her temple.
Charlene returned his smile and squeezed his hand as she leaned against him to watch London fly past their car window. It was rare for them nowadays and especially at the moment to have time for a date. It had been too long thanks to his numerous engagements both abroad and at home but he had reserved this night just for them while his mother looked after Noah at home.
The drive through the city took longer again thanks to the dense traffic. Everywhere cars were pushing through the streets, most of them eager to get home after another long day at work. Benedict and Charlene were in no rush really. He had reserved a table but he also knew they wouldn’t give it away if they were 10 minutes late. One of the benefits of being a celebrity.
Instead of watching the cars and people outside like Charlene, Benedict watched her. Her thick, brown hair fell in loose waves over her shoulder and her lush lips were highlighted by a slick of crimson lipstick. She looked breathtaking in her figure-hugging ensemble and although their date hadn’t even started properly he was already thinking about taking these clothes off of her again.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Mr Cumberbatch,” Charlene mumbled with a grin and Ben blushed, not having realised she had turned towards him again and was watching him herself now.
“Who said it was in the gutter?” He tried to look innocent but knew exactly that he had failed when Charlene merely raised her eyebrows without saying a word.
“Okay, okay…I do confess that I was thinking…,” his fingertips pushed away the collar of her coat as he kept on speaking, “how much I want to take these clothes off of you again later so I can kiss you and taste you and make you sigh my name again and again and again.”
Charlene closed her eyes for a moment especially when his free hand now roamed up her leg and underneath her skirt. Just before he reached his destination, the car stopped and the driver announced that they had arrived.
“Guess that’ll have to wait now,” he whispered into her ear with a grin. While he then paid the driver, Charlene did her very best to regain her composure before she stepped out of the cab with his help and was met by the cold, January drizzle that was currently raining down on London.
***
“Have you had a chance yet to think about the question I asked you the other day?” Letting his finger run up and down the stem of his wine glass, Benedict didn’t meet Charlene’s eye as he asked.
He knew she didn’t like award shows or other bigger public events and he respected that. Right from the beginning, she had wanted to remain in the background, had wanted to keep leading a normal life as much as possible and he could understand why. Nevertheless, it would mean a lot to him if she accompanied him to this one event, to the Oscars where he would be attending for the first time as a nominee himself.
“I have actually, yes,” she nodded, her brown eyes fixed at him, waiting for him to look at her before she gave him the answer he desired to hear.
Benedict nodded but when he was met with silence only, he eventually glanced up and looked at his wife. A gentle smile played around her lips as she took his hand in hers and pressed a kiss onto his knuckles.
“I will accompany you, darling. I hope you know it anyway but I want to show the world how proud I am of you. I want to be there with you, hold your hand, cry, laugh, celebrate - whatever happens. I’m sorry I can’t do this more often with you but…I believe you understand.”
“I do, I do understand, darling. And please, don’t think I’m trying to force you to attend. But if you did then…it would mean the world to me, love. It truly would.” His eyes were sparkling like peridots in the light of the candles in front of them and she could see how much it meant for him to have her there, by his side, as a support.
He moved his chair around a bit and sat on the edge to be able to lean in closer to her. “I love you so much, my darling. So very much,” Benedict whispered, one hand cupping her cheek, the other still resting in hers.
“I love you too, Benedict. And I am so, so proud of you,” Charlene smiled in return, leaning into his touch a little before his lips met hers - at last.