His One Night Stand

Chapter 18

Playlist.
Mr Loverman by... I have no idea.
Enjoy reading!!!

After our little horse riding meeting, Marcus and I begin to see each other a little more frequently. From sparing glances to him during the occasional dinners I have with the rest of the royal family, to sneaking through the windows to see at the dead of the night, we've grown significantly closer. On the surface, it seems like we're just strangers, but between us, things have grown so much deeper. I still work on the dress, and the wedding preparations are already underway, but in our little world, everything is perfect.

It's one of those evenings where I take a walk after spending a long time beading the wedding dress and enjoying the scenery around me. The evening sun casts a warm glow over the palace gardens as I stroll along the winding paths, my footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestone. The air is filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, the gentle rustling of leaves overhead providing a soothing backdrop to my thoughts.

Lost in the beauty of my surroundings, I hardly notice the figure approaching until a familiar voice breaks through the tranquility. "Penny for your thoughts?" Marcus's voice calls out, and I turn to see him standing a few meters away from me, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Surprised but wary, I return his smile and greet him warmly all the while, glancing around to see if there are passersby. "Are you supposed to be here?" I ask, my voice low as I take a step forward. Despite the secrecy of our meetings, his presence never fails to fill me with a sense of joy and anticipation.

"Are you insinuating that I can't walk around in my own palace?" He asks as he falls into steps with me.

"Of course not!" I quickly answer, waving my hands. "It's just..." I begin but trail off, not knowing what else to say.

Marcus steps closer, his green eyes sparkling in the fading light. "I can be anywhere I want to be, Sophie, and I have decided to be here with you. I hope you don't mind." He murmurs, and I feel my cheeks flush with heat. I look away, feeling strangely breathless.

"I was hoping I'd find you here," he continues, his voice soft and sincere. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" He asks, and I pause slightly, still indecisive. "If you're looking for Reina, she isn't around at the moment. She went shopping and won't be back until much later. You'll be fine."

"O...kay." I mumble, surprised that I feel relief from the words he just said. I glance at him and see it's also mirrored in his eyes. Guess the feeling is mutual.

"Shall we go on that walk then?" He asks again. I hesitate for a moment, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. On one hand, I know the risks of spending time alone with Marcus, but on the other, I can't deny the pull I feel towards him. In the end, my heart wins out, and I nod eagerly. "I'd love to," I reply, a smile spreading across my face.

Together, we set off down the path, the soft crunch of gravel beneath our feet the only sound breaking the silence. As we walk, I try to start up a conversation. "How's... The wedding preparation going?" I say and immediately regret it when I see the look on Marcus's face. But he shrugs it off and replies anyway.

"To be honest, I don't want to talk about that."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way." I start to say, but he cuts me off, and I realize he was still speaking, so I give him my full attention.

"It's just... I tried speaking with my parents if it need to be this early and also to let them know this isn't what I wanted, the political marriage I mean."

"And, how did it go?" I cautiously ask, looking at him. His eyes narrow, his lips set into a grim line.

"Well, they insisted on it. It's pretty much set in stone at this point." He finishes as we walk along.

"I'm sorry about that." I whisper, and he nods.

"Yeah, I was pretty disgruntled about it too." He says. "But enough of my sappy situation, what about you?"

"Well... I have begun to bead the dress, and I have to admit, it's looking pretty stunning now."

"Yeah, Reina must have gotten a glimpse of it, and now she can't stop raving about it." Marcus tells me, and I can't help the chuckle that breaks out of my lips.

"Well, it is one of my best creations." I reply. We fall into a comfortable silence for a while until I finally blurt out, "Why can't you just say no to the wedding?"

Marcus chuckles, but there's no mirth. "Believe me, I've tried so many times. But when you're in this position, nothing you do really matters. It had been there the moment I was born and had any idea of where going on."

"Reina. What about her?" I ask and watch as a shadow crosses his eyes, his expression getting darker.

"Well, she for one is really looking forward to this, and somehow it feels like I'm betraying her." He says, and I nod, rubbing my arms as a thought crosses my mind. Am I betraying her too?

"I hadn't planned for this conversation to go the way it did. I apologize for my lack of foresight." Marcus says, and he gently bows his head. I immediately shake my head, managing a chuckle.

"No, it's alright. Once in a while, you have to be real." I say, even if my heart hurts inside.

Marcus smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I'd kiss you right now, but I can't risk anyone seeing us." He says, gesturing to my hands. I bring it forward, and he takes it, placing a kiss on it, and I feel warmth spread through my entire body.

"Keep your windows open. I may have something in mind to make up for this." He mutters as he stretches to his full height.

"Okay." I catch myself saying, my heart skipping a beat as I stare into his eyes. With a wink, he steps away from me, and I watch him leave, my stomach fluttering with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.

I'm looking forward to tonight.

***
Not much happened in this chapter but I'm glad I wrote it after a week of not being able to do anything. I went through a dark phase but everything's alright now!
Let me know what you think!
See you in the next chapter!