Twisted

3

Lindsey had already stripped down to his trunk boxers and was doing laps in the pool when Stevie ventured down. She was wearing a black halter top one piece and as soon as she saw Lindsey in his really tight trunk boxers, she had to hold back a gasp because he looked good with his clothes on, but he was something else entirely half naked. 

"I see you've made yourself comfortable." She draws his attention placing two towels down on one of the chaise lounge chairs.

"This pool is amazing." He tells her pushing himself out of the water and sitting on the edge. 

"Well, I'm glad you like it. Come on. Mr. Man." She smirks climbing into the pool herself. 

They swim around for a while. Splashing each other. Racing each other. Laughing and just overall having fun, and Stevie hadn't had fun in a while. And as the sun is rising, it had too have been broaching six in the morning at that point, they found themselves sitting across from each other on one side of the pool. 

"It's funny really." She sighs.

"What?" He asks.

"I didn't expect to find anyone at that stupid courting ball and I was losing hope, until you bowed to me." 

"I thought that's what I was supposed to do." He states.

"technically yes, but I hate it. My people know that so now no one every really does. But then again, you're from Ellerton...that's a different monarchy system." She states.

"No, I mean...we have a prime minister instead of a king or queen, but we still bow to your ruling." 

"What?" Stevie asks in shock.

"Queen Stephanie, every one really only bows to you. Our prime minister is in charge of our government. Dukes, and Marquiese, we're the second hand. Like the royal courts you know. Our  PM, looks at you. If you do something he does something. Moves and counter moves, except he's not going against you, he's moving right along with you. Your dad lowered taxes a few years ago, so did our PM. Your father enforced a trade agreement with Hawaii, and we started a trade agreement with Hawaii." he explains. 

"Stevie." She states.

"Hmm?" 

"Stevie...Yes, my name is Queen Stephanie. But when I was little, I couldn't say Stephanie. It was too hard for me. So I shortened it to Teedee. As I got older Teedee became Stevie. My mother still calls me Teedee though, and my dad used to call me TD Bird, because I love the looney tunes. Absolutely love the looney tunes. I have a giant Bugs Bunny upstairs on the arm chair in my bedroom." She explains. 

"Then please, call me Lindsey." He smiles.

"Lindsey...Linds. I like it." 

"No one, calls me that...it can be your special nickname." He smirks. 

"Damn right." She states.

"You know, you're not what I expected." He shakes his head.

"Oh?" 

"I mean, you're the queen. You're supposed to be rigid and strict, but you've sworn in front of me twice since I met you, and you're sitting on the side of your pool hunched over, cross legged with your chin on your hand. You're not what I expected." 

"Well, you're not what I expected either." She gives him a small shy smile. 

"It looks like the sun is rising. It's probably time I head back to my hotel." He stands up.

"Lindsey..." She states.

"What?" He asks.

"You could stay here you know..." She looks down at her lap.

"What are you saying?" He asks.

"Well, I'm saying that...I'd like to...embark on this appalling journey with you." She refers back to their conversation while they were dancing.

"You want to marry me?" He gasps.

"Is it that shocking?" 

"Ugh, yeah.. A) I'm a duke. B) I already told you that I thought the whole dressing up and everything was a crock of shit, and C), you could literally have anyone you want why me?" 

"You intrigue me. I want to get to know you better. And If I have to have a kid, I wouldn't mind them having those curls of yours and those gorgeous blue denim eyes." 

He takes a moment and looks at her. Then he looks down at the pool. He could certainly live with that for the rest of his life. 

"Are you absolutely sure." He stares into her eyes. 

"I'm not going to lie to you, I don't want to get married. I hate the whole prospect of marriage. I don't think anybody should belong to anybody. And I certainly don't want to have a germ-infested brat. But I have to. To ensure the monarchy. To make sure my people have the best rulers they can have that will support them and care for them. I can't run a country by myself. I know that. Once we have a child. That's it, you move into a separate bedroom and we live two separate lives unless we're in public. But until that day comes, I wouldn't hate...being with you." She rolls her eyes.

"Alright, let's do it...but I'm going to promise you one thing." 

"What's that?" She asks.

"By the time you give birth...everything that you just said, is going to go out the window." He explains.

"Don't be too sure." She shakes her head.

"No, I'm serious, I'm going to make you fall in love with me...and, the moment that a baby is placed on your chest, you are going to fawn over them and you are going to love them with your whole entire heart." He challenges her.

"I highly doubt that." 

"Do we have a bet." 

"What are our conditions?" 

"Well I think it's simple really. If I win, we have a happy successful, long marriage. If you win, I move into that pool house." He points behind himself. 

"Fine, shake on it." She holds her right hand out to him.

He takes her hand and gives it a squeeze and those sparks shoot up their arms involuntarily. "Alright, now, let's go upstairs and go to bed, I've been up for 24 hours and all I really want to do is sleep, but my trunks are wet so I'm going to have to sleep naked." He tells her.

"Just don't molest me in my sleep and we'll be good." 

"We're sharing a bed?" 

"Well you certainly can't sleep naked on my couch, and I don't have any guest rooms set up." She shrugs.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to, sooner or later." He grabs his pile of clothes and heads towards the house.