Time in Love

Chapter Eight

I'd dreaded it all day but I knew in my gut it was inevitable. The loud knocking that came upon my door gave me sickening de ja vu. It was all happening just as it had a the last time. Romeo was requesting my company.

When I heard my ma ma squawk my name I hurried down in a blush pink dress that my least favorite maid had picked out for me. The head maid, Merida, had picked a blush colored dress embedded with beads and frills. Then she'd plucked at my bushy eyebrows and poured creams onto my face after I'd mentioned ONCE that I might have a caller. I guess I should've expected as much from Merida though.

Unlike last time when Romeo's presence at my door had been somewhat of a flattering misfortune, this time I was prepared.

Identical to last time, Romeo stood tall but not as quite as tall as his brother. Grinning at me in that way that made my stomach do flips. I kept my face strictly in place as I stared back at him. I would not let him see through me. Romeo was a lot of things but intelligent just so happened to not be one of them. If I wanted something hidden his dopey eyed grin wouldn't find it.

The door practically kicked me out itself by the time my ma had given her approval of our little date. She scuttled a couple feet behind us as we walked down the street. Trying to listen but not make it obvious.

I watched him fumble over his words like I was his crush he was confessing to.

"It's um awfully sunny outside should we go into cafe for a refreshing-" he paused mid sentence. "What do they serve at cafe's?" He mumbled under his breath.

Out of touch from reality as always. It would've been endearing if I didn't know any better.

"You didn't reserve anything beforehand?" I quipped in a hottie tone. I struck out the overdone fan I'd picked from Tulips wide selection just for this occasion. Just the gems sparkling blinded me I knew exactly how it would look for Romeo.

To his credit he attempted to squint in my direction.

"I um- I didn't know if you'd accept my offer to go out?" He exclaimed anxiously as I stared at him from narrowed eyes.

"When a prince asks a Lady to go out does she really have a choice?" I questioned rhetorically and unfortunately for Romeo he answered.

"I guess not- I mean uh- my lady if you'd like to leave you only have to say the word-" cutting himself off as he realized his words were only serving to dig his grave further. I watched as his lips moved in silent despair as he mulled over how he'd fucked up so badly.

A smile I hoped he couldn't see spread across my face as I watched beads of sweat trickle down the side of his face. His extremely handsome face.

I reminded myself to keep my priorities as I looked away.

"That cafe there is the one I want to go into." I declared, snapping my fan closed abruptly and pointing my gloved finger at a small cafe I'd visited more than a hundred times probably in my life.

I made my way across the street but something unexpected happened.

Strong arm lifted me up off the ground right and turned me right back onto the sidewalk where I'd come from. Just as I stared into Romeo's eyes, our faces inches away from each other, water- no wine splashed into his back and he tucked me so tight to his chest I couldn't breathe.

When we pulled away, Romeo was soaked from head to toe in purple wine but still, smiling like nothing was wrong.

"That was close! Looks like not a drop got on you though!" He exclaimed happily, as if I'd just handed him a homemade pie.