A Royal Match

Chapter one

Ginny was sat alone at the counter of the pub, keeping to herself. She had had an especially terrible few weeks and had to get out of her house to keep her sanity.

She was perfectly content sitting on the ragged bar stool watching the highlights of the days rugby game with her pint of cider  when a much older drunk man came and leaned against the bar next to her.

"Evening darling, what's a pretty little thing like you doing here all alone?" He slurred. He smelled like he had been drinking all day and had a slight wobble to him. Ginny was no stranger to dealing with this type of situation and opened her mouth to tell him to piss off when another, younger man came up and put his hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Excuse me mate." He then turned his attention to Ginny, "Sorry I'm late, love. Couldn't find any parking, I'd've called, but I can't find my mobile.. Mind if I sit here?" He directed the last part back at the man who was blocking the seat next to Ginny.

The older man looked to Ginny who smiled at the young man, "It's not a problem darling, I was just watching the rugby." The older man left the two of then alone as th young man slipped his coat off.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" The young man asked Ginny. "Or are you waiting on someone?" He asked, glancing at the door as if he was expecting someone she knew to walk in.

"No, please sit. Let me buy you a drink." She signalled the bartender and ordered another drink for herself and looked to him.

"I'll have the same, thanks." He never took his green eyes off of hers while he spoke. "You look really familiar." He said, looking her up and down quickly. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Katie." She lied. "Yours?"

"Taron. Nice to meet you, Katie." He offered his hand and she took it. "Do I know you?" He asked, closely inspecting her.

"I don't think so." She replied, hoping that he didn't realized who she really was.

"Do you often go out to pubs alone?"

"All the time, I live for the thrill of getting chatted up by creepy old men." She teased, "But really, I just needed to get out of the house. It's been a rough few weeks." She replied, sipping her drink. "And you?"

"I was supposed to meet some mates, but they cancelled after I was already here. I was about to leave when I saw that creepy bloke coming over to you."

"I could've taken care of it by myself you know."

"Oh, I believe it." He smiled.

"I really could. I went to college in America and let me tell you that American frat boys are even worse then any person I've encountered here, or any where else."

"Which school did you go to?" He asked.

"Harvard. I studied Law and political studies."

Taron whistled, "As if you weren't intimidating enough already. Gorgeous and a hundred times more clever then me." He had a look of embarrassment on his face after he realized he had told her she was gorgeous.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" She asked, a pink tint starting to spread across his cheeks while she watched him.

"Well, I, yeah." He stuttered, the pink turning a dark red now that she had put him on the spot.

"You aren't awful to look at either, I suppose." She tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder as she tilted her head to the side.

"Do you live around here?" He asked seeming flustered by her complement.

"Not too close, but I like it here. It's where my dad took my mum for their first date. It reminds me of them."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I've made you sad." He looked at his half full drink.

Ginny rested her hand on his then smiled when he looked at her, "I'm totally fine, I promise. Enough about me, where are you from?"

"I was born in Birkenhead, but I spent most of my childhood in Wales."

"I love Wales!" She exclaimed, grabbing his arm, "I went there a few years ago with my father and grandparents. It was so beautiful. I've been meaning to go back but I've been busy with school and when I'm home it's only for a little while so I spend all the time visiting with my family."

"Do you have a big family?" He asked, seeming interested in what she was saying.

"No siblings, but I'm very close with my cousins and my grandparents." She paused and smiled, "But we were talking about you." She didn't want to relieve to much accidentally, so she promoted him with questions and listened intently to his answers, a skill she was well educated in.

They talked late into the night, not stopping until the barkeeper announced it was last call.

"Is it really that late?" Taron sounded shocked as he looked at his watch. "Time sure does fly when you're having fun."

He put his coat on then helped Ginny into hers then escorted her out of the pub. "Did you want share a cab? I'm not going too far." He said as the cool November air nipped at her cheeks.

Ginny nodded then watched as he waved down a cab. She was surprised that he hadn't made a move on her, not even asking for her phone number. She was definitely attracted to him, and she was under the impression he was attracted to her.

It was the alcohol that was feeding these thoughts, because she knew it would be too complicated. If he had asked, she would've given him a fake number, because that was the typical protocol, but he was special. He was easy to talk to. And she was sad and lonely, and didn't want to be alone that night.

When he got a cab Taron opened the door for Ginny. Before she got in she stopped and leaned against the car. "I want to go home with you." She said bluntly. "I don't want to go home to my empty bed."

Taron looked conflicted. "I don't know if that's a good idea." He said, almost whispering as he leaned in then pulled away, looking at her lips, fighting the urge to kiss her.

"It probably isn't." She smiled, and took his hand in hers. " but I don't want to look back on this and wish I had said something." She looked deeply into his eyes.

With his free hand, Taron brushed a piece of hair off her face and looked back into her eyes before nodding and giving her hand a squeeze.

They got in the cab and the driver turned back to them, "What's the address of the first stop?" He asked.

"The Grand York hotel. And it's only going to be the one stop." Taron replied, sending goosebumps up Ginny's arms.