Royally in Love

Three.

Ashton

    Diana was... extraordinarily beautiful - she wasn't like other girls I had met before, and believe me when I say that they were gorgeous but they didn't carry themselves the way Diana did. I guess it was another reason as to why I was driven to her with how poised she was at the bar, she didn't look like a girl that belonged there in the first place.

    "Can we escort you to the hotel?" I heard Adrian ask her friend. He was smitten with her already, I could tell. He was the smooth one out of the two of us - he knew exactly what to say to get a girl to fall for him and that was where we were different from one another, he was a ladies man and I took a relationship quite seriously.

    "Oh, you don't have to do that." Diana said as she stood and put her coat on. "I think the two of us can manage just fine, right Gwen?"

    "I wouldn't mind being escorted." Gwen cast a glance at Adrian.

I chuckled to myself and clasped my hands behind my back as Diana looked over at me. "What?"

    "You sense it too, don't you?" She whispered as she let out a quiet laugh. "Gwen isn't afraid to throw caution to the wind. As soon as she gets an idea in her head, she goes through with it regardless of what happens." I held the door open for her as she was making her way outside. "Thank you."

    "Adrian's the same way. He's absolutely careless and doesn't think with his head all the time, he lives life on a whim really." We stood outside while waiting for Adrian and Gwen to join us.

    Diana smiled. She had a smile that was brighter than the sun itself, it was one of those smiles where she could light up an entire room with it and one that could surely knock you off your feet. "Well, she surely seems to be taken by your friend, there is absolutely no question about that."

    After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Adrian finally came out with Gwen following close behind him. "Gwen isn't quite ready to leave just yet. She has come up with the idea that she suddenly wants to go dancing."

    "Really, Gwen?" Diana asked letting out a frustrated sigh. "I wanted to get to the hotel and go to sleep after being on a 12-hour flight."

    "Please, Diana? It's our first night and I want to have some fun. You know... make the most of our time here." Gwen was practically begging Diana at this point.

    "Tell you what." I chimed in. "Adrian, why don't you and Gwen go and I'll see to it that Diana arrives to the hotel safe and sound?" I suggested.

    Diana looked at Gwen then to me, giving me a look of dissatisfaction. "Fine." Diana finally gave in and cleared her throat. "Adrian, I'm entrusting you with my best friend so please take care of her?"

    "Of course I will." I saw Adrian reach for Gwen's hand as they walked in the opposite direction, the two of them practically hanging onto each other.

    "He is a good guy right?" Diana questioned, leaning closer into me.

    "Adrian? He has his moments, but yes... he's a good guy. You don't have to worry about Gwen being with him, he's completely harmless." I reassured her as the familiar black car came up to the curb. I opened the back door and let her get in first, watching as she carefully slid in and I followed soon after. "What hotel are you staying in?"

    "Um, hang on. Let me think here for a minute, I seem to have forgotten the name of it. It had a... Chinese name I think?"

    "To The Mandarin Oriental, Charles." I said to my driver as he pulled away from the pub and drove in the direction of the hotel. "How long are you here for?"

    "We're here for a month. I think that gives us enough time to see what all London has to offer. It's both our first time being in a new country, so I wanted to make sure that we had the trip of a lifetime."

    "I think that gives you plenty of time not only to explore London, but a bit of the countryside as well. I love London, but escaping to the country does the soul some good. Perhaps you wouldn't mind having a tour guide while you're here?"

    Diana gave a small smile. "That'd be nice actually. Thank you, Ashton."

I returned a smile to her. I wasn't quite sure why I was so drawn to her, let alone being as forward as I was, but I felt like myself around her which had been a little difficult for me but it came naturally with Diana. I couldn't help but wonder if maybe... she was part of the plan that was laid out for me.

    The car pulled up to the hotel and I exited the car, holding my hand out to Diana as she took it. "You are quite the gentleman, do you know that?" She asked as we walked inside the hotel.

    "I'm just fulfilling the duties that have been instilled in me since childhood. My mother believes that chivalry is a quality that shouldn't be dead." I explained, making our way up to the lobby desk.

    She checked in, retrieving her card from the woman and turned her head to look at me. "I agree with your mother completely. Too many guys nowadays don't even know what the term chivalry means, at least that's how they are back in the states anyway. It's good that she's raised you to be a gentleman." Diana complimented.

    "It's both a blessing and a curse really. Some women think it's attractive and then others just find it... offensive in their mind."

    Diana smiled. "I don't find it offensive, not in the least." We stood in front of the door to her hotel room. "Well, I believe this is my stop. Thank you very much for your kindness, Ashton."

    "Oh, before I forget." I reached in my back pocket for my phone. "Is it too much trouble to ask for your phone number?"

    "Not at all." She took the phone out of my hand and put her number in. I watched as her fingers gracefully ran over the screen, as if it were completely normal for her to give her phone number to a stranger. "Have a good night, Ashton." She said as she walked into the room and gave me one last smile before closing the door.

    I tucked my hands in the pockets of my jeans, walking into the elevator. I wished the night hadn't ended so suddenly, but I wanted to see her again... I don't know what it was that was luring me to Diana, but it was something of a serendipitous moment rather - and surely I couldn't get in the way of fate.