Memory of You

Chapter Sixteen: Can't Get You Off My Mind

Chapter Sixteen: Can't Get You Off My Mind

Unable to comprehend what was happening, Nicholas was surprised at the reality of what he had done. Her warm lips against his, sent ripples of electricity through him. He was quite shocked that she hadn't pushed him away or slapped him.

He would have given himself to the moment if there hadn't been an alarm ringing in the back of his mind. Soon enough he heard the sound of keys clinking together outside the doors. It all made sense. MARK! His brain shouted at him. The guard would be opening the door at any moment to pick Alexandra up.

Roughly pulling away from Alexandra, Nicholas wanted to kick himself. She looked shocked and confused. Unable to look at her, he hurried to the dining table just in time as Mark opened the doors. Nicholas started to pile up the remaining dishes.

"Alex, come on. I checked the room." He heard the guard speak to the Queen.

"Yes...I'm coming." Her voice sounded shaky and unsure. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, he thought, trying to rationalize.

"See you in the morning, Nick. Good night!" Mark called out.

"Good night..." Nicholas answered.

"Lex..." He murmured hearing the doors close.

Once finished cleaning up the table, Nicholas picked up the plates and exited the Throne Room. Heading towards the kitchen, he fought to keep his calm. It was one thing to kiss a girl...but completely another when that girl happened to be the Queen, his mind shouted at him. What was I thinking? He wondered walking in to the kitchen.

Seeing one of his kitchen staff loading up the dishwasher, he placed the plates on a counter.

"Levi, could you please get these cleaned too?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." The man said, nodding.

"Thank you, and thanks for helping tonight. You did a wonderful job." Nicholas said, as he turned to leave.

"Thank you, Head Chef, sir."

Walking down a corridor towards his room, he felt the urge to go see her. She probably wouldn't take to kindly to his interruption of her night, since he abruptly pushed her away; he thought unhappily. Lex...he thought, with confusion. How did we get here?

Entering his room, Nicholas closed the door behind him, before pulling off his jacket and undoing the chain holding the sword and setting it on his desk. Sitting on his bed, dressed in a black vest and pants, he lay down thinking about the night.

Alluring and elegant, Alexandra had been the center of attention tonight, but if he was truthful...he had been inexplicably drawn to her since coming back to Seraphine. There had been so many times that he could have stolen a kiss, he was in awe that he had waited so long.

It wasn't just his recent return to Seraphine that made being near her so different, yes she had grown up a bit, but Nicholas could still remember their childhood. Back when she used to come to him crying over Sophia ganging up on her with Mark and Valek, or when she'd get into a fight with his sister. There were times when he'd stumble across her in the castle, sitting on the stone floor trying to wipe away the tears so no one would catch her.

Even then, he had always felt something for her. Back then he used to bury it, fearing that she would reject him or Mark and Valek would taunt him; he tried quashing it completely when David came in to the picture. Yet no matter what he did...those feelings were still there. In fact they were stronger now than they were back then.

Maybe she feels something for me? He wondered, recalling how awkward she had been with him at the beginning. Nicholas remembered how close he had gotten to her when he was about to paint her...she hadn't moved away from him then either. Laying there on the bed, he remembered the time he had snuck his little sister's diary. The girls were fourteen at the time, and being curious he had read Sophia's diary...only to find out that Alexandra had a bit of a crush on him. The memory of how she used to turn red at the sight of him back then, brought a smile to his lips...but still confusion weighed down on him.