The Prince's Bride ✔️

| Chapter 24 |

We return to Stefan's room together, just in case the surprise awaits him so that he can grab his pajamas and tomorrow's clothes. Thankfully, no one was there.   I didn't really feel up to that drama tonight. 

When we return to my room, I change in my bathroom, and Stefan changes in my room.

I stand at the bathroom door for a while before finally opening it.  I'm nervous,  even though I know nothing will happen tonight.

What if I snore? Or have bad breath tomorrow? Or, heaven forbid,  talk in my sleep?

I look at myself in the mirror.  My brown hair is in a tousled bun, with no makeup, a tee shirt, and shorts. I look like a hot mess.  A homeless hot mess.  The only thing I have going for me is the dark green tee that makes my green eyes pop.  But without my makeup, it also showcases the light brown freckles scattered across my cheeks and nose.  I look like I'm fifteen, not newly twenty.

I sigh, knowing there is nothing I can do about it.   I am what I am.  The door clicks open, and I pad across the wooden floor to my bed.  Stefan is laying out tomorrow's clothes on a nearby chair.

I notice he isn't wearing a shirt, and of course, I take the opportunity to take every defined muscle.

I crawl into bed, cruel my legs up to my chest, and wrap my arms around my legs.

Stefan slips into bed next to me after he finishes up.

When he looks at me, he stops and stares at my nose.  I can feel myself blushing, and I quickly cover it with my hand.

"You have freckles," he amusingly states.

"Yes, and I hate them."

"Do you purposely cover them up?" He asks, his smirk doesn't leave his face.

"My makeup hides them pretty well, but if you're asking if I put on extra concealer to hide them, then yes."

"Why?" He chuckles.

"Because they are hidious."

"They are most certainly not hideous.   They are freaking adorable," he pulls my hands down off my nose, "and you are freaking adorable."

Adorable isn't exactly how I want Stefan to see me.  Puppies are adorable, and babies are adorable. That isn't exactly the image I'm going for.

Stefan laughs, "And this little dissatisfied scowl isn't only raising your cuteness factor," he says as he gently boops my wrinkled-up nose.

Adorable, cute, great...I'm a freaking kitten.  If guys were attracted to adorableness, then I'd be set.  But guys want beautiful and sexy.  The best I can pull off is cute.

"You're getting mad," Stefan states.

"No I'm not.  I just hate it when people see my freckles, and you're teasing me about them."

"How is calling them adorable, making fun of them?"

"I don't know," I pout.

He laughs and kisses the tip of my nose, "Goodnight, Gray."

Stefan flips off his bedside light, and we snuggle into our sides of the bed.

We are both facing each other, but Stefan has his eyes closed already.   He looks so peaceful lying there.

"Stef?" I whisper through the darkness.

"Hmm?"

"Why are we staying in my room?  If you want to get caught in the same bed shouldn't we be in your room?"

"I didn't want you to deal with her walking in on us.  Knowing her, she'd twist it in her favor somehow, and embrace you."

"But, how will your uncle and cousin find out then?"

"Because Frederick is a chatterbox.  Sorry, I should have warned you.  But two seconds after he leaves this room tomorrow morning this whole mansion will know we spent the night together."

I can feel myself blushing, "Won't your parents be mad?  It isn't exactly considered dignified."

I can see a smile form through the moonlight.

"I don't think we have to worry about them."

"Why?"

Stefan's eyes open, and he scoots a little closer before he whispers, "Because it was my mum's and my idea."

My eyes grow wide, "Your mum's?"

He nods, "I actually came up with idea.  But I was more like me ranting to her about how I should show them by showing them that they can't tear us apart, only bring us closer together."

"So what, your mum was like, yeah, go for it?"

"More like, 'that exactly what you should do.'"

I laugh, thinking about the queen agreeing to this.

"So she isn't worried about what society thinks, or heaven forbid, if the tabloids get ahold of this?"

"I think she'd rather rumors go around about me sleeping with my future wife rather than a mistress."

I guess he has a point, but no rumors would be spread if he was in his own room, and it would be a lot easier for me to sleep if all that sexiness wasn't lying next to me.

-------------------

An unfamiliar weight is draped over my waist and legs, and what the hell am I sleeping against?

I groan and stretch before I try to get up, but as I go to roll out of bed, the weight tightens around me, and I whisper pleas, "Five more minutes, Gray."

My eyes snap open, Stefan!

He shifts his weight slightly and pulls me closer to him as he nuzzles his nose into my neck.

I feel like I'm about to die.  I can feel his chest heaving against me and his breath tickling my neck, but I dare not move.  I don't want to spoil this moment.

But I don't have to worry about that because my grumbling assistant does.   At least he grumbles about me being lazy until he sees who I'm with, and for the first time ever, Frederick is at a loss for words.

"E-e-excuse me, your grace,  I didn't realize that..."

Stefan rolls away from me, and I feel the absence of his warmth.

"It's alright, Frederick, we'll get up."

"No rush, your grace," he says as he backs out of the room.

I roll my eyes. Why is it no rush when Stefan is in here with me, but he's a nag when I'm alone?

The door clicks as Frederick leaves, and I sit up in bed, "He nicer when you're around."

Stefan chuckles, "Do you want a different assistant?"

"Not on your life,"  I've enjoyed Frederick's rambles when they're not pointed at me and how late I am.  I get the feeling he'll be really useful when I want to get some good gossip.

We both get ready to leave and meet the king and queen downstairs.

"Are we ready to head out," the king asks.  We nod in response as the Duke comes up to bid us farewell.

"Brother, I was hoping I could ask you for a favor?"

The king smiles, "Anything for you, of course."

"I was hoping you'd let Theo and a guest travel with you for the remainder of the tour.  He wants to go to all the events but Rosalind and I just aren't up to it."

"It isn't a problem at all, Harold, as long as he behaves," the king told him.

"He'll be as good as gold."