Chapter 32: You (Archer's POV)
I woke up the next morning to Evelyn who was fast asleep beside me. She was completely knocked out, her hand clutching mine tightly as she lay on her stomach. Her hair had fallen over her eyes so I brushed that back and turned onto my side, staring at her. She shuffled, turning onto her side and scooting closer to me, her leg going over mine.
I smiled to myself, running my fingers through her hair.
I think I've fallen for her.
She groaned before rubbing her eyes open and looking up at me, confusion written on her face. She stared at me in thought for a minute before blinking. "Are you all right?" she asked, holding my cheek while her thumb stroked my cheek.
"Because of you, yes," I nodded.
Her lips formed a small pout while she frowned in confusion.
"You made sure I was all right. It's you, it's because of you," I mumbled.
She sighed, scooting closer and putting her arm around my torso. "I hated seeing you like that," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "Have you heard from your mother?" she asked, looking up at me.
I nodded, "She called earlier this morning. She's perfectly okay. They'll be back in a few days."
"Thank God," she sighed in relief. "What time is it?" she asked, looking around the room.
"Nearly ten."
She gasped, "Breakfast!"
"Nobody cares," I whispered.
"Everyone definitely knows that we-"
"Are together? Yes, anything else?"
She stared at me in confusion. "What if someone tells your mother?" she asked.
"Then it's the truth," I shrugged.
"We should get dressed for the day," she suggested.
"I don't feel like getting out of bed today," I whined, putting my arms around her waist.
"Why? What's wrong?" she asked, stroking my cheek.
"I'm still a little..." I trailed off, shaking my head.
"Sad?" she asked softly.
I nodded, staring at the wall blankly.
"That's okay," she mumbled, holding me tighter, putting her head on my chest.
I kissed the top of her head, both of us just lay there in silence for a while.
"We should still freshen up, I'll come right back, all right? I should change," she mumbled, pulling away.
I grabbed her wrist, yanking her back.
She looked up at me expectantly.
"Just stay a while, just a little longer, please," I mumbled.
"Two minutes, I'll just brush my teeth," she bargained.
I begrudgingly let her go and went into my own bathroom. I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face before climbing back into bed. I lay there, staring out of the window.
A while later, my door opened and she walked back in wearing a cardigan over her pajamas with her hair thrown up in a bun. She rubbed her eyes while walking over, climbing back into bed beside me. She shifted closer, putting her arm around me while I put one around her. "Are you still sleepy?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her cardigan fell off her shoulder so I started tracing her skin, my fingers moving along her upper arm.
"No," I mumbled. "Are you hungry?" I asked.
"Not quite," she answered.
"I can call for breakfast," I offered.
"I'll eat if you do." She looked up at me.
"You should eat," I nodded.
"So should you. We'll eat together," she shrugged, sitting upright beside me, pulling her cardigan up.
I used the intercom from my phone and asked for breakfast for both of us. I looked over at her, realizing that she was zoned out while staring outside through the window. "Hey," I whispered.
She snapped out of her daze and looked at me, raising her eyebrows at me.
"Thank you for last night."
She smiled, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. "Anything for you," she leaned forward, kissing my cheek. "Are you feeling any better?" she asked.
"A bit," I nodded.
There was a knock on my door and one of the housemaids brought in the breakfast and handed us our plates before leaving. We ate in comfortable silence and then she took the empty plates and left them outside while I used the intercom to ask for the plates to be cleared. She came back inside, closing the door behind her, and strolled over to my side, sitting beside my legs.
I grabbed her hand, tugging at it.
She scooted up higher and I grabbed her top, tugging at it even more. She smiled, moving up and straddling me.
I stared at her while she ran her fingers through my hair soothingly. "Did you ever do all this with Lucas?"
The question slipped out before I could think of it. What kind of question is that? Of course, she did all this with him. It's what you do when you're in a relationship with somebody.
Does that mean we're in a relationship?
"Sometimes," she mumbled. "But it never felt like this."
"What do you mean?" I frowned in confusion.
"With him it... it was always just him talking and me listening. Telling me about his day, his family, all that. And I would always listen but I never got to talk," she explained. "It was annoying so normally I would zone out and think about something else."
"Like what?" I questioned.
"Like you."
I looked up at her, my eyes meeting hers.
"That day when you came into Cherie and told me that you're looking for a normal girl to marry. And that you were thinking of me... I thought about that. I saw him that night."
I listened, biting my tongue and the string of curse words that were threatening to stumble out.
"But all I could think about was that you, the prince, wanted to marry me. I didn't believe that you were really considering me to be your wife."
"Do you believe it now?" I asked.
She smiled, nodding slowly, "I do. I believe it now."
I fiddled with the hem of her top, the lace between my fingers.
"Do you think I can really be your wife, Archer? Do you think I can handle it?"
I looked up at her. "I think you can learn to handle it with me by your side."
She sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"Have faith in yourself, Evelyn. Every girl, princess or not, has to learn to be queen. We can do it too," I nodded.
"We?" she questioned.
I nodded again.
"You know, when you called me beautiful-"
"I call you beautiful all the time," I shrugged.
She chuckled, "When you do, I stop breathing. My heart stops."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I questioned.
"Nobody has ever made that happen. Not even your gardener," she scoffed.
I laughed softly, my free hand resting on her hip.
"It's a good thing," she whispered, kissing my forehead. I tilted my chin up, my lips meeting hers. "Do you want to go somewhere?" she offered.
"Not really, I don't even want to move out of bed."
"Then we can stay in bed all day," she shrugged, her hands resting on my abdomen.
I sighed, closing my eyes for a minute.
"How do you do that?" she asked.
I looked down at her. "What?"
"That." She poked my abs one by one.
I laughed, taking her hand. "I exercise."
"How much?" she asked incredulously.
"Not as much anymore. I did a lot throughout high school. I still do. I run, I use the gym."
"There is an entire gym in your palace?" Her eyes widened.
I nodded, chuckling. "I was on a lot of teams in school."
"Like?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"The swim team, soccer, basketball, and I tried out volleyball but..." I trailed off, shaking my head.
"Where does the running come from?" she inquired.
"In middle school, I did track. It was very exhausting so I stopped in high school but I kept running on the side to do it personally. It keeps you fit," I shrugged.
"I don't run," she mumbled.
"You don't have to, your body is somehow perfect," I replied.
"Really?" she laughed, poking at her belly.
"Yes." I pulled her hand down. "You just ate, you're bloated."
She frowned in confusion at me.
"Your body is... the most divine thing I have ever seen. All right? Don't doubt it."
"Wow, you really know what to say and when to say it, huh?" she giggled, taking my hands, locking our fingers.
"I just know I really like you, Evelyn. And that you're the most beautiful person I've ever met."
"Do you mean that?"
I gave her a blank look. "Are you really asking me that?"
She smiled, leaning forward but not kissing me. I stared at her, our lips inches away. She wasn't going to do it, so I did. I leaned forward, capturing her lips in a kiss. She pulled back after a while, narrowing her eyes at me. "Will you tell me about your ex-girlfriend if I ask?"
I shook my head.
"Why? You know everything about my last relationship, it's only fair if you tell me about yours. Come on, please?"
"It's not a pleasant memory," I groaned.
"You can stop when you wish," she whispered, her lips brushing against mine.
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Chapter 32
you're probably with that blonde girl...
that song </3
next chapter: value