Apricots - Ruel Van Dijk

Chapter 22 - Morning light.

Ruel's pov

I blinked open my eyes when I felt the hot rays of the sun on my face through the windows, like natures alarm.. I didn't sleep at all, it was fucking freezing. And I didn't want to sleep and miss a second Teliah was in my arms.

I gazed down at her, curled up with her hair sprawled across her face. She was tucked into a ball, her face buried in my chest. I wanted to look at her, but I didn't want to move and wake her. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed. I'd never seen her like this. It was almost as if she always had something to worry about. Always something that she was thinking about.

Her body was so soft and gentle like this. I tucked a piece of stray hair out of her face, exposing her features. Her eyelashes sat softly on her cheeks like little butterflies. Freckles spotted her face like stars.

Her eyes began to flutter as she awoke.

"Morning," I whispered softly as I watched her features come to life. She said nothing, but her eyes met mine, droopy and tired.

"What time is it?" she muffled, a yawn escaping her mouth. I nearly passed out at how adorable she was in this moment.

"4:45," I replied. I knew because I always awoke at 4:45. Part of being a royal was being a morning person. She mumbled something I couldn't quite make out and buried her head further into my chest.

I smiled. I knew at the time she was still waking up and didn't know she was being so affectionate, but I wanted to believe it was because she loved me as much as I loved her. That we were really a couple that was excited to get married. That we had our whole life planned out.

I knew that we needed to wake up. Mother had suggested we go for a trail ride this morning and father would murder us if we weren't ready.

"Teliah," I said gently. I heard an incoherent groan as she shifted, still half asleep. "We have to get up, I'm sorry. I know it's cold," I continued, as I ran a hand through her hair. She looked up at me and blinked, her eyes still glazed drowsily.

I gently pulled her hand off of my chest and rolled off the mattress. "I promise I'll make it up to you," I smiled as she sat up and rubbed her face. I looked at her, somehow so beautiful. Her hair was tangled around her face, her cheeks red and puffy from the cold. I trailed my eyes down to her shoulders, one exposed because of how large my shirt was on her. God she looked indescribably effervescent in my clothes. In a dream she would be my wife and we would wake up every day like this. I'd wake her up with kisses.

I scanned the room to see that someone had left clothes out for us. I blushed at the sight of a lacy pair of underwear on the top of Teliah's pile and glanced back at her.

"Your clothes are over here, I'm just gonna get changed okay?" I said softly, aware of the fact she probably still wasn't fully out of sleep yet.

I picked up my clothes and walked into the bathroom, clearing my throat. I didn't know how I was going to do this. I stared at my reflection, tinged with the gold of the first light. Every morning of the rest of my life I would wake up beside the woman that my heart belonged to and know that she didn't love me back. Every cold and bitter night I would hold her and wish that I could press my lips against her soft skin, but know deep inside it was hollow. She only thought of me as a ruse.

I pulled my shirt on, blinking away the crystal tears stabbing my eyes. She could never know how I felt about her. I couldn't make her feel like that. She was doing this for me, making her feel bad was the last thing I wanted to do.

I shook the thoughts out of my head and grasped the door handle. I walked into my room and almost fell over. There she was, angel white skin reflecting the rising sun. Her back was facing me, bare and smooth. The lacy underwear I had seen was clinging to her skin like it was made for her. God how I wanted to hold her, press kisses all along her spine.

My heart longed to touch her, but I knew I couldn't. I stepped back into the bathroom and shut the door quietly. I hoped she hadn't heard me. I refused to look at her like that when she hadn't given me the permission. I refused to let my desires take over me. I couldn't embarrass her like that. But oh Lord was she beautiful. So, so beautiful. I didn't know a woman like that could ever be real. Sure, Arelia was more textbook beautiful. Tanned, blue eyes, long hair. But Teliah..she was a goddess. She was beautiful to her core. Every translucent line, every piece of dark hair, every inch of her bright white skin, every single part of her had been sculpted by a god. She was ethereal. Simply perfect.

I walked back out a few minutes later to see her dancing, headphones in, twirling in the sunlight. Stella had given her baggy jeans and a long sleeved tight fitting shirt to wear. I smiled at the sight. Her hair rushing to keep up with her body.

"What are you listening to?" I asked, leaning against a wall. I chuckled as she froze, clearly unaware of my presence until now. She spun around, eyebrows furrowed and lips in a frown.

"How long have you been standing there?" she replied, tugging one earphone out.

"Long enough."

I grinned as her cheeks went bright red. She was simply adorable.

"What are we doing today..." she mumbled as she looked at her feet. So fucking cute. All I wanted to do in that moment was tilt her head up and kiss her forehead.

"We're going on a trail ride this morning," I ran my fingers through my hair. She looked at me in confusion. "A trail ride?" I said again, trying to make the point clearer. She looked at me like I'd made up a word. "We're riding horses, y'know..through the country?"

She looked at me wide eyed.

a/n

ok so it's been like 2 years but i got motivated sooooooooo.....

anyway.

bri