The Ice Prince

Chapter 36

"You did not buy me underwear." Hayley deadpanned, almost growling at me.

"It's lingerie, baby." I joked, and she groaned in exasperation.

She was okay with the dress, though. Actually, I think she rather liked it. Because she practically ran into the bathroom to try it on, and left the door ajar as she changed. It was almost as if she meant for me to take a look. And since I wasn't the perfect gentleman anyways, I did sneak a peek. And she looked gorgeous in the number. I quickly turned away as she changed back into her jeans, as although I wasn't a perfect gentleman, I really wasn't pervy either, so I could let her get dressed in peace.

She came out and huffed. "Tell me you just wanted to see me."

"I just wanted to see you." I replied earnestly.

Hayley rolled her eyes. "It wasn't supposed to be said sincerely! I meant that you did observe me change, didn't you?" she narrowed those expressive eyes meaningfully.

"What can I say – I did." I confessed, and her punch landed straight on my jaw. It must have hurt her more than it hurt me, but I managed an "Oww!" instead of laughing.

"What was that for?" I decided to milk the exchange for all its worth. This is fun.

"You pervert! Why did you do that?" now I knew that she was playing it too, and enjoying in her own way.

"I liked what I saw." I gave her question the dodge.

"You did?" she asked, in a different tone. And I thought I'd got the hang of the game.

"I did." I couldn't hide the smirk now.

"And what exactly did you like?" she was playing dangerous now.

"You." Shorter answers were safer, I guessed. But not really.

"Which part of me?" she insisted on playing it out. Now I had two options. I could lie, and be decent. Or I could tell the truth and be labelled the player. Instead I chose to tell her the truth and be decent, in a way in which it would seem that I was lying and being the bad boy for once.

So I replied "All of you. The part I saw, and the part I didn't see." This was my way then. I'd answered with respect to what I'd liked and not what I'd seen. Here was a risky moment. She could either accept that I was a lying pervert or a truthful jerk.

She chose the third option too.

She laughed, and I couldn't help laughing at that. She managed to pull me closer, and then slap my chest playfully. "You almost had me feeling dirty, you know." She whispered.

I feigned hurt. "Would my gaze make you dirty?" I asked her. I didn't know where the conversation was going. I was just going with the flow, letting my heart do the talking, rather than my brain. It had already grown beyond the scope of my brain.

"Nothing that belongs to you could ever make me dirty." We had dropped into whispers, despite being alone.

"Because you belong with me, Fireball." I had to say it once. I meant it, and she knew that I did too. She initiated the kiss this time, and I deepened it, both of us letting our senses rule, rather than our minds. I couldn't believe at the energy and passion which seemed to be flowing out of every pore of my body, mixing with hers. We had nobody to tell us to stop or mind our hearts, whose pulses had skyrocketed. A few more seconds of this, and the two of us would have combusted from the intensity of it all.

Slowly, we both withdrew simultaneously. Hayley trailed a line of kisses down the part of my jaw she'd punched, and over the newly forming bruise. Gradually, she reached my collarbone, and I cuddled her close, kissing her temple and burying my face in her beautiful hair, which smelled of her and mildly of cinnamon. She'd washed her hair when I was gone, then. The smell did something to my innards, and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. She felt so vulnerable and yet so strong. Because the cinnamon smell of the shampoo still couldn't mask that of the gunpowder and smoke. It had washed away the blood and sweat, though.

I could spend an eternity like this and not get enough. The smell of her hair, the touch of her embrace, the taste of her kiss, the sound of her breath, and the sight of those chocolate brown eyes. I had my forever. Right in front of me, in my arms. A new set of promises would dictate my life now.

I am Ashton Armand Prince. My heart belongs to Hayley Elena Broadbeck. I will always keep her safe. I will never do anything to hurt her.

"Hayley Elena Broadbeck. Will you be my girlfriend?" I whispered in her ear. Although I'd already pledged myself to her, I still felt nervous asking the question. I hadn't thought of failure, but I couldn't bring myself to imagine what would happen if she said 'no'.

She looked into my eyes, her chocolate brown ones showing that she hadn't expected this. We were already so much to each other, I didn't even know if I'd done the right thing by asking her at that time. I didn't even know if my feelings for her classified her as my girlfriend or something much more. But I wanted to give her a way out, a reason to leave me without feeling the guilt. I wanted to tell her that so far, it was all unofficial, and she could back out of any commitments if she had any second thoughts. I wanted to convey that I didn't want to force her into anything, and she could still turn around and walk away. I trusted her to understand that after this, there would be no turning back.

I could see the thoughts in her mind, and her expression told me she understood the implications of my question. I wanted her to take time to decide. But too soon, she took a deep breath and shattered my doubts into a thousand pieces.

"I'm all yours, boyfriend." She whispered back, smiling with pleasure. I knew I'd made the right choice.

Dedicated to everyone who's read so far. Sorry I didn't update sooner, because I didn't have connectivity, but I guess I'll make up for it by back to back updates. Thanks for sticking with the story and giving me those 2K reads! :D