XXXVI

XXXVI

Prince Alexander brushed his lips on my neck, while trapping my body with his. He pinned my both arms above my head, while his other free hand went up and down to my waist. His dark blond hair tickled my cheek, while I tried to remove myself from his grasp.

"Shirley," he called me, then kissed me again on my mouth. My bed deepened once he closed the space between our chests.

It was already a month since he sang for me in the Bel Canto Restaurant, and had his unexpected marriage proposal for me. I had no answer that time, because I was stunned by how fast our relationship travelled. We just started that very night, then he wanted immediately a marriage. Even though, I also wanted to be his wife, we could not undergo with that process in a matter of minutes.

Gladly, there was no discussion again about the marriage matter.

It was not yet time for us to settle down. I had a lot things to do, specifically, for my family. I could not build a family of my own if the economic status of my family in Chicago was not yet stable. Especially now that Elena was frequently having a heart attack, she needed to go in the hospital and took more medicines. Almost fifty percent of my salary went to her medication.

I told Prince Alexander about that. Actually, I did not want him to know about my personal matters. However, like he said, since he was my boyfriend, I should tell him everything. To be fair, he would also tell me all about him.

Our relationship was not yet known by the people around us. Only Clarissa and Lola had the knowledge about what was going on between Prince Alexander and I. Lola, of course, was my best friend. She had a right to learn about this. She hated Prince Alexander at first because His Majesty spoiled her plan. But, she recovered now. Clarissa knew everything from the beginning, so there was no reason for us to hide it from her.

Prince Alexander slept in my room every night since the event in Bel Canto. Well, we were just sleeping, no more, no less. He always kissed me, touched me, but never beyond that. He was still respecting me. Although there were times that I could see in his eyes how he controlled himself. He should wait until our wedding night if he really wanted all of me.

He gave pecks on my collar bones, just beside the necklace he gave to me, when my mobile phone rang in the end table.

"Your Highness, a call," I was out of breath because of what he was doing.

"My name," he ordered, as if a lawyer who asked a statement from a witness.

"Alexander, a call," I corrected. One of the results of having him as my boyfriend. He wanted to be called on his name. I was being polite, but he did not care. All he cared was for us to be a normal couple.

He left his position and laid his back on the other side of the bed. I reached my mobile phone and immediately recognized who was calling. It was Katherine. I suddenly remembered that there was a meeting of finance and budget department this morning with the royal family.

I stared at Prince Alexander, who possibly did not care about that meeting.

I answered the call, "Hey, Kath."

"Shirley," her voice was in a hurry, "I'm here outside your room. But your door is locked."

Before I could respond, I felt Prince Alexander kissed the side of my neck. I prevented to moan, so Katherine would not suspect that there was a prince inside my room.

"Are you alright?" Katherine's Asian accent was on alert.

"Uh, yeah," I answered with a sigh.

While she spoke on the other line, Prince Alexander bit my lower lip. "Shirley, the meeting will start in ten minutes. Let's go together, I have your papers here for the report."

I put my palm between our lips so he would stop what he was doing. However, it was my palm he attacked instead. "Okay, wait for me, I'll just... uh, change my clothes."

It was not real, I was in my corporate attire now. I should be on my office at this hour, but Prince Alexander went here before I could go out of my door, and he locked it (I was thankful, because if he did not lock it, Katherine already saw us) so we were able to have our naughty time during work.

I hung up before she could respond. I put the mobile phone on the end table. I pushed Prince Alexander away from me, then my feet immediately met the ground. His hooded gazes questioned me.

"We have a meeting," I said while fixing my shirt and skirt, "I'm sure you're also informed."

Mutter bubbled in his throat. In a low voice, "Do we need to go there? Clarissa is already there, she can take note all the things my father and mother will say."

"You really want me to put on the unemployed list," despite of my fume, I tried to be calm, "Let's go there, before my head gets hot."

I turned my back to him to get my things on the table. I had not yet starting to walk when he held my wrist and turned me to face him. A nanosecond passed when I found myself drowning in his kisses again.

"Please...stop...now," I ordered between our smooches. If I had only an option, I would choose not to stop, but someone was waiting for me outside. And, there was a meeting ahead. Fudge, but his lips were my newest addiction. He stopped when my third punch on his bared chest connected.

He removed his grasp on my wrist and shoulder, "Fine," he playfully surrendered, "Happy now?"

I slapped his thick biceps. "Put your shirt on, and see you at the meeting. I'll go now."

I ran my hand on my hair, and wore my business jacket. When I had my things in my hands, I strode faster to the door.

"Hey, I love you," he shouted. Instead of responding, I opened the door, exited and closed it in a matter of a blink.

Katherine crinkled her face when she saw me, as though three horns grew in my head.

"Why are you blushing?" she queried and handed to me the folders of my paperwork.

A shrug was my answer. She dismissed it immediately, maybe not in the mood to have a gossip.

We walked toward the Royal Dining Hall. The meeting would also include a lunch with the Royal family. I was dreaming about it when I was still a teenager in Chicago. Well, my dream also involved having a prince as my lover. It became true now.

As we entered the room, almost all the accountants in the Palace occupied the seats on the two long tables, one in the west wing and the other on the east. In front, a table with red mattress and six regal-inspired chairs behind it filled the gap between the edges of the two long tables. It was my first time to have the personal view of this place. Chandeliers aligned on the ceiling, the walls covered with maroon and gold, while all the furniture stated that they all had a higher value than me.

Jackie, one of our co-personal accountants, waved at us. I sat beside her, on the other hand, Katherine had her seat across me. Robert, the head accountant, gave me some insights of what would happen at this meeting. I learned that it was always held when the year-end financial reporting was around the corner. We would discuss about the plans for the Christmas events and annual budget next year.

This gonna be a long day.

-----

"Miss Woodman," a soft voice sang my name, "Miss Woodman."

"Shirley," my eyelids flew open when I heard Katherine's low yet frightened voice. She turned her head to the right. I followed her gaze to see the twelve eyes on the Royal's table staring in my direction. Then, I realized that all who breathed in this room had their focus on me. What was happening?

"Miss Woodman," that vocal sound again.

Without processing what I had done, I raised from my chair, and gave the best respect I could ever think, "Your Royal Highness," I bowed my head before Queen Beatrice who certainly asking herself who was this freak in front of her.

No one spoke. Only gasps from the audience sliced the silence for a moment.

For an unknown reason, I fell asleep. I had a good sleep last night, possibly, the meeting was so boring that it was better to sleep than to listen to some statements that were not important for my job. I saw several persons yawned before I had my journey in dreamland. But now, all the sleepiness was gone, it transformed to the awe they felt for me. I might leave the United Kingdom later.

"May I repeat, Miss Woodman," Queen Beatrice smooth tone became stern, "Prince Alexander told me that he has a suggestion as a substitute for the Christmas for Women and Children, which are originally handled by me. May you please tell us about the financial capacity of this event?"

My eyes circled like a child lost in the middle of the busy street. What was she talking about? I transferred my gaze to Prince Alexander, who instantly mouthed, 'page eighteen'.

I opened the documents in front of me and turned it to page eighteen. I remember now, I knew this project for Christmas but Prince Alexander never told me that it was a substitute for Queen Beatrice's. I closed my eyes to gather my confidence. I stood properly when I looked to them and cleared my throat.

"The event Prince Alexander is planning for this Christmas will be participated by the children who suffered from fatal and incurable diseases like cancer and tuberculosis. We are not sure if these children will still be here next year, so why not we celebrate with them as long as they're still alive," I saw Prince Alexander smiled and nod for encouragement.

I continued by stating the figures needed for this event. While speaking, I recalled the day he and I talked about this. At first, I could not believe that he was a really soft hearted man. Out-of-nowhere he said it to me and I just elaborated it for him, especially when it came to the budget. He also said that he was planning about it long time ago, but it would be fulfilled only now because he finally found his allied.

After my speech, the queen let me sit. They started to discuss it, I thought they still needed me, but Prince Alexander was the one who explained the rest for them. Like a tennis match, all the heads turned to the one who spat his or her opinion out. There were some amendment, but the event was accepted.

The meeting ran smoothly. We had our lunch at the end of the discussions. The dishes were served one by one by the waiters. The smell of the food made my stomach create some noise and my supply of saliva became more productive than in the past. I always stole a sneak peak to Prince Alexander in between my bites of steak and bread. Sometimes, he spoke with Princess Victoria, though most of the time, we held each other's gazes.

My stomach was full when the meeting adjourned. I told Katherine to go to the office first, because I need to get something in my room. However, Prince Alexander showed up in front of my door with his very beautiful face. I would not get tired to always use that adjective or any alike to him. Also, I could watch that face for the next decades.

"Great introduction with mum," he teased and wrapped his arms around me.

"I was such an embarrassment," I observed him under my eyelashes.

"Look at me," he pleaded. He brushed the hair that blocked him from viewing my whole expression. "You're never an embarrassment. You explain everything well. If I don't have you, certainly, this event will go nowhere."

"You're saying that because I'm your 'you know'," to hide my flustered cheeks, I buried my face in his chest. He breathed on my hair.

"Your future mother-in-law will also appreciate how good you are," I could hear his smile in the middle of his words.

My response stumbled in my mouth, when someone said, "So, she's your new whore, Alexander?"

We instantly separated and simultaneously looked at the source of the question. A tan, tall lady with curly blond hair that well-matched her brown eyes stood in just a meter away from us. Based on my observation, she wore a designer coat, dress, shoes and headdress.

"What are you doing here?" Prince Alexander questioned back, anger was visible.

In three strides, she was already in front of us. She was almost as tall as Prince Alexander because of her killer high hills, and since I wore my flats, I appeared too small.

"I'm here to take what is mine," she answered in the most self-assured way. She eyed me with those orbs, the asset she was using to charm people. "Hi," she placed her hand in front of me, "I'm Leilanie Jayei." She smiled without showing her teeth, "I know you already heard about me. I'm an ex before, but now, Prince Alexander's fiancé. Nice to meet you, mistress."

Mistress? I was a mistress? Did this woman know who she was talking with?

I glared at her, not giving her a space to intimidate me. I was on the right side here because Prince Alexander loved me, ugh, I would tell her that later. Even though they had past, I was the present and preferably the future.

She eyed me from head to toe and back again. "Seriously, Alexander?" she rolled her eyes to His Highness, "You chose her over me. Why? Is it because she looked like Em..."

"Shut up, Leilanie," Prince Alexander interrupted her in a loud voice, "Why are you here? What do you want?" His ears filled with red, and I knew that he was furious. I stared at him for a moment. I held his hand. He squeezed mine after a half second.

I returned my gaze to her. What was she talking about? I looked like who? Uneasiness suddenly crawled and dominated my feelings when I realized it was something related to Prince Alexander's past.

Why did he become interested with a mere accountant like me? This question crossed my mind once or twice, but had never been answered. He always kept on saying that I was his sky or whatever. However, was it fate that made us together? Or, was there another cause?

"Awful," she sounded sympathetic, "Still secretive, Your Highness?"

"Get lost, Leilanie," Prince Alexander did not stop himself from saying that. He pulled me away and we quickly entered my room. "Avoid her as much as possible. That woman will do all she can do to destroy us," he cupped my face, "And, I won't allow that to happen."