"Are you sure you want to do this?"
She sighs loudly at his overbearing nature. It's been like this for months, her telling him that she wants to do something and him questioning her about it endlessly. He's like a thorn in her side. A very handsome thorn. That she really likes looking at.
"Why do you have to question everything I want, Jasper? Besides, it's ice skating. It isn't like I'm saying we should go sky diving," she says.
"You've entrusted me to protect your body," he counters with a slight smirk, "I'm just doing my job."
"You're not my bodyguard, Jasper. You're my boyfriend," she points out, "You'll catch me if I fall."
"As far as I can tell, there isn't much of a difference between bodyguard and boyfriend," he mutters.
"Boyfriend gets to hold my hand," she replies, reaching for his hand. She drags him towards a bench by the ice rink so she can replace her boots with skates. He follows along begrudgingly, a scowl on his face. She catches sight of it and outwardly groans. "Can't you just pretend to enjoy this somewhat romantic thing that couples do together?"
"Yeah yeah," he moans. She sits on the bench, kicking off her shoes almost immediately and slipping the skates onto her feet. Jasper finally plops down beside her and begins to place the skates on his own feet. "Do you know how dangerous this is?"
"You're teaching me to ice skate, Jasper, not play that dreadful game with sticks and a rubber," she replies. She stands up then, gloved hands finding her hips as she towers over him and watches him. He looks up at her, slowly, eyes round and glassy. His nose is red from the cold air nipping at his skin. She thinks he looks absolutely adorable. "Come now, Boyfriend."
"I've seen some things," he says gravelly. She sighs deeply, her breath a foggy cloud of mist in front of her face. She leans forward to clasp her hands around his, but loses her balance. Her hands hit him in the chest, but he manages to keep her steady with his thumbs digging into her hipbones. "Careful. Don't want to bust up that pretty face of yours."
"You'd love me less if I weren't as pretty?" She questions as he pushes her back just slightly and stands in front of her. She tilts her head as he rises, his height making him almost a head taller than her without her heels to give her an advantage.
He shakes his head; he says, "Nothing could make me love you less."
She grins there, his soft gaze coursing through her. She feels warmed by his hands and his eyes, and she's glad that they finally stopped playing games. Even then, she still has to beg Liam to spend time with her boyfriend during daylight. She's lucky she was able to whisk him away. At least she's able to ditch her security when she's with him. Perks of dating a bodyguard.
"You'll hold onto me, yes?" She asks, slipping her hand around his and turning to head towards the rink.
"I won't let anything happen to you," he replies. She waits for him to surpass her at the edge of the rink. He steps onto the ice and turns to face her, extending his hands for her to take. "Hockey finally paid off."
She places her hands in his and steps up onto the ice, his arms pulling her closer to his chest. She floats as he moves backwards, following his trail. She has no choice but to follow his lead, and it's an unsettling sensation. He's trustworthy though. She knows that now. He would never let anything happen to her, and he won't hurt her. They're done hurting each other.
"Is there anything you can't do?" She asks him.
"Plenty," he replies, "You're the one who is good at everything they do."
"Jasper," she scoffs, "I'm not."
"You'll be skating circles around me the moment I let you go," he argues.
She smiles, her fingers curling tighter around his. She says, "Then don't let me go."
"I'll hang on tight then," he says with a firm nod. Sometimes, she wishes he would abandon his tight and chiseled jaw, flaring nostrils, and slanted eyebrows for a smile every once and a while. He sweeps to her side and slips an around her waist. His fingers press just below her hip, pads of his fingers resting against her thigh. "Move with me."
"You know I don't like to follow directions," she says with a light shake of her head.
He huffs then, clearly not amused by her obstinacy. He says, "Like dancing. You let me lead when we dance."
She gives in, following his lead. She likes to give him a hard time because she actually finds his grumpy demeanor extremely charming. Eventually she gives in because he's the only person more strong willed than she is. That's what she likes most about him.
"That's because you're stronger than me," she replies cheekily.
"There's going to be pictures of this all over the front page tomorrow," he says suddenly, lifting a hand to point across the way. She lifts her gaze in the direction he's pointing just in time for a flash from a camera. She feels his grasp on her loosen. "I'll be right back."
"No," she interjects, catching his hand with her own. She tugs him towards her and nearly loses her balance, but he catches her once again. Last time someone snapped pictures of them out on the town, he destroyed a camera or two. "Let them take pictures."
"Your mother will be thrilled," he deadpans.
"I don't care what Mum thinks," she says; she shrugs, "Besides, everyone inside of the palace walls already knows, no reason we should keep pretending like you aren't a few weeks away from moving your things into the palace."
"You mean you don't want to move downtown?" He asks. His mouth is shaped in his customary thin line, completely devoid of any feeling. She watches as the corners of his mouth slightly tug upward. "My flat has a nice view of the palace."
"Why would I want to look at the palace when I could live in it?" She replies.
"So you could be with me," he says.
"I can be with you any time I want," she counters. He stops suddenly, fingers grasping her hips as he pulls her towards him and stops her completely. He slips his arms around her waist and she's instantly warmer. She didn't realize she was so cold. "I can just tag along with Liam and I have you."
"You always have me," he replies. His palms flatten against her torso. He kisses her cheek and lets his slips slide over her skin to her neck. His mouth lingers there, warming her and offering her comfort. He's always been good at making her feel safe, even when she was furious at him. She turns in his arms to face him, his hands now lingering just above her ass. "Your nose is red. You're freezing."
"Take me to your view, Boyfriend," she says, "Warm me up."
"The best view is always where you are," he offers.
"Then you'll move in with me, yeah?" She asks.
He smiles then, his hands pushing at the hair around her face as he tucks the loose strands behind her ears. He leans forward and lightly kisses her at the corner of her mouth. She leans against his chest then, her fingers searching for hers.
"Princess, you don't tell me what to do," he says, his mouth an amused shape, "But I will move my things into your palace bedroom if that's what would make you happy."
"It would," she says without missing a beat.