CHAPTER 13

Unfortunately, it was inevitable that the night rolled to an end. Linka had to reluctantly leave her friends because her family was starting its royal exit from the party. She had little time to say anything at all, but waved to them at length, her eyes locked with Wheeler's until she made her way up the wide staircase. Once in private, the family exchanged kisses before they headed to their respective rooms.

Linka felt like in a dream as the maids helped her undress and take down her hair. She could hardly believe she had been able to share such a wonderful time with her closest friends. Grandmother! She was an angel, a heaven-sent woman. The Empress had given her the best gift Linka could ask for. To share herself so freely with her friends brought about a deeper sense of intimacy; they could finally understand all different shades of her character, her roots. She was moved that they continued to respect her even though she had been somewhat deceitful. Linka had been especially worried that Wheeler would take it hard, but all in all, he had been simply happy to be with her. She had caught him studying her more profoundly, he'd been more lost in his thoughts than usual, but she had also felt a deeper sense of affection from him. The way he gently took her hand and smiled spontaneously at her were clear indications that their relationship had moved to a different level, one that neither of them fully understood yet.

The young girl's mind was absent from her surroundings, all her energies were focussed on Wheeler, and she did not realize it had gotten to be late, almost morning, in fact. She actually jumped at the sound her cell phone emanated from the dresser.

Maria, the maid, raised her eyebrows at Linka when the young girl grabbed the device and gave it her full attention. A message from Wheeler was awaiting her curious eyes. Her heart was warm and full and she felt a juvenile excitement building inside her.

Make this night even more perfect... watch the sunrise with me? I'm at the bridge with the iron dragons

Linka quickly dismissed her servants before they could see the smile forming on her lips. She sat unmoving at first, staring at the screen as innumerous thoughts swirled through her brain. Did she dare take the next step with Wheeler, be completely alone with him, thus letting him know that she felt something for him? It was risky, but oh, she longed to! It was exasperating to keep running away from something that was surely forming, emotions so sweet she felt drunk on them.

On an impulse, she stood up from her chair and opened one door to her extensive closet. Linka chose the simplest dress she could find (no easy task) and wrapped a soft shawl around her shoulders. The spring evening was warm, but it was better being safe in case of a sudden temperature drop. She wasn't sure what to do with her hair. The up-do had put waves in it, and she decided to leave it loose over her back. She tried telling herself it wasn't just because Wheeler preferred her hair down, but she knew she could hardly fool herself any longer.

Her heartbeat seemed to be echoing in the stillness of the Palace hallways as she softly closed her bedroom door behind her. Linka was not sure why she felt the need to tiptoe around, but she did so, anyway. Perhaps she feared explaining her senseless behavior to anyone, for she could hardly understand it herself. Once she was finally out the front door, she smiled at the guards as they bowed to her, and let them know she was going for a walk around the gardens.

The crisp early morning air made her secure her shawl closer against her body and she took to running. Linka felt like laughing she was so overjoyed. The sky was of an indescribable beauty above her. The stars were out in full force, creating a magnificent backdrop to her dreams. Hues of orange-yellow hugged the Earth, pale blue directly above to contrast it. She walked further, following the paved garden roads she knew so well from her childhood. The Dragon Bridge was not far. It was a place surrounded by tall trees, overlooking a picturesque stream which the four dragons seemed to be "guarding".

Linka was out of breath once she arrived, not sure if it was due to her quick pace or the fluttered state of her heart. She saw that Wheeler was leaning over the railing casually, as if he belonged there, seeming at ease with the majestic surroundings. He sensed her presence and watched with a smile as she made her way to him. His expression mirrored her same sense of happiness.

Linka squealed when he suddenly picked her up and twirled her in the air a couple of times.

"Yankee!" She laughed, holding on to him once her feet were firmly planted on the ground again.

"I wasn't sure you could make it, babe," Wheeler said, his arms tightening around her waist. "I thought your door would be guarded or something."

Linka looked up at him, noticing he'd lost the jacket and tie. A few buttons on his white shirt were unbuttoned from the top, and he'd rolled up the sleeves. She knew such formal attire was not natural to him and Wheeler was too transparent to pretend to be someone he was not.

"It is easier to sneak around at night," she grinned, a little deviously, and he laughed.

All traces of amusement eventually deserted his eyes and they stood on the bridge, in a close embrace, exchanging deep, soul-baring glances.

It was endless moments before Wheeler sighed. In an extremely frustrated tone, he suddenly let out, "I... I can't!" His body seemed to be shaking from the effort of the lost battle raging on inside him.

He pulled Linka closer still, and she quizzically looked up at him, mouth slightly agape. Wheeler neared her, breathing in the scent of her hair, molding her curvy body to his solid one. He placed a kiss on the side of her neck. Another, then another, as if her skin had turned into a luxurious wine he could not help but taste.

"I can't stay away from you," he whispered in her ear, completely self-convinced.

Linka shivered warmly and listened to his voice as it filled the silence of the gardens.

"I knew you were out of my league the day I met you, Linka." Wheeler found her eyes, sincerity engraved in his shining orbs. "You're everything I'm not... obvious reasons aside. But now I find out you're even more unattainable. Like a mirage in the desert! But I don't care! Linka, I don't care! I gotta be with you, babe. I can't get out of my mind our kiss in Sydney. You're all I think about."

Linka felt her inside go weak, turning as gooey as roasted marshmallows, before she leaned into Wheeler, closing her eyes against the warmth exploding inside her body. His hand was placed against the small of her back, pulling her to him, another caressed the line of her jaw as he started to kiss her like she had envisioned in recent dreams. A sigh escaped her lips and she kept her lips parted for him, as her arms locked around his neck. Her knees were shaky, her reasoning lost to the wind, but she felt free. More than that, she felt desired, like she could go to a boy's head and make him drunk on her. But this was so much better than any substance, and if their first kiss had been shy and tame, their second one was proving to be explosively passionate. Linka's mouth willingly followed his lead and her body forged itself against his. Suddenly, she wished for his strong hands to roam her body and for his lips to trail paths down her skin.

These strange, strong urges deep within came as a surprise to her, and Linka could not help but be slightly shaken by them. Slowly, she pulled her mouth from Wheeler's and blinked back to the real world. Her head rested comfortably against his chest and she felt safe in the circle of his arms. He was stroking her long hair gently and her eyes closed as her body relaxed. There was no other sound except those of birds chirping and the water cascading over the rocks. It was so beautiful a moment, so tender, that Linka felt her heart ache a little from its impact. She moved her hands over his chest and felt the steady beating of Wheeler's heart against her palms.

"You are just... warm, Jacob," Linka whispered, hiding her face against his chest for fear he would look into her eyes. She was feeling very vulnerable disclosing her private emotions to him. "When I am with you, I feel like nothing bad can ever happen to me. You have a way of handling me that is very gentle, caring. I know I am not an easy person... it must be the Romanov blood inside me, proud, stubborn, and self-righteous... I could list a lot of my faults, but you never make them weigh too heavily on me. Initially, I used these things to push you away, but lately I have felt this resistance just... melting away."

"I do control the element of fire, babe!" Wheeler laughed, slightly pulling her away to seek out her eyes. His lips brushed hers softly and her breath caught at the tender gesture.

"That was the best thing anyone has ever said to me." Wheeler's tone had turned more serious and his eyes shined prettily. It was too easy to lose track of time, of herself, with him. It was surreal.

"Run away with me."

"What?" Linka laughed, her fingers slowly caressing his angular jaw line. She liked the set determination in his eyes, as if he could take on the world without any fear.

"More like where. How about off the coast of Mexico? Or Panama!"

"Yankee, those are places drug smugglers run off to!" She was laughing openly and he smiled at her visible happiness.

"All right, but I ain't goin' anywhere cold! I did my time in Brooklyn. Now it's nothing but sun, tan and bikinis!"

"Hmm," Linka rolled her eyes at him, then pretended to push him away a little. "What did I tell you earlier? About your Casanova-like behavior?"

Wheeler pulled her in closer instead and again kissed her, seeming content that he could do so whenever he wished to.

"There's only one girl I wanna see in a bikini and that's you, babe."

She was fond of the way his voice lowered when he was trying to be seductive, and his eyes kept drawing her in further and further. She had nowhere left to run. Slowly, Linka neared him and the anticipation building inside her core almost made her dizzy. They lost each other in burning kisses as the sun rays began to filter through the billowing clouds. A new day was born.

A/N: So romantic, here is the Dragon Bridge at Alexander Palace Gardens (it actually exists! And you thought I was just clever LOL!): .it/search?q=alexander+palace&biw=1093&bih=538&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CFAQsARqFQoTCMaNmsy_-cgCFaO8cgodIKoCmg&dpr=1.25#tbm=isch&q=alexander+palace+dragon+bridge&imgrc=ENTRFC_ZgzNsKM%3A