A/N: OMG!!! So it's been pretty much just over a month since I've updated. Now I know what you are thinking. Shoot her now, I'm having Ally and Robert withdrawals because of her! But please don't shoot me yet. For those who don't know (mainly the non Twilighters people), I have actually moved from my home in Western Australia to Edinburgh, Scotland. Wooo! All this happened on the 31 January, and I tried my hardest to get all of the last chapters out before I left, but it just didn't seem possible, what with the other thousand things I was meant to be doing. Because of the move, I've had limited access to a computer to not just type, but to go on the Internet. I'm actually on a friend's laptop now, so I've been a little bit more active, thankfully. Anyway, enough of me babbling on. Enjoy this chapter, I think you will. Maybe you'll get some of the jokes, maybe you won't, but I still hope you enjoy it! The way I write is from the perspective of how things are happening in the moment. Some people may not like this, but it's how I feel I portray Ally best, so keep that in mind. Here is the next chapter for those of you who have been deprived! You know you love me, x L.
I looked at the person standing in front of the mirror. Who was she? A strange, ethereal girl who had invaded the Cullen house. She could not be me, that was for sure.
Her hair was all scraped back into a bun, held in place with what appeared to be a couple of cans of hairspray, judging by the empty canisters standing tall on the crowded bathroom counter. Her chin jutted out, all angular, which convinced me that this person was indeed not me. I never had an angular chin, had I? A fine layer of makeup caked her face. Green eye-shadow, though light, brought out the colour of the dress she wore. Blush adorned the apple of her cheeks, running upwards in a harsh line on her cheekbones. Again, as I stared in disbelief, I knew that this person was not me. Whereas I had light blonde eyebrows and lashes, the girl in the mirror had light brown, the lashes tinted by brown mascara.
A pale red lipstick was smeared across her lips. I never wore lipstick.
The girl's face already looked like a goddess', but it was the dress that was the real beauty.
It was a beautiful olive green colour that accentuated all her curves without being to clingy. The neck was scooped in a Grecian fashion, sitting comfortably on the collarbone. Past her shoulders, it fell down her back, in an oval shape, leaving her upper back and shoulder bones bare. It was sleeveless, two thin bands a lighter shade of green around her waist. The satin material fell to her feet from there, loose enough to allow movement, skimming over the ground. In other words, it was a masterpiece.
I turned so that I sideways to the mirror, my arms hanging loosely at my hips. As I moved, so did the girl in the mirror. A wry smile played on her lips, mimicking my facial expression. Her hand - my hand - fell to my ribcage, grazing it lightly. I could feel the fabric the bandage underneath the dress, protecting my still delicate ribs from any harm.
A hand rapped lightly on the bathroom door. "Ally?" I heard Rosalie say. "Are you still in there?"
I looked from the door to the mirror.
Ah. Rosalie. It was all coming back to me now.
A couple of days ago, while Robert and I were at the Cullen's, where Robert was now living - when he couldn't be with me, of course - both Alice and Rosalie had announced that we were all going to Prom. Apparently it was an American tradition not to be missed, and Rosalie and Emmett had spent the better part of their Study Hall convincing the school principal that it was completely acceptable to have a college student - Robert - at Prom.
That was why I was currently standing in Rosalie's bathroom, dressed to the nines in a gown that Rosalie had insisted I wear. While Alice had taken herself off to get Bella ready for tonight, Rosalie had taken me under her wing.
Not that I minded of course. Rosalie had become strangely bearable over the last few weeks. To myself, anyway. Her dislike of Bella was still strong; that was apparent in her body language.
Rosalie had come and visited me in the hospital before the Cullens - minus their new relative - had gone back to Forks. Bella had been released from hospital, and she and Charlie were staying at a nearby motel. I was being kept in for a couple of more days so that my ribs could heal enough so that I was able to walk without keeling over in pain with every step.
The Cullen's had said their goodbyes and left, but Rosalie had lingered in the room a little longer. There had been silence, until she stood up and made her way to the door. Turning back round to face me, she had said, "I'm glad you are okay," before leaving.
It was the strangest thing in the world, Rosalie saying that. We hadn't become chummy mates or anything afterwards too, but she was bearable. And she had offered – no, dragged me to find a dress for the Prom. As it had turned out, I wasn't being dragged far. It was only Rosalie's extensive wardrobe she had taken me to, and while Robert locked himself away with Carlisle (doing God knows what) to avoid having to say yes or no to a particular dress, I played mannequin for Rosalie.
I had eventually chosen the dress I now wore, teamed up with high heels that made me fear for my safety.
A part of me thought that it might have something to do with Emmett. Was Rosalie the jealous type? Emmett and I had been spending an awful lot of time together. No more than usual, really, but it might look the other way to Rosalie. Although what I had with Emmett was pure friendship. Alice didn't get all stroppy over the fact that Jasper constantly played Scrabble with me; Bella didn't get annoyed when Edward tried to teach me to play the piano (only after Robert had given up, of course). Maybe Rosalie was generally looking for a friend, an ally. While Bella dreamt of immortality with Edward, something Rosalie frowned upon greatly and seemed to be the source of her hatred towards Bella, it didn't bother me. In all honesty, I hadn't even given it much thought, not for ages anyway.
"Bella?"
The sound of Rosalie's voice broke me out of my reverie. I smoothed the dress down, panicking.
"Um, give me a sec, okay?" I called, turning back to give myself a last once-over.
"Hurry then, the guys are waiting for us downstairs. And don't you dare take your hair down," she warned, her tone icy.
I blinked, moving my hand away from the bun that sat smugly on my head. My surprise disappeared into a simmering anger when I realized that Alice must be back. Back and telling Rosalie stories of me attending this stupid Prom with my hair down.
Breathing in, I opened the door, coming face to face with Rosalie. "Finally!" she said, taking hold of my arm. "I was about to break the door down to make sure you were still alive." I laughed shakily, looking at Rosalie. I stopped short. There was no way I could go downstairs now.
Rosalie was a goddess. Her hair, paler than my own blonde hair, fell in soft waves down to her waist. She was wearing very little make-up - not that she needed it in the first place - save for a smatter of bright red lipstick, the exact same colour of her dress.
Her dress. If you could even call it that. It was more like a piece of fabric that clung to her curvaceous body. Thin spaghetti straps held it together, the fabric joining just above her stomach, showing off plenty of cleavage. It fell the same way as my own at the back, just lower down. The rest of the fabric fell to the ground, a long split showing off plenty of leg as well.
I shook my head. "I can't do this," I hissed, stopping on the landing. Rosalie turned to me.
"Yes, you are doing this, Ally. I didn't spend half my afternoon playing stylist for you to chicken out at the last minute." She must have recognised the look on my face, because her own softened.
"You look beautiful. Timeless. He'll love it, Ally." She took hold of my arm, making me move down the stairs. I hoped Rosalie was right.
I had never felt more embarrassed in my life. Everyone was waiting for us downstairs, in the open living room. Alice, dressed in a black dress that zigged and zagged across her petite body stood with Emmett and Jasper, her arm perched on the latter's own arm. I tried to avoid looking at Robert, seeing that he was standing next to Carlisle and Esme.
"Finally come out of the bathroom then, eh, Ally?" Emmett chuckled. It earned him a swat on the arm as Rosalie left my side for his. I smiled a small smile, heading to where they stood, ignoring Robert, who was trying to catch my eye. I was standing next to Jasper, and for once was relieved to feel the waves of calm wash over my body.
"You owe me a re-match. This time I will win," I said, looking pointedly at Jasper. Thank you, I mouthed. Jasper bobbed his head slightly.
"Well, we'll see about that," he laughed in his Southern drawl. "You are looking very nice tonight, by the way," he added, throwing an arm around my shoulder.
"Well, I tried," I mumbled. Apparently this was funny, because Emmett laughed. Alice and Rosalie had their heads together.
"Definitely your best work yet," A smiling Alice said to an agreeing Rosalie. I felt my face go red.
"Can we just go?" I asked, pointing to the exit. The others agreed, and we said our goodbyes to Carlisle and Esme before heading out to Rosalie's BMW.
"You are ignoring me," a husky voice whispered in my ear. I felt my face flush even more.
"No, I'm not," was my reply as I headed to the car. Robert's arm came down on mine, pulling me to a stop.
"Look at me." I turned, looking up to him. I looked at him, taking every part of his attire in. Robert was in a suit, but hadn't bothered to do up the last few buttons, leaving his collar open. He wore no tie, just a black tuxedo jacket over the plain white shirt. He wore black trouser pants. His shoes made me laugh - black high top Converses.
"You were the one who said you loved Doctor Who," he shrugged, bringing me closer to him.
"I can't believe you actually listened to me," I mused, straightening his collar. The tension between us had thawed out. Robert took me by the hand, leading me over to the BMW.
His cool breath tickled my ear. "You look gorgeous, by the way."
We had reached the car. My face was now glowing with Robert's comment instead of embarrassment when Alice and Rosalie pulled me into the back of the convertible. Emmett was squashed between the three of us, Jasper left to do the driving.
"Let's go part-ay!" Emmett hollered, throwing the rest of us into a fit of whoops and laughter.
---
The Prom was in full swing by the time we arrived, mainly due to my lateness. We piled out of the BMW, leaving Jasper and Alice to park the car. I grabbed hold of Robert. "Don't let go of me," I whispered. His tight grip showed that he wasn't intending to leave.
I hadn't been to a dance in just over four years. The last time, The Spring Fling, was when I was living in Rhode Island and had been caught smoking pot behind the back of the gym. It was the start of my rebellious phase, and my first warning before I was kicked out of Foster Home Number Fifteen.
We showed our tickets at the door, Mr. Carver giving Robert a dubious look when he handed over his ticket. "I'm on the list," was his answer to the look, causing us all to laugh.
Inside, the music was loud. Something poppy, like Britney Spears or someone like that was blasting through the stereo system that had been set up. The theme was Monte Carlo Casino, so the Inn had been decorated to resemble a small casino. Black and red balloons and streamers dangled from the ceiling. We walked under a huge silver banner that read Monte Carlo, before coming face to face with roulette and blackjack tables; the waiters all wearing black and red. Familiar faces crowded round the tables, or grooved along to the music on the dance floor.
"Let's find Edward and Bella!" I yelled into Robert's ear. The others had left us, going off to do God knows what. Robert nodded in reply, and we wove through the crowd, searching for my best friend. It wouldn't be hard. Her leg was in a huge cast.
It was a search in vain however. According to the text I had received before arriving, Bella and Edward where already at the Prom. Where they were now, I had no idea. Nor had Robert. "No luck," he said, shrugging his shoulders. I sighed, giving up. I wasn't going to waste my time scouring the place for Bella when she was probably holed up in a room somewhere doing the dirty with Edward.
"Let's go outside then," I said, leading Robert out to the back of the Inn, where there was a large garden and a gazebo. It had been decorated with fairy lights, illuminating the drizzle of rain that softly fell.
Outside it was a lot quieter, and I was able to talk to Robert without shouting. Letting go of his hand, I ran up the steps of the gazebo, heading towards the railing. Leaning on it, I turned so that my arms were behind me. Robert stood opposite me, leaning on the railing on the other side of the gazebo, his hands in his trouser pockets. I stared at him, my head cocked to the side, my eyes taking in the very handsome sight of him in a tuxedo.
In three long strides, Robert was across the gazebo, standing a few feet in front of me. He sunk low into a bow and then straightened. He took my right hand in his, and I followed on from his lead.
I knelt into a deep curtsey. As I went down, I looked up at Robert, trying to look sexy and sultry, knowing that I looked ridiculous instead.
Robert softly kissed my outstretched hand. "My lady," he murmured.
I straightened. "Mr. Martin," I said in a false English accent. "I say old chap, you are looking splendid this evening." I grinned, looking up at Robert.
"Righto old chap," was Robert's reply. His accent was spot on - more often than not Robert slipped back into his old English accent, a habit that hadn't died over the last hundred odd years. It was odd to think of Robert as being English. It was a part of his life that was far separated from mine, and even now, after nine years of being with him, it was a life that I knew little about.
"Would you like to dance?" Robert asked, breaking me out of my thoughts. I started, turning to face him.
"A little bit of this, huh?" I said, breaking out some terrible dance moves. A wry smile played on Robert's lips as he moved closer to me.
"I meant would you like to dance properly," he said. With one hand around my waist, he pulled me towards him, close enough so that I could feel his breath on my face. Close enough, in any other lifetime to be considered highly inappropriate. As his hand slid lower down, his other one picked up my limp arm.
"Now, put your arm around my waist." I followed his instructions, moving my left hand to rest on his back. "Then I hold your right hand, bringing it up like this," Robert demonstrated, lifting my arm up. "And we waltz."
Robert slowly began to twirl me around the gazebo. "Just like the old days then?" I asked, smiling up at him. I could see how dancing was the order of the day. The hand on my back felt like it was fire, burning a hole through my back. Everything about Robert alerted me to his very presence - the way his eyes were trained on mine as I tried not to trip; his middle fingers softly caressing the hand clasped in his hand; the way his hair ruffled gently in the occasional breeze.
"Even better than the old days," he whispered in my ear. His voice, though American, pronounced every word clearly.
"I doubt however, that ladies in the olden days would know how to waltz around a gazebo," I chuckled, watching Robert's feet so I didn't step on him.
"Oh, you'd be surprised." My head snapped up, a sudden wave of panic washing over me. How many ladies had Robert waltzed around a gazebo? My mind went into overload just thinking about it.
A finger forced my chin upwards. That same cheeky smile adorned his face. "I'm joking, Ales. You are so gullible."
I felt my face redden as I mumbled a reply. "Well, you don't crack me any slack." I buried my face in his chest so I didn't have to look at him.
"Ally."
After a few minutes of relative silence and slow swaying, I looked up into Robert's golden brown eyes. He stopped moving, pressing me against the gazebo's railing. His arms were outstretched on either side of my body, keeping me pinned there.
I felt my breath sharpen as he leant forward, winding his hands in mine. A chuckle came from his lips as he planted a kiss on my forehead.
"You're such a tease," I grumbled into his chest. His chin rested on the top of my head. His arms were wrapped around my waist, his hands clasped together on the small of my back, dangerously low…
"You're the one who said you preferred it," Robert joked back. I rolled my eyes.
"I didn't mean I preferred I, I just said it was nice that all the Pride and Prejudice movies, Lizzie and Darcy don't actually kiss," I argued. "Not that you shouldn't kiss me," I quickly added.
Robert kissed the top of my head lightly. "There - I kissed you."
I shook my head laughing. "You loser."
I moved away, keeping my hand firmly in Robert's, watching his facial expressions.
"Shall we - " Robert said at the same time as I asked, "Did you want to - "
"Let's go," I grinned, leading Robert out of the gazebo. Through the windows of the inn, we could see the Prom in full swing. Crowded bodies moved to the beat of some hip-hop song.
Holding tightly onto Robert's hand, I lead him through the throng of people to where I saw the blood red dress that clung to Rosalie's body. She spun around, revealing Emmett in her arms.
I tapped Emmett on the shoulder, and he turned to face me and Robert. "Ally! The party's rocking!" He yelled, grooving to the song. I laughed, feeling Robert's arm encircle my waist.
"Have you seen Bella and Edward?" I yelled into his ear. Emmett shrugged a no and smiled apologetically. I waved goodbye, leaving them to grind their bodies to the thumping music. Dragging Robert back through the crowd, I yelled for him to keep an eye out for Edward and Bella.
We didn't get very far. Much to my distaste, Jessica Stanley had materialized in our path. I gripped Robert's hand more than necessary.
Jess, who wore a hot pink dress that showed too much of her already ample cleavage, looked Robert up and down before turning to look at me.
"Is that your cousin?" she asked, sticking her hand on her hip, thrusting out her chest. Robert snorted into my hair, choking back laughter.
"No Jessica, he's not my cousin," I replied, trying not to laugh also.
"Who is he?"
"My boyfriend," I replied slowly. As if it wasn't obvious enough - Robert's arm was around my waist as I leant into his body, my hand in his. Clearly not the way cousins behaved.
Jessica looked puzzled. "I thought it was illegal to date your cousin," came her answer.
This time I was annoyed. "He's not my cousin, Jess!"
Looking slightly disappointed and abashed, she answered with an "Oh," and disappeared into the crowd.
As soon as she left, Robert burst out laughing. I swatted his arm. "It's not funny," was my grumbled, disgusted reply. Urgh, Jessica Stanley. Just the thought of her made me want to vomit. The thought of her and Robert made me want to take a sledgehammer to her head.
I pushed Robert through the crowd once more. "That was funny - cuz," Robert chuckled. I chose to ignore him, spotting Bella talking to Edward just off past a roulette table.
"Bella!" I cried, waving to get her attention. She turned, breaking into a smile when she saw it was us.
"Enjoying yourself?" she asked as we came closer. I gave a pained smile.
"Not my type of thing," I lamented.
Bella gave me a sympathetic smile, nodding her head. I cleared my throat, capturing the attention of both Robert and Edward, who had been talking themselves.
"Ed-ward," I sang in a sing-song voice. Edward looked back at me, a wary look on his face.
"Yes?"
"Robert and I were wondering, because we are sick of this already, if we could borrow the Aston…the car for a bit of a drive," I rushed. "We'll bring it back before the Prom is over," I was quick to add.
Edward looked at me for a while, and then at Robert, before sighing and reaching into his pocket. Excitedly, I gave a small clap. Finally! This is what I had always dreamed of. Driving the Aston Martin Vanquish.
"Of course," Edward said, holding out the keys. I stretched my hand out to grab them, but he pulled away.
"Only if Robert drives," he added, a smile playing on his lips.
I opened my mouth to give him a foul reply, but felt Robert elbow me, and I winced as a dull thud coursedthrough my body. Glowering as I held my right side, I watched as Robert took the keys off Edward, promising to take care of the car. I wanted to say something else, but Robert pulled me away before I could. I turned back, waving a dejected goodbye to Bella.
"That's not fair," I grumbled, letting Robert pull me to the exit. "He knows I want to drive the Aston Martin. Let me drive his car, Robert. He'll never know!"
Robert laughed. "No."
"Meanie."
We were in the car park of the inn. It was pitch black, save for the lights that adorned the building. Robert pressed the electronic device on the keys, unlocking the car. The orange lights flashed, alerting us to its whereabouts.
I sighed as I slid into the passenger seat of the black Aston Martin Vanquish. The seats were made of black leather, and I ran my hands over it as Robert slid into the driver's seat.
Robert started up the car, reversing out of the car pack. "Still sulking?" he jested as we pulled onto the main road. I turned to glower at him. "You could still stop down the road and letme climb over, if you are afraid of him seeing me drive," I offered as a last chance suggestion.
A smile adorned Robert's face as he changed gears. "No."
I folded my arms, curling my lip up. "Fine." I looked out the window, watching as the darkened trees flew past. "will you tell me where are we going then?" I asked, glancing back up at Robert. He smiled back, almost laughing again.
"No."
I childishly stuck out my tongue. This time Robert did laugh, pushing the beautiful, sleek car up another gear.
---
Fifteen minutes later, and at 100 miles an hour at that, we had arrived at the destination Robert had been so keen to keep a secret.
We were in the Hoh Forest, about to set off on the same walking trail that we had walked along two months ago. This time however, it was pitch black. But that wasn't what was causing me to worry.
"Aren't you scared, of you know, woof-woof?" I asked as my hand found Robert's in the dark. He quickly locked the car - practically invisible in the night - before leading me onto the path.
"No, of course not," he said, ever the brazen one. "The dogs don't know that I am here, so there's really nothing to worry your pretty little head about. And as long as Bella doesn't advertise my visibility or existence, we'll be fine."
I stopped, letting go of Robert's hand. He turned to face me.
"Whatever you say, my liege." I leant into a deep bow, sweeping my hands out in front of me.
"You are too sarcastic for your own good," Robert laughed. It was a tinkling noise, as natural as the birds of the night calling out.
I reached for Robert's hand again, letting him pull us through the forest. My eyes couldn't see more than a couple of feet in front of me. Robert, however, could see for miles. All those carrots, maybe.
"So are you going to explain more about this visibility thing you've got going on or what?" I asked, hitching up the bottom of my dress so that I could climb over a fallen log.
"It's hardly the time and place, Al," Robert sighed, helping me.
"Well, when will that time and place be? You've been avoiding the subject for weeks - since I left the hospital," I pointed out. Robert stopped, rolling his eyes exasperatedly. Or at least, I imagined him doing so. I couldn't exactly see in the dark.
"Look, by the time we get to the beach, we'll have to turn back again. Climb on," was Robert's avoiding reply.
I looked at him dumbfounded. "I'm wearing a dress."
"So?"
"I'm wearing a dress. Rosalie's dress. If I climb on to your back, I'm bound to rip the dress. And that won't make Rosalie a happy vampire, would it?" I explained, shaking my head. Men. They had no idea.
I heard Robert chuckle in the darkness, and, before I knew it, the world was spinning. Robert was holding me in his arms, a la bridal style. "Problem solved, don't you think?" I could see Robert's white teeth glint in the light of the moon. I tried my best to glare back.
"Just be careful okay? I'm sure Rosalie would be happy to have an excuse to tear my limbs apart. Women do kill for the name of fashion, you know. And these ribs are still tender," I added, motioning to my rib cage.
"Mmm, tasty," Robert joked. I swatted him lightly on the cheek, winding my arms around his neck for support.
"Just go," I laughed, burying my face in his chest.
Robert, who had been walking slowly before, sped up to a faster gait. I was glad for once that my hair was all pinned up - except for the fact that the bobby pins were digging into my scalp.
As soon as I felt Robert slow down, the smell of the salt air flowed into my nostrils, I let go of his neck, pulling out all the bobby pins so that my hair fell in waves past my shoulders.
"That's a lot better," I said, shoving the pins into the breast pocket of Robert's tux. I looked up at Robert, who hadn't said a word since we slowed down, exiting the thick forest for the soft sand of the beach. The moon had escaped from behind the thin, wispy clouds, making him look paler than usual. But still breathtakingly beautiful, I silently added.
"Robert?" He was grinning down at me.
"Robert," I said warily, this time more as a warning than a question. I had seen this look before. And we were still walking - towards the ocean.
"Put me down." I struggled against his hands. It wasn't much use however, being as strong as he was. He easily kept me in his arms as I fought to prisepry? his fingers off me. We were getting awfully close to the water that stretched for miles ahead of us.
"Don't you dare," I cried, trying to wiggle myself out of his grip, realizing what he intended to do. He didn't say anything as the water washed up against the soles of his shoes.
"Rosalie will kill me," I said, talking more to myself. "She'll murder me. In cold blood."
Nothing seemed to be working. I could feel the spray of the water against my bare legs as the ocean splashed around us.
"Do you want me to put you down," Robert whispered in my ear. I stopped wriggling, sighing inwardly as relief washed over me.
"Yes."
I felt as if I was flying. I was really, but the feeling only lasted no more than one second. The strong, marble arms that had been supporting me had disappeared, and in the next second I was hitting water. I fell through the surface, plunging downwards. I gasped for air, salt water filling my lungs instead as my hair fanned about my face in all directions. I kicked madly to what I believed to be the surface of the water, a dull ache in my ribs.
Regaining my senses as I saw the moonlight streaming through the water, I broke onto the surface quietly. I could see Robert in front of me, knee deep in water with his back facing towards me. The moon slowly disappeared behind some clouds.
Perfect.
Silently, I slid the heels off my feet, holding them in one hand. I kept everything but my head under water, my now dark, wet hair fanning out behind me. If the moon was to come out now, I would have looked like some headless ghost wading through the water.
"Ally?" I heard Robert call, turning around. I crouched where I was, silent, gently being bumped forward by the occasional waves. The sound of the ocean breaking on the beach filled my ears.
"Al? Where are you?"
Water splashed around, the spray hitting my face as Robert waded in until he was knee deep. God, the water was freezing.
"Ally?" There was a hint of panic in his voice, even though being the man - Spirit? Vampire? - that he was, he wouldn't show it. I decided to give up the game. As quietly as I could, I swam up behind him, reaching out and grabbing his legs.
"Ahhhh!" I screamed childishly, pulling myself up out of the surf. I felt Robert's hands grasp my arms, pulling me up so that I was level with him.
"Don't ever do that again," he said fiercely, wrapping me in a tight hug. I pushed away slightly to get my breath back.
"You were the one who dumped me in the water," I pointed out lightly, poking him in the chest. I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest at the thought of Robert being seriously concerned about me.
Robert's hands gripped the sides of my face so that our foreheads were touching. Every so often, a wave would push us closer to the shore.
"I thought I'd lost you. That you were drowning somewhere, and I couldn't help you." The pain was evident on his face. I cursed myself inwardly, feeling guilty.
I reached up, kissing Robert's lips lightly.
"Don't get your knickers in a knot," I said, pulling him to the shore. The satin dress clung to the curves of my body, and I pushed the wet hair out of my face. "You started it."
"Yes, well, I'd better finish it then, hadn't I?" I heard him growl, feeling his hand slip around my waist. I squealed, running out of his grasp to escape him. As I ran in the soft sand, I threw my shoes over to a rock, noticing that Robert's tuxedo jacket was already there. Slowly down, I turned and smiled slyly at his jogging figure.
"Catch me if you can!" I yelled, running back towards the surf. I was knee deep now, the cold water splashing around me as I tried to catch my breath. The water made me uncoordinated, and I kept falling over. My scream was cut off as a hand went over my mouth, another one around my waist. I struggled against Robert in a pathetic attempt to free myself - I was too busy laughing.
"Oh, I don't think so," he joked, pulling me into his chest. I turned to face him, gripping his arms.
"Fine. But you're coming with me!" I yelled, pushing him off balance as I fell into the water. I was still holding onto his arms, so I pulled him under with me. While he was momentarily distracted, I pushed him under, dunking his head into the water.
I screamed with laughter, feeling Robert trying to trip me up. I pushed myself away, almost gliding in the water as I tried to get away.
Suddenly, I felt Robert's hand encircle my outstretched leg and I cried out, feeling myself being dragged back towards him.
"That's not fair," I laughed, pushing the hair out of my face. "You're faster than I am."
"And?" Was his answer.
I realized then that he was kneeling in the sand, so I braved the cold and sunk lower into the water.
"What about the dress?" Robert asked, pulling me closer. The waves were smaller now, but still had enough force in them to make us bounce with every crash of a wave.
"Stuff the dress. It was destined to be ruined," I replied casually. I couldn't work out what was colder - the water or Robert's chest, so I decided to rest my head under his.
"I'm sure Vera Wang would love to hear that," he murmured into my ear, smoothing my wet hair. With every stroke his hand would progress lower down my back, making me awfully aware of every sound and movement around me.
"How did you know that the dress was a Vera Wang? I didn't even know that," I replied, surprised.
"Ah, the mysteries of the male mind."
I rolled my eyes, more content to just kneel here in the water. Robert's hand was very entrancing, and I could feel myself getting sleepier by the minute. My breathing had evened out, and I could feel my chest rise slowly against Robert's. We didn't speak, but just sat there, lulled by the sounds of the ocean and the forest.
"I never want this moment to end," I murmured into Robert's chest. One hand came down and pulled my chin up.
"You want to spend forever in the ocean in the middle of the night when it's below freezing?" Robert asked, his eyebrows raised.
"If I could live forever," I pointed out, "I don't care where I spend it, as long as it's with you."
This revelation earned me something I had been looking forward to - but also dreading - my whole life.
Robert's lips pressed down hard on mine, full of fire and passion. I found myself winding my arms around his neck, pressing my body into his as I felt myself respond to his kiss. Up until now, all Robert's kisses had been light and gentle, like I was a fragile doll or something. We fit together perfectly, the missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Robert's hands were in my hair, running down my back as we kissed. I felt alive at his touch, as if I were melting right into his arms.
Eventually I had to pull away, gasping for air. Robert continued to plant small kisses all over my face. His lips traced my eyelids, a finger following as he left a trail of kisses down my cheek. He outlined my jaw, brushing his lips against mine once more, but quickly moving past to my other cheek. He eventually reached my ear, where he kissed the outside of my lobe.
"You know, I've never really noticed until now how good you really smell." I shivered as his breath tickled my ears.
Before I could say anything more, Robert was pulling me to my feet and dragging me out of the water. I was left in a daze, and it wasn't until I felt Robert wrap me in his jacket that I 'woke up'.
I turned to glare at him. "You really shouldn't do that to people."
"Do what?" He looked at me innocently.
"Kiss and leave people like that. I know yours doesn't work properly, but you could stop someone's heart by doing that."
Robert came to stand over me, and I looked up, feeling his shadow fall over my body. "Who says I do that to everybody?" He asked, an amused look on his face.
"Well, you do it to me."
"You're not everybody," he pointed out. "You're Ally. I don't go around doing this to everyone." He kissed me lightly on the lips, pulling away before I had any real chance to respond.
"That's good to know," I replied. I felt Robert swing me into his arms again, and this time it didn't freak me out. Yawning, I realized how tired I was.
"What time is it?" I asked, burrowing myself into Robert's chest. His white shirt, now with a couple of buttons open, was still wet, his chest freezing cold. I snuggled in closer, a fruitless attempt to warm him up - more for my own benefit than his.
"Bed time, judging by those closed eyes," Robert laughed. The sound rumbled through his chest. "I'll go slow, don't worry." I mumbled a reply mixed with a yawn, keeping my face in his chest.
I couldn't remember if he had kept his word or not. By the time Robert had set off in the direction of the Aston Martin, I was fast asleep in his arms.