Raal refused to let go of her- his hands still tickled her stomach and his lips danced tirelessly across her chest, shoulders and back. Freneá giggled with delight, slowly pulling herself away and dragging herself out of the bed sheets. "Raal," she moaned when he didn't let her go. "Raal, I really need to go. My parents will be expecting me back by the afternoon."
Disappointed, his hands slowly slid off her body, sending a few last thrills and tingles up her spine. "I wish we had longer."
"This is the longest we've managed."
Raal nodded, resting his head against her back, his hands gliding down her curving hips one last time. "I wish we had longer."
She smiled. "I'll see you in a few days at the gala. After my parents sell Senator Sifas a dance with me, I'm sure we can sneak one or two in." She retrieved her black and white polkadot dress on the floor and threw it on the bed while she searched for the rest of her clothing. Raal took her shoulder and turned her around, her bra hanging from his other hand so he could put it back on her. Her smile returned, brighter. He clipped it in the back while she stepped into her dress and pulled it back on. A quick glance in the hotel room's tall mirror sent her into a fit of laughter and she complained, "My hair is a mess! Would you like to fix that for me too?"
"Oh, no. I'm sorry, angel. I'm afraid my hair and cosmetic skills are inadequate."
Freneá laughed, her head tilted back. Such was the delight that finally pulled Raal out of bed as her sunny smile and songbird laugh called his attention. Like an alpha male thranta attracted by a lovely female, he followed her to the bathroom and pulled his clothes back on. "You ought to straighten out your colors, Prince Raal," she teased, glancing at his uniform as he haphazardly threw it on. "Have you any decency?"
"Very little," he joked. "I believe you robbed me of all my decency, Princess."
"Why, that's quite the accusation, Prince Raal. I don't think anyone would believe that. I'm too innocent."
Raal didn't laugh and, just like that, the lightheartedness of the morning was gone.
Freneá paused before the mirror, her disappointment showing on her face. She set her makeup brushes down on the counter. "You always have to do this," she grieved in a whisper, her tone distraught and heartbroken.
"Fré," Raal sighed her name. He reached out to take her hip but she slid away smoothly.
"I know, I know," she laughed bitterly, gliding past him as she absentmindedly dragged a brush through her hair. Raal could already hear the tears in her voice. "We shouldn't be doing this because I'm young and innocent and I don't know what I'm doing-"
"Freneá, I'm trying to protect you."
She spun on him and Raal forced himself to continue looking at her while angry tears spilled down her cheeks. "I don't need your protection! I'm not that young and I'm not this stupid!"
"I know that-"
"I don't need you to be a big brother looking over me. I've already got one of those. This affair is happening because I want you. So don't play babysitter with me because that isn't how I need you."
"Freneá, as much as you don't want to hear it, you are innocent and I don't want to see you get hurt."
She stopped to look him up and down, studying him. "I trust you not to hurt me. In fact, I know you won't."
"You're being naïve."
"And you're being hypocritical. Raal," she spoke softly as she stood toe to toe with him. "If you didn't love me, if you didn't want to be with me, you wouldn't be here. But you are here."
"I made a mistake."
"Don't expect me to believe that. I know you enjoy this as much as I do. You're just trying to pretend that you can be responsible about things." She turned to the side and took a step around him, running a finger around his waist. "That's not necessary here, my love. We only need to play pretend in front of everybody else."
"Freneá, what's the point if we have to keep this a secret from the houses?"
"With true love, nobody needs to know." She completed her lap around Raal and stood before him, snaked her arms up his biceps and chest, then looped them around his neck. "Just a boy and a girl."
"No, Freneá. I am a man. And you're still a girl."
"I'm an adult!"
"According to Alderaanian law, yes. But in here?" He pressed a finger to her temple. "And here?" Then, her chest. "You are a very young girl."
Her tears started again. "You're lying! You're making up excuses to break up with me."
"No, I'm not."
"You love me! I know you love me! You tell me all the time. You always say that you are in love with me- you're just afraid of people finding out!"
"Alright," he admitted, his heart heavy in his chest. "But you are still young. You are naïve and innocent and you're going to get yourself hurt!"
"Then, stay with me! Protect me from this dark world! I am yours, Raal! Just please don't make this stop." She softened her voice to a quiet purr and brought her hands down from Raal's shoulders to his chest. "If we keep this up just a little longer, I can convince my parents to approve of you. And then we can get married like we talked about."
"Angel, I don't know if you're ready for marriage."
"I am." She pulled his head closer to hers. "We talked about this. Remember? It'll be in the Cortess gardens and all the houses will be there. My father will have approved of you and he'll give me away, and my mother will pass the Cortess tiara down to me. I'll wear it with my dress and glass slippers. We'll dance to the Panteer anthem. There will be a huge cake and we'll have our favorite cake flavor. And you can lick the frosting off my lips."
While Freneá expected a flaming commencement of the early morning, Raal left her with only a brief and tender smooch. "Raal?"
"I should go. And you should be returning home soon." He carefully stepped back, gathering his jacket from the floor and putting it on, then taking his service cap and tucking it securely on his head. Marching to the door, dressed in his full royal colors, Raal turned, one hand on the door handle, to look at Freneá. "I'll see you at the gala, Princess. Right?"
She folded her arms over her chest and nodded. "Of course, Senator Panteer."