From now on, expect me to post either on Friday or Saturday. Fridays are starting to get busy for me. This chapter gets a little spicier. There is a make-out scene in this chapter and I plan on getting spicier. I may change this story's rating to mature, but we'll see how much spice I want to give it.

I decided to post a little more than usual, so enjoy!

-CL

"Bella! Do you need me to get Dr. Ashlar?" Maxon asks, adjusting his stance under my weight. He's holding me up by my arms; I'm limp in his arms, adding dead weight for him. My eyes start to flutter close. "Bella? Bella?!"

I snap awake, realizing where I am. I stand up on shaky legs but manage to stand upright. "I'm fine, Maxon. I don't know what just happened."

America comes over to us. "Bella! That's exactly what happened when we were getting ready for the wedding."

Damn it, America. The last thing I wanted was for Maxon to know that. I smile. "Yeah, I think it's just my anxiety," I say, walking over to the window. "Let's take some pictures."

"No, Bella. That wasn't 'from anxiety'. I've been around you long enough to know that something's wrong. Please, Bella," Maxon says taking my hands, and making me look into his eyes, "confide in me."

"Maxon," I say, breaking away from him, "I'm fine. I promise you. I think it's just nerves or something." I lean in to whisper to him, "Or maybe I'm starting my period."

"Bella," he says. "Please, do you need help?"

I take a deep breath. "Maxon, I'm fine now." I speak quietly, "Please, you know I don't like this much attention. I'll talk to you more tonight or tomorrow. Please, Maxon. Please."

Maxon takes a deep breath, probably to control his anger. I pleadingly stare at him. "Bella, we'll finish this conversation later. But if this happens again, I'm bringing you up to our room and you'll tell me what's wrong."

"Thank you, Maxon," I say, kissing his cheek. We walk over to the window, Maxon gripping my arm. Maxon and I stand together and the photographer introduces herself. "Hi, I'm Sam." Sam looks like she's in her twenties. She's medium height with blonde hair and is wearing a simple white maxi dress, but it fits her small curves perfectly. It ruffles down to her ankles and the sleeves are long with cutouts in the shoulders with a halter neckline. Sam directs us on how to pose.

We start by holding each other, looking into each other's eyes with smiles on our faces. Then she has us touch our foreheads together with my arms around Maxon's neck. The next one is my favorite, with me leaning into Maxon while glancing up and he's looking down at me with a genuine smile on his face. We do a few where we are kissing, and then we invite America, Marlee, Carter, and Aspen to join us for a group photo.

After a few shots with our entourage, my parents come over to take a picture with Maxon and me. We start with just me and my parents and then Maxon joins us. We let anybody else take pictures if they would like, but Maxon and I leave the photoshoot area.

We start walking over to our seats, but Maxon says, "Wait, let me show you something." He leads me to a balcony that overlooks the gardens. "Look up." I do and gasp. There's a meteor shower and the stars are twinkling with the snow lightly falling. "Remember the New Years' party?"

"Of course I do," I say, walking to the balcony's edge. "You compared me to the night sky that night."

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" Maxon moves closer to me, but I can feel him holding himself back. "You still do look like the night sky."

I whip my head to face him. "Really? I thought you meant my dress that night."

"No, I meant you. You always have reminded me of the night sky. You're quiet, but you shine so brightly. You have your ups and downs, but so does the night sky." Maxon walks nearer to me.

"But-how can you compare me to the night sky? I'm not exceptionally gorgeous like it is," I say, turning my back and facing the gardens. I lean over the balcony, my hands firmly grasping the railing, hoping to see-

Suddenly my legs give out, and the ground is rushing to meet me. My legs are almost over the edge of the railing-

"Bella!" Maxon grabs my legs and stops the fall. He gently pulls me up and soon I'm standing again. "What happened?!"

"I must have leaned over too far. Thanks for saving me," I say. "I'm sorry, Maxon. I just ruined the moment again, didn't I?"

"Nope, not at all," Maxon says. "Actually, you made my adrenaline pump even more, so now I can do this to prove that you are gorgeous." He leans down and kisses me. This one isn't gentle like the previous ones, but this one is hungry, wanting to do more than kiss. Maxon nudges my lips open and deepens the kiss. He pushes me against the wall and uses his hands to feel my body, all of my curves. I grab his hair, ruining his perfect hairstyle. He reaches my breasts, and I moan, wanting him to tear my dress off, leaving nothing between us. I break away, "Maxon-" I tug at his suit and he realizes what I want to do.

"Bella-" he breaks away from me, pushing himself away, "I promise you we'll do all of this tonight, but right now we need to finish the reception." He grins and helps me fix my appearance. I fix his messy hair the best I can and straighten his tie. I touch my lips and realize how swollen they are.

"Shit, I should really fix my makeup," I say.

"We can call a maid to grab your makeup and a mirror and you can fix it," Maxon says, walking back into the room and doing just that. I smile, loving him for thinking of me first before himself.

Maxon walks back in. "Thanks," I say, "and you might want to ask for some more hair gel. I was pretty rough on your hair." I grin sheepishly. "But it was the only way or otherwise I would have ripped your clothes off right there and then."

Maxon laughs. "Oh, Bella, I almost wish you did. But we still have hours until the reception is over. And then I'll make all your dreams come true-in my bed, of course." He winks.

The maid returns, and even though we didn't ask, she brought Maxon some hair gel. "Here you are, Your Majesties. I know you didn't ask for hair gel, King Maxon, but I could tell you might need some." She holds out the tray with all of our stuff.

Maxon laughs. "Thank you so much-" he says, glancing at the maid's tag. The maids didn't have tags during the Selection, but I told Maxon that I wanted to learn all of the staff's names or at least have tags so I could use their names. Maxon liked the idea and wanted to do it himself, so he had tags made for the maids. "-Isabella." Isabella is a younger maid, probably about my age, with brown curly hair, and reminds me a lot of myself. "You call me Maxon, Isabella."

Isabella grins and curtsies. She turns to me. "And I brought some hairspray for you, Your Majesty."

"Please, call me Bella. Can you just wait one minute? I need to ask Maxon something." I drag Maxon over to the edge of the balcony and whisper, "I need to choose maids, correct?"

"Yes, at least five," Maxon says with a smile.

"Well, I would like Isabella to be my first one if that's ok?"

"Of course it is," he says, kissing my hair.

Maxon and I walk back to Isabella, who's still holding the tray. "Well, Isabella, where do you work right now?"

"At the moment I clean the kitchens," she replays with a grimace.

"Isabella, how you like to be one of my maids? You would wait on me in my Queen Suite."

Isabella squeals, but then stops herself. "Thank you so much, Your-Bella," she says, finishing with a curtsy. She stands and says, "I'll let you guys get ready." She rushes into the room, probably to tell her friends.

I smile. "Well, at least I made someone happy," I say, turning to look at the stars. I spin around slowly with my arms outstretched and smile. I stop spinning and look at Maxon. I realize that it's chilly outside, not noticing before because of the makeout session and adrenaline rush. "Maxon?"

He's looking at me with a serene smile on his face. "You look like a queen, Bella. A goddess queen." He steps closer to me. "And just so you know, you make me happy. Every day." He kisses my forehead. "Now, let's hurry and finish."