Cassidy's POV

I looked up from my food when the door banged open. Alex was standing there panting hard and staring straight at me. He exhaled and seemed to notice everyone else looking at him. His cheeks turned pink.

"I'm hungry?" He offered. He looked away and took the empty seat across me.

We were eating with the staff in the staff kitchen. Everyone averted their eyes and appeared to carry on their conversations when Alex sat down and began to pile his plate with food. We ate quietly.

“Alex,” I murmured. He looked up with a pheasant leg halfway to his mouth. “You’re naked.”

He blinked and looked at himself. The pheasant leg was slowly placed back on his plate and I had the pleasure of watching the pink spread from his chest to his cheeks. He coughed. “Excuse me.”

I couldn’t fault the maids and several footmen from tittering and giggling. Hate to see him go, love to watch him leave indeed.

~

After the meal, Alex fully clothed this time, we strolled back to our room. Alex seemed to want to say something but every time he opened his mouth, he closed it again. By the time we got back to our room, Alex somewhat resembled a fish.

"Alright, spit it out," I said. He blinked at me.

"What?"

"You want to say something but you aren’t, so just say it," I replied. "I promise not to judge," I added.

He gaped for a moment. "I'm sorry,” he finally says.

I frowned. "What for?"

"For not getting to you in time. For failing to take care of you."

"Alex, what are you talking about?"

Alex bit his lip and looked away. "I should have been more alert. I let him get to you and I'm sorry. I failed you."

I nearly facepalmed myself. Of course, he thought what happened was his fault. Too cute. It's just too adorable. I wanted to kiss him.

"Alex," I sighed, shaking my head which he took to mean disappointment and he looked away ashamedly.

"I'll leave if you want me to." He swallowed.

This again? How do I say this without laughing?

I coughed. "Please don’t leave." His face brightened. "I’m sure there were things that both of us could have done better. But, " his eyes were full of mirth. "You should stick around to make sure something like that doesn't happen again."

“You are right. I’ll never let you out of my sight again.” He hummed mock seriously. “We will have to bathe, eat and sleep together as well.”

"You better be joking.” I gave him my best deadpan look, biting back my laughter. This guy was too cute.

His lips twitched. "Maybe."

I chuckled. "Good. Now come here and kiss me properly like you haven't done in years."

He rolled his eyes but obliged. "It hasn't been that long."

"Feels like it to me. Sweetheart, you owe me and you have to pay your debt."

"Okay." He smiled and kissed me.

~

We spent the next few days of the festival participating in the carnivals and games together.

On our last night there, we went to a restaurant recommended to us by Jacob's wife. It was cosy and sweet and the food was good. We had a table outside, under the stars and the half-moon. We talked and ate, enjoying each other’s company. I watched as Alex took a bite of his fish, the light of the candle flame cast his features in a golden glow. I couldn't help remembering my thoughts days ago.

"Marry me," I said abruptly.

"We are getting married. Remember the arrangement?" He asked confusedly.

I waved my hand. "I meant 'marry me' because you want to and not because of the arrangement."

"Okay?" His brows were still furrowed in confusion.

"No. You're not getting it!"

"Cass, are you alright? Do you want to leave?" He asked in concern.

"I'm fine. Do you want to marry me or not?"

"I don't understand what’s happening right now!" He whisper-yelled across the candlelit table. So dramatic, this man.

I sighed in exasperation. "Alex, I'm trying to tell you that I love you. Now, will you marry me?"

"You love me?" He looked stunned. It was rather adorable.

"Yes. I do," heat crept up my cheeks. "I realized it quite a while ago, I just thought I should tell you now." I was babbling.

"When?" He asked.

I fidgeted in my seat. "Before I passed out, you know, after the incubus did- did that." I trailed off uncomfortably.

Alex just studied me in silence. I squirmed in my seat. Then he smiled brightly. "Yes, I will marry you because I love you and I want to.”

“Good.” I exhaled in relief and smiled back.

“Now,” he demanded. “Say it again!”

"I love you too,” I dutifully replied. He laughed, bright and joyous. I love him.

"We should tell mother. She will be happy she can begin planning the wedding." Both of us shuddered at the thought of the wedding planning.

I gave Alex a pained smile. "Maybe we should get rings first and then tell our parents when we get back."

"Right. Of course. Sorry. I just can't wait to claim you properly." He said, looking at me with heat in his eyes.

My mouth dried up. "Right. Of course," I stuttered. "Do you fancy going back now? We could go ring shopping in the morning?" I asked hopefully.

He smiled a predatory grin at me. "Of course, love."

We had enough presence of mind to make it back to Jacob's manor in record time while remaining decent. But once we entered our room, it was a different story.

I pushed him onto the bed and straddled him, pulling my shirt off. His hands immediately went up to caress my sides, fingers teasing my nipples. I gasped at the sensations and leaned forward to kiss him. We broke apart so he could slip his own shirt off.

Soon, our trousers and underwear joined the pile of clothes on the floor. Alex flipped us over to put himself on top and kissed me, teeth nipping at my lips. He peppered opened mouth kisses on my jaw and moved to nibble at my ear lobe before making his way down my neck and to my chest. He swallowed my moans as he tried to elicit more from me.

A hand held onto my waist as another pinched and flicked at my nipple. Alex suckled my other nipple, occasionally biting and soothing the sting with his soft velvety tongue. The room was filled with my gasps of pleasure and the soft slippery noises of Alex having his fill of my chest.

“Better make it even,” he rasped. His lips were red and glistening, eyes dark with desire.

I nearly cried when he switched sides. Every pull of suction on my sensitive nipple went straight to my cock. He kissed his way down my stomach, only stopping to dip his tongue in my navel; biting at my hipbones. He pressed his nose against my groin.

"Alex," I moaned, my eyes closed in bliss.

"Look at me, Cassidy." He said, in a hoarse voice that sent a jolt through me. I opened my eyes and watched as he piled some pillows under my head so I wouldn’t have to strain my neck. The dark smouldering heat in his beautiful green eyes made my cock twitch in anticipation.

Despite knowing what he was about to do, I couldn't help bucking my hips and crying out when he wrapped his lips around my swollen member. He pressed an arm on my waist, pinning my down. Oh god, his strength. Slowly, he began to bob his head and suck, taking me in a little deeper each time he sucked. Soon, he was deep-throating me as I watched. I couldn't look away even if I wanted to. He swallowed.

"Alex!"

He pulled off. I growled in frustration. He smirked and winked, then pushed my legs up and attached his mouth to my hole.

"Oh my gods, Alex!" I screamed.

He sucked hard and tongued at my ass, spit smearing all over. His tongue was hot and wet and silky as he breached my puckered entrance.

I whimpered. "Alex, please..."

He pushed his tongue deeper. My fingers twisted in the sheets.

His finger pressed into me. I keened. He fucked me with his finger.

"More. Alex please, more," I sobbed brokenly.

He obliged and pushed another finger in. The stretch was good. He scissored his fingers.

"Alex,” I moaned. Please.

He added a third finger. It burned a little but it was tolerable. His fingers stroked my insides, seemingly searching for something.

"Alex, what are y- Oh!" I gasped when he touched a spot in me that sent shocks through my body.

He grinned. "Found it."

He pushed in again, making sure to hit that spot in me every time. I was pushing my head into the pillows. All that spilt from my lips was trails of drool and his name. I could feel my orgasm simmering in my lower belly.

"I need,” I was gasping. Every press pushed the air out of my lungs.

Alex began thrusting faster and harder as he took my cock into his mouth again, sucking hard.

My back arched as I exploded in his mouth and he greedily swallowed my seed. Alex slowed his fingers to a gentle rocking as he milked my orgasm.

When I eventually calmed down, he pulled his fingers out of me and his mouth off my soft cock and climbed up to hover above me on his knees. I was too sated to move. He reached down with one hand and began stripping his cock in quick tugs. A few short strokes and his seed splashed on my stomach.

Alex collapsed on the bed beside me and panted; his fingers crept onto my belly and rubbed his come on me with his fingers. I couldn't find it in me to care. I thought it was hot that he just couldn’t stop touching me. I turned to face him, kissing him as deeply and intimately as I could.

"I love you," I whispered into his chest when he pulled me into his arms.

"Love you too." He mumbled into my hair.

I smiled and slept, wrapped up safely and tightly in his embrace.