Ivy’s Point Of View
As Chase walks me out of the dining hall, amidst several other couples who are also leaving, I can’t help but raise my free hand to my nose. That Marissa is awful! Why did she have to do that? Pointing at her nose to remind me that mine is too big?
"Is everything all right?" Chase asks me, concerned.
"Oh, yeah," I say, smiling at him and pulling my hand away. "I’m just... uh... itchy."
His eyebrows knit together. "Are you okay? Allergies?"
"I’m fine," I tell him. I want to do more to reassure him, but I can’t even think of what to say.
"Well," he adds, "I was going to ask if you wanted to join me in the garden for a bit before we, uh, come back inside... but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable if you’re allergic to something outside. Or is it a food allergy?"
"Cats," I blurt out. "I’m allergic to cats."
He slows his pace and turns to look at me, not any less confused than he was to begin with. "But... there were no cats at dinner."
Of course, he has a point.
I stammer, my mouth moving, but nothing coming out, when he continues. "Although, that chicken dish was a little questionable." He laughs, and I do, too, though I don’t get it at first.
When I finally do, I laugh harder. Is he implying that the chicken meat was really cat?
By the time I can speak again, I put forth the idea, "I think someone I was sitting next to has a cat at home."
"That makes sense," he agrees, taking me down a side hall and out the door. Whether or not he truly believes me is a whole different question.
The sky above us is ablaze with bright stars that make the moon look dimmer than usual and lend a purple tinge to the rest of the darkness between their twinkling lights. I gasp at how beautiful it is out here, and Chase pauses, holding my hand, and confesses, "It’s beautiful, but it’s not the most beautiful sight I’ve seen tonight."
I look at him, my eyebrows raised, thinking he means the flowers in front of us, but then, when his cheeks tinge a slight shade of pink, I realize he means me.
"Oh... thank you," I say, my eyes larger than the saucers from dinner. He is charming. It’s almost like he means it.
Chase keeps his fingers wrapped around mine as we stroll through the garden, smelling the flowers, and gazing at the fountains. This is a different garden than the one I was in the other day, and around every corner, there seems to be another lovely sight that takes my breath away.
"Were you pleased when you won?" he asks me as we sit down on a bench near a fountain depicting a howling wolf gazing up at a full moon.
I am surprised by his question, and I don’t know how to answer it. "Uhm... I was surprised," I tell him.
"Yeah, me, too," he admits, and once again confusion washes over me. He was surprised I won? "I have never thought I was particularly fast. I’m a good fighter, but this was a race. So I didn’t expect to win. When they showed us the photo finish, and I was slightly ahead of the others, I was shocked." He gives me a humble smile, and I feel my heart warm.
He is not quite who I thought he would be, based on my first impression of him. I just assumed that someone who looks like him is probably pretty stuck on themselves. But so far... he’s been very humble.
"This whole situation is completely contrived, and that could make it very awkward," he says, reaching over and brushing a strand of hair away from my face. "I’m just glad that the winner is a sweet girl like you and not some... loud, pretentious brat who acts like none of us are good enough for her."
"Not good enough?" I echo. "Do you ever feel that way?"
He shrugs, the warmth from the brush of his fingertips still heating my cheek, and I don’t want him to withdraw his hand. "Not usually. But some girls..." He stops talking and shakes his head.
Marissa comes to mind. She would be that way, wouldn’t she?
"Ivy, if it were up to me, I’d take my time. I’d get to know you. I’d spend as much time as I can with you before... before I even attempted to see how compatible we might be in the bedroom. But... this is a different situation, and I honestly can’t afford to let my chance go when there are three other guys that I know won’t be as willing to take it slow."
My breath catches in my throat as I consider what he is saying. "I understand," I tell him.
"But I don’t want to force you to do anything you’re not ready for either." His voice is so soft and considerate, I can’t help but place my hand on top of his where it lies on the bench between us.
"You’re not," I assure him. "I’m... terrified." An uncomfortable giggle escapes my lips. "But I understand my duties as well. I can’t let my pack down or the king."
"It sounds like we have similar allegiances, then," he says, his hand squeezing mine. "I don’t take my responsibilities lightly."
"Neither do I," I affirm to him.
He nods and then, there in the moonlight, he leans over, and his lips brush against mine. His mouth is warm and soft. I envision this is what the brush of an angel’s wings must feel like.
He lifts his hand to steady me, his thumb caressing my cheek as I feel my heart begin to pound in my chest. His kisses are slow and sweet, with no pressure at all, and when he does finally nudge my mouth open with his tongue, it’s slow and simple. And natural.
He tastes like mint, though I suppose I still taste like the cake I have just eaten. He doesn’t seem to mind as he kisses me even deeper, and I find myself lifting a hand to place on his shoulder to keep from sliding off of the bench.
I have never kissed anyone before, so this is all new to me. New and... exhilarating.
After a few minutes, Chase puts some distance between us, leaving me breathless and wanting more. "Do you want to go inside?" he asks me. "I promise, I’ll take my time. I don’t want to hurt you."
I feel like my entire body is vibrating with adrenaline and fear, but I can also feel an ache between my legs like I’ve never felt before. I believe I read about that in the romance novel...
Apparently, there’s only one cure for that particular ailment, and it’s currently tucked inside Chase’s pants.
"Yes," I tell him, and his smile widens, his white teeth gleaming in the moonlight.
Without another word, he stands, taking my hand, and gently pulling me to my feet.
We walk inside, and I have to wonder if Marissa will appear out of nowhere, dropping into the hallway to sabotage me. But she’s nowhere to be found, and when Chase pushes open his bedroom door, I feel like my knees might give way.