XLI

(A/N: This chapter is inspired by Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding. Video at the side. You can play it while reading the chapter. You'll see why.)

XLI

"You look perfect, girl!" Lola exclaimed once I faced them. I did not know if she was saying it because she was my best friend or there was already a zoo in my stomach that I found myself not that presentable.

Lola did my curled-hair and makeup while Princess Victoria and Ella helped me to wear my gown. Princess Victoria told me that Ella made this simple white yet sophisticated wedding gown. It was strapless. Fitted from chest to hips. Loosed all the way to the floor. The well-suited gladiator shoes covered my bared feet. It matched the beach theme of my wedding.

My wedding.

As the event got closer, it was hard for me to think that later I would be the wife of Prince Alexander, a prince of England. A very prominent man. I thought it would be easy to admit to myself that he would be my husband, but thinking of our million differences, I could not still believe that a person like him would marry me.

"Hey, Shirley, smile," Princess Victoria commented, "You will be my sister-in-law soon!"

I nervously smiled, "Victoria, do you think I really fit to be his spouse?"

Her Highness instantly went beside me and draped her arm around mine. "Your question is wrong, Shirley, it should be," she cleared her throat and mimicked my voice, "Do you think Prince Alexander really fits to be my spouse?"

Everyone laughed except to myself. I did not respond. I just stared at the princess as though she got another head. When she noticed that I did not buy her joke, she removed her arm on mine and pushed me a little.

"You're perfect, Shirley, please trust me on that," she faced the people with us, "Second the motion? Anyone?"

They agreed with her, which added a handful of nervousness in my body. Mom stood in front of me and held my cheek. Her blue eyes, which matched with mine, glittered with gladness and pride.

She smiled and hugged me, "You deserve to be happy, Shirley. I saw how much he loves you. "

---

Taking a deep breath, I heard the wedding march played outside. The door slowly opened, revealing the afternoon sun and how the scenery formed magnificently. Together with the 'Here Comes the Bride' were the wave of the sea and the applause from the people, who looked at me as if I was the most special person at this moment.

Unsure of how I should walk, my feet did its thing for me. Like a professional bride - if ever there was a thing like that - my movement tuned with the music. Each step. Each beat of heart. I unconsciously did it, especially when I saw the man waiting for me at the other end of the aisle.

His smile removed the oxygen in my lungs. Was it really that I would marry that man? Even I was standing at least ten meters away, I could still perceive how flawlessly he wore the all-white three-piece suit and how his dark blond hair furnished in the most I-want-to-lock-my-fingers-on-it-way.

The smiles of the people, who became the witnesses of our becoming one, could not remove their beam on their faces. Princess Victoria and Ella cheered me, like in the room earlier, but now in a silent mode. Ben just nodded an encouragement to me. Isaac had his one billion dollar grin, as if he had another meaning of that smile and I did not want to know about it. Prince Nicholas gave me a parental smile like saying 'take care of my brother'.

My family and Lola had their places in front. Elena and Hana wore gowns that looked like mine. They were the flower girls. While Chance wore a small tuxedo and handling a box with rings in it. Lola put on a fashionable dress, of course, she could compete with the princess and the billionaire's wife in wearing designer clothes. My parents wore clothes that looked brand new. I was certain that the prince also sponsored it.

Before I ended my red carpet walk, I stared at the man who seemed the happiest person in the world right now. I knew he could not wait for me to stand beside him and finished this ceremony. The way he looked at me, it was breathtakingly.

He extended his hand to me once I was a few steps away from him. I put my hand on his and familiar shiver shot through me. My heart leaped and I could not breathe anymore. I was wondering if I was really breathing since we went to this island.

"So beautiful," he murmured when I faced the minister. Prince Alexander just continued to put holes in my cheek, "You're so beautiful, my love," he said again.

I did not respond, I just watched him in the corner of my eye while the ceremony started.

It was like a blur. We answered 'I do' in every question of the minister. What else would I say anyway? Prince Alexander continued his holing in my face and I doubted that he looked at the minister at least once. As a result, I became cautious of my appearance. What if my lipstick was already out of the line? Or my blush on faded?

The minister asked the best man - Isaac Warden - to get the ring from my little brother. As far as I could follow in my state, Prince Alexander held the ring and put it between us. He got my right hand while saying the words I usually heard at weddings. However, it was different when you were the one being told by it.

He said, "I give this ring, as a symbol of our love, for today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come. Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day and know that my love is present. Even when I am not."

He wore the circular object on my ring finger and came closer until our faces were breathe away. We suddenly jumped when we heard the clearing of throats and teasing from the audience. I glared at Prince Alexander. He was too excited to kiss me as if we would do it for the first time.

I also said the promise and wore the ring on his finger. My nervous system almost broke up, that was the reason I stuttered while speaking. I sighed when I was done.

The minister finished by saying, "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Your Highness, you may kiss your bride."

Prince Alexander showed his evil grin, then moved his face near mine. Cheers and teases from the people erupted, specifically Isaac, who kept on shouting, "Take it easy, bro!"

"My parents are here, and also my siblings," I reminded him who was now my husband.

"Smack is enough for me," he whispered, "Don't worry, I'm not a fan of sharing our moments in public. I want it all for myself."

I rolled my eyes, "Selfish bas..." before I could continue what I was saying, he covered my open mouth with his lips. In just a short period of kissing, I realized that I was really awake and all these things were happening.

"I won't let you say anything later, except for my name," he warned and ran his thumb below my lower lip.

Supposedly, I would react violently because of shock on what he said. However, I rode on. "Are you sure that I'm the one who won't speak anything later? Or you?" I winked that made his teeth showed more.

"Let's see," he suggested and we faced the audience.

The reception was simple. We ate different seafood, which were all my favorites. Everyone talked about us and other related topics. My parents gave their wishes for us, which were inspiring and heartwarming. My siblings said their congratulations and what they were looking forward. It was only one thing if summarized, to see the entire royal family and went to the palace.

The rest, all they wished was for us to have a child instantly. My tenseness increased when they said that. Prince Alexander was a decade older than me. He was already in his early thirty so there was a big chance that he already wanted a child. Therefore, he would work harder to me later. Oh my gosh.

Once we were finished with a full two hour party, Prince Alexander said his thanks and farewell to everyone. I was dumbfounded in his side. Why were we saying goodbye?

"Shirley," Princess Victoria popped out somewhere, "I mean, sis-in-law, I have already prepared your clothes in the cabin, enjoy your stay there."

"Cabin?" I questioned, still confused, "Are we going to another place?"

"Yes, you and Alex will go to another island," the twinkling green eyes of the princess told me that she was more excited than me, "Make sure you have a good stamina."

Blood filled my face. "Are you done giving your advice, Victoria?" Prince Alexander irritably asked.

"Yes, you may go now," she said to her brother, "I know how excited you are."

"I'm going to take care of mom and dad," Prince Nicholas interrupted, "Enjoy your vacation, Alex."

"Thanks Nicholas," he responded, then wrapped his arm around me, "See you soon everyone."

I hugged my family and Lola before we finally left. I did not know when I would see them again, especially now that I already had a husband.

Prince Alexander helped me rode on a speed boat. I sat in the passenger seat while pulling the hem of my wedding gown. He sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. I waved at the people on the shore who also did the same.

The journey to the island, where we would spend our 'honeymoon', was fifteen minutes from the place where the wedding happened. The place was smaller than the latter, but other features were the same. White sand. Forest. Blue sea.

Darkness had already eaten the sky when we arrived there.

My husband helped me again to get out of the boat. I was already holding my flat shoes together with the hem of my gown in my hand while Prince Alexander tightened his hold on the other.

There was a small house in the middle of the island. All lights were open as if it was really waiting for the guests to come. Prince Alexander opened the door and let me enter first. All I did when I went in was to observe the living room of the cabin. There was no division in each room, the kitchen and dining area were on the right side while the room was on the other. There was a wall in the restroom but no door. From my vantage point, I saw the shower and tub. Excitement kicked in thinking that I would take my bath there while Prince Alexander...

Before I could finish what I was thinking, Alexander hugged me on the back while his nose ran on the side of my face. "What do you want? Have a shower first or let's have a tour in the bed? Or we can do both?"

I turned around to face him. "What do I want? Obviously, you."

His smirked spread almost all throughout his face. He brushed my hair to my back that exposed my entire neck and collarbones. He palmed my shoulders and his thumb unconsciously drew circles. My heart raged in my ribcage. This was only the act he did yet I had already difficulty to breathe because of tense and... excitement?

He lowered his face so we would be eye level. He gave me one more smile before crashing his mouth to mine. I hardly moved at first, but I responded after I recovered myself in shock. I wrapped my arms around his neck while removing the gap between us. Our bodies were so closed that I could feel the beat of his heart for me.

His tongue slid on my mouth, tasting his territory. I never knew what happened, all I felt was my back being pushed in the softness of the mattress. He continued to kiss me, but not only my lips now. He went down on my jaw. Neck. Shoulder. Up to my cheek. Back to my mouth. He continued that routine again and again and I had no freaking idea if he had a plan to stop. I hope he did not have.

My hands automatically started to remove his coat and shirt. Drowned in his kisses, was I able to think how I had done that? I felt he was undoing the zipper of my gown. However, he was still the impatient man I knew from the start.

"I'm going to destroy this gown," he whispered between our kisses.

I laughed, "Patience, Alexander." He was still able to remove me in my gown. I did not want to admit it, but he had expert hands in terms of this kind removing-gowns-exercise.

Exposing myself to him was really embarrassing. I did not know what I looked like and all I wanted was to cover myself. He was gorgeously perfect and I looked like his gardener. When he broke to our kisses for a while, I ran my hand on his chest down to the line on his stomach. He intently watched me and when I realized how awkward it was, I threw my hands on my parts I needed to cover.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked while grasping my wrists.

"Don't look at me like that," I protested, still covering my body.

"Why not? You're so beautiful and I can't take my eyes away from you." He succeeded in taking away my hands and put it above my head. "Shirley, my beloved wife, I have never seen a woman as beautiful as you," he said in a husky voice that made my insides tingled. "I love you," he muttered one more time before kissing me endlessly.

I followed his pace and movements. I had no experience on this yet so I allowed him to manage. He placed his body between my thighs, and his hands touched every skin I had. He did not stop from kissing me. My hands entangled in his soft hair while all I could do was to whisper his name repeatedly.

Our bodies molded for each other like how our hearts found one another. His breath was my breath. I opened myself to him like how he opened himself to me. He made me feel special and gave me the best feeling that no one could provide to me.

If we kept on colliding like this, I did not know if I could live a life without him. I did not want it like that, either. He was the missing word that completed a sentence. A conclusion to a hypothesis. My prince. My only love.

I was thinking if I was born to have this kind of life with the prince. The life with full of love and hope. Not perfect, but he made it flawless. Prince Alexander Jared Paul Leonard of England, my husband.

(A/N: Any reaction? Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to see all your comments! Use #HLWTPrinceWattpad in your social medias so I could also see it! Thank you so much for reading this story and I can't believe that this story have already received thousands of reads! It's not yet the end, I hope you will still support until the next chapters...LOVE LOTS :*)