Never Forget (Memories #1)(27)
Author: Emma Hart

He squeezes my shoulders. ”Anything for you, Princess.”

I’m starting to think he’s right.

He’s gone out of his way to spend the day with me, doing my favourite things with me just to make my birthday special. Now, he’s planning a trip to Lundy just so I can snorkel. I have no doubt he’d fly to Africa to get me a fresh mango or a pet monkey if I asked him to.

I have no doubt..

Jen was right. He’s doing this to prove to me he’s worth a chance, worth the risk. He’s doing it to prove to me that I’m not like the other girls in the past. That he wants more than one night.

The thought trickles over me slowly, slowly peeling away the film over my eyes that’s been there when I’ve looked at him before. A layer is stripped from my heart as I look up at him. He glances down at me and I see how happy he is.

Alec’s happy because I’m happy.

It’s a surreal feeling, knowing I’ve made him so happy through my own happiness. He really did do all of this for me, to make my birthday perfect.

I’m not completely ready to trust him fully. I know that. But, I am ready to give him what little I have.

I lean my head against his shoulder as we leave the aquarium, my body curling into his slightly. I let my arm slip around his waist and he pulls me towards him. His lips press against the top of my head in a soft kiss.

Without my stubborn layer hiding it, I’m struck by how right it feels.

ALEC

Her body curls to mine and I press my lips to the top of her head. Her hair still smells of strawberries and I squeeze her hand and smile to myself.

If all it took was a trip to the aquarium to get her to trust me, I should have done this weeks ago.

”Where to now?” I ask her as we stroll along casually.

”Mmm, I’m pretty sure chips were mentioned this morning.” Lexy licks her lips and I’m momentarily distracted by the movement of her tongue.

”Hello? Alec?” Her lips curve in a smile and I blink.

”Sorry, Princess. What did you say?”

”I said, I’m hungry.” She laughs quietly.

”Well then. We’ll feed you.” I grin and wink at her. She shakes her head and I turn us in the direction of the chip shop. It feels natural, walking with her so close and buying her food like she’s actually mine.

She is. Almost.

Her stomach rumbles and she blushes.

”Honestly, you’d think you never ate.” I roll my eyes and she pokes my side with the hand resting on my waist. ”Oi.” I lift our hands and poke her head.

”Stop it!” She squeals and turns, her chest pressing against mine. She looks up at me and her eyes are wide. Not shocked wide or scared wide. Just.. An amazed kind of wide.

”What?” I smile slightly.

”Nothing. Everything. I don’t know,” she mumbles.

”Lack of food is making you delirious, Princess,” I whisper and push open the door of the shop.

I order our food and try to ignore the little side glances she gives me as we wait. It’s not easy. I can see it in her eyes – it’s like she’s really seeing me for the first time.

I take our chips from the counter and she grabs the curry sauce and forks.

”I love these little forks.” She examines one thoughtfully as we make our way down onto the beach.

”How? Why?” I double-take.

”They’re kinda cute, and good for poking people too.” She pricks me in the arm and giggles.

I glare at her playfully and she gives me a butter wouldn’t melt smile.

”Sit, before I toss you in the sea,” I order and hand her her food.

”Are you coming in with me?” She tilts her head to the side. ”’Cause if you are, then toss away.”

ALEXIS

Did I just say that? Holy crap, I did.

Why did I say that? Oh god.

Alec stops unwrapping his chips and looks at me like he can’t quite believe what I said. I can’t either.

”Did someone give you alcohol this morning, Princess?” He smirks.

”Um, no. Why would they?” I stab a chip and dip it in curry sauce, bringing it to my mouth.

”Because you’re awfully..” He stops and his gaze flickers to my lips, pausing there as they close around the chip. ”Open.”

He clears his throat and I shrug. ”Dunno. Maybe Grammy mistook the vodka for oil when she cooked this morning.”

”Yeah, maybe.”

We eat in silence but I’m aware of how close we are. I can feel the heat emanating from his body and I lean into his arm. He puts it round my waist and still, we don’t say a word until we finish eating.

”Better?” His lips brush my forehead as he speaks.

”Much,” I reply, just as quiet.

”Good.” He takes the rubbish and puts it in one of the bins nearby. I know, bins on a beach.

”I’m gonna take a walk.” I stand and slip my shoes off. ”I haven’t been here in so long.”

”Hang on then.” He slides his trainers off and we leave them by the rocks.

Sand flows around my feet as I walk up to the water. Tiny waves are licking at the beach tentatively as if they’re deciding whether or not to climb up it.

I relate to them as my fingers brush Alec’s hand in a perpetual state of indecision.

”You’re doing it again,” he comments softly.

”Doing what?” I look at him.

”You have these moments where you kinda drift off.. Like you’re getting lost inside your own head.” He stops in front of me and his fingers run through my hair on both sides of my head. ”Where do you go?”

”I don’t know.” I rest my hand on his arm. ”Sometimes, I’m just remembering. Other times I’m trying to make sense of my thoughts.”

”Which was it this time?”

Blue grey eyes sear into mine, holding me trapped. ”Making sense of my thoughts. Sometimes.. Sometimes I just wish they’d go away.”

”I can help with that,” he whispers and his lips touch mine gently.

My heart stops and my eyes close with the second brush of his mouth. My hands slide up his arms to his shoulders and he steps closer, pressing our bodies together. His lips are warm and soft against mine, moving in a comforting caress. The ends of his hair at his collar tickle my fingers as they touch his neck. His hands slip to the small of my back, his touch searing even through the material separating us.

Him. Alec. Nothing, no one, nowhere. Thoughts are irrelevant compared to this touch, this reality.

”I’m sorry,” he whispers in my ear. ”I just.. I couldn’t help myself.”

”Don’t be sorry,” I say, leaning my forehead against his shoulder. ”Don’t be sorry. Alec..”

”I know, Princess,” he says sadly. ”I know. Nothing else. For now.”

~

The blue of Alec’s shirt makes the blue in his eyes stand out even more. They’re like a beacon to me, demanding my attention.

"I don’t know if I’ve met anyone like you." Alec twirls the straw between his fingers and looks at me intently.

"Of course you haven’t." I smirk. "I’m one of a kind."

"You’re right about that," he says softly and I meet his eyes for a second.