#I JUST LOVE CHELSIE MOST OUT OF EVERYONE IN THIS BAR

[forevermyalwaysphff]

Chapter 1

Author’s Note: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all the interest in my new fic. It really means a lot to me and I cannot wait to share Harry and Alexa’s story with you. With that being said, this fic has no disrespect towards Meghan and Harry’s current relationship/marriage. It is just an idea I had come to me after Eugenie’s wedding and would like this blog to remain a positive place! I would love to hear what you think of if you would like to share :) Without further wait, here is the first chapter in Harry and Alexa’s story!

    It was a perfect summer evening as the sun was starting to set over the Thames River providing the picturesque lighting that danced off the still water. A warm breeze floated off the river that cooled the evening to an ideal temperature, perfect for the celebration of Harry’s cousin Eugenie’s engagement to her long time boyfriend Jack that had been made official a few days earlier in the week.

    Tonight was their engagement party for with their friends that was hosted along the Thames River near the Southbank of London on an outside pub along the water; a place that Eugenie would have picked herself. 

    Harry sighed deeply and took a sip of his beer that coated his throat. It was a well-deserved night of relaxation with friends and family after his busy flight training with the British Forces. He had been out of the city in Suffolk, diving deep into written tests, flight training and exams. Sitting beside his friend, Charlie Van Straubenzee, and Charlie’s girlfriend, Daisy, he joined in on the conversation trying to enjoy the party.

    “Well, it’s about time Jack put a ring on it!” Daisy looked into her boyfriend’s eyes and winked suggestively at him giving Charlie a gentle nudge. “Maybe someone should learn from him, don’t you think so Harry?” 

    The prince turned his head to lock eyes with Charlie’s wide ones staring back at him pleadingly, not to agree with his girlfriend and put more pressure on himself. A devilish smirk appeared on Harry’s lips at the thought of teasing his close friend in that moment.

    “I think if he wants you to keep him, he should Daisy.” The prince leaned in and bantered with Charlie who had released a low groan at Harry’s comment.

    “Oh really mate? Let’s talk about your set up tonight!” Charlie egged the prince on who clearly did not want to discuss how Eugenie was on his ass to set him up with a friend of hers. “With who again? Cressida? Eugenie’s friend?”

    Harry shook his head back and forth in denial. “I never agreed to anything, Charlie.”

    “Does she know that? Because Cressida and Eugenie are coming over here….” Harry followed Charlie’s gaze past the stools that lined the bar to see a blonde woman walking towards him with his cousin in tow. 

    “Oh fuck…” Harry muttered under his breath and quickly drank down the rest of his beer only to signal the bar tender for another one. 

    “Be nice….” Harry felt Daisy’s hand pat his back in a comforting manner. “It’s been a while and you deserve someone too. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it.” Her soft kind words sunk into his being, acknowledging them with a slight nod of the head.

    Swivelling his head back, he found himself looking into the soft chocolate brown eyes of Daisy. She and the prince had recently become quite close friends since his break up with Chelsy Davy almost six months ago. Daisy was always willing for Harry to tag along with Charlie and her wherever they went and in return, a strong relationship had formed between them. 

    “Harry!” Hearing Eugenie’s voice calling his name, the prince turned around to face his cousin with a crooked fake smile holding on his lips. Popping off the bar stool he quickly enveloped Eugenie in a warm hug while his gaze evaded Cressida who was watching his every move. 

    “Congratulations, Eugenie!” Harry squeezed her a little tighter. “I am so happy for you and Jack.” The prince congratulated his little cousin on her engagement while she beamed an elated smile back at him.

    “Awe, thanks so much Harry!” Eugenie muffled into his chest before breaking apart from their friendly hug.

    “I want to introduce you to someone…” Eugenie stepped back to join her friend that kept a steady gaze on the prince. “Harry, this is Cressida.”

    His eyes settled on the blonde that seemed too eager to meet him, making the prince already question her true intentions. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Harry.” Cressida stuck out her hand first, to which Harry reluctantly shook in return. “Eugenie has told me so much about you!”

    “I am sure she has…” Harry trailed off trying to seem uninterested because quite frankly, he was. His cousin had been asking Harry for the past few weeks if she could set him up with a friend of hers, but he never fully agreed to it. Hearing that Cressida would be at the engagement party, the prince knew he could no longer avoid it and now he found himself right in the middle of that situation. 

   “I will leave you two to talk. I need to find Jack.” Eugenie gave a subtle wink along with her excuse to leave Harry and Cressida alone to get to know one another better. Harry caught a glimpse of the smile her cousin formed as she walked away, a smile that she was happy to finally introduce them to one another.

   Harry’s eyes drifted down towards the blonde woman and offered a kind smile. He convinced himself that he would give Cressida the benefit of the doubt and give her a chance, Harry at least owed her that for putting herself out there.

   “Why don’t we head over there?” Cressida pointed behind Harry to a group of lounging chairs that were unoccupied away from the bustle of the party. 

    “Lead the way…” He smiled politely and followed in behind the blonde.

    Harry nodded his head pretending to be interested in whatever it was Cressida was talking about, which always seemed to be about her. He had lost significant interest in trying after she went on and on about everything she had accomplished as if this was more of a job interview telling him she was worthy of his presence and attention. His gaze kept averting to the party that was happening around them, noticing that most of his cousins, his brother and sister in law had arrived. 

    Glancing down at his watch, the prince had been sitting here for about forty minutes with the blonde women trying his best to find a connection or a spark with her and it simply was not happening for him. Never once did Cressida ask Harry about himself or seem interested in him other than the fact that he was a prince; a thought that did not settle well internally with him. All she did was talk about herself and her aspirations to follow into an acting and dance career. A career that was not best suited for dating a prince as an immediate warning within him grew over her true intentions.

    “Cressida…” Harry interrupted her being no longer able to waste more time than he had with her. “Look you are a lovely women.” He looked straight into her eyes and found a source of empathy to dig his words from. “But, this is not going to work out between us.”

    He watched the smile fall from her lips in disappointment while confusion flashed across Cressida’s face. “But… I thought Eugenie said you were interested in me…” She trailed off with a lowered head unable to look him in the eyes as a flood of embarrassment hit her. 

    Harry closed his eyes briefly and took a second to formulate a reply that was clear he was not interested, but also soften the blow of rejection. “I just don’t feel any connection with you, to be brutally honest and it is not fair for either of us to continue this further.” Harry shifted to the edge of his seat. “There are a ton of guys here I am sure that would love to spend time with you, Cressida. You are a lovely woman like I said, but not for me.” The prince kindly told the blonde who was still looking away from him embarrassed.

    With that, Harry stood up and left to walk back towards the bar to get a drink. “Well that went well… thanks Eugenie.” He sarcastically voiced to himself with a light shake of the head. Scanning the crowd he spotted a few members of his family and walked towards them to greet Will, Kate and Beatrice before heading back to Charlie and Daisy across the bar. 

     The prince sat down beside Daisy and shared a quick look. “That good huh?” Daisy giggled seeing Harry’s reaction form on his face. “Hey!” She called over the bar tender and bought Harry a beer along with three tequila shots.

    “Tequila shots? Really Daisy?” He raised a suggestive eyebrow at the brunette. 

    “You need to cheer up… or get drunk enough not to care.” Daisy handed a shot to Harry and another to her boyfriend. “It’s a party and you are the biggest party pooper here.” She downed the shot before Harry could even respond. “If you don’t have it, I will have to and then you will have to deal with Charlie’s wrath since you know how I am on tequila…” Charlie’s glaring eyes nearly forced that shot down the prince’s throat.

    “One more round!” Daisy hollered while both men on either side of her shook their heads. 

    A crooked smile turned the corners of his lips as his eyes scanned the bar.

    That was when he saw her, standing directly across the bar from him with a smile that would bring the whole world to its feet. 

    The intriguing blonde women was dressed in a simple yet very flattering black dress with her hair half loosely tied back. Harry sat up straighter in his seat once he saw that the women was in a friendly conversation with his elder cousin Zara and her husband Mike. 

    She must have felt a set of eyes on her as her head turned slowly to catch Harry staring right at her. The blonde’s gaze softened as she looked directly into the prince’s eyes while a tiny smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. Time stood still for a moment, as the world around them ceased to exist, drawing the two together from across the bar unable for them to look away from each other. But, all too quickly, the blonde lowered her head and averted her gaze from the prince. 

    Harry watched her every move closely, becoming enthralled from a distance with whoever she was. Still engaged in the conversation, she was fully aware that Harry was still staring at her as her flushed cheeks indicated it to him. Nervously tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she took a chance and looked back at him finding the prince still staring at her.

    This time his smile grew wide while a light chuckle escaped his lips knowing that she again, caught him staring. Her smile grew in comparison, matching the princes while their eyes lingered upon one another. Not only was the blonde woman on to him now, but also was his cousin Zara as she followed the woman’s eyes to Harry. 

    The prince mustered enough courage to go talk with this mysterious women hat held his attention. He scooted off the bar stool before Daisy could hand the prince his other shot and made his way over to the blonde beauty and his cousin. Walking around the corner he saw Zara mouth to her, ‘he’s coming.’

    “Hello, little cousin.” Zara locked narrowing eyes with the prince, making him fully aware she knew exactly what he was up too. She pulled him into an embrace and whispered closely in his ear, “I caught you, you little ginger.”

    Breaking apart, his eyes immediately drifted towards the quiet blonde standing next to him, waiting patiently to be introduced to Harry. A set of the deepest green eyes he had ever seen peaked up at Harry and nearly sent his heart into a fluttering chaos. For the first time in his life, Harry found himself speechless.

    “Have you two met before?” Zara interceded as she watched the two of them silently flirt with their eyes making her almost nauseated at how sweet their interaction was. 

    “No.” Harry responded at the same time the blonde said, “Yes.”

    Taken back he angled his head down into her with narrowed eyes as the confusion within him started to build. He racked his mind trying to find a hint of how she thought they had met before hand. The prince was sure that he would have remembered those stunning piercing green eyes of hers if he had.  

    “Well… this is interesting.” Zara leaned up against the bar counter and watched the situation unfold in front of her.

    “Where exactly have we met before? I think I would have remembered you…” He flirted with a cheeky grin that caused her eyes to sparkle as she feigned a laugh. 

    A slight shake of her head followed by a nervous giggle intrigued him further. “I was quite young… at a birthday of Eugenie’s I believe. I don’t think you would have remembered the night very well if I could recall.” She started to giggle at the memory that the prince clearly did not have. “I won’t hold it against you, don’t worry.” 

    Harry pursed his lips together in embarrassment and ran his hand through his ginger hair. “My apologies. But, I don’t remember your name.” He stuck his hand out in hopes that she would shake it.

    “Alexa Grey.” A polite formed on her lips while keeping Harry’s eye contact steady. Her soft hand cupped his and tightly gripped it while shaking Harry’s hand. The two of them stood their silently staring into one another’s eyes, completely oblivious to their surroundings. 

    “I’m Harry.” He flashed a charming smile.

    Alexa pulled her hand away as their fingers brushed and sent an electrical pulse through Harry. “I know who you are.” Her sweet voice spoke.  

    “Ya, unlike someone.” Zara had somehow gotten a hold of some food and was nibbling on it like the two of them were a show. It was evident that she was trying to kill Harry’s game. He turned to face his cousin and gave her a quick glare to back off, but it only seemed to add more fuel her game.

    “Can I get you a drink?” He snuck in between the two women and angled his head down at Alexa, flashing a beaming smile. Harry inhaled Alexa’s sweet scent, almost a floral yet delicate scent that happily lingered in his nose. 

    “I can get my own, thank you.” She quietly replied before looking up at the prince and realizing exactly how close in proximity he was to her that caught her off guard. 

    “It’s on me… let me guess. Vodka cranberry with club soda?” His eyes had caught the remnants of the drink on the counter beside her as he made a guess to her drink of choice. 

    “Yes.” She giggled lightly. “Vodka cran.”

    Harry could tell it was a nervous laugh that had escaped her lips and he so desperately wanted Alexa to be comfortable with him. There was a stark difference between Cressida and Alexa that was evident in her behaviour. Both gorgeous blonde women, but there was something about Alexa that intrigued Harry, that caught his eye making him want to know about her. 

    The prince ordered their drinks and also one for Zara to keep her occupied. As the bar tender was preparing their drinks, he felt a hand slip in under his arm and place some money on the counter. Alexa had tried to sneakily pay for her own drink, but Harry was not having it. 

    Harry was about to speak when she beat him to it. Alexa’s green eyes flashed up towards him as she leaned in and whispered, “I pay for my own drinks… it’s just a rule of mine.” It seemed like tonight was a night of firsts for the prince. First, this woman made him speechless and now it was the first time in his life that a woman refused to let him buy her a drink. 

    “If that’s what you want.” He heard the sincerity mixed with a hint of worry in her voice when she told him. Not wanting to push Alexa further, he simply agreed to let her pay for her own drink. “But, my offer still stands at any point.”

    “Thank you.” Alexa quickly replied before she leaned into Harry and heard Zara say something on the other side of him.

    Zara was about to speak when she lifted her head and saw Alexa leaning into Harry like she innately belonged there, next to him. It threw her speech making her pause and blinked a few times before realizing that she should leave the two of them by themselves. Zara never would have thought that the two of them might even hit it off or she would have introduced them herself a long time ago. 

    “Well, I better go find Mike and congratulate the happy couple.” Zara winked at the both of them and then tapped Harry’s shoulder. “You two have fun.”

    “Bye, Zara. It was great seeing you again!” Alexa waved goodbye. Harry on the other hand was just purely happy she was leaving allowing the prince to finally be alone with Alexa.

    “I am sure I will be seeing you more often!” Zara could not help herself at taking one last dig at her younger cousin, offering him a subtle wink to go for it.

    Harry angled his body to face Alexa and offered her the last open bar stool for her to sit down, which she happily took. “I’ve been on my feet all day, it’s nice to relax.” The prince handed Alexa her drink, watching her take a healthy sip of it. 

    “Work I assume?” He casually leaned up against the bar counter as she nodded. “What do you do exactly?” The sunset behind the prince casted its vast colors across her face, mixing in with her green eyes that were bright and sparkling while staring up at shyly at the prince. 

    Alexa looked down trying not to be blinded by the light and focused on her hands that were fidgeting with her black dress. “I am a social worker at Guardian.”

    “Guardian…?” Harry angled his head and pondered the name as he thought of the company name but could not place it.

    “It’s a center for sexual and domestic violence survivors.” Alexa proudly spoke of it as she educated Harry on what she exactly did there. “I mainly work with them directly, finding them new affordable living situations, legal case work, employment, funding and with their children as well.” The proud smile that had formed on her lips indicated to Harry that Alexa loved her job and the work she did for all those in need. 

    “Sounds tough…” Harry took a sip of his beer as he observed Alexa release a sigh.

    “It has its day for sure, like any job.” Alexa grew quiet, but a small smile tugged at her lips as she angled her head up towards the prince. “But, when you get to help people start a new life away from fear… at the end of the day it’s all worth it.”

    Harry shook his head lightly as he briefly looked away from the blonde. “I couldn’t do it, that’s for sure.” His eyes found Alexa’s staring up at him about to ask him a question when blaring music started to play. The prince watched her lips move, but was unable to make out what she was saying. 

    He casually leaned in and spoke into her ear above the DJ playing the music. “Do you want to go somewhere more private?” Harry lifted his head to see her happily nodding a reply. 

    Sliding off the stool Harry grabbed her drink off the counter and led Alexa towards a set of free lounge chairs that faced a spectacular view overlooking the river. With each step towards the chairs, the music faded in the background giving them the chance to actually hear one another. 

    Harry sat down first and placed their drinks on a table ahead of them before patting the seat next to him. Alexa gathered her dress and sat down beside the prince and took in the view ahead of her. “Wow that view is amazing!” She smiled as her eyes stayed stagnant on the sun setting over the river while she slipped into a tranquil state of mind. It gave Harry an opportunity to run his eyes up and down her body without fear of Alexa catching him. It is indeed an amazing view. Harry thought to himself.

    “I never asked what you do?” Alexa angled her body towards Harry and relaxed back into the soft cushions. 

    “You don’t know?” He asked jokingly.

    “Well, I don’t google you… so yes I don’t know.” The sass was evident in her voice making the prince toss his head back in laughter, loving how easily she teased back. “Sorry… that may be the vodka talking.” She brought her hand to her mouth and giggled along side the prince. “I’m a bit of a light weight.”

    Their laughter subsided as they both caught their own breath ending with a heavy sigh. Harry’s hand unconsciously settled on her lower thigh by Alexa’s knee, covering over her smooth soft skin. In response, Alexa comfortably shifted closer to Harry’s body and rubbed her arms with a shivering lip. 

    The prince’s brow furrowed seeing Alexa shiver as he too felt a cool air drift from off the river. “Are you cold?” A concerned Harry voiced softly. 

    “Oh no, I’m ok.” She stopped rubbing her arm noticing the prince’s worried glance. “It’s just a little cooler closer to the river.” Alexa brushed it off lightly. 

    The gentleman inside of Harry came out and without wasting a second he shrugged off his suit jacket. Alexa was quick to protest saying she was fine, but the prince insisted as Harry offered her his jacket. 

    “But, you will get cold then…” Those green eyes of hers were laced with concern at Harry’s gesture. 

    He could not look away from those captivating green eyes that made him forget even the simplest words. “I will survive. Please take it.” Harry simply would not let a woman freeze beside him. He lifted the jacket around Alexa and covered her bare cool skin, running his hands up and down the side of her arms creating a source of warmth. 

    Alexa immediately snuggled into the warmth of Harry’s coat and wrapped it around her body. “You are so sweet, thank you.” She kindly thanked the prince and took a moment to stare into those blue eyes that caused her heart to beat rapidly in her chest. Forcing herself to look away in fear of getting lost in them, Alexa cleared her throat and changed the subject. “So, you were telling me what you do…” Alexa encouraged him to continue. 

    “Well I am a Prince…” He stuck out his tongue and earned a playful swat to his chest. “Ow!” Harry rubbed his chest pretending that she hurt him.

    “Oh come on, you are in the army. I know for a fact that did not hurt you one bit!” Alexa narrowed his eyes at Harry before realizing what she had said. 

    Harry’s eyes grew big. “Oh so you do know what I do!” He barked a laugh seeing her nose scrunch up adoringly. 

    “Eugenie talks about you, so of course I know. I was trying to be polite and let you tell me.” Alexa sighed deeply, but a smile lingered on her lips.

    “Ok, ok.” Harry’s hand found the same place on Alexa’s thigh before he continued. “I am in the middle of flight training with the British Army.”

    “What are you hoping to fly?” Alexa sat up and grabbed a sip of her drink. She breathed out deeply trying to focus on not showing how his thumb was soothingly rubbing her knee. His touch was more intoxicating than the drink she held to her lips, taking in a healthy sip while Harry told her about his flying career.

    “The Apache.” Harry watched the confusion form on her face. “It’s an attack helicopter.”

    “Sounds dangerous. Do you like flying?” Alexa seemed genuinely intrigued in his work in the army and he was happy to share his inner thoughts with her.

    “Yeah, of course I do.” He gently rubbed her leg. There was something about Alexa that innately brought a sense of calming comfort to the prince that he had found himself seeking as of late.

    “But, why?” Her hand reached out and played with his hair. Some how their bodies had drifted closer and closer, unconsciously craving the contact. 

    Alexa just stared into Harry’s deep blue eyes as she listened to him talk. His posh deep voice had her melting from the inside, but those eyes… she could stare into them all night long.  She was completely taken back at how easy he was to talk to and shocked at how comfortable Harry had made her feel already. His gentle touch on her leg made her heart beat a thousand miles a minute as her clouded mind tried to remain focused on his words.

    Never did Alexa think that she would be sitting here beside Harry deep in conversation wrapped up in his jacket. Her fingers gently played with his soft hair at the nape of his neck as he maneuvered his head towards her touch. Alexa froze and took in a quick breath, stopping the gesture and realizing what she was doing. Becoming slightly embarrassed, she looked away from Harry towards the river being unable to handle the intensity of his gaze. 

    A tender squeeze of her leg brought her green eyes back towards Harry. “You ok?”

    “Yeah, sorry I just…” It was then that Alexa became aware of how close she was to the prince. Shifting away an arm sprung out around her and stopped her from moving any further.

    “You don’t have to move away from me. Unless you have a boyfriend?” The disappointment was evident in his voice as he tried to put her actions into a reason.

    “No… god no.” Alexa was quick to respond and shut that down. “It’s not that at all.” Her voice softened into a whisper and held the prince’s gaze hostage. Alexa parted her mouth, about to explain when she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

    “Lexi!” Eugenie hollered her name making the two of them turn and look towards the sound of the voice. Eugenie was hand in hand with Jack walking straight towards Harry and Alexa who remained comfortably sat on the lounge chairs. Harry felt Alexa shift and stand beside him as he soon followed suit with a slightly annoyed expression on his face that once again one of his cousins interrupted him this evening.

    “I was looking all over for you and here I find you with my cousin!” Eugenie beamed a wide smile and opened her arms up to engulf Alexa into a tight friendly hug. 

    “I’m sorry I was late. I got caught up at work.” Alexa gently swayed her best friend back and forth. “Congratulations again on your engagement.” 

    “It’s alright Lexi! We are having so much fun tonight! I hope Harry is treating you ok?” Eugenie whispered covertly into her friend’s ear. Alexa answered with a simple nod as she broke away from the confines of Eugenie’s arms. 

    “Harry….” Eugenie eyed him suspiciously. “I see you stole my bestie away from my party.” She teasingly scolded her cousin with a light playfully push.

    “Bestie, huh?” Harry’s eyes found Alexa’s, but she quickly shied away. “Did not know you two were that close.” His gaze never wavered from the blonde to see her nervously fidget with a ring on her finger. 

    “Cressida was quite upset that you blew her off tonight after I told her you were interested in her.” Eugenie had put her foot in her mouth seeing Harry’s eyes grow wide in disbelief as the newly engaged princess realized what she had. She silently stood there to see the way Alexa’s head snapped towards Harry, displaying a wounded expression that caused her to clearly become angry with her cousin. Alexa’s gaze faltered, being unable to look at Harry anymore while she defensively crossed her arms. 

    “Sorry…” Eugenie mouthed towards the prince realizing what she had done. In truth, she did not even think of setting up Alexa with Harry after what happened with her friend’s last break up with an aristo thinking that Harry would not even be an option for Alexa. But, now it was clearly evident to Eugenie that she had interrupted something between Harry and Alexa and put her foot in her mouth talking about Cressida. 

    “Why don’t you come dancing with me?” Eugenie tugged on Alexa’s hand seeing a forced smile upon her friend’s lips for her benefit.

    “I will, I promise.” Alexa plastered a fake smile to hide the hurt that was circling within her. “I need to check in with someone first. I will only be a few minutes, promise.” Without another word, Alexa shrugged off the prince’s jacket and handed it back to him without any acknowledgement of his existence and walked off towards the railing on the dock. 

    “Shit, I am so sorry.” Eugenie immediately apologized to Harry once out of earshot of Alexa. 

    “You pushed Cressida on me, Genie.” Harry shook his head with disbelief. “There was no connection or anything at all with her, but with Alexa…” He stopped as his eyes drifted towards the blonde a few meters away that was now clearly upset with him.  “It was just natural… and now she’s pissed at me since I am sure she is also friends with Cressida. How do you think that makes me look? Hmmm?” It was evident in Harry’s tone how enraged he was over what Eugenie said. 

    “I put my foot in my mouth, I know I did.” Eugenie looked up at Harry with apologetic eyes. “Go talk to her. She’s a pretty reasonable person and will understand if you give her a minute.” Eugenie patted the prince’s back. “Believe me I know.” His cousin reassured Harry before walking away with her fiancé. 

    Releasing a deep breath Harry rubbed the back of his tense neck while looking at the blonde leaning over the rail looking out across the river. Harry had to get out his side of the story and persuade Alexa he was not the type of man she was formulating in her quiet mind. Taking a step forward, he saw her body tense up and looked slightly behind her shoulder aware that he was coming from behind her.

    “Alexa?” Her heard turned slightly to the sound of his voice alerting her to his presence, but she did not acknowledge him. 

    “Hey…” He stood beside Alexa and looked out across the water. But, she just stood there in silence not even taking a glance at him. That beautiful shy smile he had witnessed was nowhere to be found as her jaw was clenched tightly together. Alexa was clearly upset with what she had learned and rightly so. Eugenie made it seem like he was going from one friend of hers to another.

    “That was not cool of you, Harry.” Alexa broke her silence and turned to stare up at Harry, locking in his deep blue eyes that could see the evident hurt circling in them. He felt extremely guilty, but he needed to explain that he was not the player she thought him to be. 

    “Will you let me explain what happened?” He pleaded with her softly while holding her green eyed gaze. 

    Alexa remained silent as she searched in his eyes to see if he could be trusted while contemplating whether to give him the chance to explain or simply walk away from Harry. “Fine, explain it to me then.” She was short with him and slightly annoyed with herself that she was giving Harry more of her time that surely would be a waste. 

    Harry wasted no time in explaining. “Yes, Eugenie has been trying to set me up with Cressida ok, but I was clear I did not want that and she just happened to be here tonight so Eugenie introduced us.” Harry paused and sighed.  “But, after talking with her for a while I felt nothing. No connection, no attraction what so ever. I didn’t blow her off, I only told her that things would not work between us.” He let the words sink in while staring into Alexa’s softening green eyes. 

    “Then I saw you…”

    After a long pause, Alexa was trying to respond but didn’t know what to say. She was still a bit upset with the prince, but could not deny the connection that she deeply felt for him. It did not make sense in her mind that she could feel such a connection with someone she literally just met, but her heart felt it with each passing beat. There was just something about it that convinced her heart to trust Harry one more time. 

    “I appreciate you wanting to explain what happened to me, but it did hurt me to hear that you went from her straight to me... that’s such a low blow and makes me question.” Her green eyes peaked back up at Harry after releasing a deep sigh. “It made me feel like you were playing me… and I don’t want that at all. So please spare me now if you are and don’t waste my time further than you already have. Besides Cressida already hates me for whatever reason and I don’t want to give her another one too.” Her tone was laced with a healthy mix of anger and hurt.

   “Alexa.” He breathed in heavily. “I am not playing you. I promise.” Her eyes were searching for any sign of doubt to make her believe otherwise, but all she found staring back at her was sincerity that matched his words.

    “You intrigue me, Alexa.” Harry confessed whole-heartedly. “There is something about you that I want to know more.”

    “Why? I am not that interesting at all.” Alexa’s gaze softened as her eyes smiled hearing those words. “Is that why you wouldn’t stop staring at me from across the bar?” She released a giggle watching the prince blush slightly at the memory of being caught.

    “Yes…” He tossed his head back in laughter. “Is it really that bad that I want to?” His hand found a place on her lower back and gently rubbed it reassuringly.

    Alexa’s head looked past Harry towards a group of people that were dancing. A mischievous smile grew upon her lips as she got an idea. “That depends…. on your dance moves.” A sparkling glint was in her eyes as she bit down on her bottom lip seductively.

    She reached down and grabbed Harry’s hand firmly. “Come dance with me, I like this song!” Alexa asked looking back over her shoulder at Harry while pulling Harry to the dance floor. 

    “Oh baby, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. I am the king of the dance floor!” Harry heard her laughter ring out over the music that was becoming louder and louder with each step. 

    Joining the group on the dance floor, Alexa maneuvered her way through pulling Harry along as they rubbed up against people dancing around them until they made it to the middle of the dance floor. Daisy and Charlie stopped for a moment and shared a look before smiling at Harry and looking down at the woman who started to dance beside him. 

    He simply shook his head with a smirk and turned his attention back to Alexa who was dancing as if no one was watching and swinging her hips to the beat of the music. With a plastered smile on her face she twirled around and felt Harry’s hand pull her in close to his body. Alexa gasped as she felt her body become flush against the prince. She glanced up at him with those big green eyes of hers as others around them danced. The two of them sharing a private moment amongst a crowd of people as the words of the music created their memories of tonight. 

    The night that they first met. 

    Time stood still, but their hearts were beating fast while they willingly lost themselves in the depths each other’s eyes. 

    The lyrics played as they swayed to the music…

I'll tell them a story, they'll sit and nod their heads I tell you all my secrets, and you tell all your friends Hold on to your opinions, and stand by what you said In the end, it's my decision, so it's my fault when it ends

They tell me think with my head, not that thing in my chest They got their hands at my neck this time But you're the one that I want, if that's really so wrong Then they don't know what this feeling is like

A spark was ignited in that moment, fuelling a fire that neither one of them could deny.

Chapter 1 Outfits