The Royal Contract

There were five medium-sized villas on the island located on the beachside and one main house in the center. Most of the guests would be staying at the main house, while Alex chose to take one of the villas farthest from the main house. 

It was the only way they could avoid the scrutiny of their parents during their stay here. Besides, it is just for one night, he thought. He assisted Dani to the awaiting jeep they would use to go to their chosen accommodation.

The rest of their companions took the other vehicles that would take them to the main house.

"What about Jacky? Where is she staying?" She asked when she was securely fastened in her seat while Alex started the engine. She just learned that they would be staying away from the rest of their family and friends.

"Don't worry about her. I think Lance would be there to provide her assistance. If not, Marcus would be there to the rescue." He was unsure if his assessment was accurate, but he thought that Marcus was jealous of Lance showing interest in Jacky.

He just hoped that this trip did not end up in a disaster. But that was not his problem to solve. He also had a situation that needed his attention. He wondered if Dani was able to think of what he told her earlier.

"By the way, I haven't seen Evan and David anywhere. What happened to them?" She had been wondering about her boss and her job. 

It had been a while since she updated herself with her cases. She had been too preoccupied with what was happening here. She had forgotten about the other world she lived in and her real problems.

"They left yesterday because of some clients demanding their attention. But don't worry, they understand your situation. They assured me that they would take care of your cases while you are here." Alex looked at her.

He knew that her dedication to her work was one thing that had pushed her to make a deal with him. One of the things that attracted him to her was her devotion to helping people. The way she fought for equality and justice. 

Most people he knew who were in their social circle would never lift a finger to help the poor. But Dani was different. She was willing to sacrifice herself to give other people a chance to defend themselves.

"Oh! Thanks for talking to them on my behalf." As much as she wanted to enjoy her stay on this island with Alex. She could not stop her mind from thinking about the cases she had left behind.

But she was happy to hear that her bosses had promised to take care of them while she was away. She felt assured that her clients were in good hands.

"No need to thank me. I am the reason why you are here in the first place. It is part of my obligation to take care of you." He told her as he continued to drive to their destination.

"Of course." She felt a bit confused why she did not like the word he used. It felt like everything he was doing was part of the contract they signed. 

She suddenly wondered if what he told her earlier was just another part of making their lives more comfortable because of their arrangement, or was it something else. She hoped it was the latter.

She knew that what she felt for him was beyond physical attraction. She was hoping that he also felt the same way with her. In truth, she was looking forward to trying a real relationship with him.

The only thing that was still stopping her was the complication connected to it. Was she ready for all of that?

"We are here." He finally announced after the long silence that befell them.

He wondered what she thought while she gazed at the view outside, but he was also preoccupied with his own. He knew that if he wanted a relationship with her, this moment would be the perfect time to do it while they were on the island.

He should not wait till they got back to the city where she was in her elements. He might never find the chance again. She might never agree to him by then.

"Oh, this place is beautiful." She uttered softly upon noticing the beautiful wooden villa in front of them. She immediately went down from the jeep, not waiting for Alex to assist her.

She walked to the wooden steps and climbed up on the front door, checking it was open. She noticed that Alex was already at her side before she even opened the door.

"I'm glad you like it." He followed her inside the house and let her explore her surroundings. He enjoyed watching her as she appreciated the decorations of the villa. "Would you like to see the ocean?"

He walked ahead of her and opened the sliding glass doors, revealing the beautiful ocean behind him. "What do you think?"

"Oh my. It is so beautiful." She roamed her eyes and feasted on the beautiful view of nature around her. 

Although this was not her first time enjoying the beach, it had been a long time since she visited one. She promised that she was going to take advantage of her time here to enjoy this moment.

"I'll show you more later," Alex told her. "First, let me get our things and placed them in our room. Are you hungry? I can prepare a snack if you want." He offered before moving to the door.

He opted not to have an assistant in their villa since he did not want anyone checking on them. He was sure that they could manage together overnight on their own.

"Our room?" It was those words that caught her attention.

"Well, the downside of staying in this place was it only had one room and one bed. I assumed that since we already shared a room and a bed back in the palace, it would not be a problem if we did it again here." In all honesty, he did not think that it would be an issue anymore.

"I guess you are right." She did see his point. "Would you like some help?" 

"No need. I can take care of this. Just relax and enjoy the view. In an hour, we need to go back to the main house to join the picnic with our family." He declined her offer to help.

He took their things placed them inside the room. Then, he decided to make them a sandwich in the mini kitchen. He watched her settled on the lounge chair by the patio as he worked in the kitchen.

He could not help but guess what was going through her mind right now. But there was only one thing that was bothering him at the moment. He was trying to figure out how he would stop himself from pursuing her if she did not want to be in a relationship with him.

Dani was oblivious that Alex was watching her as she sat alone on the patio. She let the sea breeze blew her hair in all directions, wanting it to clear her mind of her thoughts of him.

He had been a perfect gentleman so far. Sharing a room with him was not the problem, and she had no plan of making a big deal out of it. But there was one issue that was bothering her. Was she ready to share more than a bed?