Chapter 7. The Ride

* Dorina *

I almost believed that I had convinced him, from the moment he laughed and brought me into his house last night. But now I doubt it, I couldn't really tell what he was thinking. And I am just distracted by the way he moves around with only his pants on.

"Please can you put a shirt on?"

His eyes widened after I said that, then came the sarcastic smile playing on her lip.

"Well, your highness forgive me if I have been used to moving around in my place wearing like this."

Then he walked toward a built-in cabinet and opened it to check for his clothes inside. I bit the inside of my cheek, regretting why I told him that. But my eyes followed every flex of his muscle on his back when he took a gray shirt and put it on.

When he turned around and saw me watching him I immediately moved my eyes elsewhere.

"Seriously now Princess, you have to decide if you want to go home or have this ridiculous plan of marrying a stranger. Because I am feeling generous enough to take you back to the Palace, my ride is waiting outside."

I groaned. "Marry me Ivan, it's just for a year. Then you can have your life back. After that, my father would stop asking me to have a political marriage. No one from the nobles would marry a divorced woman even if she was the Princess."

After a while, his eyes widened as he finally smiled.

"Now that sounds better, one year is not bad of a deal and I could have any amount of gold that I want hah?"

"Yes of course!"

I saw a glimpse of light when he mentioned the amount of gold, it means he agreed to marry me. And here I am thinking he was offended when I offered to pay him. And before he could say any more words I beat him to it.

"There was a house of an elder that we need to go to, we must go there now and make our vows with him. Before my father's warriors catch us. He will have no reason to separate us once we have our marriage on paper."

My heart was beating rapidly, I wouldn't be able to accept it if he denied me this offer and this plan at the last minute. He looked at me, his blue-gray eyes wondering if I was seriously going to marry him today. And I looked away and headed for the door, he followed me outside after closing everything in his house.

In the small parking lot, there's a big bike enough for two. Well, at least it doesn't look rusty.

"Are you alright with riding behind my back on a Harley?" he asked me. I didn't feel him standing so close behind me when he did not speak. I turned around and faced him with a smile.

"Of course! It should be easy."

"Hmm, then let us go."

Ivan swung his leg over the bike like he'd done it a thousand times, then the Harley roared to life under him. The engine was loud. I can't tell him it's my first time.

He looked up at me and patted the seat behind him.

"Well? Come on, Princess. Before your father's warriors actually do catch us. It's not like I'm afraid of them but your plan could only work if we have that piece of paper."

I hesitated for only a few seconds. Good thing that I am not wearing a dress so I could move. I noticed how his eyes dropped for a second at my legs that I had placed close to him when I climbed on behind him, I perched awkwardly.

"Hold on," he said.

"To what?"

"To me Princess. Unless you want to fall off and I have to explain to the Alpha King why his daughter has road rash on her royal behind."

My face went hot. "Oh, that is not funny."

He chuckled. I placed my hands lightly on his shoulders, couldn't help but feel how hard His muscles are and how strong they are.

The bike lurched. I almost shrieked and threw my arms around his waist, my chest slamming against his back. I could feel him solid and warm, even through the gray shirt. Then I felt him chuckle.

"That's more like it, your highness."

"Oh, just drive Ivan, please."

He drove. The wind hit my face instantly. I had never moved this fast without a horse in human form. The small houses and pine trees blurred as we passed by. The cold morning air tore at my hair, pulling pins out of it. I was terrified. And then, suddenly, I wasn't. I was laughing. A real laugh, not the practiced Palace laugh.

I felt Ivan stiffen a little in surprise when he heard it, then relax. One of his hands left the handle for a second and briefly covered mine where it was locked around his stomach. His big hand was Rough and calloused. Nothing like a noble's hands.

"Not so bad, huh?" he shouted over the engine.

"No! It's..it's actually wonderful!" I never thought that I would enjoy the ride. For a while, perhaps I should forget the problem that's weighing on my shoulders.

The elder's house wasn't far, just past the edge of the village, where the forest started to get thick. Ivan slowed down on a narrow dirt path and stopped in front of a small wooden house with smoke coming from its chimney.

He killed the engine. Silence rushed back in, except for my heart pounding in my ears. I tried to get off gracefully and almost fell. Ivan caught my elbow.

"You okay?" his voice was laced with worry.

"Yes," I breathed although my legs were shaking. From the ride. Definitely from the ride. He didn't let go right away. His blue-gray eyes were searching my face. No more sarcasm in them.

"Princess Dorina. Last chance. Are you sure you want to do this? With me? I'm not... I'm not the kind of man they write about in your books. I live in a one-room house. I own a beerhouse with mostly savages as my customers. I ride a bike that breaks down every other week."

He was serious this time. I looked at his hand on my elbow, then up at him. He was rough, but good-looking. And he agreed to marry me if I gave him gold, I should never forget that.

"Are you trying to scare me away, Ivan?"

"I'm trying to give you an out." He answered.

I stepped closer. I could smell leather and morning air on his shirt. Good thing he didn't smoke right now, I never wanted the elder to smell that on him.

"You said your ride was waiting outside to take me back to the Palace," I said quietly. "So let us finish here and go there after. I think we have already decided."

His jaw tightened. That smile on his face was gone, replaced by something darker and more intense. His eyes dropped to my lips for half a second. A tiny heat ran from my elbow where his hand connected with me.

"Damn you, Princess," he muttered.

Then he pushed open the small wooden gate.

"Come on. Let's go get you married before I change my mind and become a decent person for you."

I took a deep breath in while following him.