The Royal Contract

"Seriously?" He furrowed his brow at her. "I think I can handle a few pinches in my chest for a few minutes." He assured her as he continued to kneel in front of her.

"Now, listen to me." He stopped her from fussing over him, grabbing her hand with his free hand.

He again raised the present he had for her, then swallowed hard to clear his throat and clear his mind. He had prepared a few words to tell her. But her interruptions had disrupted the flow of his words in his mind.

"Ahhhmmm..." He began, then stopped again. "I love you." He thought he should start with that. "I almost died, but I am glad that you managed to find a way to save me. I owe you my life."

He still felt like he was the luckiest man alive for having Dani in his life. He did not mind that the table was turned. He appreciated that she was capable of being a knight in his time of need.

"I love you, too," Dani spoke up despite the emotions that were starting to build up inside of her. "I only did what I had to do. I could not bear to lose you. You do not have to thank me."

She placed her free hand on his cheek and caressed it. She would do it over and over again if she had to because losing him would never be an option for her.

"You have saved me more times than I could count. What I did was nothing compared to what you already did for me." She reiterated that she did nothing if she would think of all the things he had sacrificed for her.

"I guess at this point, we should call it even, then." Alex teased her with his boyish smile, playing on his lips.

He always believed in having an equal role in a relationship. He did not think that being a man meant that he should always be on top of the situation. Even his partner could act as the dominant factor if it was necessary.

"I like that. But you did not have to buy me a gift every time I save you from a situation." She jokingly said as she lowered herself until their foreheads were touching.

In their case, she was the one who had the opportunity to save them both. It did not mean that he was a lesser man if she had to rescue him in that situation.

"I just wanted to replace our missing rings." He pulled the round object out of the casing and placed it on her finger. "It is not the same one that God had blessed for our union, but I will vow to you that I will love you till my last breath."

He inserted the ring on her finger and kissed her fingers to seal the deal. It was not just an object but a symbol of his pledge to love her for all eternity.

She also took the other ring on the case and held it on her fingers. "With this ring, I also vow to love you till my last breath and beyond." She repeated his words, swearing to love him even beyond the afterlife.

"Can I now kiss my wife?" He asked as he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

He stood up from his position and dragged her with him. He wrapped her body around his arms and started kissing her.

He had long to touch her again. Kissing was not enough anymore. Even the pain could not stop him from consuming his need to be with her.

"Of course, you can." She replied, wanting to feel his lips against hers.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her fingers entwine on the hair on his nape. She parted her lips, allowing him entry as their tongues collided in a battle of desire.

When her hands started to explore, she let them wander on his shoulders and down to his arms, feeling the strength as his muscles flexed underneath her touch.

"I think we should continue this in the bedroom." He mumbled in between their kiss.

He slowly pulled her towards the bedroom. If he was not in pain, he would have carried her for a faster result.

"Slow down. There is no need to hurry. We still have all night and forever." She assured her as she followed him into their room.

She only felt him stop when they reached the bed. Then, he slowly unbuttoned her blouse while she pulled his shirt off from his body. But as she ran her hands over his body, she felt him wince a bit as her palm landed on his injured ribs.

"Ohh!" He groaned, but it did not sound anything pleasant at all.

However, he was determined to push through the pain. The slight discomfort would not stop him from pursuing his mission. Not this time.

"I am sorry, Alex." She immediately lifted her hand away from his ribs, afraid that she had worsened his condition. "What is wrong?" Showing her concern.

She mildly panicked, watching him bite his lip and close his eyes. She leaned back to check on him, but he did not let her go. His hands remained planted on her hips, firmly keeping her in place.

"There is nothing to worry about. It was just a mild pain that I could handle. I was just caught unaware. But it is fine now." He took a deep breath and allowed the pain to subside before pulling her back to his body again.

He ran his hands on her cheeks, examining how her eyes danced with the light of the room. He could see the passion in her eyes, but her face was overshadowed by her concern for him.

"Are you sure?" She questioned him, unsure if she should allow him to continue with his plan.

As much as she missed his touch, she would never prioritize her needs from his. She could wait until he was fully recovered before fulfilling her desire for the flesh.

"I want you more than anything. I could take the pain of my injuries, but I could not stand not being able to hold you in my arms anymore." He answered her.

He began planting gentle kisses starting at her temple, working his way down to the side of the skin of her neck. "To feel you next to me, yet not be able to have you." He uttered as he peppered her with his soft lips.

He had been in control of his situation all his life. He knew what he wanted to do with his profession. He had never allowed anyone else to dictate his future. His path was his own to make.

However, meeting Dani had changed everything about him. He had to reevaluate his life to accommodate hers. He had found himself, just another human being, also susceptible to his own vulnerability.

She might think that he was her prince charming who would always be there to save the day.. But still, in his book, she was the heroine in the story.