"Do all your tattoos have a meaning?" I ask Alexander as I'm tracing the circles around his tattoos on his chest.

We're in his room and I'm sitting on top of him. He's shirtless, feeding my greedy eyes with his amazing chest and all his glorious tattoos.

Alexander shrugs, looking right at me while I'm trying to look at every single tattoo he has. He's got so many!

"Some of them, yeah. Others I got just because I liked them."

"Hmm ..." I mumble, still tracing his soft skin with my fingers. It's like looking at a map and discovering new places. It's exciting. What's even more exciting is that he lets me do this.

After that kiss outside, I wanted to go back in the house because I really couldn't bear any cold anymore. Even the kiss didn't warm me up. Alexander suggested we go to his room. I was sceptical. I didn't know what his intentions were.

But then he explained he just wanted to be with me some more and we can just talk if I want. And now I'm here.

I think that after what we just told each other outside, something changed between us. I think I trust him a little more now. And I believe him a little more when he says that he likes me. Although it's hard to imagine it. I'm saying; to hell with it. I can at least try as Sam said.

I know I'd probably regret it my whole life if I didn't at least give this a chance. Maybe his feelings did change for me. I don't know. But I know it's different - it even feels different with him.

I go over the tattoo of a Little Mermaid that he has close to his heart. "Little Mermaid?" I ask in amusement and look him in the eyes.

Alexander's good mood vanishes. "It was Zoe's favourite story," he whispers.

My smile completely disappears from my face. "Oh," it's all I can manage to say.

Sam's tattoo instantly comes into my head. She's got one dedicated to her, too. A verse from a Little Mermaid in Arabic on her collarbone. "Sam has one from Little Mermaid, too," I say. I really don't know what else to say. This is all so overwhelming and just plain sad. I don't know how to deal with these emotions inside of me.

Alexander carefully, slowly nods his head, looking at me the whole time.

I go to the next tattoo, circling it with my finger. Espoir. My lips lift up in the corners. "Oh! I know the meaning of this one." I grin. It means hope in French.

But my smile disappears yet again when I see it's crossed over and under it, there are three words written in the same font. Rien n'est éternel.

Nothing lasts forever.

My heart clenches. I feel so much pain. He must've suffered so much. It's clear as a day that his sister meant the world to him.

"Do you speak French?" I ask with a lump in my throat, desperately trying not to cry.

Alexander lifts his shoulder into a shrug. "I know a few words." He grins shyly.

It's such a boyish look on him. I can't do anything but stare at his face for a few moments. He looks so handsome when he smiles.

"You could teach me," he adds suggestively.

I lift my eyebrows. "Oh, really?" I murmur.

A lazy grin spreads on his face and he suddenly throws me off him. He lays down on top of me, his hands on either side of me. "You explored enough. It's my turn now, don't you think?"

He puts his lips on my neck and I writhe under him. Ohh. That feels so nice. My eyes close in pleasure as Alexander licks and sucks on the skin. I feel it all the way down to my toes.

He kisses me all the way up to my chin, finding my lips and involving them in a scorching kiss that sends my brain flying out of the window. Holy damn. He really knows how to kiss.

I feel his hand travelling down my body, feeling me under him. He stops at the hem of my shirt and starts playing with it, teasingly lifting it up and down, exposing only a little skin every time. I groan into his mouth and buckle my lips. Emotions are running wild inside of me.

"Damn, babe," Alexander breathes. He puts his hand under my shirt, resting it on my bare stomach.

I suddenly freeze under him. I stop kissing him and turn my head to the side, putting my hand on his forearm to stop his wandering hand. "No, wait. Stop," I plead, breathlessly and in fear.

Alexander stops his movements and lifts up a bit so he can have a clear view of my face. "What's wrong?" he asks gently.

He puts the hand that was under my shirt on my cheek and I look at him. "This is going a little too fast. Don't you think?" I can't even my breathing out, my chest is lifting up and down like I've run a marathon. Calm down, it was just a kiss!

Alexander lifts his eyebrows and he looks genuinely confused. "No, not really. This is a bit slow, actually. I'd be already going for the second round with others probably."

"Excuse-moi?!" I yell in rage. Is he serious?

I slip away from under him, but he grabs my hand and I'm on top of him again. He sits up, putting his hands on my face. "Fuck. That's so hot."

"Alexander, stop touching me and let me go!" I come close to screaming. Oh, God. My heart is racing my chest from the adrenaline. And anger. Especially anger. How dare he say something like that!

"Why?" he sounds confused. He draws his eyebrows together, looking at me like he doesn't understand. He doesn't even realise what he said.

"You can go fuck your other girlfriends and leave me alone since they're apparently so willing!"

Alexander's expression turns into an amused one. I'm so happy he's enjoying this! I'm so mad I could hit him. I thought we were going somewhere and then he comes and says something like that. He's never going to change.

"Wait. Are you jealous?"

"No," I mumble like a child. "You can't say things like that to me, Alexander. I'm serious," I say this with a more firm tone.

Alexander's eyebrows come together, his forehead wrinkling as if he's thinking about my words. "I'm sorry," he says. It sounds like he doesn't even know what he's apologising for.

A thought crosses me. I'm almost afraid to ask him this, but I need to know to be sure. "Did you actually tell me all of that just to get me in your bed?" I whisper. I can't hide the hurt in my voice this time.

Alexander inhales sharply. "Fuck, Gabrielle, of course not. I may be shallow, but not that shallow. Jesus." He leans back away to get a better look. "Did you seriously think that?" He shakes his head when I choose to stay silent. "I told you that because I wanted you. No hidden intentions, for fuck's sake, Little one," he sounds distressed.

"Okay. Calm down, I was only asking." Jesus, it was a simple question I wanted to know the answer to, don't get into such a twist.

Alexander sits back on the bed, still with me on top of him, and leans on the headboard. "Gabrielle, I ... I don't know how to do all of this. It's usually more simple." He frowns. "I mean, I ... I didn't have to try this much -"

"Let me guess, you didn't have to try to get the girls to sleep with you?"

Alexander shrugs apologetically, smiling sheepishly. He's got that boyish grin again that's starting to make me crazy. Oh, boy.

I raise my eyebrows. "I hope you don't have any hopes to sleep with me. In that literal way, I mean ..."

Alexander's face straightens instantly and he sits up even straighter. "What? Like ... never?" he asks with a small voice like the thought is bothering him.

It's really hard not to burst out laughing at his expression. I look down at his torso, purposely avoiding his eyes, and start drawing circles on his naked skin again. "I don't know, Alexander ... it depends."

"On what?" he asks immediately. Oh, so now I've got his full attention? Boys are so easy ...

"Well ... we just got from you hating me yesterday, to wanting to be ..." I don't even know what to call it. What is this that we have? "friends of some sort. With some benefits." I raise my eyes to him.

"I thought we were more than friends. Way more ..." Alexander whispers, putting his palms on my thighs now and moving them up and down my leg. Oh. This is nice.

I bite my lip. "Oh?" I ask nonchalantly, playing dumb.

Alexander frowns. He's thinking. "Do you want to be mine?"

What?! My fingers stop doing circles on him and I think my mouth falls open. My stomach is already doing somersaults. "Uhm ... what?" I say, completely dumbfounded.

"Mine, Gabrielle. You wanna be mine? As in girlfriend type." His hands squeeze my thighs.

I can't stop staring at him. He looks serious, even a little nervous. He's actually seriously asking me this? Wait, is he high again? His eyes look normal, though ...

"I think ... I'll need to have more time to give you an answer. See you prove yourself, you know." I shrug.

Alexander grins, but it doesn't touch his eyes this time. "You really know how to keep a guy under the pressure, Little one," he murmurs.

I lean down with a grin, pecking his lips. But Alexander has other plans; he wraps his hand around the back of my head and keeps my head down while he gives me that true, hot kiss that I came to love so much. He really is such a good kisser. No wonder he's got girls standing in lines.

If I knew he kisses this good when I came here, I'd be probably standing in line, too, waving a flag and jumping up and down for him to notice me and take me as his next.

"Why do you call me that?" I murmur against his lips. I'm probably high from his kisses. Is this possible?

"What?" he sounds confused yet again.

"Little one. Why do you call me that?" I look at him from under my lashes, putting my palms on Alexander's chest and resting my chin on my hands so my upper half is lying on top of his.

Who would've thought I'd get this intimate with this guy one day? It's weird. But I couldn't feel happier.

I still can't believe he didn't leave me there on the rooftop when I told him my story. Instead, we're now laying here, kissing and acting like a real couple.

"I don't know, babe. It seemed appropriate? It just came into my mind when I first saw you. You know, cute nickname for a cute girl." He shrugs. It looks like he never thought about this.

And he says he doesn't know how to do this! "You thought I was cute?" I mumble. I can't keep the grin off my face.

Alexander looks up at the ceiling, grinning to himself. "Fuck yeah. And so damn hot I got afraid how I'll stay away from you ... wait, are you fishing for compliments?" He looks at me in amusement.

I can not believe it. It's like talking to and being around a completely different human being. Who knew he had this playful and loving side in him?

I just hope he doesn't go to that asshole personality tomorrow again. I don't know how I'd react if he did.

I purse my lips. "You were really mean to me, though ... all the times you ..." There's a lump in my throat. I don't want to think about it. He really did hurt me.

Alexander wraps his arm around my neck, kissing the top of my head. "I know, I was a dick to you. If I knew what you went through, I'd probably just leave you alone." He sighs. "It's still not an excuse, I know," he mumbles with a tight voice. "But I've got time to make it up to you now," he adds this in a lighter tone.

I smile again and place a kiss on his chest. "I think I should go back to my room now, I'm getting a bit tired."

"Am I that boring?" Alexander gasps mockingly. "You can sleep here," he then adds as an afterthought.

I swiftly lift my head. "I'm not sleeping with you!"

Alexander rolls his eyes. "I wasn't talking about sex, Jesus. You think about it so much that I'll start to believe you actually want to fuck with me."

I flush from head to toe. Uhm ... who wouldn't?

My brain really is worthless when it comes to Alexander. "I think that's not a good idea. It's still too soon."

When I try to lift up and get up, he wraps both of his arms around me, successfully keeping me in place. "No, seriously, Gabrielle. Sleep here. Just sleep."

"Alexander," I sigh and it comes out a mumble since I'm laying with my face flat on his chest. No complaints there ...

Sleep with him? The whole night beside him? Yes, please.

But ... what if I have a nightmare? And it's really too soon for that ...

You've wanted to do that for months, Gabrielle. It's late, not soon.

"Fine. I'll just go shower and bring my pyjama here."

"You can shower here." At my pointed look, Alexander adds, "Alone. Don't worry, Jesus. I won't attack you."

My body stiffens when he says the words and he feels it, too. "Gabrielle, I won't touch you if you won't want to, alright? I would never ... I promise."

I nod against his chest, feeling his skin against my face. "Let me go to shower now," I mumble.

"Sure. You can wear on of my sweaters."

I raise my eyebrows at him. "Can I choose which one?" I say, already walking to his close. He's letting me wear his clothes! Why does this make my heart race? It's so cute and so not him ...

"Take what you want." He clasps his hands under his head and crosses his legs, laying on the bed and watching me. He looks so good ... I should take a picture.

I go into the bathroom and take a really quick shower. I used his shampoo. And I find a toothbrush in the cabinets that's still packed. I don't even want to think why he has it.

When I walk out of the room, Alexander's eyes visibly darken. I'm only wearing his sweater and his boxers. And that's it, even though it comes down to my knees almost.

He stands up from the bed and walks straight to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and kissing me fastly. "Stay here. Or I'll come kidnap you." I feel him grin against my lips before he disappears into the bathroom.

Oh ... the temptation. But I choose to be a good girl and wait for him on the bed. I can't believe I'm going to sleep with Alexander!

I'm smiling like a fool. I touch my lips that he just kissed, closing my eyes. Is this really happening?

Alexander comes out after 15 minutes or so, wearing only his white boxers. I swallow hard. Shoot. I haven't really thought this through.

He turns the light off before I can even get a good look. I'm happy it's dark and he doesn't see me pouting.

I feel him climb on the bed. He wraps his arm around my waist and throws me down so I'm lying beside him. I giggle in the dark.

Alexander keeps his arm around my torso and presses himself fully against me. Oh. Nice. He kisses my neck. "By the way, Little one, you really don't have a choice, anyway."

"Huh?" I say.

"You're my girl, whether you like it or not."

I close my eyes in the dark, my smile gettingeven wider. Oh, I like it, alright.

🤗