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sinister-things · 1 year

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Can't Take My Eyes off You

Loosely inspired by this post by @fabuloustrash05

⚠️TW: One mention of food⚠️

Synopsis: Hamato Yoshi– or, Mr. Splinter is a very wealthy man, owning multiple dojo's across New York City. When he announces a gala event in hopes of his son, Donatello, finding that special someone, your parent's force you– New York City's "IT Girl" to attend. What could go wrong?

Everything was set and ready. The food was from all around the world, Splinter had hired the greatest orchestra in town, and everything about the room screamed "I make eight figures!"

To put it nicely, you were an IT Girl. You were beautiful, rich, had deals with multi-million dollar brands, and the media loved you.

You made your way to the food table, heads turning by the mere sight of you.

This event was supposed to last for five hours. You only knew of Mr. Hamato because your younger cousin attended one of his dojo's.

You had never met his son, Donatello, prior to this. You had heard of him and his intellect, but had never met him in person.

"Oh, mi gosh!" You heard a voice squeal.

You turned to investigate the sound, only to find a humanoid turtle donning an orange bandana standing a few steps behind you.

"Hello, can I help you?" You asked him.

He was buzzing with excitement. "You're Y/N, you were on the cover of Vogue last month!"

You chuckled at his excitement. "And you are?"

"Oh–" The boy blushed, "I'm Mikey, I'm a really big fan," Mikey told you. "Can I take a picture with you?" He asked bashfully.

"Sure!" You popped the last finger sandwich in your mouth and crouched beside him, flashing your famous smile.

He waved as he walked away, cellphone in hand, likely to post the picture somewhere.

You continued on with your night, chatting up a few of your other rather famous friends.

"Not to sound rude, but," You furrowed your eyebrows. "Why are you here? You already have a girlfriend." You asked.

Your friend Kelly, a model, huffed. "My sister was invited, and you know she can't be left alone for more than five seconds," she laughed.

The two of you heard a gasp, followed by an "Oh my god, it's you!"

You both turned to see your mutual friend, Iseul, a kpop idol. You smiled as the three of you caught up with each other's lives.

You three laughed and genuinely had a good time. But during the entire conversation, you had a weird feeling. Like you were being watched.

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

From across the room stood– for lack of a better word, the prettiest girl in New York.

Y/N L/N, the quote-unquote "IT Girl" of New York was talking with two other girls. Kelly Blare, a model from Newfoundland, and Kim Iseul, a Korean singer known for her stunning appearance.

Y/N was mostly known for her modeling career. For some reason, brands fought to the death to even have one of their products in the background of an Instagram post.

She was on every billboard, every cafe window, every magazine cover, everything! You couldn't walk down the street and not see her face.

Everyone knew who she was.

Everyone knew her name.

Mikey was a big fan of Y/N, using her modeling shoots as inspiration for his various art pieces and following her on every social media he had.

The press adored her! Always praising her actions and beauty, painting her as this divine being who could do no wrong.

And Donnie would be lying if he said he didn't have even the smallest crush on her.

Donnie never expected himself to be one of those lovestruck fools, blindly admiring someone he barely knew. In fact, he laughed at the idea. Him, falling in love? Heavens, no. Impossible!

He never cared for the various celebrities and socialites his father met with. But when he saw you, something changed.

He hated to admit it, but the gossip was true: you were more beautiful in person than in a picture.

But there he stood, face redder than Raph's mask. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his head as he watched you laugh at something Kelly said.

Pathetic. He was pathetic.

You had captured his heart, just as he feared someone would. The sight of you nearly making him forget how to breath, captivating him with your presence alone.

But you looked so unreal! You've most likely had thousands, if not millions of people profess their love for you. What would make Donnie stand out from the rest?

Donnie's heart stopped when the two of you locked eyes. He dropped the glass he was holding and found himself running in the direction he came.

You chased after the person. "Wait, come back!" You called to them.

You found yourself running through the various hallways of the estate, the person not stopping for a second.

"I just wanna talk!" You called desperately, picking up your speed.

With every twist and turn, you tried calling out to the person, hoping to persuade them to stop and talk.

The person ran out the nearest door they saw, you quickly following in pursuit.

Your legs burned, begging to rest. But you weren't going to until you stopped this stranger in their tracks.

You climbed a steep, grassy hill. There was a large, looming tree standing at the peak, a bench underneath it. Sitting down, you smiled.

"Hi, what's your name?" You asked. That was a good conversation starter, right?

"I'm Y/N," You told him, hoping to gain his trust. "I like your suit!"

The person scuffled to the other side of the bench, you only following. They fiddled with their jacket for a few seconds before muttering a response.

"I'm sorry..."

You were confused. "For what?"

"For staring..." He admitted.

You bounced your knee, a smirk growing on your face.

"Well," you leaned forward– not to close, but close enough that you could see him blushing. "I'll forgive you if you tell me your name."

He bit his lip, looking to the ground. Sighing, he met your eyes.

"Donatello..."

You gasped. "Donatello? As in, Donatello Hamato?" You asked him curiously. He nodded.

"And you're Y/N," his ashamed frown began turning into that of a smile. "The prettiest girl in New York,"

You're reaction was a mix of shock and flattery. "Well, I think you're the smartest guy in this city," you told him.

Donatello's face went red. "Really?"

You nodded, "I've heard of all the different kinds of tech you've made, it's pretty cool!"

His face lit up, smiling like a child who saw Santa Claus. Someone praised his tech? He's been waiting for this!

The two of you rambled on about your interests, your passions and your dreams for hours.

From the corner of his eye, Donnie saw April and his brother's cheering him on from inside the house.

He rolled his eyes, ignoring his family and his blush for the time being, focusing his thoughts and smile on your adorable rants.

He sighed, realizing what was happening to himself. He, who laughed in the face of Cupid, was head over heels for the prettiest girl in New York City.

In the span of four hours, you had managed to make him smile and laugh more than he had in a single month.

But down the line, you and Donatello are as happy as can be. Whether sixteen or sixty, one thing is for sure: he couldn't take his eyes off you.

#virgils stuff #virgil writes #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt donnie x reader #donnie x reader #tmnt donnie x reader #tmnt x reader #rottmnt x reader #fem reader #female reader #spotify #frankie valli #can't take my eyes off you #music #Spotify

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alj4890 · 7 months

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Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship AU

Masterlist

A/N I know it's been a while, but I think I can say I'm back 🤞Covid and flu went through my whole family these last couple of weeks and I'm behind on everything, including having fun on Tumblr. I'm starting to catch up on writing, reading, and answering asks. For the time being though, here's something I'd finished right before all the sickness struck. I was finally able to edit it this morning, so here we go with some more angsty romance with Max and Liv.

Chapter 4

Cordonia's Royal Port...

Olivia was seething.

There were a great many things in this world that could make her angry. One that was high on her list was what she deemed: traitor. It just so happened that she was debating on whether or not to assign that particular moniker to one of the men she'd known for most of her life.

Is he betraying me by being all buddy/buddy with Riley? He's pushing so hard for her to win Liam's attention. Shouldn't he be rooting instead for me, his so-called friend?

Her narrowed eyes were riveted upon the joyful trio. It was ridiculous how happy Drake, Riley, and Maxwell were for having won the annual regatta. Olivia felt her temper spike to see her competition engulfing both men in tight hugs before jumping down to the dock to greet Liam and Constantine.

The fact that the three most incompetent people she'd ever known had beaten her soon to be fired crew was absolutely insane.

"Your grace?" One of her crewmen cleared his throat. "Please accept our apologies for--"

"Get everything ready for the party." She snapped. "Guests will be arriving soon. I expect no further failures."

"Yes m'lady." He bowed then scurried away.

Olivia refocused on the various nobles coming towards her yacht. There was only one person she wanted to see from her peer group. She wasn't certain why she wanted to see Maxwell as badly as she did. She chalked it up to her need to set him straight on a number of matters.

Then again, curiosity over their kiss could be another big reason.

She greeted her guests on her way down to the dock, making certain on timing it to where she could run into Maxwell without it appearing planned.

Luckily, he wasn't looking where he was going. His attention was directed upon his phone while a slight frown formed on lips she knew a little too well.

Maxwell bumped into her, nearly sending them both into the water.

"Whoa!" He grasped her waist to help keep her upright. "Sorry."

Olivia's frown deepened over the flush creeping up her neck from their bodies being pressed up against one another for such a brief moment.

Stepping back, she straightened her sweater and waited on him to say something more.

His eyes lingered upon her cold, dispassionate face. Maxwell felt his heart sink at not seeing anything like he'd hoped to after sharing a kiss that had been beyond anything his imagination could conjure.

"Excuse me." He mumbled, stepping around her.

Olivia blinked at that being all he was going to say to her. After that kiss from a few nights earlier, she expected him to say something about why he'd done it.

"Where are you going?" She snapped.

Her waspish tone caused him to freeze.

"Bertrand needs to talk to me." He told her.

"Now?" She asked.

"Yeah." Maxwell sighed. "His, um, his patience is really wearing thin."

He glanced towards her yacht and the nobles already mingling on it. Of all the times his brother demanded his presence for another lecture, it had to be when the woman he was head over heels for threw a party.

Not that she would want me there.

"Aren't you coming to my little get together?" She asked.

His eyes searched hers. Hope flared within him.

Maybe I didn't screw up my chances with her, he thought. If she wants me at her party then my kiss didn't completely gross her out.

"I wish I could." Maxwell ran a hand down his face. "Bertrand is demanding I come find him."

"Are you going to the beach later?" Olivia wanted to slap herself for sounding like she couldn't wait to see him again.

"Yeah," Maxwell replied, "I think so."

His phone buzzed with another irritated text from his brother.

"I'll see you later." He mumbled.

"Hey." Riley greeted, stopping beside Olivia. "Liam said you're hosting the Ladies of the Court."

Olivia watched him walk away. Her brow furrowed in thought over his behavior and her own holding back in telling him off. She wasn't quite certain what game Maxwell was playing with her, but she knew she needed to stop it before it went any further.

Is it a game he's playing with me? Is that why he kissed me? Or am I giving Maxwell too much credit?

"I am." Olivia turned back towards the gangplank, motioning for Riley to follow. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks." Riley relaxed some once she saw Olivia wasn't her usual temperamental self.

"Of course." Olivia's overly bright smile made Riley pause. "Please, make yourself at home and do not hesitate to ask for whatever you need."

Riley's eyes widened when Olivia called out for a servant to bring her a bright orange life jacket.

"Here." Olivia's smug smile formed. "We can't take a chance on possibly losing you during our excursion."

"Is everyone getting one?" Riley asked.

"No. They aren't as fragile as our newest member of the Court." Olivia replied.

Riley's own smile held a hint of evil. She took the life jacket in her hands and managed to sound like she was overcome with emotion.

Olivia struggled in her embrace.

"Olivia! Aren't you the most precious person to be so concerned about me?" Riley pulled her into a tight hug. "It is so sweet how much you want to keep me around."

Her delighted out urst drew the nobles' attention. Many were chuckling and whispering while watching the two ladies before turning back to the brunch that was being set out.

"There's no need for this." Riley whispered. "This competition doesn't mean we have to keep being mean to each other."

Olivia pushed out of her arms. "You're a bigger fool than I thought. This is a competition. None of us can be anything other than opponents as we fight to win Liam."

"There is no fight." Riley tossed the life preserver into a nearby lounge chair. "Liam is a man who will choose the woman he wants to ultimately spend the rest of his life with. I don't care what Madeleine says about it being to find the perfect queen. In the end, he has to live with whomever he picks."

She gestured around at the crowd. "Those of us who aren't picked will need to continue on in life. Wouldn't it be better to do so as friends?"

Olivia scoffed at that notion.

Riley really is naive.

"Believe that if you want," Olivia muttered, "but in the end, you'll hate the one Liam picks over you."

"Why?" Riley folded her arms. "If I truly care about Liam, then shouldn't I want to see him get the person he wants most?"

Olivia hesitated. Of course, she knew that's how one should feel. Yet, could she take Liam picking one of the other ladies over herself?

"Anyway," Riley continued, "I think we'll all end up with the person we're meant for."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "That sounds stupidly optimistic."

Riley shrugged. "I'm a hopeless romantic. It's why I agreed to Maxwell's invitation to be House Beaumont's suitor."

She then nudged Olivia.

"You know, there are a lot of handsome guys here."

"Excuse me?" Olivia sputtered.

"I'm just saying, the ladies Liam doesn't pick have a pretty decent selection to nurse their broken hearts." Riley smiled at her. "I bet there's at least one who's not the prince who has caught your eye."

Olivia paled at the thought of Maxwell telling Riley about the kiss.

"He has not caught my eye." Olivia hissed.

"Who?" Riley asked.

"I don't care what he said to you!" Olivia whispered harshly. "Nothing will ever come from that kiss!"

"Who?!" Riley's eyes widened. "Who did you kiss?"

Olivia realized she'd made a huge mistake. The longer she studied Riley's curious face the more she knew Maxwell hadn't told her about what happened that last night in Lythikos.

Furious over her own stupidity, Olivia spun on her heel and left Riley gaping in confusion.

****************

The private beach...

Maxwell did his best not to look around and see where Olivia was. He'd already caught her staring at him twice. He knew he should probably talk about the kiss with her.

But...

He didn't want to hear her say that she felt nothing for him.

He softly groaned as he collapsed back on the towel he was sitting on. Once he saw Liam sneak off with Riley, he knew he could finally relax somewhat. He wished he could get out of his clothes and go swimming with his friends. He knew Bertrand would have a stroke if he found out that he did so and that the entire court saw his tattoo.

Still...it was tempting to rip his black shirt off. Hearing the gasps and whispers over the baby hippo residing upon his chest would bring a smile to his face. It would also temporarily take his mind off one particular subject.

He'd give anything to escape his thoughts. Between the heat of the afternoon sun and the inner heat from the memories of how Olivia's lips felt on his, he needed a cool dip in the ocean.

"We need to talk."

His eyes shot open to see the very person he could not stop thinking about standing over him.

Olivia glanced around. Everyone was preoccupied with either swimming or mingling. No one was paying any attention to them. It was the perfect moment to finally get some answers.

"What, um, what do you want to talk about?" Maxwell asked a touch hesitantly.

"You know what I want to discuss." She hissed. "Now get up and follow me."

He scrambled after her when she darted towards a shaded area filled with palm trees and thick brush.

Once she knew they were well out of earshot of everyone, she rounded on him.

"I know what you're doing." Her tone sent a chill down his spine.

"You do?" Maxwell thought he'd been so careful.

"I'd almost be impressed if you were normally this manipulative." Olivia swallowed, fighting against the frustrated tears that she felt. "But coming from someone like you, all I see is how cruel you really are."

She refused to cry in front of people. It was a form of weakness that a Nevrakis could never show to anyone. The last person she'd ever thought would make her feel this close to tears was Maxwell Beaumont.

Heat rose up her body as she blinked back the telltale signs that he'd upset her to this point.

"Cruel?" His eyes narrowed in concern as he stepped closer to her. "What are you talking about?"

"Your kiss!" She snapped. "You used it to distract me from pursuing Liam all so you're precious Riley could steal him away!"

Maxwell's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe she'd jumped to that conclusion. Didn't she know he was hopelessly in love with her, that he'd never use that as a weapon against her? How much more obvious could he be in showing Olivia how badly he wanted to be with her?

"Listen closely." She poked his chest with each word. "I will win Liam. You and I will never, ever speak of that kiss again after today. I know your tricks now and will never falter again."

"Tricks?!" He finally found his voice. "Liv, it wasn't a trick! I didn't do anything to make sure Riley wins Liam's attention."

"Bullshit!" Olivia hissed. "You knew what you were doing when you came to my room that night! I let my sentimentality over our childhood friendship keep me from seeing just how far you'll go to make Riley be Liam's choice."

"I swear I had no plans to do anything that night!" He cried out. "I honestly wanted to check on you! Don't you know..."

He trailed off, lowering his eyes. He knew deep, deep down he had kissed her in the hopes she would be distracted from pursuing Liam. It just had nothing at all to do with Riley or winning this asinine competition.

He only wanted Olivia to fall in love with him.

Swallowing, he reached for her hand.

For some reason Olivia allowed him to do so.

His thumb brushed over her skin setting off tingles for them both.

"Don't I know what?" She bit out, refusing to relax her fingers.

He lifted his eyes to hers. Olivia took a step back from the undeniable emotion swimming in those ocean blue depths of his.

Maxwell wanted to tell her everything that was in his heart. He knew he couldn't and even if he did give in to his weakness for her, she'd never believe him now. He could only hint at what he felt for her.

"Don't you know me well enough to see that I would never do something like that to anyone, especially to you? "

His voice cracked towards the end of his question. He didn't bother to try and hide how hurt he was. What was the point?

Olivia felt her suspicion begin to dwindle the more she studied Maxwell. He'd always been nice, especially to her. Could he truly have kissed her without any ulterior motive?

She knew he'd had a crush on her since forever. Did he actually kiss her because he wanted to? Or was it to help her know if Liam was what she wanted?

"All I want," he squeezed her hand before letting go, "all I ever wanted was to see my friends happy."

He stepped away from her.

"And since you've always been important to me, that's all I want for you. Whether it is with Liam or..." he grimaced, "or some other lucky guy, I want you to be with someone who appreciates the kind of woman you are."

Olivia folded her arms.

"That's all you want?" She snorted. "Nothing for yourself?"

"I didn't say that." He snapped.

Maxwell could feel the irritation well within him that she was completely blind when it concerned him.

"I want something that I know is becoming more and more impossible with each day this damn competition continues." He explained in a bitter tone. "And I hate that since it is the only thing I've ever wanted that I'm stuck watching from the sidelines as all my hopes get destroyed one by one."

Olivia's lips parted. She had a feeling she knew exactly what he wanted. If he truly wasn't trying to distract her, knowing she was one of the top picks for Liam, then it really could only be one thing.

He wants me.

Maxwell waited a couple of heartbeats for her response.

When she parted her lips, he'd hoped she would say something. Though he wanted it to be what his desperate heart needed, he almost wished she'd tell him to give up. This torturous longing for her was getting worse now that he knew how her lips felt pressed against his. The way her body fitted his like a puzzle piece and the taste of her skin had kept him awake the last few nights. He didn't know if he could continue to be a passive observer for the rest of the season now knowing that what he'd once imagined paled in comparison to the real thing.

Her hesitation in responding caused him to stumble back.

"I need to go." He mumbled, averting his gaze from hers once more. "I'll see you around."

Olivia let him go without a word. She watched him scoop up the beach towel he'd been sitting on and leave the area without saying goodbye to anyone. The lack of both his warm smile and the typical spring in his step let her know that their conversation had hurt him.

Her eyes narrowed once more. She could see that she was nowhere near getting Maxwell Beaumont off of her mind. If anything, this conversation alone would have kept him there. Add the kiss and the unusual feelings that were creeping up each time they touched, and she knew that it was only getting worse.

She returned to her lounge chair to think on what to do about this unexpected complication in her life.

As the sun set, a gasp slipped past her lips. Her fists clinched as a more pointed realization struck. It was unbelievable what she'd done.

She'd spent the entire day thinking of and interacting with only one man.

And it wasn't Liam.

#choices the royal romance #maxwell beaumont x olivia Nevrakis #choices trr #maxwell x olivia #can't take my eyes off you #choices fic writers creations #choices crackship #crackship au

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fightinglikeaman · 8 months

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🎵 ... tara tara tataratata...i love you baby 🎶

#can't take my eyes off you #love #couple #myuplouds #old school

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ursahlee · 7 months

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#Reptile Netflix #benicio del toro #love of my life #can't take my eyes off you

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wearevillaneve · 2 years

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Sandra Oh's Purple Reign at the 2022 Emmy Awards.

#sandra oh #2022 emmys #purple #she is the queen #get it gurl #all eyes on me #can't take my eyes off you

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nyx22-blogs · 1 year

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•Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You•

Heavily based off of the song Can't take my eyes off of you, by Frankie Valli

You're just too good to be true...

Since Bucky moved into the tower everything was a bit better. He had Steve again, he had a life again. He was even happy to have Sam.. he'd never admit it though. But if there was one thing that made his day it was you. Everyday, Bucky went to a coffee shop down the block. He wasn't necessarily the biggest fan coffee, but he went there to see you. You were the waitress/barista there and you were just so alluring. The prettiest smile he'd ever seen, lively eyes that seemed to somehow sparkle, a voice that could only be described as one that belonged to an angel. He loved how you never viewed the people who came to your shop as customers, but friends that you saw everyday. Especially the regulars, which was Bucky. You were so kind to Bucky, always saying hi to him when you could, sometimes sneaking off from the counter when the stop was calm to ask him how his day was. There were some days where you went as far as to write a 'have a good day' message on his coffee when he had to leave early. He truly liked you and he always thought to himself everyday that you were just too good to be true.

Can't take my eyes off of you...

It bothered Bucky the way he could never truly carry a conversation with you. Sure it was always a hi, hello, how was your day, any plans? But he couldn't say how he felt, he couldn't say that he wanted to take you out on a date, or that the new blouse you bought looked beautiful with the apron you wore. He couldn't even say how gorgeous you looked. And sure, the only reason he couldn't say that was because there truly wasn't a word in the English language that described your beauty...but still. So what did he do instead of talking to you? He looked at you. He'd just observe the way you handled everyone's order with care, the way you laughed when the old lady from across the street would complain about all the little boys who ran around in her yard, even though you knew she loved their company. He watched how you always snuck in little sweet treats for the group of 7 year old girls that visited the shop after school. Quite a few times when he'd look away to drink his coffee or just think about something, he'd catch you staring at him as well. He remembers one time where he caught you looking at him, while you were stirring some cinnamon into a cup of coffee. He had looked at you and smiled, he smiled even bigger when you blushed and looked away, continuing to talk to another customer. These were the little moments that sparked some hope and courage in him. He just couldn't take his eyes off of you.

You'd be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much...

Bucky remembers the first time he "held" your hand. You had come over to his table in the corner to give him his coffee. You sat down to talk to him for a bit as well. You had done most of the talking, Bucky mostly just sat down and listened to your honey-sounding voice. When you told him you had to go you both had said your goodbyes, but your apron had gotten stuck between some of the open metal from the coffee table. You had rested one of your hands on his to keep yourself from falling and used the other to untie the fabric. When you left afterwards he was stunned. Your hand in his was one of the best feelings he ever had, and god did it feel so right. Like two puzzle pieces that fit, even though that sounds beyond cliché. Your hand was so soft and small, and he had pretty much memorized how it felt. Oh how he wishes he could hold you, instead of just your hand, like that. Sometimes Bucky could just imagine your arms wrapped around his torso, his hands around your back. It would feel amazing. In all honesty you'd be like heaven to touch, he wanted to hold you so much.

At long last love has arrived, and I thank God I'm alive...

Bucky had pretty much known you for about 5 months now. That was an appropriate time to wait to ask someone out.. right? He thought this in his head over and over again as he made his way to the Cafe. Going over all the possible scenarios in his head, he walked down the block and into the familiar-smelling cafe. Bucky saw you talking to another customer so he stood at the door and waited for you to finish. It was around 8:30 p.m., which was around closing time for you now. The customer walked out the door and you had turned around to gather your things. He walked up to you and said your name.

"Y/n?" You turned around in surprise, not expecting him to be here so late.

"Oh, Bucky. Hey. Where were you today? You usually come earlier." You said smiling. You'd never tell anyone but you missed him today, and you were worried when he didn't come in.

"I was uhm, helping a friend with something, and I couldn't come." What bucky said wasn't a complete lie. He was helping a friend, Steve actually. He was with Steve most of the day, helping out with old mission reports and filling some out.

"Oh, ok. Well uhm, is there any reason you came so late? I mean not that I didn't want to see you..I did actually but that not the point-" You stopped abruptly, trying not to further embarrass yourself.

"Yeah..you're the reason I came so late Y/N."

You looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that ever since met you I didn't have to try to be happy anymore. Just a smile on your face made my day Y/N. And..and I'd like to take you out on a date..of that's ok." Bucky said, his nerves starting to show.

"Bucky...yes. Yes, I'd love to go out with you." You said happily, running into his arms and hugging him tightly..arms wrapping around his torso and his wrapping around your back. It was exactly how he envisioned it, lovely and everything he'd ever want. You were all he would ever want. At long last his love has arrived, he thanked God he was still alive.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

AHHHHHHHH OMG I LOVE THIS AND YES I KINDA BLUSHED WRITING IT???

~A girl who is currently kicking her feet and giggling like an idiot 😁

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ladywatereton · 29 days

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“Oh baby, oh baby...”🙄

🎥 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).

🎶 Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Morten Harket.

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earthling-wolf · 1 year

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maenimalist · 4 months

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#heath ledger #10 things i hate about you #can't take my eyes off you

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sturniolomutual · 2 years

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Songs That Remind Me Of Steddie

https://open.spotify.com/track/3ZeyEvTgSlKajHc0fckgZT?si=43d84e0749b94213

https://open.spotify.com/track/1HToPkKsrW18knmbj0blf6?si=a252f555909249cf

https://open.spotify.com/track/0bfvHnWWOeU1U5XeKyVLbW?si=16025ffd7cb948ae

https://open.spotify.com/track/07q0QVgO56EorrSGHC48y3?si=32f8cff6a9554e6f

https://open.spotify.com/track/1n7xFAY4xoPeqRvrkzAtsw?si=b5470bfbfd7b41d0

https://open.spotify.com/track/7yDrKl1J4VWNbR4aLU3qJ7?si=2bb4e013162e44c9

https://open.spotify.com/track/5hVepr5CHiTGtJY5bP4i5n?si=593c467b25744a49

https://open.spotify.com/track/2ASygm7048ssav4ekbehPS?si=97db4e9e0875480b

https://open.spotify.com/track/4bLCPfBLKlqiONo6TALTh5?si=ac8bc6ca6bd24b24

https://open.spotify.com/track/5NeIONQWJ25uPylJBJiO4c?si=b9772ed6f73645bd

https://open.spotify.com/track/7nnWIPM5hwE3DaUBkvOIpy?si=af5c9125d1cd4581

https://open.spotify.com/track/5XenUjG7cRnTkUe8AVuuMX?si=decbcf96530f4446

https://open.spotify.com/track/0dRmFB3lncT3mZy2y14K7n?si=f898c7b61758474f

https://open.spotify.com/track/3IOTNKbDiyk8OpVrQZq838?si=cb22a601e4334676

https://open.spotify.com/track/2VDg6h3Qr3F8UuFVInQxE6?si=ce0e03c0ec954f9f

https://open.spotify.com/track/15VRO9CQwMpbqUYA7e6Hwg?si=3bef6f0eb0484838

https://open.spotify.com/track/47eL0bckn5g3k5VBwgu969?si=e7702b0cfac447c3

https://open.spotify.com/track/1WCjhRs2WBgyeGaybCX2Po?si=7d7aa9033d76482e

https://open.spotify.com/track/3urJUvRhgMrwydaTQFVEg9?si=612bc8eddd494562

STEDDIE PLAYLIST (WITH ALL OF THESE SONGS AND EVENTUALLY MORE!!): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7sUpQNOxAZvBV7014ayMyN?si=2485e147d1664bc4

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go-follow-vibingouthere · 2 years

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You're all wrong: Robin's favorite song is Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli.

#stranger things #robin buckley #the girl plays trumpet she'd go so hard on the instrumetal parts #maya hawke #stranger things 4 #frankie valli #can't take my eyes off you #when thought about through a certain lens that song is the DEFINITION of gay yearning #ronance #bc i was thinking about them when i came up with this idea

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misoyo-happy · 9 months

Text

さっきのにダンスを足してみる(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

ウッドベースみそよ！ダンスみそよ！σ(^_^;)

最初、歌は知ってたけど振付は知らなかったの。柏おやじダンサーズのネタ見せ会で見て、なにあれ〜って大笑いしてたんだけど、忠実に再現していた…歌手もダンサーも衣装も。

これを演奏する時にはぜひ踊って欲しいわ。

このアプリ、逆さまになっちゃうのよね〜。

#君の瞳に恋してる #can't take my eyes off you #踊ってみた #弾いてみた

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alj4890 · 8 months

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Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

(Maxwell Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis) in a Choices The Royal Romance Crackship AU

A/N The Ball at Olivia's has always been one of my favorite chapters in TRR canon. I love how Riley gets special time with everyone, we see the feelings between each character begin to change and become more intense, etc. And with everyone's reaction during the Cordonian Waltz, how could I not include it in this AU?

Masterlist

Chapter 3

Olivia's Ballroom...

"Why are you acting so weird?" Riley asked. "I don't think I've ever heard you speak this formally before."

Maxwell held his phone up to her ear and hit play.

She could clearly hear Bertrand's numerous reminders that Maxwell needed to be on his best behavior. He was a representative of not only their name but their very position in society, and that Bertrand would find out if Maxwell stepped one toe out of line manner wise.

Bubbly laughter escaped her lips.

"How many messages did he leave for you?" She asked.

"That makes fifty-three since this morning." Maxwell muttered.

"So what I'm hearing is that you and I can't cut loose and just have a ball at a ball?" She teased.

"Not tonight." He grinned at her. "Not if you want your favorite Beaumont to be your escort the rest of the season." He pointed to the windows, leaning even closer towards her to whisper. "I bet Bertrand knows where the best spots are to hide my body if I don't act like the proper spare to a dukedom."

Riley giggled some more. "We can't have that. I wouldn't survive without you!"

"Then I better be the best behaved noble here." He straightened his posture, bowed before her, then ruined the effect with a wink.

"I'll find you ladies later for a dance. I need to go to my table."

"Where are we sitting?" Riley asked.

"About that..." He winced while leading her to a seating chart. "Olivia put me at her table. But you and Hana are over here." He pointed at a spot on the very opposite side of the ballroom, tucked away in a corner.

"Hey look!" Riley pointed at another name. "At least we'll have Drake with us."

"I think Olivia meant it as a slight." Hana explained. "She must not think too highly of us to sit us way back there with him."

Riley shrugged it off. "I'm just happy to be here instead of a dungeon. I mean, look at this place. It's gorgeous!"

Maxwell and Hana shared a smile as Riley went on how exciting it was to see another ball. Her infectious optimism could lighten up any situation and he was grateful for it. No wonder he'd seen Hana and Drake hanging around her more and more as their days in Lythikos dragged on. Who wouldn't want to?

"I think our table will be known as the fun one before the night is through." Riley declared. "Sorry, Max."

"Don't be." He squeezed her hand. "I wish I could sit with you guys."

He sincerely did, not just for a chance to relax and cut loose, but because he dreaded what the next few hours would do to him while being forced to have an up close and personal view in Olivia's dogmatic pursuit of Liam.

A man could only stand for so long to see the one he wants most want someone else.

Dukes and duchess are always invited to the head tables. Why couldn't my ancestors suck at being a noble? Then maybe Bertrand would be a viscount. OOOH! Or a baron! Baron Beaumont. Baron Bertrand Beaumont. That has a nice ring to it. Alliteration is always awesome.

"We'll find a way for you to have fun too." Riley reassured him.

When she noticed some guests staring at them, she curtsied to him, keeping her hand in his. The sparkling ice blue gown she wore twinkled in the light, catching everyone's eye.

Maxwell chuckled softly, then pressed a kiss to her knuckles once she stood up.

"Thank you, my lady."

"See ya," she replied in a thicker than usual Brooklyn accent to make him smile, "My lord."

*******************

Olivia's lips thinned in a line as she observed Maxwell and Riley's behavior. She didn't think it cute the little parting they had before Riley was banished to no man's land. Her eyes remained on Maxwell until he turned towards her.

She then directed a charming smile towards her approaching prince.

"Good evening, your grace." Liam lifted her hand to his lips for a brief kiss. "You've outdone yourself once again in hosting the court."

"Thank you." She gestured to the place towards her right. "Won't you sit down?"

Liam did so, his gaze sweeping the number of guests mingling and finding their tables.

"I know as a prince I shouldn't have favorites, but I've always preferred your ballroom to any of the others in Cordonia.*

"You can thank my ancestor, Theodosia, for this." Olivia explained. "She was the only hopeless romantic in the family and deemed that a ballroom be constructed over one of the fighting pits at Lythikos."

"I think I would have approved of Theodosia's way of thinking." Liam's attention settled on Riley once he found her.

"From what I've read, she was an annoying woman who was obsessed with falling in love." Olivia rolled her eyes. "I doubt I could stomach her for five seconds. No true Nevrakis could be that soft."

"I don't believe falling in love or longing for it makes one soft." Liam argued, his attention unwavering upon the lady he believed he'd lost his heart to. "In my experience, it makes the person better in every single way."

Olivia studied his profile quietly.

Does love really have that power? I suppose it would if the person one fell in love with was someone like Liam. I don't know if the world can handle it if I become better than I already am once married to the love of my life.

She was snapped out of her musings when a familiar shadow fell over them.

"Your highness" Maxwell greeted with a bow, "your grace."

Liam's welcoming smile held both delight and a great deal of relief. "Are you sitting with us?"

"Yes." Maxwell cleared his throat. "Lady Olivia was gracious enough to sit me at your table in Bertrand's absence."

"Hmm," Olivia mused, "so formal, Lord Beaumont."

"I believe formality is required at these events. Do you disagree, your grace?" Maxwell sat down across from the pair.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

It seems the snack cakes didn't work on bringing the old Maxwell back. I'll never get anything out of him in the current state he's in.

"Surely, my lord, you will relent on propriety so that we can talk as old friends." Olivia summoned her most charming smile. "The three of us share so many memories."

"Four," Maxwell corrected. "You forgot Drake."

"I think one should do all they can to forget him." She replied.

"I think you managed to pull it off with where you decided to sit him." Maxwell mumbled under his breath.

Her eyes narrowed once more upon him.

Liam's chuckle reminded them both that he was at their table.

"Some things will never change." He explained when they both looked at him curiously. "Though it might be nice to see you and Drake finally bury the hatchet that's been between you for years."

"I'm more than happy to bury that hatchet in his thick skull." Olivia quipped. "Once I find where I left it."

Maxwell snorted. "There's some better weapon choices in your armory."

"I've always been partial to a flail." She added, genuinely smiling at Maxwell for the first time in days.

"It leaves an impression like no other." Maxwell grinned at her. "Literally and figuratively."

Olivia laughed, launching into a tale of one of her ancestor's prowess with that particular weapon.

"Perhaps we could change to a less gruesome topic of conversation." Liam cut in once bowls of steamy lobster bisque was set before them.

His companions eyed him in surprise. He had to suppress his laughter over the thought of how long these two could talk about weapons. If not for the lumpy, orangish red substance in front of him, he would have allowed the conversation to continue in graphic form.

He didn't need a visual representation of what a flail could do along with their added commentary.

***************

Course after course was set before them. Olivia redirected the conversation each time to find ways to flirt with Liam. Though she had managed to catch a brief glimpse of the old Maxwell she once knew, he'd reverted back to being quiet and proper. She did her best to ignore him for the most part.

Liam, on the other hand, was doing his best to not only deflect her flirty comments but to also drag Maxwell into every new subject that was discussed.

Why, Maxwell silently cried out to the heavens, am I forced to have a front row seat for this?

Every touch Olivia gave Liam, every glance, every single compliment cut Maxwell to the quick. He knew before he ever sat down that this night would be the hardest of his life. He just hadn't anticipated it being this difficult.

He longed to interrupt them. He wanted to draw Olivia's attention back on himself. He needed her to look at him the way she did Liam. He knew the prince was handsome and practically perfect. The man deserved her attention because he was such a great guy.

But still...

Is it too much to ask to have one lady of the Court, one specific lady, be this way over me?

It might be. Who knew why he was so unlucky in love? He only knew his heart had been foolish enough to fall for someone who had fallen for someone else.

He eyed the cutlery when a plate of Olive Wagyu steak was set before him. The knife was looking more and more tempting as a means to ending his torment. Accidentally on purpose cutting himself would allow him a chance to escape.

Worst case scenario: after bleeding everywhere and freaking people out, he would have a cool scar to remind him of tonight.

Liam, being the epitome of politeness, pulled Maxwell's attention back from different body spots he could causally drop his knife on and survive when he complimented Olivia again on her choice of menu.

She lit up with pride each time the prince said he enjoyed something.

Maxwell did all he could to not simply stare at her.

His mind was refusing to work and help him find ways to keep his cool and with topics conversation. His imagination alone should have kicked into high gear and helped him out, but no, everything was against him tonight.

With a white knuckle grip, he cut into the perfectly prepared filet and did his best to ignore the pair in front of him.

****************

When Maxwell heard the beginning of a Cordonian Waltz begin, he softly groaned. There wasn't a dance created that set the mood, romantically speaking, more so than this particular one. His nation would do something like this to him. Give the perfect chance to hold the one he desires close, yet have her ask someone else.

"My prince?" Olivia stood and offered her hand to Liam. "Shall we begin the ball?"

"I would be honored to, your grace." Liam led her to the middle of the ballroom.

"Who wouldn't be?" Maxwell muttered, tossing his napkin on the table.

He rubbed his hands over his face then forced himself to join the other nobles along the edge of the dance floor. Instead of watching Liam and Olivia, he sought out Riley.

"Hey!" She smiled at him. "How's it going?"

"Great!" He lied. "May I have the honor of your first dance this evening, my lady?"

Her lips trembled with a giggle she was fighting. "It is I who is honored, my lord."

Maxwell grinned at her. Taking her in his arms, his eyes widened over a thought.

"Umm," he swallowed nervously, "do you know the steps to this?"

"I do, thanks to Hana." Riley whispered. "A heads up from you would have been nice."

"I am so, so sorry." Maxwell moved her through the steps. "I guess I had other things on my mind."

"It's okay." Riley squeezed his hand. "Just, help a girl out next time, okay?"

"I will." He grinned at her again. "You're doing great, by the way "

"I know." She winked at him. "The word flawless comes to mind when I spin."

To prove her point, she twirled elegantly within his arms.

"You're right. Absolutely flawless." He told her. "Even Bertrand would be struck speechless with your gracefulness."

"I would have loved to have seen that. Remind me to do this dance in front of him one day." She teased.

"Will do." Maxwell promised.

"You know," Riley added as she rocked back and forth in his embrace, "this seems a little scandalous for your people. I didn't think nobles touched anything other than hands."

"All that pent up frustration is probably what caused this dance to become a hit." He joked. "A hand can only do so much for one's libido."

"Only if you're not using it right." She teased.

Maxwell bit back his laughter. "Ready to change partners?"

Riley glanced over at Liam. "You mean?"

"Yep." Maxwell twirled her into her prince's arms.

And ended up with Olivia in his.

He felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his body the moment her curves briefly brushed against him.

Olivia tilted her head at an angle as she looked at him.

"Is, uh, is something wrong?" He asked.

He could feel the sweat building up on his forehead.

"Yes." She replied. "I don't know what it is, but there is definitely something wrong here."

"Sounds vexing." He mumbled.

"Good lord, Maxwell!" She snapped. "Why are you still talking like this?!"

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like everyone else in our society!"

"Isn't that how we're supposed to act?" He grumbled. "Aren't we trained to mimic each other?"

"They might be prone to act that way, but you and I never once caved in to that type of thinking!" She pointed out. "You have been the only noble I could depend on to be an individual, like me, instead of part of their hive minds."

He twirled her into his arms, almost cuddling her close to his chest.

Olivia's gasp was involuntary. She tried to recall the last time she'd danced the Cordonian Waltz with him and came up blank.

She couldn't remember ever doing this with Maxwell, which had to be the reason she was noticing everything being this close to him.

She could feel the restrained strength of his muscular arms. She could smell the light splash of his Fragrance Dubois Heritage. It was almost intoxicating the clean, woodsy aroma mixed with his body heat. His warm breath grazing her lips while those ocean blue eyes of his stared into her own made her heart stutter.

I didn't feel like this in Liam's arms.

That stray thought snapped her back into why she was hosting this ball in the first place. It was for Liam. All she was doing was for a chance to be with him.

No matter how odd she felt in Maxwell's arms, there was only one goal tonight: get closer to Liam.

I would probably experience the same reaction if I danced with Tariq or some other person here, she argued with herself. I shouldn't be surprised to feel this way around Maxwell. I'm sure it's normal to notice every little detail when this close to someone.

"I don't think I'm that bad." Maxwell said.

"Huh?" Olivia wondered what he was talking about.

"I don't think I'm like the other nobles." He reiterated.

"The other nobles?" Her eyes focused on his mouth.

"You said I'm acting like them." He reminded her.

"Umhmm." She noticed the beginning of evening stubble darkening around his mouth and jawline.

He must have shaved this morning.

His lips began to curve, causing her to look up once more. She saw amusement in his face which made her pull away some from him. Her eyes narrowed upon his in parting then she twirled back to take her place in Liam's arms. Her temper was teetering on boiling over at having been swept away momentarily by Maxwell and in now seeing that Liam and Riley were completely lost in the other.

"Excuse me," she cleared her throat. "I believe Liam's my partner now."

The couple reluctantly let go of the other. Olivia watched as Riley returned to Maxwell, frowning even more so at their easy smiles of greeting. One would think they hadn't seen each other in a while the way they acted.

It was grating on her already frazzled nerves to see their closeness.

"I think your ball will be the hit of the season." Liam said, noticing all the nobles enjoy themselves.

Olivia looked up at him. Her frown eased hearing what she knew to be true.

"They usually are." She boasted.

The moment the complicated twirl within his arms came, she knew the time was right to finally make her move. Without any hesitation, she closed the few inches of distance and kissed Liam.

**************

All color drained from Maxwell's face the moment it happened. His jaw dropped. A strange, buzzing sound filled his ears. He couldn't tell what Riley was saying to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her turn to see what had put him into shock.

She somehow remained quiet. Her brow furrowed in thought as she watched what had drawn every eye in the room.

Kiara's gasp of outrage nearby helped bring Maxwell out of his stupor.

He wasn't certain how his mind cleared enough to act with precision. Somehow his body moved Riley away from the heart breaking spectacle, and into an empty corner.

Riley's attention was still on Liam and Olivia. She seemed to breathe a touch easier once Liam gently but firmly pushed the duchess away. Once the two left to talk privately, Riley turned towards Maxwell.

"You okay?" He asked.

"No. Not really." She mumbled. "It was stupid of me to think I'm the only one he's kissing. Liam's probably making out with every woman here."

"He's not that kind of guy." Maxwell gently grasped her arms. "Trust me. He isn't the kind to kiss every girl he can. Now if Leo was still the crown prince, then it would be a different story."

He lifted his eyes towards the door that Liam and Olivia disappeared behind.

"Olivia was the one to initiate that kiss."

"So?" Riley folded her arms. "I usually do the same with Liam."

Her brow furrowed with both anger and self loathing.

"Dammit! I'm going to stop throwing myself at Liam to see if what we have really is special. I bet he's been laughing at me every time I leave."

"Hey!" Maxwell grasped her arms once more and gave her a little shake. "Don't even start thinking like that! Liam doesn't do those kinds of things. If he's meeting you in private, you can bet you're the only one."

Riley bit down on her bottom lip. "I hate this competition."

"It isn't a competition." He lowered his head until he was eye level with her. "Not with you in it."

Her lips eased into a grateful smile. "How do you always manage to turn my doubts into hope?"

"It's a gift." He shrugged, grinning at her. "Now, how about we do some strategizing?"

"You mean, grab Liam and make out in front of everyone once he comes back inside?"

Maxwell started laughing. How often had he thought of doing something outrageous like that with Olivia?

"Maybe we'll put that as Plan B. Plan A is to gain you some needed support amongst the other ladies of the court."

He nodded towards where Kiara was furiously whispering to all who would listen about Olivia's behavior.

"Oh. But why would she support me? We're competing for the same man." Riley asked.

"Kiara's the kind who uses logic. She knows her chances aren't as great as others, so she'll want to get in the good graces of Cordonia's future queen. She has plans to be used in diplomatic endeavors for Cordonia more so than to win Liam." He explained.

"I see." She straightened her shoulders and did her best not to look like she'd had the rug pulled out from under her. "Okay. Here goes nothing."

Maxwell watched with pride as Riley made her way over. Seeing Kiara's frown leave in the midst of their conversation let him know all was going well.

He was finally able to allow his shattered heart to take over.

He slumped against the wall and lowered his head in his hands.

She kissed him. How can I possibly compete with Liam after this?

Maxwell straightened from his spot. He decided to do some more observing once he saw Liam make a beeline for Riley.

He dropped his hands and let his head fall back against the wall while failing to see a way forward. All his plans seemed pointless now that Olivia knew what Liam's kiss felt like. As great as the prince was in everything he did, Maxwell was pretty sure that he excelled in all romantic endeavors.

He was one of the first to notice when the pair return. Liam's features were in a carefully, calm mask while Olivia's expressive face revealed confusion and was that...disappointment?

***************

A few hours later...

Olivia had never been more thankful to finally be alone in her room. It surprised her how tired she felt once the ball ended. She knew the reason why she was exhausted, yet couldn't quite accept it.

Why did Liam refuse to see they were meant for each other?

As she began to pull the pins out that held her hair up, she replayed their conversation after she kissed him.

"Olivia, I don't quite know how to say this," Liam began.

She beamed at him. She knew this was when he would say he'd been in love with her for years too. He'd only been waiting on the proper moment to tell her. He would probably say he was grateful she'd taken the initiative.

"But we shouldn't kiss."

"What?" She blinked at him.

He hesitated.

"Olivia, I am supposed to give every lady here a chance."

"Come on, Liam." She rolled her eyes. "Are you honestly telling me you're giving serious thought to making someone like Penelope your queen?"

"I have to." He told her.

"Look, I understand you believe you have to, but we both know I'm your only choice. The best one, to say the least."

"Olivia, you're one of my oldest friends." Liam tried to find a way to make her understand without hurting her. "I care greatly for you and I would never want to hurt you, but..."

"But?" She prodded when his voice dropped off.

"But, I've only ever felt friendship towards you." He admitted.

She waived that off. "This is the first time you've allowed yourself to think differently. I'm sure you'll soon come to feel as I do."

"Olivia, I--"

"Besides, it is past time that everyone else sees our potential." She added. "No need for them to have their hopes up."

He shook his head. A muscle spasmed in his jaw as he tried to find a way to make her see he had no desire for her.

"You cannot kiss me again." Liam stated in an unusually hard tone. "Not in public nor in private."

"Liam, don't you see--"

Her jaw dropped as he bowed his head to her, offered his arm, then declared that they needed to return to the ballroom.

"No need to draw more attention to ourselves by lingering out here." He told her. "We will not discuss what happened on the dance floor again."

Olivia took his arm and quietly returned to the ball.

She hadn't particularly liked him deciding they wouldn't talk anymore about it.

Maybe he needs time to get used to the idea. If he has only seen me as a childhood friend, then it might take him longer to see me as a woman.

A knock at her door made her heart leap. She knew it must be Liam. He would want to check on her after all that happened. Maybe even tell her he had a change of heart.

She opened it, her smile disappearing at the sight of Maxwell standing there.

"Hey." He swallowed. "I, um, I..."

"You what?" She demanded.

"I wanted to check on you."

"And why would I need to be checked on?" She asked, folding her arms. "Tonight was a success. Surely, even you saw that."

He slipped his hands in his pockets, propped his shoulder against her doorframe, and lowered his eyes.

"Liv, I saw the kiss."

She stilled. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what else he saw.

"And I saw what happened once you two came back to the ballroom." He lifted his eyes to hers. "I wish..."

She cocked an eyebrow in silent question.

"I wish you hadn't gotten hurt." He said softly.

"Hurt?" She scoffed at the notion. "Why would I be hurt? I kissed the man I loved tonight."

Maxwell's eyebrows drew together.

"How did it feel?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" She snapped.

"How did it feel?" He repeated. "Was it everything you'd imagined?"

Her lips parted as she thought about it.

While she'd infused every bit of her heart in the kiss, Liam's lips had remained firm and unyielding. There was no response, not even one of curious desire.

It was nothing like the many daydreams she'd spent years on.

Maxwell sighed softly. "You deserve to have a kiss that makes your knees weak."

She snorted in derision. "That's not real."

"It is!" He argued. "When you're kissed by someone who loves you, who wants you more than he's ever wanted anyone in his life, every part of your body comes alive. Your heart feels like it will beat out of your chest. Your mind seizes with the thought of how much you want them. You can't pull them close enough. You feel like you could kiss them forever and you're certain if you stop for a single moment that you'll probably die. You need them, their touch, the feel of their lips, like you need air."

He lifted his hand to her cheek, catching her off guard.

"That's what it's like to be kissed by someone who loves you."

Maxwell leaned closer while dropping his hand, his eyes locked upon hers. "So did you feel any of that when Liam kissed you?"

Olivia refused to answer.

"I didn't think so." Maxwell mumbled. "I knew something was up when you came back to the ballroom. You should have been on cloud nine after that kiss if it had been done right."

"So what, are you some kissing expert all of the sudden?" She snapped. "Who are you to assume it wasn't all that and more?"

His eyes narrowed.

She stepped closer, poking her finger in his chest. "Trust me. It might not be perfect now, but it will be. Once Liam chooses me, everything will line up with your version of a kiss."

"You think so?" He asked.

"I know so." She huffed. "There's no one like Liam."

"That's true." He swallowed. "Still..."

"What?" Olivia glared at him.

"Perhaps you should kiss someone else, just to prove that Liam is the one." He offered.

Her laughter held a bitter edge. "I don't need proof. I've known he was the one since I was five years old."

"Have you kissed anyone, other than Liam?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Of course I have."

"And did those do anything for you?" Maxwell hoped she said no.

"Not particularly." She replied.

He released a relieved breath. "Good."

"Good? Why is that--"

Olivia gasped when he slipped his arm around her waist. Her eyes widened when his free hand slipped into her hair. She knew in the back of her mind that she could easily escape this simple embrace. Lord knows, she knew at least ten moves that would have him flipped over her shoulder lying prostrate on the ground.

Something though, she supposed it was curiosity, kept her from doing so. Instead of reacting in her usual manner, she waited to see what he would do next.

Her eyelashes fluttered closed with the first tender brush of his lips on hers. The almost uncertain coaxing for them to part and allow him to truly kiss her sent a brief jolt to her body.

Feeling like she ought to at least allow him to do this to prove him wrong, she opened her mouth and ended up sinking against him.

A low moan escaped her as his tongue tangled with hers. Her hands moved up his chest so that her fingers could slip into his hair.

One of his hands moved to grip her hip, pulling her even closer. He wrapped a few of her loose, red locks around his fist, keeping her head at the perfect angle.

His moan followed hers as he dipped down to kiss along her neck.

Her breath caught in her throat when he returned back to her mouth with intense purpose.

Each suck, nibble, and full exploration of her lips made her restlessly move against him.

"Maxwell." She mumbled against his mouth before he pressed her against the wall.

Her eyes widened as his blatant desire for her notched hers beyond what she'd experienced before. She knew it was crazy, but she wanted more, more of him, his touch, everything.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He asked, breathing heavily against her mouth.

She shook her head, leaning forward to kiss him.

He moaned, reaching down to lift her leg over his hip.

"Don't st--" she covered her mouth when she heard the click of a door being opened.

Maxwell pressed his face against her neck, willing himself to be silent.

The two watched Tariq, oblivious to them in the shadows, head towards the stairs.

Olivia sagged against Maxwell, nearly falling to the ground.

"That was close." He whispered.

"Too close." She placed a shaky hand on his chest to keep him from kissing her again. "It's late. We should probably turn in."

Maxwell nodded, his throat convulsing as if holding in his denial.

"Sleep well, Liv." He forced himself to step away from her.

She watched him until he returned to his room. She stood there a little longer afterwards to try and calm her racing mind in the dark hallway.

When she moved towards her room, she realized her trembling legs meant one thing that she absolutely refused to accept.

Her knees had gone weak.

#choices the royal romance #maxwell beaumont x olivia nevrakis #trr maxwell #trr olivia #choices trr #choices crackship #can't take my eyes off you #choices the stories you play #choices fic writers creations

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