Helping Nicholas and his dead weight up the steps to my apartment was harder than I thought.

He must've been waiting outside of the bakery for hours to get this bad, the moment I helped him onto my bed to lay down, I felt his forehead and had never felt one this hot before.

What should I do?

"Um... Nicholas?" I gently nudged him, causing him to groan and slightly open his eyes.

"Who should I call?" I ask him, reaching for my phone in my back pocket. "You have a high fever, I don't know if I should call someone or if there's a protocol..."

Nicholas smiled weakly and shook his head, his eyes closing slowly and opening just as slowly.

"My... phone." He mumbled as he dug his hand into his pocket and then handed me his phone.

I couldn't believe this was happening, he was actually in my bed right now with a fever, most likely because of me.

What do I do now? Nicholas was falling asleep fast, and he still had to get warm.

"Nicholas, can you sit up?" I nudged him, as he mumbled a groggy 'yeah'.

I helped him up and then stared at him.

He had tired eyes and red cheeks, and not to mention his body was cold, too cold, if he didn't warm up soon, he'd end up getting sick.

"Alright um..." How do I put this in a way that wouldn't sound creepy?

"You need to warm up, so how about I run you a bath while I call somebody to come take you home?" I suggest, as he lazily opens his eyes and stares at me.

"Sorry..." He moved his legs off the bed and sat there, then I helped him up and then I watched as he tried to take off his scarf, and then jacket.

I say 'tried' because he was struggling due to his hands being frozen cold, and stiff.

"Here I'll help." I say, and then manage to get his jacket off.

"You're too nice." He smiled tiredly and then closed his eyes. "And you smell good."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, despite the blush making its way onto my cheeks, I lifted Nicholas's t-shirt over his head and then took a step back to help him up.

I was taken aback by looking at him topless in my apartment, as much as I tried not to look, it was hard not to.

He was buff, and if I thought he had sex appeal before, it was only tripled with his top off.

"I'll uh...." I cleared my throat and turned around to give him privacy as he worked on his belt.

"I'll run the bath, I'll just uh... be right back." I told him, before walking into my bathroom.

Wow...

Once I got the bath running, I took a moment to calm myself down as I heard rustling coming from my bedroom, from Nicholas getting undressed.

What the hell was happening right now? And how did I end up in this situation?

Not an hour ago I thought that I would never see him again, now he's getting naked in my home.

I had to get him out of here as soon as possible, before things only got worse, and someone found out he was here.

"Are you uh... ready?" I called out from behind the door before I walked in on him changing.

"Yeah, but I don't see a towel?" He said as I looked around for a clean one.

I open the door slightly and then hand him the towel, and then I check on the water by putting my hand into the water, whilst I hear Nicholas come into the bathroom and walk up behind me.

"I contacted my security detail, they'll be here soon." He said, as I turned around and looked at him.

My mouth went dry and I tried desperately to keep my mouth from hitting the floor as I looked at him, with a small towel around his waist and practically naked in front of me.

"I-I'm so sorry, I didn't r-realize!" I stutter out, embarrassed I didn't check before handing him a towel.

"It's fine." He laughed, reaching out to stop me from trying to find another towel for him.

"I should apologize for acting so pathetic and desperate." He smiled apologetically. "I'll be out of here as soon as my car arrives."

"Thank you for the bath, I... I'm very embarrassed it came to this, it's not very princely of me."

I didn't know what to say, but I knew he had nothing to be embarrassed about, I was the one who made a fool of myself, I was the one who didn't turn him down properly, and I was the one who wasn't telling the truth.

"Do you want to wash me? Or should I do this alone?" He joked, his smile blinding as my eyes widened.

"Oh," I felt a blush rising to my face once I realized the bath was done and I had just been staring at him.

"I'll just let you... sorry." I mumbled, rubbing my neck nervously before I stepped out of the bathroom, and closed the door behind me.

I could swear I heard Nicholas say 'What a shame' before I closed the door, but I was too embarrassed to fully pay attention, as I was trying not to combust into a flame.

I'm so lame it's actually exhausting.

While I waited for him to finish, I figured I might as well clean up the place a bit, not realizing I had left plates in the sink and some of my clothes were on the floor.

I wasn't expecting anyone to come up here, mainly because nobody ever does, but now suddenly a prince did, and I couldn't be more mortified than I already was.

He must think I'm so lazy and dirty, and the size of my apartment... I wouldn't be surprised if he compared it to the size of his dog's room if he had one.

I felt so pathetic and low thinking that I no longer focussed on the fact that the Crown Prince was taking a bath at my place.

I was about to ask if Nicholas needed anything, but a loud knock on my front door made me freeze mid-step and jump from how loud the knock was.

"Coming!" I shout out, as I walk over to unlock my door, and then open it.

When I opened the door, I was met with three armed men, two men I recognised who were always with Nicholas whenever he came by the store, and a policeman who did not look happy to be at my door.

"Charlie Thornfill?" The officer asks and I nod my head.

"Yes... uh is this about Nicholas?" I ask nervously, as all the men just subtly square me down.

"Yes, is Crown Prince Nicholas inside?" A guard asks and I nod my head but don't get a chance to say anything else, as the two guards barge their way through me and go into my apartment.

"Crown Prince?" One calls out as I look at the police officer, but he shows no sign of guilt as I follow the two bodyguards inside.

"You can't just walk in here, this is still my home!" I said frustratingly as I followed behind them.

They both look around whilst I point to the bathroom door. "He's taking a bath." I tell them both, as they both stare at me.

"He uh... was cold." I said dumbly, as they both looked at each other like they didn't believe me.

Suddenly the bathroom door opens and Nicholas comes out, wearing a much bigger towel than the one I had originally given him.

"Oh, you're here." He said blankly to the two bodyguards, as he looked at them whilst he walked over to his clothes.

Then his eyes met mine, and then the police officer by my front door.

"Was this really necessary?" He sighed, and grabbed his shirt and then put it over his head.

"I left a note."

"Sir, may I please remind you that you cannot simply leave notes, we are responsible for your safety." One guard said, as Nicholas ignored him and got ready.

"I'm sorry about this officer, there's been some misunderstanding, I'm simply at a friend's house, and I'm in no danger." He told the officer by the door, who nodded his head and smiled tiredly.

"Of course sir, but I still have to do my job and to get the facts, and ask your friend here." The officer said, which only made Nicholas's facial expression turn cold.

"What are you insinuating?" He now asked, coldly looking at the officer.

"Sir, I am simply doing my-"

"Job, yes, I heard." He said dryly.

"I don't recall questioning my friend's being police protocol, or are you secretly working for the press?"

The space where we stood in my apartment turned cold and awkward, as we all looked at the officer by the door, who had turned red in the cheeks from embarrassment, or shame.

"No Sir, I am simply-"

"On your way home, I assume." Nicholas spoke bluntly, moving to the bathroom with his trousers in hand.

"Thank you for doing your job officer, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I am perfectly safe."

Nothing more was said as the officer cleared his throat then lowered his head as he turned around and headed down the steps outside my building, leaving me with Nicholas's two guards.

Nicholas comes out from the bathroom, now fully dressed and putting his scarf on around his neck, a guilty look on his face.

"I seem to be doing a lot of apologizing tonight, Charlie." He smiled weakly as he came to stand in front of me, whilst looking at his two guards.

"I'll be right out."

The two guards, who said nothing more, left the apartment, closing the door behind them, leaving just Nicholas and me.

"Thank you for listening to me rant, and then looking after me." He sheepishly said, smiling.

"I promise I'm not usually this... reckless, I just didn't want you to think poorly of me."

"I'll be going now, again... I hope you forgive me and forget how much I embarrassed myself here tonight.." He said, before walking past me, without looking at me.

"Wait." I call out and turn around to see him with his hand on the door handle.

"I..." What was I doing?

He was leaving, but I figured he had come clean with something very embarrassing, and had done something silly in front of me.

It was only fair that I came clean with why I ran that day.

"It wasn't you." I blurt out, as he turns and looks at me, with confusion on his face.

"Uh, what I mean-" I rub the back of my neck. "I have bad luck with... people and relationships in general, my family wasn't the best growing up so I kind of keep my distance, it's always been like that... it wasn't you, but more like... me."

"I'm not... relationship material." I cringe, as he listens to me quietly. "I'm a workaholic with almost no friends, I wouldn't even know how to be with someone as amazing as you, never mind date you... or whatever."

"W-What I'm trying to say is-" I rub my face, as I start to feel it grow hot due to embarrassment.

"I just don't... want... to... get hurt."

I really went and did it now.

I made myself look more pathetic than I have ever done in my life, even more so when I tried to get my ex-girlfriend to not break up with me, by getting down on my knees and almost begging her to not go.

This felt worse, and I didn't even beg once.

I couldn't look at him, but when I felt something warm touch my cheek, I raised my head and saw that Nicholas had come over to me, and touched my cheek with his hand.

His eyes were soft, and he looked... happy.

"Nichola-"

"It's alright, Charlie." He told me, his voice soothing and relaxing, as he raised his other hand to touch the other side of my cheek.

Nicholas then moved his head forward, I thought he was going to kiss me, or worse, but instead, he pressed his forehead against mine and then chuckled.

"Does this mean you're giving this a go?" He asked as I stared into his pale blue eyes.

I swallowed hard, and ignored the loud thumping sound of my heart banging against my chest, and then nodded my head, trying desperately not to look away from his eyes due to how close he was.

There was a knock at the door, and I had a suspicion it was his bodyguards, wanting to get a move on, but Nicholas didn't move, he simply smiled at me happily, with a look in his eye I had never seen before.

"I should go, before they drag me out by my arms and legs." He jokes lightly, despite me half believing they would.

"Before I go... Can I kiss you goodnight?" Nicholas asked, causing me to almost choke on the air I was breathing.

I had already made it this far without panicking, there was no going back now, not after what I had just admitted about myself, my deepest darkest fear of being alone.

"Yes." That is what I said, and then closed my eyes, as Nicholas closed the distance between us, and softly placed his lips on mine.

The kiss was nothing like the kiss I experienced in his hotel room.

It felt more passionate, and urgent, it was fast and a little much for me, but I didn't hate it.

I gave in and kissed him back, matching his pace and urgency, only stopping when the knock at the door came again, only this time more louder.

"Fuck:" Nicholas grunted out, clearly annoyed.

"I should go."

I nod my head and watch as Nicholas takes a step back, and then suddenly takes a big step forward and presses his lips to mine again, a sweet and gentle peck on my lips, surprising me, before moving away again.

"Ok... I think I really should go now." He smiled cheekily, before opening the front door, but not before turning to look at me.

"I'll see you soon?" He asked, as I nodded my head still in a trance, as I watched him turn and leave my apartment, and then close the door behind him.

I sink to my feet and then hold my face in my hands, my legs suddenly weak as I stare at the door where Nicholas just stood.

If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up.

Did I just... agree to go out with the Crown Prince of England?