Rapunzel's eyes narrowed as her and Eugene remained locked in a staring contest from across the table. He leaned back in his chair after scooting his bishop across the board threatening to checkmate Rapunzel's king on his next move. He folded his arms and offered her a taunting kiss. There was no way she was going to beat him.

She looked at him with a quirked brow and mischievious grin that left him uneasy despite his outward appearance of supreme confidence. She winked as she knocked over a pawn with the bottom half of her queen.

"Checkmate," she said.

Eugene sat forward in disbelief. It wasn't possible. He tried moving his King in every possible direction, but every where he tried to move it was in line the assault of another piece. He flicked his King over. He couldn't believe he'd lost. He looked up and chuckled a little when he saw Rapunzel's cheeky grin.

"What," he began. "You think that just because you won, I'm going to keep our deal?"

Rapunzel giggled. "I think you lost on purpose!"

"Why would I lose to you, on purpose?" Eugene's face smoldered Rapunzel. He stuck his lips out in a pouty fashion, but looked upon her with suave passion.

"Because you're a man of your word; and because I know you deeply want to kiss me!"

He sighed playfully and put on his best act of defeat. Secretly, she was right. He didn't lose on purpose, but he would make up any excuse just to kiss her.

He stood from his chair and leaned across the table. Offering his lips up to kiss her, he closed his eyes and waited for her lips to touch his. A few seconds passed and still he didn't feel the tingling sensation run down his spine. He heard the legs of her chair yelp as they slid across the floor, and then the sound of bare feet padding the marble floor as they ran from the table.

His eyes snapped open to see his brunette in her blue dress running out of the room. She stopped and peered around the door to see if Eugene was going to chase her. He smiled then bolted towards her as fast as he could. Her head disappeared from the door and she let out a shriek.

Rapunzel ran as fast as she could to her favorite hiding spot in her hide and seek games with Pascal. She hustled in to the Palace stable and climbed a ladder in to the loft. There were large enough boards up in the loft to provide a functioning catwalk for stable boys to just dump the hay off of the catwalk in to the stables below. She sat down and curled herself back in to a corner in front of a large stack of hay bales.

Huddled in her corner she fought to hold back her fits of laughter. Down below her she noticed Max chewing on some oats. She realized he was staring at her and waved back, to which he replied a whinny of excitement. She placed her finger over her lips to tell him to be quiet, but he continued to shriek as if he was laughing.

"I wouldn't worry about him giving you away," said a voice from behind her.

Her heart stopped and she let out a loud shriek when she heard Eugene's voice. "How did you find me?"

"I just went to a place where I knew you'd want to be alone." Eugene smirked. "Can I have that kiss now," he added.

She bit her lip and began twirling her hair with her fingers. She reached up and touched his chiseled jaw and pulled herself in. Chills ran down her spine at the soft touch of his lips against hers. His fingers danced across her skin, hers ran through the long locks of his hair. Unable to bear the distance any longer, Eugene grabbed her by her sides and pulled her to his side of the stack of haybales so that they were completely concealed from the rest of the barn.

Rapunzel lay across Eugene's chest, while he lay on his back. Their heads swayed back and forth in perfect unison as they kissed each other.

After moments of unbreakable passion, Eugene broke the kiss. "Just so you know, I didn't lose on purpose!"

Rapunzel giggled. "I know. I'm better at chess than you."

Unable to protest, Rapunzel leaned in for another kiss. As soon as her lips met his, he didn't care who won anymore.