Anna took a deep breath, hand paused on the doorknob before she swung it open.
“Oh, fuck me.”
Harry stood there with the largest smug grin, still dressed in his camouflage and a duffel bag over his shoulder. He looked so fucking delicious that Anna almost missed the single rose he held in one hand; a peach rose.
He raised his brows and allowed his twinkling eyes roam over her figure, pleased to see she opted for tight black jeans and a fitted short sleeved top that was cut low enough for him to appreciate the sinful tease. “Wow..the filthy mouth on you is a nice discovery.”
Shit. Anna covered her mouth, absolutely mortified. All morning, she had given herself a pep talk while cleaning up the place. They were just friends. Sure, it was totally acceptable to overstep the boundary with a little innocent flirting… but that. was. it. She couldn’t let him know just how much she thought about him ever since… well, ever since she laid eyes on him. And she definitely couldn’t let him know her thoughts tended to track along impurity.But now, that plan went out the window. There was no coming back from that.
Harry couldn’t help it; she looked cute, standing there with panic etched across her pretty face, soulful eyes wide as saucers, and he wanted to have a little fun with it. Chuckling, he leaned in and whispered, “A little eager, are we, peaches?”
Anna’s cheeks were already red, but the flash of Harry pinning her against the door turned the blush to crimson.
Play it cool, Anna. Fuck.. what’s cool? You don’t know cool! Okay, well, SAY SOMETHING!!
The suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows jolted her back. Pulling herself together, she rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Harry tipped his head back. “Ha! You’ve done a pretty good job at flattery, love.”
She wanted to die. “Yeah, well..” The man standing feet behind Harry caught her eye.
Harry shifted his weight from foot to foot and pulled the knapsack higher on his shoulder. This was always the uncomfortable, embarrassing part of trying to get to know someone: attempting to keep the fact he had a constant shadow not weird for the other person. Tossing his head back towards the direction of the suit, he said rather awkwardly, “Erm…do you mind if Dave takes a…quick look ‘round?”
Sensing his discomfort, Anna paid the same treatment the jerk had given her earlier. She quirked a rather sassy brow, “Why, are you some big shot or something?”
He smirked, appreciatively. “Mm..or something.”
She stepped aside to let the man in with a light laugh, avoiding Harry until they got the okay and he moved into her flat.
Upon entering her flat, Harry set his bag on the hardwood floor near the door and surveyed the space. He wouldn’t deny he was surprised by how lived in it appeared, albeit aware she had been residing in London for quite some time now, but he was familiar with the grueling hours of a well established nurse, especially a dedicated caregiver such as Anna.
The floor dimensions wasn’t exactly enormous; it was spacious enough for her, that was for sure. It was fairly open, the kitchenette and living area being separated by a single breakfast bar that was considerably bare, a single fruit bowl being the only decor. The cream colored walls gave a warm, homey feeling, which Harry
really liked.“Very nice,” he whistled between his lips, studying the plasma TV that the furniture pointed to.
“What?” Anna asked, voice wavering thanks to the anxiousness of having him see her home. She followed the direction of his gaze, then chuckled. “Oh, the TV? Yeah, I admit it was the first splurge after the move.”
“A very expensive splurge, indeed. Is it HD?”
“Yep. I figured if I was going to go all out, might as well make a good dent on the credit card. Go big or go home, right?”
Harry agreed in a soft hum, continuing his look around while Anna stood to the side, watching his expression carefully. Everything looked so tidy and neat, books and DVDs that were once thrown carelessly on the floor or table were now organized in the built in shelves. If he had to guess how many DVDs she owned by the looks of it, he would have to guess a figure in the hundreds. How could she possibly find the time for that?
Harry could sense her nervousness and he caught a glimpse of her tugging her loose curls behind her ears from the corner of his eye. Feeling a bit foolish and rude, he turned towards her and smiled. When she flashed him a trembling smile of her own, his stomach flip flopped. Finally, after weeks of not seeing her in the flesh, there she was. And, to him, she was more beautiful than he remembered.
There was a shy still in the air, neither one of them knowing how to rid the awkwardness that settled between them. They were normally talkative, able to hold conversation through emails like they had known each other all their lives. But now? It felt very different.
Harry was the first to break the long stretch of silence. “Hi,” he said softly, gently knocking her wedges with the front of his boot.
“Hi,” Anna giggled, returning the foot bump. “I, um, just ordered the pizza; should be here in about 30 minutes.”
He didn’t know if she was intentionally lowering her voice to sound sultry, especially since what she was saying wasn’t classified as anything sexy, but at the sound of her arousing voice, his mind instantly went back to her unfiltered reaction when she first opened the door.
Fuck yes he wanted to fuck her. He wanted to fuck her so hard, make her sore for days, and claim her as his – only his. And now, seeing her soft features, her amber colored eyes consumed with heat – lust for him –, he couldn’t prevent the image that consumed every corner of his mind of her writhing underneath him, moaning for him, coming apart for him.
God, he wanted her.
Swallowing hard, Harry tried to calm himself before he completely embarrassed himself, knowing he had very little control of the way his body was reacting to her penetrating gaze. Inhaling deeply, he responded, “Sounds great.”
Anna wanted to groan in sexual frustration when his hoarse voice that was laced with patent lust. His adam’s apple was bobbing up and down and his tongue poked out to sweep across his dry lips in the most sinful, arousing way, and she ached at the thought of what his mouth could do to her.
Jesus. Play it cool, you loser!
Pressing her lips together, she cleared her throat, then gestured towards the plush couch. “Would you, ah, like to sit or..”
“Actually,“ Harry began, cocking his head to the side, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips, “I would like to change into more comfortable clothes if you don’t mind?”
Anna waved her hand, a little too violently. “Oh, no! No, not at all! Let me show you to the, erm, bathroom.”
After shutting the bathroom door behind him, Harry let out a long, shaky breath, unaware Anna was doing the same on the other side. Pathetically, he kind of missed her presence already. She gave off a glowing, warm aura, and even though his heart rate spiked whenever her eyes met his, a tranquility filled his chest, just being around her.
“Ugh, really, Wales?” He muttered, rolling his eyes at how sappy he sounded. “Don’t be a pussy this early.”
After quickly changing into jeans a plain t-shirt, Harry stepped back out into the hall. He noticed the two doors further down and was tempted to take a peek, wondering which one was her bedroom. Deciding to not be creepy – more than he already had – he made his way back to the appropriate area.
He found Anna standing by of the microwave, the popping sounds coming from it as she made popcorn. She was facing the TV with a remote in her hand and he saw her quick intake of breath when she shifted her eyes to him.
Anna’s heart beat accelerated at the sight of him in casual clothes, his muscled arms and chest visible by the shirt that delectable clung to him. He smiled slightly at her openly checking him out. “See something you like, love?”
Her cheeks were flaming; second time that night that she had been caught ogling him. Letting out a nervous laugh, she shrugged her shoulders. “No use in hiding it.”
And then, he threw her for a loop; he winked at her. And her knees grew weak. Damn him. There is no playing cool.
The loud beeping from the microwave caught their attention, interrupting the intense chemistry that was crackling between them.
Anna sat next to Harry on the love seat, bowl of popcorn nestled in the spot between them. She pressed play on the remote and leaned back while Harry instinctively scooted closer to her. They both reached in at the same time, their hands touching, then chuckled, gesturing for the other to go first.
Smacking her lips together, Anna laughed through her nose. “Okay, seriously, why are we so nervous? It’s not like we haven’t talked before.”
Harry ran his tongue across his bottom lip and smirked. “Nervous? Am I making you nervous, peaches?”
She rolled her eyes and tossed popcorn at him, smacking him in the chest. “Shut it, Wales; you’re nervous, too.”
He reached over and poked her side with a pout. “Nah…More troubled than nervous.”
Upon hearing his honest admission, her ears perked up. “Troubled? Why?”
Because he wanted to kiss her; he had been waiting to touch her lips, to devour her mouth since the first time he saw her in that red dress weeks ago. But…
…should they? Would that be okay? Would she be okay with what that meant? She had voiced her attraction to him already, but was that all she was after? He didn’t think so, but how could he know for sure? And, besides that, being with him wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Dating a prince was no fairytale.
When he didn’t answer, Anna’s brain began to work furiously, analyzing the single word that could mean so much. Troubled. Troubled over what exactly? Troubled being here with her?
Gazing intently at him, Harry’s attention flicked down to her tantalizing lips, and that simple action was all Anna needed. Wanting her was troubling him. Her lips twitched, stomach dipped, and breath came out in pants. He had absolutely no idea the conflicting feelings that had been swimming around her head for the past few weeks. They were both troubled.
Not knowing what to say that wouldn’t be deemed premature, Anna grabbed another handful of popcorn and tossed it at his head this time to ease the tension. She giggled at the shocked sight of him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.
“Annalisa Caro.“
“Yeeeees?” She grinned.
“Are you being a brat?”
Anna should have known better than to start a war with him, especially after growing up with vengeful brothers, and regret found its way to her the second she recognized the glint in his eye, the look of sweet revenge. Before she could react, Harry grabbed the bowl of popcorn and quickly dumped it over her head.
Dead. Silence.
Anna blinked, staring right through him, completely dumbfounded.
Harry stared back, emotionless, as long seconds ticked by. Before the hands on the clock could come to a full circle, Harry broke.
Howls of laughter cut through the air, jerking Anna back to life. “Henry. Wales!” She screeched, pieces of white snowing down as she shook her curls.
Amused, Harry clapped his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Oh, shit. Oh my god. The look..the look on your…face…”
Anna gathered a handful of popcorn that had pooled on her lap and reached over, bunching his shirt in her fist and pulling it back to shove the weapon inside. Just as she was about to pat his back to crunch the popcorn to his skin, Harry’s reflexes were too quick. She squealed, finding herself being tossed on her back and tickled relentlessly.
“Harry, no! Har- ah, stop! Please!” His breath fanned on her flushed cheeks, but Anna couldn’t feel it in the middle of the attack.
“Only if you promise to play nice.”
“Promise! Please, stop, I promise!” He didn’t stop completely, his fingers still wiggling against her sides with light pressure, just enough to create a few giggles.
Anna sighed to control her breaths that were still shaky from giggling so much. She couldn’t recall the last time she had gotten tickled, and definitely not from someone she was attracted to. It felt…good. Fun. Liberating.
And dare she say, arousing.
Suddenly, the room fell silent once more, both becoming conscious of the profound position they were in; Anna flat on her back and Harry half-laying on her trembling form. With a cheeky grin, Harry plucked a few missed pieces of popcorn that were hanging in her dark strands, before popping them into his mouth, chewing loudly.
Anna bit her lip. The material of his shirt was doing nothing to conceal his body heat, distracting her and invading her most private thoughts. His lips were taunting her, shining from the buttery snack, evoking a hunger in her belly that was desperate to be fed. She wanted to lick his haunting lips, wanted to catch the small crumb that stuck to the corner of his lip. She wanted to feel more, tempted to let her legs fall open and pull his full weight on top of her.
As Anna’s chest rose and fell rapidly from her uneven breaths, Harry’s blue orbs darkened, solely pinned on her teeth worrying her bottom lip. She was so, incredibly sexy without even knowing it, driving him wild with desire. The swirl in his belly mirrored hers, and his wants and wishes became the same as hers; wanting to bite that full lip of hers, wanting to pull it into his mouth to suck, wanting to watch her lips wrap around his–
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ
The obnoxious, disturbing sound of the intercom startled them.
“Pizza’s here,” Anna stated, voice above a whisper, taking on that same sultry sound Harry was quickly becoming familiar with.
“Yeah,” he whispered back, noticing the tremor go through her from his hot breath tickling her parted lips.
Neither one moved an inch, savoring the sweet pleasure of hard muscles being molded into soft curves.
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ
“I should-” The tiniest gasp slipped past her mouth, Harry’s shift in position making a very known bulge press into her hip, soaking her already wet knickers. “Harry..”
Mistaking the green light for red, Harry begrudgingly lifted his weight off of her, his cheeks a pink tint. “Erm, sorry…yeah..” He sat back on his knees, passing a trembling hand through his hair, looking anywhere and everywhere, avoiding her questioning gaze.
Anna couldn’t suck the air back into her lungs, the sheer disappointment that was consuming the deep blue pools of his eyes stirring up confusion on her end. “Har-”
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ
Harry cleared his throat, then tipped his head back in the direction of the door. “You should, ah, probably…”
“Oh,” she mouthed, accepting his offered palm that assisted her to get up into a sitting position. “Um…yeah…”
And then the moment was gone, leaving Harry more troubled than ever.
===========================================================
“So, what exactly – thanks – are the rules of this game?” Harry asked in between bites, wiping his greasy mouth with a napkin Anna handed him.
Following the almost kiss incident, the pair were surprisingly able to fall into easy conversation, learning more about the other while they feasted on pizza and beer, the film that played on the telly long forgotten. Intrigued to hear Anna could play not only the piano, but also mastered the skill of strumming the guitar strings. Bummed that she refused to play a number for him, Harry had warned in time, she wouldn’t be able to deny him. Anna had clicked her tongue in mock annoyance, calling him an arrogant asshole and fighting off a smile when he erupted with amusement.
“Well, basically, if someone says anything that resembles a lyric from a song, all you do is sing it. You have to be quick about it, though; especially with how competitive us Caro’s are.”
“Mm. And how long does it go on for? Is there a time set or something?”
Anna laughed, shaking her head. “Nope, it’s still going on; even through texting now that we’re all living in separate cities.“ Wiping her hands clean, she added, “When we first started it, like when I was three or four-”
“Seriously?!”
“Yeah! We’re music fanatics; music is the heart and soul of being a Caro! Anyway, it was just a game my mom invented during a roadtrip to keep us busy. Unfortunately, she would soon regret it ‘cause it ended up causing a ruckus. We’d try to get the other person to say a certain word or phrase from a song…it became way too competitive, and now it’s just never-ending.” Anna paused, then let out a light, fond chuckle, “God, especially with Finn; he’s the most annoying of all those bastards…always trying to take my champ title.”
Deciding his new life mission was to revoke her champ title status, Harry’s mouth curved into a secret smile. Anna continued to ramble, an observation Harry had made very early on; once you got her talking about a subject or topic she was passionate about, there was no shutting her up. But he found it cute, the way she became animated with her hands and speech. It made him smile, made him laugh.
She was something else, for sure.
Once the pizza was consumed and most of the beer depleted, they sat back on their hands on her area rug. Talking. Laughing. Growing closer.
Always interested in hearing more about her military family, Anna gladly shared stories of her upbringing. She informed him how her dad was adamant about his kids knowing what it took to become part of the military, creating obstacles courses for his kids and timing them. That was their idea of fun until they reached their mid-teens and didn’t think it was cool anymore.
“Jesus, sneaking out and cutting class must have been damn near impossible!”
“You would think so, right?! Luke and Finn somehow managed a few freebies. How, I will never know.”
Lifting a brow, he teased, “Oh, did you always get caught red handed?”
Anna chortled. “Ha! Me? I never really did much to get in trouble.”
“So you were the perfect angel?”
“Ummm…sorta, I guess. Maybe not perfect, but compared to my brothers, I guess you could say that.”
Harry tapped his now bare feet together. “Huh-” His voice shook, a few chuckles passing through, “-I was a perfect angel, too…” His face twisted when her dry laugh reached his ears. “What?! What’s that laugh for?!”
“’I was a perfect angel, too’,” Anna mimicked before cackling. “Now if that isn’t the biggest fucking lie I’ve ever heard-”
“Hey!” He tossed the crumpled napkin at her, frowning when it floated onto his outstretched legs instead. “Bollocks.”
Anna stuck her tongue out. “That’s what you get for lying, Pinocchio.”
Conversation soon shifted to Harry’s upbringing where he recalled boring dinner parties and the memory of his sweet mother salvaging the evening by cracking a naughty joke in the midst of stuffy guests.
“She was definitely a character,” Harry chuckled, misty eyes looking away from Anna’s empathetic gaze. His throat burned, but he mustered a quiet, “-always the life of every party, livening up the dullest evening.”
Anna’s eyes welled up with tears. She couldn’t imagine ever losing her adoring mother, whom had been the same light to her as Harry’s mother had been to him.
“Sounds like she was an amazing mother.”
Harry nodded. “The best….Just, everything about her was amazing, is still amazing. Her compassion for people…for animals,” his voice cracked and Anna could feel the small crack in her heart as she watched him reminisce someone special to him. “That’s something that I try damn hard to carry on for her. All these charities and organizations that she was most passionate about…they mattered to her, and they matter to me. I do it all for her, not for the publicity. It’s all for her.”
Scooting closer, Anna reached over to cover his hand that was resting on his knee with her own, softly speaking to him while keeping her tears at bay. “She would be so proud of you, Harry. She is proud of you; with how you handle yourself, how you keep true to who you are, how hard you work to not just help your charities, but fighting for your own country, as well.“
Harry blinked the tears away, staring directly at the woman that he knew, right then, was going to change his entire world.
“It shows courage, strength,” Anna continued speaking. “And her warmth, her light? Harry, they’re in you and you carry that now, so you know she is never too far.”
A smile tugged at his lips, grateful for the comforting words. “You’re something else, you know that, peaches?”
She smiled shyly, her attention being redirected to their entwined hands. She didn’t know when that had happened, but she was now feeling the butterflies fluttering in her tummy. “Ditto,” she said in an undertone, tightening his grasp.
The familiar shift in the air paralyzed him, but the moment her soft, welcoming smile pointed at him, the fear of rejection vanished. She feels the same, he inwardly rejoiced.
Without thinking, he ducked his head and brought his mouth to press a soft, gentle kiss to their clasped hands. The smile on Anna’s face couldn’t have spread any wider, and the elation that filled him made him feel like he was floating on cloud nine.
“Tell me more about your deployment.” Anna requested, slightly out of the blue.
Unfazed by the randomness that made up this pretty brunette, Harry began sharing some of his not-so-explicit war stories, their fingers never once uncurling.
Anna was captivated by the way he spoke, so earthy and humble. He was funny, constantly saying things to make her laugh, and she discovered hearing his laugh really was the greatest sound she had ever heard, admiring the crinkles that formed around his eyes when he performed the natural act.
“When I was younger, my father would take us to meet with veterans several times a year. I was always fascinated by the stories they were willing to share,“ she said, her thumb brushing back and forth on his skin. “Do you have any sleepless nights? From what you’ve seen there?”
Harry ignored the thrilling sensations her touch was creating, remaining focusd on the current topic. “Sure, of course. Some nights I stay up-” He stopped dead in his tracks when her eyes sparkled and her lips lifted up into a self-satisfied smile, and immediately missed her warmth when she untangled her fingers from his so she could lift both arms in victory.
“Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck, some nights I call it a draw!”
He narrowed his eyes and said, “Oh-ho! You fucking play dirty, Caro!”
“Ohhh, ohhh ohhh ohhh, ohhh ohhh ohhh, oh oh!“
==========================================================
By the time Harry had evened up the score, two hours had gone by. Anna’s entire body had shook with mirth upon discovering Harry knew more Katy Perry and Lady Gaga hits than he did of Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys.
Currently, the room had a soft glow from the lamp that had been switched on when nighttime had fallen. Now, they sat cuddled together on her love seat, this time no bowl of popcorn present. Anna kept trying to steady her choppy breathing pattern, being very conscious of their thighs pressed together and the warm palm he kept on the spot above her knee.
There was no way Harry wasn’t able to recognize the way his touch and close proximity was greatly effecting her.
Harry tried to pay attention to some medical drama she had put on after complaining her sister-in-law wouldn’t stop pestering her about the TV series she still hadn’t yet caught up on. Regrettably, he had popped one in.
“I don’t get it.” He gestured to the screen. “She’s married to the blonde but had a baby with that bloke naturally. So, is she fucking them both?”
Anna chuckled and went on to explain, “Well she used to be with men. Her and Mark are best friends, but hook up out of convenience. She’s married to Arizona now, though, and not fucking around with him. She got pregnant before Arizona… I think? Anyway, yeah, they share custody of the baby. And she used to be married to George until he cheated on her with one of the other doctors. He’s dead now.”
With furrowed brows, Harry shouted, “What kind of shit is this?!”
“This is drama at it’s best!” Anna replied.
“Good God, this is crap.” Harry huffed a laugh when her elbow jabbed his side. He stole a glance in her direction, admiring the offended expression she wore. Soothingly, his hand began to travel, rubbing up and down along her thigh. “Ah come on, love, you gotta admit this is complete rubbish.”
The new sensation of his caress caused Anna to gasp inaudibly. Then his remark registered. Oh, no he did not. Nobody talked about her trashy shows. “Listen, bucko, you are complete rubbish.”
Harry let out a hearty laugh, his fingers flexing around her flesh on their own accord. “Is that all you got, Caro? You could benefit from a lesson or two…”
I can’t think of a proper comeback with you touching me! She argued, choosing to keep it to herself.
=========================================================
Anna would have never guessed that she would feel the sting of disappointment when she heard Harry’s long yawn; the night coming to an end. “Uh oh, is this when the grouch makes an ugly appearance?”
Harry slapped her jean clad thigh. “Really, grouch and ugly being used in the same sentence to describe me? You wound me, Annalisa.“
“Oh, get over it. You’re a big, strong man, you can handle the abuse.”
Harry’s smile was wider than she had ever seen it before. “Big? Strong?”
She blushed. Damn her big mouth. Actually, damn him for calling her out. Like she hadn’t embarrassed herself enough for one night.
Before she could respond, he let out another yawn. “Am I boring you? Is that what this is? And you say I wound you.”
He chuckled and squeezed her thigh before patting it, then moved to stand. “I’m sorry, love. I really did have a great time; don’t mistaken my old age for boredom.”
Anna walked him to her door where they both stood awkwardly. “I, uh, had a great time, too.”
He smiled in relief, grateful for the admission. “Yeah?”
She nodded, smiling brightly. “Yeah.”
“Good, cause I’d really love to do this again sometime soon if that’s alright with you?” Anna pressed her lips together, nodding in answer. Harry nodded along with her, playfully pulling at the hem of her blouse. “Can I text you later?”
“Yeah, yeah,” She said, fighting the sadness that crept up when he opened the door. “Absolutely. Sounds great.”
Awkwardly, they both did a funny, little dance, simultaneously shifting side to side in a failed goodbye hug. Laughing at their silliness, Harry grabbed the tops of her arms and pulled her into an embrace. “We’ve gotta work on that,” he said in her ear.
Anna shivered, goosebumps forming on her skin. “Mmhmm..” She sounded stupid, but being wrapped in his arms this way and inhaling his intoxicating scent turned her brain and insides to mush.
After pecking her cheek, Harry pulled away. “Goodnight, peaches.”
“Goodnight, grouch.”
And then, he was gone…and so was she.
Wild Winter's Day 