How They Compromise
A peculiar noise in the distance startled Harry awake, his arms digging deep into the mattress as he lifted his torso up and blinked. He hadn’t known what caused him to come out of the deep slumber, his mind still cloudy from sleep, but it didn’t take long before another stirring in the dark night caught his attention.
“Anna?” He groggily called for her, his voice too weak to come out more than a whisper. When he didn’t get a reply, his hand reached over to where she should be but was met with a cold empty spot.
It wasn’t the first time he had come up empty handed during the night when he reached for her. In fact, it occurred on a nightly basis for the first two weeks of Harry’s arrival and had just recently stopped as the month rolled by. He breathed deeply, a long sigh through his nose, and shook his head more awake in preparation before climbing his way off the bed.
Every time was a mystery of some sorts as he went on his quest, never finding her in the same spot—in the same state of mind. His heart wrenched at the memories that flashed across his mind—images he wished he would never have to witness again. Memories of her grief that he knew were imbedded deep in his brain for years and years to come.
—-
“Anna…?” He questioned, stumbling into the bathroom and squinting through sleepy eyes at the all too bright lighting. She was staring at her reflection in the mirror, stretching and smoothing her porcelain skin as tears brimmed her red and swollen eyes. She looked stressed and.. pained.
“Do you think I resemble Ben?” She asked shakily, never averting her eyes from her haggard appearance, poking at her cheeks as they sunk in.
“What?” Confusion controlled his expression as he stretched an arm behind his shoulder to scratch his head. He couldn’t recall what had disturbed him awake this time. Maybe it was the abandoned space beside him in the bed or the light that was filtering into the bedroom. Or maybe it was the soft cries that escaped her, no matter how hard she tried to muffle them. He didn’t know the cause and it didn’t matter. Not after witnessing the anguish before him.
She looked… frantic. Pulling at her skin as if it was crawling, as if she was uncomfortable and desperate to be rid of it all. Her dull eyes were roving over her face, over her hair and the fake smile she wore for a few seconds before dropping down to a frown once again. He was frightened—terrified beyond belief—as he watched the unrecognizable woman before him.
She was losing it.
“You’ve seen pictures of him… If you didn’t know we were twins, would you think we look a lot alike? That we look like twins?”
“Baby…” Harry cautiously shuffled towards her and looped his arms around her waist from behind. “What’s wrong?”
He frowned when she didn’t lean back on him like she always did when he hugged her from behind. Tension in her muscles made her feel stiff in his arms and a sense of uneasiness settled in his belly.
“I used to be able to see it.. the resemblance.. When I was younger, hearing that we looked so much alike always brought me such pride.. I loved it. I loved being a twin.” She choked out the last word as she felt her heart crack at the hollow meaning behind it.
It used to hold such meaning, such warmth and comfort, always having someone that had come into the world with you by your side through everything. Sharing a bond no one understood but you, speaking an unspoken language with just a look. But now.. Twin… just uttering the word made her feel dead inside. Dead like him.
“You’re still a twin, Anna.”
“I don’t feel like I am anymore, Harry. I can’t.. I can’t see what he’s thinking anymore before he says it.. I can’t call him to say how much this really fucking sucks not having Dad around anymore…” She paused to trace the lines that had formed around her eyes over the years. “I’m getting older.. I look older.. and I’m going to keep getting fucking older while he.. he won’t.”
The lump in Harry’s throat wouldn’t ease, no matter how many times he kept swallowing to do so as she poured her heart out. He felt the pain in his chest at her words, at the way her lips were trembling as she spoke them aloud. But he knew he could never feel the amount of anguish Annalisa did. He could never take away the pain of her losing her twin—her best friend since birth—and that crushed him immensely. He felt.. helpless.
His mind scrambled for the right words to say, something.. anything to give her some ounce of relief.. of consolation. But there were none. There was nothing he could say, nothing he could do, that would stop her heart from breaking. Nothing would pull her back out of the dark hole she had fallen in.
So he untangled one arm and lifted up his hand to replace her rough and clawing touch with his soft and caressing palm. She choked on a sob, her eyes fluttering as she relished in his touch…so loving and unconditional. Her fingers curled around his and she finally leaned back on his chest for support, tilting her head to the side to kiss his palm in a silent thank you.
—-
As the painful memory faded, Harry grabbed hold of his chest, willing the ache to drift along with the image of Anna that night and several others that followed that. He would find her crying as she stared out into the dark night, or quietly drinking tea in front of the television with a troubled feel to her slumped shoulders. She cried every night, whether it was sobs that shook them both or silent tears that rolled down her cheek before he swept them away. She couldn’t stop crying.
But he was always there…lending her a shoulder, offering up his safe and secure embrace until the cries subsided and she allowed him to lift her up and bring them both back to bed for what ever amount of time was left of the night before she would paint on her brave and strong facade.
He was bracing himself for what he would find tonight, having grown accustom to still finding her cuddled into his side whenever he woke to find darkness. It had been a good week, filled with outings around the city and completed with family dinners at the kitchen table. Anna seemed a little better, less forcing smiles and more of genuine laughs that reached her eyes. She seemed lighter, more bright and like she was finding her old self once more. And the disappearances during the night had ceased.
But here he was, in search of her in the dead of night again. Harry stopped short in his tracks when the glow of light filtered through a cracked open door across the living room. Soft giggles caught him off guard as he strode towards it, slowly and carefully pushing it open enough to peer inside.
An instant smile graced his lips at the sight of hers.
“So I told him ‘Sir, if you jump, I will jump right along with you only out of fear of having to report back to your gran without you.’” Anna’s giggles rang out, filling his stomach with the warm and fuzzy feelings only she knew how to create.
“And did he jump?”
“He did,” Dave confirmed with a firm nod. “And I dived in not a millisecond later. Shoes and all.“
“What’s going on in here?” Harry asked as he opened the door fully, revealing his PO and girlfriend conversing in front of a large canvas, Anna holding a brush in one hand.
“Hey,” Anna greeted him in between chuckles and Harry’s eyes flicked to Dave who tossed his head up. “Dave was just telling me your adventures in the Indian Ocean.“
“Is that so?” He asked, brows lifted.
Dave stuck his palms out and shook his head. ”Don’t look at me like that. She forced it out of me, sir.”
“Ha! An ex-commander intimated by shortcake?”
“Hey!” Anna protested, planting her free hand on her hip. “I pack a mean punch, jerk.“
“Right,” Harry snorted before flinging an accusation at the on duty officer. “It was the promise of the sugar cookies, wasn’t it?“
Dave guiltily shrugged with a small smile tugging on the corners of his lips. ”Guilty.”
Harry clicked his tongue as he turned back to her, his hands on his hips. ”Will you quit bribing security to get dirt on me?”
Anna wrinkled her nose, pulling a face to make him chortle. ”Never!”
He strode towards her with a glint in his eyes, dropping a peck on the top of her head. “Isn’t that a federal crime or something?”
Anna looked up at his tall frame and narrowed her eyes playfully. ”Oh, like you didn’t harass Paul to learn more about me?”
Harry smirked at the wide golden eyes that danced back at him. She was slowly but surely coming back, returning to herself. And he was elated at the possibility of what that meant.
“I didn’t bribe him,” he corrected, pointedly. “He likes me.“
“And Dave here likes me,” she quoted, throwing a wink at the tall man who had been keeping her company. ”Right, Dave?”
Dave snickered and nodded. ”Yes, ma’am.”
Harry shook his head, amused puffs of air blowing through his nose as the wet paint caught his eye. Shades of blue swirled expertly, soft long strokes creating a serene scenery before him. She had been painting before he strolled in, something he hadn’t seen her do in what felt like ages.
“What’s this?” He asked, looping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, his attention never averted from the half finished piece that piqued his interest.
“The ocean,” Anna simply answered, mouthing thank you to Dave just as he gave a short wave and slipped out of the room to allow them the privacy he was well aware they needed. ”It’s got quite a ways to go but..”
“It’s breathtaking, love. Coming along amazingly..” He encouraged, smoothing his palm and fingers down her arm until his fingers curled around her tiny wrist, goosebumps forming on top of her skin from his delicate touch.
Anna turned to the painting and smiled softly. ”You think so?”
“Absolutely. I don’t need to be some dog in heat panting all over you to appreciate your beautiful strokes.”
Anna tossed her head back and belted out a hearty laugh, recalling the artist who had taught their class; the same instructor Harry was convinced was making a pass at her the entire evening. Anna shoved him and dipped the still wet brush into the palette of sky blue shade she had just mixed.
Harry shifted behind her, locking her in his embrace with just enough leeway to use the coordination of her hands and arms to paint. “Wanna tell me what brought on the motivation to paint in the middle of the night?”
Anna paused and rested back on his bare chest, a happy sigh releasing from her. ”I had a dream.”
“I had a dream…I had a dream…” Harry sang in an overly deep and dramatic voice.
“Ha! You’re spending way too much time with Sarah. I can’t believe you let her dress you as Flynn Ryder.”
“Hey! You Caros have this annoying way of talking me into anything.”
Anna wrinkled her nose. ”It was kinda cute how you knew the accurate way to deliver his lines in that little reenactment.”
“Ha! Jesus Christ. It is quite embarrassing how well I am able to quote and singalong.”
Anna smirked, tilting her head up to peer at him, her loose curls tinkling his shoulder. ”Flynn Ryder’s got nothing on you, sweetheart.”
He poked his tongue out before replying. ”It’s actually a pretty decent film. Once you take out how ridiculously unrealistic it is.”
“It’s a Disney film, Harry,” she rolled her eyes. “It’s supposed to set high expectations of a fairytale romance that’s unrealistic to little girls.“
“Ouch,” he muttered. “You wound me, peaches.“
A giggle vibrated from her in reply. ”You know what I mean, Prince Charming. I just happened to get incredibly lucky in that department.”
“What? A real life prince falling madly in love with an ordinary girl?”
“Did you just call me ordinary?!” Her voice escalated in mock hurt. “Ouch, Wales. You wound me.”
“Ordinarily extraordinary. Is that better?” Anna hummed and rubbed her lips together, forehead creased to appear as if she were considering it. Harry took the opportunity to duck his head to meet her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. “How about that?“
“Mmm… Getting there…” She turned in his embrace to face him, throwing the brush to the side, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck before stretching up high on her toes to get lost in his deep kisses.
“Tell me about your dream.” The whispered request tickled her lips and sent a shiver down her spine, exciting her and melting her insides simultaneously.
“Mmm..” She sighed wistfully. Harry watched her lids flutter shut and her kissed lips curving up dreamily. He couldn’t help but place a quick peck on her mouth, happy to see her this way again. “We were on this white sandy beach… Just the two of us. The waves were crashing against these big rocks and the sun was beaming down…The sea breeze blowing around us…The taste of the salty air…”
“Sounds like a lovely dream.”
“Mm…it was. Wanna know the best part about it?”
“I do.”
When she peeled her eyes open, Harry’s breath caught in his throat at the love and happiness that shone brightly in them; directed towards him. ”We made love…right there…by the water.”
His eyes darkened and he let out a rush of air, depleting his lungs as the image flashed across his mind. ”Jesus, Annalisa.”
Rising higher up on her tiptoes, her covered breasts deliciously rubbing on his bare skin, she pressed her lips to the shell of his ear, causing up a stir in the sweatpants that were set low on his hips. ”Harry,” she moaned, fingers twirling the hair at the nape of his neck.
“Yeah, baby?” Harry asked breathlessly.
“Make love to me.”
Harry didn’t have to be told twice. He immediately swept her up in his strong arms, grinning wide at her excited giggles, and hurriedly carried her back to bed. It wasn’t until he laid her gently on her back in the warm and cozy bed that reality sunk in and she felt the nerves building in her chest. Harry noticed it right away, hovering above her and watching her with concerned eyes as she bit her lip and smoothed his chest with her trembling fingertips.
“You alright, love?”
“I’m..” Anna trailed to take a deep calm breath, rolling her eyes at how silly she was being. “God help me.“
Harry’s lips only pulled higher when it dawned on him how she was fidgeting and twisting the band on her finger against his skin, how her cheeks were turning the lightest pink shade, and how she was chewing the inside of her cheek. “Annalisa..”
Anna groaned when she heard the laugh in his voice, an airy teasing way to it.
“Anna, are you nervous?”
“Yes,” she hissed and the flush on her cheeks only deepened with his laugh. ”Ugh, don’t laugh.”
“Baby,” Harry guffawed. “What are you nervous for? We’ve had sex hundreds of times.“
“If your next words are an actual accurate number, I swear to god,” she murmured.
“No,” Harry said, shaking his head in amusement. “But I can guess quite a few hundred.“
“Oh my god,” Anna laughed lightly. “Weirdo.“
Harry let out a chuckle before gazing adoringly at her. Anna’s heart beat quickened, she was certain he could feel it galloping in her chest. His intent stare that seemed to search deep in her soul always took her breath away, always created such emotion within her. She loved this man. More than anything.
“Just…relax…and trust me..” He said above a whisper, his pupils dilated when her light touch played with the small hairs on his chest and tugged gently on the necklace that he always kept around his neck.
Harry dipped his head lower to capture her lips in a slow sensual caress with his own, their mouths dancing an erotic dance that fueled the desire deep within. His fingers slid to bury in her hair, pulling her up to meet his tongue in a wet tangle.
Relax and trust me.
And she did. Anna trusted him with her body, her mind, her entire heart. He made her feel so incredibly loved and cherished, his hand slipping from her tangled locks to smooth down her hot body, loving her the way she had dreamed. The way every woman deserved to be loved and touched.
“You’re so beautiful.”
***MATURE****
She whimpered when he grazed the side of her breast, still covered by the sleeping shirt she wore. She grew more wet and needy as his touch traveled down her side to grab the flesh of her thigh, maneuvering her leg around his waist.
“So incredibly warm.. and hot.”
“Please, Harry.”
“I got you, baby…I’m going to love you..make you feel so good.”
She let him control her, let him love her with his mouth as he left a hot and wet trail across her collarbone before his teeth grazed the sensitive flesh of her neck, his tongue lapping at her pulse point. Anna arched her back and began a delicious tortuous grind against him, her harsh breath pairing with the soft cries that tore from her lips.
“Fuck.” Harry groaned against her neck, the need for her becoming more urgent and desperate as her movements on him only increased in intensity. “You’re killing me, peaches.“
“I need you, Harry.. Please..”
Letting the desire take over, he peeled her clothes off and shed the track pants he wore in record time before falling back to her, hands sliding over every inch of her exposed form and groping her heated flesh…all of her. “Mmm..” Moans resounded in his head, the source of them he wasn’t sure. Maybe his when she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled gently, or maybe hers when he finally buried himself deep in her tight core. Or maybe it was from them both as they moved deliberately slow in unison, savoring the pleasure of being connected Making sweet love together.
“You okay?” Harry panted against her ear, his teeth finding her earlobe to pull in his mouth and tug.
“Uh huh… Oh!” Anna gasped when he hit a certain sensitive spot that made her see stars as he closed his mouth around the aroused pink tip of her rounded breast. He lapped at her, sucked her, fed on her as she cried out again and again.
“Shit…You’re so tight, peaches.”
She raked her nails down his back, leaving pink marks on his flushed skin that glistened with sweat, and grabbed his backside in her two hands, grinding on him as he circled his hips to stretch her further.
“Oh god..”
“You feel fucking incredible,” he mumbled, already feeling the familiar pressure in his balls. “Oh so wet and tight for me, baby.“
He had to get her there before he could let himself go completely. And he had to get her there fast. Shifting slightly to a new position he knew would be beneficial, he was rewarded with her cries when his hipbone bumped the bundle of nerve, her inner walls contracting around him.
“H-Harry..” Her body was trembling with the intensity of the waves that kept crashing through her entire being as he repeatedly and persistently pressed her clit, the sweet friction of his cock sliding in and out fueling the fire in her belly.
Harry smoothed the damp locks of hair away from her face, pressing sweet kisses on her cheek and temple, anywhere his lips landed as his harsh breath fanned her flushed skin. “It’s okay, baby. Let go, it’s okay to let go.”
“Oh god, Harry..” She moaned, brows furrowed together and her lips forming an O.
“That’s it, peaches. I’m right here.. Right here to catch you.”
She came—hard and intensely—with his encouragement, the sound of his strangled husky voice sending her over the edge. Harry followed soon after, her inner walls clinging tightly and milking him, sending shooting ripples of pleasure down his back to his toes as he bit her shoulder to muffle his grunts.
***EM***
The only sounds that could be heard were the pants of breath and hearts pounding wildly in their chests. He lay still on top of her, depleted and satisfied. Anna didn’t mind, his heavy weight on her only making her feel more safe and secure. More loved. But it wasn’t long after when he eased out of her body and flipped onto his back beside her, instinctively wrapping her up in his arms and sighing contently when her head rested on his still heaving chest.
“I love you,” she mumbled, energy gone and sleepiness clouding her hazy mind.
“Love you, baby.” She heard him respond just as she drifted off.
————
“And at last I see the liiiiight and it’s like the fog has lifted..”
Anna giggled as Harry’s deep voice sang in the stillness of the early morning light. They had slept for brief time before being woken by a hard poke of Harry’s lower region on her back. Anna had taken control this time, loving him like he had loved her. But as they lay there together in the afterglow, an intangible tension filled the air. They had been avoiding the inevitable of addressing the elephant in the room for far too long and Anna wasn’t sure she could stand the wait any longer.
Anna sat up and twisted her way to look down at him still laying on the pillows, her hand holding the sheet up to cover herself. “I’m sorry.”
Harry didn’t have to ask what she was apologizing for and Anna knew it as well judging by the sharp breath of air he inhaled.
“What I did..the way I hurt you..” She sighed deeply and shook her head, curls bouncing against her cheeks. “It was unforgivable. I know it is, Harry.“
Harry reached for her free hand that had started to fidget with an imaginary string of lint out of nervous habit. ”Anna, I’ve already forgiven you. Long ago.”
“But why? Why or how, Harry? I acted…ugh, I was such a cold bitch to you and the possibility of our baby.”
“I’m not denying that I haven’t forgotten that, Annalisa,” Harry admitted with brows furrowed. “Of course I haven’t! I’m not sure that’s something I can forget for a long while to come.“
“I’m so-”
“Stop apologizing.” His hard command shut her up immediately before his voice softened. “Please, just stop. I know you’re sorry. I know how badly you feel about what happened. You don’t have to keep saying it as if you’re trying to convince me. I don’t need convincing, Annalisa.”
“Then what do you need, Harry?” She asked softly, almost childlike.
“I need you to trust me. I need you to trust yourself and…and us.” He shook his head slightly. ”And I also need you to see that you’re not the only one at fault here.”
Confusion spread across her features. ”What? Of course I am. Harry, you did nothing wrong.”
“Do you remember that weekend I was in Switzerland for Jake’s stag?” She nodded, unaware where he was going with it. “Well, you should remember since that was the weekend you and Mags plotted to destroy me.“
“Ha!” She laughed despite the serious discussion they were supposed to be tackling. “You and I both know that backfired.“
Anna regretted it as soon as it came out of her mouth, rolling her eyes at his cocky grin and wiggling eyebrows. ”Just can’t get enough of me, hm? Knew you couldn’t resist my sexy body.”
She lifted her chin up. ”I held out for a good amount of time. You were practically humping my leg by the end of the first day.”
Harry’s hearty laugh bounced off the walls in the low lit bedroom, creating flutters in her belly.
“If memory serves right, we were both humping in the end. I say we both won that one.”
“And so did the sink.” Anna giggled before continuing. “What about the ski trip?“
He brought their clasped hands to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss before beginning.
“On the first night we were there, we went to a pub for a few drinks. The bartender there found out we were celebrating the end of Jake’s bachelor life and got into the whole story of how he had been married for fifty some years to his darling wife. Jake asked what was his secret to a long lasting marriage after some of the guys spat a few jabs at the poor guy for being with the same woman..” Harry chuckled, remembering the rowdy bunch conversing with the old bartender.
“What did he say?” Anna asked with a small smile, loving the way his entire face lit up when he was recounting a story.
“He said, ‘If you are thinking love is perfect, you are wrong… You are going to bicker about who put the spoiled milk back in the chiller. You are going to butt heads about what programme to watch on the telly. You are going to have blow outs where you both need to walk away and distance yourselves for a day or two. But knowing when to compromise is the key to it all. Pick your battles and move on.’”
“What do you think about all that?”
“Well,” Harry began, his gaze fixated on his fingers threading through hers. “I’ve been going about this all wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve had this image in my head of what a relationship should be like. I’ve always seen it as you fall in love, you get married, have a couple kids.. and everything is perfect.” He paused to shrug, his eyes never faltering from her stare. “What I failed to realize is that nothing is perfect. Not every everlasting relationship ends up with marriage, you know? There are couples out there that they love each other and they build a life together.. without being defined as husband and wife.”
“Are you,” she inhaled sharply. “Harry, are you saying you don’t want to get married?”
Shit.
The hurt flashed across her delicate features and Harry knew he had started the reveal of his revelation all wrong. He should have started off with what he was getting at and worked his way backwards. But he never did anything simple, did he? Squeezing her hand in reassurance, he shook his head firmly. “No, baby. Of course I want to marry you. See, I want to marry you more than I want anything else.”
Anna’s muscles relaxed as she held his tight grasp, tugging gently. “Fuck, you scared me a little there, Wales.”
“Sorry,” he chuckled. “What I’m trying to say is that not every love is conventional or ends up the way you envisioned it. Having a happy successful marriage doesn’t always entail having children. We can be a family with just the two of us. Hell, we already are a family.”
Her heart ached at his words, knowing it was her own fault for him ever having to come to that conclusion. “Harry..”
“No, listen.” He sat up and scooted closer to her, cupping her cheeks to keep his intent gaze on hers. “I love you, Annalisa. I love you more than anyone and anything. I’m willing to compromise.. so we can be that couple 50 years from now… still happily together.” He took a deep breath and swallowed. “If you don’t want children.. if you don’t want to have that kind of marriage with me.. then okay.”
“Wait—what?” Her head was spinning and she felt lightheaded, almost faint-like. He couldn’t be serious about not having children someday. Not Harry.
“I’m okay with it just being you and me… forever. As long as I can have you, baby. That’s all that matters to me.”
Tears brimmed her eyes as it sunk in. He was being serious. He was actually willing to give up his dream of being a father, of having a family. For as long as she remembered, he always spoke about the ultimate dream of having children and taking them to places he had been lucky enough to experience. And just like that, he would let it all go.. for her. This incredibly amazing man was willing to let go of his dreams for a silly, overly dramatic woman like her.
“Harry.. you would do that? You would really do that for me?”
“Yes, I would and I will.” He nodded and spoke with such finality and assurance that it melted her heart.
“Captain..”
His lips twitched, interrupting her. “But I come with a deal of my own.” Anna blinked the tears back and waited in anticipation, her own lips curving. ”We get a dog instead. Or two.. or three..”
Laughter rumbled in her chest. “You are insane in the membrane. Do you know how much dogs shit and piss?! We cannot have two or three of them roaming around.”
“Compromise, Annalisa,” he sternly said with narrowed eyes.
“Okay,” Anna sighed dramatically. “Okay, fine. But on one condition..”
His eyes sparkled. “What’s that, love?”
“We can have one dog.”
“Bu-”
“Ah, ah!” She interjected, laying a finger over his lips. “We can have one dog and maybe a cat.”
“One dog and a cat, huh?” Harry smirked. “Okay, deal.”
“There’s more.” She winked, happiness glowing and radiating off of them.
“More?! Now who’s insane in the membrane?”
Anna leaned forward to kiss the corner of his mouth, the glint in her eyes causing his pulse to race and his mouth to become dry. “One dog and one cat…” She kissed each side of his cheeks then said in a breath of a whisper. “…and a baby.”
Harry’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening. “A baby? Like..”
“Yeah, like an actual baby.. Not a furry one.” She grinned at his stunned reaction and took it a step further. ”Well, I was thinking two babies…or three…Hell, maybe even four if you’re up for it.”
“Anna..” Harry started, uneasy that she felt pressured and obligated. “It’s okay to not want kids. I didn’t say this to make you fe-”
“No, Harry,” she cut him off. ”Of course I want to have kids with you. I always have. I just got.. scared stupid. Really, really stupid.” Inhaling deeply, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. ”I-I had a revelation of some sorts too. I have come to realize that I can’t predict what will happen and I can’t stop whatever does happen.. I can’t prevent whatever is meant to be.. And as much as I despise it, I don’t have control over certain things.” Her eyes darted between his, mirroring him. “What I do have control over is how I choose to go about things. I want you. I want all of you. I want to be your wife and the mother of your children. Harry, I want all of it.”
Deafening silence followed as they continued to stare at each other, willing the other to speak first, to speak more. But they didn’t need to. Everything that had been waiting to be said, had been stored for weeks or even months, was all out in the open. They had both been so afraid of this—moving along with their love to what the future would bring. They had both been not ready for it, never realizing until recent events that it wasn’t just Anna’s insecurities holding them back, but Harry’s naive view of what they were supposed to be like.
And now. Now everything was okay. Everything had been addressed. They had compromised. And nothing—absolutely nothing—was ever going to stop them from loving each other. Nothing would stop them from being a family.
“God, I fucking love you.”
Squeals and giggles followed as Harry tackled her and pinned her down on the mattress, his lips blindly kissing her all over..
“Marry me,” Anna said, the big smile apparent in her honey voice. “Make babies with me.”
Harry paused and lifted his head to peer down at her, taking in her pink cheeks and her shining eyes. His heart, his soul, all of him already belonged to this incredible woman in his arms. He couldn’t wait to make her his. Forever.
“Mm, that sure is a lot you’re asking me to compromise,” he teased, creating soft chuckles before lowering his mouth to hers. “I will, my love. As long as you promise me the same.“
“I promise.”
And no other words meant more to him.
Wild Winter's Day 