A Wild Winter’s Proposal
The rain came down hard at full force, the windshield wipers working back and forth at a furious speed. The wind was harsh, blowing wildly and disrupting the steady ride of the tires. Anna kept a firm grip on the wheel, trying to keep it from swerving to the side of the road. But the visibility was increasingly worse, making it impossible for her to relax as her eyes strained to see the unfamiliar road and street signs.
This was not how she expected to spend the last few hours of the year, trying to make it to her husband before the clock struck midnight. She refused to ring in the new year without him, no matter what it took to get there.
The storm had been on the forecast for a whole week, briefly putting a damper on the city and surrounding towns festivities. New Year’s Eve plans were altered, the majority of the population taking shelter in house parties rather than at the pub celebrations.
Harry and Anna were amongst those who were finding refuge in Maggie’s New Year’s Eve bash. At least that’s what Anna thought up until Harry’s phone call nearly three hours ago.
—
Three Hours Earlier
“Don’t be mad..”
“Why do I feel mad already?” Anna said with a little silvery laugh while finishing her eye makeup. She had decided on a smoky eye, something she hadn’t done in a while. It went perfectly with the brand new silver glittery dress she had been reluctant to purchase after taking a peek at the price tag. But–with Maggie’s persistence–the dress had found it’s way to the cashier, along with the equally overpriced pair of pumps.
“I need you to come pick me up…like right away.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, examining her handiwork. “Don’t you have protection officers for that?”
“I gave them the evening off.”
Puzzled, she replied, “I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to do that.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m the boss and they do as I say,” he cockily retorted.
“Bull. Your granny’s the boss and she’d have a cow if she knew.”
“Well then, I guess I have to bribe you to keep your mouth shut, too.”
Anna laughed with a shake of her head. “Of course you turned to bribery. Where are you?” Leaning closer towards her reflection, she applied a little more liner to even out the color, then said in a low warning tone towards the mobile that sat at the sink, “If your next words are from a strip joint, we are going to have a real major problem.”
“I thought you didn’t mind strippers.” The light teasing was there in his voice and Anna couldn’t help but laugh through her nose.
“At like a bachelor party or something. I don’t particularly care for my husband going out of his way to see other naked women.”
“I think the correct word is stag, darling.”
“What’s the difference?”
“The country you live in,” he explained, matter-of-fact. “But you can relax… I’m still at the airfield so there aren’t any tits out at the moment.“
That caused her to immediately put down the cosmetic pencil in worry. “You were supposed to be back hours ago. What are you still doing in Wattisham?”
He cringed. “I know. Apparently I had a lot more paperwork to fill out than I expected. It was all tedious, really; I won’t bore you with the details. The point is, I took my bike and it’s begun to drizzle here. There’s no way I’ll beat the storm.”
She chuckled, a triumphant smile teasing at the corners of her lips. “I told you not to take the bike, but you-”
“Insisted, yes, I’m well aware.”
“Mhm…maybe you’ll listen to me next time,” She said in a sing-song manner, then began applying the peach colored gloss to her lips.
“Doubt it. Are you dressed and ready?”
After smacking her lips together and rubbing the color evenly, she said, “Just about…”
Then something struck her; if he was still in Wattisham, there was no possible way they could get back to Maggie’s gathering in time for midnight.
For most, it would have been disappointing missing out on a fun night with their best mates, especially since in weeks time they would be hours away from the city. But for Anna, the thought of spending some quality time with her husband before things got chaotic sent a thrill down her spine. Bringing in the new year in the confinement of the car with just the two of them–and their hyperactive puppy–was more appealing than calming the storm of Maggie and Skip’s hurricane relationship and sharing a sloppy midnight kiss after knocking back one too many shots.
Maybe marriage was already aging her.
She looked down, pulling down the hem of the short dress. “…although I don’t see the point in being all dressed up now.”
“Why?” As soon as the word was voiced aloud, the light bulb turned on and his face twisted in apology. “Ohhhhh…I’m sorry, baby.“
“It’s alright. We’ll be together at midnight; that’s all that really matters.”
He waited for the sarcastic tone, but it never came. “Really? Are you saving the verbal abuse for later when physical abuse can accompany it?”
“I do not abuse you! Stop it.”
“Right.. tell that to the trail of bruises along my chest that’s finally begun to fade.”
A shade of pink washed over her cheeks. She had been a bit eager and enthusiastic the Saturday he returned from Christmas holiday. “You didn’t seem to mind it with all those naughty encouragements…”
“I did no such thing,” he strongly argued.
“Yep.. and I didn’t hear you cry foul play, so…”
Harry tipped his head back. “Ha! Well, maybe that’s because I’m afraid to piss you off… Who knows, you might rip off my nips…” Anna burst into a fit of giggles and the grin plastered on his face grew larger, the crinkles at his eyes more visible. “Crazy girl.”
“You’re the crazy one! But if it makes you feel safer, I promise to never let my mouth come close to your chest or any other part of you again…”
If he wasn’t in public view, he would have kicked himself in the ass. “Ah, fuck..Me and my big mouth.”
“Mhmm..” Anna agreed, still chortling at the strange conversation they usually found themselves engaged in. “See what happens when you try to cry wolf. You end up in the doghouse.”
“In that case, beware of me humping your leg after a week..”
“Ha!” She laughed. “I’d give it three days; tops.”
“Three days?!” Harry cried. “What do you take me for? Some sort of bastard waking up in wet bedsheets?”
Her brows rose. “Oh, you think you could go longer than three days? Is that a challenge, hubs?”
“No!” He barked out rather quickly. “No, no, no.. no challenge here. White flag, white flag.”
Anna giggled and nodded. “That’s what I thought. Okay, I’m about to put on my shoes and head out.” Her eyes cast down at Betsy who had been at her feet ever since she slipped on the above the knee length dress. “You wanna go with mama and save daddy’s ass, baby girl?“ A light laugh slipped past her glossed lips at the howl that erupted from Betsy.
“Sounds like you’ve found yourself a Robin,” Harry mused. “Grab a pen and paper so I can give you the address.“
—
Present
With shoulders bunched up and her tense form hovering close to the steering wheel, Anna sighed out in frustration. The annoying robotic voice she had been taking directions from for the past three hours informed her of the device rerouting shortly after after she took a turn–evidently, the wrong one. If she didn’t need to rely on the damn thing, it would have found itself out in the middle of the road twenty miles ago.
Forty-five minutes until the new year arrived and she still didn’t have any idea how far she was from getting to him.
The long journey to her new hometown gave her time to ponder what was ahead, trying to distract herself from the storm that was in full swing. The slight anxiety that usually found home in the pit of her belly when it came to change was no longer there as she thought of the drastic changes that were on the horizon. Only excitement. And a certain ginger haired soldier who had stubbornly traveled to work on his bike rather than a car was responsible for that.
They had been talking about the future more and more lately; discussing what was to be expected of her when she officially took on the HRH title. While it did feel a bit surreal, Harry was honest of the struggle it sometimes was juggling more than one identity and painted the ugly (and beautiful) picture clearly for her. Anna was thankful for that, knowing how disastrous it would be if she–or anyone in her position–had been thrown to the spotlight lifestyle without any warning or preparation. Harry offered his wife a few helpful pointers, relayed some value advice that would be needed for future situations. And when he felt as if he was putting a bad rep to the title, he opened up on the joys of the job; sharing all the good that the Prince and Princess name held and the rewarding smiles on others’ faces, playing a part in the positivity in their lives. It took every restraint in Anna not to jump the gun and start researching charities she was interested in working with.
New responsibilities weren’t the only subject they stumbled upon while alone. It was no secret that Harry had been ready for quite a few long years now to start a family, and now that he and Anna were on the same page, the conversation of family often came up. Before Christmas, they had decided to stop all form of birth control the week leading up to the September wedding, hopeful for baby news soon after. It was the only thing holding them back now, taking the family’s reputation into consideration instead of carrying on their unconventional tendencies.
An alert sounded through the earpiece at the exact same time as a whine came from the backseat. Anna quickly glanced in the rearview mirror, keeping a tight hold of the wheel with one hand as she used the other to connect the call from the bluetooth device. Betsy let out another whine when the brunette’s eyes went back to the road, and Anna frowned.
“I know, baby girl.. we’ll be there soon..” She said to the antsy puppy, stealing another glance. “Hello?”
“Hey, where are you?” Harry asked, loudly. Judging by the poor connection on the line and his voice trying to talk over the rainstorm, he was no longer taking cover inside like he had been the last time she talked to him.
“I honestly don’t have a clue..” Anna answered, squinting at the blurred road.
“What do you mean?” Came Harry’s nervous inquiry. She didn’t have to see him to know his features were contorted in confusion and concern. A small fleeting smile flashed across her lips.
“I can barely see with the rain…I just took a wrong turn oooon..” The map informed her of the unique street name, causing her to do a double take before revealing, “Poppasquash Lane. That cannot be a real name.”
Harry chuckled lowly. “You’re close. At the end of the road, there’s a stop sign–make sure you fucking stop and not yield–then take a right and drive about another mile.”
Anna followed his instructions, including his plea to drive slowly and carefully, and praised him for being more pleasant than the robot she had been cussing at. In less than five minutes, she pulled up to an old shack that looked like the roof was a day away from caving in. A figure stood at the front porch, startling Anna until she made out who the shadow belonged to. Harry stood there with his hands stuffed in his coat pockets, the zipper up to his neck, and his cap securely covering the fiery locks. Butterflies multiplied in her tummy at the sight of her husband. He oozed sexual appeal, drenched from head to toe thanks to the wind that blew the torrential rain onto the porch.
Once she came to a full stop and switched the gear to park, Harry sprinted to the car and Anna was lost in how sexy he was. In that moment, she finally understood why Joey and Chandler obsessively kept their eyes glued to the cliched slow-mo of a dripping wet model. She should have been embarrassed by the way she was ogling him, but there was no trace of shame on her face.
Ever since he had gotten back, she found a constant hunger swirling in her belly, aching to be close and intimate with him. Although their sex life had always been pretty healthy and satisfying–increasing with the newlywed glow–it had reached an all new high over the past week. Harry was pleasantly surprised and made no complaints when he’d find her waiting for him with close to nothing on, or when he barely set foot in the front door and she had curled herself tightly around him. He had made a comment or two, smugly pretending to pop his collar and murmuring he ‘still had it’.
Anna had decided to not bruise his ego and refrained from telling him what was causing her sexual appetite to be bigger than normal. The start of a new birth control caused a hormonal imbalance, as was explained by her doctor when she went over the usual side effects, and an increase in a woman’s sexual drive was to be expected. At first, Anna had been a bit further curious, aware that pregnancy did the same. The lab work had come back negative, but given the previous incident, she had called Maggie for a favor.
Not pregant had cruelly stared up at her.
A knock brought her back to the present, followed by the jiggling of the door handle. Sheepishly, she unlocked the door and removed her seatbelt before maneuvering to the passenger seat, throwing her abandoned pumps to the floor.
“You know you’re not supposed to drive barefoot.” Harry swatted her bottom that she rose high in the air. If she did that on purpose to tease him, he wasn’t sure, but he was not protesting.
“Hey! You know you’re not supposed to take the bike out with an impending storm,” she quipped, then yelped when Harry’s palm came down on her bottom once again before she properly ploppled on the seat. Her once flawless curls spilled out of the hairclip and framed her face messily, no matter how desperately she tried to tame it.
“And the verbal abuse begins,” Harry joked while getting into the car. He immediately turned to the elated puppy in the back, dripping everywhere. “Hey, little mama.. are you here to save me from the big bad storm?”
Anna looked on while chuckling, Harry and Betsy sharing a moment like they were reuniting after a great amount of time apart. “She’s been whining.. I think the wind scares her.”
Harry frowned and rubbed his wet nose on Betsy’s neck, chuckling when she tried to squirm away from the droplets of water. “Aw, I’m sorry for making you come out in this shitty weather, baby..”
Anna laughed to herself, shaking her head. One would think he was speaking to her, the one who drove through the horrendous storm to pick him up because he was too stubborn to listen, but his full attention was on the now happy husky. “Where’s your bike?”
“Up the road,” Harry answered, turning in his seat to pull on the seatbelt. He didn’t elaborate, but Anna didn’t think anything of it.
“You should probably take off your coat. It’s soaked and you’ll catch a cold.” Surprisingly, he listened to her without grumbling, taking off his coat and throwing it in the back beside Betsy, then moved to secure the seatbelt once again. Anna pulled his cap off and ruffled his messy hair to rid the hat hair style he sported. “Aren’t you going to kiss me hello.”
Harry’s dancing eyes flicked to hers, a laugh rumbling inside his chest. “It’s not midnight yet.”
“No, but I did just drive a long way to save you.”
“Fair enough,” he murmured, leaning towards where she was seated. He cupped her cheeks, careful to not rub off any makeup. “Did I tell you yet how fucking stunning you are?”
“Nope.”
“Shame on me, then.” His lips brushed hers gently, almost in a tease, making her want more as the sparking desire pooled between her thighs. She leaned into him, angling her head to get better access to his mouth. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, Harry pulled back. “That’s all you get until next year.”
Anna pouted at his broad smile. “Mean.”
Harry shivered. “Shit, it’s bloody cold in here.” He began to fumble with the heat settings, and once he was satisfied with the warmth that filled the car, he placed the gear back into drive and backed out of the short driveway.
As luck would have it, the rain and wind tapered off once Harry was behind the wheel. The occasional droplets hitting against the glass made it easier to see the road now and Anna sat back to relax, enjoying the ride along the dirt road he turned into. Harry shut the device off that claimed he was going in the wrong direction and switched on the satellite radio, turning up the sounds of Adele.
“I’m so tired,” Anna quietly said, fighting a yawn.
Harry glanced to the left and chuckled. “You can’t fall asleep. You’ll miss 2015’s arrival.”
“Hmm..” She rested her eyes, jealous of the slumbering husky in the backseat. “Wake me up for my midnight smooch.”
The car bounced and joggled on the rough road and Anna’s eyes popped open. Harry must have turned into a more rocky road because the car didn’t travel another foot before hitting another rough patch of grovel. Anna had to reach out and hold onto the dashboard. Looking out the window, her brows knitted together. Nothing about this direction seemed familiar. “This isn’t the way back..”
“Not the way back to London, no.”
And it wasn’t.
The SUV drove through an open gate to reveal the substantial property that was guided by a long cement driveway. Harry pulled up to what appeared to be the front entrance of a private country styled house and parked the car. He turned to Anna, a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Where are we?” She asked, puzzled.
“Come on,” he encouraged softly with a nervous smile. “Let’s get inside.”
After gathering their belongings, Harry slipping the drenched coat back on, they jumped out of the car.
“What is this place?” Anna questioned, pulling her long raincoat together tighter as soon as the cold air whipped around her. The wind had begun to pick up again, as if Mother Nature waited for the precise moment when they stepped out of the car.
“A house,” he simply replied, leading her down the wet path, Betsy’s leash in one hand.
“You don’t say..” She giggled at his back, shaking her head. “Whose house is it?”
Harry turned to face her when they reached the large dark wooden door. He grinned wide at her, creating the out of rhythm heartbeat inside her chest.
“Harry..” Anna’s voice lowered to a whisper. “Whose house is this?”
The grin on his face never faltered, neither did his steps as he pulled out a single set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the front door. He cleared his throat and pushed the door open, then cocked his head to the side to peer down at her before he revealed in that sexy earthy voice of his, “Ours.”
—-
The empty interior was incredibly stunning. Beyond the front door was the entrance hall with a fairly good sized stairwell designed to the left. Off of the hall were the doorways to three rooms; the spacious family room, large kitchen, and half-bathroom. The place had clearly been refurbished before it went on the market, completed with the newest appliances and granite tops in the kitchen and a modern fireplace with wood already piled beside the mantelpiece.
The indulgent master bedroom could be found behind the stairwell, completed with an en suite bathroom and dressing room that could easily be transformed into another bedroom; ideal for a temporary nursery while the infant was still nursing during the night. Up the stairs were another four decent sized bedrooms with a full bathroom at the end of the hall, and a fifth room that was described as a playroom judging by the zoo-themed wallpaper and big black chalkboard that was built into one of the walls. The walls in the other rooms throughout the house were completely bare, gifting the young couple the opportunity to splash their preferred color to make it theirs.
Outside the kitchen windows, daylight would allow Anna to see the gardens that she would spend hours in, planting vegetables and beautiful flowers every spring with their children. The backyard was enormous, plenty of space for their children to run wild with trees to bravely climb, and an ideal empty spot for the overly large playground set Harry would soon purchase.
Close to the main house would be the cottage where their security would stay; their own little home away from home. The house also came with a pool house with a shower room and a detached garage block that was big enough to house both cars and Harry’s big boy toys.
It certainly was nowhere from being a palace or a mansion, but a home; one that reminded Anna of her grandparents’ back in the rural part of Boston. It fit their style perfectly; a model for raising a family in the country.
The property was officially in Harry’s name after filling out all the paperwork that afternoon, and come Monday, Anna would also sign across the dotted line as co-owner. It felt official; being an adult. They were married, committed to one life together, with a stunning country home to fill with beautiful, wonderful memories.
As soon as Anna stepped foot into the dark house, she was hopelessly and utterly in love. Harry had lit the lantern he had brought over earlier that day, along with a few other supplies they would need for the night. The electricity hadn’t yet been turned on, the lanterns and various candles working as their source of light. Blankets were found near the fireplace due to the heating not being up and running quite yet as well, and Harry had a fire burning brightly to bring warmth to the chilled rooms.
After taking a tour around the inside, the rain preventing them from venturing out into the gardens and cottage where the POs were enjoying their downtime, Harry and Anna found themselves cuddled together under a blanket in front of the fire, Betsy sleeping soundly underneath her own pink and brown blanket. The dress Anna wore was uncomfortable, but she didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was the safety of being in her husband’s loving arms, his hard chest supporting her back, and her head tucked in his neck. She inhaled his masculine scent, the fresh scent of the rain lingering on his skin, and peace serenity filled her.
“There are so many rooms upstairs,” Anna mused, pressing her lips to the spot below his ear. “What are we going to do with them before babies?”
“Well..” Harry began, shivering at her sweet, tender touch. “I was thinking one of the rooms could be used for you to paint in… and another could be the music room for you to keep the guitars..”
“What about the piano?”
“I like the idea of the piano being here.” He pointed to an area of the room that was nearby a window. “That way, if the kids are bored with your piano lessons, they can see there’s still life outside..”
Anna laughed through her nose and pushed against his chest with her shoulder. “I was never bored with my piano lessons. What makes you think they will?”
“Face it; it’s you and me making babies.. one of them has gotta have the rebel streak.”
“Ha! You’ve got a point. What are we going to do when all the bedrooms are filled though? We can’t possibly have guitars and art supplies lying around everywhere.”
He swept a curl to the side with his nose to kiss her temple softly. “We’ll figure it out when the time comes.” Gathering her tighter in his embrace, he gave her a squeeze and exhaled slowly. “I’m so glad you love the house. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the outside. The realtor mentioned the gardens and I was already calling out an offer. I couldn’t pass up the chance of giving you your own secret garden.. You would have kicked my arse.”
Anna giggled, pulling the blanket up higher to cover their exposed arms. “You’re adorable. I love you.”
“I love you, Mrs. Wales,” he replied without missing a beat. “We are going to have some pretty damn adorable babies.”
“I happen to agree with you, hubs. Watch out, world.”
“Ha! Oh, shit.” Harry untangled an arm from her and tossed the blanket to the side to peer down at his watch. “It’s 12:20.” His eyes met her surprised expression. “We missed midnight.”
Anna smiled softly and shrugged. It didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered but this. The fire glowing on his face, the love that shined brightly in his twinkling eyes, and his deep husky voice that did things to her insides. “Happy New Year, my love.”
A slow, wide grin began to form on his mouth. With his warm breath fanning on her cold face, he whispered back, “Happy New Year, baby.”
They shared a tender kiss, lips pressing gently together. Anna slid her fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp in a loving way that made the guttural noise to rise from his chest. The kiss deepened, Anna parting her lips when the tip of his tongue asked for permission, and together, their mouths performed a sweet, romantic dance to express the undying love they had for each other…and to celebrate the new year and all that was to come.
—-
“Good morning, Mrs. Wales.”
Anna peeked an eye open, instantly smiling when her husband’s grinning face greeted her. “Hi,” she croaked. “Mornin’.”
“Did you sleep okay?” Harry asked, his palm caressing her arm up and down.
Anna hummed distractedly, the tingles from his touch forming goosebumps on her skin. Truthfully, her back ached from sleeping on the hard floor, but it was nothing a good long body stretch couldn’t cure. She sighed tiredly and reached out to bring his body heat closer.
He chuckled, watching her drift off into sleep again with his head tilted to one side. Her makeup was ruined, smudged in a racoon nature, and her curls were a tangled mess. To him, she was absolutely perfect.
Harry placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her rosy nose before he stood up from his knees and added another piece of wood into the dying flame. Betsy had woken him up twenty minutes ago at 6:30am, begging to be taken out. Once she had finished up her business, he had made the journey to the cottage to drop her off for the morning. She was not thrilled with the idea, and neither was he if he was honest, but he knew it was best if he kept her away for a while; for her safety, of course. He didn’t need to risk her chewing and digesting his hard work.
The winter storm had forced him to alter his plans, having to wait until the rain cleared in order to proceed. Plan A had been perfect, almost too perfect. She would walk in, already with her mind blown by the surprise of being a homeowner, and be blindsided with the extravagant romantic gesture. But, once again, nature had other ideas.
Going forward with Plan B, he only hoped the props he kept hidden in a storage closet weren’t completely ruined.
When Anna woke up on her own a half hour later, she was confused. Not expecting to see the abandoned room, she sat up and blinked away the sleep. She tried to recall the night, her foggy brain only able to remember depleting a bottle of champagne Harry had stored in his backpack of goodies and doing a lot of laughing, serenading, and dancing around the living room. How she fell asleep on the floor with the blanket around her, she didn’t know. Nor was she aware of being left while sleeping. Her eyes flicked to the fireplace, seeing it burning brightly with a fresh piece of wood. Harry couldn’t be far.
Just as the thought came, he made his appearance in the doorway, carrying what looked to be breakfast. “Hey, you’re up.”
Anna mutely nodded, her cheeks flushed from the suffocating heat that came a few feet away. “What’s that?”
Harry carried over the tray he borrowed from the cottage and crouched down to set it in front of her. The tray held a plate of fruit, some toast with jelly smeared to the edges, and a single long stemmed peach rose. “Breakfast is served, milady.”
His deep voice brought a smile to her face. She brought a hand up to cradle his cheek, the morning shade scratching her sensitive palm, and she stretched up to caress his lips with her own. “Thank you, sweetie.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied, pecking her lips for another kiss. “Now, eat. You need to get some food in your stomach to rebuild your strength.”
Her brow rose in question. “For what, exactly?”
A naughty, suggestive grin spread on his face. “To love me.”
Anna giggled. “You’re insatiable.”
“Look who’s talking!” He argued, taking a hearty bite of toast. “You’re the one that was trying to maul me in front of Bets last night.”
Her face twisted in deep thought, then a laugh erupted from her lips as the memory found its way back. “Where is she?”
“With Dave and Edward.”
“Why?” She asked, puzzled. They rarely let others dogsit, and if they did, it was because Bets wasn’t allowed to tag along.
“Because.”
Anna rolled her eyes when he stopped at the two syllables. One word answers drove her up the wall. And he knew it. That didn’t stop him, though. In fact, Harry did it often, usually when he didn’t want to spoil a surprise. She moved on, solely because she knew she would know what he was up to in due time.
“Is the sun out?”
“Nope.”
She frowned in disappointment. “Did the rain stop at least?”
“Yeah…just a chilly overcast day..”
An excitement lit up her features. “Oh, good! I want to check out the gardens.”
“Okay.”
They ate in silence with Anna repeatedly stealing glances at Harry. His mood has shifted drastically, turning from playful to quiet and reserved. Once the plate was clean, the strawberry stems left behind, she waited for his next move. When it didn’t come, Harry’s eyes roaming around anywhere and everywhere but at her, she spoke up. “Are you alright?”
“Hm?” His voice went high in question, nervous eyes landing on her for a split second before he averted his attention to the fireplace. “Yeah, I’m fine.. why?”
“You just got really quiet…” She explained, watching as he scratched the back of his head. “What did you do, Henry Wales?”
Once again, his eyes darted between her and the fireplace. “What? Nothing.”
“Bullshit. You’re scratching the back of your head.”
He couldn’t fight the chuckle that escaped him. Of course she would be able to tell; he was surprised it took her this long to notice. Surely, she knew it was coming and what better time than on New Years?
“Maybe Betsy gave me fleas.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Nice try, small fry. Betsy doesn’t have fleas.. I make sure of it.”
“Small fry?” He asked, amused.
“Big fry.. large fry..” They both burst into uncontrollable giggles. “I have no idea what I just said..”
“Me either.”
Another hush came over the pair with Anna keeping a close eye on him. He was a bundle of nerves, riddled with irrational fears; switching between fidgeting with the blanket and drumming his fingertips against his jean clad thigh in order to keep himself in check. Why he felt this way was absolutely ridiculous. It’s not like he didn’t know what would happen; it was a sure shot, a predictable ending. He cringed at the bad timing to be thinking of the word ending. It wasn’t an end. It was a new beginning. But didn’t all new beginning come from an end? Great, he thought, now he was starting to sound just as crazy as his wife.
The irrational fears were most likely stemmed from the recurring dream where things went horribly wrong. The storm deferring his plans didn’t help it either.
“You know what I never understood?” Anna’s voice broke out, catching his attention.
“What?” He asked, apprehensively.
“The ‘calm your tits’ expression.” She waited for his reaction.
“What?!” He choked out, coughing into his fist with bemused chuckles.
She smiled; jackpot. “You say it all the time…just the other day you text me back with ‘calm your tits’ and it got me thinking.. why would you want me to? You happen to like it when they’re not so calm.”
Harry blinked, his brain working to register the random way her mind worked. After a moment, his entire upper body leaned back to properly let out a boisterous laugh.
“Am I wrong?!”
“No, no,” the words came out strained as he continued to guffaw, the amusement echoing in the unfurnished house. “I can’t argue with that.”
“See! It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“Ahhhhh..” He drawled on a long exhale. “You think too much.” Tapping her nose affectionately, he sobered up.
Anna shrugged in silent agreement, her nose twitching. “It got you out of that strange mood. Mission. Accomplished.”
A smirk played on his lips; one Anna couldn’t figure out. Without thinking, he ducked his head and swiftly kissed her. She was way too adorable sometimes. Before she could begin to reciprocate, Harry rose from the floor and dusted off invisible debris from his jeans, then offered her his assistance to do the same. “Come.. the gardens are still a little wet from yesterday, so let’s check out the pool first.”
“A POOL?!” Anna stretched up on her tiptoes to throw her arms around his neck, doing a little out of rhythm dance that shook the both of them. “Really?!”
With brows lifted high up, he tickled her side and said, “You didn’t think I would get us a house without a pool now, did ya? I happen to listen to my wife when she babbles…Besides, you caught a glimpse of the pool last night.”
“I did?” She asked, brows creased. “I don’t remember that.”
“Maybe because you were a bit too excited about the granite tops in the kitchen,” he said with a teasing grin. Anna giggled, giving him an affectionate squeeze before unwrapping herself from him. “Lead the way, hubba hubba.”
Hands clasped together, they moved through the house, relying on the daylight that came flooding through the wide length windows. Once they reached the back of the house, Harry pushed the sliding doors open that lead to the open deck and gestured for Anna to step out first. As soon as she did, a loud gasp instantly found it’s way to Harry’s ears.
Anna stood frozen; utterly stunned, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. The scene before her was one taken out of a romance novel, or even a movie scene. The in-ground pool was enormous, enough to fit a party of bodies. The design was a dream; a curvy circle with a hot tub section in the far right. While the pool was more than she expected, her main focus was on the breathtaking display her husband had set up.
Hundreds of peach petals floated in the water, the slight breeze causing them to perform a slow dance. Candles surrounded them, the flames reflecting off the clear blue water and bringing a warm glow, livening up the dreary January weather.
It was nothing short of heart-stopping.
“Baby..” Anna turned to voice her pleasantly surprise of the fairy-tale before her, but was immediately stopped when she had to bow her head to meet his misty eyes. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and the breath whooshed out of her lungs. Tears pooled in her wide eyes and she had to blink them away to see the vision of her husband giving her the perfect moment she had dreamed of.
Harry was bent on one knee, a trembling smile on his lips, and long shaky fingers curled around small velvet box.
“Oh my god.”
“I love you, Annalisa.” Harry cleared his thick throat, but it did nothing to steady his quivering voice. “I love you so much; so much that it consumes every part of me–my heart, my soul, everything…all of me..”
“Oh my god.”
“You have made me the happiest man these past few months… I have learned so much, just by watching you… your kind and generous heart, the glowing aura that captivates those around you…your…” He shook his head with a light laugh, wiping the corner of his eye.
“Harry..” She whispered breathlessly, laying a hand over her galloping heart. It was about to beat right out of her chest, too full. She could hear it pounding in her ears, could feel the erratic beat in her trembling fingertips. She was seconds away from bursting with elation.
“I had this big speech prepared and I just…” He paused, watching as she got on her knees in front of him, the tears now slipping freely down her flushed cheeks. “I’m lost on what more to say…because there are no words that can justify what I feel for you…what you mean to me…how much I absolutely adore and admire all that you are and all that you do…for me…for the little birds….your family….and friends….God, everyone…You are truly an extraordinary woman…”
She stayed quiet, trying to stay upright on her knees to be eye level with him. It took every ounce of restraint in her not to reach out to him, not to capture the teardrop with her soft lips as it found its way rolling down the side of his face.
“And so, instead of going on and on and on like I sometimes do…” Swallowing hard, he then recited the following words he had memorized by heart, his voice wavering with deep emotion and repeatedly cracking at the pure unconditional love that gazed back at him.
“I love you. You are my best friend.
Today–and every day–I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you,
to laugh with you, and to comfort you in
times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you in good times and in
bad, when life seems easy and when it
seems hard, when our love is simple,
and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you, and to always, always
hold you in highest regard.
These things I give to you today, tomorrow,
and all the days of our life.”
With a deep calming breath, Harry popped open the box and revealed the gorgeous ring that held so much significance to them; a ring that she would cherish and would live on from generation to generation. “Annalisa Lucille Caro Wales…will you marry me?”
Anna couldn’t stop crying, swallowing back the sobs that threatened to roar out of her. She clung tightly to her chest, not knowing what to do with herself but simply stare at him, memorizing his face–every freckle, every bump, every flare of his nostrils as he fought for a steady breath.
“Baby..” A twitch appeared at the corners of his mouth, the anxiety bubbling in his constricted chest; she caught that, too.
Nodding enthusiastically, her tearful–yet dancing–eyes glued to his glistening blues, Anna mustered a soft whispering, “yes.”
“Yes?” Harry asked, a watery grin moving across his face. “Did you say yes?”
A giggle escaped her then, her grin mirroring his. “Yes,” she said more firmly, more clearly. Then she exclaimed, “yes, yes, yes!”
“Jesus Christ.. you almost gave me a heart attack, woman.” Harry laughed, releasing a long exhale while pulling the delicate ring from it’s confinement.
Anna presented her still wobbly left hand, still reeling from the second unforgettable proposal, and watched with euphoria as he held her hand steady to slide the engagement ring on her ring finger for the very first time.
Anna shifted hurriedly to cradle his face in her hands once the ring fit perfectly in place, meeting his lips in a lingering, promising kiss. “Thank you.”
“Do you like the ring?” Harry murmured against her mouth, rubbing his nose with hers and pulling her closer to him, needing to feel her against him.
Anna hadn’t glanced at the ring until then, having been too wrapped up in the bliss, too lost in the love in his twinkling eyes to look away. But at the first look of the ring that now belonged to her, another gasp tore from her lips.
“Harry..” She wiggled her fingers, feeling the heavy weight that now brought her a new comfort. She grinned, taking joy in the way it sparkled brightly in the glowing light from the lit candles. “It’s beautiful.”
The peach color sapphire was cut to a heart shape, tiny diamonds surrounding it in doubled frames. The setting had the same design of her infinity ring, the meaningful symbol accented with the same tiny diamonds. It was the most astonishing engagement ring she had ever seen. Although now, she may have been biased. There was no doubt Harry had put a lot of thought into it, a lot of heart, wanting the everlasting symbol of their promised commitment to be a resemblance of their relationship.
“Wow… I love it..” Her dazzling smile was doing things to his belly and causing the thumping in his chest to increase rapidly. His pulse raced when her amber orbs flitted back to him. “I love you so much…So, so much, baby.”
The smile that was plastered on his face grew in size, reaching his eyes. “Are you happy?”
“I don’t think I can get any happier than this.” She answered, truthfully.
In that moment, with each tender kiss after tender kiss, Harry vowed to her, himself, and to the heavens above that with all of his power and love for this remarkable woman, she would remain blissfully happy with him by her side. Night and day. Even if that meant moving mountains and moving heaven on earth to make it possible.
Because that’s what she did for him. Moved mountains. Brought heaven down to earth. Made him blissfully happy. Every single day.
The End
Wild Winter's Day 