Uncle Harry

-17-

Blinking several times, I avoid his penetrating eyes and try to think of an excuse to stay in my room down the stairs. Not only do I like the idea of being close to the deck if I want to escape the confines of the house and the darkness of my own anxious mind, but I don't want him to get the wrong idea if I was to move into his room. If I follow his orders, there's the chance that expectations will be made of me that I'm not ready to uphold yet. I was crazy enough to think about him while having sex with Jack, and crazy enough to let him kiss me just the other night, but staying in his room feels a step too fast for me. I twist my wrist in his hold and try to pry it away before he tightens his grasp around it.

"Relax," Harry smiles and tilts his head down to get me to look at him again. "You're easy to read, love. I meant into Arielle's room. It's nicer and more comfortable. Plus... you won't be as far away from me. While you pack, I'll change the sheets and tidy it up, alright?"

Nodding, I let out a breath through my nose in relief. Harry already knew how at war with myself I was over this whole thing so I shouldn't have just assumed he was trying to get me into his bed right away... even though he had hit me with 'I'm not waiting. I can't.' earlier. Because of his thoughtfulness, I closed the small gap between us, pressing one hand to his cheek and carefully bringing my lips to his. He seemed a bit surprised at first, then made a small noise of appreciation and kissed me back, his hands curling around my hips and pinning me to him. I would never get used to the tingling feeling spreading like wildfire along my skin that came with being with him like this. Before things got deeper and heavier than they needed to be first thing in the morning, I peeled myself off of him and began walking towards the stairs.

Instead of packing neatly like I usually would, I shoved everything in the suitcase in a jumbled ball of a mess, carrying anything else I could in my arms, shoes dangling at my wrists, as I dragged myself up the two flights of stairs. Harry was making nurse's corners in the bed sheets as I walked into my new bedroom, dropping my stuff in the corner. It smelled like he had scrubbed over the bathroom with some lemon scented cleaner and the lines in the plush carpet hinted that he had vacuumed, too.

"You don't have to do all that. I'm going to rip them out as soon as I get in bed." I say, resting my hand on my hip.

"Oh, that's okay. I do the exact same thing but it's a habit of mine ingrained my brain. Psycho parents, remember?" He shrugs then grabs the down comforter in its decorative duvet, throwing it over the bed in one slick move. I help him grab the pillows from the floor and toss them on top. "There we go," he sighs, sitting on the foot of the bed and leaning back on his hands.

"Now what?" I ask, stepping closer until I'm in between his legs, my hands not being able to help themselves as they dare to run over his broad shoulders. He brings his hands to my thighs to keep me in place in front of him and it reminds me of the way he did that so gingerly in the water.

"Now I have a phone call that I'm dreading to make. You're still okay with going with me to talk to her?"

"Absolutely. Would seem stupid not to. It's both of us in this." I run a hand through his thick hair as I look down at him.

His dimples reappear at my words and he runs his hands up to my hips and back down to my thighs again, instantly warming me. "Yeah. Yeah, it is." He moves my hips away from him just enough so he can stand up, instantly towering over me. "I'm gonna grab my phone."

Harry goes into his room across the hall while I move my stuff from the floor to the bed, reorganizing my stuff into the drawers that are free and hanging certain clothes in the walk-in closet next to Arielle's things. She has so many cool pieces that I want to ditch my dirty clothes for her statement jackets and bold shoes. I take my toiletries and scatter them onto the bathroom counter carelessly. I can hear the annoying ringing on his phone since it seems he's put it on speaker. It stops after the longest minute of my life and Amelia's voice cracks through the silence.