prince in jeans

t h i r t e e n

"Mmph," Harry raised his head, sleepily, as I went about the room early the next morning, gathering my things. "Cel? Where are you...Where are you going?" A yawn left his mouth and his head flopped back onto the pillow.

"Work, lazy," I responded, shouldering my bag and pulling my newly-washed hair into a ponytail.

Harry rolled onto his side, looking at the clock. "It's only six thirty. Get back in bed."

"Can't," I smiled at his insistence. "Need to be there early today."

"Shut up and take that bag off your shoulder."

I laughed and spun around, watching as he propped himself onto his elbows, tattoos sprawled across his bare chest. A slow smile danced across his lips as he noticed my gaze and I shook my head, slipping on my flats.

"Bye, Harry." I sent him a smile and then headed down to the kitchen. I buttered up a slice of toast and had just taken a bite out of it when strong arms wrapped around me from behind.

"Did you really think I'd let you leave without a proper goodbye?" he whispered, his breath hot against my neck.

I bit into my toast, dropping crumbs onto his arms and he huffed into my ear, making me giggle.

"Do you have to go to work today?" He peppered my jaw and neck with kisses which made me sigh and lean back against him with my eyes closed.

"Mhmm."

"You don't seem very happy to be going."

"That's only because..." I had to stop because he was now kissing my earlobe. "You're making it so hard."

Harry laughed, softly. "I'm not even trying, Cel."

"I'm inflating your ego, aren't I?"

"You betcha."

With a frustrated groan, I pulled away from him and finished off my toast as he laughed.

"You've still got a little time left," he complained, stretching his arms above his head and his muscles moved beneath his skin. I blinked, transfixed as he turned towards the coffee machine, his back to me.

My fingers roamed, lightly, down his back as I admired the tattoos that spread down the muscular area. "I like this one the best," I said, tapping a star which said 'what if' inside it. It was located on his side, close to his hip.

"Yeah?" he inquired, looking over his shoulder as the coffee machine began to brew.

"Yeah." I smiled at him and then kissed his cheek. Twirling away from him, I called a goodbye and then headed towards Elena's house where Peyton was already waiting for me.

"Peyton!" I grinned at him and he returned it, going around to the driver's side.

"How are you, Celeste?" he asked, politely as I got in and he copied.

"Great, you?"

Peyton told me his grandmother was terribly sick and the doctors thought it wouldn't be long before she passed.

I sympathised and told him he could go visit her.

"I—Celeste, are you sure?" he sputtered as we pulled up in front of the clinic. "I just got back from a holiday and..."

"It's okay," I soothed, patting his large hand. "Take another few days off to see your grandma. You can be back by Friday."

Peyton turned red. "Thank you, Celeste."

"No problem." I smiled and then stepped out of the car into the drizzling rain. "See you later, Peyton."