Elude [H.S.]

TWENTY-EIGHT

*This is a double update. Please read 'TWENTY-SEVEN' first.*

Once Harry and I make our way back into the living room, I release his hand - heading down the opposite hallway to the guest room to retrieve my overnight bag. I can't help but have deja vu from the Halloween party as I drape the strap of my bag over my shoulder. The last thing I expected tonight was to reconcile with Harry, but I could tell from the look in his eyes when he saw me that he wasn't thinking about anything else but that.

I head back out of the guest room and see Grey, Lyn and Harry all talking in the foyer with each other. I'm sure he's informing them on what's going on and how he'll get me back to their house tomorrow to be picked up like we used to do.

As I approach them, I watch as Harry's face lights up and he walks forward to take my bag from me, putting the strap over his shoulder before taking my hand, lacing our fingers.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks.

I give him a nod and then turn to Lyn, giving her a hug with my free arm. She rests her cheek against mine so she can speak into my ear. "Just be in the moment, sweet girl. He wants this just as much as you do - don't overthink it."

Her words do grant me a rush of relief and I tighten my arm around her. "Thank you, Lyn, for everything."

We pull apart and I feel Harry give my hand a squeeze as we turn and walk out of the house. There's already a car waiting for us out front and Harry quickly opens the door to the backseat of the Uber for me. I thank him as I slip inside and he goes around to the other side. He places the bag between our legs on the floorboard and I instantly feel his hand wrap around my thigh. I let my hand slide down to trace shapes with the tip of my index finger against the back of his hand.

My body tingles all over just being this close to him again.

With the way that he kissed me inside that study, I know I would've been a puddle on the ground had he not been holding me up so well. He always gets me weak in the knees, but since it has been so long since I had him that way my body was so overwhelmed. I wanted to cry with just how grateful I was to have him hold me that way, to have him kiss me that way. God, just to have him even look at me the way he did.

I was shocked when he told me he was no longer with Natalia. Part of me felt guilty for that - like it was my fault that he couldn't be with her completely. I also had to remind myself that Harry made the decision himself to end things with her and I can't help the way that he feels about me.

But I'm so happy that he still feels the way he does.

Once we get to Harry's, we climb out of the car and make our way up to his loft. We step inside and I do my best not to let all the bad memories flood back, just like last time, but with the newest memory being me making a fool of myself for showing up uninvited and then bolting out the minute he called me 'baby'.