Who'd You Rather? (H.S.) [ONGOING]

Part Sixty

The two of them brought their wine out to the pool, sans glasses, just like before. The sun was shining brightly, its warmth wrapping all around them. Tegan loved southern California for that reason alone. It was well into fall already and the weather was still so warm. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to live anywhere else.

When she slipped the sundress off her body and set it down on the lounge chair by the pool, she heard Harry let out a groan. She looked up, finding him looking back at her as he stood there with his shirt completely unbuttoned. She couldn't help but smile as her eyes flit up his tattooed covered abdomen to his chest.

"As I've already imagined, you look utterly mouthwatering in your swimsuit," he commented, causing a tingle of pleasure to skate up her body.

She cocked an eyebrow as her eyes shamelessly dipped down his fit-as-hell chest again, biting at her lip.

"You better stop looking at me like that, Tegan, or we're not going to make it into the pool," he warned and she let out a laugh, rolling her eyes at him.

"Just admiring you," she mewled, a smile still wide on her face.

"Mm-hmm," he hummed, slipping the shirt off his body, setting it next to her sundress.

"Gonna need a cold shower," he mumbled as he walked toward the other side of the pool and stepped up to the edge of it before diving straight into the deep end.

She giggled to herself as she took a gulp of the wine before she walked toward the pool steps and waded toward him in the deep end, the lukewarm water causing goosebumps to skate across her flesh.

"Not gonna jump in?" He called to her as he treaded water, holding onto the side of the pool.

"Not quite yet," she said with a smile.

"C'mon. The water's nice," he said, trying to entice her as he kicked off the side of the pool and swam toward her.

"I will. Don't worry," she giggled as he came up to her, wrapping his arms around her body.

"Thank you for coming over," he cooed as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

"Thank you for having me," she said, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"I missed you," he breathed against her lips.

"Missed you too," she sighed, kissing him again.

Oh, she loved him so much.

"Um, so, uh. I, uh... I wanted to tell you..." Harry stammered, looking as if he was a little bit nervous.

"What?" She asked, smiling sweetly at him as she brought her hand up to swipe his wet curls off of his forehead.

"I have to go to Italy in a week and a half," he told her and her whole stomach sank immediately.

It took everything she had in her to keep her expression from falling with her stomach. She knew the day would come where he would have to fly to a far-off destination, leaving her behind. She'd been trying to mentally and emotionally prepare herself for it, but it didn't mean she hadn't been dreading the day.

"For how long?" She asked, trying not to sound so taken aback by it.

"Uh, probably a week. Then I was gonna fly home to visit my mum for her birthday," he explained and she felt the tension in her heart.

"Oh."

"I'd be gone no longer than two weeks," he told her.

Another two weeks. It felt like she just got him back from his two weeks in New York. But she had to remind herself that this was what his life looked like — constantly traveling. It always had been and she was sure it always would be. She knew she needed to get used to it if she planned on their relationship lasting. Which, of course she did.