The Stacks

Chapter 37: Seller's Market

Once the New Year was rung in, Harry made his move. His house was officially listed on January 3. Both his realtor and I had reminded him that it would likely take time to sell since the market had been sluggish for the past several years.

Imagine everyone's surprise when it sold on January 6.

I was at work when Harry called me in an excited panic. "Shit, Regan! I don't know what to do! Never in a million years did I think it would sell like that. Holy shit!" It sounded funny for him to be all in a tizzy, especially with his proper British brogue.

"That's amazing, Harry!" I congratulated him. "Come to my place after work and we'll talk about it, okay?"

He laughed so loudly I almost dropped the phone. "Where else would I go? I practically live there!"

"Exactly!" I bantered, hoping he would catch my hint, but he didn't. The moment he said his house sold, I had a crystal clear revelation. Not an impulsive decision, but a realization that this would work out perfectly should he agree with my plan.

"Hey you," I said to my handsome Brit when we both arrived "home" that evening. I kissed him deeply, ready to let it take us to places that I had only dreamed about. New Year's Eve had led us to places my brother certainly didn't know about but luckily he and Ilana took a cab home. With everyone else passed out on my furniture, Harry and I had drawn the curtain to my bedroom and made sweet, passionate love in the wee hours of the New Year.

"Hey, sweetie," he said in a low growl. "Stop being so sexy. We have to talk."

"Fine," I said, playing grumpy. "What is there to talk about?"

"I have to find a place to live," he whined.

"Harry," I whined back. "Do I even have to say it?"

"Yes, apparently," he answered, shaking his head.

"Harry, you already live here. You don't have to find another place to live. Stay with me." I said, trying to steady my breathing.

He paused and my heart sunk a little. "Regan, I can't. It's one thing to stay over most nights. Okay, every night. But sweetie, moving in is a big step. Are you sure you want me to live here?"

"I'm sure, Harry. I want you!" I declared. "Here, I mean. Here." I giggled.

"No, my love, I heard you loud and clear. You. Want. Me."

"Harry-"

He interrupted me with a kiss. A deep, earth-moving, soul-stirring kiss. I let him kiss me for ages, until neither of us could breathe properly. Finally, he moved away enough to say, "I guess we'd better talk through some details then. It doesn't have to be long-term, but at least until I can find a place-"

"First, I'm ordering a pizza. Sound good to you?" I interrupted because I was starving and I knew this wasn't a conversation I wanted to have on an empty stomach.

"Perfect." Once the pie was on its way, Harry and I sat down with my laptop. I pulled up my bills spreadsheet so he could get a look at it.

"I'm not going to pressure you into anything, Harry, so if you want to stay just until you find your own place, that's up to you," I told him. "But I would ask you why? You practically live here and it's never been a problem."

"I do like it here," he said with an endearing smirk. "I just don't want you to feel pressured, like you have to take me in."

"For the record, I do not feel pressured," I said, holding my hand up as if I was taking an oath. "If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have said anything. I love you, Harry and I love being with you. So I promise you I don't feel coerced in any way. Do you feel pressured?"