Stranded

Chapter 58

~Harry's POV~

She grabs me by the nape of my neck, pulling my lips down to meet hers. I pull away, looking at her in pure and utter confusion and disbelief.

"What are you doing?" I whisper. 

"Kissing you." she shyly says back. "What's wrong, Harry. I want to know. Please tell me?" she pleads but I shake my head.

"You wouldn't understand." 

"You'd be surprised." she raises her eyebrows. 

"Can we please just...not talk about it?" I ask and she sighs, finally giving up. 

"Okay." she agrees, placing her hands on my chest and I stiffen. Such a seemingly innocent gesture, but pain runs through me faste than water down a waterfall. I back away from her and her face falls. 

"No, Cassidy, please don't do that." I plead with her, stepping just a little bit closer.

"You don't want me to touch you." she says more as a fact rather than a question.

"Please don't take it personally. It has nothing to do with you." I lie. It has everything to do with her. When she touches me...I can't help the want and need that runs through me. How badly I want to hold her close and kiss her and cuddle with her in bed. But, being as that I can't do that, it hurts. Every time she touches me and I can't do anything about it, it brings back the depressing and maddening realization that we may never have what we had before.

"No," she shakes her head. "No, it's fine." her eyes drop to the floor, refusing to look at me. I sigh, my fingers gently lifting up her chin to look me in the eyes. 

"Cassidy, please look at me." I ask and she finally looks up, green eyes reunited with blue ones. Hers are swimming with disappointment and confusion.  

"It's because of her isn't it? The girl you were in love with. That's why you don't want me to touch you." she whispers. I swallow hard and nod. "Can I hug you?" she asks, hopefullness evident in her eyes. I don't want to disappoint her or push her away more than I already have, so I nod, still apprehensive. 

Slowly, she leans towards me, wrapping her arms around my torso and resting her cheek on my chest. I stiffen immediately, my breathing coming out slightly ragged, but I don't stop her or push her away. In a way, having her arms aorund me is a comforting feeling. 

Hesitantly, I wrap my arms around her waist, resting my cheek on top of her head. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until I let out a big, breathy sigh. 

"I'm sorry,." she whispers and I feel a wetness flowing down my cheek.

~Cassidy's POV~

"Stop moving." I laugh. 

"Sorry." he apologizes, smiling and I go back to my work, lightly shading in his eyebrows. When I get to his lips, I can feel my face burning red. 

"I think you're blushing, Cass." he teases, laughing.

"Shut up." I pout childishly and bite down on my lower lip in concentration. A few moments of comfortable silence pass by before Harry speaks again.

"I like seeing you like this." he whispers and I look up from my work to look him in the eyes, which I've just started to draw.

"Like what?" I softly ask back.

"The way you are now. So...calm and in your element. You truly have a gift, Cassidy." he says, making me blush even further. I've never taken compliments easily. "And I love it when you blush." he whispers, his full lips pulling up in a slight smirk