Picture Perfect

Chapter 12

VICTORIA'S POV:

'Control yourself, you're the one who set the ground rules' I chastised myself.

We continued walking down the streets of Oxfordshire; his hand next to mine but not clasping it.  I could feel his fingers touch slightly against mine as we were walking so close, each time we'd touch that electricity shooting through my body.

"Toni, are you alright? You seem a little distracted. Would you rather just head back to your home?" he asked me.

"I'm fine. Don't mind me. Trying to think about 10 different things at the same time. It's the way my mind works. You'll get used to me, I promise." I tell him.

He nods his head and smiles.

We continue walking through the streets and stop in at various shops. I pick up a few things and speak to the people I'm in contact with while Harry stands back and watches my interactions.

As we walk out of one shop, he chuckles and shakes his head with a smile.

"What?" I ask him.

"Nothing."

"I have no doubt it is something. Spill it."

"I just enjoy watching you chatting with everyone. The last girl you were speaking to spent a least 20 minutes telling you her life story. You had such patience and really listened to her."

"And why is that funny?"

"No, not at all. The fact she felt so at ease with you says a lot about you. You have this way about you that people gravitate towards. It's undeniable" he explains.

"You sound like Nico. She's always telling me I missed my calling as a therapist." I tell him. "When we go out for lunch or spa days, she says we're guaranteed to be meeting new friends."

Harry smiled and leaned towards me, as if he were going to whisper in my ear. I turned my head slightly so I could hear. Rather than hearing him say anything, he pressed his lips to my neck in a tender movement placing a light kiss on my skin.

"I want to meet your friend Nico. She sounds like a true friend."

As I laugh and throw my head back he grins at me, looking to find some reason for the outburst of laughter.

"Sorry, it's just Nico is not only a true friend, I feel like she's my sister. She's my friend, my confidante – she helps keep me sane. I want you to meet Nico. Hate to tell you this, Harry but if she meets you and doesn't like you, you're out; no questions asked." I tease him.

"What do you mean if she doesn't like me?" His brows are furrowed and his lips are knitted tight in a straight line. "Why wouldn't she like me?"

I laugh harder which makes him frown even more.

"I don't see what is so funny, Toni. Care to enlighten me?" he grumbles, not appreciating my laughter. He looks taken aback, his eyes filled with hurt.

Finally, the graveness of his expression makes me stop laughing. I take his hands in mine.

"Harry I'm sorry to laugh. I just mean she and I have a connection. She looks out for me and I look out for her. There have been times when she's warned me about someone or vice versa. We both learned the hard way if we didn't listen to what the other said, we'd be in trouble. It's like a sixth sense."

I squeeze his hands and pull him closer to me. Gazing into his green eyes I smile and wink.

"She's going to love you Harry. I have no doubt in my mind. Not because of your public persona, but because she will see what a really good person you are on the inside. I'm sorry if I made you feel as though she'd not like you. That was never my intention. Now come on, let's walk around a little longer and then we'll head back up to my place, okay?"