And So It Goes... - Act Two // Book Two

Chapter Ten

Harry continued to check Samantha for injuries despite her protests and assurances she was fine. He kept his hands on either side of her face, searching her eyes for what he didn't know. He was just trying to get a handle on the shock that she was there for the moment. Tears were streaming down her face but he'd never seen her look more beautiful.

She breathed out a sigh,

"I'm alright...I swear."

Harry also sighed but with relief,

"Scare the bloody hell out of me..." He swore.

Samantha smiled as her eyes closed. It felt so good to be in his arms again. To see that his top concern was her well being and safety. To know she was still his love.

She swallowed and opened her eyes to focus on his,

"I love you. And I had to tell you."

"A text message would have done, Nava." He scolded lightly, "You are supposed to be at work today aren't you?"

Samantha nodded,

"I..." She shook her head, "Forget it, it's a long story and it doesn't matter. But I couldn't stay there without coming back here to tell you that I'll marry you if that's what you want."

Harry found himself uneasy with that statement,

"Nava..."

She shook her head,

"I got your muffin...and it just...I realized what I was doing. I won't let you go. So if you wanna get married..." She breathed out a shaky breath, "Let's do it."

Harry frowned. He took her hands,

"Sit down...c'mon." He instructed as he led her into the front room.

Samantha plopped onto the coffee table while Harry sat across from her on the couch. He kept hold of her hands,

"Is that what you think I was angry about? That you don't wanna get married?"

Samantha stared back at him, obvious confusion coloring her beautiful face,

"I-it..." She started, "I thought that's what you wanted."

Harry nodded,

"It is what I want. And if you hadn't said that twice I'd take you up on your offer and we'd be ring shopping right now..." Harry squeezed her hands, "But it's not what you want is it?" He asked softly.

Samantha averted her eyes to the floor. She would have married him. It would have been a small sacrifice to spend the rest of her life with him. But he was right, she didn't want to get married,

"It's not you." She whispered, "It has nothing to do with you."

Harry lifted his hand to her cheek,

"Hey..." He nodded in reassurance when she lifted her eyes to his, "I know that."

Samantha looked back down. His understanding was far more than she deserved after what she'd done the last few days.

Harry dropped his hand from her cheek back to her hand,

"Nava, if you don't believe in marriage...if it's not something you want...I just wanna discuss it. I want us to be able to talk about things. Everything. I want us to be comfortable with each other to talk about the easy things as well as the hard things." He looked down at their clasped hands, "I don't want you keeping things from me because you're afraid it'll send me back there." He said softly.

Samantha looked up, her view now the top of his head as he looked down,

"I'm sorry." She apologized, her voice shaky with tears, "I'm so sorry for underestimating you." She squeezed his hands, "I know how hard it was for you to climb out of that...I don't want to be the reason..." She let her sentence trail off.