Carrots With Ketchup

Part 8

            The flight was long and boring, but I got through it. Harry got me a first class seat. I felt bad that he spent that much money on me, but it didn’t matter now. Harry was waiting at the airport.

            I ran to him and jumped into his arms. He squeezed me as I nearly strangled him.

            “Harry!” I squealed.      

             He chuckled. “Hey there, beautiful!”

            He lifted me up and put me down. “I missed you!” I laughed.

            “Come on,” he chuckled again, taking my luggage. Together we walked to his rental car. He loaded my suitcase into the trunk of his car. He opened the passenger door for me. I sat then he went around and got in the driver’s side.

            “Luggage in the boot, beautiful girl by my side, are we ready to go?”

            I smiled. “Sure, but where are we going?”

            “You’ll see.” He wiggled his eyebrows mysteriously, causing me to laugh.

“So,” he said as we drove, “what brought this on?”

“Hmm?” I asked, lost in my thoughts.

He laughed. “Are you daydreaming again?”

I blushed. “Maybe.”

“About?”

“Stuff.” I wasn’t about to tell him that I’d been thinking about his adorable dimples.

“Right.” He smiled again, taking my breath away. “Are you gonna answer my question?”

“About what brought this on?” I shrugged. “I was thinking about you.” Thanks to Louis, thought I wasn’t about to mention that part.

Harry’s smile grew, looking pleased. He pulled into the parking lot of his hotel.

“Is this where we were going?” I teased.

“No, we have to walk from here,” he said apologetically.

I sighed. “Fine. I guess I can walk.”

He saw right through my façade, poking me in the ribs as he said, “Awe is it gonna kill the poor princess to walk a little?”

I smiled and shoved his arm. “Hey, I am nobody’s poor princess.’

I climbed out of the car and he got out right after. He paid a bellhop to take my stuff up to his room and I thanked him. Then I tentatively took Harry’s hand as we began to walk. I flushed a little, but it faded when he squeezed my hand reassuringly. The sun began to set as we walked, so I really had no idea where we were going until Harry announced, “Here we are.”

I gasped. We were at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. My mouth fell open. “Oh, Harry!”

He laughed, looking down at me. “To the top, then?”

Taking a steadying breath, I said, “Okay. But you have to hold onto me the whole way, okay? I get anxiety in elevators and I’m scared of heights.”

Gently, he placed a shy kiss on top of my head. “I’ll hold you the whole time,” he promised.

And he did. He rubbed my back and shoulders comfortingly, whispering reassurances as we rode the elevator up. When we stepped off at the top, he held me back from the edge. The sun had descended and I gasped at the beauty of Paris nightlife.

“Oh Harry!” I cried, tears springing to me eyes. “This is a dream come true! Thank you!”

Tenderly, he placed his left hand on my cheek. I leaned into the warm touch and turned towards him. Slowly, as if to affirm that it was okay, he placed his right hand on my other cheek. I raised my hand to hold his there. My breath caught as he began to lean in. This was it. We closed our eyes and he kissed me. It was passionate and warm. I could taste his minty breath as our lips parted. I wrapped my arms around his neck and entwined my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to me. Simultaneously he slid his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. This was exactly what I wanted. Or…was it?

When we finally pulled back, I remained in his arms, my ear against his chest, overlooking Paris and listening to his heartbeat. He kissed the top of my head again before resting his cheek on it. After a while, I laughed.

“What are you laughing about?” I could hear as well as feel him smiling.

“I guess I can cross that one off my bucket list. Must not be a ‘one’s the limit’ thing after all.”

He chuckled too and then fell silent. “Josée?” he murmured after a while.

“Hm?”

“Will you…be my girlfriend?”

I was quiet a moment as tears flooded my eyes. “Oh Harry, yes!” I whispered. I tilted my face to his and we kissed again softly. The tears spilled down my cheeks as I snuggled back into his chest. He took them as tears of joy. In a way, they were. But mostly they were tears of sadness at what could have been.