Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 78

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 78 - There's More To Discover)

I think I'm more excited for Jess's birthday than she is. I set my alarm for six thirty so I can make her breakfast in bed, and when I return to the bedroom with the breakfast tray laden she is still half asleep and looks undeniably adorable as she rubs her eyes with the heel of her hand, her blonde hair sticking up at the back of her head and looking all tousled and sexy. 

"Hey, birthday girl."

"What time is it?" she mumbles.

"Just before seven. I wanted you to wake up in plenty of time to enjoy breakfast and open your presents."

I retrieve said presents and card from my bedside table and set them in front of her on the bed. She opens the card first - she's far more mature than me who would have ripped the paper off the gifts immediately - and grins at the wording on the front ("to my girlfriend") and the picture of the bear holding a balloon.

"That bear looks almost as squidgy as you," she remarks, and I suppress the smile threatening to break on my face. Although I pretend to hate the nickname Squidge, deep down I secretly love it. 

"I'll let you get away with that comment, seeing as it's your birthday," I sniff haughtily.

"Yes it is," she grins, and leans towards me to emphasise her next words. "All day."

I hand her the bracelet. "Open this one first."

She opens it carefully, barely making a tear in the paper, and slides thin box out. Her eyes widen as she opens it, and she looks up at me in surprise.

"Do you like it?" I ask, and to my horror she stares down at it and shakes her head slowly.

My stomach drops. 

"You don't like it?" 

"No!" she says quickly. "I mean, yes. I mean, I love it! Oh my God, Harry. I'm... I'm just lost for words."

Jeez, don't do that to me, woman.

"You had me worried there for a moment," I grin.

"Sorry, I just... I can't believe it," she breathes. "It's incredible. You've spent so much on me already for Christmas..."

I knew she'd be onto that!

"I happen to think you're worth spoiling," I declare firmly. "No arguments."

I take the bracelet out of its slender box and she extends her wrist to me so I can fasten it. She moves her hand back and forth, making the diamonds sparkle brilliantly in the lamp light. I'd forgotten just how lovely it is. Or maybe it just looks even more stunning when it's on Jess - she could make the ugliest thing look beautiful.

My stomach clenches nervously as I hand her the second present - the specially created photo. I'm pretty sure she's gonna love it and I don't take my eyes off her face as she removes the paper. As she turns the frame over to observe the photo I feel I need to explain. 

"OK, so there's a story behind this. The photos were taken of us at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, at the band's final show of the tour. They were taken at exactly the same time, as we were looking at each other. I was singing the last line of Perfect... to you." Her eyes are looking dangerously watery. I feel a strange wave of emotion myself, and fight the small lump that is trying form in my throat. "Obviously we weren't photographed in the same shot," I continue, "but you were smiling at me and I was smiling at you, and I just thought it captured us perfectly... so to speak. And if you look closely you'll notice that it isn't actually just a photograph. All the lyrics I have ever personally written about you, in a song recorded by One Direction, are in this picture. The words make up our hair, if you look closely."