Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 90

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 90 - Start It All Over Again)

"Oh my God," she breathes, staring into the bag. "Where did you get this? I threw it all away months ago..."

"No, you gave it to Callie to throw away," I remind her. "But she kept it in case you changed your mind."

And made me jump through hoops to get it back, but we won't go into that. 

"I can't believe you would do all this for me," she says through her tears, squeezing me tightly again. 

"I've been planning it for months." I drop a small kiss on the top of her head. "Like I said, I wanted to make everything right again."

"Oh Harry..." (I can't resist leaning down and kissing her on the lips.) "Thank you."

"You're not cross I interfered?" I check. "Getting it all back without asking you, I mean?"

"Of course not! Why would I be?"

"You told me off several times last year for crowding you and trying to run your life for you," I answer honestly. "I was worried you might think I was doing it again."

She shakes her head emphatically as Calvin appears in the doorway behind her. "No, this is completely different. We're back together now, and this the history of us. Of course I wanted it back. And to recreate the night we met, with the same people and the same music... it's just amazing. It's Perfect."

"Don't be corny, Jess," Calvin admonishes.

"Stop eavesdropping," she fires back without breaking eye contact with me.

"I gotta hand it to you, mate. This was pretty awesome." Calvin is addressing me, and seemingly without any sarcasm or menace in his voice. "But you do know you've set the bar now," he adds with a grin. "Imagine what you'll have to do to propose to her. She's gonna expect the world."

"Woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Jess interjects. "We've just had the most tumultuous year imaginable. I'd quite like to enjoy some time together without any drama, before we go making any major life decisions like that."

"Amen to that!" I agree. 

Calvin nods too. "Fair point." 

"So...," I begin, turning back to Jess and closing the lid of the laptop with my hand. "Can I offer you a cocktail of some sort? I don't know if you remember, but I'm quite the connoisseur."

"I do remember, thanks," she replies with a grimace as I eject the memory card with all our pictures on it and shove it into the pocket of my jeans. "You made some vile concoction last time that probably eroded the sink on its way down the plughole." 

Have I ever mentioned that I love the way she sasses me? The way she keeps me on my toes? The incredible banter we have that can turn from playful teasing to sexual tension in the blink of an eye? 

"I can see you haven't learnt anything this past year," I retort. "You still don't give an inch."

"Oh hush," she smiles, reaching up and kissing me again as I grin. "I'll let you make me a cherry brandy in the kitchen, if only so I can recreate our first kiss and get myself all hot and bothered like last time."

"Will you ask me for directions?" I ask, sliding my arms around her waist as she grins back at me.

"I've got all the direction I need," she replies with an exaggerated leer that catches me off guard and makes me laugh out loud. 

"Ha! I can see I've been rubbing off on you."

She gently nudges her hips forward and presses against my crotch suggestively. "Not yet," she whispers, and instantly I feel a twitch in my pants.