Afterlife: Redemption

36

HARRY

I had to bite the inside of my lip, my cheeks paining me from holding back the laughter that threatened to bubble up as I watched her. I knew she wasn't trying, but she was adorable. Absolutely fucking adorable.

At the moment, she was leaned back in her chair, her angle quite awkward and unnatural. Even more so considering the posh restaurant we currently sat in. She was breathing deeply, almost as if she were in labor, her hands resting gingerly on her stomach.

She was completely stuffed, and her reaction was hilarious.

We had started the evening out as I figured we would; her protesting at my extravagant choice of location, fretting and pouting. Mia had warned me that would be her reaction. And if I had come to learn anything of this girl in the last eight months, it would be that she hated flashy displays of wealth almost as much as she hated attention. So when I all but had to tie her to the chair to make her stay, I wasn't surprised or annoyed. I had been warned.

I wasn't about to tell her what this was costing. I was honest when I told her Sophia had set this up for me. They afforded her free stays on occasion, and she offered one to me for tonight. She was thrilled that I had found a girl, seemingly even more amazed than my mates. I wasn't sure if I was pleased or offended by this. But I definitely appreciated her helping me out tonight, because I wanted it to be special.

What it was costing me, was this meal, and the extras I had waiting for us in our room. I wanted tonight to be a night for her to remember, and with Sophia's help, had the room set with candles, roses and petals. All that romantic frilly shit she assured me girls loved. I was thankful for her, since if I had gone with Louis' suggestions, it would have been much less romantic and probably offensive.

But I wasn't worried about the cost. This was the first time I ever actually wanted to spend a crazy amount on anyone, even myself. I wasn't rich by any means, but I was comfortable. After my parents died, I was their sole beneficiary. Their life insurance policies made it so I would probably not have to worry about money for quite some time. Maybe ever. I never spent it, though. I never wasted what I would give back in a heartbeat to have them with me again. What a slap in the face that would be, yeah? Waste the money on stupid assed shit. No. I wasn't that person. Really, other than a flight home once to see my nan for her birthday, I hadn't spent a dime of it. It stayed holed up in an account back home in London, where it was going to stay.

I held down jobs during school that paid for my rent, food and all that shit. My scholarship took care of tuition, but I still had to live. But I wasn't going to live off my parents funds. I had to do that on my own. So I worked, and I saved. One of the benefits of not being particularly party inclined was that while your mates spent their money on clubs and booze, you saved and stayed home with a book.

This was my one chance to splurge. And in a way it was just as much for me as her.

Lane had been hesitant to order anymore more than water and a breadstick once the menus arrived, and I all but had to order for her before she finally chose something of actual substance. I had to hand it to them, the food was excellent. Her reluctance went right down the toilet once she started eating, commenting more than once about how it was the best meal she had ever had. We had shared a dessert; some little chocolate flourless cake thing that was pretty good, although I only got a couple bites of it. I didn't want to lose a hand getting between my girl and her chocolate.

Watching her make her little noises, trying to find a comfortable position in her chair while her stomach protested against the confines of her dress, I couldn't wait to get her upstairs. Of course, sexy time was probably not the wisest of choices when she was about to explode, but God, did she always have to make such sexy sounds? It was like she was hardwired right to my cock.