17BLACK

Chapter 48

"We should probably go back to the party," I say while tracing circles in the button of Harry's chest pocket. I have my body curled against his as we lay together on the tanning chair, both of our bodies exhausted from our previous actions.

Harry sighs. "Yeah I suppose. I have something for you first, though."

I raise an eyebrow as he sits up in the chair. I follow his lead and watch as he pulls out a small silver object... a ring?

He smiles shyly and holds it up for me to see.

"I'm not proposing," Harry grins. "These are promise rings."

The stripper Harry is gone and my sweet charming Harry has returned. I lay my arm around his waist and lean into him.

"It's not an engagement ring either. It means that we will remain faithful to each other and withhold the relationship." He hands me the ring and I observe it closely.

It's mainly silver, with a black jewel on the top of the band. A thin ring of silver lines the black circle, and two bears are engraved into each side. The bears are the fluffy, cuddly type, their legs kicking the air next to them and their hands resting lazily at their side. I've seen these bears before, on his ring.

I pick up his hand and sure enough Harry's ring is on its usual place, the middle finger of his left hand. His is just the thick, silver band with at least ten bears engraved.

I see him take a breath as if he's going to say something else, but I'm on him before he can even blink in surprise. My arms are thrown around his neck and I bury my head into the collar of the uniform. I sniff and squeeze my eyes shut tightly to blink back the burning sensation in my eyes.

I feel his arms around my waist and I want to stay here forever. It sounds cheesy and cliché, but I'm pressed against Harry at the moment and I smell his familiar cologne and the smell of leather on his skin and his curls against my forehead and his warm hands gripping my back tightly as if I may fall through his arms if he lets go, and I can easily say that I've never felt anything better.

"I wasn't supposed to make you cry," Harry chuckles and I sniff again.

"I am not crying. I'm a man," I say, defending my honor. I keep my face hidden from him, though, so he doesn't see my wet cheeks.

"A man that cries." I flick the back of his head.

"You're such a sap." I try to keep my voice from cracking, but it does between the a and the sap.

I let go of Harry, staying in his lap and looking in his eyes. He smiles and pulls my legs around him so that he's sitting between them. My knees are bent and he sets his elbows on them.

"Says the one crying," he grins adorably at me and leans forward to kiss my nose.

I wipe my eyes roughly with the back of my hands and sniff one last time.

"I hate crying." I always have. I've always thought of myself as one to have a talent for hiding their emotions but I'm a glass wall when it comes to Harry.

"I don't mind. I'd rather you show your emotions than keep them bottled up. And I can't blame you, I'm a serious romantic." I laugh and reach for the ring that has fallen between us.

I stare at the dancing bears as I slide the ring on my middle finger like Harry's ring.

"This is going to be hard to top on Christmas." It's still difficult to imagine that Christmas in two days. I have no clue what I'm going to get him, either.

Harry pulls me into his chest again.

"We'll see."

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