"And how bad would it look if the boss skipped out on his own Christmas party?"
"No one will care," Harry rolled his eyes as he pulled back to play with strands of my bouncy curled hair. "No one even likes me."
"That's not true," I said immediately. "Heaps of people like you."
"Because I gave them bonuses."
"No," I laughed, until I thought about it and nodded. "Well, yes. But they liked you before that."
"I appreciate you trying," Harry said as his forehead thudded against mine and he held my waist.
"I like you," I said. "Isn't that all that matters?"
"It is all that matters," Harry sighed and I lent forward to kiss him. "You're all that matters."
I swallowed as I pulled back from Harry and I cupped his face instead as I looked at him, I really hoped he didn't genuinely believe no one liked him at work.
Surely, he knew that wasn't true. He has Chelsea, and me, and Niall and Zayn.
I knew Susan thought of him fondly too, but then again she liked everyone.
Beth thought he was hot and Aarav really respected him and said he wanted to build a business like Harry's one day.
I always neglected to tell him that Harry's step dad had given him the company to begin with.
"Don't forget you have a speech to give, that I really want to hear," I cheesed at Harry, getting the laugh I wanted from him and I lent forward to kiss him again.
My simple peck turned into something more as Harry snaked his arms around my waist and kept me held to him.
I smiled against his lips as his tongue slid across my bottom lip before Harry nipped at it and I laughed and pulled back.
"People might get the wrong idea if I'm in here too long," I told him and patted his chest and Harry sighed before rolling his chair back and I climbed off him.
I waited for him as he shut his own computer down and Harry picked my hand up as I pulled his door open; everyone was pretty much gone from their desks, nothing but black screens staring back at us, and Harry and I made our way towards the conference rooms.
Niall grinned at us as we made our way into the room, Christmas music filling the air and lots of laughter and chatter and we joined him as he pointed at the glasses of champagne and Harry got one for me and himself.
"When do you do the speech?" I asked Harry as I lent against the wall, people watching, and because of that, I was aware of people looking at Harry in curiosity.
"Usually at the start," Harry said easily and I nodded.
"Why is everyone looking at you like you're Bigfoot?" I asked, Niall laughing at my description whilst Harry just looked at me in amusement.
"I don't usually join them," Harry said and I frowned.
"What he means is, he sits in his office for the first hour of the party, comes out and does his speech and then leaves," Niall butted in and I turned to look at Harry in shock.
"It's awkward and people can't really relax when their boss is around," Harry shrugged and I pointed at Niall.
"He's different, they like him."
"They like you too," I muttered with an eye roll and I just shook my head at Niall's raised brow.
"Ah, the seasonal pity party," Niall scoffed and I pressed my lips together so I didn't laugh. "I thought he'd grow out of it. Especially, now he has you."
thirteen.
Start from the beginning
