Protected

Chapter 46

I woke with a start, the sound of cry's filing the space as my brain tried to catch up with what was happening. The room was still dark, just the slight hint of the soft morning light creeping in around the drapes, just enough that I could orientate myself and the shapes in the room.

It took another couple of seconds to realise that it was Islas cry's I could hear, spilling from the monitor on the table next to where I slept, I rubbed my eyes and went to sit up just as I felt movement next to me and Harry was already sitting up, he lent over, placing his lips softly on mine before whispering

"Go back to sleep baby, I've got her"

I watched as he stood up, the soft light casting shadows across his naked body, the curve of the muscles in his back rippled as he pulled a tshirt over his head and pulled on a pair of shorts, the white fabric of his shirt highlighting the soft tan that he had amassed in the days since we arrived here glistening in the morning light.

"Are you sure? If she won't settle just come and get me and I can try"

"Of course, you look beautiful by the way" and with a shy smile he tiptoed across the bedroom out into the hallway, I shuffled back and lent back down into the pillow, my heart breaking as I could still hear Isla's sobs.

She'd been a little restless the first night we got here but so long as we FaceTimed with Jenna and Michael each day she hadn't really been upset at all, so hearing her little sobs now was horrible

"Hey princess, aw what's the matter sweet girl, come here"

I laid, my eyes closed listening to Harry soothe her imagining her curled into his shoulder fiddling with the curls of hair around his ears as she tended to do, and I couldn't quite make out what he was singing but I could hear his voice softly soothing her and her sobs became snuffles which eventually settled into giggles.  At this point it didn't sound like she was going to go back to sleep and it was the perfect excuse to get up and make the most of our last day in Italy before catching our flight home tomorrow.

I stretched out my aching muscles and crawled out of bed padding across to the window of our room, peaking through the drapes at the window, the waves were softly crashing on the cliffs below our villa and the sun coming up painting stripes of orange and red across the clear sky.  It was going to be a beautiful day. 

I smiled to myself as I disappeared into our bathroom to shower, Harry was nearly done with filming and would only need about an hour later today, and the crew would be out all day at a local studio, editing etc so we had the villa to ourselves for the majority of the day today and I was really looking forward to some time just the three of us, the pool and the sunshine.

***

"Auntie Loooiisssss... stop sleeping... come swim with us?"

I giggled to myself as I lifted my glasses raising my head from the pillow on the sun lounger to look at where the small voice came from, and there was Isla, perched on Harrys shoulders, fluorescent pink arm bands, her Disney swimsuit and floppy floral hat on her head.  Both her and Harrys hair hung in wet tendrils and both had huge grins on their faces.  I hadn't been sleeping but was laid listening to the two of them play and laugh together, splashing around in the water while my skin relished in the heat of the sun.

"Yeah please come swim with us, Uncle Harry needs a rest" Harry chuckled

"Noooo Harry stay toooo" Isla protested

"Well aren't we miss bossy today" I said as I stood from the lounger grabbing the inflatable child seat from the ground, running into the water to join them, Isla giggling as I splashed them both with my aggressive entrance to the water.