Harry
I bite the inside of my cheek as I wait outside Heathrow airport, leaning against my car. It was a risky move to come here, especially in broad daylight. Not to sound cocky but I know the chances of being spotted are high. The paparazzi haven't been called, probably since I'm not actually flying today, but normally when I come here I see at least one or two people that stop and ask me for pictures and subsequently, word travels fast.
However, I decided to take the risk of being seen because I wanted to be the one that came to pick Amelia up. She's flying in today from New York and originally we toyed with the idea of calling a driver to come pick her up, but I decided not to do that. I told her Gemma might pick her up, or my mum, but I made the last minute decision that it should be me.
I'm selfish and want all the credit of coming to pick her up.
Plus it'll be a fun surprise. She did the same thing to me a couple years ago when she told me her mum was picking me up from JFK. It was right before we were due to move in together. I remember how fucking happy I was so I thought maybe she'd feel the same.
I sigh to myself as a flurry of people suddenly walk out of the airport. My eyes scan over each person, frowning deeply when none of them are Amelia.
I just want my bloody girlfriend, is that too much to ask for? I haven't seen her in a month, which is the longest we've gone without seeing each other since I came home from our break.
On the bright side, though, I finally go my friendship lamp back from Malibu when I was last in California so that I could communicate with Amelia through it. It's one of my all time favorite things. I absolutely loved going out for a little while and then coming home to find the lamp had changed colors. It's the equivalent of a 'thinking of you' text message and it makes my heart so fucking happy.
I smile to myself thinking about it and as I do, my smile only widens because I finally see my beautiful girl walking out of the airport doors.
Amelia stumbles a bit as she rolls her obnoxiously yellow suitcase through the doorway, but she manages to compose herself quickly and begins searching the slew of people outside for either Gemma or my mum since she doesn't know I'm actually here.
I should go over to her directly to let her know I'm here, or send her a text message, but I take this brief opportunity to just admire how pretty she is.
Her hair is down today in it's natural state and she's dressed casually, in black leggings, white sneakers, and a grey jumper with purple letters on it spelling out NYU. I can also just barely make out her pretty eyes and full lips from where I'm stood. I'm far away from her, but not terribly so.
Her eyes finally drift over to where I am and I raise my hand, gingerly waving at her. A smile graces her face at my presence and she practically skips over to me, her luggage in tow.
When she reaches me, she abandons her luggage, causing it to fall to the ground with a thud, and practically throws herself at me. Her arms wind around my neck and I catch her mid air, my hands cushioning the underside of her thighs.
"Hi, love bug," I say, the pet name slipping out. I'm not sure how or when I started calling Amelia that, but it's my favorite pair of words now. I love it.
"Hi, angel," she whispers.
Angel?
I'm not sure where that came from but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it. No one's ever called me that before. Not even my mum, probably because I was an annoying child.
I plant a kiss to the crook of Amelia's neck before carefully placing her down on the ground. My hands now rest on her waist while her's remain on my shoulders.
"I didn't know you were coming," she tells me, grinning up at me brightly.
I bashfully smile, my cheeks heating up for some reason.
"Wanted to surprise you," I mumble, suddenly feeling shy all of a sudden.
Amelia beams up at me.
"I love you, you know that?" she responds.
I nod. I do know that. She shows me every day, sometimes in these small and obscure ways but I still notice it, like when she picks up these chocolates she knows I like or when she makes me tea randomly. She also started leaving these little notes in my belongings that I find really adorable. For instance, I found a pink sticky note rolled up in one of my socks the other day that read "if you're reading this, just know I looooove you xx - love bug". I have no clue when she actually put that in there, obviously sometime before we parted ways, but it made me so incredibly happy. I might have even teared up because of how much I loved it.
Is it even possible to be this in love? At one point in my life I never thought I'd ever settle down. I was casually sleeping around and although I believed so whole heartedly in the idea of love, I just thought it was impossible for me to find that with someone.
But then Amelia came along and everything went to shit, in the best way possible. At first, I pursued her like a hookup and thought she'd just be another one of my fun experiences, in the most respectful way of course. I just didn't expect to want to pursue a relationship. Physically, she was - is - everything I could ever ask for but then we started bonding emotionally and I knew it was much more.
Sometimes I worry it'll all come crashing down around us because it almost seems too good to be true to be with someone who loves me as much as I love them, but then I remember it actually did come crashing down. She had multiple opportunities to leave me, and she technically did. There was the first time when I accused her of using me for a good grade when she was in college because Shannon had gotten into my head. And then there was the second time when she called for a break between us, although I don't know if I'd classify that as a breakup.
Regardless, though, she could have left anytime but she chose me over and over again. Jeffrey, Louis, and Mitch had to drill that into my head so many fucking times but now that I look back on it, they're right.
She always came back.
"I love you, too," I tell my sweet girl, causing her to blush.
I lean down and finally press my lips to hers. It's a short and sweet kiss, the opposite of how I really want to kiss her, but I decide not to attack her lips hungrily with mine since we're still at the airport.
"Let's go home, baby," I mumble. I press another couple short kisses to Amelia's bottom and then top lip, causing her to giggle.
"Only if you have food in. I'm starving," she tells me.
I smile at her and give her waist a squeeze.
"We have plenty in, don't worry. I stocked up. I'll cook us some dinner as soon as we get in," I say.
Amelia excitedly nods in return.
I peck Amelia's lips one more time before letting her go and helping her put her luggage into my car. Its fucking heavy as hell making me wonder what she packed, but after a couple of tries I finally manage to squeeze it into my trunk.
Maybe I shouldn't have taken this car. Betty wasn't as nearly as prepared as Shirley would have been, or Mildred for that matter.
The car ride to our London home is filled with a lot of laughter and talking. I'm glad to see Amelia's in good spirits, not that I thought she wouldn't be but she seems extra happy today. I wonder if something in-particular caused her to light up.
I'm going to make the executive decision it was me, solely to feed my narcissism and ego.
By the time we arrive at our home, it's half past seven and the sun has just started to go down, casting a warm glow over the house.
"You know sunsets are later here than in New York," Amelia tells me as I get her luggage out of my trunk.
I raise an eyebrow while shutting the car door.
"Yeah?" I say to her.
I feel like I vaguely knew that but I never really paid much attention.
"Mhmm," she responds. I lock my car and then swing an arm around Amelia's shoulders, pulling her suitcase behind us as we walk to the front door. "It's weird. It causes extra jet lag."
"Good thing we have blackout curtains here then, love," I tell her. "Are you wired awake right now?"
I drop my arm from Amelia's shoulder when we reach the front door, while pulling out the house key from my pocket.
"No, actually," Amelia says. "I got to JFK around 5 in the morning and didn't sleep on the plane. I should be okay to go to bed later. Tomorrow might be a different story, however. I find the second and third days to be worse so I apologize in advance if I'm in a horrible mood."
I smile. Amelia's version of a horrible mood isn't as awful as she thinks it is, and usually I can soften her up a little bit. It's happened a couple of times where she's been cranky either from lack of sleep or her period or from stress. Sometimes she snaps or is cold and distant, but I've come to realize that Mac and cheese helps, as well as cuddles.
She also likes Finding Nemo and Finding Dory.
"Don't worry, babe," I say once we get inside and lock the door behind us. "I'm sure you'll be okay. Plus if it means anything, your first surprise is on Tuesday."
Amelia shyly smiles at me, remaining unmoved by the front door.
"What is it?" she asks.
I laugh.
"Well it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" I ask.
Amelia groans as I kick off my shoes and drag her luggage through the house to bring it upstairs to our bedroom.
"But Harry," she whines, following closely behind me.
"Don't even try," I respond.
"Please?"
"Nope."
"I'll do anything."
"Hmm suggestive, but no. You'll just have to wait, my love."
Amelia huffs and begrudgingly follows me up the stairs to our bedroom. I smugly grin to myself, knowing very well how much she hates surprises, although I don't think it's the surprise so much as the suspense. She likes surprises if they're immediate but the lead up is working her up.
"Well that's your loss..." Amelia says as we walk into our room.
I furrow my eyebrows, leaving her yellow luggage at the foot of our bed.
My loss?
"What?" I ask.
Amelia shrugs and sits down on the bed, giving me a complacent look.
"I'll withhold sex unless you tell me," she says.
My eyes snap over to her.
"Baby..." I say, feeling my guard being let down. I've been worked up without her for a month, I'm not sure if I can handle another couple days with her sleeping in the same bed as me. Not that I would ever pressure her to have sex with me if she didn't want to, but she made some cheeky comments on the way here that riled me up.
"We can work this out, Harry," Amelia tells me. "It doesn't have to be this way."
I narrow my eyes at her, which only causes her smile to widen.
Pushing down the tension I feel rising in my body, I walk over to her and bend down to her level. I cup her face in my hands and bring my head closer to hers. Her eyes desperately search mine while her smile falters, and I swear I vaguely hear her breath hitch in her throat.
I allow my nose to graze hers as I bring my lips as close others ass possible without actually touching them. She puckers slightly but before she can kiss me, I mumble out "I can wait."
I pull away with a shit eating grin on my face, which is a stark contrast to Amelia's sullen look. She pouts which causes me to reach forward with my finger and 'boop' the end of her nose.
"Piss off," she says, swatting at my hand.
I giggle.
"Love bug - "
"No, don't 'love bug' me," Amelia cuts me off.
I smile and squat down in front of her, resting my hands on her knees. She continues to pout, only causing more enjoyment for me.
"Baby," I say. "Look at me."
Amelia's eyes drift over to mine and regardless of how hard she's trying to seem upset, I can tell it's not real. The look in her eyes is soft, not angry or hurt.
"How about I give you a hint?" I suggest, giving into her small tantrum that I find really adorable.
Amelia pulls her bottom lip in-between her teeth. She hesitates for a moment before nodding.
I won't give her much to go off of since I still want this to be a surprise, but I'll keep it as vague as possible while hopefully giving her something to go off of.
"We're going to meet someone very special to me who's been dying to meet you for ages now," I tell her.
Her eyebrows furrow as she thinks, probably thinking of who I'm talking about.
"Should I be concerned about meeting them? Like nervous?" she quietly asks.
I shake my head.
"No, not at all. They already love you. I've told them wonderful things about you," I tell her. I give her knees a squeeze.
Frankly, Amelia should have met them a while ago but the timing wasn't right.
"Okay," Amelia sighs. "I think I feel better."
I smile up at her.
"So does this mean...?" I suggestively ask.
She shrugs, but I don't miss how her lips turn a upwards the smallest amount.
She outstretches her arms and replies, "Only if you carry me downstairs for dinner. I'm tired and lazy."
I giggle and lean forward, pressing a kiss to the top of her thigh.
"Deal," I say.
I don't hesitate to stand up and allow Amelia to wrap her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. She squeals when I pick her up and peppers kisses to my neck and jaw.
Well now how am I supposed to get through dinner with her being all affectionate? I might not make it.
But nevertheless, I try to push those someone perverted thoughts to the back of my mind while I carry Amelia back downstairs so I can cook us both dinner. My heart feels light with joy spreading through it knowing that my girlfriend is here with me in London and nothing, not even my intrusive thoughts, can top that.
...
So I'm going through Let's Hurt Tonight at the same time I'm updating this book. I'm fixing typos because apparently the first time I went through I did a SHIT job at editing LMAO
I'm also adding some more stuff so the chapters are a bit longer. Y'all might notice some changes if you re-read it.
Speaking of which, I was contemplating adding smut into this book for the longest time. I don't think I will, but I might add some more intimate scenes, leaving out details tho. I've gotten attached to Amelia and Harry and I almost feel like it'd be an invasion of privacy to write about their sex life in detail lol
I'll keep you posted. The series will hopefully be DONE done (and edited) by the time I finish this particular book lol