"I'll be back around seven. Meet you at the gallery?"
Harry's grip on her hips tightens slightly as he pulls her closer and his warm, minty lips press to hers sweetly. "That's far too long, but okay."
Carter smiles against his lips, her hands resting on his arms. "You'll live. I'll miss you."
Harry grins, she used to hardly ever say those three words to him but after a few years together she tends to say them more often than not, and he loves it every time that she says it.
"I'll miss you more. Have fun giving away your masterpiece, they're always beautiful."
Carter stands on her tows and gives his lips a quick peck. "Thank you, I can't wait to see yours later. Please don't dress weird, it makes me want to laugh at you all night."
His laugh rings in her ears and gradually bounces off of the moderately thin walls, "Define weird?"
She playfully swats his chest and rolls her eyes. "Those weird prints of yours! I do like those black and white floral pants though, so those are the exception."
Harry playfully rolls his eyes in return. "Okay, for your sake I won't be completely myself tonight with me weird prints."
He leans down and kisses her again before letting his hands fall free. The clock on the wall is already telling him that he's going to be late. "I've got to head out now. I love you!"
Carter beams as she slips her feet into her boots, "Me too, love you!"
The door is nearly shut when Harry pops back in with a massive grin overtaking most of his face. "Don't forget, gallery at seven!"
A small laugh passes her lips before she calls back, "I won't! Don't forget, no weird printed suits!"
His laugh erupts from the hall and she's certain that their already pissy neighbors will be even more pissy with them after this. It isn't their fault that the walls are thin and that they're adults that like to have sex.
She leaves a little after Harry does, her thoughts consumed with how beautiful the city of lights is even in the daylight. They've been in Paris for about a week now and she's still captivated by every little thing that she sees.
The scents that fill the streets, the attire, the streets themselves, and the architecture, everything about Paris is wonderful, even if a few people are grumpy and the weather is pretty much terrible most of the time.
What Carter loves the most about Paris, though, is the single fact that she's here with Harry and they're both doing something that they're extremely passionate about. They've been together for about two years now and she feels so much better than she ever has.
He's constantly wonderful to her and his art is beyond magnificent. Carter's secretly glad that she got him instead of Aurora, because his heart is gigantic and so full of love and she loves knowing that it's hers.
Since her win on Everlasting Ink, she's been swamped with work. Everyone wants her to come to their shop and work for a day or two and everyone wants a tattoo from the 'famous' Carter Holloway.
There's been quite a few magazine shoots as well, which only serves to further her work load and her name.
Carter loves that she's been able to open up a few more shops in different locations and that people adore her masterpieces, but sometimes she wishes that it would just slow down so that she can spend more time with Harry.
Things have been picking up for Harry too. His art is practically flying from the warehouse faster than he can create it and his photos go even faster. Constantly, he's having art shows and being invited to gallery's all over the world.
Sometimes they even get lucky and have to be in the same place at the same time. It's rare, but when it happens their trips are very special and they fall in love more and more with each day that they get to spend with each other.
Sure, they have fights every now and again just like any other couple, but they're never big fights and they always end up back in the same bed at the end of the day.
Most days, Carter's thoughts are occupied with him and everything about him and the same goes for Harry.
Pandora swears up and down that he's going to ask her to marry him soon, but Carter pushes the thought aside and shrugs her off like it's nothing.
It's not that she doesn't want to marry him, she's just afraid because the last time she was engaged things went horribly wrong. She adores the man and everything about him, but she doesn't know if she's ready for that kind of commitment, doesn't know if she feels comfortable starting a family and settling down with another artist who changes his mind just as much as she does.
Her day goes by pretty fast even though the hours are long and painful for her clients and, before she realizes it, it's time for her to head back to the hotel to chance and then meet Harry at the gallery.
The streets are crowded and the lights are absolutely breathtaking. Carter doesn't bother trying to push past people in her rush because she's far too caught up in the beauty of the city. She knows that Harry will be waiting on her, but she just can't help it. The city in itself is a masterpiece and she can't help getting lost in its beauty.
Her walk back ends up taking about an hour and she has to rush to get ready. Sure, she could've just gone without any makeup or anything fancy, but these things are supposed to be super fancy and she doesn't want to be the odd one out or to embarrass Harry.
It's nearly eight when she finally makes it to the gallery. She can't find Harry anywhere in the crowd of people, so she decides to just look around a little bit on her own until she can find him.
Everything is just as beautiful as the city outside and she's immediately enthralled. Her eyes wander from paintings, to photographs, and to drawings and she never wants to look away. That's the problem with Harry and his art: she never wants to look away.
There's a massive piece on the far wall and she can't really make out what it is between all of the people and the distance and she still hasn't found Harry. She makes her way over to the piece anyway, her curiosity getting the best of her.
The thing is massive! Carter's eyes are wide and bright as she absorbs every little detail. He'd drawn it in charcoal of all things and it looks a little bit like inception. A large frame stands out In the background and there's a woman in front of it. In front of the woman is a man on one knee with a small black box in his hands and the words 'Will you marry me?' sprawled out next to him in Harry's neat handwriting.
And then it hits her. The woman is her and the man in front of her is Harry. He's going to ask her to marry him tonight.
Intent to find him, Carter turns around and starts looking again. But he's already behind her and down on one knee with a small black box in his hands and a wide smile on his lips.
She looks at him with wide and glossy eyes, trying her best not to give in to her urge to run away or throw her hand up and over her mouth.
"You're late, but I'm still willing to ask anyway. I had this speech planned out and everything but there really aren't any words that I can say that I haven't said to you already or words that will quite capture what I want to say. So, Carter Alexandra Holloway, will you marry me?"
Everyone in the room is staring and waiting for her to answer. Her heart says yes and her mind says no. Carter can't breathe.
The words fall from her lips before she can stop them, her heart winning the war against her mind. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!"
Suddenly the room bursts out in cheers and claps and there are tears falling from her eyes. Harry slides the beautiful diamond ring on her finger and stands up to pull her into his arms and kiss her deeply, making it ten times harder for her to breathe.
His hands move to her cheeks and he's smiling against her lips. She can't help but to smile too even though her heart is threatening to leap out of her chest and her lungs are ready to collapse.
He pulls away and she practically gasps for air. Harry does something similar, but far less dramatic and his smile rivals the light from the entire city outside as he tells her the familiar three words that he's been telling her for so long now. "I love you so much."
Carter grins and shuts out the negativity in her mind entirely as she rests her hand on his cheek. "I love you too. And the fact that you listened to me and didn't wear those weird prints just to spite me."
The two burst out in laughter, "I actually wasn't planning on wearing them tonight anyway, but for the record, they still aren't weird."
She laughs loudly and leans into his embrace, "Shut up."
* * *
Carter rests her head on Harry's chest. She's wide awake and the sun will come out soon.
They went back to their hotel room around midnight after Harry finished his business at the gallery, which included showing off his new fiancée.
Of course, their neighbors were pissed about their noise level earlier in the day and shouted at them the moment that they entered the hall. And of course they ignored them to go inside and get right to the slow and passionate after-engagement sex.
Now, hours have gone by and she's still wide awake with her head on his chest and his heartbeat and soft snores filling her ears.
Her mind is racing at a thousand miles an hour and her body is at war with itself. She desperately wants to stay and she desperately wants to leave because she's entirely overwhelmed.
Harry's sleeping soundly with a soft smile on his lips, he's even happy in his dreams, and small snores escaping every so often.
He's beautiful and he's everything that she's ever wanted, so why is she so conflicted because he's asked her to marry him?
Has she settled down too soon? Is this the right choice?
Carter's in a constant debate with herself as she gets out of bed and starts to get dressed. Harry's still sleeping when she leaves, and she hopes that he'll be alright because she really does love him, she's just not ready for this yet and she doesn't have it in her to just tell him that.
The morning sun peaks through the curtains in warm rays. Harry wakes up to brightness behind his eyelids and the absence of warmth in the bed beside him.
He doesn't panic though because sometimes Carter gets up before him to make breakfast, or to use the bathroom, or to tattoo a special client somewhere, so it's not exactly common or uncommon. It just happens sometimes.
It's freezing outside, but it's warm under the blankets and it's almost lulling him back to sleep.
Harry turns over on his side, a small smile on his lips as he sees the imprint that she's left in the mattress.
Moments later, his heart drops and his lungs stop working.
Her engagement ring is on her pillow, gleaming in the morning light, and a ripped piece of paper is beneath it.
With trembling hands, he picks up the ring and the paper, tears already streaming down his cheeks like steady rainfall.
I'm sorry.
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has read, voted, commented, or all three on this book! You're support means so much and I sincerely hope that you enjoyed reading this little spurt of my imagination.
DON'T PANIC: THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL.
The sequel will be called The Artist and will be posted as soon as I get the first chapter written and, for those of you that go on to read the sequel, thank you so much and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it :)
ALSO: Along with a sequel, I have created a book for 'deleted scenes' that is titled EXTRAS. If you would like to read more of Masterpiece (the sequel as well), then that's the place to go!