Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
He nods, but I can see the doubt in his eyes. Reaching up, I cup his face in my hands. “Hey, look at me. I love you, Hadrian. And I’m not going anywhere.”
A small smile tugs at his lips. “I love you too, Harley. More than you’ll ever know.”
We sit there in silence for a while, just holding each other. The weight of the night slowly lifts, replaced by a sense of calm. I know there are battles ahead, still so much to face, but in this moment, with Hadrian by my side, I feel invincible.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” I ask gently, tracing patterns on his chest.
He sighs, his fingers playing with my hair. “Not tonight. Tonight, I just want to be with you. We can face everything else tomorrow.”
I nod. “Okay. Tonight, it’s just you and me.”
As we drive away from the warehouse, the dark streets of South Shields stretching out before us, Hadrian briefly places his hand on my thigh and squeezes gently, letting me know we’re in this together.
And for tonight, that’s enough.
SIXTEEN
REV
The car ride to Harley’s house is quiet, filled with tense anticipation. Every few moments, I glance over at her, catching the way her hands twist in her lap and the occasional tremble in her fingers. She looks out of the window, lost in her thoughts, and I can tell she’s as nervous as I am.
When she told me she’d bought her own home, I was so proud of her. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I’ve never got round to it. If Harley and I are going to make this work, I need to get my arse in gear.
She deserves somewhere she can come back to when she needs to feel safe. Maybe a place where we can start a family. Who knows what the future holds, but I can say with absolute certainty that my path will always lead me back to Harley.
When we pull up to her house, which is right by the coast, the sight of it makes my heart race. She’s never invited me to her home before, and I feel honoured to be here now. I know this is her private, safe space. And then an unbidden thought pops into my head—who else has she brought back to this place? What about the other men she’s dated? I can’t stop the jealousy that starts to burn through me.
I should have been her first, but I sacrificed that privilege when I left her hurting on the bench by the sea all those years ago. Now this house is about to become the backdrop for a new chapter in our story. I cut the engine and sit for a moment, gathering my thoughts.
Harley looks at me then, her eyes searching mine.
“Are you ready?” she asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nod, offering her a reassuring smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
We get out of the car, and I quickly grab the backpack of clean clothes from the back before, I follow her up the path to the front door. The night air is cool, and the sky is dotted with stars. It’s a peaceful contrast to the turmoil inside me and the chaos we left behind. Harley steps inside first, and I trail after her, closing the front door softly behind us.
She leads me through the house, which is very modern in its decor with glass everywhere, and when we reach the lounge, the floor-to-ceiling windows reveal a spectacular view.
“What made you choose this location?” I ask, but when I stop at the window and look out, I already know the answer. In direct sight of where I’m now standing is our stone bench.
“It was an obvious choice,” she says, her voice trembling slightly.
I take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s ace.”
“I… I want tonight to be perfect,” she admits, her voice shaky. “But I’m so nervous.”
I step closer, taking her hands in mine. “It doesn’t have to be perfect,” I say gently. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. We can just be together. I’d like to take a shower and change first, if that’s okay?”
We ascend the stairs, and I can feel the tension in her grip. When we reach the landing, she leads me down a hallway to her bedroom. The door is ajar, and pushing it open, she steps inside, and I follow. The room is cosy with soft lighting, and the faint scent of her perfume lingers in the air.
Harley turns to face me, her eyes wide and uncertain.
“We’ll take this one step at a time.” I tell her, hoping to ease some of her anxiety.
She looks up at me, gratitude and relief shining in her eyes. “Thank you, Hadrian. I’m just… I’m scared.”