Night refreshed, I wake lying on my side. This has always been my favourite room in this house but surprisingly it is the first time I have ever woken up in it.  As my eyes scan the space in front of me, I am reminded of the ambient mix of period elegance with touches of modern hues.

I rest facing one of the two sets of large sash windows that command the outer walls. A radiance of light peeps through a chink in one of the pale blue velvet, floor to ceiling curtains. It casts a line of streaking brightness that darts across the linen bedspread and disappears into the depths of the sisal carpet beyond.

A selection of cushions with hints of red, swirls of cream and grey fluffy mock-fur lay scattered around the floor, most probably thrown from the bed last night to make way for the two of us. Us as in plural, not me as in singular. A secret smile turns up my lips at the thought.

My awakening to the greeting of the apparent brilliant summer's day outside fills me with warmth or is the source of abundant hotness coming from the hand that casually rests on my hip. He is beside me. We are here. Together. Us.

The side of my head sinks so low into the plump feather filled pillows that the silky cotton pillowcases skin soft against my cheek. A Venetian mirrored bedside table supports a glass of water that he must have kindly placed there.

The magnificent apertures of the room that allow the light and air to stream in from outside are surrounded by stunning porcelain blue, stencilled damask wallpaper that adorns the surface of the walls. Regal Georgian cornicing divides the busy pattern from the flawless white ceiling that is so smooth, my eye is drawn centrally towards the contrasting intricacies of the ceiling rose and the ornate chandelier that hangs entrancingly down, surveying the room beneath it. Gilt branches fan out holding candle bulbs that stand to attention over diamond and teardrop cut crystals that tinkle with loveliness.

I shuffle my relaxed body under the luxury of the white Egyptian cotton bed sheets and elevate my head onto my forearm. The traditional Italian-style Emperor sized bed is a sanctuary in which to get lost, either alone or together with him. Pretty ebony colour carved barley twist posts rise up independently from the four corners of the bed, each finished at their end with a stylish pointed flame.

I notice my white lace dress carefully draped over the Chesterfield chaise lounge with its quintessential curved back and buttoned upholstery. The stark contrast of the bright white garment against the navy blue velvet covering is striking.

However, the pièce de résistance of the whole room has to be at the end of the bed. Sat majestically before the English regency, white marble, open fire with its imposing mantelpiece, is a freestanding, double-ended, cast iron roll-top bath that is big enough for two.

The grandeur of this room is crisp, clean, and unmistakably elegant.

There is, however, one thing above all the others that is not usually here and it catches my eye and warms the cockles of my heart as I soak in my surroundings. A small vase of pretty flowers sits displayed by my side of the bed. On the outside, it appears such an unassuming deed but underneath lies a bold statement laced full of thoughtful sentiment.

I roll onto my back to find him, Harry, and he is awake. His arm is slung casually behind his head and his knees are bent up with the book I noticed on his bedside yesterday resting open in his lap. I recall the title - 'You Get So Alone At Times That It Just Makes Sense' – oddly sombre. The author, a Charles Bukowski, is unfamiliar to me but to find Harry reads poetry I find endearing.

As soon as I move, he shuts the book, drops it to the floor and turns on his side to face me. We lie parallel to one another, our heads rest firmly in the middle of our respective pillows. The huge size of the bed makes him seem as though he is so far away from me. He rests his head on his arm whilst my cheek rests on my palm.

"Good morning beautiful, did you sleep well?" There is no morning gruff in his voice that suggests he has been awake for a while.

"Yes handsome I did, you?"

"Hmmm, yes so soundly. I was just about to wake you up to get ready for work."

"Oh, thank you but I'm not working today, got the day off." I smile knowingly towards him.

"Really, so we can spend the day together?" His eyes flare wide as his face lights up.

"Yes, I'd really like that."

Silence ensues between us as we just watch each other. Honestly, I could lay here forever just admiring him. He closes the gap between us.

"This is the best way to wake up." He leans in to kiss me as my hand covers his over my cheek.

"Thank you for the flowers." I tick my head backwards towards the vase behind me.

"You noticed." He sounds surprised.

"Of course I noticed, I'm a florist and we always notice the flowers in a room!" I exclaim fondly.

"Freshly picked this morning but my display skills aren't up to much. Probably no where near as good as yours." He laughs coyly.

His revelation that he has ventured out into the garden this morning to pick me flowers strokes tenderly upon my heartstrings. "Harry they are absolutely perfect." I accentuate 'perfect' as I hold his gaze and bite the side of my lip to suppress my brimming emotions.

"I am glad you like them. Now you were going to show me your exam pieces, do you have the pictures?" He asks, forever the rememberer of every small detail.

I reach around to grab my phone from the bedside table. "Yes, they are here somewhere." I search for the images whilst he shimmies to my side of the bed. Still resting on his side, he joins me on my pillow. "Here they are, the next ten or so are the photos."  I turn the device towards him and explain about the Egyptian neck collar, the gravity piece, the organic vegetable lady and my flower dress. He steals the phone out of my hands and rolls onto his back to take a closer look.

"Wow, these are incredible." He seems enthralled by the photos and I am so touched at his enthusiasm. He glances across at me. "Not only is my girlfriend stunningly beautiful but also exceptionally intelligent and creative it seems."

He holds my eyes in his as I swallow his words, well one word in particular, and I unleash a delighted beam at him because if I were to say anything right now I know my emotions bubbling inside would get the better of me.

He turns onto his side towards me, leaning over me to place my phone back on the side table, then fully rolls onto me effectively pinning me down. His morning glory is rigid, pressing firmly against me and resonating craving through my body.  He entwines his fingers with mine and stretches both our arms out either side of us. His whole body weight is now rested on me as he places the tiniest of gentle pecks over my face and neck.

"You know I got my shot at the doctors this week." Comes out my mouth from nowhere.

He stops mid neck nibbling and glances at me. "Really, why didn't you say yesterday?"

I pout out my lips. "Well because, you know, I thought we should may be talk about it first and last night wasn't really the right time."

"Ok, so do you want to discuss it now? His hands move to clasp either side of my head, looking at me earnestly to assess my thoughts.

"What now this minute?" I frown thinking his timing is a little off as he bulges harder over me.

"Yeah, it's as good a time as any isn't it?" He seems nonplussed about the beast in his boxers.

"Suppose so, it's just a-." I hesitate.

"Just a what?" He urges.

"A proper relationship type talk." I make an awkward face, uneasy at the sudden tension of the subject matter.

He chuckles and rubs his nose against mine. "Yes it is but we are in a relationship and I have never really had sex without protection so it's a big deal for me."

"What, never!" My mouth drops open a little bit in surprise.

"Nope, never." His bottom lip pouts as he shrugs his shoulders.

"Oh."

"Don't sound so surprised", he teases, "I have always been careful because I want to be and have to be. Not looking to have any mini-me's just yet. After what happened with Louis, even more so."

"Why what happened with Louis?" I question.

"Oh he became a proud dad to my godson Freddie earlier this year.  Freddie lives in the US with his mum."

"Aww, that's lovely isn't it?"

"Umm, yes and no." He exaggerates the words. "He wouldn't change it for the world now but when he found out it wasn't, how can I say, exactly how he'd thought his life would pan out."

"Ok so I'm getting it wasn't planned then."

"No, definitely a complete shock. When he heard he booked the first flight to LA he could get and turned up at the airport with the clothes he stood in and a skateboard. I love him to pieces but that boy, honestly! I was due to fly to LA the following day and had to go to his house and pack a bag to take for him. Of course, once the immediate panic of the news sunk in, he admirably faced his responsibility. Most people only see the sassy outspoken no filter Louis but truthfully, he is more deeply sensitive than people realise. Much as he was pressed for a reaction by everyone at every opportunity, he really tried his utmost to do the best by both her and Freddie and keep them shielded. I'm really proud of him."

"Are they still together?"

"No and that was never on the cards but they are both completely united for Freddie's sake and have the support of their families and that is really positive. But, I digress, back to us. I have a medical check every six months and at the last one I was clear. What about you?" He states almost matter-of-factly.

I know to what he is referring and he has every right to ask me. I do not take offence because he has been honest after all. As soon as I found out Jason cheated on me I got checked, more than once. "Yeah clear too." I nod at him.

He rests his forehead on mine. "Guess we're good to go then."  He grins and without hesitation bumps his centre at mine suggestively.

I close my eyes for a split second. My emotional waves are rearing up over me again and I pull my lips into my mouth and eyes go wide in an attempt to stop the threatening tears spilling over.

Harry's face switches from relaxed calm to concerned frown. "Hey, what's the matter?"

I puff out a long breath trying to stem my overflowing feelings. "I don't know." I blurt out shaking my head.

"Look at me." He continues to cradle my head in between his large hands. "I know it seems so full on so quickly. I feel it too. Last night I just couldn't help myself. I had to kiss you, touch you, make love to you. I don't know, I just-, I'm crazy for you. I want you. In the past when it begins to get serious I've always clammed up unable to say how I truly feel and then I've run away scared or they've walked away. But for the first time, I don't want to run, I want to stand very still and tell you how I feel. You have to talk to me, promise me, please don't shut down."

I pull in a deep breath and wave my hands around in the air. "This, you, me, us is all so overwhelmingly breathtaking. I'm so happy, I-." And then the brimming tears spill down my face.

He rolls off of me, pulling me with him into his side and holding me close.

"You know, I haven't had what you'd call a proper steady relationship with anyone for nearly four years because of the pressure and everything. I've just never been in one place long enough to be able to cement anything real. But suddenly everything is different. Here you are and I so desperately don't want to screw it up, not with you. We've got all the time in the world Lily so let's afford ourselves some and take things one day at a time yeah?"

"Yes ok." I sniffle unattractively into his tee in agreement but in reality I have already broken my promise because it all seems too perfect and I don't believe for one second we have all the time in the world. It strikes me that this could be part of the reason for my emotional state this morning. However, I keep it inside and shove it to the back of my mind. This is a discussion when the time comes and that time is not now.

He kisses my forehead and holds me for a while then gets up and wanders into the bathroom, returning with a towel that he plonks down on the side of the bed.

"I am going to make breakfast and if you want to, take a shower. I'll grab your bag out your car."

"I didn't bring a bag." I reply.

"What, why not?" He queries surprised.

"Umm, I thought it looked a bit forward turning up with an overnight bag."

He laughs a hearty laugh out loud right from his belly.

"What's so funny?"

"You are." He leans down to me and pecks my lips. "You turn up here last night looking absolutely stunning and smelling so devine I can't keep my hands off you. At what point when you were getting ready did you think that I was ever going to let you go home once I had you here."

I tilt my head from side to side, a lighter feeling resumed in me at his jokey banter. "Ok, ok, I did think about it but then dismissed it."

He walks over to the mirrored chest of drawers and pulls out some black sweatpants and a grey tee then grabs some boxers out of another drawer. "Here, they'll be too big but they'll have to do. I secretly think you just want to wear my clothes." He winks at me and grins so I poke my tongue out at him. "See you downstairs beautiful." He disappears out of the room with his raspy chuckle following closely behind him.

After he leaves, I flop back on the bed contemplating my thoughts since I woke. I am joined by his tantilising smell that is weaved through the sheets and captivates my senses. When I eventually venture into the bathroom, I see the fragrance sat on the counter and cannot resist having a sneaky sniff. Immediately I recognise the Tom Ford scent not only from the bed, the room and him but also on my clothes, my hair and my skin. Mandarino Di Amalfi is light and citrusy with almost a hint of mint to it. The perfume coats on the fibres of my nostrils and intoxicatingly embeds itself forever as an aroma that I will only attribute to him. So alluring is the odor that it fiercely arouses the fire deep in my core.

Everything about him has this effect on me and at that moment I don't think I've ever felt so sensationally alive or apprehensively scared before in my life.