Crys' POV

I'm vaguely aware of voices talking around me, but I'm just so comfortable that I don't want to get up and face reality yet.

I can smell Harv's sweet cologne around me, hear the soothing beat of his heart against my ear and feel his hand gently brushing through my hair. It's so soothing, I could stay right here forever.

"Is she okay?" I hear James' worried murmur nearby.

"Yeah. Just exhausted." I hear Harv respond quietly while his hand continues to stroke my hair.

"Are you su-" Jeremy starts.

"I'm fine." I croak out cutting off the beginning of repeated questions.

Wow, I hate my voice after I've been crying...

Opening my eyes finally, I look up to see Harv smiling gently down at me. "Are you alright now?" He asks after a minute of us just staring at each other.

"Yeah. Just tired is all." I mumble. I sit up and move so I'm next to him, instead of in his lap.

"What happened Crys?" James asks, bluntly eyeing Harv off suspiciously from his spot against the wall. "Qualcosa di cui non puoi parlare?" (Anything you can't talk about?)

"You know, I know it's regarding me when you start up in Italian?" Harv grumbles to himself.

"Forgive me that I find it odd that you're cuddling with my sister after you didn't talk all week." James says back rudely.

"It's not like I wanted that." He mumbles back quietly, clearly seeing James' annoyance.

I can't help chuckle at his pouting face. Sadly I'm brought back to the night we stopped talking, how close I came to sharing a kiss with those lips.

Ugh... Stupid brain.

"I'm okay, I think. But Michael called... from jail. I don't even really know how. He said he's coming for me. I know it's not likely but it just set something off, hearing his voice again after all this time." I say quietly.

I don't even realise my tears have started back up until I feel a warm thumb wipe them away. I look over at Harv with a small smile before James speaks up angrily.

"What kind of idiot has helped that fucking nutcase?!" He fumed, pacing just as angrily.

"You're sure it's him?" Jeremy asks cautiously, sitting in front of me on the coffee table.

"Yes. How on earth could I have mistaken his voice?" I ask shocked.

"I'm just making sure. Sorry... How the hell is this even possible?" He mumbles in thought.

"He said the guards helped him. Though who knows with him... he was always a good actor.." I say sadly.

There was a time where I did all I could to avoid being alone with that horrible man. Sadly he was a good actor, playing the roll of loving uncle and I was left looking like an ungrateful brat or a rebelling teen.

"That's it! I'm calling Smith and telling him off this violation, then I'm getting him to call the head of the jail to get this sorted. Maybe we can sue or something..." he mutters as he stalks off, going in his room.

"Are you sure that your okay now?" Jeremy asks, concern and worry the only thing visible on his face.

"Yeah. I'm okay. I think hearing from him just freaked me out." I say looking down, feeling the panic start back up again.

"Okay. starai bene con lui?" He asks without looking away from me. (will you be okay with him?)

"sì. dobbiamo parlare comunque." I say, biting the bullet. (yes. we need to talk anyway.)

I need to lessen the drama from my life where I can. If things don't work with him then okay, maybe I'll see if I can move in with Scarlet and Darcy for a while. But for once I want to try to give into temptation.

Heck, even Lee and Dave have told me if I ever need a place to stay that they can put me on their couch. It makes me grateful for the people I can count on now.

Jeremy just nods slowly before standing up, leaning down to kiss my head and heading towards James' room.

"I best make sure he's not arguing with everyone. We're going to figure this all out, okay?" He says before closing the bedroom door behind him.

"Do you wanna take a walk with me? Maybe we can talk..." Harv offers, clearly nervous about my answer.

"Yeah. I'd like that actually. But let me just freshen up first." I tell him before I get up and head to the bathroom.

I splash some cold water on my face before using a towel to dry it and wipe under my eyes. I quickly fix my eyeliner before grabbing a jacket and heading towards the front door with Harv.

○●○●○●○●○●

Half an hour later, Harv and I are sitting on the soft grassy hill in the park, with a bag of snacks we grabbed on the way over.

"I'm sorry." Harv blurts out after five minutes of enjoying the peace. "I mean, I'm sorry for all of it. Walking off, ignoring you... If I made you uncomfortable or upset." He whispers the last part while pulling a thread on the hem of his shirt.

"I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to push you into all that and I could have tried talking to you sooner, I wanted to. You've been my best friend for months and I don't want to lose that." I tell him honestly, looking in his eyes.

As soon as I'm done though, he quickly looks down at his lap again. I hate seeing him look so glum, he really is a guy made to smile.

I know we both suffered this week, beat ourselves up, and placed the blame on ourselves, but I have to hope that at the least our friendship won't end here.

"I forgive you for ignoring me, I'm not exactly any better when it comes to all that. But why did you just walk off?" I ask one of the questions that's been bouncing around my head all week.

"Honestly, I don't know." He sighs before his hands rub up and down his face roughly. "I think at first I was shocked. Jeremy walking in, part of me felt like I betrayed him and James. Plus all of what we were doing just sort of hit me and I was worried you'd hate me when you realised too." He tells me, looking utterly dejected.

"I would never have hated you Harv!" I tell him firmly. "I was doing the same thing, I wouldn't have it if I didn't want to."

I doubt I'd ever be able to hate him, to be totally honest. He is so selfless when it comes to people he cares about. He goes out and sits alone at the bar when my brother's drag him out so they can hook up. He's laid awake with me just talking about his family back home, just to help take my mind of a nightmare.

We sit there in our own thoughts for what feels like hours, though it was likely only 10 minutes.

Harv clears his throat before he starts talking again, if I didn't know any better I'd think he was anxious

"Do you regret that night? Or that we almost kissed?" He asks finally.

"No. Like I said, if I didn't want to, I wouldn't have." I answer honestly. "What about you? Do you wish it never happened?"

"No. If I'm being totally honest, I really like you. And I was loving every second that I had you in my arms, Crys." He surprises me.

"Why on earth would you like me?" I whisper nervously.

"Why wouldn't I? You're an amazing woman. Intelligent, strong, loving. You've been through so much shit and yet you're still here. You actually want to help others and you care so passionately for those you love." He says without breaking eye contact with me.

How can he think so much of someone so beaten and broken...

"Do you like me Crys, more than a friend?" He asks after a few minutes of silence, as I digest his words.

"Yes." I answer after a minute of silence between us. "I think I have for a while but then you stopped talking to me and I realised how empty I felt without you with me each day."

"I know what you mean." He mumbles and I can't help the laugh that follows.

"What a pair we are." I tell him after I'm done laughing.

His expression goes serious after a moment and I watch him move so he's sitting so close I can feel the fabric of his clothes against mine.

I feel his hand before I see it, as he places it on my cheek. Gently he turns my face so I'm looking straight at him warm chocolate brown eyes. His thumbs gently strokes my cheek as we just sit there in blissful silence.

He looks so much more relaxed now, as if his worries have become practically nonexistent. His lips are slightly turned up, almost like he doesn't even realise they're doing it. His eyes hold warmth and happiness, and maybe something else that I can't quite pinpoint, caring perhaps.

"Crys, would you go on a date with me?" He breaks my thoughts.

I sit there shocked stiff at his unexpected question.

He begins to fidget and his face turns to slight worry, that's when I realise I've been staring shocked. An ear to ear smile breaks out on my face and his brows furrow in confusion.

"I'd love to go on a date with you!" I almost squeal with my smile still firmly planted on my face.

I can't believe he actually asked me.

"Really?! Fuck yeah!" He chuckles, and I can't help join in. "Can I pick you up Sunday at 7?" He asks, knowing my work schedule.

"Okay. Sounds like a date." I beam up at him.

"Please don't hate me for doing this before our date, Crys." He says after a moment of gently stroking my cheek.

"For doing what?" I ask in total confusion.

"This."

He leans in slowly, giving me plenty of time to back away.

But, of course, I don't. I lean forward and connect his soft pink lips with mine in a warm, gentle kiss that just blows me away.

Finally!

I can't believe this is finally happening.

I don't think I'll ever get sick of kissing this gorgeous man.

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Instagram - _lilnickyc_

Early update since I can't update Saturday. I'm officially turning 28 :O

Edited 22/07/2018

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