Always.

“I can’t believe you woke me up this early to do this.”

“Is that good ‘I can’t believe you,’ or a bad one?” he asked my rubbing his hand up and down my upper arm.

I sighed, and rolls my eyes admitting. “A good one.” I didn’t have to move from the position I was in, on my side with my head on his chest, to know he was smirking at me.

“I knew it would be.” He says softly and then I continue to watch the sun rise in front of me. It started behind the trees a couple of minutes ago, and now has risen and the orange and yellow colors are reflecting off the water of the lake in front of us.

The excitement in Harry’s face when we pulled up to the lake was indescribable, but if I could I would say he grinned from ear to ear, and his eyes widened and lit up. He quickly pulled me down to the dock and sat me down as he did. He told me to lay, as he did. I quickly got situated and held him because it was chilly outside and still morning and I was still tired. It really is worth it though. The sunrise was so beautiful, we hadn’t ever done this together before. One time we went into Branson and looked down on it from the top of the hill at night but that was all. It was beautiful too, but this was better.

Better because now, Harry and I aren’t just best friends. And better because even if this whole thing doesn’t work out, I know I’ll be able to think back to this moment, and just remember we were happy. It’s strange to think though, that this is one of the most important spots for us. And he’s adding things to it, it’s quite sweet really. My last visit here I was drowning myself in ice cream, thinking about my mom and how much Harry had changed me and now look.

“It’s beautiful,” I heard him murmur against the top of my head where he placed a light kiss.

“It is.” I nod in agreement as we continue to lie there in silence, together.

After the sun finished rising, we still laid there and watched some birds flying through the sky. My eyes began to flutter closed from being so comfortable here with Harry.

“Kel.” He pulls his arm toward him, my still in his hold. “We should get going, still got a lot planned.”

I groaned. “How much is a lot, Harry?”

“Not as much as you think,” he pats me on the shoulder and begins to sit up. As much as I want to just lay here with him, I sat up with him.

I took Harry’s opposite side of his face in my hand and pulled him down so I could give him a small kiss on the jaw. “I love you.” My face warmed up as I said the words. It was still weird, especially when I said it first cause it felt so vulnerable. I was scared he wouldn’t say it back, like he suddenly didn’t feel the same way. But when he looked down at me and smiled, I knew I didn’t need to worry about it.

“I love you.” He pecked my lips and whispered against them, “more.”

I rolled my eyes and get up. “Maybe earlier this morning, cause I definitely wasn’t feeling loving then, let me tell you.” I held out my hand for him and he took it, getting up from his spot and pulling me into a quick hug.

“Ok, get your cute butt in the car.” He says, smacking my butt as I walk ahead of him, turning to give him a playful scowl.

***

“Where are we going?” I yawned, stretching in my seat. We had been driving for an hour, 47 minutes of that (according to Harry) I had been sleeping.

“You’ll see.” He said, smiling out the window. I rolled my eyes and reached into the back seat of the car, opening the box of doughnuts Harry actually did get. I pulled out a maple one and turned back around in my seat bring the dough to my lips. I chewed my bite and looked at Harry.

“You want a bite?” I asked him, watching him play with his lip as he concentrated on the road.

“Sure.” He nods and moves his hand from his mouth as I move my donut in front of his lips and watch him bite off of it. It was such a delicate bite, and beautiful to watch his lips close around it as he moved to pull from it.

As I moved from my donut and took another bite, I felt Harry’s hand fall onto my thigh. I was surprised at first and just stared at his hand on my lap before I looked up at him. “What?” he asked, “is this not okay?” he began moving his hand but I grabbed it quickly putting it back down on my leg. “That’s a no.” he smiles and squeezes my thigh and I swear I could combust.

I finished my donut in a matter of minutes and sat in the seat, starring out the window. I got uncomfortable and crossed my legs, sitting Indian Styles, on the seat. Though watching the tress pass by out of the window was fun, it was getting a little ridiculous to try and find interest in it.

I took Harry’s hand on my lap in mine and began to examine it. I tried not to in a creepy sort of way, I just looked out our hands together, the way the two different skin colors contrasted but still looked so well together. His big hand being captured in my fairly medium sized one made a warmth flood to my cheeks. I was so concentrated on our hands together and how we were an us. We were an us before but now we’re actually us. I didn’t even notice before his lips were on my hand that he had moved them. He looked on the road as his lips left four small kisses on the back of my hand then let them rest against his lips as he continued to drive down the road staring ahead.

His lips formed into a smile on across my hand causing me to give him a small smile and my heart beat a little faster, and the butterflies in my stomach made me feel like i was going to fly away myself. “I love you.” His voice tickles my hand and has me giggling. And the giggles and the butterflies make me want to throw up. I wasn’t going to throw up though.

I leaned over towards him and kissed him on the cheek, rubbing the tip of my nose against his skin before replying with an, “I love you.” And kissing his jawline before sitting back into my seat and pulling his hands back onto my lap.ed in the background

The rest of the ride we were pretty quiet, the radio played in the background. We would have little conversations here and there but for the most part we just enjoyed each other’s company; and I continued to enjoy my hand in his.

It wasn’t long though, before we pulled up to a building that had few cars in the front and wasn’t anywhere near any main roads.

“What’s this?” I asked Harry, keeping my eyes on the tan building in front of me.

“We’re gonna serve food! It’s a soup kitchen.” He says, and I turn to look at him and he’s staring at me.

Though I could tell he was excited by the way he was happy to tell me we were at a soup kitchen, his eyes searched mine as if looking to see if he had made a mistake bringing me here. I guess my expression came off wrong because his eyes got wide and he stumbled over his words coming up with an excuse.

“I-I, I know it isn’t much. I just thought it would be fun, or enjoyable. It’s just some simple volunteer work for people who can’t get food themselves, I thought it would be okay I’m sorry I should have thought of something better—dammit.” His ran both his hands through his hair but I just laughed at him and his rushed words.

“Harry.” I say through my giggles. He looked at me, a little less freaked out than before and asked what. “A soup kitchen is…” I looked around like it was going to help me find the correct word. “an incredible idea.” I smiled at him and a smile grew on his face.

“Really?”

I nodded my head and replied, “Yes, really.” I can’t believe he thought I wouldn’t like the idea. We could go dumpster diving and I would think it was a good idea if he did. I might just kill him after but that’s another story.

When he reached across the center console and pulled me into him, connecting our lips together in a passionate kiss, it took me by surprise. It took me a second before I kissed him back, but then became comfortable and placed my right hand on his jaw as our lips moved together.

“Alright, Harry.” I smiled, moving back a little bit and pecking his lips once more. “Let’s go.”

To be honest, when we were filling up trays and handing them to the near 100 people that had come in to get food during our couple of hours, I don’t think I’d seen so much food in my life. I gave them what the requested, and when some of the people would give me a genuine smile and thank me for taking time out and being there, I would blush and give them a little extra food. It was cute, watching some of the ladies flirt with Harry and he would be just as charming back to them, being the perfect individual that he was.

There was something in the way he looked at them adoration comparing to the admiration looks they gave us when they walked through the line. We were both happy to be here, helping them, and I never thought I would be so happy. It’s crazy how caught up in our own lives and how thoughtless we become, but doing things with the homeless really helps you see all of that. Just seeing how such small acts of kindness make them feel really help get life into perspective.

I think when we left, I thanked Harry 50 times on the ride home, for an amazing day, or date if you will. I don’t think I could be more in love with him than I am. Usually people want it to be just them too but this was so perfect I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

“We should do that again.” I suggest as he walks me to my bedroom.

“We can soon if you’d like.” He says, shutting the door behind us. I walk over to change into some shorts and a t-shirt real quick while I assume Harry just gets into his boxers and in bed.

It had been a long day, and we got to eat after our shift there so we stayed longer. I swore Harry was going to fall asleep driving home, I offered to drive but he said no.

I climb into my bed next to him and cuddle into his chest. “I’d like.” I say, and he laughs a little, and I feel the vibration from his body.

“I’ll call them soon then.” He wraps his arms around me and gently rubs my head.

I kiss the bird tattoo on his chest for burying my head in the pillow and yawning.

“How are you tired?” he asks.

“You woke me up!”

“You slept in the car.”

“Potato tomoato.” I shrug.

“Move in with me.”

What? “What?” I widen my eyes and look up at him as his arms loosen their grip.

He shakes his head and began to explain himself. “I know it’s fast, hell really fast. I won’t be moving for another month though. I would have asked you even if we weren’t together, you know that. But you don’t like being here, I won’t like you being here when I’m not next door anymore, Kel. That’s scary for me to even think about.” He looks me in the eyes and when I don’t say anything he continues. “You’d have your own room, so don’t feel pressured. I just, I love you and I want you to move in with me… you don’t have to say anything now, just think about it.

Notes