In My Arms

They decided to go back to London together. Somehow paradise had lost its allure, at least for the time being, and Elizabeth wasn’t interested in going back to New York early. Harry wasn’t interested in her going back at all, but the guarantee of spending a few more days with her—even if they just holed up in his flat—was enough for him.

For now.

He watched her flip idly through her script, a bottle of Diet Mt. Dew poised in front of her lips.He’d gone ahead and read more backlash on Twitter and online when she wasn’t looking and it pissed him off.Fucking Perez Hilton called him a man-slut, hopping in bed with Lizzie just because he could.Other sites called it a rebound relationship for Lizzie or insinuated that she was just as promiscuous as he was; a string of failed Hollywood romances: most notoriously Liam Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Sebastian Sam.This was exactly what he didn’t want.He didn’t want people talking shit on her.Fine, call him a man slut or a man whore or whatever.But leave her out of it.

“Hazza.”A smile played on her pouty lips.“Stop worrying.”

“I don’t want to hide my feelings for you, Lizzie.I want to hold you in public, I want to be with you on the red carpet.I want this to last.But it’s been, like, a day and all the gossip sites are full of bullshit.”He sighed and rested his cheek against her shoulder.“That’s not what I want.”

She shrugged.“Fuck ‘em.Look, have you ever seen the classic Disney movie, Newsies?Of course not, it’s from 1992.Were you even alive in 1992?”

“Stop being jealous of my smashing good and youthful looks.”

She pressed her index finger to his lips.“Anyway.Despite the fact it was named the worst movie of 1992, it offers perhaps my absolute favorite quote of all time: ‘people talk; it don’t mean nothing.’And it doesn’t.All I care about is you—not people’s opinion of my sexual decisions.Jesus, I’m a heroin addict for four years and no one bats an eye, but I sleep with a few guys and everyone freaks out.”

“How do you want to…you know.When we land.”

“I’m going to strut out there on your arm and smile because I know, that they know, that I’m fucking you.That’s a lot to smile about.”She shoved her script back into her large purse and then snuggled up against him, twisting one of his curls around her finger.“And then I want to go back to your place and take a long bath with you and then…you know.I’ll let you take advantage of me. Again.”

Harry chuckled.“Hang on just a second, me take advantage of you?I think you’re the one who came on to me first.Sitting on my lap—“

“Your suggestion.”

“It was practically a lap dance.”

“Dream on.” She guided his face to hers and kissed him, cupping his cheek with her hand.“You and those big eyes and adorable dimples and that raspy voice…damn it, Hazza.Even just saying it turns me on.”

He pulled her against him and kissed her deeply, sliding his hand to her waist and underneath her white tank top.“Let’s order in tonight.We’ll eat in bed and just have a naked Thursday.”

She pressed her lips to his. “Deal.”

The intercom crackled and the pilot’s voice filled the private jet’s cabin.“We’re in our final approach to the airport.Please make sure you both are buckled in and all loose items secured.We’ll be on the ground in about fifteen minutes.”

Harry slid his hand to her leg and gently squeezed her thigh.“I’m ready to show them you’re mine.”

She slid his hand up higher. “Good.”

Once the plane had landed and was secured, Harry slung their bag over his shoulder and laced his fingers through hers, leading her out the hatch and down the steps to the tarmac.Lizzie flipped her sunglasses down to her eyes.“Let’s rock this bitch.”

Harry tried to convince himself that the airport was deserted.He tipped his black hat down closer to his eyes, nearly touching his sunglasses.Paul and another member of the security team was going to meet them outside the terminal.They’d hop in the car, get to his flat, and everything would be fine.Better than fine—naked Thursday with Lizzie.Hell yes; that’s exactly the type of evening he needed.

As they walked into the airport, Lizzie’s phone started ringing.She glanced at the screen and then groaned as she lifted it to her ear.“Fuck off, Brent.”

Harry chuckled.Her relationship with her agent was ridiculous.It was perfectly clear they hated each other, but, both benefited from the partnership.Lizzie refused to listen and Brent refused to stop hounding her.It didn’t matter what the hounding was about: Lizzie wouldn’t hear it.

“Yeah, I heard.No, I don’t know who took the pictures.”She cradled the phone with her shoulder and adjusted her purse.“What do you want me to say, Brent?He and I have been in a relationship for four months now, almost five.I’d say that it’s a victory we kept it quiet this long.Aren’t you proud?Come on, I know you’re proud.I fucked him the first night I met him.We could have been having this conversation back then.”

Harry pulled her closer to him, keeping his hand firmly around hers.They were two steps into the airport and he already noticed people staring at them.He supposed he was a familiar sight in London, with his black hat, long hair, and unbuttoned shirt and she was a goddess in jeans, heels, and a tank top.Maybe that alone made them a sight to see; still, he didn’t like it.

“You can say whatever you want to say, I guess.We’re not hiding anything.He’s my boyfriend.”

Harry’s face broke out into a smile.God, he loved hearing her say that.

“Well, no, you don’t have to make a statement.Do you want to make a statement?No, no, unless someone explicitly demands a statement, I really don’t think there’s anything you need to say.It insults people’s intelligence.”She paused, listening to him squawk on the other end of the line.“A private jet.No, we made out right in the middle of coach.You’re a dumbass, Brent.”

If there’d been any question in Harry’s mind if they’d make an easy exit from the airport, it was confirmed as they hustled through the terminal.Several girls had pulled out their cell phones and were snapping pictures of him.He kept his eyes focused on the ground. All they had to do was get out of the terminal and out of the airport.There was no baggage to collect.They just had to keep walking.

A few girls kept pace with him.A giggly brunette with an extremely high ponytail took his picture.“Is she your new girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“She’s really pretty.”

“Thanks, I think so too.”

Lizzie huffed into the phone.“Look, your input is…well, let’s say it’s appreciated, but you manage my career, not my personal life.Bull shit.Bull fucking shit.Whatever, I’ll be back in New York on Monday.I’ll call you then.”She hung up the phone and threw it in her purse.“At least that’s done with.Ugh, he drives me insane.”

Another girl called out to Harry.“You two are so cute together!”

“Thank you.”

Lizzie tilted her head towards him.“They’re a little sweet.I was expecting roving mobs with pitchforks and torches.”

“The night’s still young, my love.”

As they exited the safety of the security monitored terminal and stepped into the airport proper, flashbulbs and the click of cameras exploded like fireworks.A crowd was waiting for them: fans, paparazzi; the corridors leading to the baggage claim was packed.

Harry groaned.Son of a bitch.

He positioned himself in front of Lizzie to shield her from the crush of paps.Her hand tightened in his; he pulled her close, nudging a cameraman away with his elbow. “Watch the lady.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“How serious are you guys?”

“Have you met her dad yet, Harry?”

“What does Keith think about you two?”

Lizzie held on to him tightly, but he noticed she had a slight smile playing on her lips.She was ignoring the paps trying to spark a reaction by prodding her with questions about their private life.His eyes lingered on her for a beat and for a moment, his heart seemed to skip out of proper beat.She looked so relaxed, so indifferent; the smile on her lips was intoxicating: he know what she was thinking.

It turned him on.

She looked up at him suddenly, pursing her lips into a coy smile.God, she was beautiful.He smiled back at her and, in that moment, he wasn’t irritated about the paparazzi or the crush of fans or how much he hated being in the spotlight at times like this.He felt like they had their own little secret, their own little safe place or an inside joke.Yeah, now everyone knew they were fucking.But he loved her—God, he loved her so much—and as long as they were together, nothing else mattered.Not gossip.Not bullshit.Not the ever present paparazzi.Just each other.

It look more than forty-five minutes longer than it should have to get back to his flat.Lizzie kicked her heels off and bent over, pressing her palms to the floor in what looked like some kind of yoga move.“I love the Caribbean, but damn if it isn’t good to be home and out of heels.”

He came up behind her and eased her back up into a standing position, pulling her arms up and around his neck.“You could wear flats when we travel, you know.”

“This coming from the man wearing suede boots.”

“Five foot something with the skinny jeans.”He leaned his head close to her ear, singing softly in her ear.“I don’t want to stop…so give me more…”

She slipped her hands down to his and pulled him towards the bedroom.“Do you want to take a bath with me first or order Thai and then get naked?Naked Thursday, Hazza.Either way, peel those pants off.”

“Bubble bath and then we order dinner.You stay naked and I’ll answer the door; I’ll wear that fluffy white robe you stole from the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.”

“Stole, please, I paid for that and you ‘borrowed’ it from me.”She glanced back at him.“You stole my heart and you stole my robe.It’s a good thing I’m shorter than you or you’d be helping yourself to my skinny jeans.”

Harry laughed and tugged on her hand, pulling her backwards and into his arms.He tilted her chin up and gently kissed her lips.“Before we kick off naked Thursday, there’s something I…ah…something I want to give you.”

She raised her eyebrow.“Hazza.”

He led her to the bedroom and pulled open the top drawer of his dresser.His hands shook as he reached in, withdrawing a square, bright blue Tiffany’s box.He swallowed hard.“I…um…I love you, Lizzie.These past four months have been the best months of my life.And, really, I just wanted to get you something to have to remind you, when we’re apart, that I’m always going to love you.”

She took the box from him, running her index finger over the black letters on the top.After a moment, she lifted the lid.

Inside, on a bed of taut silk, was a silver and diamond infinity necklace.She lifted it up by its delicate silver chain and exhaled deeply, running her finger over the infinity symbol.“Oh, Hazza…it’s beautiful.I love it!”

He smiled, relief washing over him.He took the necklace from her and clasped it around her throat.“I love you, Lizzie.That will never change—no matter what happens.”

She cupped his face with her hands and kissed him.“And I love you, Hazza.More than anything.”

He slid his hands to the back of her thighs and lifted her up, easing her legs around his waist.In a few quick strides, he was at the bathroom door.“I don’t think keeping it on would break the rules of naked Thursday, do you love?”

“I thought you were going to tie me to the bed with those scarves you used to wear in your hair.”She leaned down and kissed him, playing her tongue against his.“Promises, promises.”

“Oh, I’ll still do that.I’m going to make you scream my name tonight—maybe a couple times.”

He let her squirm down to the floor and then chased her into the bathroom, the sound of her laughter making him smile broader.He had everything that he wanted.She made everything perfect—nothing was going to change that.

Nothing.

Notes