Page 146 of Harrison's Wedding

I love her, and as much as I want to be back with her officially, I can completely understand her hesitation. Being seen anywhere in public will put pressure on our situation, without a doubt. So I lower my head to hers and kiss her quickly to let her know that I’m not upset by this decision in any way.

“I don’t have anything planned this weekend. We’re flying to Los Angeles on Wednesday to start promotion forGames We Play, so this is my last free weekend for about a month, though,” I warn her.

Heather chews her bottom lip and thinks about it for a second before nodding her head. “I don’t have anything on this weekend, either. If you bring some clothes, maybe we can have a sleepover.”

“You actually want me to wear clothes?” I tease her.

“Good point. Don’t bring anything and I can spend all weekend playing guitar.” She gives me a wicked grin.

“Sounds like a solid plan,” I laugh.

We go our separate ways, then meet back up at her apartment on Friday evening. She cooks dinner for us and we sit and talk for a couple of hours while we have a few drinks. We spend Saturday and Sunday having sex, talking, and just being together. On Saturday afternoon, I respond to emails on my phone with Heather lying on the sofa and using my lap as a pillow. It’s so beautifully normal, and my heart feels so full.

On Sunday night, we’re lying in bed together after having sex. Heather is wrapped in my arms, and I’m completely content; satiated after making love to her, and at peace just lying here with her.

“So, you have to tell me the truth,”—

She turns her face up to mine, looking very serious. My heart begins to thud in my chest. She’s going to ask about the night I slept with Maddy. Can I tell her the truth now? I’ve talked about it with Brendan, but telling Heather…

The thought alone is painful. What we have suddenly feels bitterly fragile, and I don’t want to break it. But if she asks me, I don’t want to lie to her anymore.

—“who chose the release date for the album?” she finishes.

Relief floods through me. It wasn’t the question I thought she was going to ask, and I can’t help but grin at her.

“You want to know if I was so tragically desperate for you that I insisted we release our next album on your birthday?”

“Pretty much,” she laughs.

“I can’t lie; I did suggest the date on a whim, but everyone agreed to it, and it worked with the schedule for the release. I think everyone just felt sorry for me and gave me what I wanted.”

I like that Heather’s birthday is going to be celebrated with an album release. No matter what happens, her thirty-first birthday will always be the day we releasedGames We Play.

“Well, I mean, it’s not as good as having an entire album dedicated to you like Ariana got, but I guess I’ll take what I can get,” she winks at me.

I laugh, then drop my head and kiss her before saying, “Cheeky wench!”

I get to sleep in Heather’s bed, and I don’t think I’ll ever take getting to sleep with her for granted ever again. I wrap her in my arms and hold her close as we drift off to sleep. When she wakes in the middle of the night, I’m not surprised. I pull her close and hold her as she sobs. It doesn’t take as long as the first night for her to calm down. I don’t know what her dreams are specifically about, but I have memories that still haunt me occasionally. While I’m grateful that I haven’t been tormented by daily nightmares, I’d rather that than Heather having them.

She wraps her arms around me and clings to me, with her shaky breaths echoing in the room around us. Eventually, she falls silent, and I wonder if she will say anything or if she’s drifting off to sleep again. I’m surprised when I feel her lips on mine.

She kisses me softly before saying, “I love you, Harrison.”

“I love you, too, angel.”

She’s silent again for some time before she sighs, “I wish the dreams would stop.”

I squeeze her tightly and kiss her head before resting my cheek against it. There are no words to adequately describe how much I wish that I could take this pain away for her.

“I truly am sorry. If I knew how to stop them, I would. The same way I can’t go back in time as much as I want to, I can’t stop the nightmare for you.” I swallow heavily and continue, “But what I can do, is promise to be here for you. Whatever you need from me, I’ll give it to you. You will always have my love and support.”

“Thank you,” she says in a cracked voice and kisses me again.

She deepens the kiss and rubs my back with her hand before slipping it between us to find my cock.

“Angel, are you sure?” I ask softly.

“Yes. This is what I need right now,” she tells me as she begins stroking me.

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