Against the Odds

Harry instantly pulled Alex from the dance floor. She didn’t have to ask him twice to go home. He was dying to be with her…alone with her. This whole day had been one exciting, scary, crazy, sexual tension filled ball rolling towards the moment that he got her behind closed doors.

“Let’s go tell our friends goodbye, and then we will go,” Harry told her, leading the way back to their table.

When they reached their group Charlotte pulled Alex to the side. “Alex, before you go, let’s make a trip to the restroom.”

Alex’s face scrunched up. “I don’t need…”

Charlotte shook her head. “No…the paparazzi are in full force outside. I checked. You look amazing, but you need to freshen up your make-up, smooth down your hair…you know…make it look like Harry wasn’t just assaulting you on the dance floor.”

Alex laughed. “Can you imagine the headlines? ‘Prince Harry’s girlfriend comes out of nightclub looking like she just got all kinds of felt up.’”

Charlotte made a face. “Gross.”

“You started it.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s still gross. Come on, let’s go.”

Alex agreed and told Harry where she was going, receiving a nod in return along with a grateful look at Charlotte for thinking of it.

“So how are you doing with everything so far?” Charlotte asked once they were in the restroom and getting touched up.

“So far, so good. But, I purposely shut it all off today. I haven’t gotten online or turned on a TV. My parents called and they said that people they know are already calling. Today was the one day I let myself do that…because I know tomorrow when I wake up…” Alex trailed off, looking Charlotte in the mirror as she rearranged the pins in her hair, putting everything back in order. Harry couldn’t seem to be able to keep his fingers from her hair and her artfully messy style had turned into a seriously messy style.

“Well then,” Charlotte said, finishing up with her lip gloss and sliding it back in her purse. “I’m not going to say anything further about it…other than…” She turned towards Alex. “If anyone could ever handle what is about to ensue, you can. He knows that. He’s not worried that you’ll break down or whine and cry about it. He knows you will come to him if there are problems and that you’ll be sensible about it. And…” she paused and took a deep breath. “If you ever need help with anything, you call me, okay?”

Alex blinked, not used to Charlotte being so serious and non-sarcastic. “Okay…” she finally said slowly.

“I mean it, Alex. You call me. Don’t hesitate.”

“I will. Thank you, Charlotte,” Alex replied quietly, a little overcome at the sincerity. She always knew Charlotte had her back and wouldn’t fail to help her if she needed it, but hearing it come out of her friend’s mouth like that meant more than Alex could ever say.

“Yes, well…” Charlotte mumbled, not really knowing where to go from there as she wasn’t used to making those types of declarations to anyone…ever.

Alex smiled at Charlotte’s rare moment of embarrassment and decided to take pity on her. “I’m not quite done here,” she said, holding up a bobby pin with a slight smile. “Why don’t you go on out so you don’t have to wait on me. Tell Harry I’ll be out in a minute.”

Charlotte grinned. “I can do that.”

Alex chuckled as Charlotte breezed from the door and Alex went back to work with her hair pins. She had just finished and was tucking everything back in her purse when the bathroom door swung open. Alex looked up and immediately went tense.

Caroline was standing there, staring at Alex as if she were a cat who had cornered the canary. The tall blonde shut the door behind her and moved toward Alex, who drew herself up to her full height and stared right back at the woman advancing on her.

“So…” Caroline drawled in an accent so posh that Alex knew she was laying it on thick just for her, trying to make a point. “Harry ran through all of the women in his circle and had to go digging deep to find one who would put up with his life, huh?”

Alex had never wanted to slap someone right in the face more in her entire life.

Instead, she remained calm, breathing deeply, evenly. She lifted a brow to Caroline. “Really, Caroline? Put up with it? Because earlier it looked like you were dying to put up with it.”

Caroline narrowed her eyes and stepped closer to Alex.

Alex didn’t flinch. She didn’t move an inch. She knew girls like Caroline, she always had; girls who moved through life taking whatever they wanted and stepping on anyone in the way. She had learned a long time ago that girls like that, like Caroline, pushed exactly as far as people let them.

“What? Do you think he loves you? Do you think he’s going to save you and that you and that little brat of yours will go live in his palace and you’ll be princesses and live happily ever after? That’s not how it works. You aren’t suitable. Once they point it out to him, he’ll drop you like this,” Caroline sneered, snapping her fingers at her last word.

Then, Alex smiled. Alex smiled and Caroline faltered; Alex saw it in her eyes…the realization that the mission she walked into bathroom with was going to be a failure.

“I know he loves me. I know it. And you know it too. You wouldn’t be in here trying to scare me off if you didn’t,” Alex said in a soft, almost deadly tone. Then she stepped closer, lowering her voice to almost a whisper. “And I’ll tell you this. You don’t ever talk about my kid. EVER. Her name…hell, even the fact that she even exists in the same world as you do better not ever leave your lips. Got it?”

“It’s not like they’ll be much to talk about soon anyway,” Caroline hissed, having to spew that one last piece of venom.

Alex laughed and picked up her clutch. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, bitch.”

Caroline’s jaw dropped and Alex took her opportunity, moving quickly around her and out of the bathroom.

Alex strode back to the group, her head held high, proud of herself.

Harry saw the look about her when she came back and he raised his brows. “You look like you just took on the world and won,” he said when she moved into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him.

She shook her head; deciding now wasn’t the time and place to talk about what happened. “No. But I am ready to take you on,” she said. Her eyes were heavy and dark, her alcohol buzz returning in full force now that she was out of that damn bathroom and away from Caroline.

“Jesus Christ, Alex,” Harry groaned. “I don’t even know if I’m going to make it home with you.”

Alex cocked a brow. “Then how ‘bout we stop talking and get outta here?”

Harry laughed. “Point made.” He dropped a kiss to her lips and then turned to their friends. “Everyone, it’s been an amazing night, but I’m taking my lady home now.”

There were groans and some good natured ribbing from the group, but everyone stood and made their goodbyes. Hugs and kisses were given and then Harry and Alex stepped away, moving towards the entrance.

Once they got close, but still out of sight from the doors, Harry turned to her, pulling both of her hands into hers, leaning down close to talk to her.

“Listen, Alex.”

“Listening, Harry.”

He could help but smile at her sass before he continued. “When we step out of those door, it’s going to be nuts. They will shout questions at you. They will try to get you to turn around and look at them or to react. Tune them out as best you can. The flashes will be intense. I will be in front of you so just focus on my back and don’t look up or into the cameras. Mark is going to be in front of me and Sal,” Harry stopped and pointed to a PO that was less familiar to Alex, “will be behind you. Mark will open the car door. I will get in, then you, and then Sal will slide in next to you. Then we drive off and it’s over.”

Alex took a deep breath. “Okay…Okay.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? We can go out of the back…”

She squeezed his hands tightly. “No. We have to do this. They will only hound us worse the next place we go.”

He grinned. “You are so smart. Did you know that?”

“Yep. Now, let’s do this Wales.”

They moved to the doors and as soon as they opened Alex did exactly as Harry had said. She held tight to his hand as the photographers pushed and shoved against the security, snapping pictures right in her face as she went by. She closed her ears to their shouts at her; to the questions they yelled. She just kept moving until Harry was in the car and pulling her in with him. Sal slid in next to her and shut the door. Mark was in the front passenger seat and immediately gave the driver the signal to go.

The Range Rover immediately pulled away and Alex sagged against Harry, a rush of air expelling from her lips. “Holy shit.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, lifting a finger to her chin to tilt her face to him.

She blinked a couple of times; not having been totally immune to the camera flashes, before the light orbs finally faded and she could see him clearly.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “That was intense…crazy…but I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes searched hers, making sure she really was okay, that she hadn’t been affected in a negative way. She loved when he did that, when he seemed to search her mind, her soul, to make sure that she was okay. It made her feel so protected, so cared for.

She smiled up at him, her fingers reaching up to rest on his cheek. “I’m okay, Harry. I promise.”

“Good,” he murmured, satisfied and happy that she was processing everything and handling it well.

He tucked her up under her arm and she leaned against him for the short trip back to Kensington.

***********

Alex walked into the cottage and Harry followed behind her, shutting and locking the door firmly behind him. He leaned up against it and folded his arms in front of him, watching her move as she kicked off her shoes and laid her clutch down on the round table in the middle of the foyer. She turned toward him then, her eyes finding his, taking in the smirk on his face, the look in his eyes.

“What?” she asked, even though she knew…she knew what was up.

“Still drunk?” he asked teasingly.

“Yep,” she said, popping her lips together with the word.

“Too drunk to…?”

“Why, Henry Charles Albert David,” she drawled out, her voice having adopted a heavy U.S. southern accent. “Are you trying to get out of having sex with me?”

He shook his slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Never.” He uncrossed his arms and moved towards her.

She watched him move toward her in that way he had and she felt her heart begin that familiar thump in her chest. She loved his body; those broad shoulders, that chest, the way he was long and lean and walked in such a way that spoke of power and of raw sexuality at the same time. The sight of him and the thought of the things that he was about to do to her…it made her entire body heat up, it made her breath come and go in heavy, deep pulls and pushes of air, it made her knees weak.

She reached behind her with both hands, grabbing onto the table for support and leaning back against it. He moved into her space then; his arms moved around her and he leaned into her, placing his hands on the table behind her, his hips pushing into hers, his lips moving to within an inch of hers.

“I want you, Alexandra.” His voice was husky, determined; needy. His eyes stayed connected to hers, the intensity in them matching his words. “I’ve wanted you since I picked you up this morning. All day…everything about you…I need to seal this day with you, Alex. And, I think just got home from the bar, drunk, sweaty, rip each other’s clothes off sex is the way to go. Don’t you?”

He didn’t even give her a chance to answer. His mouth covered hers and she moaned, opening her lips under his and thrusting her tongue out to tangle hotly with his. She moved her hands from the table and up to his shoulders, grabbing his suit jacket and pushing it off of his shoulders and down his arms.

“Alex…” he groaned into her mouth when her fingers hooked themselves into his shirt, right above the first button. His hands went to her thighs, squeezing them through her jeans and then lifting her up on to the table and tilting her so he could push himself between her legs. He pulled her tight against him, hiking her legs around his waist.

And then Alex’s fingers tightened in his shirt and she pulled hard, ripping the front of his shirt open, the buttons popping off in quick succession and scattering, little pings sounding as they hit the floor of the foyer.

Harry pulled back and looked at her in surprise. “I can’t believe you did that…”

“You mad, baby?” she asked softly as she pushed the shirt from his shoulders. She tilted her eyes up to him and bit her lip, waiting for his reaction.

His lips tilted and he pulled her tighter against him. “Do I look mad?”

She shook her head slowly and reached for his pants, popping the button open. “No. You look like you want to fuck me.”

A burst of air left Harry’s mouth at Alex’s words. His eyes flashed. His hands flexed at her hips. “Jesus Christ, Alexandra…”

And then his mouth was on hers again. They were done talking, done with words. They were on a mission and after hours and hours it was finally time to complete it.

Harry reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it swiftly over her head. One hand kept steady at her hip, holding her to him while the other reached behind her, flicking the clasp on her strapless bra open and pulling it away from her. Then, knowing he needed two hands for what he wanted to do to her he lowered her back to the table, kissing her lips until the angle broke them apart and then moving down, blazing a hot trail down her jawline, her neck, and down to her chest. He moved to her left breast, his tongue flicking out against a hardened nipple just before capturing it in his mouth.

Alex arched, the feel of his hot mouth pulling at her shooting sparks straight down to her core. She shoved her fingers into his hair, pulling him tight against her. The light chuckle that escaped his lips vibrated against her, causing a moan to escape her lips. He released the nipple and moved to the other one, inflicting the same torture while he brought a hand up to the one he had so recently released, his fingers picking up where his mouth had left off.

Alex was on fire. He was pulling, sucking, and pinching her closer and closer to the end with ever swipe of his tongue, every twist of his fingers.

“Harry…Henry…please…” she begged. She needed him. She loved this, she really did; loved his hands and lips driving her toward the cliff, but she needed to be filled by him. She needed every inch that he had to give her in order to complete this day they had shared.

And because Harry was hanging onto his control by a thread, when she tugged at his hair, when she begged him in that soft, breathy voice he didn’t have a chance of holding out on her. He leaned back from her and with a grin he unbuttoned and unzipped her pants and then, hooking her fingers in the waistband, pulled them down off of her, her panties following quickly. He divested himself of his own pants and then he was back to her, wrapping his hands around her hips and then watching her, his eyes holding hers, began to push himself into her.

“Fuck…” Alex breathed as he moved forward slowly, savoring the moment, filling her until he was buried to the hilt.

Her hands reached out for him, trying to touch him, needing that contact, but not be able to get to him because of their position.

“Come here, baby,” Harry murmured, pulling her up, knowing what she needed; needing it too. Her chest pressed into his and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Holding her tight to him, he began to move. There wasn’t anything slow or easy about it. Their need was primal, animalistic. He held her up with his arms as he thrust stroke after heavy stroke into her. Her legs wrapped around him and her hips tilted instinctually, pulling him closer, deeper. She pressed hot kisses to his neck, to his jaw, and finally to his mouth, crying out into his mouth as it opened over hers and she felt the burn begin to build within her.

“Harry…Oh my God…please…” she whimpered, her words broken by his sharp thrusts into her warm, wet body.

“Alex, keep your arms around my neck…” he ordered in response to her plea. She was confused momentarily until he tilted her further back on the table, placing a hand flat on the table behind her and sliding one hand down to her center, his fingers finding her and moving in firm, fast circles around her sweet spot.

It only took just a few passes of his fingers, a few more deep strokes from him before the swell overtook Alex and she detonated around him, her face buried in his neck, her fingers clenched firmly in his air, as she screamed out his name with her release.

The feel of her, the pulse of her around him, pulled a groan from Harry that was raw and primal and was followed instantly by his own release, slamming into him full force. He held her tightly to him, pulsing within her. He found himself taking deep breaths to steady himself, seemingly having lost all of the air in his body when he lost himself within her.

Long minutes later, when they had both regained some semblance of reality, he pulled back from her and smiled softly down into her beautiful face.

“You look worn out,” he said, the pride evident in his tone, his smirk firmly back in its normal place on his face.

She giggled. “I am. Take me to bed?”

“Absolutely,” he grinned. He picked her up carried up the stairs to his bed, leaving their clothes scattered about to deal with in the morning.

He deposited her into his bed, moved to the bathroom to clean up quickly, and then moved back, crawling under the covers with her and pulling her to his side.

“Harry?” Her voice was soft, sleepy.

“Hmm?” His eyes were fighting to stay open.

“I love you.”

He grinned. “And I love you.”