Against the Odds

Their day at EuroDisney would forever go down as one of the best days of Emma’s life.

They did everything that they could possibly fit into their hours spent there. Of course, because of whom Harry was it wasn’t completely safe for them to be standing in lines of people for hours. As a result, they were forced at times to be moved to the front of line; to be treated as VIPs. Alex could tell Harry wasn’t completely comfortable with it and didn’t want to be treated as such, but had no choice.

Something happened though as they moved their way to the front of each line. Emma, with her infinite ability to charm anyone she came across, would wave at people in line and offer big smiles as she passed. She would call out apologies for cutting in line to people as they passed and those people couldn’t help but smile back at the precious six year old.

As they moved through the park and would go through more lines, people who had seen them pass at other rides would call Emma’s name and wave to her, loving when she gave a big smile and wave back. There were even a few high-fives exchanged with people who were completely enamored with her.

Alex watched in wonder as it all unfolded before her. Maybe she should have been nervous with all of the people watching them; watching Emma. But the sensible part of her knew Harry’s security team had them well protected and that Harry would not have taken them there if there were any threat to their safety. Emma had always been outgoing and far from shy so this was completely in character for her and Alex was hesitant to quell any part of the awesome person her daughter was. So, because Emma was sticking close to them, always holding on to someone’s hand and staying inside their protective circle, Alex didn’t interfere.

On the other hand, the reaction to Emma made Harry’s head spin just a bit. Emma had no qualms about all of the people around talking to her or knowing her name; any of it. She just went on like it was completely normal that these people who didn’t know here were smiling and waving at her. He would be lying if he said it didn’t occur to him that Emma was a complete natural with people, a big part of who Harry was and what a big part of the royal life he led contained. He realized though, that the thought of that, the thought of Emma being able to charm people so naturally, relaxed a tiny part of his brain that constantly worried about the impact that bringing Alex and Emma into this madness was going to do to them.

Before they even left the park, the pictures from that day had gone viral. Alex swiping Harry on the nose with the ice cream cone she had been eating and laughing as he wiped it off with a grin, Harry carrying Emma around on his shoulders with Minnie Mouse ears perched firmly on top of her head, and the four of them, Harry, Alex, Emma, and Molly posing with the various characters made fast and furious rounds on social media.

And they all really only served to make the world fall in love with the Prince’s girlfriend and her daughter that much more. Alex, as a royal girlfriend that seemed more serious than anyone had seen Harry with in a long time, had been gaining popularity steadily through the months and it completely skyrocketed when the world saw her happy and laughing with her daughter, Harry, and Molly that day.

******************

Later that evening, after seeing Molly and Emma off to the theater, Harry and Alex stepped from their hotel, and after navigating the crush of paparazzi that was waiting for them, slipped into a waiting car and headed off to dinner.

“Where are we going?” Alex asked after her eyes had cleared from the flashbulbs from the paparazzi and she could see again.

Harry grinned and took her hand, pulling her to him and tucking him up under his arm. “One of my favorite places.”

“Place or restaurant?” Alex asked, narrowing her eyes.

He shrugged. “Maybe you’ll just have to see.”

“You are up to something.”

“Can’t a guy just take his girlfriend out for her birthday?”

“Of course he can,” Alex laughed. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you are up to something.”

Harry chuckled and brought Alex’s hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to her palm before moving slowly to kiss the pad of each of her fingers softly. Heat immediately seeped through Alex’s bones at his actions and she shuddered against him. His eyebrows lifted slightly at her reaction and a smug smile tugged at his lips. When her eyes went soft and her lips turned up slightly, Harry continued his actions. He kissed her palm again and then her wrist, his lips pressing right against her pulse point, feeling her blood pounding for him. Keeping his eyes trained on hers he moved his lips further down the sensitive underside of her arm until he was at her elbow.

“Harry…” she whispered. She shifted and pressed her side closer to him. The effect he was having on her was maddening. And in no way was she ready for it to stop.

He smiled against her skin and moved further up, under her bicep and then up over her shoulder. He kissed his way softly across her collar bone, up her neck, over her chin, and then he was finally at her lips. “I love you, Alexandra,” he whispered when he got there. “Happy Birthday.”

And then with a soft, sweet, too short kiss, he pulled away from her.

“Wait…” she gasped, trying to pull him back to her; his lips back to hers.

“I can’t, Alexandra,” he grinned. “We’re here.”

“Here?” Alex blinked, still lost in his lips on her body. At his smirk she suddenly snapped to, remembering that they were one their way to celebrate her birthday. “Oh! Here!” she laughed, shaking her head.

And then she caught a glimpse out the window of just what they were pulling up to.

“Harry!” she exclaimed as they pulled up in front of the Eiffel Tower. “What are doing here?”

“Well, there is a lovely restaurant up at the top. I’ve booked it for us. The food is excellent and the view is insane. I figured if you wanted to do the Eiffel Tower, I wanted you to do it in the best way possible,” he said with a grin. “I know it’s cheesy…but hey, I like that you make me cheesy.”

“Harry!” she exclaimed again, a huge smile breaking across her face. She smacked him lightly on the chest in her excitement and he laughed, loving her exuberance. “This is so amazing! Completely and totally amazing. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, love,” he answered as the car pulled to a stop. He tugged on her hand and smiled wide. “Now come on, let’s go celebrate.”

Alex couldn’t keep the grin from her face as the doors open and Harry exited, coming around to her side to help her out. She couldn’t stop herself from looking at him over and over again as he tucked her arm in his and led her through the gaping crowds at the base of the tower towards to elevator that had been secured in anticipation of their arrival. She couldn’t help the way she wanted to take his face and kiss him over and over again for being cheesy and romantic and loving her enough to be proud of it.

When they stepped from the elevator the manager of the restaurant was waiting on them. He greeted them both with a flourish and expressed his delight to have them.

“Is everything ready?” Harry asked the over the top manager, raising his eyebrows.

“Oui. Of course, monsieur. Everything is in place.”

“Excellent. Merci,” Harry answered politely. He then turned and winked at Alex as the manager went to open the doors to the restaurant.

And Alex never expected what greeted them on the other side.

“Surprise!”

Alex jumped, startled, and her hands flew to her mouth as she took in the room.

Their friends were all there. Charlotte, Mia, Beatrice and Dave, Eugenie and Jack, Will and Kate, Mike and Zara, Peter and Autumn, plus several other friends she had met and gotten to know since meeting Harry were all standing around a giant table in the empty restaurant. They all wore big smiles and were moving forward quickly to hug and kiss her and wish her happy birthday.

Alex’s eyes filled up with tears instantly and she turned toward Harry, getting one look of amazement in before everyone reached her. There were many hugs and kisses given as Alex recovered her senses and wiped at her eyes. When the hellos were made and they were ready to sit, Harry offered Alex his arm and moved her toward the table, seating her at the place of honor and moving in next to her.

She turned to him instantly as every took their seats and got comfortable. “I cannot…Harry…” Her hand pressed to her heart. “Just…thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll never know how you did this without me finding out but I don’t even care. This is perfect.”

He reached up and pressed his hand to her cheek and then leaned in, pressing a warm, firm kiss to her lips. “You’re welcome,” he murmured against her lips.

“Oh come on! Already?” one of the boys shouted out, followed by laughter and groans from the table.

Alex giggled and pulled back, turning her head in the direction the voice came from. Seeing Mike grinning like a fool she just laughed. “It’s my birthday,” she said sassily. “I’ll kiss him as much as I want.”

Will laughed from across from her and nodded. “Fair enough. We’ll keep Mike under control.”

Charlotte snorted. “Good luck.”

The laughter rose again just like it would so many times that evening. And with Harry’s hand on her knee and their circle of friends surrounding them, Alex really did have the most amazing birthday ever.

****************

“I still can’t believe you did that,” Alex sighed as they stepped into the hotel room late that night. Molly and Emma were long asleep in Molly’s room and it was just the two of them.

Harry laughed as he followed her into the bedroom, pulling off his tie as he went. “I’m happy you enjoyed yourself.”

Alex grinned as she kicked off her shoes near the door and moved to the mirror over the dresser to pull the pins from her hair. “I more than enjoyed myself, Harry,” she said, her voice light and happy as she watched him slide his jacket off and move to the closet to hang it up.

He winked at her as he moved back in to the room and sat on one of the chairs situated in front of the end of the giant, opulent bed and immediately bent down, pulling off his shoes and moving them to the side. When he sat back up his eyes fell on Alex, who had moved to stand in front of him, leaving a few feet in between them. He looked up at her and noticed instantly that her demeanor had completely changed. The happy and content look in her eyes had given way to something new; a heavy but excited look that spoke of want and of need and made him suck in a sharp breath. It pulled at him; at his insides, his heart, and even though he tried to ignore it, it pulled right at his cock, already growing in his pants.

“Alexandra,” Harry called in a low voice. “Do you know what it does to me when you look at me like that?”

“Yes,” Alex responded instantly. The word was clear and determined and it snapped Harry to attention. “It makes you want me naked with you.”

His heart slammed into his chest. “Do you want to be naked with me, Alexandra?” he asked, his voice calm despite the emotions and desire for her that she inflamed with her words.

Alex stepped one step closer then, her eyes never leaving Harry’s. She shrugged lightly, which completely betrayed the fire in her eyes. “I mean, we are in Paris. It is the City of Love.” Her fingers played at the tie on her wrap dress, running it through them lightly.

Harry swallowed hard and shifted in the chair. “Yes, we are…”

“And,” Alex began, a small smile forming on her lips before tugging at the tie on her dress. “We are in love, Harry.”

His lips curved into a smile and his heart beat a little faster as he watched her dress loosen around her. “Very, very much in love…” he agreed softly.

She moved forward another step so she was standing between his legs. He tilted his head to look up at her and his hands flexed where they rested on his thighs. He was aching to touch her, but he was too enthralled in what she was doing to interrupt her. And then, her dress loosened completely, falling slightly to either side of her and Harry fought to keep his eyes trained on hers, to pay complete attention to her and what she had to say in that moment.

“And I would just hate if this went to waste, especially after you’ve given me such an amazing, over-the-top birthday,” Alex whispered, reaching up and pulling the dress from her shoulders.

“If what went to…” Harry managed to whisper before his eyes flicked down, seemingly of their own accord, and fell on her body. “Fuck…” he groaned, taking in what she was left in, the lingerie that clung to her in all of the most important places and sent his lust skyrocketing. “Was that under there the entire time?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“And if you…” He trailed off, cleared his throat, and sat forward a bit. He couldn’t help but want to be closer to her. “If you were wearing that the whole time then you…this isn’t just a spur of the moment decision. You want this?”

Alex scooted closer and her shins bumped the seat of the chair, but it still wasn’t close enough for her. Harry recognized it instantly and he reached for her, his hands sliding around her waist and bringing her down to him. And she went, gladly. Her feet left the floor and she moved her legs on either side of his, straddling him and settling in his lap. Harry groaned at the feel of her on his lap, in his hands; pressing herself against him.

“I want this,” Alex said. Her hands moved up his stomach and over his chest before settling on his shoulders. “I never not wanted this. I just wanted to move forward in our relationship without it. We jumped into sex so quickly when we first met, and that’s completely okay, but I wanted this second chance we have to be about…everything else.”

“Everything else?” Harry asked as he moved his hands from her waist down to settle on her thighs. Alex smiled softly at him and her fingers began to toy with the top button on his dress shirt in a move that he knew meant that she meant business and was itching to undress him. The thought of her, wanting him that much in this moment, was making it difficult for him to breathe, let alone form a coherent thought.

Her eyes flicked down towards her fingers playing with his button before they turned back up to him slowly, wide and open full of love for him. “Hmmm. Yes, everything else. How much fun we have together, how much you make me smile and laugh, how you are with Emma…I wanted to pay attention to all of that, to give it all of the credit it was due without sex. And now…”

Harry’s hands flexed on her thighs. “And now?”

Her fingers popped the button she was playing with open. Then she moved to the next one, and the next one, and kept going until his shirt was completely unbuttoned. She pushed the sides apart, baring his tight stomach and broad chest to her. Her hands fell on his stomach and he jumped at her touch, groaning as she moved her hot fingers higher and higher until they were moving up into his hair and she was leaning down, pressing herself against him, her mouth coming within less than an inch of his.

“And now, I want to pay attention to this. I want to be naked with you and I want you inside of me and…and I need it, Harry. I need you. Can I have you, please? It is my birthday…”

“Can you have me?” Harry murmured softly as his eyes searched hers. He moved his hands from her thighs and reached up, pushing them into her hair and angling her face over his. “Alexandra…do you have any idea…just…you have me. You’ve always had me. You will always have me.”

“Harry…” she whispered, emotion filling her eyes at his words, her lips curving into a happy, warm smile for just a moment before he tilted his head and pulled her closer to him, bring her lips down onto his in a crushing kiss. It was a kiss that spoke of love and want and desire. It was a kiss that spoke of affection and hope and complete and utter wonder at what they had found in each other. It was a kiss that started off as slow and passionate but changed and grew more intense and needy as they moment heated up between them.

Harry sat forward with a groan that pushed from deep inside him and into Alex’s searching mouth. Keeping one hand tightly wound in her hair he moved his other arm around her hips and pulled her tighter against his lap. She moaned as she felt him hard and ready beneath her and she instinctively rolled her hips on top of him, wanting to be closer, needing more contact with him.

“Jesus, Alex…” he groaned, pulling his lips from hers and dragging them in a hot path over her jaw and down to her neck. With a whimper she tilted her head back, giving him more access to the sensitive skin there. He took full advantage of all that she offered him, kissing and licking his way down the column of her throat and over her collar bones.

When he reached the tops of her breasts, peeking tantalizingly out over the lace and satin concoction she has spent much time and effort picking out especially for this moment, Alex sucked in a sharp breath and her hands tightened in his hair, holding him tightly to her. He smiled against her heated flesh and leaned up for just a moment to press a soft kiss at her shoulder before pulling at the delicate bra strap that rested there, sliding it down quickly before moving to her other shoulder and doing the same. The material covering her breasts loosened and Harry smiled wide. He leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth before bending back down and pressing hot, wet kisses to the tops of her breasts.

“Harry…” Alex moaned, shifting her hips again against him. “Harry, please…”

He knew what she wanted, and because Harry wasn’t about to deny her anything in this moment, he complied, tugging the material that still covered her down and exposing her to him fully. With a smirk of a grin at what he was about to do to her, Harry bent forward and captured a hard nipple between his lips, pulling it tightly and flicking it with his tongue.

Alex arched against him, crying out hoarsely as he teased and pulled at her before switching to the other breast and paying it the same, torturous attention. Alex moaned and moved against him while he loved her with his mouth until she couldn’t take it anymore, until the pleasure from it threatened to take her down. Her fingers tugged at his hair, pulling his mouth away from her body and looking down on him with heavy eyes as he turned his eyes up to hers. Her chest was rising and falling with heavy, shallow breaths and her eyes were dark and filled with wanting him and Harry was almost surprised he didn’t fall apart right then.

“Take me to bed,” Alex said, bringing her hands up to the sides of his face. Her voice was low but packed with emotion. “Make love to me, Henry.”

The words hit him in the gut, the words he hadn’t heard in so long, and he immediately moved, not wanting to waste any time. With grace that he wasn’t quite sure how he held in that moment, he rose easily from the chair, keeping her in his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms wrapped around his neck and she smiled with anticipation as he walked them over to the bed.

He lowered them both to the soft mattress, reaching out a hand behind her to steady their descent. Alex felt the luxurious material at her back, she knew her surroundings her opulent, but all she could really focus on was Harry; the way he looked above her, the way he felt against her, the way he tasted when his lips were on hers.

“You are so beautiful,” Harry smiled down on her. At her soft smile in reaction Harry chuckled and leaned in, settling his lips over hers. With a moan she opened her mouth under his and his tongue slipped in instantly, teasing and stroking along hers. His hands went back to her body and he found he suddenly couldn’t wait to see her, all of her. He made quick work of her bra and tossed it across the room with a smirk, earning a giggle from Alex as her hands pushed at his shirt, moving it off of his shoulders and down his arms. He sat up and pulled it the rest of the way off, discarding it without a second thought.

His eyes roamed over her, taking her in, absorbing the way she looked for him in that moment. He scooted forward on his knees and he legs moved farther apart to accommodate him and he grinned, for no other reason that he loved being like this with her; intimate and sexy and completely in tune with each other. He moved his hands to her legs and ran his fingertips slowly from her calves to her thighs and then smoothing up over her hips. His fingers curled into the material of her barely there panties and he bit his lip as his eyes flicked up to hers.

“Can I take these off?”

“We can’t do this if you don’t,” she responded, her lips tilting at the sides with her sass.

Harry couldn’t help the chuckle the fell from his lips, his head shaking slowly. He pulled at her panties as he held her eyes with his, slipping them from her and tossing them to the side. “You’re lucky it’s your birthday, Alexandra.”

“Mhhmm…” she murmured as he immediately moved over her, his lips dipping down to kiss her stomach, his tongue dipping to swirl in her belly button before moving lower, kissing a hot trail further and further down.

Her hands moved to his shoulders and then to his hair as she watched him working his way towards her sex, his lips and tongue sliding slowly along the sensitive skin of her abdomen. And suddenly…suddenly while watching him worshipping her like this, preparing to kiss her in the most intimate of places, Alex was filled a need for him that was so overwhelming it slammed into her like a truck. Her breath caught and her heart beat so hard in her chest she was certain Harry could hear it like it was his own. She didn’t want to wait another minute for him. It had been too long. The waiting was over and she found she couldn’t go another second without his body joined with hers.

“Harry…” she called out to him, wanting his attention. She tugged on his hair and his eyes flashed to hers just as his lips reached the top of her cleft, preparing to love her there. “No…”

He immediately stilled and his eyes filled with concern. “What? What did I do wrong? Are you not ready?”

Alex’s eyes filled with tears and she wanted to both laugh and cry at the same time. “No, you are perfect, Harry,” she said, her voice wavering. “I just…I need you. Right now. I need you inside of me right now.”

Harry’s face flashed and he was torn. He wanted to worship her, wanted to give her as much as he could. But the way she was asking…

“Harry…please,” she whispered. She sat forward and moved her hands to his face, pulling him up and pulling his face to hers. His lips smashed against hers and his arms immediately moved around her, pulling her tightly against him. “Please…baby,” she moaned against his mouth. “Make love to me.”

Then, her hands went to his pants, unsnapping and unzipping and reaching in to run her hands against his hard length. And Harry’s restraint broke with a guttural groan and he immediately moved to help her, pushing his pants off of his own hips and maneuvering out of them all the while keeping his mouth firmly attached to hers. She grinned against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck while he struggled with his trousers; giggling when he finally got them off and flung them as far as he could.

“Oh God, Alex. Come here,” he murmured into her mouth, moving into a sitting position on the bed and pulling her around him, settling her against him. And she went gladly, folding herself around his hard, warm body as his lips and tongue continued to worship hers. Then she felt him, hard and hot under her, and she immediately and instinctually reached under her, took him in her hand, and guided him to her. Harry tore his lips from hers and watched her face, her eyes; her reactions as she sank down on him, enveloping him tightly within her warm, wet body.

“Fuck…” he groaned, reaching up to twist a hand in her hair, pulling her forehead to his as she finally sank all the way down and settled on him. “You feel…amazing…”

Alex moaned, and leaned her head back, absorbing the sensation of him so deep inside of her. It had been much too long. She had missed this; how full and complete she felt when he was joined with her. Harry leaned forward and pressed a hot solid kiss at the base of her throat, right between her collarbones, letting his lips linger there while he took several deep breaths, trying to steady himself; trying to steady his heart. His hands moved to her back, smoothing over her skin, rubbing softly, trying to calm them both in that moment before he shifted, wrapping both arms tightly around her, pulling her as close to him as possible. Her head tipped forward again and her eyes slid open, searching for him and finding him, his deep blue eyes looking up at her.

Waiting for her.

And so she stopped waiting. Tipping her head down to his and nudging his nose with hers, she smiled, pressed her lips to his, and began to move on him. Harry groaned against her mouth, his lips parting and allowing her tongue entry into his mouth. They moved slowly together and held tightly to each other, moaning and sighing into each other’s mouths, their breath mingling, whispering words of love against each other’s lips.

As the intensity rose between them Alex’s movements on Harry became more purposeful and much less subtle. Her arms tightened around his neck and she press even closer, rocking against him as she began to feel the build-up begin deep in her belly. She whimpered and pulled her mouth from his. She looked down on him, her eyes almost frantic and filled with lust, and dug her nails into his back, spurring him on further.

With a smirk of pride that she was close, and that he knew the signs that told him that, Harry shifted slightly; not enough to interrupt their movements or change their closeness, but just enough that each time that Alex rose and sank on him her swollen, sensitive clit rubbed against him. It pulled her to higher level of intensity; a higher level of pleasure and she found herself thrust immediately right to the edge.

“Oh God…” she moaned, her mouth and eyes falling wide as she moved faster and faster on him. “Harry…”

“Yes baby,” he encouraged. His arms tightened fractionally around her and he pressed he lips to her neck, sucking lightly on the skin there as he felt her body tense up around him. “Come on…”

And she went. She went with a cry and a shudder as her body pulsed around his with a fierceness that he remembered existed, but felt brand new to him on a completely new level. He tried to hold out against it, to keep it together and keep them going but he was powerless against her. Her body demanded everything from his and he gave it to her gladly. He reached a hand up into her hair, wrapping his fingers around a fistful of the silky strands, and pulled her lips down to hers. She moaned into his mouth, her tongue finding his just as Harry finally stopped fighting the battle and lost himself inside of her.

“Alex…” he groaned against her lips, his eyes opened to find hers watching him, just as he had been watching her in her moment. She pressed small kisses to his lips while she held his eyes and let him come down, let him settle himself from what they had just shared.

“I love you,” Alex whispered against his lips. Her eyes were soft and warm and happy and it tugged right at Harry’s heart. It was that look that made this all worth it; that made sex between them so perfect. Sure, he had missed how good it felt and how they moved together as if they were made to fit that way; but it was that look from her, when she felt complete and loved by him that brought everything together for him. That was the look he had killed the last time he woke her up from a nightmare.

“I love you too, Alex,” he said, his voice catching with emotion.

“You look like you want to cry,” she responded, only half-teasing.

He chuckled, loving that she knew how to pull him from that moment and back to her. “No, I’m not going to cry.” He leaned up and kissed her on her nose and then rubbed his own nose alongside it. “I’m far too happy to cry.”