Against the Odds

As spring made its way into summer, Harry’s life got very busy. The beginning of June marked several special occasions for the Monarchy. Prince Philip’s birthday party was celebrated at Windsor, which was Alex’s first trip out there. She fell in love with the old castle and while Emma was busy charming the pants off of Harry’s grandfather once again, Harry’s grandmother quietly took her aside and offered a tour, having noticed just how much Alex showing Alex her favorite rooms, pieces of art, and even a few priceless mementos from previous Kings and Queens. Those two hours she spent alone in Elizabeth’s company would forever be one of her fondest memories.
Then there was Trooping the Colour and of course, Alex wasn’t officially part of the festivities, but she was invited to the reception after the church service and the balcony appearance as Harry’s official date – along with Emma of course. It was her first experience inside Buckingham Palace and surprisingly, the first time she had ever seen Harry in his dress uniform in person.

It was almost the hardest thing she had ever done keeping her hands off of him that day.

Then, as June rolled to a close, the biggest event of them all was upon them.

Beatrice and David’s wedding was to be held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. Alex and Emma were both invited of course, and as they had been dating for about a year and a half by that point, all the eyes of the press were on them.

Would they arrive with Harry? Would Alex and Emma sit with him? Would they leave together?

Alex had laughed in the days leading up to the wedding at all of the frantically questioning headlines because she knew they deliberately printed them to work people up. They already knew the answers, because they’d all been through these situations before.

Alex, Emma, and Charlotte all rode to Windsor with Harry, but once they were to the castle the ladies were put into a separate car and were driving to St. George’s. Harry would be arriving with the family and would be sitting with them, although Alex, Emma, and Charlotte wouldn’t be sitting far from him.

“See,” Charlotte whispered, pointing to the row of seats Harry would be in. “You guys can still make googly eyes at each other.”

“What are googly eyes?” Emma asked, although she remembered to keep her voice down as Alex had asked her in advance.

“Something you won’t have for a very long time,” Alex laughed. When Emma shrugged and asked if she could play Angry Birds on Alex’s phone while they waited Alex nodded and pulled her phone out. She turned the volume down and handed it over to Emma. Then she turned back to Charlotte, reaching up at the same time to make sure her fascinator was still securely in place. “You know, you and Matt make googly eyes at each other too. And you do it when you think about him sometimes. I see it.”

“Oh shut up. I do not,” Charlotte groaned before pursing her lips. “But…I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see him in a few weeks.”

Alex grinned and was opening her mouth to respond when suddenly a wave of soft murmurs went through the room. Alex recognized it immediately; it was the reaction in any room when members of Harry’s family came in. Her eyes immediately swung to the door and she watched as they started to file in to the mostly full church. When Harry stepped through the door next to Will and Kate and immediately looked to find her, a smile tugged at her lips and she nudged Emma, whispering that Harry was there. Emma’s head snapped up and she offered a small, delighted wave to him. He winked at them both and shot small, sweet glances at them as he moved down the aisle with his family, most of whom also acknowledged Alex’s presence at they moved by, offering small smiles or nods of the head as they moved past.

“Jesus Christ. They just love the shit out of you,” Charlotte said under her breath, causing Alex to bring her program up over her face to hide her giggle.

“We are in church,” Alex whispered, sliding a humored glance at her friend.

Charlotte shrugged and popped a mint into her mouth, but the conversation was effectively over, as just then the soft music that had been playing as everyone was seated ceased and the trumpets sounded out, announcing the arrival of The Queen.

Alex pulled her phone from Emma, slid it into her purse, and they all stood as the major entrances began.

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

Alex and Emma may have not arrived with Harry, but they did leave with him. They left the church first and stood out with the other guests as they waited for the family, followed by the Queen and Prince Philip, and then the bride and groom to exit from the chapel.

“She really looks stunning,” Alex remarked to Charlotte as Bea exited on Dave’s arm. Her grin grew wide when she spotted Prince Andrew who was standing with Bea and Eugenie’s mother Sarah Ferguson, whom Alex had not yet met, beaming proudly at their daughter and Eugenie with tears in her eyes as she held her sister’s train.

“She does,” Charlotte nodded. “And happy.”

Harry made his way over then, greeting Charlotte with kisses on her cheeks and then turning to Alex and pressing a quick kiss on her lips before leaning down to pick Emma up and settle her on his hip.

It was a shot the press had gotten many times, as it seemed to be a particular habit of Harry’s, but it never failed to send them into a tailspin. Alex couldn’t almost hear the pictures being uploaded as they stood there.

“Did you enjoy the wedding?” Harry asked the three of them.

“It was long,” Emma sighed, bringing a chuckle from the group.

“Well, you behaved well,” Harry grinned. “And now we get to go have fun.”

“I do like fun,” Emma smiled wide. “Will there be music and dancing?”

“Of course!” Harry laughed. “Are you going to let me take you for a spin on the dance floor?”

“Don’t do it Emma, you won’t be able to walk tomorrow,” Charlotte cut in.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the petite brunette standing next to Alex. “Don’t listen to her, Emma. She’s just grumpy and sad because your Uncle Matt isn’t here.”

“Okay, okay,” Alex laughed, cutting in. “We will be here all day if I let you two keep it up. Seriously, how do you ever get any work done?” When both Charlotte and Harry opened their mouths to respond she held her hand up and silenced them. “Nope, that was a rhetorical question.”

“Ha!” Harry laughed, his head tilting back. “It’s fine. The car is here to take us back to Windsor anyway.” He nodded in the direction of the Rolls Royce that had pulled up. He put Emma down and then led them all down to the car, the all filed in, and then they were off to the reception at Windsor Castle.

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

“I’m so jealous I can’t drink with all of you,” Zara pouted as champagne bottles were uncorked by perfectly pressed waiters and glasses were filled up at their table.

“I think Mike should take one for the team and stay sober tonight with you,” Harry said with a wide, playful grin.

“Oh no,” Mike laughed with a shake of his head. “You have to drink to get through one of these weddings. Sorry love.” He threw a playful shrug in his wife’s direction and then grinned and reached over to pat her growing belly.

“At least you’re amusing,” Zara smirked. Her eyes caught something to the side of the table then and she laughed and looked to Alex. “Looks like Em is leading the pack over at the kids table.”

Alex’s head swung around and she laughed as she caught sight of her daughter in the middle of what looked to be some elaborate tale, with every single eye focused on her.

“She like to be the center of attention, that one,” Alex smirked, turning back around.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d be assuming that she gets that from this one right here,” Will tossed in, tilting his head towards his brother.

“Well,” Harry said with a smirk. “When you are the good looking sibling, you naturally draw the most attention.”

“It’s true, I can confirm it,” Zara grinned, throwing a glance at Peter who just groaned and rolled his eyes.

The table rumbled with laughter and then the conversation continued, the lively banter flowing like the champagne into their glasses which never seemed to get empty. However, when the band leader announced that it was time for the first dances, they all quieted down.

Dave and Bea went first, dancing to a lovely song that brought tears to Alex’s eyes. Then it was Dave’s turn to dance with his mother and in a touch that Alex though was very sweet, they invited all of the mothers and sons in the room to come up and dance as well. Harry went up to dance with Camilla and about halfway through the song Will came and stepped in, finishing up the dance with their stepmother.

And when it was time for Bea to dance with Andrew, they followed suit and asked any fathers and daughters in the room to come up and dance as well. Alex smiled softly as she watched Charles come over and ask Kate and she leaned into Harry’s side, completely in love with the feeling in the room at the moment.

She was so lost in the moment that she didn’t notice Emma until she was practically on top of her, tugging Alex’s arm to get her attention.

“What is it baby?” Alex whispered as she turned towards her daughter.

Harry’s attention was drawn towards them and he watched as Emma gave Alex somewhat of a shy smile and then leaned in and whispered something in her ear. When she pulled back her little bottom lip pulled between her teeth, her eyes were wide and hopeful, and Alex looked completely stunned for a just a moment before he saw what looked like her blinking back tears before she spoke again and his forehead furrowed in confusion.

“Of course you can, Emma,” Alex said softly and before Harry could ask what was going on, Emma was moving around Alex’s chair to Harry and holding her hand out to him.

“Harry, will you dance with me?”

Harry’s heart thumped so hard he moved his hand to his chest as if that could keep it from pounding right out of his chest. His eyes moved from Emma’s to Alex’s and when he saw the elation there, the emotion that was right on the surface of Alex’s big blue eyes he wasn’t even sure if he would be able to stand up, much less go dance. He swung his eyes back to Emma and his smile pulled wide and he reached out for her hand, taking it in his and bringing it to his lips for a kiss and he pulled it together, because there was nothing that was going to keep him from taking this little girl who had this crazy way of taking him down out on to the dance floor.

“Emma, I would love that more than anything in the world,” he said softly, his voice slightly hoarse with emotion.

“Me too,” Emma grinned, a small, excited giggle escaping her lips as Harry stood to take her out onto the floor.

He looked down at Alex and ran soft fingers against her cheek, smiling at her with love shining from his eyes before he turned and walked hand in hand with Emma out onto the dance floor.

Alex watched from her seat, totally enthralled in the moment and the man she loved scooped Emma up into his arms and held her up under her legs, her feet dangling and a burst of giggles leaving her lips at dancing with Harry just like a grown up would. She placed her hand on his shoulder and kept her other hand in his as he slowly moved them around the dance floor.

“Where’s Harry?” Charlotte asked as she slid into her seat next to Alex, having had excused herself to use the restroom a few minutes before.

Alex, unable to find her voice in the moment, nodded to the dance floor and Charlotte’s eyes moved there and her breath caught.

“Well, would you look at that,” Charlotte chuckled. “He loves her.”

“She asked him,” Alex murmured, her eyes turning to Charlotte for just a moment, throwing her a meaningful glance before she turned her eyes back to the dance floor.

“Oh god. She took him down, didn’t she?”

“And me along with him,” Alex sighed.

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

“Alexandra, would you do me the honor of this dance?”

Alex smiled up at Charles and immediately slid her hand into his, allowing him to pull her from her chair. “Of course, Charles. I would love to.”

“I’ll bring her back shortly, son,” Charles smiled at Harry, a teasing glint in his eyes. Alex could absolutely see where Harry got it from. “But she’ll be shaking her head at how terrible of a dancer you are compared to me.”

Harry laughed and shook his head. “Dad, don’t say things that aren’t true. It’s not very gentleman like.”

Charles chuckled with deep, warm laughter and then turned, tucking Alex’s hand in his arm as he walked him towards the dance floor. He was epitome of grace, charm, and good-manners and Alex felt so comfortable in his presence, as she always had.

“It was quite something,” Charles smiled as he began to move them easily around the floor. “Seeing Harry out here with Emma for the father/daughter dance.”

Alex smiled back, her eyes soft. “She loves him, Charles. And…I apologize if I’m stepping over any lines her, but he’s the closest thing she’s ever had to a father. I wasn’t quite sure if she understood that until today, but now I’m pretty sure she realizes that herself.”

“You aren’t stepping over any lines, Alexandra,” Charles said firmly. “It’s a joy to see him with you and Emma. The changes that have come over him in the last year and a half are just astounding.”

“As much as I appreciate the vote of confidence,” Alex smiled shyly, “I don’t…”

“He found purpose when he met you, Alexandra.”

Alex was stunned. “He’s always had purpose, Charles. His charities and military work are evidence of that.”

“Sure,” he nodded. “But his personal life was rough. And I know that not everything has been completely smooth since the beginning with the two of you, but he fought to make it through those things. He fought for the two of you and I just wanted to thank you for giving him that, giving him the drive to fight for what he wanted and to not immediately assume it wasn’t worth it because of the negatives that come with who we are.”

Alex smiled wide at the speech, at how lovely and wonderful it sounded in Charles voice, and how couldn’t believe he was saying those things about her. “Charles, thank you,” she said softly. “I’ve really done nothing but love him.”

Charles leaned close and his eyes danced. “Ah, but don’t you see Alexandra? That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

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

“Hey…found you…”

Alex turned at Harry’s voice and smiled, her eyes softening as he moved towards where she stood near the railing of the small deck she was standing on outside of the reception room.

“You did,” she nodded as she turned and leaned back against the railing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak away. I just saw this out here and I wanted to come look. You got Emma settled with Louise? Edward and Sophie were okay with them having a mini-sleepover in their rooms?”

“They were happy to have her. Besides, I’m sure they’ll be passed out before they can get into too much trouble,” Harry laughed as he moved to Alex, circling his arms around her as he leaned down to kiss her softly. “What are you out here thinking about?”

“How beautiful this all is,” she sighed. Now that the party had entered the less formal phase, he had divested himself of his morning suit coat and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to right under his elbows. She moved her hands to his arms, loving the feel of his warm skin under her fingers. “How beautiful the wedding was, how beautiful Dave and Bea are together, how beautiful this reception is…”

“How beautiful you are,” Harry murmured as his arms slid around her waist and he pulled her close.

Alex smirked. “You know you’re already getting laid tonight, Wales.”

“Ha!” He tipped his head back with his laughter. “Yeah? Well in that case…” He leaned down so his lips were right next to her ear. “You’re the only person I could see when we were in that ballroom. You are the only person who I could focus on. And you know what else, Alexandra?”

Her entire body warmed from his words and she leaned into him. “Hmmm?”

“The only thing I could think today was how I can’t wait to watch you come down the aisle to me.”

Her breath sucked in and her heart thumped in her chest so loud she was sure he heard it. She pulled her head back, her eyes wide as she searched his. “You were thinking that?”

His lips pulled into a soft smile. “I was. God Alex, I want that so much.” His smile grew wider despite the lump building in is throat.

“I want that too…” Her voice was whisper soft and filled with emotion. “I do Harry. I want to marry you and have a family and…I want to be your wife.”

She had barely gotten the word wife out before his lips were covering hers, hot and intense and fueled by their declarations. They were things they had always known, but being here at the wedding – something about watching two people they loved pledge their lives to each other brought those things to the front, made them want the same thing even more.

“My wife,” he grinned against her lips before moving to kiss along her jaw. “I like the sound of that.”

She giggled and her hands slid up his arms, over his shoulders, and around his neck. “Me too.”

“Hmmm…” He reached the spot below her ear. “My wife, my partner, my…Duchess.”

Alex’s breath caught. “Duchess?”

Harry chuckled in the crook of her neck. “What did you think you would be?”

Alex shook her head back and forth, slightly dizzy with the new word – not in a bad way, just processing it. “This is going to sound ridiculous, but…I didn’t really think about being anything other than your wife. That’s the only title I ever wanted.”

He grinned against her skin and took a deep breath; a breath to steady himself, a breath to be able to pull away from the feel and taste and smell of her long enough to discuss that little piece of information she just handed him. With one last warm kiss to her neck he pulled back. His hands moved to cups her cheeks and he tilted her face up, holding her eyes with his.

“I think maybe it’s time that you and I discussed some specifics, Alexandra.”

“Specifics?” Her lips twitched. “What kind of specifics?”

His thumbs stroked her cheeks softly, and the look in his eyes made her stomach flip and made her heart flutter. “I think we should talk about what it means for you to be my wife. Not the love part, not the ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ aspect; I think we both know what that means. I want to…” He trailed off, smiling as her own smile grew wide. “I think we need to discuss what it will mean for you to be The Duchess.”

“Is that what I will be? A duchess?”

“Well…” He looked around quickly for a moment and then pulling back, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’m going to go grab something and then we will go sit somewhere and talk.”

“Okay,” she giggled, a little bit tipsy from all of the champagne and a little bit high from the conversation.

She watched as he moved away and within less than a minute he was back, holding a chilled bottle of champagne in his hand and a sneaky grin on his face. He walked swiftly to her, took her hand, and then with a wink he turned and tugged her behind him.

They moved down the stone steps off of the deck and before she knew it, they were on one of the sprawling Windsor lawns, moving quickly across the grass. The warm night air surrounded them and Alex felt happy and giddy and free, her hand firmly ensconced in Harry’s as he pulled her with him to go talk about their future.

They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Harry rounded a corner and they found themselves in a beautiful garden. It was walled on all side and the beautiful flowers and plants were in abundance. There were lights somewhere, but they were camouflaged well and cast just a soft glow on the garden. It almost felt like a soft, sweet cocoon that was there especially for them.

“Wow,” Alex breathed as Harry slowed their pace, walking slowly down the gravel path to an open grassy area in the middle of the garden. There was a large, round fountain and a solitary bench stationed on the grass. She assumed that Harry would pull her to the bench but instead he led them to the grass right in front of the fountain and grinned.

“Would you like to sit, my lady?”

“My lady?” Alex giggled. “Why yes, kind sir.”

He chuckled and helped her sit and then moved in beside her. He immediately went to work on the champagne bottle, removing the foil and popping the cork. They both laughed when he moved it hurriedly to the side, avoiding the spray that came out.

“You didn’t bring glasses,” Alex observed.

“Naw,” Harry drawled and then with smirk he lifted the bottle to his lips and drank straight from it before handing it off to Alex who smiled wide and then did the same.

“So…duchess, hmmm?” Alex said softly, bringing them right into the conversation and bringing a chuckle from Harry’s lips.

“Yes,” he nodded, growing slightly more serious as his mind worked over the details over it all. He stretched his legs out in front of him and then turned his eyes to her. “There are several dukedoms that have been discussed for when I marry.”

“And they are?”

“I could be made the Duke of Windsor, the Duke of Clarence, or the Duke of Sussex.”

“Wow,” Alex breathed. She passed the bottle of champagne back to Harry and kept her eyes on him as he took another drink. “Which one do you think it will be?”

“Well, I don’t think it will be Windsor. My great-great-uncle was the Duke of Windsor and there was so much scandal attached to his name. It’s still too fresh in the public’s minds. I don’t think it will be Clarence either; it’s a long story but the last Duke of Clarence was once thought to be Jack the Ripper.”

“What?!” Alex squeaked. “Jack the Ripper?”

“He wasn’t,” Harry grinned. “But still, I don’t think it will be Clarence.”

“So that leaves…Sussex?”

Harry nodded slowly and his eyes were wide, open, and honest as they found hers and held them, firm and steady. “Which would make you…the Duchess of Sussex.”

“The Duchess of Sussex,” Alex repeated slowly.

“Is it too much?” His voice was soft and she detected the nervousness in it.

“No,” she answered immediately. She scooted a bit closer to him and found his hand with hers. “It’s not too much. But what about Emma?”

Harry took a deep breath. “Well…that’s really up to you.”

Alex tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“There is no precedent for this Alex,” He said softly. “We’d be making history here. We would be setting the precedent. The only similar situation that exists is in Norway. Are you familiar with Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit?”

“I’ve heard of them, yes,” she nodded. “She was a single mother, right?”

“Right,” he nodded. “The situation is slightly different. Haakon will be King of Norway someday and I won’t be King of Great Britain. Plus, their title system works differently, so there was never a question that her son would receive a title. He won’t. But they are happy and he loves her son as if he were his own.”

Alex bit her lip and took a moment before she spoke. “Is there a question of whether Emma would be titled?”

“I hope you don’t mind,” Harry said, leaning forward and pulling both of her hands into his. “But I have already spoken to my grandmother about this. I wanted to have the options ahead of time. I didn’t want big questions like this to be asked at a time when our lives are going to be nuts.”

“I don’t mind,” she laughed. “But I’m going to smack you if you don’t quit stalling and tell me what your grandmother said.”

“Ha! Okay okay,” he laughed. “Emma could remain untitled. She would be part of the family but she wouldn’t actually be considered Royal. Or…” He stopped and smiled wide. “My grandmother has agreed, in the event that it is your wish to do so, to issue Letters Patent making her Princess Emma of Sussex…or whichever dukedom I receive; provided that I legally adopt her as my daughter…our daughter.”

She blinked several times. “Whoa.”

“I know that’s a lot of information to take, Alex. But you don’t have to decide now; you can let it sit and work over what you think is best for…”

“I would want Emma to decide,” she interrupted softly, her eyes flashing wide.

“Yeah?”

“Not about the adoption, Harry. That…” She trailed off as a lump built up in her throat and tears came to her eyes. “That is a yes. Whenever we decide to marry, if you want to adopt Emma I would never, ever say no to that and Emma wouldn’t either. I don’t even have to ask her. But I would want her to understand what she would be taking on by becoming a…Princess.” Her head shook a bit after she said the last word. It was just a touch surreal that they were discussing her daughter becoming an actual, honest to God Princess.

“It’s a lot to take on,” Harry nodded, growing a bit solemn at just what Emma’s life would be if she did take on the title, more so because of how she gained it. She would always be a story and he knew that.

“Hey,” Alex murmured, squeezing her hands in his. “I just want to give her the option because I don’t want her to ever think she wasn’t allowed to take her own path in life. Unlike any other children we would have, she has the option Harry. You’d be asking me to do the same and does it look like I have any reservations? Does it look like I have any doubts about living a life with you and everything that goes with it?”

“As much as it amazes me…no, it doesn’t,” he grinned.

“I don’t think Emma would either. She loves you so much, Harry. She has from day one. But I still want her to decide. I can’t make that decision for her. But for the record, yes…it’s a lot to take on, but what we’d be gaining beats what we’d have to give up any day of the week.”

“You’d have to give up your organization,” he said quietly. He knew it was the one thing that would hurt her to leave behind.

“I know,” Alex nodded slowly, her eyes growing teary.

“You seem resigned to that.”

She smiled softly. “No baby, not resigned. It will be terribly said and I will miss it every day, but I’ve known since you took me up to Balmoral all that time ago that I wouldn’t be able to run it anymore. But I can find a way to still be involved. That place is a part of my heart.”

Harry’s heart swelled with pride. “You can be a patron.”

Alex smiled softly and held his eyes for a moment. “That’s what I would want. Isn’t that funny? That’s how we met. I wanted you to be a patron, and in the end, that’ll be the role I take on.”

His lips twitched and then his head tipped forward, capturing her lips with his. He kissed her softly, sweetly, before he pulled back and pressed soft kisses to her nose, her cheeks, her forehead, and then her lips a final time before he pulled back. Then, with a wink he leaned back and tugged her with him so that they were lying on the grass. She tucked herself into his side, his arm wrapped tightly around her and her head resting on his chest.

They laid like that for several minutes, just staring up at the stars on the clear night, their chests rising up and down in unison as they both mentally digested the conversation they had just shared.

“Harry?”

“Hmmm?”

“Where would we live?”

And she could almost hear his grin.

“At Kensington, with me.”

“Do we have to wait until we are married to live together?”

“No,” Harry chuckled, his hand moving to smooth over her arm. “We don’t. In fact, whenever we get engaged, it would make it much easier if you and Emma lived with me.”

“Why?”

“Well…” He adjusted on the grass, pulling her tighter to him. “Once we get engaged, you would be assigned security right away. Both you and Emma would have a team of protection officers. If you aren’t living on palace grounds they are required to sleep in the same residence as you.”

“And that would be terribly difficult to arrange in my two bedroom flat,” Alex giggled, imagining making protection officers sleep in her living room.

Harry laughed. “They would do it, but it would be awfully cramped.”

They both chuckled and then faded into silence again for a moment before Alex spoke up again, although her voice was a bit more nervous this time. “Harry? Where would we get married? Would it be at St. George’s like Bea? Or Westminster like Will and Kate?”

“It would be in London,” he answered softly. “There would be so much interest; we could never get away with doing it here. It will be Westminster or St. Paul’s.”

She tilted her face up to his and grinned playfully. “It’ll be huge, won’t it? Like, people will be lining up on the streets and wearing masks of our faces?”

“Ha!” he laughed, his head tipping back into the grass. “Alexandra, your spin on things never fails to amuse me.”

She laughed with him and then settled against his chest. “This has been a wonderful day, Harry. Every single thing about it.”

“It really has,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. “You know what would make it even better?”

“More champagne?”

His shoulders shook with laughter and then reached for her, pulling her up and on top of him, her face even with his. “Trying to get me drunk and take advantage?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Oh Henry Wales, I don’t have to get you drunk.”

He grinned and his fingers moved into her hair and he pulled her mouth to his, their lips and tongues moving against each other fervently, the emotion of the night welling between them, an urgency surrounding them in that garden.

“Let me take you to bed, Alex,” Harry whispered against her lips, his eyes searching hers.

“Yes,” she said simply, knowing there were no other words to say, ready to let their bodies communicate to each other for the rest of the night; needing the way they moved together, the way they could say everything they felt in those moments with just a look, with just a sigh, with just a moan.

They pulled themselves from the grass and walked hand in hand back to the main building, whispering soft words, sharing small giggles. They bypassed the reception and snuck straight for their room, ready to love each other well into the night.

And they did.