Against the Odds

Alex’s jaw dropped in shock at the cake that had just been delivered to her flat by Primrose Bakery.

Emma, on the other hand, squealed in delight and grabbed Alex’s hand, tugging on it as forcefully as she could, trying to pull Alex closer to where it sat on the pre-arranged cake table in the living room.

It was a stunning five tier cake, with each tier decorated to represent a Disney Princess dress or outfit. Alex let Emma pull her right up to it, and listened with a huge smile as her daughter went through each tier, naming instantly which princess it represented and which outfit it was from. The look on Emma’s face was something Alex would never forget; complete joy and pride at having this cake at her birthday party. She was going to be the talk of her school when word of this got out.

Alex was still deep in listening to Emma go on and on about princesses when her buzzer rang. She looked at her watch and frowned, as there was still an hour to go before anyone was supposed to arrive. Leaving Emma to continue her perusal of the fabulous cake, Alex walked over and hit the button on the intercom.

“Hello?”

“It’s me,” came the deep, sexy voice she knew so well.

“You’re early,” she said back teasingly.

“Anticipation, Alexandra.”

She widened her eyes at the intercom, as if he could see her through it. “Jeez, come on up before you disgrace yourself in public.” She heard him laugh as she hit the button to buzz him in, and then moved to stand by the door to wait for him.

It was weird, these moments where she knew that within seconds he would be standing in front of her; seconds before he would look at her with those blue eyes of his and press his warm lips to her. She almost felt more longing for him in those few moments than she did when they didn’t see each other for days. It was especially bad this afternoon, knowing that in just a few hours they would be alone in the house and they would finally make love. It heated her body just thinking of it.

The knock sounded and she jumped, even though she had been more than expecting it. She pulled the door open, standing back as Harry’s protection officer moved in to look through the flat. Harry moved in quietly, glancing around for Emma and setting down the gift he had brought for her and a duffle bag, which Alex knew was his overnight bag, inside the door.

“Living room,” Alex whispered, nodding her head in that direction. “Totally fixated on and occupied with that amazing cake you conjured up.”

Harry grinned, stepping closer to Alex, so close their fronts were almost pressed together, but not quite. Her head tipped back to look up at him as he towered over her. “She likes it?” He asked.

“Loves it, Harry,” she whispered. “Loves it.”

He paused as his protection officer re-appeared, gave him the okay, and slipped out of the door. Then he reached up and trailed a fingertip down her cheek, sending shivers of delight through her. “And you?” he asked.

She gulped.

And then it just came tumbling out of her mouth before she even realized it.

“I love you.”

Her eyes went wide as realized what she said. His eyes darkened as they stared into hers and his lips parted in surprise. His finger stopped its journey from her cheek to her jawline. They both stood there, immobile and in shock.

“Harry!” Emma shouted as she came running in, finally snapping out of her cake trance and realizing he was there.

Alex stepped back first and blinked several times, trying to convince herself that she hadn’t really just done that. Harry recovered quickly, blinking only once before turning to Emma and opening his arms to her and lifting her when she ran into them.

“Harry I love my cake,” Emma said excitedly. “It’s so pretty. It’s like all of the Disney Princesses in one cake. I’ll bet no one has ever had that before!”

Harry laughed, trying his best to concentrate on Emma and not on Alex who was almost visibly freaking out a few feet from him. “I’ll bet not. I’m glad you like it though.”

“I really do. Can I show it to you? I want to tell you about the princesses,” she asked, talking fast and loud, her excitement bubbling over.

“Emma, nothing would make me happier. I’ve got a favor to ask of you first though. Can you do me a small favor?” he asked her sweetly.

“Okay,” she nodded, still smiling big.

“See that bag over there? That’s your present. Can you take it to the present table for me? It’s really important that you carry it slowly and carefully in there, it’s breakable. Can you do that?” He quickly glanced at Alex, who was trying to sneak off into the kitchen behind them.

“Really?” Emma asked. “It could break?”

He nodded. “But I trust you to be careful.”

“I will be!”

He kissed her cheek quickly and set her down, watching her pull the handles on the bag and slowly turn, making her way into the living room. He knew he had about two minutes. Two minutes to get Alex to stop the epic freak-out he knew was coming.

He quickly followed her into the kitchen, where he found her standing at the sink, washing a dish that was probably already clean. “Alex…”

She shut off the water and shook her head, but kept her back to him. He moved up behind her, leaving just a little room between them.

“Look at me, Alexandra,” he said. His voice was low, throaty.

She turned, slowly, and looked up at him. He almost lost it at the look in her eyes. She was mortified, that was the only word he could think of to describe it. He closed the distance between them, surprising her when his hips pushed hers in the counter behind her. His hands came up to her face, cupping it gently. He rubbed his thumbs on her cheeks softly.

“Did you mean it?” He asked gruffly.

“Harry, I…”

“I don’t want you to try to explain it away to me out of embarrassment or whatever, Alex. I’m asking you if you meant it. It’s a yes or no question.”

She swallowed. Her eyes filled with tears. “Yes. I know its…crazy. But yes, I meant it.”

“It’s not crazy. It’s simple, Alex. It’s so fucking simple,” he said with a small laugh. “You love me and I…” he leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

“Love…”

Another kiss.

“You…”

A longer, deeper kiss.

“Too…”

And he laid a final sweet, soft kiss on her lips, lingering just a second longer than the others. Then he pulled back and looked at her, his eyes on fire for her. “I mean it,” he said more forcefully. Then he stepped back, just in time for Emma to come running in.

“I moved it and it didn’t break!” she squealed, running up to Harry. She looked up at him adoringly.

As much as he didn’t want to, he tore his eyes away from Alex and turned to Emma. “I knew you could do it, Princess,” he said, ruffling her hair. “So, Emma…let’s go see this cake.”

With one last glance to Alex he was gone, moving to the living room with her daughter. She stared after him. Had he really just told her he loved her? Was it too fast? Was it wrong? Should they stop and think about things? They had only known it each other a month. Four short weeks was all it took for them to fall, head first, into each other.

Instinctively though, Alex knew that the time didn’t matter. She knew that whether it had taken them one month or six months, she was going to fall for him from the very beginning no matter what. It hadn’t been a choice. It wasn’t a conscious decision for her. The dates, the many hours of phone conversations they had every day they didn’t see each other; it all added up to that one conclusion. She knew him. She knew who he was, she knew his heart. She loved him. She had quite simply…fallen madly in love with him.

Then she laughed to herself; the small chuckle escaped from her lips and she hugged her arms to herself. He was right; it was that simple. She loved him and he loved her, and both of them being the people they were, so similar in their hearts, knew that you just couldn’t question those things sometimes.

Holding her smile, she moved into the living room to spend a little bit of alone time with her daughter, and the man she loved.

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

The party was a success. All of Emma’s friends just died over the cake, with only a little bit of drama breaking out about which princess dress portion they wanted their piece cake to come from, which Alex solved with the type of diplomacy only a practiced mother can conjure up.

Alex formally introduced Harry to all of the adults there; her mother-in-law, Molly was so sweet, giving Harry a big hug and told him it was nice to see him again and that she had heard so many nice things about him from Alex and Emma. Harry was touched with her welcoming attitude, as the only reason he was here with Alex was because her son wasn’t any longer.

Mia managed not to curtsy, but still was a little wide eyed at Prince Harry being in the same room as her. The other two staff members at HFTF, Sarah and Duncan, were pleased to see him there, and pleased to see Alex so happy. They both told him so, making him smile and making Alex blush.

Of course she didn’t have to introduce him to Charlotte, whom Alex had invited earlier this week, but she could see Harry’s touch of relief at having someone he knew other than Alex and Emma there. Charlotte was a hit with the kids as well, her loud personality making her a magnet for all the little five and six year old girls who were all loud personality themselves.

Then there was the moment that Alex was pretty sure that every single woman in the room fell in love with him a little bit.

Emma was opening presents and got to Harry’s gift. He moved through the room wordlessly to her as she was handed the bag. He sat down on the floor next to her and helped her remove the heavy box from the bag. He watched her face as she pulled the paper from it, and smiled when she realized what it was.

“It’s a tea set,” Emma said with a big smile, turning to look at Harry in delight,

Harry had gifted Emma a very beautiful, and Alex was certain very expensive, tea set. It was white china, and as he helped Emma pull out each piece, Alex saw that they were shaped like different Disney items; a castle, Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage, and several more. Alex’s eyes filled with tears as she realized just how much thought Harry had put into this day for Emma.

“Now, you can only use these for special tea parties, Emma. You must always ask your mum first, okay?” Harry asked softly. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, but Harry never got embarrassed, didn’t waver in making sure Emma understood his present to her.

“What about when you play with us, Harry? Can we use it then?” Emma asked, causing a light chuckle among the adults.

Harry smiled. “Not all the time, but on special occasions.”

“Okay,” Emma set quietly, looking once more at the beautiful tea set once more in wonder before Harry helped her replace everything in the box.

Alex was so entranced that she didn’t hear Charlotte come up behind her.

“He loves that little girl already,” Charlotte said quietly.

Alex jumped and her hand flew to her heart. She turned and looked at Charlotte. “I know,” she said simply, with a small smile.

Charlotte studied Alex for a second before realization dawned on her. She moved closer, so she was standing right next to Alex instead of behind her. “He loves you too. But you know that already as well.” It was a statement, not a question.

Alex nodded slowly. “I do.”

“Alex…I like you…and I have a feeling we are going to become good friends…”

Alex turned to Charlotte. “But…” she said, raising an eyebrow.

Charlotte laughed lightly. “But…that man over there,” she nodded towards Harry. “He’s one of the best people I know. He’s one of my oldest, dearest friends. I want nothing more than to see him happy. You make him happy.” She stopped and shrugged. “But if you hurt him…well, let’s just say I’m pretty sure I could kick your tiny blonde ass into the next century.”

Alex blinked, taking Charlotte’s words in for a second, and then she burst out laughing, drawing a few curious glances from around the room. She covered her mouth and watched as Charlotte fought the giggles herself. It only made Alex laugh worse, and when Harry looked up at them, wondering just what was going on, both of them nearly lost it and beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen where they both laughed until tears came out of their eyes.

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

“I’ll bring her back tomorrow around lunch,” Mia said as Alex handed her Emma’s overnight bag.

“That’s fine,” Alex said with a smile. “Emma, time to go!” she called to her daughter, who was busy laughing about something in the living room with Harry. She heard Emma tell Harry bye and then she was bounding around the corner, excited for her sleepover.

“Okay kiddo,” Alex said, crouching down to Emma’s height. “Be good for Mia, okay? And call me if you need anything.”

“Okay, mum,” Emma agreed. “Thanks for my birthday party. It was so cool,” she said with a big smile.

“You’re welcome, baby. Did you thank Harry for the cake and the present?”

Emma nodded, her blonde hair bouncing.

“Good. I love you. Now give me a hug,” Alex said quietly.

Emma hugged her and then Alex stood and smiled and waved as Mia and Emma made their way out of the door. Alex locked it and then took a deep breath, leaning back against it.

She was nervous; really, really nervous.

“Alex?” she heard Harry call from the living room. She took a deep breath and moved towards his voice.

“Hey,” she said softly as she entered the room. She lingered at the doorway, not sure where to go. Did they start here? Was he going to take her straight to the bedroom? She didn’t know how to go about this.

He caught on to her instantly. He saw the uncertainty on her face, saw her eyes shift as she looked at him and then around the room.

“Alexandra, come here,” he said softly, motioning her over with his head.

She moved towards him slowly, her fingers worrying themselves in front of her. She stopped in front of him, standing before him where he sat on the couch. He held a hand out to her, and when she placed her hand in his he pulled her to him, and she went, settling her legs on either side of him and looking down into his handsome face.

“Are you okay with us doing this tonight? We don’t have to do this tonight, you know, we can’t wait,” he said quietly. He reached up and ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to make her feel comfortable.

“No, I want to. It’s just…” she trailed off. He fingers played at his shirt buttons, distracting him. He forced himself to keep his eyes on hers though.

“It’s just what?” he asked. His hands left her arms and moved around her backside, spreading his hands out on her ass and pulling her tighter against him.

“I’m…nervous,” she whispered.

“Me too,” Harry answered immediately, sincerely.

“Really?”

“Of course, baby. I’ve wanted to do this for weeks now with you. Now that it’s finally here, of course I’m nervous,” his eyes were full, sincere. His cheeks were flushed.

She sighed, feeling a little better knowing she wasn’t alone here, and relaxed into him. She moved her hands from the buttons on his shirt up to his shoulders, leaning her upper body closer to him.

“Harry…” she murmured.

His eyes dropped to her lips. “Hmmmm?”

She moved even closer, pressing her body fully against his, leaning forward so her lips were next to his ear. “I love you,” she said in firm, clear voice. His hands flexed against her backside, his heart catching in his throat. She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes clear and wide. “I love you,” she said again. He watched her, enthralled, as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his lightly, softly, a clear caress. “I love you,” she whispered against his lips.

His heart leapt the moment he caught on to what she was doing. She was making sure he knew she meant it and wanted this to happen. She was making sure he knew that even though she was nervous, she this was something she was sure about; something absolute…just like her love for him.

He groaned, and not able to contain himself any longer he moved his hands into her hair, shoving his fingers into thick mass of it. He pulled her face to his and captured her lips. He tilted her head with his hands, holding her in place as he slid his tongue into her mouth to dance with hers. She moaned as he stroked, teased, and massaged her tongue with his. He stayed just like that, making love to her mouth, strong and steady; his own way of telling her he was sure.

He felt her fingers move back to his shirt, making quick work of the buttons there and pushing the two sides of his shirt open. He was still wearing an undershirt, but just the act of her undressing him sent a surge of lust through him. He sat up, their lips separating, causing a whimper from her.

“I am not making love to you on this couch, Alex, and if you undress me any further, that’s what is going to happen. I’m taking you to bed,” he said roughly before sliding his hands under her ass and standing up. He quickly moved them down the hall to her room. He walked over to her bed, but didn’t put her down on it as she expected him to do. Instead he lowered her so her feet hit the floor and her arms slid from around her neck. He moved back a step so he was looking down at all of her.

“I love you, Alexandra Morgan,” he murmured quietly. He shrugged his own unbuttoned shirt off and then his hands went to her shirt, sliding his fingers over the buttons on the thin, flowy shirt; popping them open quickly. He took a deep breath after he finally got them all done and then with light fingers he pushed the shirt from her shoulders. He groaned at the sight of her, in a white, lacy bra standing before him, her chest heaving up and down with each breath, begging him to touch her.

“God Alex, you are so beautiful…perfect,” He breathed. He reached up and placed his hand on her chest, laying it flat right over her heart. “Absolutely perfect.”

She blushed at his words, pleased that he was taking the time to say those things to here. And then, not even bothering to be embarrassed, Alex reached behind her and unsnapped her own bra, her eyes never leaving his as she pulled it slowly down her arms and then off of her front, dropping it to the floor. Before he could move to touch her she moved to him, reaching down and grabbing the hem of his undershirt, tugging so he would raise his arms in the air. He did, his hand leaving her chest, and she pulled his shirt off, dropping it to the floor with her discarded bra. She ran her hands up over his flat, hard stomach, the muscles twitching beneath her hands as she slid them up to his chest. Then she moved in his arms, pressing her hot skin against his. His arms crashed around her, staying tight for a second as he fought for control. And as much as she appreciated the gesture, she didn’t want control right now. She wanted him to lose himself in her, and she wanted to lose herself in him.

She pressed a kiss against his chest, right in the middle of the light patch of hair on his sternum. Then she placed another kiss, and then another one, kissing her way up his chest, then leaning up her tip toes and stretching, placing her arms back around his neck, placed more kisses up his neck.

Once her hot lips hit his neck any hope he had to take things slow and easy with her snapped. He stepped forward, moving her with him until her knees hit the bed. He tipped her back onto it and she hit the bed with an “oomph” and a giggle. His hands moved to the button on her jeans, popping in and sliding her zipper down. With a grin up at her he grabbed them by the waistband and slid them quickly down, gazing at every inch of her as he went. He discarded them and then made work of his own jeans, sliding out of them before putting a knee on the bed and sliding her knees apart with his hands, moved over her to settle between them.

His lips crashed down over hers, bringing out moans and whimpers from her as he tongued, teased, licked, and nipped at her mouth.

“Alex…I love you so much…” he murmured as his lips left hers, moving down over her jaw and licking his way down the soft skin of her neck. Her head tipped back into the mattress, giving him more access to her neck. Her arms were thrown above her head, her hands tangled in the bedspread. She made small, throaty noises that were driving him to distraction.

Her skin felt like it was on fire wherever he touched her, wherever he kissed her. His lips were moving further south, hitting the tops of her breasts, and still moving lower until he captured a puckered nipple in his mouth, causing her to cry out. He worried it with his tongue, skimmed it with his teeth, pulled it between his lips, all causing her hips to buck underneath his; he groaned and she whimpered, feeling just how hard and ready he was for her.

His hands were moving over her legs, her sides, over the sensitive skin of her stomach as he worshipped her breasts with his mouth. Then, just as she thought she couldn’t stand the exquisite torture of his mouth on her sensitive chest anymore, he moved, kissing further and further down. His hands slipped up under her thighs, pushing them up and his mouth came to the lacy panties that were tantalizing him with lied underneath of them. She jerked and moaned loud when pressed his mouth there, his tongue dipping out to tease against the material covering her. One of his hands moved up, a finger slipping under her panties to find her center.

“Oh God…Alex…so wet…” he murmured against her as his finger slid into her without resistance. She arched against him, looking down on him with pleading eyes as he moved that single finger within her.

“Harry, please…” she moaned, her hands moving down into his red hair to tug him upwards to her. “I need you…now…”

There was no way he could have resisted that plea, and so he moved, a man on a mission. He leaned up and dropped a kiss on her lips before reaching down and pulling her panties completely off. He stood quickly and went to his overnight bag, grabbing protection from the side pocket. He moved back to her, sliding off his boxers and sliding on the condom quickly before moving back over her.

Both of them were breathing heavy in anticipation, the weight of the moment wrapping itself around them, cocooning them. She wrapped her arms around him and accepted his lips on hers as he moved an arm under her backside, lifting her for him.

And then he pulled away from her mouth, capturing her eyes with his as he pressed slowly into her, and she felt like she just might pass out from the sensation of him as he moved into her, filled her. She cried out as she felt the emotions, watched them flash in his eyes; shaking a little bit from the intensity of it. He pressed on until he was completely there, buried to the hilt inside of her. Then his mouth dropped to her and he stayed right there for long minutes, just loving her mouth with his while he came to grips with just how hot and tight she was around him, while he let her get used to the feel of him.

“Harry…” she finally moaned against his mouth. She was done waiting. He was inside her, she loved…looooooooved….the feel of him so big and touching places she had forgotten existed, but she was desperate for him to move. She needed the friction that he promised to provide. It had been much too long for her, and even then she had never felt this full, this complete. “Harry…make love to me…” she whispered. “Please…”

Her words were his undoing and he lifted slightly from her, balancing himself on his hands as he looked down on her. He began to move…finally…and her head rolled backwards on the mattress as he began to push in and out of her, long steady strokes that pulled at her insides, her emotions, her everything.

Her hands moved up in front of her, smoothing up over his chest before sliding around his neck, her fingers pressing into the nape of his neck. He murmured sweet, loving things to her, telling her how good she felt, how she drove him crazy, how he much he was pleasing him. All of combined in her head, her heart, and her body and she felt the pressure start to build inside of her, a burning in her belly that she wanted to search for and fight against at the same time, it was so intense.

He pressed on, continuing his steady rhythm above her. Her eyes fluttered close and he felt her hips start to twist, to grind up to him and he couldn’t help the smug grin that flashed across his face when he realized she was close. He picked up the pace instantly, faster and harder, and leaned down, bracing himself on an elbow while he reached the other hand between them, bringing it down to her center. His fingers found the swollen ball of nerves there and he began to stroke it; willing…coaxing her climax from her.

“Harry…I’m…oh…” she cried, her hips moving up to his thrust for thrust as she reached for it.

“Yes, Alex…you feel so good…please, baby…I want to feel you clench around me…” he demanded between the deep thrusts into her body.

It was his words, more than his actions that sent her over. The way he growled them into her ear, the way he said them as if he would die if she didn’t come right then, the sent her over the edge.

“Come with me,” she gasped right as the buildup finally burst so brightly within her that she had to close her eyes against it, crying out against Harry’s neck as she let the waves begin to wash over her, clinging to him tightly. And then she felt him speed up momentarily against the clench of her around him and then she heard him groan, he breath hot against her ear as he went with her, his hand clenching the sheets by her head as he pulsed again and again within her.

Long minutes later, after their breathing evened out, after they both became coherent to the world again, he pulled back and looked at her, the wonder evident on his face. He had never felt the connection he felt with her and it had shown in the way they made love, moved together so seamlessly.

She gazed up at him, her fingers reaching up to stroke his face, his lips.

“Wow,” she breathed. “That was…”

“Yeah…” he whispered. “It was.” It was all he could manage…all he could agree to without becoming choked up. “I need to…I’m just going to clean up real quick,” he said quietly.

She nodded and he pulled off of her, slipping into the bathroom connected to her room. She moved up on the bed and pulled the covers up around her, waiting for him. He returned within moments, grinning from ear to ear as he joined her, slipping under the covers with her. He immediately tucked her into the crook of his arm, settling her against him.

“Harry?” she asked, her fingers moving to his chest, tracing light patterns there.

“Hmmm?” His eyes were closed, tired but happy and enjoying this moment.

“Thank you.”

He opened his heavy eyes slowly, looking down at her. “For what?”

She smiled. “More things than I could list right now.”

He chuckled, sliding them both further down into the bed, pulling the covers up around them. “No, Alexandra…it’s me who need to thank you.”

“For what?”

His eyes closed and he leaned his head on top of hers. “Everything, my love. Everything.”