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Harlow | Phoenix | Other people

She was in my arms

Harlow was finally in my arms and I couldn't find a single word to describe the happiness that my heart felt.

I was here. With her. Holding her and yet afraid to open my eyes to wake up and this all be a dream.

But this was indeed my reality.

I flew over three hours and drove over an hour just to be here in this moment. Every minute we spent on the phone throughout my deployment, every time we got off the phone saying 'sweet dreams', every night I went to sleep after the three days of us not talking, every time I smiled to myself dialing her number even when I knew she wasn't my aunt was all worth it.

"I can't believe you're here." She spoke into my collar as I opened my eyes noticing Timara wiping tears from her eyes trying to keep a steady hand as she recorded us.

Feeling small shakes from her body I rubbed her back soothingly. "Don't cry."

Dropping down from my waist she wiped her eyes laughing a little. "I don't mean to cry. I'm just . . . happy to see you."

Picking up my cover from the ground I put it back on pulling her into my chest. "I'm happy to see you too and like I said before, you look very beautiful."

Feeling her arms wrap around me squeezing just a little tighter than before I smiled in her dark hair inhaling her scent of peaches and vanilla. The two scents tangles in one reminded me of my aunt's peach cobbler and the dinner we were set to have while I'm home.

Pulling back I cupped her cheeks slightly distracted by her lightly glossed lip. Round. Light pink -

"Phoenix?"

Moving up to her brown eyes I smiled slightly embarrassed being caught staring. "Yes Harlow?"

"Can I kiss you now?"

Smiling at the perfect person in my arms I lowered my head until our lips met.

It was as if a tingling warmth of pleasure spread from the back of my neck down my spine to my toes. Falling further into the darkness behind my eyelids I pulled her body closer to me needing to feel all of her before the moment ended.

Earning a moan as the kissed intensified I felt my lower half begin to make its presence known but I didn't care. It had been over a year since I had been with someone and Harlow was making my body come to life like a burning fire more than any woman I've been with.

"Mhm." A voice cleared behind us.

Breaking apart Harlow laid her head on my chest quietly laughing. Keeping my arms around her I looked to my aunt who covered Dylan's eyes.

"Mom." He complained trying to remove her hold on him. "I've seen people kiss before."

"I'd rather you not see Nicky kiss like that."

"You guys are so cute!" Timara yelled putting her phone away before wrapping her arms around us. "I'm so happy for you Harlow!" Pulling away she held her hand out to me. "Nice to finally meet you Nick."

"You too Timara." I replied shaking her hand. "And also thank you for helping me surprise her."

Harlow pinched her best friend's arm. "You knew this whole time and didn't tell me?"

"Why would I tell you?" Timara laughed. "It wouldn't have been a surprise then, now would it?"

Harlow turned to my aunt and Dylan. "You both were in on it too?" Nodding with their own smiles Harlow shook her head turning back to me. "I can't believe you pulled this off. I was sure you wouldn't be back for months."

"My deployment ended early so I booked the first flight back and surprised Dylan at school then we came we came here a few hours later." Bringing her closer to me I kissed her jaw gently. "Can I take you out tonight?"

"Absolutely."

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Sitting outside of the apartment address Harlow texted me earlier I watched the digital car clock turn from six fifty-seven to six fifty-eight. Grateful that my aunt let me use her car for tonight I promised to fill her tank before I brought it home and get a rental tomorrow morning.

Looking at the single red rose on the passenger seat I almost ditched the idea of buying her flowers since our date wasn't anything formal but she was my girlfriend and if I wanted to buy her flowers then I would. She deserved them.

6:59 pm

Pocketing the keys I walked up to her apartment ringing the doorbell once knocking three times after. Waiting quietly I shifted from side to side. My stomach felt like I was falling from the Drop Tower at an amusement park.  

Exhaling I turned in a circle shaking out my arms quickly gathering myself again just as the door unlocked and opened.

There she stood wearing ripped jeans, a white crop top with a pale pink jacket that ended at her knees. Hair pulled into a puff with a pink scarf tied around it matching her jacket perfectly.

"You're right on time." She smiled reaching out of view for a split second coming back with a white purse that matched her top and shoes.

"You look amazing."

"Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself."

Taking her wrist I pulled her to me the same time as I revealed the rose. Gasping at the delicate flower I watched as her small hands rose to her glossed lips before reaching out to take the flower from me.

"Phoenix, it's beautiful. Thank you."

No other response came to mind with all of my thoughts focused solely on her lips. "Harlow?"

Opening her eyes from smelling the rose she moved her attention back to me. "Yes?"

"As you boyfriend, do I have permission to kiss you as I please?"

"Of course you do."

"Glad to hear it."

Without a second to waste I cupped the back of her neck bringing our lips together for yet another perfect kiss. A kiss in which we could take our time. No one to clear their throat. No young eyes watching. No aunts, or cousins, or best friends recondring. No one but us.

Just Harlow and Phoenix.

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I was never the type of guy to get dressed up in a suit and go to a fancy restaurant with wine and special cheeses but Harlow wasn't like any other girl. She was different. We had a different connection and so for a few hours taking her to a nice restaurant was the plan but as I thought about the little amount of time that I would have with her I want that alone time we shared to be just that. Alone and special.

No, I wasn't looking for sex. Just moments that didn't necessarily needed to be filled with talk. Harlow seemed like the type of person to be okay we just being in someone's company by the many of times we sat on the phone in silence with neither one of us asleep.

Going over a few different ideas I finally settled with taking her out to the old Luckie Park before they moved it to Linden Heights and there we would enjoyed each other for the time we had.

It was perfect.

Resting on my side I laid across from Harlow on a picnic blanket that was tucked away in my aunt's garage. A few candles held the blanket down on each corner underneath the starlit sky.

Packing a small dinner with two cuts of apple pie for dessert I spread out our dinner placing Harlow's rose in the middle. Watching her smile over the food I took her picture leaning over to kiss her in the second photo.

"I need memories of this day and proof for my Marines. That reminds me, your half of the money is in my bag. They're holding my half until I get back."

"Here, let me see then." She held out her hand for my cell.

Handing it over without question she kissed my cheek taking a photo, did a few silly faces in others, and took out her phone taking a few of her own before posting one to her social media tagging me.

"All the proof you need." She smiled handing back my phone putting hers down as well. "Are we ready to eat now?"

"Yes ma'am we are." Taking off the foil tops to each plate I handed Harlow the hand sanitizer.

"You cooked all this for me?"

"I assisted the cook so I can only take partial credit."

"Well tell your aunt thank you for me please."

"I will. Let's eat."

Trying not to stuff my face I held off as much as I could but it was hard. I had gone months without eating a home cook meal and now that I had it, it made me love my aunt all the more. I understood that the food could have been worse during deployment, like eating MREs but the stomach pain and toilet time I went through at first was nothing I would wish on anyone.

As Harlow took her second bite of potato salad I asked the ultimate question. "So what do you think of my aunt's cooking? Is it seasoned well enough?"

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