Being Harrison Bloom’s Girl

Chapter 12

Leigh let out that breath as if she had finally come alive again when she found herself in Harrison’s arms, held so tight that she thought her ribs might crack, but she didn’t care.

All she cared was that she was there, with him, and he still wanted her. He still loved her.

“I missed you. Leigh, I…I’ve been trying to call you, to explain. All those photos and those reports…”

Leigh held on to him, her eyes closed tightly.

“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter as long as you choose me now. Irrevocably.”

Harrison stepped away from her far enough to be able to look into her golden eyes and shook his head firmly.

“There is no choice. Diane called me when I was feeling… Well, you know. So, we went out, for dinner, and then to a charity thing that was mind-numbingly boring as usual. But nothing happened, Leigh. Believe me when I say that – nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.

Leigh hesitated, but she nodded.

“I saw the photos.”

“I know. There are explanations. None of it was like it seemed. Well, not as much as it seemed. She was interested, but… She wasn’t you. I needed you. I still need you.”

Her heart soared at his words, and Leigh nearly cried. But she knew that she had some explaining to do, too. She didn’t want secrets between them. She would have to tell him about Roger, and hope that he would trust her like she trusted him.

“I have to tell you something, too,” said Leigh, hesitant.

Harrison nodded and waited.

“I went out on with somebody for dinner a couple of times, too. They weren’t dates. At least, maybe they were, but I told myself they weren’t,” said Leigh, determined to give him complete honesty, without excuses. “But tonight, I knew it was a date. He knew it was a date, too. I couldn’t do it. I…I told him that during dessert, and I left right after. To come to you.”

Harrison went still, and Leigh prayed, because what else could she do?

“You dated somebody else?”

“I didn’t quite… It wasn’t planned like that. He’s a guest lecturer for the semester, and I was having trouble with a paper. We ended up spending time together, and it felt more like friends. But I wasn’t surprised when he asked me out. I don’t know if I would’ve said yes if I hadn’t seen those photos. Break or not, I don’t think I would’ve. But I wanted to prove some sort of a point, that I could move on if you could, but then I realized that…I couldn’t. No matter how much my pride wanted it to be true, even if you could move on, I couldn’t.”

Harrison nodded, slowly.

“I’m in no position to throw a tantrum about that. Tell me – are you sure you choose me, Leigh?”

“There was no choice. There is no choice. There is only you.”

Leigh held her breath again, but she needn’t have, because she was in his arms again, being held so tight.

“I’ll never make you feel like that again. I promise. Leigh, we’ll take all the time you need. We will.”

Leigh smiled and sighed. That had been what she’d wanted. But…

“Actually,” said Leigh, pulling away to look at him again. “I need to ask you something.”

Harrison nodded and waited.

“Would you get engaged to me, without releasing a statement in the press or having a big party?”

Harrison’s eyes widened in shock.

“What?”

“If this engagement is for the two of us, I see no reason to let the world into it. It’s none of their business, their curiosity be damned. It’s only for us, and our family, our friends.”

“There will be a media circus when it gets out.”

“There won’t be, if we wear plain rings, not diamonds. We don’t need fancy, expensive rings. And I want you to wear one, too.”

Harrison grinned.

“You’re always full of surprises, aren’t you?” he asked fondly.

Leigh grinned, relieved that they had found a compromise after all.

“I am. We can keep the rings on chains around our necks if we want to. We’d still be engaged. We don’t have to announce it until we’ve set a date. We can set a date after I graduate.”

Harrison nodded.

“I agree to all your terms. I don’t need the world to know. I just need us to know.”

Leigh nodded, and leaned against him, so glad for the strength of him. She had needed to lean on him. Leigh hadn’t admitted that she needed help and support until Harrison had offered both.

Everything she wanted.