Trust
"Why do I keep on ending up with guys I can't trust?" groaned Nikki, head dropping into her hands.
Harry patted her awkwardly on the back. "You're a magnet for trouble, Nikki. I can't think of any other reason."
She sighed. "That doesn't help. Why are there so many losers out there?"
"What is this, twenty questions?" he teased, re-filling her wine-glass, red liquid swirling attractively in the glass.
She swatted him playfully with a cushion. "You're really not helping, Harry." There was silence for a moment. "I seriously considered staying in South Africa with him. But how could I trust him after that…"
Finally, Harry spoke. "I'm glad you didn't." He took a large gulp of wine. "Surely there are guys you can trust?"
"There's you and Leo," she conceded. "But I meant…"
"Always knew you had a thing for Leo," he quipped, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach.
"Oh, please," she scoffed. "He's like my dad. Actually, let me re-phrase that; he's everything I wish my dad was."
He gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze; her dad was probably the guy who'd let her down the most, and that had to hurt like hell. He glanced sidelong at her. "Guess that leaves me, then."
"Yes, but you…" she took in what he'd just said. "Are you… are you saying…?"
There was an awkward pause. "Well, at least you know you can trust me," he muttered. He downed the rest of his wine, and grabbed his jacket. "Better go, work tomorrow…" he said, a little gruffly, not wanting to wait for the rejection he thought would be coming his way pretty soon.
"Harry, wait!"
It was almost on the tip of his tongue to ask what for, but he halted, looking quizzically over his shoulder at her.
"You're…"
"I'm what?"
"…interested?"
He quirked an eyebrow at her. "You never noticed?"
"Well, you never noticed any of the times I was trying to impress you," she retorted, a trifle huffily.
"You were trying to impress me? When?"
"See? You never noticed," she said triumphantly.
"I… notice things about you," he said loftily. "I just… don't always comment on them, that's all."
"Because that makes a girl feel oh-so-special," she said snidely.
He gave her a guilty look. "Didn't want you to think I was an idiot. Or just trying to charm you, or get you into bed. Didn't want to ruin our friendship. Didn't want to make things difficult at work. Didn't, frankly, have the balls to stand in front of you and tell you…" he took a deep breath, the intensity of his gaze making her tremble, "that as well as being the most amazing friend and wonderful person, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, as well as being the sexiest and most intelligent…" He swallowed. "And I did notice some of the things you did… the clothes, the make-up, the way you do your hair, the perfume you wear that makes my knees go weak every single time you walk past me… but don't you realise, Nikki, you don't have to impress me?"
Nikki gulped visibly. Nobody had ever, ever said anything like that to her before; and the fact that it was Harry saying it… "I… I had no idea you… felt the same way," she stuttered. "I mean, I hoped you did, but then you never did anything about it, and I thought maybe I was wrong, and you weren't interested after all, and I tried so hard with other people, hoping it would put you out of my mind, but it didn't, it always just reminded me that they weren't you, and…"
He cut off her rambling by pulling her into his arms and kissing her soundly.
"Just in case you still had any doubts," he said conversationally a little later, "I'm very, very interested."
She grinned up at him, body pressed tightly to his. "I can tell."
Lips ghosted down her neck, and curved into a smile as he felt her shiver. "Seems like you are too."
