Hold My Girl

Chapter 13

February
28 Weeks

"I'm waddling aren't I?" I looked over my shoulder at Harry who was conveniently walking a few steps behind me, typing away on his phone.

We'd just had the most successful shopping trip where we'd ordered all the nursery furniture for Harry's house. He'd spent a small fortune on the most magnificent, white, wooden, sleigh cot with a matching chest of drawers, changing table and funky little wardrobe. He'd been so animated and engaged when buying the furniture, he knew exactly what he wanted and he took so much care over choosing a mattress for the cot that it made my heart swell, to see another human being so invested in the life and well being of my baby. We still hadn't discussed his offer of moving in with him when the baby was born. Mostly because I had yet to give it much thought. I was sure if I did, I'd read too deeply in to it, jump to some awkward conclusions, assume it meant way more than it did and it would just make things difficult. So while Harry wasn't mentioning it, neither was I.

Harry's eyes glanced up from his phone and a half smile fell over his lips. He cocked his head to the side as his eyes fell to my ass then immediately shot back up to my face.

"I mean there's a little more junk in the trunk. But I wouldn't say you're waddling just yet" Then he winked. The wink caused a fuzzy feeling of excitement to uncurl low in the pit of my stomach. I let out a small huff at my ridiculous reaction to his wink. I shook my head as I continued up the quaint little street lined with cafe's and clothing boutiques, towards Harry's Range Rover that was parked beside the curb. The wind whipped around my face as I struggled to see so I pulled all my hair to the side and held it tightly making sure I wasn't going to trip over anything. My growing tummy made it difficult to see my feet and one of my biggest fears was tripping and falling.

Suddenly there was a commotion in front of me and before I knew it there was a man in khaki trousers, a navy fleece and a black cap with a long lense camera pointing in my face.

"Just give us your name, Love" He caught me unaware and I stopped abruptly. His flash was blinding as I struggled to breathe, momentarily winded from the shock. After a beat I felt a hand at my lower back.

"Just keep moving" He marched me towards the car. My legs felt like lead but he kept me moving, till he got to the passenger door and then he bundled me into the seat, forcing my seatbelt at me before slamming the door. The camera man was suddenly at my window. Thankfully the windows were darkly tinted but I didn't know if that meant he couldn't see in. He kept taking pictures regardless as Harry clambered into the drivers seat. Without even putting on his seatbelt he started the car, forced it in to drive and sped away from the curb.

"Are you okay?" He asked sternly once we were safely far away from the photographer, his eyes not leaving the road in front.

"I... I... think so?" I stammered as I watched his hard set jaw twitch in anger.

"Are you sure?" He asked placing his large palm against my bump. His gentle touch an oxymoron to the anger seeping from his bones. His hand only lay they're for a second before it hastily shot to the seatbelt, forcing it around his torso, thankfully once he was buckled in it stopped the irate beeping the car was giving him.

"The fucking bastard" He mumbled, mostly to himself I assumed as he kept his foot down even though we were now far away from the photographer. Though I'm not sure I could really call him a photographer, that name suggests a certain degree of knowledge and talent. I struggled to believe that guy had either.

"What does this mean?" I asked quietly as Harry sat fuming in his seat.

"That he's just forced me to do something I've been putting off for weeks" Harry muttered.