Incandescent | H.S

Part Twenty-Six: Surreptitious Games & Sweet Galaxies

The workload on your birthday was unbearably lacking, your day dragging painfully slow. It picked up only two times- the first when your work colleagues treated you to a lovely birthday cupcake with a single candle and sang you happy birthday. Your brother and parents also called, hoping you'd had a lovely day so far and enjoyed what remained of it.

The second time was when a beautiful bunch of flowers got delivered to you accompanied by a small pink box. It was a lovely bouquet, flowers awash with soft pinks, whites, and peaches marred with green accenting leaves and spruces of baby's breath.

You plucked the card from the floral setting and turned it to read the soft flourish of handwriting.

My sweetest cherry,

Happy birthday,

Thank you for your trust, your guidance, your golden ambiance.

I treasure you and adore you.

Love,

Harry x

You let out a giddy noise at the note and hugged the card to your chest.

"Those are stunning," Your assistant commented from the doorway.

Looking up at her, you couldn't hide the adoration in your eyes even if you tried. "They are."

"What's in the box?"

"No idea." You replied in earnest. You weren't expecting any other gifts, your generous boyfriend had already gone above and beyond for your special day but it appeared he wasn't done.

She sauntered from her lean against the door frame with a grin. "Enjoy, birthday girl."

You thanked her quietly as she closed the door to your office. You were left alone with the dusty rose-hued box, shuffling around your paperwork to the side so you could offer it your full attention. It was unlabeled, not warranting a single clue of what its contents could possibly be.

Upon lifting the lid, you were met with soft pink tissue paper. You frowned, gently peeling away the wrapping layer after layer. An even smaller box was enclosed, black velvet nestled into the contrasting rosy hue of the paper.

The velvet was soft against your fingertips as you picked it up. You flipped it open and your brows furrowed at what sat inside. It was a silicone material in the shape of the letter C. The two ends were bulbous, one larger than the other. You turned it in your palm, feeling it and examining it made you realize what it was.

You gasped and snapped the box shut, shoving the pink lid back on and shoving it into your desk draw. You weren't inexperienced in that world at all but having it gifted from a man who had made you feel indescribable pleasure was a different feeling entirely.

Harry had texted you a few times during the day, generally checking in and giving doting words. You'd thanked him profusely for the flowers but you didn't know how to bring up his other gift. Especially when you didn't know his exact intentions in giving it to you nor what it even was. With the idea that he'd gotten it delivered to you at your workplace, he wanted to shock you with it.

Eying the draw that you'd placed it into, you smirked. He had definitely nailed the shock factor.

You were set to see him tonight before the two of you met up with your friends so you knew he'd bring it up then seeing as he didn't even mention it to you at all before then.

God, your work shift couldn't finish soon enough.

After work, you went straight home. You'd received a text from Harry telling you he'd be over in about half an hour. That gave you time to get back to your apartment and shower. You left the flower arrangement on your desk, wanting to see them and smell them while you were sat in your office every day.