Maybe I Miss You

Chapter 14

It was late when Harry and Ana arrived home.

They took the long way home from Soho, neither quite ready to end the night as they meandered down the streets at a very un-New York pace.

Block by block they continued. Ana's arm linked with Harry's turned into their fingers laced together as Ana toyed with one of his ring adorned fingers, as they fell into effortless conversation only possible among kindred spirits.

Ana told him about meeting Bianca, her eccentric artist neighbor turned best friend, and how she'd been the one to convince Ana to give Edward a chance. Harry shared how he'd fallen in love with fashion at a young age and how Edward had always supported his bold outfit choices, despite their father's constant disapproval.  Ana couldn't help but smile at the warmth that now radiated from Harry when he spoke of his twin,  a far cry from the edginess and hedged hopefulness between the two over the past several weeks. The shift had happened for all of them, really. The palpable tension had melted away and, in its place, an entirely different kind of tension had blossomed: atension that had finally broken through the first date nerves and ignited the passionate rooftop moment (or half hour) between Ana and Harry and the same tension that had them desperate all over again, standing now in the low light outside the penthouse.

The rich scent of leather and bourbon with the glittering top note of bergamot was all Ana could focus on as Harry pulled her in gently for a goodnight kiss. She let herself surrender fully and leaning fully into his embrace and sliding her fingers under his silk blouse to feel his warmth, suddenly annoyed at the layers of fabric that kept her from feeling that delicious warmth everywhere.

After a few moments of slow, deep goodnight kisses outside the door, they found the apartment quiet and mostly dark except for the sliver of light spilling from under the door to Edward's study.

"Good night," Harry whispered, dimple popping as he grinned and planted one last, chaste kiss on her cheek before heading down the hall to his and Louis' room.

Anna headed for Edward's office, her giddy excitement shifting into something more akin to nerves as she approached the door.

She found Edward at his desk, illuminated by the single desk lamp. He studied his screen intently with a familiar crease in his brow and lip pinched between his thumb and forefinger.

"Awfully late to be working." Ana said as she fully entered the well appointed office, catching Edward's attention. "Even for you," she added  playfully.

"I know." Edward groans, pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

"Everything alright?" she hedged. She couldn't help the spike of anxiety that flared within her; maybe Edward wasn't as open to a relationship with Louis and Harry as he'd thought. Maybe the reality of Harry and Ana spending a night out together had proven too much.

"Yeah, just a snag with closing a deal," he sighed, closing the computer and sitting back in the large leather chair. "How was your night?"

"Good," Ana supplied casually,testing the waters and trying her best to hide the swelling tension in the room.

"Just 'good'? Maybe Harry's lost his touch," Edward mused with a sly smile, a familiar dimple popping on his cheek.

His playful mood quelled her immediate worry but not quick enough to mask the bitter edge that crept into her scent. Edward's smirk faded as he sensed it, like burnt marshmallows and cinders.

She sighed heavily; he knew her too well.
"You're ok with this, right?" she asked, forcing the words out past the knot of worry in her chest.

"Come here," Edward rumbled, sliding the chair away from the desk and holding a hand out to her.