I. L'instant [H.S]

LIX

"Harry." I press when I feel his fingers dragging the hem of my dress up.

He looks at me with a relaxed expression. "What is it, honey?" He smiles wickedly, knowing fully well what he's doing.

The dinner has been served and everyone's already eaten, the desserts are being offered and while everyone talks excitedly about Theo and Grace's upcoming plans for the wedding. Mrs Dreg-Smith, who clearly passed the good looks down to her children, suggests a spring ceremony next year while my mother gushes about the perfect floral theme for it. Nan goes on to say none of us should be giving out opinions without asking the couple first to which Mr Dreg-Smith seems to agree. Everyone laughs or adds cheeky comments, enjoying the end of the dinner.

I nod and smile, laughing when Titan, Ares' younger brother, asks if he's got a saying on the whole thing since Theo already promised to name him one of the best-men. All the while, Harry sits right by my side, running his hands over my legs, taunting and squeezing, driving me mad as he tries to distract me with his touch.

"Tease." I whisper, taking his hand from between my thighs.

Harry leans forward, pecking my cheek. "I can't help myself." He sings into my ear before pulling away.

Once both Theo and Grace thank everyone for coming and sharing the night with them, all of us start to say our goodbyes. Harry takes a moment and goes out to the restrooms while I make my way to my mother to check on her, she's been cheerful most of the night but I can tell she's not entirely well, not with Adrian and his wife here. Diane has made no attempts to socialise with anybody -which I guess is smart of her, but still, I can't help to wonder what on earth was going through her and her husband's mind to actually come here tonight.

"Dear, are you coming with us or is Harry taking you?" My mother asks with a smile as she stands next to Grace's parents.

"With Harry, if that's alright?" I wrap my arm around her shoulder, giving her a squeeze.

She nods. "Yes, of course."

"I'm taking off." Ares announces to his parents, joining the group. "Emilia," he turns to me, placing his hand on the small of my back. "It was nice seeing you. Looking forward to the Dazed issue."

"Oh, yes!" Her mother sings. "Ares told us about it! What an accomplishment, Emilia."

My mother, unaware of the whole situation, raises a brow, smiling still but waiting for me to elaborate.

"Ares is one of the subjects for the anniversary issue." I explain. "We had a session a few weeks ago."

"Is that so?" Harry asks just as my mother nods and looks at Ares with surprise.

Right as I turn to see him, I feel Ares' hand dropping off of me, quickly replaced by Harry's as he pulls me to his side and away from him. Neither the Dreg-Smith's nor my mother seem to notice but I can tell Ares does, raising his brow for a second and giving Harry a strange glance. I try to smile at him but he doesn't reciprocate and rather looks away before Harry notices. Shit.

"Well, I'll leave now." Ares says after a few seconds. "I'm taking Titan with me, I'll see you home."

Kissing her mother's cheek and receiving a nod from his father, Ares looks at my mother with a quick smile and then to me for the shortest second before walking away. Harry keeps his hold on me, not even bothering to acknowledge Ares' departure, the Dreg-Smith's move along to say their farewells to my brother and their daughter as they both talk to Adrian and his wife. I look around to see Opa and Nan already on their feet, readying themselves to leave.

For the rest of the next ten minutes as we finish announcing our departure, Harry never leaves my side. He does nod and shake everyone's hand when they wish us both a goodnight, he even pretends to be okay when my aunt gives him a hug and practically pulls him away from me though he doesn't once let go of my waist. Theo looks at me with a quizzical look when I tell him I'm leaving, with Harry. I know he's going to ask me about this later since I denied Harry and I were dating the last time he asked me.