Hi bestiesss! I hope you're all doing well.

It's time for the trip and our Tiger is back. I think I really just enjoy writing Harry's perspective. This chapter got to me a bit, but it's also a bit personal in a way.

Also, if you haven't followed me on Twitter, please do so. Snippets and sneak peeks on there. Same @ as on here!

Enjoy my precious rosy tulips 🌷

♬ ✥*

Harry.

"Do you have everything?"

"Snowboards, check. Scarves, mittens, check. Luna picked up by Amara, check. Most importantly, road trip snacks, double-check." Looking up at Essie, I saw the widest grin on her face. "What? Priorities, dude."

I shook my head, letting out a small laugh.

It was just after six when I knocked on Serenity's door earlier. I expected a tired face, but I saw the opposite — her excitement was through the roof, and it was infectious. She was dressed and had her things already placed by the door. I called her at five to make sure she was awake — she wasn't. This was probably the first time she'd gotten ready, and I was glad because it was going to be a lengthy journey.

"Come on, petal. We've got a long drive ahead of us," I spoke, tugging her towards me so I could place a soft kiss on her lips.

I missed her.

"I know," she said with a smile.

"It's almost a ten and a half-hour drive, love. We need to get out of the Vancouver area as soon as we can. Fucking traffic will be crazy. If we have to, we'll stay a night someplace," I suggested, but she quickly looked up at me.

"Not a chance, H. When you get tired, we'll switch, and I'll drive."

My brows furrowed. "Not a chance, E. I'm not risking it for you to drive in the mountains."

Her head tilted in confusion, letting out a short laugh. "It's not my first rodeo, you know."

"I know, Starlight. But we'll be in the mountains. There are moose, deer, goats, and who knows what else that can come out of nowhere."

"I'm well aware of that, pretty. It's called nature and its wildlife." She grinned, but I frowned.

"I don't want us to crash. You can get hurt," I spoke quietly, and noticed Serenity's expression soften.

"We'll be alright. I know what to do if it comes to animals. Not exactly the safest, yes, but it's not the end of the world. We're together, and heck, if we have to camp in the woods someplace, I'm prepared to do that too."

Dumbfounded by her words, I raised a brow. "Um, if you're saying that to make me feel better, it's not helping. You know bears exist, right?"

And she just chuckled, grabbing hold of my hands to pull them up to place a kiss on each, then settled them against her chest.

"We'll fight them off. If we fail, then we'll be delicious meals for them. I'm okay with that," Essie spoke, and I shook my head at her, unamused. "Baby, if you don't want to go to Banff, we don't have to. I know you're nervous about it."

Letting out a deep sigh, I thought about everything she was saying. The way she was looking into my eyes, I could see the pure sincerity in them — she was serious. If I didn't want to go, I could easily say no, and we'd just stay here — at home — together. But I could also make her upset by doing that. It was important to her, and even though everything made me nervous, I could do this for her.

Just take things one step at a time.

Or, in this case, one kilometre at a time.

"No, I want to."

She smiled. "Then, let's hit the road. How's about I drive now? We can switch when we get further into the mountains. What do you say?"

Serenity was good. I loved how she was able to make me feel comfortable so quickly.

"You drive a hard bargain, Miss Hayes," I spoke, pouting my lips and shaking my finger at her.

"I'm also pretty good at compromising, Mr Styles."

"Alright then. Deal." I grinned. "Let's go."

Grabbing ahold of her carry-on in one hand, her snowboard in the other, I headed off to place them in the trunk while she locked her door — with a tote bag filled with snacks in her hand.

When she met me at the curb, I hid the keys behind my back until she gave me a proper kiss. I just hoped her neighbours weren't awake at this hour or looking out their windows. That wouldn't have been very appropriate to find Serenity pinned up against the side of my car.

But I didn't care, it was quite pleasant.

♬ ✥*

Serenity and I were about an hour in on the highway, driving to Banff; and it was the first real vacation I was ever going to experience.

Essie had already finished a breakfast wrap she made herself, and started with some cut up fruit in a small container. Every time she swallowed it, she'd open her mouth so I could pop another one inside. She also may — or may not — have playfully bit me a few times.

She was very cheeky.

I knew she was starting off everything healthy at first, planning to follow with other treats. She didn't fail to consider me with her meal prep, because she also prepared two different options for me, depending on what I was in the mood for — an egg wrap with greens or avocado wrap with cucumber slices.

The fact that she gave me choices warmed my heart.

This trip was starting out wonderful, and I couldn't stop thinking about how things were in the past, and how they are now.

With my ex, there was nothing more to the story than what I told Essie. It wasn't even a trip, but a disaster. Not to mention that I spent the time at the business convention with her father — a man who hated me. Like his daughter, he only 'liked' me for my money — and to be seen with me in public. My surname and company name were a curse when it came to being known in the corporate world.

Anyone knew who the Styles family was, they knew Styles Inc. — and Urban Corp.

However, not many people know that problems existed between my father and me. We had separate companies, and I'm sure that some wondered why I didn't work for him. Of course, he 'covered' for himself, saying that I wanted to try my luck elsewhere, and I'd eventually find my way back to work for him.

That man was simply delusional.

A fraudulent being who only cared about money and success — and he didn't care how he got them.

So this was going to be a completely new experience for me. Not only was I going to be on a trip with the girl, but I'd also coexist alongside her family for a couple of days.

As much as they'd grown quite dear to me, and I was invited, I was still nervous as fuck.

I hoped that one day this feeling would disappear, but I just wasn't sure when.

I was holding onto my confidence as much as possible, but it faltered whenever I thought about spending a lot of time with them. I had a panic attack the first night I met her brother because I was surrounded by only three people I didn't know. At the hockey game, I still had that familiar experience, but deep down inside, there was a tiny spark of anxiety that I just hoped wouldn't get fuelled by trepidation.

But then, things changed — at least, temporarily.

During the drive, I somehow managed to doze off for what I thought was twenty minutes, when it was around three hours. Essie said she didn't want to wake me because she wanted me to be rested for later on. In all honesty, I was thankful for that. It helped eased the uneasy feeling that ran through my veins.

We stopped a couple of times at a petrol station for a gas fill-up, not forgetting to get an extra few containers — just in case. In the convenience store, she refused to get anything, saying it's why she brought food with us because they overpriced everything. There was no doubt it was true, but if she wanted anything, I'd still get it for her.

I'd give my petal the world if she asked for it.

Little did she know that I changed a major part of the plan for this trip.

I managed to get ahold of Milo to send him a text of the hotel's address we were all staying at and told him to share it with the rest. He tried to get more information out of me, but I didn't say a word. Her brother was just as inquisitive as Serenity, but he was more subtle. Of course, when it came to that nature, I was the best at it.

None of them knew that I cancelled their reservations at the hotel they booked. Instead, I booked separate suites at a four-diamond property, and whichever services they wanted were on me.

I wanted to do something special since they invited me to go on their family trip. Apparently, it was the first time Essie was bringing along a 'boyfriend' — at least, that's what Charlie said. Milo has been bringing his girlfriend Destiny with him for a few years now, which Essie assumes he's going to propose sometime before the end of the year.

It turned out that Amara had tagged along in the past a few times, but she wanted to take the time to spend it with River instead. In a way, I was glad. I'd gotten used to the fact that he would be around a lot — but I still wasn't a fan of him.

After we switched seats, I had the company of myself for a few hours since I encouraged my girl to sleep for a bit. I could see her getting tired, struggling to stay awake. She refused at first but then involuntarily gave in. It was nerve-wracking to do this drive on my own, especially the further we got into the mountains. The lack of phone service simply added to the uncomfortable feeling that kept coming and going. Obviously, I had the destination in my GPS, along with an actual map — in case we needed it.

There was only one lane at several times, so I had to pass many vehicles on our route, but whenever the road curved gave me anxiety. The thing that kept me going was when I thought back to how Essie did it before, and if she managed, then so could I — and her presence beside me.

There was no doubt to say that the route was absolutely breathtaking. I could see the view clearly from my condo, but seeing it up close and personal was no comparison.

Aspen and Evergreen trees covered the mountainous region, with snowcaps blanketing their tips. Astounding as the sight was seen with pine and juniper tones and a sudden separation to massive stones. Neutral hues scattered along the rocks, creating their own natural painter's palette. The vivid sky was painted in azure with pure marshmallow dotting it in clouds. Slowly, they rolled in, hinting that snow and ice filled them.

Everything was spectacular and captivating, just as the sapphire gems that were a blessing to my eyes.

Suddenly, I felt a hand reach over to grasp my hand as I turned to glance at Essie, who wore a soft, tired smile. I noticed that she tended to cross her arms over her body when she fell asleep — it was similar to me. We still kept our same gestures, but now we just made room for each other in between.

I loved that.

Once she woke up, we made some small talk and road trip games which helped time pass by as there were only a couple of hours left until we got to Banff. She distracted me a lot by getting me to laugh and smile throughout the journey. The way time was going by so quick was something I didn't expect. With one hand on the wheel, I held hers in the other, caressing her soft skin.

As the sun started to set, comfortable silence surrounded us. The light began peering through the mountain peaks, the colours of the sky morphing into another beauty I couldn't explain.

But there was someone much more alluring than it — one that was my own personal starlight.

Her head was turned, gazing out the window, occasionally smiling when she saw a mountain goat within the steep rocks. Whenever she'd look at me, I could see a rosy blush creep upon her freckled cheeks. The way her face was so bare, yet the contrast of her deep sapphire gems made her entirety stand out in a crowd. And the way her glasses rested upon her nose made my heart pound. I was still amazed by the confidence she had and how she was so comfortable around me.

Of course, mine grew quite a bit, too.

Ever since the day I wore that coloured suit, she mentioned that my eyes turned a brighter shade of green. Her expression was everything to me that day, and I haven't stopped wearing colours. There were attires of many hues — some including navy, pine, chocolate, lime, and punch pink.

When I showed up at Serenity's apartment wearing that, I'd never made her so silent for several minutes before. I stood at her door, waiting for her to say a peep, but she suddenly showed me that she wasn't quiet at all — rather, quite vocal. I made sure her neighbours knew my name by the end of that night. It was fun.

Like her, I was also wearing my glasses. A white hoodie adorned my torso, along with a pair of grey sweatpants and my trusty white runners. Essie told me to pack a pair of boots because I'd need them. I'd also snuck in my fancy loafers, knowing they'd be of use during dinners. But as of now, it was a long drive, and all I wanted was to be comfortable.

She, too, was in comfy clothes. An olive sweater that was mine, but was now claimed to be hers, a pair of leggings, and boots.

When I turned to glance back at Serenity, our eyes met for a brief second, seeing hers widen. But as I was about to ask if I was okay, she turned up the music and started to belt out the songs from a 90s boy band. We'd alternated between it and her phone throughout our journey — and clearly, the radio found some signal.

It wasn't the first time we sang along to some tunes on the way, but this was a bit much.

"You're the one for me. You're my ecstasy. You're the one I need!"

"Oh, fuck." I groaned.

The grin on her face was priceless, and I mocked in a cry. "Harry, I know you know the lyrics. Everyone knows the lyrics."

She was right.

They played this song at every school dance after it came out. Sometimes I wondered why because the lyrics were not appropriate for children. I never actually danced, though, because I never had anyone to go with.

A sister school would invite the girl's, and it would be the only time we had with the opposite sex. The problem was that we were forced to go, so I always sat in the corner while I watched everyone have a good time. I never asked anyone — and no one asked me. Who would want to ask the geek who still wore a school uniform at the dance because he didn't have a suit to wear?

My father only sent me to school with the bare necessities — and that's it. It was another reason why I was bullied. I mean, I was the rich kid with worn-out clothes with some that even had holes in them. They knew he didn't care for me, and it was amusing for them.

But now I had Essie. She danced with me, and I was having the time of my life.

And there was another thing that she didn't know — I knew how to dance.

I suppressed it in my memory for so long that I genuinely believed that I had two left feet. It surprised me when it came out the day I dipped her — when she 'taught' me to dance. I didn't know why I forgot something so significant, but I could easily blame it on the awful moments of my past.

I was just going to wait for the right time to tell her — or show her.

If she wanted to tango, that's exactly what we were going to do, because I also may — or may not — have booked out one of the ballrooms just for us.

"Do I have to?" I replied, letting out a groan.

"Get down, get down, and move it all around!" she sang instead of answering me.

"Hey, baby love, I need a girl like you. But tell me if you feel it too," I mumbled, and she squeezed my hand tighter, encouraging me to increase my tone.

"I'm in delusion every minute, every hour. My heart is crying out for you." Dramatically, her hands pressed against her chest. "Come on, Tiger. Sing it with me!"

"I feel in heaven when I look in your eyes. I know that you are the one for me..." We sang together.

Heaven really was in her eyes — and she was the one for me.

Fuck I was such a sap.

We continued on the rest of the song, harmonizing together — or at least, she tried to. I still made fun of the fact that she couldn't sing. She attempted to say that I was the same, but it wasn't true because we both knew I did.

One of the times I came home for the summer, one of my nanny's heard me humming some tunes in my room and complimented my voice. She was one of the nice ones. Then again, most of the people who worked for my parents were lovely. They even congratulated me when I took over as CEO, but they were private messages.

It was unfortunate, but I ended up finding out a few were fired when my father found out. I took the liberty of sending them money to help them, and they couldn't be any more grateful. It did take some convincing, but they finally accepted it.

Through the rest of the trip, icy flakes began falling from the sky, and I was thankful that we were close enough to town. I could see the Serenity swaying from side to side in enthusiasm as time passed, and I knew that feeling was only going to intensify.

"I love it here so much. Look at all the snow!" She exclaimed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Gee, great. The snow," I spoke sarcastically, and she lightly hit my shoulder.

"Oh hush, Tiger. You love it," she replied, rolling down the window. All of the warmth in the car escaped within seconds as the cold air rushed in. Of course, Essie just had to.

Blowing into the cold air, her eyes twinkled in excitement as she spoke, "Look, you can see my breath."

"Yes, darling. It's called condensation." A smirk tugged at my lips.

And the look she gave me, let's just say I absolutely had a death wish.

"I had no idea, smart ass," she deadpanned, and I laughed.

"You've made your point, love," I spoke, closing her window — and locked on it.

"Hey! That's rude, you know." Her pretty eyes narrowed on me.

"I'd rather not freeze my arse off before I see your parents, Essie."

As we drove into town, I saw exactly why she loved it here. It was both touristy and homey — both were evident within it. The lodges, hotels, and buildings were built to fit in with the nature-filled area. Knowing we were staying literally within the Rocky Mountains was something mind-blowing. The population of people throughout was greater than cars as they walked through the streets.

The number of traffic lights was nothing in comparison to Vancouver. It truly showed how tranquil and calm a place could be. There were no high-rises or anything to remotely represent urban life. A sense of relaxation overcame my body, and I never expected to feel something like that.

And then, once we neared our destination, Serenity's expression change — she was puzzled, and it made me happy.

As we pulled up to the front of the hotel, her mouth was agape, then she turned to look at me in surprise.

"Baby, what is this? This is not —"

"I know, love. Come on. Let's go get checked in," I replied, then got out of the car without giving her a proper explanation. I heard her say a faint 'Hey, come back here!' But I ignored her.

But we were quickly stopped by a bunch who seemed to have arrived at the same time. There was Serenity's loving family waiting for us. Genevieve and Milo were gazing at the scenery around them whilst Julian, Destiny, and Charlie commented on how lavish the hotel was.

I didn't blame them. I'd obviously never been here before, but it was absolutely gorgeous. The pictures definitely did not do it justice. I made Iris make the reservations, and she just sent me a couple photos to make sure it was good or not — I gave her the approval.

When Serenity noticed them, she ran and embraced each of them with a hug. Nervously, I stood on the side until I was greeted. The amount of chattering and laughs were starting to build an overwhelming feeling inside me.

I could do this.

"So, Harry, you mind explaining this? It looks here like my dear girl didn't know a thing about this." her mum said to me as I approached them. The tone she used wasn't disappointed but rather bewildered with a hint of delight.

"This really is too much, son," her father spoke.

Son.

Fuck.

Frozen from the word repeating in my mind, I snapped out of it by clearing my throat. "I wanted to do something special for all of you. It's kind of a thank you for inviting me."

"It really is too much, though. You really didn't have to," Gennie replied in awe as Julian smiled in agreement.

"I just hope you like it," I said nervously.

"Like it? This is practically the Ritz!" Charlie exclaimed, wrapping an arm around his father's and Essie's shoulders. They all laughed at his enthusiasm.

But this wouldn't have been enough for others. They would've wanted more. Fuck — get out of your head, Styles.

They never even commented on your glasses saying I was ugly. I looked normal to them — I am normal.

I could feel that there was about a minute left of sanity in me, though. So, I mentioned that they could head inside and check in. The suites were in their names, but the payment was under mine.

When they all disappeared through the front doors, Serenity went to follow them, but stopped as soon as she saw I hadn't moved a muscle.

I was still so fucking nervous.

This wasn't enough. They were so nice. They needed more.

"Tiger? What's wrong?"

"I feel like this isn't enough. Your family is so good. They're —" I started, but stopped when my pulse quickened. It almost seemed like there wasn't enough air, and I suddenly couldn't breathe.

"Hey, baby, get out of your head." Essie grabbed my face, caressing my cheeks gently. "You're okay, Tiger. Focus on my voice. Breathe with me. Take a deep breath in and let it out. Listen to the air escaping my nose, okay?"

Those were the exact words I told her when we first met.

Muffled through my thoughts, I managed to listen to what she said. Breathing in the air and exhaling it, I spent several minutes just focusing on that, then felt her hand grab mine to place it over her heart.

"Feel my heartbeat. Listen to it and breathe slowly,"

All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around my body, protect myself in a little cocoon, but I couldn't. The last time this happened in public, we were alone, and all it took was a soft touch of her hand on my back to bring me back. Now they were holding mine close to her heart — so tender and gentle.

When I managed to calm myself down, I looked into her deep blue eyes only to see worry — she cared about me.

"Come on, let's go up to our room. Okay? I'll check us in. You don't have to talk. Keep holding my hand," she spoke softly, and I nodded.

Words couldn't escape my mouth as I just continued to put my attention so that I wouldn't have another panic attack in the middle of a hotel lobby.

Serenity took us inside as I kept by her side, remaining silent while she did the talking. My gaze remained on the ground, my feet smoothing against each other. I couldn't say anything right now, and I was sure people were looking at me, wondering why on earth a grown man wouldn't speak.

A bellboy came to bring our bags with him as he directed us to our suite — we had to take an elevator. It was the only thing I was aware of, because I felt her tense when her hand was in mine. Without saying anything, I just squeezed it gently — it's all I could do.

I couldn't do anything else.

When we entered the room, I felt Essie pull my wallet out from my pocket to give him a tip. He nodded quietly, feeling the judgemental look from him, and then left. She knew that I would be upset later on if the money came from her — she knew me so well.

Everything about the suite was perfect and beautiful. I chose the best suite they offered, just on the top of the castle, but I couldn't find it in me to even appreciate it — or the view. I was so solemn, and I was already ruining our trip before it started. It's just what I did.

Serenity wasn't phased by the opulence around us, but only moved to stand in front of me. Her eyes studied me, then she suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. I wrapped my arms around her instantly, clinging to my girl like she would fade away and disappear.

She was the cave that I'd hide in, instead of jumping over the fire.

Encompassed by fierce flames, I stood still amid a drought, anticipating a single droplet to aid me.

My delicate petal was never burned by the intense blaze; instead, she extinguished it with a serene sway.

I could feel her warm breath against my neck with palms pressing deeply in my back. My hands clutched her sweater, fisting the fabric tight, keeping her as close as I could. The pounding of my heart was deafening, resonating in my ears, desperate to mute its volume.

Silent tears threatened one another to fall, succeeding at best, but whimpers escaped my mouth, pleading for something — anything. There was nothing worse than silent cries as they grasped the most profound agony without an ounce of strength to let go.

Please.

Please help me, Starlight.

"You're okay," she whispered, "You're safe."

I'm safe with her.

"Shine down, Starlight,
Please help to make this our night.
The one I love will be here soon,
Please shine above and bring the moon."

I could hear faint words being whispered into my ear — so quiet and calming — the lyrics to a beautiful poem, one so familiar to me. The tone was soothing, and it brought me serenity.

My Serenity.

Gentle kisses pressed against my neck, each soft and warm. I lost count of how many times her lips touched my skin, in between mumbling things that I desperately needed to hear.

"It's okay, Tiger.
I'm here for you.
I won't leave you.
You're it for me.
Let it out, pretty.
I adore you. I adore you. I adore you."

Adore. There was so much more hidden beneath that simple word — dear, cherish, care, admiration, devotion.

Slowly, our grips let go of each other, and I started to pull back. Essie moved at the same pace, not wanting to rush me.

My sight refused to meet her, though. The tips of her fingers feathered against my chin, turning my head to face her. My eyes fought to open, but they eventually met her sad, worried expression. I knew mine were glossy with tears, but still, not one dared to fall.

"What happened out there, baby?" Her tone was tender and sweet, not cruel and condescending. "Talk to me, Tiger."

I swallowed thickly before replying, "I — Th-this wasn't enough for you and your parents. They deserve more like you do. A family and —"

"Harry, listen to me. First of all, I already told you. You are my family. And second, you could've bought us in sleeping bags and pitched a tent at some campground, and we would've been more than thrilled," she spoke softly. "We're not used to this, Tiger. We've never been rich, but we've gotten by. Most of our parents' money went to us getting into things we loved. For my brothers, it was hockey, and for me, dance."

"Just because you're a multimillionaire, baby, doesn't mean you need to shower us with gifts and incredible things like this. Heck, just a smile from you makes my day," she said, taking my hands in hers.

"Y-you mean, this is too much?"

This insecurity is going to kill me.

"I'm not going to lie to you, but for us, yes, it is. Don't get me wrong, as a gift, it's a beautiful gesture, and it's absolutely perfect. We all love it so much and are very thankful for this, Harry."

"I tried to get the best view with the suites. I told Iris when I got her to book —"

She interrupted me by letting out a small laugh. "Pretty, I'm trying to tell you this is too much, and you're going on about something even more elegant. I lo— The way your mind works is priceless."

"Okay," I whispered with a small nod, then lowered my head. "This just — it would be satisfactory to others."

Slowly, she began to walk towards me and lifted my chin. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say those others were your bitch of an ex and her family."

Biting my lip, I nervously affirmed it.

"They abused you and your money. So you know what they can do, they can fuck off. I can't wait until the day you'll believe me on that."

"I do — I really do. I'm just trying to get used to it. I know my confidence is a lot better and that I stopped letting her ruin my thoughts. I just — sometimes I still struggle to realise what was bad and what was good."

"Everything. Everything they did was bad," Serenity spoke firmly.

A soft sigh escaped my lips. "I'm sorry for all of that. And for having a pani—"

"Don't you dare apologise for any of that. We're human, Tiger. Things happen, and it's okay. We don't have to justify our actions — especially for the things we can't control."

And without a second thought, I kissed her — my Essie.

I could never get tired of kissing my girl. She was so pure and perfect with everything she said and did. It was all so addicting, and I was fucking hooked — so drunk and wasted on her.

The way she against me, with me, showing me how much she adores me is so much more than I could ask for. Sometimes, I struggled to believe that she was real, but I knew she was whenever she held me in her arms.

My whole life has turned upside from her, and I couldn't be any more thankful.

That woman was a gift sent from above — I swear.

Featherlight kisses pressed against her top lip, then her bottom, the corner of her mouth, each of her cheeks, jaw, and back up to where I loved most. Every action was innocent, and I knew that I could take things further with no regrets and questions asked, but we were both exhausted. All I truly wanted to do was take a shower and hold her close to me until we fell in mutual slumbers.

"Pretty," she whispered.

"Yeah, Starlight?" I replied.

"I'm hungry."

"Room service?"

"I'm sure there's a restaurant here." She grinned, and I groaned.

"I don't particularly want to leave the room."

"I'm sure the rest of the gang would want to gather together, but we don't have to," she spoke softly.

I thought heavily about what she was suggesting, but I honestly had no strength to deal with anything else today. So, I proposed something else.

"Can we meet them for breakfast instead?" I compromised, and she smiled.

"Then breakfast it will be," Essie spoke, and placed a kiss on my cheek. "Shower first?"

"You better believe it, baby. Shower, food, bed, then hold you all night. I'm knackered," I said, carrying our things upstairs, and placing them on the rack. As I unzipped mine, she did the same with hers, pulling some clothes out.

"Knackered. You're so English," she snorted. "By the way, this suite is incredible. I could probably stay her the whole trip."

"Kind of hard to deny considering the man you're dating is from England," I replied, then smiled. "Do whatever you want. I'm glad you like it, baby."

"Really? I thought he was Irish. My mistake." A smirk formed on her face. "And I love it."

"Ha-ha, darling. You know, you really might work as a comedian. I'll have to find you some clubs to perform in."

With a light shrug, she spoke, "Works for me."

"So hey, I've never ordered room service before." Taking her bottom lip between her teeth, I chuckled since her words weren't shocking to me.

"My guess is that you've never had anything from the minibar either."

"Oh! Can I?" She eagerly clapped her hands.

"Whatever you want, love."

"I'm sorry in advance, Tiger, but I'm going to make your pockets hurt during this trip."

"Finally, I was beginning to think you only liked me for my looks," I teased, pulling her so I could place my hands on her hips.

"You thought wrong."

"Yeah?" I breathed against her lips.

"Yeah."

And when she kissed me, I knew everything would be alright.

...

A/N:

Sooo...confident Harry faltered a bit, and we had some insecurity, but that's okay. We're human.

Nonetheless, we love Essie and the Hayes family. They're literally goals and just the bestest.

How do you this trip is going to go? Yay or nay? Predictions please, I love them.

Besides that what'd you dig about the chapter? Me and my curious self, y'know me.

Kissy, stay golden, and TPWK my beautiful tulips 🌷

S x

P.S. Here's a little tidbit, the photos of Banff are actually mine! I took them and if you every consider going there one day, it will be well worth the trip! Just pretend that there's more snow on them. I went in late August a few years back. I had one more 'realistic' with regards to a 'wintery' feel from a May trip, but I'll leave that for the next chapter.

P.P.S. This is their royal suite. Not a chance have I ever even entered the hotel, I've only seen it from outside. I'm too poor for that lol. So I got this photo from their website. But let's just put this into context because Harry's really rich rich.