Fireproof (Book 4 in the No Control Series)

When Liz returns to the living room, Harry is watching her with a smile and a sparkle in his eyes. Liz looks down.
“Lizzie, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to see you walk in a room and not have my heart do a flip; so we had both better get used to it.”
She smiles and nods, unwilling to admit that there are times he’s caused her heart to flip as well.
Harry approaches her, standing mere inches in front of her, looking down into her eyes. “I want you to know that today is helping, it really is. It’s just that...you are in my very bones, Lizzie, how do I change that?”
She lays her hand alongside his face, immediately taking in the difference in his smooth cheek compared to Liam’s.
“Harry, we can’t be delusional. I know your feelings for me are real and real feelings don’t just disappear. I think it’s a matter of learning to control them. Maybe finding a spot in your heart to tuck them away in.”
Harry takes her hand from his cheek, kissing it then holding it in his. “You are absolutely right, Lizzie.” He looks into her beautiful eyes, memorizing each green and gold fleck before continuing. “You know that you and I will always be unfinished business.”
Liz bites her lip. “I do.”


Harry plops down into the overstuffed chair. Liz sits on the ottoman in front of him.
“Harry, I want you to find someone and be happy. No matter who you’re with, you’ll always have a piece of my heart. We will always share a special connection.”
“I’m sure I’ll fall in love and get married someday. But Lizzie, my sweet Lizzie...it’ll always be you.”
She smiles. “Can I give you some closure?”
He looks down. “I’ve come to learn that sometimes you don’t get closure.”
“Let me try.” Liz moves to sit on his lap.
Harry doesn’t seem surprised, resting one hand on her lower back, the other on her thigh. “I need you to know something, Lizzie. Loving you has been the most painful part of my life.”
She looks down. Harry places one long finger under her chin, lifting it to meet his eyes. “Loving you has also been the most special part of my life.”
Liz leans in slowly, gently putting her lips on Harry’s. Staying just like that for a moment, sensing that is what he needs. As she moves back in to take his top lip between hers, she feels his large hand move to rest in her hair.
Liz hears his quiet moan as she takes his bottom lip between hers. Harry quietly says her name, “Lizzie” before he takes her bottom lip. She feels his tongue touch hers, after a brief hesitation she allows him passage. She’s trying so desperately to let her heart guide her.
Harry moans as his tongue explores. He nibbles on her’s and she knows it's time. After a couple minutes, Liz tugs at Harry’s tongue with her teeth. She pulls back, kissing his earlobe before whispering, “We should stop.”
He sighs, looking into her eyes. “You’re right. Thank you, Lizzie.”
She smiles. “That was as much for me, as it was for you, H.”
“May I please just hold you in my arms for awhile? Nothing more, I promise.”
Liz lays in his embrace, relaxing in his arms, taking in his intoxicating manly, expensive scent.
Their legs are entwined on the ottoman.
Harry kisses the top of her head. “She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.”
Liz smiles against Harry’s chest. That’s one of her favorite F. Scott Fitzgerald
quotes. She recites one in return. “It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in your life. It faced- or seemed to face- the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”
Harry smiles, the very smile the quote makes Lizzie think of. He kisses her head before sharing the next quote with her. “You are the finest, loveliest, tenderest, and most beautiful person I have ever known- and even that is an understatement.”
Liz lifts her head from his chest to meet his eyes. “I don’t ask you to love me always
like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside of me there will always be the person I am tonight.”
Harry smiles. “I’m yours- you know it.”
Liz takes his hand, squeezing it. “So we’ll just let things take their course and never be sorry.”
Harry whispers in her ear. “I’ll never be sorry.” Then having exhausted all of their favorite F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes, Liz leans against Harry’s chest as he wraps his arms around her tightly.
They lay like that, silently, for an hour.

Liz finally raises her head. “I should go.”
Harry nods and walks her to the door. Liz turns to him, looking up into his handsome face. “I feel like I should say something.”
He smiles. “We’ve said it all today, Lizzie. There are no more words.”
She nods. “One last kiss?”
“No. Nothing can top what we shared earlier.” Harry insists, knowing if he kisses her again, he’ll never be able to let her go.
Liz nods. “Bye, Harry.”
He forces a smile. “Bye, Lizzie.”
She walks towards her car, pausing halfway there to turn back.
Harry is standing at the door holding a sign that says, “To me, You are perfect.”
Liz smiles, causing Harry to smile, a genuine, heartfelt smile.
As Liz gets in her car, a part of her feels relieved, the other part sad. She drives away without looking back, knowing things are forever changed.


************
Harry’s Journal Entry

Lizzie is my
could have been…
should have been…
but never was…
I just can’t bring myself to think
never will be…
because I know there is a part of me that will always be waiting for her...

Notes