"Do you wanna stay a little longer? I am leaving by the way..." Gareth said, standing at the door of Aeryn's bedroom.

"No. It's okay." I looked to Aeryn and Carmel sitting on the bed and bid them goodbye before following Gareth out of the room.

As I walked beside him, he intertwined his hand with mine, and small smile formed on my face. He was looking ahead so gladly he couldn't see me blushing.

This man was responsible for making my heart beat wildly. And I wasn't complaining.

He opened the car's door for me and sat inside and he closed the door for me before sitting in the driver's seat.

"Gareth..."

He glanced at me. "Yes?"

"I want to eat ice cream..." I said sheepishly.

He smiled softly. "Sure, honey."

A few minutes later, he stopped the car at the side of the road and an ice cream truck was standing at a distance.

"Which flavour?" He asked as he undid his seatbelt.

"Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate, all together in a cone." I said excitedly.

He was baffled by my request. "What? Do they even sell that?"

"They do! Just ask them."

"O-kay..." He muttered walking towards the truck and I heard him say underneath his breath. "I better not get embarrassed."

I chuckled at him, shaking my head.

He's so cute.

He returned two minutes later with two cones. Strawberry ice cream in one cone and in the other what I requested.

He sat back inside and handed me my cone, looking surprised. "They do sell this especially for you. That guy knew you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Yeah...I always buy from him. And I always buy this only plus I am the only one who requests for this...so, yeah he knows me." I took a lick of the ice cream.

"Nice..." He muttered taking a bite of his ice cream.

"Have you thought of any names for this child?" I asked.

"You are just a month pregnant, Harper. We still have eight months." He rolled his eyes.

I pouted. "I was just wondering."

"Hmm...I will be the one to name the child don't worry." He said nonchalantly.

"No. I will name it! You won't!"

"I am the father." He argued.

"And I am the mother!" I argued back.

"I will name it, that's it!"

"No." I whined. "I will!"

"I will."

"I will."

"I will."

"I will."

"I will!"

Huffing angrily, I turned my head towards the window. "I hate you!" And took a huge lick of the ice cream.

He became silent immediately and took in a deep breath.

"Harper?" He said in the softest tone possible.

He gently touched my hand when I didn't respond. "Hey? I'm sorry."

I huffed again and said nothing.

He sighed deeply. "Fine. You get to name the child. Happy?"

Grinning, I turned to him. "Thank you!"

He smiled but on noticing something chuckled and I frowned. "What?"

"There's some ice cream on your nose." He pointed out.

Before I could wipe it off, he leaned forward and wiped it off with his thumb and licked it off from his thumb.

Damn.

It should be a sin to be so hot. Heat crawled up my neck to my cheeks and they turned red.

He winked cheekily before he resumed eating his ice cream.

I turned my face away from him so he couldn't see me so flustered by his actions. And I didn't even look at him again.

Since I am a slow eater of ice cream, he finished his before me and revved the engine and drove away while I still slowly licked on my ice cream.

.

.

.

I was shocked to see the book lying on the nightstand and when I inquired him about it, he said that I should complete it. But yes, he told me to handle it properly to which, this time, I agreed happily.

Later that night, I laid down on the bed when Gareth came out of the bathroom and walked to me. Leaning down, he lingeringly kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, honey."

"Goodnight." I managed to whisper.

Smiling, he bent down and kissed my belly making my heart skip a beat before walking back to his bed.

I can't believe I used to hate this man.

Well, he was being an asshole to me but... he's a gem. I guess I have to agree with Carmel.

His back was towards me and I stared at him quietly.

My heart beat quickened, my heart warmed and it skipped several beats and a wonderful feeling settled inside me.

I love him.

Oh, shit!

Shit! Shit! Shit!

What the hell? I face slammed myself.

I can't believe I fell in love with him.

Oh God.

Okay...I am overreacting now.

But--

I love him!

Stop it! Stop it!

Calm down! It's okay... it's alright.

My hands suddenly itched to hug him tightly. I tried controlling it but couldn't. I just wanted to hug him. Just one hug.

I slowly sat up straight on the bed contemplating whether or not it's a good decision.

Biting my lips, I quietly got down from the bed and walked towards him.

You will scare him.

Oh, fuck off!

I slowly lowered myself on his bed and hugged him from behind tightly. His body immediately stiffened, startled by my actions.

"Harper?" He said in surprise.

I hugged him more tightly hoping he won't push me away. Instead, he slowly turned towards me making me fall back softly on the bed.

He gently caressed my cheek with his thumb. "You okay?"

I nodded sheepishly. "Yeah...I just...I...umm...I..."

He smiled as if he understood what I meant to say. "It's okay."

Before I could say anything else, he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer and I rested my head on his chest cuddling with him.

He kissed my forehead mumbling. "Goodnight, Harper." And closed his eyes.

Sighing softly in satisfaction, I drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

.

.

.

I woke up in the morning to an empty bed and Gareth was no where to be seen. I pouted on not having him beside me.

Maybe he's downstairs.

Brushing my teeth, I took a shower and went downstairs to the kitchen but frowned on not seeing him there too.

"Where's Gareth?" I asked Diana who was washing the dishes.

"He left for office." She answered.

"Oh..." I whispered.

Is he avoiding me? Again?

He always leaves for office much earlier if he has to avoid me.

Don't avoid me please, Gareth. It hurts.

"Why are you still standing there?" Diana said. "Come. Sit down."

I sat down for breakfast and she served me though I didn't feel like eating.

I somehow managed to eat enough to convince Diana to let me leave for the restaurant.

Reaching the restaurant, firstly I ran upto Aeryn and hugged her tightly.

"Is everything okay?" She asked looking worried as I pulled back.

I shook my head. "I love him!"

She frowned firstly but on realising on what I meant, she smiled. "So, what's wrong in it?"

"You are not understanding! I am so scared!"

She chuckled. "Calm down, Harper. It's okay if you love him."

"But I think... he's avoiding me..."

"Why?"

"I don't know... whenever he used to avoid me earlier, he used to leave for office much earlier than usual." I told her and she started laughing.

"Oh God, Harper. You are overreacting. Eve told me they had a very important meeting this morning. That's why he left so early, Eve left too."

So I was getting worried for nothing?

I smiled sheepishly. "Oh..."

"Harper?" I heard someone call me from behind and I turned around to see Candice standing there.

Holy shit! I just shattered all her fantasies about Gareth.

I expected her to shout at me but instead she hugged me, surprising me. "I am so happy for you, Harper."

She congratulated me pulling back from the hug and then smacked me on my hand. "But you could have at least told me that you are dating him!"

I apologized. "I am sorry...I was supposed to keep it a secret."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah...of course. You really good at acting, I have to say."

"But now, I want all the details!" She added excitedly.

I smiled. "Sure."

.

.

.

Coming back home, I placed my handbag on the couch and slumped down on the couch. It was late in the night, I worked a bit extra even though Aeryn threatened to fire me from the job if I didn't leave.

I didn't even see Gareth the whole day, couldn't have dinner with him.

I heard some noise coming from the kitchen so, I tip toed to the kitchen and saw Gareth standing there with his back towards me, drinking water.

He must have heard my footsteps because he turned around to face me and my heart beat quickened at his sight. His messy hair making my heart skip a beat.

He looked exhausted and said softly. "Hey..."

I walked closer. "Hey..."

"Did you have dinner?" He asked and I nodded. "I did. And you?"

"I did too." He replied.

I lowered my head and whispered. "Are you avoiding me?"

"No, honey. Why would I avoid you?" He said promptly.

"Oh..." I mumbled feeling embarrassed.

A few seconds passed by and he pinched my chin between his thumb and index finger and slowly lifting it he did the last thing I expected.

He pressed his lips upon mine.

My eyes widened in surprise while his fluttered closed.

He is kissing me!

As I was about to kiss him back, he pulled back immediately. The kiss merely lasted for three seconds.

He started to rant out nervously. "I...I...am sorry...I didn't...I..."

Fisting his t shirt in my hand, I pulled him down and placed my lips on his, silencing him. Butterflies erupting in my stomach.

Removing my hand from his t shirt, I slid them up and wrapped them around his neck as our lips moulded together in a passionate kiss.

He cupped both my cheeks, angling my head deepened the kiss making my heart skip a beat as I kissed him back with equal passion.

He slowly retreated back, breathing heavily, stared intensely into my eyes.

His eyes flickered down to my lips.

"Oh, fuck it." He cursed and this time our lips met in a rough kiss.

He removed his hands from my cheeks and his one hand tangled in my hair while the other slid around my waist pulling me incredibly closer.

I moaned into the kiss as our tongues slid against each other and gently intertwined before he traced my lower lip with it. He sucked on my lower lip before pulling back and rested his forehead against mine.

He said breathlessly with his eyes still closed. "I could never avoid you, Harper. You are an important part of my life."

We opened our eyes simultaneously and I wrapped my arms around his body, burying my head in his chest with a smile on my face.

I love him so much!