"Your best friend is here." Aeryn said coming inside the kitchen.

"What? Archie is here?"

She nodded. "Yup. He's waiting outside."

I quickly washed my hands and wiping them dry, I walked out of the kitchen.

I ran to the booth he was sitting in and seeing me, he got up and I hugged him tightly gaining the attention of a few customers.

"What are you doing here?" I asked pulling back and he kissed my forehead.

He gestured me to sit down and I sat down opposite to him. "I missed you...so, I came here."

I smiled. "I can't believe you came all the way from Irvine just to meet me."

"Anything for you, Harper." He winked and I remembered Gareth's words. 'He likes you.'

No. Shut up.

"You wanna eat something?" I asked him and he shook his head, politely refusing.

He lowered his voice. "So, how does it feel to be Gareth Wilbrose's fiance?"

"Well...it kinda feels weird because of the amount of attention I am getting. My Instagram followers increased in bulk just after the party."

But then my eyes twinkled realising how deep I have fallen in love with Gareth. "And..."

"And?" He raised his brow.

"Well...I fell in love with him."

"What?"

"Umm...I love him, Archie. I fell in love with him and he even kissed me yesterday." I told him in a low voice not wanting everyone to hear it.

He looked hurt and felt scared hoping what Gareth said about him is not true. "Why do you look so shocked, Archie?"

He lowered his eyes and shook his head. "Are you happy, Harper?"

"I am very happy." I said and he lifted his head. "Then I guess I got late."

"Why?"

"I like you, Harper." He confessed making my heart sink. "I really do."

I was lost for words. "Archie...I..."

"It's okay, Harper. I get it, you don't like me since you fell in love with him."

"Archie...I am really sorry. It's just I never saw you in that way. I am so sorry...I never thought...that...you..."

He gave me a sad smile and assured me. "It's okay, Harper. It's okay."

"I am so sorry." I whispered again.

He took my hand in his and gently squeezed it. "Stop being sorry, Harper. It's not your mistake."

He then lifted my hand upto his mouth and pressed a kiss to it.

"Is this going to ruin our friendship?" I questioned.

He smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. We are best friends. Always."

I nodded and he got up to leave. "Aren't you going to stay?"

"I just came to see you. I'm leaving tomorrow evening."

"Oh...you can stay--"

"No." He chuckled. "I am not staying at Gareth's house. He doesn't like me at all."

"But..."

"It's okay, Harper. I'll see you again tomorrow before going, okay?"

"Okay." I nodded my head.

I followed him out the restaurant and he engulfed me in a warm hug which I returned. Retreating back, he placed a kiss on my cheek and waving at me, he walked down the street.

Sighing, I turned around and got surprised to see Gareth standing near the entrance of the restaurant, his hands in his pockets and he didn't seem pleased at all and he was glaring at Archie's retreating figure.

"G-Gareth..." I stuttered as I came closer to him. "W-what are you doing here?"

He averted his eyes from him and looked at me. Coldness settling in his eyes. "I came to pick you up." He gritted his teeth.

"Oh...I...I will just grab my handbag and come, okay?"

He nodded coldly in response and I went inside and quickly fetched my handbag and saying goodbye to Aeryn, came back out.

I walked beside Gareth to his car and he opened the door for me gesturing me to get in and he closed the door.

Sitting inside he drove towards his house in silence and it scared me.

"Gareth?" I said softly.

"What was he doing there?" He snapped.

"Who?" I asked innocently.

Bad question.

"Archie." He almost spat his name. "What was he doing there, Harper?"

"Umm...he just came to meet me."

"And?"

I played with my fingers nervously and lowered my head. "He...um...he...told me that...um...he likes me."

Gareth's jaw clenched, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "What did you say?"

"I... rejected him?" I couldn't say that I love you that's why I rejected him.

"Why?"

My mouth parted slightly. "What do you mean by why? I didn't reciprocate his feelings... that's it."

"How did he react?"

"He said... it's okay..."

He didn't say anything else, his brows knitting together as he seemed to be ruminating.

I didn't say anything too and for the rest of the ride, there was a complete silence except for the car's engine.

.

.

.

He stopped the car in front of the house and giving him a long look, I got out of the car and walked inside. Greeting Diana, I walked upstairs to his room.

Just as I shut the door and was about to keep my handbag, the door opened behind me and shut with a force.

Gareth grabbed my arm and turning me around, cupped both my cheeks and crushed his lips upon mine.

His sudden action startled me and my handbag dropped from my hand and I gasped softly and he deepened the kiss, kissing me with such passion, hunger and anger that it made my toes curl in pleasure.

My knees buckled and I grabbed his biceps for support kissing him back.

With his lips still attached to mine, he took a step forward making me take a step back and this continued untill my legs hit the bed and he gave me a gentle push making me fall back on the bed with him on top of me.

His lips trailed down my lips to my jaw where he placed kisses trailing down to my neck making me gasp. My fingers tangling in his hair.

He abruptly stopped at the base of my neck and buried his head in the crook of my neck, breathing heavily.

"You're mine, Harper. I won't let him take you away from me." He whispered huskily against my neck.

"No one's taking me away from you, Gareth." I whispered back, trying to assure him.

He lifted his head, his pupils dilated and he rested his forehead against mine. "Don't ever leave me. Please. I won't survive. I'll break."

My stomach did a flip at his words, my heart swelling with love for him.

I caressed his cheek. "I am not leaving you, Gareth. Never."

"Promise?" He whispered against my lips.

"Promise." His lips were back on mine, this time kissing me softly and slowly. I ran my hands over his back feeling his muscles flex underneath my fingers.

He pulled back too soon this time. "I was... wondering...if you would like to go on a...a...d-date with me?"

"A date?"

He nodded nervously. "W-with me..."

"Of course, I will!" I answered excitedly making him sigh in relief.

Did he really think I will say no to him?

"Thank goodness." He muttered making me chuckle at his cuteness.

He continued to say nervously. "Look, it's been years since I last went on a date...so, I don't know...how to...do it...I...um..."

I silenced his rambling by pressing my lips on his for a few seconds. "It's okay, Gareth. I understand."

"Oh...okay..." He bit his lips.

Chuckling, I kissed him again as my hands removed his suit's jacket off his body.

Just as I removed his jacket, he pulled himself away from me, his body hovering mine. I frowned. "Are you really going to stop now? To leave me so hot and bothered?"

"I...um...are you sure about this, Harper?"

I nodded promptly. "Yes!"

"But...you are pregnant...and..."

"What does pregnancy has to do with this?"

"I will hurt you and the...b-baby." He said innocently making me chuckle.

"Oh, Gareth... it's not going to hurt the baby. It has nothing to do with it. I'm just a month pregnant."

A tint of pink coated his cheeks and he said sheepishly. "I didn't know that..."

I pulled his cheek placing a kiss on it. "You are so cute."

He blushed even harder at that and rolled his eyes. "Stop making fun of me."

"Then you can make me silent." I winked cheekily and he was taken aback by my boldness.

He leaned down and started placing kisses on my neck and sucked there making sure to leave a hickey making me moan.

My fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt as I slowly unbuttoned it, sliding it off his body and throwing it on the floor.

I trailed my fingers down his shoulders to his abs teasingly making him groan and he smashed his lips on mine, kissing me deeply.

Pulling back for air, he whispered huskily in my ear sending a shiver down my spine. "Oh, I am gonna make you scream, honey."