I woke up to an incessant beeping and reached over to grab a pillow to tug over my head. Anything to make that irritating sound stop.
I sat up, drugged with sleep when I realized the other side of the bed was unoccupied. A look at my phone told me it was only seven in the morning and my gaze swept the empty suite, feeling hollow at Harry's sudden absence. It was my confession last night, of course. It had to be and he took off at the first chance he got. What was I expecting? That someone as hot and experienced as him would want me? Someone with no useful knowledge on how to satisfy a man, when he can have any woman in the country.
"Oh, you're awake," he stood at the foot of the bed, adjusting the tie around his neck. Then I took in the suit he had on and grew confused.. and internally exhaled with relief. Guess he didn't bail on me after all.
"Um— yeah, I think your alarm went off. Anyway, where are you headed so early?" I pulled up the sheet to cover my nakedness.
"Something came up at work, I'm needed at the office so I pushed back our flight a few hours. Dad says it's urgent so I'll be back as soon as it's taken care of," he ran his fingers through his hair and rounded the bed to my side.
"I'm sorry about the alarm, I must've forgotten to turn it off. You need all the sleep you can get, especially after last night's escapades," he smirked, thumb stroking my warm cheek.
"I'll be back soon, I promise. Take advantage of the room service and the empty suite you have all to yourself for the next few hours. Oh, and don't be afraid to raid the mini bar," and he was gone.
I flopped back onto the pillows and groaned.
__
I watched a re-run of Suits in the jacuzzi with wine and chocolate covered strawberries on the side after ordering the entire menu for lunch with extra desert, which I made sure was all accounted for on Harry's card, and I left a hefty tip for them as well. When I woke up, passed out on the bathroom carpet in nothing but my sarong and one of Harry's extra suit jackets and a blinding headache, I decided to call it quits on my charade.
I couldn't ignore the elephant in the room, the big fat elephant which apparently shoved Harry right out-
"BETH!" The bathroom door flung open and... they say speak of the devil.
He was by my side in a flash, hands cradling my face and eyes filled void of anything.
"I can see you took my words seriously," he murmured, and I laughed, somehow finding it entirely amusing.
"Goddammit Beth, you went overboard with the alcohol, what were you thinking?" He guided me to my feet and began peeling his jacket and my sarong off of me.
"Harry, why you always trynna get me naked?" I slurred, reaching for his twin and meeting air.
"I am not talking about getting naked with you right now, cause I can't trust myself around you so I need you need to behave yourself okay?" He lead me into the shower and I shrieked as the spray of Antarctic water bathed me.
"Our flight leaves in two hours!" I heard the door close behind him and suddenly, I'm sober enough.
I took the sheets of ice coming down on me and sighed shakily. As crappy as I felt, I did not regret the last few hours for a second.
__
Our suitcases were by the door when I walked out of the fluorescent lit wardrobe, clad in skinny jeans and a white blouse along with my favorite pair of Jimmy Choos. I knew it wasn't Harry, but I made a mental note to write a thank you card to whoever cleaned up my work for me.
"You ready?" He'd ditched the suit jacket and tucked his shirt into a nice, fitting pair of jeans, tugging on his cuff links.
I experienced a short moment of déja vu when my mouth ran dry at the develish sight before me.
"Yeah." I cleared my throat and looked away at the hint of a smirk.
"Oh, there was some reporter waiting outside going on about writing a column for the newspaper," he typed away on his phone, distracted, whilst my stomach was in knots.
"What..."
"Yeah, about the wedding," he seemed consumed in whatever was happening on his phone.
"No!"
His head shot up and I clamped a palm over my mouth, heart pounding and nausea arising.
He furrowed his brows and I swallowed the lump in my throat, finding them strength to continue without creating suspicion.
"I- I don't want a column in the newspapers Harry, I think I like keeping this whole marriage to ourselves, don't you think? The whole world doesn't need to know about it," I chuckled shakily, hoping he believes my worthless excuse of an explanation.
A coldness seeps into the silence that follows—his eyes hardening into glacial orbs, jaw clenched to enhance those sharp indents on his roguish face.
"Right." He deadpans, and my stomach drops, knowing I'd upset him.
I sink into my seat across from him with a sigh and click in the seatbelts on the jet. Harry doesn't pay me any attention, absorbed in whatever's happening on his phone, and when he goes to pull out his MacBook, I know he'll busy himself with work the entire flight there.
"Are you seriously going to ignore me on our way to our honeymoon?"
"It's what you'd prefer isn't it?" He doesn't spare me a glance and I feel a pinch in my chest at the action.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, surprisingly disheartened by his lack of attentiveness at the moment.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't play dumb with me, now if you'd please shut up, I've got some work to do," I reel back at the harsh blow and swallow as my throat prickles, blinking away a sheen of tears.
I click off the seatbelt and stand to face his aloof state, still seated and typing away at his keyboard.
"I don't know what's going on with you, but I'll be damned if I were to sit put and have you speak to me in such a manner. You can talk to me when you've got your head out of your bloody ass," and with that, I stride towards the furthers seat from him at the back and thank the lord when I spot the bar a few feet away.
This is going to be one disastrous honeymoon.