A loud whistling scream cut through the night and they both tilted their heads back in time to see a burst of pink and green lights crackling against the starlight blanket of the sky. A cheer sounded high above their heads, followed by a few laughs and boos when nothing else followed.
Harry checked the time on his phone. ‘Someone got over-excited, there’s still a few minutes to midnight.’ He flipped off the torch and tucked the phone in his pocket. The sudden darkness was a shock and he blinked a few times as his eyes tried to adjust to the change.
‘I can’t see a thing!’
Kat’s laugh was a little nervous and he groped at his side until he found her sleeve and followed it down until he grasped her hand. ‘I’m here, Kitty.’ She snuggled into his side and Harry released her hand, shifting behind her until her back was against his chest. He turned them slightly so they were facing the water, the moon cutting a thick ribbon of silvery-gold across theblack waves. His eyes were adjusting all the time and he could differentiate between the ocean and the paler grey of the sand.
‘Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to live here,’ Kat murmured.
Standing there with her, Harry thought he might just be the luckiest man alive. ‘It’s beautiful.’
You’re beautiful.
Above them the crowds began to count down. ‘Ten, nine, eight, seven…’
Harry placed a hand on Kat’s shoulder. ‘Here we go. A whole new year full of possibilities.’
‘…three, two, one,happy new year!’ Cheers and laughter rang over them quickly followed by oohs and ahs as a barrage of bright lights flashed and popped against the distant sky. Whoever had designed the display over at Port Petroc had certainly thrown their all into the first few seconds.
He felt more than saw Kat turning to face him. ‘Happy new year, Harry.’ Her hand settled against his chest.
‘Happy new year, Kat.’ He leaned forward without thinking, intending to peck a kiss to her cheek but his aim was off and somehow his mouth landed right on top of hers. He would’ve pulled back immediately but her lips shifted beneath his as she let out a small gasp and her fingers clenched in the front of his coat as if she was holding him in place.
There was only so much willpower a man could have in such circumstances and Harry had been hovering on the knife-edge of something with her all night. He curled an arm around her back and pulled her tight against him, his mouth moving of its own volition in a dance as old as time. Kat untangled her fingers from his coat but only so she could wrap her arms around his waist.
Harry didn’t care about the fireworks going off on the horizon because they were nothing compared to the ones goingoff in his brain. How could he have missed what was right under his nose all the time?
‘Harry.’ The sound of his name on her lips was perfection. She was perfection. All sweet and soft and warm and right.
‘Yes.’ He pressed closer, needing to learn every inch of her pretty mouth.
She ducked her head away, avoiding his questing lips. ‘No.’
It took a second for the word to register in his lust-addled brain, for the fireworks to be replaced by a flashing warning beacon. He wrenched his head back, his arms falling to his sides so she was free to move away from him. ‘No?’
‘I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.’ She gave a laugh that was both shaky and a little breathless. ‘Too much champagne, I think. I’m so sorry.’
Harry closed his eyes and hung his head for a moment as he tried to settle his own breathing. Every nerve ending still tingled from what had been hands down the best kiss of his life. He sent a sorrowful mental message to the area of nerves that tingled the most.Not happening,bud. The disappointment in his body was nothing compared to that of his heart, but Kat had said no and he had to respect her choice. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.’
‘Oh, no, Harry, you mustn’t blame yourself! It was just one of those things.’ She stepped closer and placed her hand back on his chest. ‘You are a special friend, Harry, and I am as guilty as anyone for what just happened. Like I said, it’s too much champagne and we got carried away in the moment.’
He placed a hand over hers for a moment. ‘As long as I haven’t upset you, that’s all that I care about.’
‘I promise you haven’t.’ Her hand fell away. ‘I guess I’d better be getting home.’
‘Of course.’ Harry used his torch to light the way, but he kept his distance from her as she headed up in front of him.Thankfully the crowds were already thinning out and it was easy to merge in with a group of people crossing the road.
When he turned left towards the direction of Kat’s house, she shook her head. ‘You don’t have to walk with me.’
His shoulders stiffened. Letting her walk home alone went against everything he’d been raised to do. ‘It’s not a problem.’ She shook her head again and Harry was about to argue the point when a sickening feeling hit him. Maybe she didn’t want him to walk her home because she didn’t trust him any more. ‘I swear I’ll keep my hands, and everything else, to myself.’
The horrified way her eyes widened was somewhat soothing to his battered ego. ‘Oh, God, no, Harry! It’s nothing like that!’ She rubbed a hand over her face and he heard her mutter, ‘No more champagne for you, Kat Bailey.’
He couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped him. ‘Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, you know.’
She dropped her hand and gave a laugh-groan. ‘Can we just forget the whole…’ She waved towards the direction of the beach.
Harry didn’t think there was any way he was going to be able to forget that kiss, but he’d have to try, for her sake if nothing else. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
