My Love

That Fateful Night of the Rift:

"Hey! I have not been snooping! And why would you even keep a book in the kitchen?"

Huffing, Niana tried to take the book but using his height, Harvey held the book away from her as he raised his hand high and opened the first book," For my Niana, with love Sidney."

"A book? Which guy gives a book to a woman? Must be some nerd!"

Stepping back, Niana placed one hand on her hip and extended the other hand palm up in a universal gesture, using her silence to ask for the book back.

The man had gifted her with a romance book and she seemed to treasure it.. Harvey had been curious and a bit jealous. However, he was also pleased that she was now subdued a bit so Harvey lowered his hand but did not give her the book instead, placing his own palm against hers.

Before she could have blinked, he had pulled her to him with their hands still joined.

With their hands held together and her other hand on his arm as she tried to support herself, Niana had looked at him with her wide doe eyes.

"My witch... do you have a boyfriend?", he whispered softly as his lips brushed across his soft cheeks as he spoke.

He had expected another cutting or sarcastic reply, been prepared for it.. but instead he had felt her tremble against him as she had slowly shaken her head in negative...her shake of the head and the slight tremble, revealed that she was also attracted to him, wanted him.

He had almost kissed her there and then. All he had to do was bend a bit, cover the few millimeters distance between then and take her lips. But he did not. Instead he wanted her to accept him when he took the final step. So that she would know that he was not forcing her and so he had made the mistake of placing down the book, giving her time to snap out of the moment.

As soon as his empty hand had landed on her waist, she had slipped out of his arms faster than an eel, grabbed the book and ran. And since then, they had been playing cat and mouse.

***

The waiter soon approached with a bill, snapping him out of his musings and imaginations of what could have happened if she had not run away

Taking out his pen, he made a few notes about this Noel Jones as he thought about what way to use to get things with Niana back on track.

Maybe he should buy a few chocolates for her? Nah. Those can leave the wrong impression. He did not want to date her. He just needed to talk to her... and get to know her.

And then when they were close enough, he would definitely find a way so that they could become bedmates from roommates. But not before he had finished his book. Until then they could be friends.. and then friends with benefits.

(Author:Harvey Elliott, you are a jerk!

Harvey:Hey author! I object to being called that.

Author:Fine then you are an a**! Harvey:"..")

As idea clicked, he jumped up from the chair and summoned a waiter...

A little while later,

Harvey frowned and continued to ring the bell waiting for the door to open. As per the many rules that his witch had written down, she had also warned him that he should carry his keys at all times. And he did have his key but getting it out was going to be a problem with his hands full.

Exactly after five minutes of ringing the bell, as Harvey started to doubt whether she was even home, the door opened with her beautiful scowling face.

Giving her the biggest grin he could, he said," I bring peace offerings! And that is why I could not find my key. Your rules only said that I had to have my key with me all times and not that I had to use it.. "

Narrowing her eyes, Niana was about to slam back the door in his face when he jammed his foot in and continued to speak, "Would you like to take my keys out of my jeans pocket? They are in the front left pocket, very close to my...treasure..."

Thud! And his foot bore the punishment of his big mouth as the door was banged against it and Niana walked back to sit on her couch and continued to scowl at the laptop screen as she typed out something. This surprised Harvey into exclaiming," I thought you only ever knitted!"

This made Niana throw another scowl his way as she bit out," I would like to only ever knit! But I have to pay taxes I don't know why they need me to type everything twice!!"

Treating the poor laptop as her mortal enemy, she stabbed at the keys so hard that even Harvey could not help but wince.

Placing the bags in his arms on the table, he hurriedly grabbed her wrist to rescue the poor object and said," I hate filing taxes as well. I'll help you fill in the many forms though if want."

Niana was not appeased. Opening her mouth, she spoke in a matter of fact tone, " I don't like filling in my social security number in triplicate! And I don't like to be touched so take your hand off!"

Harvey smiled at this and stepped back with hands raised in the air. However, the moment she stood up, the man placed his hands on her shoulders and started to speak," Fine fine! A little skinship won't do you any harm! Now, look here what I got for you! I have the fluffiest pancakes with fresh blueberries jam, a pecan tart and some amazing pigs in a blanket! There is also..."

As the foodie inside her raised her head, Niana ignored the touching and decided to accept the peace offering, even though she had quite a lot of difficulty in suppressing the moan that almost escaped her, when the food melted in her mouth!