The Challenge

37

As I pressed in the numbers on the gate, I felt a feeling of nostalgia come over me when I felt as if I had done this action too many times. He greeted me at the door, pulling me inside. His touch was just as electric as it had been before. I followed him into the kitchen and set my things down on the counter before sitting on a barstool at the island.

“I’m surprised you came,” he said. He stood opposite me. He had changed from his dark outfit earlier but was still in dark jeans, just with a white Henley this time. He had a bandana on and I tried to hide the look of disgust I had when I saw it.

“I’m surprised I came too,” I said. I glanced at him and watched as he shifted nervously his weight from one side to the other. “Thanks for the flowers.”

“Of course.” He bit his lip and glanced up at me. He turned around and got something out of the fridge, holding up a bottle of chilled white wine.

“Something to drink?” He asked.

“No, I think it’s best if I don’t drink. Just water for me,” I said.

“Oh, okay.” He put the wine back and got a glass out of the cupboard and pulled a large bottle of chilled water out of the fridge, filling it up before he slid it across the island to me. He turned around to put the bottle back but stopped and got another glass out and filled one up for himself. Then he finally put the bottle back.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“No. I ate a little while ago,” I said. I took a sip from the glass of water he had given to me and watched him over the rim of the glass.

“Okay,” he said.

I stared at him. “Are you going to talk or just try to force unwanted substances down my throat? I assume you asked me here for a reason,” I said. I knew my comment was a bit snarky but I smirked at him so he would know I was mostly joking, but also serious at the same time.

He muttered something about shoving something down my throat before he moved from his place behind the counter and stood in front of me. He turned me on the barstool so I faced him and he placed his hands on my knees. I could feel the tingling all over from his touch through my heavy knit tights. I glanced down at his hands before looking up to meet his deep green eyes. His plush bottom lip was pulled into his mouth and he chewed on it nervously.

His right hand moved off my knee, to stroke my cheek. His thumb traced over my lips. “I want to kiss you so bad, right now,” he said softly.

I felt my resolve growing weak and I knew if I wanted any answers I would have to get them now before I threw myself at him and we both lost ourselves in the throes of passion.

“Harry.” I reached my hand up and placed it over his that rested on my cheek. “I can’t bear to have you mess with me anymore. I physically can’t go through this anymore.”

He sighed. “I’m so sorry, Gee. I really am.”

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes. “Why now? What changed that you decided you wanted me? Because you saw me with Louis? I know how this game works with you, Harry. I’ve seen you do this to so many girls and you wonder why they all go crazy. I think I finally know why they all go crazy – because you make them. You mess with their heads and then when you’re done with them, you throw them out like they’re trash. Then when you see them with someone else, trying to move on you swoop back in and damage them again. I can’t let you put me through that anymore. I literally cannot.” I felt a tear slide down my cheek and I wiped it away. I blinked and more fell.

Sadness overtook his expression and he wiped my tears away with his thumbs. “You’re not like all the other girls, Georgia. You’re different. Everything with you is different. Even things we haven’t done yet.”