"Keep it on. You're shivering."
I hadn't even noticed in my numb state that my legs had been trembling the entire time. I hated the fact that my guard had been dropped in front of Harry; it made me feel weak and powerless in his presence.
I couldn't allow myself to be vulnerable.
Especially not around him.
I shook my head and slid the material back off my shoulders, handing it to him as I responded with, "Honestly, I'm fine."
He let out an exasperated sigh before taking the jacket and opening his car door to exit. I pulled the handle and let out a deep exhale as I felt the breezy night air hit my face. Feeling the oxygen fill my lungs after being sat in the car was an instant rush of serotonin for me. My hair flew around my face in the breeze, my eyes closing for a few seconds as I relished the feeling that was coursing through my veins.
Peace.
I opened my eyes to see Harry stood waiting for me at the iron gates, his eyes fixed on me the entire time. I made my descent towards him, wrapping my arms around myself as a form of metaphorical security. We made our way to the main doors, Harry pushing in the code to open the doors. When he pushed the door open, I was greeted with a brightly lit hallway and numerous black glossy doors. The decor was quite expensive; golden paint coated the walls along with symmetrically placed paintings along the hallway. I took a few steps in, my stiletto's tapping on the wooden flooring as I observed the paintings quickly in passing. Most of them were beautifully painted flowers in black frames; each frame possessed a different painting of a different flower.
Lillies, daisies, sunflowers, roses, tulips.
The list was endless.
"We need to take the elevator to the top floor unless you want to walk?" Harry's voice rang through the air, breaking me out of my trance-like state.
"Can we take the stairs?" I asked, turning my attention to him as he stood at the side of me with the jacket draped over his arm.
"Are you sure? It's twelve floors up and you're wearing heels," he responded, taking a look down at the stiletto's that were crippling my feet at this point.
I nodded as I tilted my head back towards the paintings that filled the walls before responding, "I'm positive."
He followed my gaze and nodded, placing his hand lightly on the lower of my back as he led me towards the direction of the staircase. The railings themselves were beautiful; they were glossed black to coordinate with the frames and doors of the building. My gaze automatically fixated on the walls again to take in the art that hung there in such beauty. Frames filled with different outlines of the human form in linework and abstract approaches lined the walls.
"I didn't know you had such a fondness for art," Harry commented, continuing to steady me lightly as we walked up the staircase to his floor.
"Art is one of the things that makes me instantly at ease," I replied, my gaze never leaving the walls that surrounded me in fear of missing something.
"What is it about the art that makes you feel at ease?" He asked as we turned to walk up to another flight of stairs.
I'd lost count at how many flights we'd walked up, but I knew I didn't want it to end.
Eleven.
Start from the beginning
