When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 25

I hung up my jacket on the coat rack as Harry flopped himself onto my couch. "I paid Erica and Niall a pretty penny to stay out of here for the rest of the night," he said, putting his arms behind his head and grabbing my laptop. 

I rolled my eyes, taking it from his hands and typing in my password so he could put on some music, which was a habit of his when we're alone together.

My boyfriend, unlike me, wasn't a fan of the quiet.

"That's doubtful," I responded to his comment as I handed it back to him. "Erica hasn't slept here in weeks... Too busy with that stupid boyfriend of her's."

"Hey," Harry pretended to be offended as he put a hand to his chest. "Boyfriends are not stupid!" 

I rolled my eyes as I stood up and awkwardly straightened out my dress. "Her's is," I muttered under my breath. He just laughed, playing around on my laptop. "Well, I guess I'm going to go change now."

"Okay," he said, putting on his signature play-list. 

I started to walk towards the door, but thought for a moment before turning around. "Are you going to get changed, too?"

He didn't look up. "Uh, maybe later. Why would I get changed?"

"Because you're wearing that geeky green sweater."

"Geeky? What's wrong with my sweater?"

"I dunno," I said, rolling my eyes. "You look like a middle schooler... Like a middle schooler going to church..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I shrugged. "It means... I guess you won't be getting lucky tonight after all, not on a Holy day like this."

I cracked myself up, naturally, but Harry didn't laugh. He just stood up, in one swift movement, took off his sweater and the shirt underneath so he was standing before me in just his slacks and the tattoos I had grown so fond of.

I was surprised by his abrupt move and, frankly, feeling hot and bothered about it. I felt my mouth hanging open a bit as I struggled to get the words out.

Harry smiled at me, knowing exactly what he was doing. "Better?" 

"Much," I breathed out, before slowly walking backwards away from him, looking his body up and down. I heard him laugh quietly as I closed the door behind me, scrambling for something to change into. I ripped off the dress Erica gave me that I will probably never wear again and then, even in my underwear, I felt more comfortable than I had all night.

I took off my bra and threw on a Barefoot Kickers shirt I had picked up a few weeks ago, thinking Harry would get a kick out of it. I picked up a pair of yoga pants but quickly decided against the idea as Harry's promise of "To be continued" rang through my head. 

I was nervous, as always, but not scared. I didn't think we would have, you know, the actual sex, because Harry wasn't planning on letting that happen anytime soon. I hadn't even expressed much of a desire to, but the boy went out of his way to assure me that he didn't want to rush into anything, which was as strange as it was sweet and I guess that's just who Harry Styles is.

When I walked back outside, he was still typing away on my computer, as always he was unable to decide on a song. I fluffed my hair and flopped myself next to him on the couch with an exaggerated sigh, still not earning his attention. 

Feeling a bit forward, I grabbed the laptop from him and started playing one of my favorite playlists. Finally, he looked over at me, not even commenting on my half-nakedness, he just asked, "The Strokes, huh?"