The Deal (English)

Chapter Twenty One

“Mm, so much for not cuddling,” he joked, sitting up too.

He was right. Every rule of ‘just fucking’ and ‘no cuddling’ and promising each other we’d stay out of the other’s lives had all gone out of the window. I cracked a slight smile, but it felt strange after hours of crying.

“Where are you going?” he asked, stretching. “Come back here.”

I shook my head, though I really should have just listened to him. “I…er…I’m no tired anymore. Actually, I’m sort of hungry.”

That wasn’t a complete lie. I hadn’t even eaten breakfast properly, and it was way past lunch time too. My stomach was rumbling and now that I’d mentioned my hunger, I was hungrier than ever.

Harry chuckled. “Put on your clothes,” he told me, “I’ll make you a sandwich.”

He got off the bed and put on his clothes quickly, and I found myself leaning back against the headboard of the bed and watching him do so. The muscles in his arms and back tensed every time he moved and bent to pick up his clothes. His hair was messy from sleep and sex, his eyes slightly droopy. Nonetheless, he looked as good as ever. I watched him take in his plump bottom lip between his teeth as he straightened his t-shirt, reaching up involuntarily to run his hands through his hair after he put it on.

I wanted to hug him, wrap my small arms around his toned, strong body and have him hold me tight and keep me in his arms because that was what I needed right now. He could tuck me under his arms and hide me from the rest of the world so effortlessly that it seemed even more tempting. I wanted his arms to be wrapped so tightly around me that I couldn’t breathe, I wanted his head buried in the crook of my neck so I could feel his hot breath on my skin and his curls tickling my cheek, I wanted to skim my hands all over his smooth back and feel the muscles move under them, wanted to hide my face in his chest and never have to face the world again.

“Are you done staring at me?”

His question snapped me out of my reverie and I jumped slightly, surprised.

“I think you’re drooling, a little bit,” he joked, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Something on my face, baby?”

I realized I’d been staring at him like an idiot, and I hurriedly shut my mouth and shook my head. “Wha…no—I, I just—” I stammered like an idiot.

Harry laughed. “Harper, you’re an idiot, you know that?” he shook his head, his curls bouncing around his face. “Get dressed and come downstairs, alright?” He turned around and reached for the door.

“Harry,” I spoke before I could think better.

He turned around slightly. “Yeah?”

“I…” I what? Why had I even stopped him? “Nothing.”

He turned around fully, looking both amused as well as curious. “Harper, what is it?” he asked me.

I shook my head. Can you put Nutella in it?” I asked stupidly. “I, uh, I like chocolate.”

He laughed. “Yes, ma’am,” he said softly. “Anything else?”

I opened my mouth to speak, my mind buzzing. There was so much I needed to ask and so much I was confused about.

“No, nothing else.” I said. “Nothing at all.”

---

A blur. That’s what the crowd was to me right now. I tried to find Lexi, but I couldn’t figure out one face from the other. My mind was buzzing and everything seemed like a dream as I staggered through the crowd, pushing past people and going in no particular direction.