Almost Lover (Harry Styles) - Book 1

Chapter 33: Toasts and Secrets

"Yes, I am thanks!"

I roll my eyes at him, "You're interrupting my exercise."

"What? You don't need exercise... have you seen your body?" He scoffs at me.

"Yes, and please don't remind me you have as well."

"Just a few times." He winks at me and pushes his hair off his face. Wow, a dripping wet Harry Styles is just a slight turn on. I need to get out of here!

I go back under the water and swim towards the ladder. I begin pulling myself up the steps when I hear Harry yell behind me.

"Hey! Where you going?"

"I think I better head back to the house." I say, grabbing my towel.

"My that irresistible?" He laughs as he hoists himself out of the pool.

"You wish Styles!"

I start to dry myself off but the towel is ripped out of my hands.

"Ava McCain you have a tattoo?!"

I try to turn around to face him but he grabs my shoulder and swiftly turns me around.

"How did I not know know this?!" He says as he takes in the words that start between my shoulder blades and travel down along my spine to right above my butt.

He brushes the wet hair off my back, making me shiver.

"There are far better things ahead then any we leave behind" He reads.

"I got it right after I came to England."

"It's beautiful Ava." He says as his fingertips run down my back, across the words that mean so much to me. My body instantly heats from his touch.

"Thanks." I turn around to find his eyes dark. Looking me up and down.

"And Poppy was right... that swimsuit is making me mad."

I blush and shove his chest making him stumble back a few steps. "Please! I feel so insecure in a swim suit! I hate it."

He gives me a smirk, "Well you should probably just take it off then."

"Oh my god Harry, you're ridiculous!" I try to grab my towel out of his hands but he holds it farther away from me.

"No I'm just a hopeless romantic with a dirty mind."

"You have the dirty mind part right but I have yet to see a hopeless romantic. Now give me my towel!"

"Nope, we aren't done swimming!" He quickly drops the towel on the ground and picks me up, tossing me into the water.

"Harry!" I yell as I come up from the water.

"What?!" He laughs, coming up right next to me. "You said I'm not a hopeless romantic.... have to prove it to you."

"By throwing me in the pool?"

"Noooo."

He swims up to me and my breathe hitches in my throat.

He's to close.

Way to close.

His expression suddenly turns very serious, "I smile like an idiot when I think about you."

My heart feels like it could beat out of my chest. That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.

He starts to come even closer so I instinctively back up. He smiles as my back hits the wall behind me.

"Why didn't you let me kiss you earlier?" He asks softy. I curse his damn British accent and deep voice. They make it even harder for me to think.

"I just... well you.. It's not a good idea." I finally choke out.

He chuckles and places his hands on the wall behind me, blocking me in. He leans in and I'm afraid he's going to try to kiss me but his lips instead go to my ear.

"Ava.. Can I kiss you?" He whispers. His hot breath against my ear literally makes me break out into a sweat.

I shake my head and he sighs and drops his head.

"Not yet Harry."

His head shoots up at my answer. "Not yet? That means.... you're planning on it yeah?"

I shrug my shoulders and give him a small smile. I want to, but I need to be ready for what follows that and right now I'm not. I know I'll just end up pushing him away and I don't want to do that. Not again.

His eyes find mine when I don't respond, "Am dying here... can you please just say something?"

"Harry I have a thousand things I want to say to you and a thousand reasons not to."

He lets go of the wall behind me and I quickly turn around and pull myself up out of the pool. Grabbing my towel I head towards the gate.

"Ava! If you tell me all your reasons I swear I'll be able to convince you that every single one of them is rubbish."

I turn back with my hand still on the gate. "I can't Harry, I'm sorry."

"Why?" His voice is desperate and it makes my heart hurt.

"Because if I told you all my secrets, you would never look at me the same again."

Confusion takes over his face and I push open the gate and begin to make my way down the street.

_________________

A/N: If you are enjoying the story, please vote! I spend hours and hours writing this and it only takes a second. It would mean so much to me and to getting my story out there! Thanks!! ;)