𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋! | harry styles

𝐗𝐈𝐕

But now with Harry, I can feel the little pieces inside me shifting, making room, opening up. I wonder what it would be like to love someone like him, to be loved by someone like Harry, and the thought of it stills the breath in my lungs.

All at once I know exactly what it would be like.

Breathless.

Intense.

Consuming.

I don't know if I'm ready to fall for him. I don't know if I'm ready to be consumed and to give my heart to someone again. Not when I've worked so hard to protect it for so long. I'm flying blind, and all I can do is follow my instincts and hope to God I'm not making a huge mistake.

"...and he's super nice. He's just moved into his own place, and he adores kids."

Lauren is beside me, watching me clean the coffee machine, talking more than working. I pretend to listen but actually stare out over the top of the machine, letting my mind wander. The past two weeks have been a blur. Cody's birthday is Sunday, and it's crept up on me. I'm excited to give him the presents I've been carefully saving for, and he's going to lose his mind when I take him to the fun park for the day, but even so, I don't know if I'm ready to deal with him being another year older.

Suddenly, Lauren flicks my arm, snapping me out of a daze. "Were you even listening?"

I blink rapidly, apologizing. "I guess I zoned out."

"I was telling you about my cousin Craig." I nod. Lauren rolls her eyes, feigning exasperation. "Anyway," she says, "he just moved here. He's new in town, and I thought it would be nice if he had someone to show him around."

My brows shoot up. "You think I'm that person?"

Lauren shrugs. "Why not?"

I don't even bother with a reply. I simply continue to wipe over the coffee machine, pretending I can't hear her when she starts up again.

"I guess he's cute in a he's-my-cousin kind of way," she says, her nose wrinkled. She hands me a filter-ignoring me ignoring her. "He works for a small law firm in the city somewhere, family law mostly...I think..."

She goes on, but I tune her out, instead intent on cleaning every last coffee grind from every last nook and cranny of the coffee machine.

"You'd like him," she chirps finally. "He's totally your type."

I doubt that.

"I'm sure he's nice," I say, trying not to be rude. "I just...I don't think I'm ready to date yet. Code is so young-"

"Just one date?" she urges. "Hell, I'll look after Cody; it'll be good practice for when this boy of mine comes along. Please?"

"Lauren-"

"Please?"

I turn away, hiding an eye roll. "Why are you so hell bent on setting me up?"

"Because you could use some adult company," she says, her frown burning a hole into the side of my head. "Because it's not a bad thing to want to spend time with someone that isn't Cody. And because everyone needs to get laid some time."

You'd think that being around sex and skin and lust all the time would make me immune to this stuff but it doesn't-especially when it's referring to me and my sex life. I can't help the blush that creeps up my neck and into my cheeks.

Lauren huffs, sitting a ketchup bottle on the counter with so much force I'm surprised she doesn't pop the plastic bottle. "When was the last time you kissed a guy, Scarlet?"