The Adjacent Room [h.s]

Chapter 2

In my focus to pour face wash into my hand I fail to notice Harry trail in behind me, starting to undress for a shower.

'Harry what are you doing! I'm your assistant, not your lover for god sakes!' Sure, I've seen Harry shirtless, but never more than that and it's never in a situation like this.

'Sorry, sorry. Close your eyes if you're that worried!'

'I can't just close my eyes! I have things to do in here that I need my vision for!' I retort,  almost speechless at the situation that nearly just unfolded. 'You're not writing Falling right now, no need to be naked.' 

'Yeah, but you don't want to see my four nipples?' He questions curiously, and my mouth drops in shock. 'I ate my twin in the womb for those.'

'Sorry to your twin, but no, I don't.' I quickly answer, suppressing more laughter that I know will just push him to continue. As much as this is amusing to me, he is my boss, and seeing his four nipples isn't really professional. 

'You're not sorry to my twin. No need.' He grins lopsidedly, staring so intently at me that I'm not sure how to carry myself. 'Then I get all your attention without that guy taking it.' 

I just stare incredulously at him, doing my very best to conjure up a reply.

'You get all my attention anyway.' Is what I come up with, and I know I've made a mistake when I watch a joyous grin spread on his face.

'Well, when you put it that way. I mean,' He scoffs excitedly. 'Thank you.'

'No, I work for you. That is why you get my attention.' I quickly attempt a recovery, trying to clarify what I meant but it's all just lost on him and his grin. Out of a loss for any other option, I decide to turn around to face the mirror, doing my best to hide my smile and start to pour the face wash into my hand. 

'So I'll just leave then?' He asks, pointing a thumb at the doorway, and I nod, watching him in the mirror. 'Oh, but look at how much fun we're having!' 

'Mm, we're having so much fun.' I aim to reply sarcastically, but it's not secret to either of us that I'm not really joking. We are having fun, and as much as I try, I'll never really be able to feign annoyance at him, as much as I would like to execute my skincare routine right now. 'But I do need to wash my face.'

'So I guess I'll just have to come back when you're done?' Harry questionly teasingly.

'Is that alright with you, boss?' I ask, turning my head in the mirror to watch him.

'Only for you, I'll leave.' He smirks.

What is going on? Post-flight delirium, I assume.

'Yes. I'd like that very much.' To my surprise, Harry strolls out without another word. I finish getting ready for bed, and walk back out into the carpeted room. Harry watches me with a smirk as he makes his way into the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on; does he always shower this late?

I change into my pyjamas and slide under the clean white sheets. I notice the bed is warm, and smile at the thought of Harry turning on the heated blanket for me. As I turn around to sleep on my side and find a comfortable position, I spot the wall of pillows Harry has created. I guess one advantage of luxury hotels are the amount of pillows each room holds.

Just as I feel myself drifting off, I hear the shower turn off and the bed lower under Harry's weight. As he hops into bed, water droplets from his soaking wet hair land on my nose and I stifle a giggle.

Except, I thought I was stifling it, but turns out he heard my little giggle because his head is hovering over mine, dripping water onto my nose.

Where the hell did the pillow wall go?

'Something funny?' I hear lowly, and my eyes go wide at actually how close he is.

'No..just that there's a wet dog on all fours above me and I'm trying to sleep.' I groan, keeping my body turned to the side so we're not face to face because that would be too far. We're already sharing a bed. 

'Hey.' I hear him whine, and even in the dark I can picture the exact expression with that little frown he does.

'There's water all over my face right now.' I laugh, seemingly having an inability to be annoyed at him when I definitely should. The hovering doesn't even stop, and his hands are pressed so firmly on the mattress that it's creating a dip and making me risk sliding right into his arms. 'Oh my god, I deserve a pay rise.' I huff, sliding out of the bed and in the dark, navigating my way to the bathroom and grabbing a towel, blindly tossing it somewhere in his direction on the bed.

'You know I'll give you anything you want. Have a pay rise.' He replies, and I think he catches the towel.

'That was a joke. I don't need a pay rise.' I laugh awkwardly, regretting bringing it up. He pays me so much more than he should, especially when usually working for him doesn't even feel like working if I'm honest with myself.

'Tell me what you want and when you want it, and it's yours. About anything.' He ends the conversation, probably because he can tell my awkwardness about it. I'm just glad he can't see the awkward expression on my face.

'Thank you.' I reply, just as his weight disappears from the bed. I can only assume he's finished drying his hair. 

When he comes back, I'm still sitting up on my side of the bed, and he sits down on his. My hand instantly gravitates to his hair out of curiosity to see how wet it is because I don't want him to be sleeping uncomfortably, before I realise what I'm doing and stop. Thankfully, he didn't know anything had even happened because of the dark. 

This is already unprofessional enough. 

'Tell me a scary story.' Harry announces, sliding properly under the duvet and laying down, so I do the same. It doesn't feel as weird as I thought it would.

'Hm..scary story.' I smile into the dark. 'Super eerie, but right now there's a wet dog beside me who bulldozed our pillow barrier with his antics and I'm terrified.'

'Touché.' Harry chuckles from beside me, and we fall into a silence. He carefully fixes the barrier, which really is only there because this arrangement feels more appropriate that way, and then he stills. I wonder if he's starting to fall asleep, but he answers my question when he confesses into the dark.

'I left my hair wet just to annoy you.' He admits, a little tired but full of nerve.

'I guess I wouldn't expect anything less.'  I reply, laughing. 

'Goodnight, Sophie.' Harry says.

'Goodnight, Harry.' I reply, mimicking his tone. 

'Thanks a bunch for sharing my bed.' He adds in, and I can just hear his grin.

'Oh, alright. How about we try to rephrase that.'  I'm quick to reply, listening to his laughter.

'You get three days of fun with me, Sophie. This is only just the beginning.' He says calmly, and I'm too tired and warm and comfortable to dispute his attempts at charm. 

I've only just now found out Harry sleeps with wet hair, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. All things considered, his hair is much shorter than it used to be and probably dries quickly, but sleeping on wet hair and a wet pillow can't be comfortable. My thoughts of Harry's wet, curly brown hair lead me into a deep sleep.