Don't Look Back - A Niam Horayne Love Story

Chapter 17 - Take Off Your Own Clothes

“Of course I wouldn’t have,” he explained, “I’m just saying that it was bound to happen. Congratulations on your relationship, by the way. I can tell you love him, as he loves you.”

“Thanks,” I smiled. “So, what happens now?”

He thought for a moment. “You’ll have to come into the office to discuss this with the rest of management. I’m assuming your little messy break had something to do with being hidden, so if it were up to me and me alone, I’d have you boys announce your relationship right away. However, Modest still has some control over you.”

“I figured it’d come to that,” I sighed, mood falling.

“Hey, don’t sound so glum! They let Louis and Harry date, and they weren’t even together yet when they began! What’s so bad about finally telling the world that you’re together?” he reasoned.

I thought for a moment. What was it that I was so afraid of? My family would love me no matter what, and so would Niall’s. We already knew none of them were homophobes. The world accepted our best mates being together, so why not us?

“Nothing,” I breathed, grinning. I would finally be able to show the world that Niall was mine.

“Good. See you tomorrow at ten A.M. sharp, Liam. Don’t forget.” I knew he was pointing his finger at the wall sternly, though I couldn’t see him through the phone.

“Of course. Bye, Simon.”

As soon as I had ended the call, Niall bounded in. “Who was that, and why did you have to take so long to talk to them?” he complained, launching his body at me.

I laughed, wrapping my arms around him and adjusting our position until he was resting with his legs around my waist and his arms sloppily around my neck, his forehead pressed to my own. “Simon called.”

He looked anxious at my words. I mentally frowned, wondering if that was how I had looked a few minutes ago. “What did he say?”

I let go of him with one arm, pinching the side of his mouth where a dimple would be and tugging it up until he was smiling goofily. “Turn that frown upside down, Nialler. He’s okay with us being together. In fact, he predicted we would get together! How weird is that?”

He joined me, grinning. It felt amazing to have him back. “I’m tired, Li,” he suddenly stated, slumping onto me. I stumbled at the sudden weight, putting my second arm back beneath him and boosting him up again.

“Why don’t we go to bed, then, silly leprechaun.” I carried him up to what used to be my room, and was now our room, laying him carefully on the bed.

“But I can’t sleep with my clothes on,” Niall burst out from his spread-eagle pose on the bed. I sighed.

“Can’t you take off your own clothes?” He shook his head, smirking. I took a sharp breath in. “Okay, fine.”

Bending over him, I slipped my hands under his damp T-shirt and pulled it off over his head, moving his torso to do this since he refused to help me in the slightest. I ran a hand along his waist, admiring his body. Everything about him was beautiful in my eyes. Every spot on his skin, every crease, even the dimples in his back. I loved it all.

“Are you going to stand there staring, or are you going to finish and let me go to sleep?’ Niall grumbled. I smirked. Slowly running my hands lower. As they reached the waistband of his shorts, I let them drift underneath and continue along his smooth skin, watching his face. His eyes were scrunched up and he was smiling with pleasure, so I let my hands continue to examine his skin.

A low moan left his lips as my fingertips ghosted over his inner thighs as I yanked his shorts off. All of us usually slept naked, but we tended to keep our boxers on when we shared a bed. I didn’t really want to know whether Louis and Harry slept with their boxers on or not, and I preferred not to ever know.

“Liam…” he murmured, and I glanced back up at his face. Without me paying attention, my hands were drifting back up the inside of his legs, hands caressing his skin. Niall seemed to be enjoying it. At least, his body did. Upon closer inspection of his face, I could tell he was uncomfortable.

As soon as I realized this, I pulled away, dropping his clothes on the floor and discarding my own before sliding into bed beside him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, and he hesitantly folded his hands over mine, allowing me to spoon him. His smaller body fit perfectly into the shape of my own.

“Li?” he asked sleepily.

“What is it, love?” I ran the fingers of my right hand through his short hair and he pushed his head into my hand, like a cat.

“Can we have a day for just us tomorrow?”

I stopped moving for a second, almost forgetting about the meeting. I really wanted to forget about the rest of the world and run off with Niall, but the sensible side of me wouldn’t allow it. “No, Nialler, sorry.”

“Why don’t you want to go on a date with me? Did I do something wrong?” A tear dripped down his cheek and he pushed away from my embrace, leaving me cold.

“No, Niall! I promised I would never let go of you again, so come here,” I beckoned him back over, and he flopped onto my chest. “I forgot to tell you, but Simon also scheduled us for a meeting with Modest tomorrow morning. It’s not that I don’t want to spend it with you, but we kind of, well, can’t,” I clarified.

He chuckled. “Good. I almost thought you didn’t want me, like you were playing me after all this. That would just be terrible.”

“I won’t ever do anything to hurt you again, Ni. I promise. Now go to sleep, my tired leprechaun.”

He snuggled back into my body, our legs intertwined and our hands clasped tightly, his face pressed to the crook of my neck.

I could get used to sleeping like this.