Life Is What You Bake It // A Harry Styles AU

Chapter 1 - Christmas Holidays, Week 2

Monday (New Year's Eve)

Adele knows it's wrong. She knows she shouldn't be doing it - fornicating at work while on shift in the kitchen but for some reason, today especially, she can't help herself. And neither can Harry, it would seem.

He's always the instigator - the one that encourages her to embrace this odd and mischievous side to her while simultaneously giving into him and what he wants. Not that she's complaining. It feels nice to be wanted this way by someone as good-looking and charming as Harry.

No one is here - the kitchen is empty of people but there's something off about it. There's something about this current moment that doesn't feel quite right. Whether it be the stillness of the air or Harry's oddly quiet form as he manoeuvres his mouth and tongue around Adele's. He's normally much more vocal...

She gasps when he somehow lifts her up onto the cold metal counter in the middle of the room, her arms tightening around his shoulders. Her mind races when his kisses move southward along her jaw to her chin, down her throat and neck to her chest. His hands feel up her thighs to her waist and pull at the elasticated waistband of her chef's trousers. Her stomach flutters wildly when it slaps back to her stomach, and his hand drops lower between her parted legs.

She fists his hair anxiously, biting down on his lower lip, but he doesn't complain. Her mind regresses as he presses the pads of his fingers to her-

"Adele?"

Her breath catches at the sound of her name, jumping away as her heavy breathing fills the quiet room along with the echo of the singular spoken word. Her hand presses to her chest as her wide eyes look to the doorway.

Mandy stands with a stern frown - one hand on the doorframe and the other on her hip.

"Sorry," Adele mutters, glancing away to the floor. Her cheeks flush furiously, so much that anyone could probably feel the heat from them stood a meter away. She's always daydreamed, but never that explicitly.

"Come on, we're running low on champagne and it's almost midnight." She says flatly, followed by a heavy sigh.

Adele glances to the clock on the wall, grimacing at the time. 11:43pm.

"Mandy," Harry appears behind her suddenly from the hallway with a scowl. "She's on her break, for crying out loud."

"She's been on her break for too long, and we're gonna get bollocked with orders in a minute, so I need her." Mandy insists, keeping her gaze on Adele. "Bring up some boxes from the cellar, please."

Adele's brows lift at the unusual use of the word 'please' at the end of Mandy's request.

"Mum told her to come back at ten-to, she's got seven minutes yet." Harry argues, moving around Mandy and pointing at the half eaten meal on her plate. "She's not even finished her bloody sandwich."

Adele looks at her plate and quickly takes a large bite. If she's got to haul boxes of bubbly upstairs, she can't be doing it on an empty stomach.

Unsurprisingly, it's been a busy shift for everyone, so much so that Adele literally forgot to take a break. When Anne found out she'd nearly had kittens, and ordered her to the kitchen to make herself something immediately.

"Guests are always a priority, you know that." Mandy retorts dryly. "We need at least four boxes, Adele."

That means she really wants eight.

Harry and Adele watch Mandy disappear again, and a long sigh leaves Adele as she wolfs down another large bite.

"I hate her." Harry mutters, turning to Adele. "I hope Mum sacks her off one day - she's a fucking nightmare."