Isabella
Asking personal questions may have been off limits, but lucky for me, there was a lot of information online about Harry. So when I looked up 'Harry Styles and Adriana' my questions were quickly answered. Well, not all of my questions but the basic ones. Mainly that they split up after being together for a few years. That's all I could gather from the many articles about 'Bachelor Daddy Harry Styles' as the media enjoys calling him.
I guess it makes sense that he has an ex. I mean, Ottilie is the whole reason we even met and she didn't just spawn out of thin air. Obviously there has to have been a woman in the picture at some point but for some reason I didn't see him as someone who's been married before.
Maybe that's why he was so willing to become this sugar daddy person in my life. He saw how much marriage sucked and decided to never do it again. If that's the case then at least I know he won't be proposing at any point. This can just be a physical thing and after six months we'll go our separate ways.
Among the articles talking about Harry and his ex, I found some newer ones talking about me. Most of them just call me a mystery girl, which is pretty funny. Harry did mention that this would happen though, so I guess that's just part of the deal. Just business.
I'm just glad that I don't have a social media presence. There's nothing for Harry to look up about me, and there's nothing for the tabloids to find. The last thing I need is it getting out that I worked as a stripper, not that I'm ashamed of it, but because of how other people would treat me. The people in this world already don't like me, I doubt they would want me around if they knew the truth.
Sitting at the front desk at the studio, I scroll through articles about Harry and Adriana, not finding anything new anymore. For a rich guy there's not much information about him that doesn't involve his business. Maybe he scrubbed his personal life from the internet once we agreed on not talking about personal shit. It's like one day he was married and welcoming a baby into this world and the next he was single.
My investigation comes to a halt once the door to the studio opens. It's late and the senior company is in session which usually means no parents are showing up, especially not at this time. I almost shouldn't be surprised when I see a well dressed man with curly brown hair walk in. He takes off his sunglasses, tucking them into the inside of his suit jacket.
"It's Friday, Ottie doesn't have class on Fridays." I remind him, leaning back in my chair. My eyes rake down his body. He always looks so sexy in a suit.
"I know, that's why she's not here."
"Then why are you here?"
"It's Friday night. I feel like I haven't seen you all week and I'm restless."
I can't help but smirk. "You're the one super busy running a company. If you haven't seen me all week then that's your own fault."
"You're right, I am a very busy man." He leans against the desk with a lopsided grin. "A very busy man who just got off work after a week from hell and who is really hoping that you're hungry."
"I'm working. I'm here for another thirty minutes."
"So? Is that a yes?"
"I don't know..."
"Might I remind you of the arrangement? If you were to say no, that would be a breach of contract. Perhaps I'd have to punish you."
My brows raise as I lean forward on my elbows against the desk. "Punish me? For having a job? For being a hard worker?"
"For disobeying me." He mutters, his eyes drifting from my eyes to my lips. He bites his own lip before looking back at me. "So? Thirty minutes?"
I smirk, knowing that I'll obviously say yes but it's fun playing with him like this. "Look at what I'm wearing. I'm not dressed for dinner with you."
"You know that's no excuse. Plus, I think you look sexy like this."
"You need to stop spending so much money on me."
He chuckles, "I think that's the point, Isabella."
With a sarcastic squint of my eyes, I lean back again. "Thirty minutes. Now leave me alone, I have to focus."
He smirks, "What? Can't focus with me in the room?"
I scoff, "Not with how much you talk. Now go. Shoo." I wave him away, not stopping until he's out of the office and waiting back in his car.
The next thirty minutes seem to drag on, especially since Harry decided to send me a text every other minute. Asking me what I'm in the mood for, where I want to buy a dress, if I could leave early. He's never been a patient man.
When he notices the girls all leaving the studio, his texts become more frequent. He all but begs me to come out to the car so we could go to dinner. Not only do I find it fun to make him wait, I also have some more work to finish up before Gina takes over closing.
Together, we clean up the studio and I let Gina know that I've finished all my tasks. Lately I've been picking up shifts at the studio just doing desk work. With all this extra time in my hands and less financial anxiety, I've just been enjoying my time in the studio. I think I'm here more than Gina most weeks.
"What is he doing here?" Gina asks, looking in the direction of the window. When I look over, of course I'm met with the sight of Harry.
I look away quickly, "I don't know. His daughter has class tomorrow, maybe something to do with that."
"I don't know... I think he's got a crush." She speaks in a teasing tone, smiling over me with her eyebrows raised. Okay this is weird. I thought she would have been the first to discourage me from being around him.
"Gina..."
"I mean, I wish someone like him would look my way. Rich, handsome-"
"Okay, G. I get it."
She smiles over at me, taking the windex spray and rag from my hands. "Isabella, go. And stop lying to me, I hear what the girls say. Kat has a big mouth too. Have fun, I'll see you tomorrow."
Confused, I take a second before finally letting my feet move. Does everyone know about Harry now? Exiting the dance studio, I cross my arms as I lean against the door. "We're closed."
Harry turns toward me, putting his hands in his pocket with a smirk. "Finally. Can we go to dinner now?"
"That impatient? You never did quite mention where you intended to take me after dinner." Walking toward the desk, I slip past him and pick up my bag from underneath.
"My sister is in town, She's with Ottie at the apartment. And I have a surprise for after dinner. One I think you'd rather enjoy."
"Another night at the Carlyle?" I smile, putting my bag over my shoulder.
He chuckles. "You'll have to find out. Did you bring a jacket? It's freezing outside. It's November and you're wearing a leotard."
"Harry, I'm fine. Now let's go." I walk ahead of him, the cold air hitting me like a wall the second I step outside. Maybe he has a point.
Placing his hand on my shoulder, he helps me into the car quickly, sliding in next to me. As soon as the door is closed, I take the opportunity to straddle him, smirking as I hold his shoulders. His hands are quick to hold my hips, drawing me closer.
"If there's one thing you should know, I hate surprises." I smirk, rolling my hips against him. At the movement he lets out a breath, clearly pent up from almost a week without being together.
"I'm not telling. Though, you're welcome to continue trying." He smirks back, leaning back against the seat as his hands slide down to my thighs.
I pout, slowly grinding against him since I know he hates that. "Why won't you just tell me. I'm gonna find out either way."
His nose nudges against mine with a groan as he hardens beneath me. "God I can't wait to fuck you so hard into the mattress. I'd take you right here if Cole wasn't here."
"Like having an audience has ever stopped you before." I tease, also finding myself desperate for him. His nails dig into my thighs as he starts to kiss my neck. "Feel how wet I am for you." I whisper in his ear, moaning when he grinds his crotch up into me.
"You're so naughty."
"Mm, am I?" With a nod he grinds himself against me again, making me gasp. "Then maybe you should punish me."
Before his hands could drift, the car comes to a stop. We both groan at the sudden interruption, but I climb off of him as Cole gets out of the driver's seat.
Harry steps out of the car first, but before I can follow, he takes his suit jacket off. The second I step out of the car it's draped over my shoulders. "I know you're cold."
Together we walk into Saks Fifth Avenue and my wide eyes can hardly move fast enough to take it all in. I've lived in New York City my entire life and the closest I've ever come to this store is watching the Christmas displays when I was little with my mom.
Harry gives me free range to pick an outfit for this date and tries his best not to rush me though we do have a reservation apparently. I do my best to look at prices, trying not to spend too much money since I have to save up. I end up with a really pretty dress and a pair of heels to match, as well as a jacket of Harry's choosing.
At the register, he gives his card even as I protest. "I could pay for this stuff." I remind him, glaring slightly as he puts his black AmEx card back into his wallet.
"I know you can. But you need a lesson in accepting kind gestures."
"And it seems you need a lesson in kind gestures. A kind gesture is holding the door for someone, not dropping over a thousand dollars on clothes."
Once the clothes are paid for, he shoves the bag into my arms playfully. "Go change. I'll be out here."
In the fitting room I quickly change into the dress, smiling softly at myself in the mirror. It's so simple yet so beautiful. I can't help but turn slightly, looking at how the dress falls on my body in the mirror. I don't think I've ever felt so beautiful, even with light makeup.
Stepping out of the room, I hold out his suit jacket for him. It's hard not to notice how his eyes widen and take in the way I look. He finally takes the jacket from me, almost missing it since he's not looking. I can already feel my cheeks turning red.
"Pick your jaw up from the floor, I'm starving." I act nonchalant, handing him the shopping bag that once held the clothes before starting to head toward the exit. He follows me quickly, not uttering a single word. But I can feel his eyes on me still.
Sometimes I find it hard being confident around him. I have nothing to offer, no connections, definitely no money. All I have is my body, which I'm thankful to know that he enjoys. But then again what man is gonna say they hate someone they're paying to have sex with. It's just an arrangement at the end of the day, he doesn't have to like me.
As always, he takes us to some fancy restaurant that I never could've imagined being allowed to enter. I'm starting to think he just uses me as an excuse to get a good meal since he wouldn't have anyone to take out without me. I'm not complaining though, since the food is usually excellent and I don't have to pay for it.
Conversation strays from our usual topics of work and what our schedules look like for the upcoming week. Instead of planning out our next few nights, he tells me a story about growing up with his sister. I never asked about her, but it seems like having her around is special for him, so I let him talk.
From these last few weeks with Harry, I've come to figure out that he's a pretty lonely person. I guess you have to be if you're willing to pay someone for sex. He doesn't expect anything from me really, he just likes talking. There's only so much hanging out with coworkers and a three year old can do. Sometimes you just need someone outside of it all.
Honestly, I like hearing his stories. Even the little ones about how he got started with his business or a weird sex encounter he's had. He can be really funny and I find myself laughing quite a lot these days. It really sucked not getting to see much of him this week because I've kind of gotten used to him.
I think we both see this arrangement as a way to escape our realities. He doesn't want to be this important businessman around me, just like I don't want to be well, me. When we're together I think we both just feel really free to do as we please which is pretty cathartic. And it also results in really good sex.
Dinner seems to fly by tonight, but that could also be because I'm anticipating whatever this surprise could be. Surprises and me usually don't go over well, and knowing Harry it could be absolutely anything. He could be taking me to fucking Bali for all I know. He's crazy enough to do something like that after not having sex for a week.
Once Harry pays the bill, something he never lets me see, he leads me back to the car that's waiting out front. Cole opens the door for us and I slide in, watching Harry get in after me. I smile awkwardly, never quite knowing what to say on the car ride to whatever place we're having sex. And now with the looming threat of a surprise, it makes that feeling even worse. Cole starts his drive downtown, which must be part of the surprise since Harry usually never goes past Midtown.
Harry's hand holds my knee in the car as he also looks out the window silently. He's always touching me. At first I found it kind of annoying, but it's grown on me in the last few weeks. I think I'm just now realizing how much I craved his touch. It feels nice to have it again.
"I'm sorry if you didn't enjoy the country club last weekend. I know it's not for everyone and I don't know, I just really want to apologize for that. I don't want you to feel pressured or like you can't speak up. If you're uncomfortable you could tell me."
I'm surprised when he brings that up. I was honestly hoping to banish the memory of last weekend from my mind forever. "Oh. I mean, it was fine, I guess. It was nice getting to meet Warren."
He sighs, looking at me as if he knows I'm just being polite. "Still. I'm sorry for how that turned out. I know what the contract says but I also want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me when you're not enjoying yourself. Honestly, you could even use armadillo at a party and we would go home right away."
I never thought about that before, but it's honestly a good tip. I nod, placing my hand over his on my knee. "Okay. If I ever feel uncomfortable, I'll say armadillo. And I accept your apology." The corner of my lips twinges up into a small smile which he reciprocates. "Any other events I should be aware of?"
"Actually, there is one coming up if you want to go. It's a big one which again, I understand if you don't want to go. A charity gala, it's pretty high profile and there's a carpet and photographers. Again, I'd pay for anything you need if you do want to go and tell you everything you need to know."
Even though the country club event was kind of a bust, I think I need to give it one more go. Plus, I did like getting all dressed up. "That sounds nice. What charity is it for?"
He smiles a bit, "It's a children's charity. They help parents pay bills and get groceries and things so they could focus on their children who are in the hospital. I've been working with them for years and the gala is always really nice."
I can't help but smile more as he explains the charity. He really does have a kind heart. I mean, I knew that by how he's willing to pay for kids' tuition at the dance studio without even knowing them, but giving back is something he clearly values. I've noticed that even Ottilie has a giving personality, always wanting to help her peers in class.
"I'll be there. It sounds really nice, and I'd love to support that cause."
"Thank you, Isabella. I'll send the details next week."
The car comes to a stop pretty abruptly and Harry immediately looks out the window. A smile grows on his lips and he perks up a bit. "Okay, we're here. I'm going to have to cover your eyes though."
"Cover my eyes? Really?"
He nods with a bigger smile as Cole opens up the car door for us. "C'mon!" He takes my hand as he slips out of the car, helping me step down and onto the street. It's so quiet for the city, maybe he's actually gonna kill me.
He smiles reassuringly before standing behind me, carefully placing his hands over my eyes. I hold onto his wrists, letting him guide me to walk wherever we're going. "There's a step- there you go." He mutters, continuing to slowly walk me forward.
When he comes to a stop, I furrow my brows since we didn't walk too far. Maybe just across the street but why would he cover my eyes for that?
"Alright. I'm gonna uncover your eyes now." He warns before moving his hands. It takes me a second to adjust my eyes, but when I finally do I realize I'm just standing in front of a building. It's small and unassuming, definitely not a hotel or even a restaurant to continue the night.
My head tilts to the side as confusion takes over my face. "Where are we?" I look over at him, but he still has this really excited smile on his face.
He reaches into his pocket and on his finger, he holds out a set of keys. "I signed a six month lease."
"For what...?" I ask, looking back at the building for a second before giving him my attention again.
He steps in front of me, making me grab the key from his hand before he continues explaining. "An apartment. I figured that since my apartment is always out of commission because of my daughter and you refuse to let me into yours, and hotel suites are getting pretty pricey, this could be our place. Where we meet up. No roommates, no kids. Just an apartment on Cornelia Street."
"You rented an apartment? Just so we could have sex?"
"Well, you could move in if you want. It's already paid off for the next six months. Look, at least come look at it before you say no."
He takes my hand again with a smile, starting to step back toward the door. I can't help but smile back as I slowly begin to follow him. I'm not really sure how to feel about this, but I still find myself feeling all warm inside.
Harry helps me open the first door, letting me know what key works for this one. The elevator ride up to the second floor is quick and his thumb brushes over my knuckles gently. When the doors open up, he leads me to one of the two doors in the hallway, and I use the second key on the ring to open it up.
The apartment is small, but has such a cozy aura about it. Slowly, I walk around the apartment, letting my fingers brush against the furniture before looking at Harry. He stands by the now closed front door, smiling proudly as he watches me. "So?"
"You're crazy. You didn't have to rent an apartment, I could've cleaned my room." Walking over to him, I place my hands on his hips. He sighs playfully before smiling down at me, holding my cheek gently.
"You could've... but you still have a roommate. Let's just see how this works for us. We could very well hate it here, but I don't know, I like having a new space for us."
This is business, Isabella. Nothing more. He's a flirty guy, this is just business.
"Fine. We can try it out. Now are you gonna show me the bedroom or do I have to find it myself?"
A giggle escapes me as he scoops me up into his arms and runs in the direction of the bedroom. The floor creaks beneath his feet and I can only hope we don't have downstairs neighbors. My legs wrap around his hips and I hold on tight to his neck with a grin.
The rest of the night is spent in bed, finding new ways to please each other, as well as going back to our favorites. Making up for the week of sex that was lost.
Just Harry and I in an apartment on Cornelia Street.
✧✧✧
This is quite literally my favorite chapter and the reason why i listened to cornelia street on repeat for like a month. i can't believe it's yours now.
gab