His lips ghosted across her neck, his tongue gliding across the valley of her collarbone. His hands trailed down her sides, the pads of his thumbs tracing invisible tattoos into the soft skin, flushed pink with desire. Addison resisted the urge to sigh in contentment. His touch was just as electrifying as she had imagined it would be. Her hand clutched at his chestnut curls, lightly tugging to pull his face closer to hers. Addison caught a brief glimpse of that familiar smirk before his lips crashed against her own, moving in perfect synchronization.
That smirk. It always came back to that damn smirk.
Addison’s eyes shot open, wide with alarm at her own erotic fantasies. Harry. Since his unexpected arrival in her office three days ago, Addison hadn’t thought about him once, save for a brief Google search after his abrupt departure. It was only right that she had been curious. And now he was in her dreams? Addison hadn’t had a dream like that in months and now it was here; a small feature film starring Harry Styles, currently playing in the exclusive theater known as her brain. She would tell no one about this, not even Sabrina.
Addison ran a hand through her tangled chocolate locks, a large sigh escaping her lips. Her other hand clenched her white down comforter, the crisp cotton familiar and soothing. Her little fantasy hadn’t taken place in her bed. This, at any rate, was still sacred. Addison’s raised herself to a sitting position, noticing the empty indent where Theodore had been sleeping. He had probably gotten up in search of food, which meant that Addison, as his owner, needed to drag herself from the cloying confines of her bed to feed him.
Pushing back the heavy blankets, she swung her toned legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the hardwood floor with a hollow thud. She tugged on the oversize navy shirt she wore as pajamas; it had somehow gotten twisted during the night. She and Sabrina both possessed a strong hatred for pants and rarely wore them in their apartment.
Addison yawned quietly as she padded out of her room and down the hall to the kitchen where she heard Sabrina’s soft murmurs, probably talking to Theodore. Both girls had a tendency to treat him as if he was almost human, and in some ways, he was.
“Good morning, sunshine!” Sabrina chirped as Addison entered the kitchen. “Look who stopped by.”
Addison’s gaze flitted upward focusing on her best friend, who wore an overly cheery grin, before sliding over to the dark-haired figure seated at the kitchen table. His hair was just as messy as it had been in her dream, and his eyes held the same spark of mischief.
This was impossible.
Addison felt a blush rise in her neck and cheeks as she processed the current situation. Harry, the star in her semi-erotic fantasy, was now seated at her kitchen table, with Theodore, her beloved bulldog, on his lap, while she stood, in the hallway, with messy hair, sans pants. This wasn’t a dream. This was a nightmare.
“Excuse me,” Addison squeaked, her voice high and tight, as she turned and resisted the urge to run back down the hallway. Her feet moved quickly across the polished floors as she scurried back into her bedroom. Addison had always been a big believer into the supernatural, of signs, and omens, and other phenomena. Had she somehow subconsciously summoned him here? This was a cruel joke. The night that he plays the leading man in her dreams coincidentally preceding their next meeting. Fate certainly had a wicked sense of humor.
Crossing to her drawer, Addison yanked it open and selected a pair of black spandex shorts, shimmying them up her slim legs. Crossing to the bathroom, she seized her toothbrush, squirting a thin line of toothpaste onto the bristles, before shoving it under the faucet and then into her mouth. As she ran the bristles back and forth across her teeth, Addison rummaged through various drawers, silently cursing herself for not being more organized. She was forever losing her many hairbrushes and now was not the time for any of them to be missing. Spotting Sabrina’s abandoned brush lying on the countertop, she quickly yanked it through her tangled waves, smoothing them until they were somewhat passable before tossing it back onto the counter. A quick rinse of her mouth under the faucet and she was presentable for a few minutes of conversation, at least long enough to figure out what he was doing in her apartment at ten am on a Saturday morning.
Addison strode back into the kitchen, with a feigned sense of confidence. Harry and Sabrina’s quiet chatter came to a close as the brunette stepped closer to the table.
“Harry brought breakfast,” Sabrina announced. It was obvious from her wide eyes and slightly flushed cheeks that she was already quite taken with him. Whenever she came into contact with an attractive male, her face was the first thing to betray her emotions. Addison could read her like a book, and it was quite apparent from the smug expression on Harry’s face that he could as well.
“That was….nice,” Addison responded, a tight smile forcing its way onto her face as she slid into a chair next to Sabrina. Theodore’s blustery breaths showed his affection for Harry as well. The bulldog looked completely at ease, snuggled into Harry’s lap, his eyes closed as the man’s hands repeatedly smoothed the soft fur on Theodore’s back. That traitor.
“Nice dog,” Harry commented, noting Addison’s gaze. “He’s very friendly.”
“Mhm,” Addison responded, taking in the rest of the scene. A large brown paper bag rested on top of the table, along with a cardboard drink holder. Harry’s free hand removed the remaining drink and slid it across the table towards the brunette.
“He even brought coffee. Wasn’t that nice?” Sabrina gushed. She raised her own drink to her lips, hiding the small smirk that rested there. Addison knew she was eagerly awaiting the moment Harry left their apartment so she could spill all the details from their earlier encounter.
“Really nice. Thank you,” Addison nodded, making no move to accept the offered drink. She was still in a state of bewilderment. She’d woken up from an alarming dream about herself and Harry in an…intimate..setting and now here he was, seated at her kitchen table on a Sunday with her best friend and dog offering her coffee. It was definitely the most interesting morning she had had in a while.
Harry cleared his throat. “I came to your office this morning and your assistant, Jonathan, I believe his name was, told me you and Sabrina normally work from home on Sundays. He gave me your address. I hope you don’t mind I stopped by,” his voice trailed off, almost questioningly at the end. His bright green gaze burned into her, giving her flashbacks of that same gaze in a different setting.
“It’s fine,” Addison responded, her voice still tight and slightly high-pitched. The pitch always rose when she was uncomfortable and she hated it. She inhaled deeply, trying to relax, and when she spoke again, her voice had returned to its normal pitch. “Thanks for, uh, bringing all this.” She gestured to the coffee and large bag, full of what she presumed was some sort of breakfast food.
“No trouble at all,” he replied smoothly. She felt that the way he surveyed her, tentatively awaiting each response to be expressed, either vocally or physically, should have made her uncomfortable. But instead, she found it almost endearing. He appeared genuinely interested in what she had to say, and wasn’t deterred by her hesitant responses and awkward demeanor.
It was times like these that Addison dearly wished she had Sabrina’s finesse. While Addison could be charming to a fault, it didn’t come naturally for her. The right circumstances, and the right people were needed before she felt entirely in her element and ready to work the room.
Lucky for her, Harry didn’t seem to need much of a response. “I have to admit, I didn’t necessarily come here just to bring breakfast.”
“Well, obviously,” Addison blurted, her eyes widening in both shock and horror as she realized she had just uttered the obnoxious and slightly rude statement aloud. Her expression was currently mirrored in Sabrina’s own eyes. She would definitely pay for that comment later, Sab would make sure of it.
Harry chuckled, not at all discouraged. That was another thing. Instead of being off-put by her careless statements, he almost seemed to enjoy them. She thought back to their last encounter in her office. He had described her as intriguing, and now she was beginning to think much the same about him.
“I actually came here to see if you’d care to join me for dinner tomorrow night.” His jade gaze burned deep into hers, daring her to break eye contact.
Addison could practically feel the excitement palpitating off Sabrina, who was almost panting in the corner, dying to intervene on her friend’s behalf and scream acceptance to his offer, for all the heavens to hear. She knew Sabrina would kill her if she said no. And at least if it sucked, she could always fake an emergency and leave early.
“Um, okay, sure,” the brunette nodded, at long last taking a sip from the now lukewarm coffee in front of her.
She saw Sabrina’s shoulders visibly relax in relief as she raised her own cup to her lips in an attempt to hide the enormous grin spreading across her face. It was a moot point, really. Harry was sure to see it. But as Addison’s gaze lowered, she saw a similar grin spread across Harry’s own features. Something about this look caused an uncomfortable tightening sensation in Addison’s chest. This was the first time she’d seen him smile: genuinely smile. There was something sweet and childish about this grin, a sort of boyish excitement she hadn’t seen in years. And the fact that she had caused this smile made her both soften and hurt in a way she couldn’t explain.
“Lovely. I’ll pick you up at seven.” Harry lifted his hands from Theodore’s back, shifting underneath the heavy pup. Theodore took the hint and leaped, or more appropriately, tumbled off of his perch on Harry’s lap to the floor, where he shuffled along until he settled himself comfortably under his master’s chair.
“Great.” Addison extended her hand as Harry rose from his seat. Immediately, she wondered if she made the wrong call. Fuck. A handshake was too formal for such a situation. But a hug was too much. What were you supposed to do in situations like this?
Harry looked quizzically down at her hand for a moment, before taking it with a brief shake. He seemed to be resisting the urge to laugh and Addison felt a blush rise in her cheeks. This was mortifying. As if she hadn’t already made enough of an ass of herself this morning.
Harry released her hand, and gave Sabrina a slight wave. “It was wonderful to meet you. I’m sure I’ll see you again.”
“Absolutely!” Sabrina trilled, her voice far too cheery for the circumstances. “Bye!”
“Bye,” Addison mumbled, taking another gulp of cold coffee as if it would sooth her flaming cheeks.
She waited until she heard the front door close before she slammed her forehead onto the kitchen table. “Don’t even start!”
“You gave him a handshake!” Sabrina practically exploded. Addison refused to lift her head from the tabletop. She didn’t want to see the look on Sabrina’s face. “A handshake!” The blonde continued, her long locks flying back and forth as she ran through the visual she had just witnessed. “And I thought your biggest problem was going to be deciding what to wear tomorrow. Up, up!” She ordered, rising from her chair and patting the top of Addison’s head. “First, to the closet. Next, a run through of the evening to make sure you don’t embarrass yourself.”
Addison heaved a large sigh before following suit. It wasn’t every day you went to dinner with British pop stars. She’d have to be dressed to kill. And with a long look at the leggy blonde who was already rifling through her closet, Addison had no doubt she would be.
--
Monday arrived all too quickly and before she knew it, Addison found herself sitting on her bed, head between her knees, as she struggled with the simple concepts of inhaling and exhaling.
That morning had been fine. She had woken, showered, dressed, and gone to work like usual. Even after work, she had remained calm, allowing Sabrina to help her into her carefully constructed outfit and fuss over the state of her hair and makeup. It wasn’t until the unforgiving digital numbers of 6:53 were illuminated on her alarm clock did she start to panic.
“Addison, snap out of it!” Sabrina kneeled before her, carefully lifting her best friend’s head out of her hands, and holding it carefully in her own. “It’s going to be fine. It’s just dinner. You go to dinner all the time.”
“Yes! With clients and models and gay men and you!” Addison cried, her voice taking on a slightly hysterical note. “Not British pop stars that I barely know. Do you know how many things could go wrong?”
“But they won’t,” Sabrina assured, rubbing her hand across the brunette’s knee comfortingly. “Honey, I know you’re hesitant but you haven’t been out on a date since Max and-“
“I don’t want to talk about that,” Addison huffed brusquely, cutting Sabrina off before she truly got started. She was not about to take a trip down that lane, especially not now. She jerked her leg away from the blonde’s touch and sat up straight, folding her arms across her chest. She knew that her current pose looked childish but she was mentally preoccupied with far too many other things to worry about how she looked in front of Sabrina.
“I’m just saying, you need to get back in the game!” Sabrina cried, throwing her hands in the air in a desperate attempt at justifying this conversation. “Just live and let go. Have a little fun.”
“Dear god,” Addison muttered, rising from the bed and smoothing out her silky white blouse. She rolled her eyes as Sabrina began to dance around the room, singing along to the Miley Cyrus song that was playing at top volume. She was so loud, in fact, that Addison barely heard Theodore’s gruff bark, announcing a visitor.
“He’s here!” Addison squeaked, turning onto Sabrina with wide eyes. “How do I look?” She smoothed her hands down the front of the blouse and adjusted the sleeves so that they were pushed back, allowing the gold bangles adorning her wrist to be seen.
Sabrina sighed, her large blue eyes rolling skyward before coming back to settle on the brunette with an aggravated squint. “Do you think I’d let you walk out of here looking anything less than fabulous? Now get the damn door before he thinks you’re bailing!”
Addison took a deep breath before seizing her small black clutch and tucking it under her arm. Exhaling, she turned and strode out of her bedroom, her heels clacking against the floor. Swinging open the door, she took a step back, almost as if she was blown away by the sight of him. Addison had to admit, he looked good. His hair was neatly swept back away from his face and the dark sweater he wore made complemented his green eyes. He smelled of a delicious woodsy-citrus blend and she felt the need to resist throwing her arms around him and inhaling deeply.
“Hi,” she mumbled, shifting from one foot to the other.
“Hello,” he smiled. “You look lovely. Are you ready to go?”
“Thank you,” Addison smiled, feeling a small sense of relief. Albeit, they may not have even left her apartment but she was feeling a bit more comfortable recognizing that the date routine was the same, at least in terms of the first few minutes. “Just give me one second.” Dashing quickly into the dining area, she retrieved her jacket from where she had carelessly thrown it on top of a chair and slipped it on. Adjusting her hair so that it fell loosely around her shoulders, she headed back to the door where Harry was still patiently waiting. “Now I’m ready.”
The walk to the restaurant was relatively painless, filled with mindless chatter and easy silences. It had started to become darker earlier and the city lights in contrast with the dark sky was a stunning backdrop as the pair embarked on their evening.
It wasn’t long before the two were seated at a table in the cozy Italian restaurant Harry had chosen for dinner. The delicious smells of garlic and pesto wafted through the air and Addison realized she was suddenly ravenous. She hadn’t eaten much during the day due to nerves and she was more than ready to make up for it now.
When their waitress arrived carrying a basket of bread in addition to two waters, Addison nearly jumped for joy. Harry was busy studying the wine menu and didn’t seem to notice as she reached forward to snatch one of the rolls as soon as the waitress placed the basket upon the table.
“Do you prefer white or red?” He murmured quietly, his eyes not leaving the menu.
“Red, definitely.” Addison replied, as she tore into the roll and dipped a piece of it into the small plate of olive oil resting on top of the table.
He ordered a bottle that she was not familiar with, which the waitress swiftly scribbled down before dashing off towards the kitchen. Addison continued to slowly eat her roll, resisting the urge to swallow it in one bite and seize another. Sabrina was forever nagging at her on how she needed to eat slower or else she’d choke. Addison figured that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to at least try that notion, especially now.
Harry watched her with an amused expression, his arms crossed against his chest and the corners of his lips twitching up every now and then.
“Is something funny?” Addison asked after a few moments of watching him survey her. That smirk was so unnerving. It made her feel as if her every move was constantly being observed and judged.
“Well,” he paused thoughtfully, “Forgive me for falling for the stereotype, but, considering you work in fashion, I thought you wouldn’t touch anything with carbohydrates. I was actually a bit hesitant about bringing you here, because of that reason. I’m just a little surprised you seemed so excited about it and now, here you are, eating bread.”
Addison swallowed the last of her roll, before reaching for another. That wasn’t the first time she’d heard that statement. Due to her profession, people regularly assumed she was very conscious about what she ate. However, Addison didn’t believe in that. That was one of the reasons she preferred to design the clothes, so that she could eat as much as she wanted and not worry if things would fit. It also didn’t hurt that she had a generally fast metabolism and a gym membership she utilized frequently.
“Yeah, well, you’re definitely mistaken there. I have two best friends and their names are Carbs and Sabrina Kenley,” she smiled, taking a sip of her water, before tearing into the second roll. She had never understood why some women were so self-conscious about eating in front of men. If a man lost interest in her simply because of how she ate, she had no interest in him.
Harry laughed at her comment, tracing his finger around the rim of his water glass absentmindedly.
At that point, the waitress returned. She quickly poured two glasses of wine before requesting their orders. Harry chose the veal scallopinini, while Addison ordered the chicken alfredo. The pair folded up their menus, handing it to the waitress, who quickly departed and left them alone once more.
“It’s nice to see someone in your industry who’s not afraid of eating,” he responded, taking a sip from his glass of wine, before nodding in approval.
“I definitely don’t have a problem with that,” Addison ran a hand through her hair, pushing back the fallen locks that had slipped in front of her face. “I love eating. Most times, I just don’t know when to stop. It’s the same with talking. I talk a lot when I’m nervous. Kind of like now.” Silently cursing her blatant honesty that always seemed to spill from her lips at the most inopportune times, Addison took a large drink from her own glass, surveying Harry over the rim. There was now a gleam in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. It seems as if he was almost pleased she had admitted her nerves.
“Why are you nervous?” He leaned forward, tapping his fingertips together, early awaiting her answer.
Addison paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. There were several reasons why she was nervous and at the risk of embarrassing herself further, she found it important to select the most socially appropriate answer for the time being and hope that the others wouldn’t just slip out. “I guess I’m just nervous because I don’t quite understand why you asked me for dinner. I’m sorry if I sound skeptical or rude, but to be honest, I’ve either been socially awkward, or quite frankly, a bitch, during every encounter we’ve had and yet, you’re still here.”
Harry nodded, taking in each word she spoke as if it was a puzzle he wished to solve, providing pieces to the spaces that weren’t quite filled. “As I mentioned before,” he started in his smooth British accent, “I find you intriguing. The fact that you always seem to say just what’s on your mind is…refreshing. And then there was in the incident in the coffee shop. You refused to just let me have what I wanted, even though that coffee was mine,” he chuckled softly, holding up a hand to stop Addison’s oncoming rebuttal. “And then I came to find out you didn’t even know who I was. Well, it all just made me want to know you. And here we are.”
“Here we are,” she echoed. “So, what’s it like? Touring and whatnot.”
Harry smiled, and began to indulge her with anecdotes of the boys’ life on the road. Addison marveled at how his eyes lit up with almost a childlike sense of excitement and joy when he talked about his band mates and their travels. It was obvious he loved them and what they did. The pair barely noticed when their entrees arrived and Harry continued to regale her with interesting stories between bites of the exquisitely prepared Italian meal.
The conversation flowed effortlessly and it wasn’t long before Addison was revealing details of how own life, such as why she decided to start her own line with Sabrina and how she got Theodore.
“He’s quite a friendly little guy,” Harry commented, smiling at the memory of the dog.
“He is. The second he fell asleep on my lap at the store, I knew it was meant to be. He loves sleeping and eating just as much as I do,” Addison laughed, draining the rest of her glass of wine. It was remarkable how much more at ease she felt now than at the beginning of the date. Sure, a few glasses of wine may have helped the situation, but she was also pleasantly surprised how genuinely friendly and easygoing Harry was. Addison usually overanalyzed dates in excruciating detail before, during, and after the actual date. This was one of the few dates in which she could recall enjoying the moment for what it was. “Although, I have to make sure he gets his walk in. He can be pretty lazy,” she added.
“Where do you walk him?” Harry inquired.
“Usually around Central Park. I’ll take him as much as I can throughout the week but we have a set date every Saturday morning around ten. It’s our way of making sure we get out of bed.” Addison pushed her plate to the side of the table as she noticed the waitress approaching.
Harry did the same, before refocusing his attention back onto the brunette in front of him. “That sounds lovely.” He paused for a moment; his next few words were spoken carefully and almost tentatively. “Would the two of you ever mind any company?”
Addison waited, letting the weight of the question hang in the air. As simple as this question was, it was a make or break moment for her. She knew what Harry was hinting at and her answer would most likely determine whether or not she saw him again. Addison sucked in a deep breath before uttering a response.
“We’d love it.”
--
“How was it?” Sabrina’s screech met Addison’s ears seconds after she had opened the door to their apartment.
Walking further into the open space, Addison dropped her clutch onto a nearby table and kicked off her heels. A small smile graced her delicate features as she reflected on the evening. The two had continued conversing until they were one of the last pairs in the restaurant. Afterwards, Harry had walked her home, leaving her with a kiss on the cheek and a promise to meet her at Central Park later this week to walk Theodore.
“Wonderful,” Addison admitted truthfully. The date, overall, had been fabulous and had definitely changed her opinion of Harry. He wasn’t as awful as she had originally made him out to be and she had to admit to herself that she was even a little bit excited for Saturday.
Almost as if he had heard her thoughts, Theodore trotted into the room, his stubby tail wagging madly at the sight of his owner. Addison dropped to her knees and patted her lap. Theodore needed no more instruction. Bounding over as fast as his short legs would carry him, he barreled into his owner’s knees, his long tongue licking any part of her that he could reach.
“Come on, you have to give me more than that. I want details!” Sabrina placed her hands on her slim hips, covered in a pair of dove gray sweatpants. While her best friend had been out on a ‘wonderful’ date, she had gone on one of her own, with two very close friends of hers, Ben & Jerry. While her evening hadn’t necessarily disappointed, she was eager to hear all about Addison’s.
“I don’t know, it just went really well,” Addison smiled wistfully. “He was really easy to talk to. It seemed like it just flew by. And he’s meeting me on Saturday to walk Theodore.”
Sabrina nodded her approval. “I told you that you’d have a good time!” Addison was forever overanalyzing, and frequently psyched herself out of a good time. Sometimes she needed a small push to get in the game, and Sabrina was more than willing to give it to her. The blonde continued to study her best friend, noting the small smile that Addison was struggling to keep from breaking across her entire face. Maybe this Harry Styles would be exactly what she needed.