"So, then he just projectile vomited across the duvet," Liam said, lifting a glass of champagne to his lips with a somber nod.
Louis groaned beside him, raised the hand that was holding a pint of beer and lifted his pointer finger Liam's way. "Been there. These little ones—you don't expect it, but there's a lot of force behind those gag reflexes."
"My niece threw up in my hair once," Mads offered, relaxed now in her beautiful dress, a nearly empty glass of champagne in her hands.
Niall cackled a little bit, and raised his beer to his lips. "That's disgustin'."
"That's nothing," Liam noted. "I've had shit up to my elbows, mate. It's rarely pretty this parenting thing."
"One time," Mads said, "I wasn't there, but my brother Will said that his younger daughter, Gracie smeared her shit all over the bathroom wall when they started potty training her."
"Freddie did that once, yeah!" Louis said, pointing at Mads now.
"He said it was all over her, too," Mads said with a wince.
Liam and Louis only nodded solemnly while Niall pretended to gag. He, Mads, and I were listening politely, but none of us could really understand. They certainly weren't making parenthood sound like any good, but despite that—I wanted it. Because I knew that all the terrible stuff really didn't even put a damper on the good. They'd told me as much over the years. And because I wanted it—the good and the bad—with the woman standing beside me.
"Alright, well enough of that before I toss my dinner," Niall said, still chuckling as he glanced around at our glasses. "I'm ready for another. Anyone else?"
He looked at each of us. Louis and Liam both said yes, I raised my still half-full drink, and Mads glanced down at her empty one.
Niall raised his brows at her and reached for her glass.
"Oh, no, I'm—" Mads raised a hand as Niall took the glass from her. "I'm good, thanks."
I looked at her, knowing full well why she didn't want to keep drinking. And as much as I respected her for it, I wished she would go a little easier on herself at the same time.
"You sure?" Niall asked, brows still raised.
All eyes were on her now. She smiled at Niall. "Yeah. Thank you, though."
We were at the Grammy's after party at the Hotel Bel-Air, and we'd already been here for just about an hour. The show had been loads of fun, for Mads and for me. But for me, it was mostly fun because I was watching her take it all in. And I remembered what it had felt like the first time I was at an event like the Grammy's. The sense of shock and awe that lingered all the while, as everyone you'd only seen on telly your whole life was just... there. Right in front of you. And performing, no less.
She seemed to have a great time. And she'd said as much on our way over here. Even sparing a moment in the backseat of our car to whisper into my ear, "You know... that shirt you're wearing is see through." She blew out a breath against my ear, her hand toying with the buttons of said shirt. "When you were up on stage, the lights shone right through it. And you were talking all slowly and deliberately with that deep voice of yours... I barely even noticed Adele when you handed her the award."
My breath caught in my throat and came out as a choked chuckle when her fingers dipped beneath the fabric, and I licked my lips as her other hand landed on my thigh, her thumb brushing back and forth, back and forth against the fabric.
"I knew I should've just taken you in the bathroom," I'd said, my voice low and tight.
Mads had giggled then, letting her forehead touch my shoulder. Little did she know how serious I was. How many times I'd thought about it over the course of the show—just leading her away, towards the handicapped bathroom I'd spotted backstage. Getting her inside and lifting that pretty dress of hers up, up, up before taking her, slamming into her until...
"I was proud of you, too," she'd said then, cutting off the train of my dirty thoughts. I met her eye.
It had been such a comfort—the kind of thing I'd never expected—having her in the audience watching me, knowing she was there for me and only me when I was up on stage announcing the award. Of course, I'd done it numerous times over the years, and it wasn't all that intimidating to me anymore. But I'd never had anyone other than Jeff there specifically for me. And as much as he was my friend, ultimately, he was paid to be there.
To look out into the crowd and know exactly where she was, to squint through the lights and see her smiling face and know that it was just for me—it was just one of the many wonderful things that had come from bringing her here with me tonight.
"You're just..." she'd breathed in the backseat of that car. "You're just amazing."
I'd smiled, ecstatic all over again to have her by my side. "I love you"
She'd grinned back, but I kissed her and caught the words I knew were at the tip of her tongue before she could utter them.
She hadn't even seemed all that nervous about this half of the evening—the after party. She knew we'd be seeing the other boys, and that this was the part of the night where everyone let loose, so she'd been pretty excited as we pulled up to the hotel. There were still nerves there, yes, but at least she wasn't all out panicking.
And now, an hour in, we'd already done all the mingling—catching up with Ed and Adele, and Mads freaked out again to see the likes of Lady Gaga, and almost lost it completely when she spotted Stevie Wonder. We'd said hello to as many of them as possible, and I'd introduced her, too. As she had the whole night, she'd conducted herself beautifully. Gracefully. And even when she wasn't composed—even when she was completely fangirling right in front of these people (I was pretty sure Justin Timberlake would need to have his ribs checked after he'd pulled her into a hug)—she was charming. Still kind, still respectful, and endlessly charming.
Jeff had disappeared somewhere, more than likely networking with Glenne by his side. She'd told us she'd be meeting us after the show. And now, here we were with the boys. It had been years since Mads had seen Louis and Liam, and several months for me. But it was the first time the four of us—the still-remaining members of One Direction—were together again in even longer than that.
"So, how are you two doing?" Liam asked, yanking me from my thoughts, pulling me right back to reality—the booming music, the laughter, the clinking of glasses, and my friends standing in front of me, my girl at my side.
I looked at Mads, pulled her close by the waist and kept my hand there. "We're good," I said, watching as she smiled. "Really good."
They knew what had happened—maybe not all the finer details, but the important parts. And whether or not they thought I was out of my mind for getting back together with Mads, they'd never said, which I appreciated.
And in Mads' eyes, in her shy grin as she met my stare, I saw all the ways things really were good. Better than good. All the ways we'd repaired the broken trust, all the ways we'd rediscovered our love, all the ways we were working to make it stronger than it ever was before.
"Nice," Louis said, glancing at Mads. "We're really glad to see you again, Maddie. It's actually pretty ridiculous that it's been so long, isn't it?"
Liam gave him a soft slap on the stomach with the back of his hand. "I was just thinking that," he said, looking between Louis and Maddie. "I mean, I know you guys weren't together for a lot of the time, but... I don't even think we had the chance to see you more than that one time, did we?"
"No," Mads said with a laugh, glancing between me and them. "It was just that once."
"Jesus," Liam said, looking at me now. "Why the hell didn't you bring her around more often?"
I chuckled a little, and tried to ignore the guilt filling my gut. "Definitely my bad."
I felt Madelyn's eyes on me and glanced over. She was the only one I was okay with letting see just how sorry I was that I kept her from all this.
"Well, I had school and work and stuff going on anyway," she said. Defending me, yet again. "It would've been hard to just up and leave whenever Harry wanted me to."
"That wasn't it," I found myself saying. She met my eye, and I was fully aware of Liam and Louis' attention on us as well. "I should've brought you around more often."
"Oi," came a voice from beside us, interrupting that tense, guilt-ridden moment—Niall. His hands were full of drinks, and Louis and Liam accepted theirs before Niall turned to Maddie. "You sure you don't want anything? I don't mind running back." He hooked a thumb behind him and didn't give Mads a chance to respond before saying, "If it's more champagne you're after, I must've bumped into seven waiters carrying the stuff on my way ta the bar."
Mads only laughed. "I'm sure," she said, laying a hand on his arm for a moment. "Thank you."
But Niall was eyeing her as Louis and Liam muttered together between sips of beer. I knew he was confused that she wasn't drinking. He was Irish—he wasn't used to people not having a drink out at a party like this one.
And then, right as the conversation started to pick up again—it was like a light switch flipped on in his eyes.
"Wait. You're not—" Niall started to say, eyes on Madelyn, seeming excited and eager for a reason I didn't understand, "—you're not pregnant, are you?"
I felt my stomach drop. But also something else... something that spiked hard in my chest, and had me waiting to hear what she was going to say...
He wasn't kidding. He was genuinely asking. So genuinely, in fact, it made my heart hurt for a number of reasons. He looked excited. He looked hopeful, as if hearing his assumption confirmed would be some of the best news he could receive. Louis and Liam stopped talking, looking just as surprised to hear that word in this conversation as Mads did. And any feeling of anticipation I'd had disappeared when I saw that her jaw had gone slack, and the color had bled out of her cheeks. I felt something turn over in my stomach at the sight. Not to mention, we were in a crowd full of people... anyone could've heard...
"I—" Mads started to say, but I cut her off.
"She's not," I said, staring at Niall like I could burn a hole straight through his forehead.
Madelyn's face... the mere suggestion...
I loved him, but I would've burned a hole in more than just his face if I could.
"Shit, I—I'm sorry," he said, looking between the both of us. "I—I didn't mean ta—"
"O'course you didn't, mate," Louis said, wrapping an arm around Niall's shoulders. Niall had the decency to look mortified. His cheeks had gone completely red. Louis looked at Maddie. "We all would've been excited if you were, Maddie." He shrugged. "S'all."
Mads nodded, but didn't say anything.
I was near seething. "Now was not the time—"
"Harry."
I heard the warning, and looked at my girl. Her eyes went wide, her eyebrows reaching up towards her hairline. "It's fine."
But it wasn't. She tried to smile now, but her face—when he'd said those words—
Liam, ever the mediator, stepped in then. "She wouldn't have been drinking anything if she were, mate," he said to Niall, smiling gently at Maddie.
"Yeah, but she only had the one," Niall defended, "and she nursed the damn thing for over an hour, and I—"
"It's fine, guys," she said, smiling widely—as if nothing had even happened—at the three of them as they tried to justify their own stupidity. "Really. Not a big deal."
"No, it is," Niall said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "After what you went through, I shouldn't have said a word. Shouldn't have assumed. But I thought, ya know, you two are back together... things are good... you didn't want a drink..."
"I get it," Mads said with a laugh, pulling away to look up at him a bit. "And I appreciate that you were so excited by the possibility."
"Yeah, well," Niall looked among the four of us, from face to face. "Next time, just insert my foot into my mouth for me, alright boys?"
Louis and Liam laughed, but I still felt stiff. Still felt... on edge.
Mads looked totally okay again. She was smiling, laughing... then she met my eye. And her gaze softened. I saw it there—the little bit of sadness. But it was quickly replaced by a reassuring smile as she stepped closer to me, as she curled her arm around my waist. I didn't know if she could sense the weird bit of tension that didn't seem to want to leave my body, but she pecked me on the cheek as the boys started talking amongst themselves again.
"It's fine," she said into my ear. When she stood back, she stared right into my eyes—all signs of sadness gone. "I'm fine."
I tried to smile at her, wished I could feel as fine as she looked. But the question—Niall's assumption—it had shaken me more than I cared to admit. At least, more than I cared to admit here.
And as everyone dove back into regular conversation around me, I couldn't stop thinking about it—about the prospect of a pregnancy. It was more than just what she went through. It was... it was the fact that, in that moment while we all waited for her answer, I almost wanted her to be.
I'd always wanted it with her, but now it was totally possible again. Now, I wanted all that with her more than anything. Even the suggestion that it had already happened—while I knew that was impossible with all the precautions we were taking—it had sent my emotions and thoughts into a complete tailspin. I couldn't help but think about when it would be possible. When we would reach the point where we didn't take precautions.
When we would actually be able to try.
The last thing I wanted to do was rush her. I knew how fragile she still sometimes felt over the whole ordeal, and to be fair, I was thoroughly enjoying my time with her. It was still far too soon to start trying to bring a baby into our relationship. I didn't want to rush it either. Not rationally, at least. But at the same time, we'd already established so much in our relationship. We were more in love than we ever were before, we were more stable then we ever were before... and having my friends—some of the most important people in my life—get so excited by the mere possibility of her being pregnant with my child...
It made me want to hurry things along.
I leaned into her this time, enjoying the sight of her smiling and laughing with the boys. But it had been a long night of sharing her with the world, and I was eager now to have her to myself. "Want to get out of here?"
The boys were still chattering amongst themselves, Niall cackling madly about something I didn't hear. Mads met my eye before responding. She only nodded.
We said our goodbyes to them with the promise that we'd all get together again soon—Mads included. Niall even pulled us aside before we left, and apologized to both of us for what he'd said. What he assumed. He was just excited, he said—hopeful that things between Mads and I had reached that point. For our sake, he'd said—he wanted us to be as happy as could be. He loved us both.
Mads was much more gracious about it than I felt like I could be, but I tried. After he hugged her, I hugged him as I always did, and smiled as I walked away. But I still felt a bit miffed. Part of it was just that he knew better than Liam or Louis, even, what she'd been through. He knew what she'd lost. So, for him to even suggest that out loud, here at such a public event of all places—I wanted to strangle him.
But more than that, I was annoyed by the way the mere suggestion had gotten me thinking—too hard about possibilities that simply weren't feasible right now. A pregnancy now, only a handful of months into our new relationship, was not the best idea.
And I was mostly frustrated because the suggestion had made me want it.
Mads sensed my tension (though she couldn't have known all the reasons for it) and grabbed my hand as we made our way out of the party into a swarm of photographers. I barely took note of them as they called my name, her name—as we headed for the car I'd had the foresight to have waiting for us. Considering our conversation in the car earlier, I knew we would both be eager to get home.
And we were almost through the blinding flashes, the relief of isolation so close I could taste it, when I felt it—Madelyn's hand, her very posture at my side, stiffening. I tuned in and heard the reason why.
"Maddie!"
"Over here, please!"
"Maddie, where's the ring?"
"Maddie, who's the other guy?"
"He's a doctor, isn't he?"
"Is he still in New York?"
"Did you break off your engagement with him to go back to Harry?"
"Harry, were you the reason they broke it off?"
"Were you two together while you were still engaged?"
"Maddie! Harry!"
They knew. The way the questions were phrased... Somehow, they knew the truth.
Fresh anger, fresh frustration roiling in my stomach, heating my chest, I kept my face downcast, hoping Mads was able to do the same--not so overcome with emotion that she would show them what their questions were undoubtedly doing to her. To her credit, she kept moving. Her whole demeanor beside me had changed, but she kept pace with me until we reached the car. And she slid in first without a glance back once I'd opened the door.
They were still there, surrounding the car now, the flashes of their cameras just barely dimmed through the tinted windows. The front windshield did nothing to protect us from the blinding lights.
Like she knew not to say anything, for fear that they would read our lips or something, Madelyn stayed quiet beside me as the car inched forward, the driver doing his best to not hit anyone on his way to the main road. We could still hear them calling us—shouting questions that neither of us ever planned to answer. And on top of everything I was already feeling, I was annoyed with myself for not having thought to warn her about them. About the swarms of photographers who weren't invited to any of the events, but who would show up and say what they wanted anyway.
We were about five minutes into the ride when I felt her glance over at me, and realized that neither of us had said a word.
"You okay?" she asked, reaching towards me on the seat we'd left open between us.
I grabbed her hand. Mine felt cold in her warm one. "You're asking me?"
She smiled a little, but it disappeared quickly, and her attention stayed on our entwined fingers. "You're so quiet."
I sighed a little bit, enjoying the pressure of her hand tucked into mine. After what was a perfect night, I felt off-balance. By what Niall had said, by how I felt about it, and now, by what those paparazzi had asked. The questions they'd thrown our way. Too specific. Lobbed at us too certainly—like they knew the answers to their own questions and wanted us to react.
"I just want to get home," I said to her then, and it was the truth. Or part of it.
I wanted to be alone with her. I didn't want to be around anyone else who might hear what we said and take it to the public. I wanted to be alone, and I wanted to dive into her.
Then, and only then, would I feel better.
Except once we were in the house, Gemma nowhere to be found, once I'd closed the door behind us and watched Madelyn's hips sway as she walked over to the small table beside the front door and set her bag down—I didn't feel better.
She turned to face me after a moment, and took a deep breath. Crossed her arms. "They knew."
Her tone was almost calm, but not quite. There was an edge to it I didn't like. She'd realized it, too, then. How could she not? I thought to myself. They weren't exactly trying to downplay it.
"They know about Rob. They know he's a doctor," she said, no less calmly. But there were a few more panting breaths scattered throughout the words.
I met her eye, my hands in my pockets, feeling totally helpless and stupid all at once.
"I thought you—I thought they wouldn't be able to ask that stuff," she said when I didn't reply. And she wasn't angry—not at all. Just... hurt, I realized. Hurt and... and afraid. Nervous.
But all I heard was the accusation she didn't finish. I ran a hand through my hair and blew out a long breath, walking past her towards the kitchen. "They shouldn't have."
"Then why—"
"They weren't invited to the event, Mads," I snapped. "Sorry I don't have control over every bloody pap who shows up uninvited into our lives."
I felt the force of my words as they left my body and raced toward her over my shoulder. Felt it, and couldn't stop it. But her careful steps behind me didn't stop either, and as I planted my hands on the counter, hung my head over it, I felt her stare on my back—and I felt her silence like a blow to the gut.
"I—I'm sorry," she started to say. I gripped the edge of the granite. "I didn't... I didn't mean—"
"Neither did I," I said through a frustrated sigh. I spun towards her, looked into those wide blue eyes. "I'm sorry. I—I didn't mean to snap at you."
For whatever reason, she smiled a little. "Maybe it was a stupid question."
I felt something tug at the corners of my lips, but still felt too strung out to call it a smile.
"Regardless... it didn't deserve that kind of reaction," I said as she stepped towards me, watching until she was right in front of me. I leaned back against the counter.
With less than a foot of space between us, Mads looked into my eyes, her own shifting back and forth as she searched, before she tangled her fingers with mine and asked, "Are you okay?"
It wasn't like in the car. She wasn't merely asking this time. She was waiting. Waiting for the truth.
A long breath slid out my nose as I glanced down at her, still in her beautiful, not-pink dress. Little flecks of black makeup had fallen beneath her eyes when I looked up at her again. I reached up to brush them away.
She grabbed my hand before I could. "Harry," she said—insisted.
Her brows lifted when I met her eye again, and a smile touched the corner of her lips. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to dangle sexual favors in front of your nose to get you to speak?"
I lifted a brow of my own. "Is that really an option?"
Mads slapped my stomach lightly, her smile widening, making me laugh as I caught her hand between us. "Spit it out," she said.
The breath I loosed then was shaky. I didn't know how she was going to take this. I didn't know whether or not now was the time to bring this up, but... clearly, I wasn't doing a very good job hiding it from her either.
"This started before the paparazzi," Mads said, still studying me when I didn't speak. "You got quiet after... after Niall—"
I gripped both her hands in mine. "Which is why it's hard for me to say anything," I said, confirming what she already seemed to suspect. "I don't want to make you feel pressured or weird about anything or—"
"Tell me," she insisted, squeezing my hands, no longer patient enough while I beat around the bush—hacking away at all the extra stuff and hoping she'd get bored before I got to the center.
No such luck.
"It—it just threw me a bit," I admitted, looking into her eyes again.
They were very, very serious.
"What did?" she asked, voice soft, but still firm.
I sighed again, trying not to smile because I knew this was serious, but it was also—a vulnerable thing for me. One that made me quite nervous.
"There was a moment," I started to say, licking my lips before I continued, "after Niall asked you if you were pregnant—there was a moment there where I felt myself... waiting for your answer."
Mads stayed quiet, kept her gaze on mine.
"I—I knew it was impossible, given all the birth control, but... it left me feeling sort of off-balance, I suppose. Cause, well... I dunno, I, um... I dunno."
It was as honest as I could get given that I didn't really understand what I was feeling myself. It was hard to pin down. Of course, I'd been angry with Niall for even suggesting it considering the loss Mads was still, in some ways, dealing with. But on top of that, there was also... inexplicable disappointment. And all those thoughts, too. About our future. About what it would be like when we could say yes. Yes, she is pregnant. How badly I wanted to be able to say yes, and I only realized it in that very moment after Niall had asked the question.
"You wanted it," she said, and there was no hint of outrage or sadness or anger. It was matter-of-fact. It was the truth. "You were hoping I'd say yes."
I looked into her eyes, feeling sheepish. "I didn't even know I wanted it until I heard the words. Until I found myself looking at you, holding my breath in anticipation."
Her eyes were so very wide, and still so serious as she glanced down between us. Her lips parted and shallow breaths started to slip through them.
"Hey," I said quietly, lifting her chin with a finger, touching my thumb to her bottom lip. I'd scared her. "Hey, I—"
"I want it, too, Harry," she said as she met my eye again. Hers had filled, and a sad smile spread out on her lips. "I want it so badly sometimes, I can't breathe."
My heart lurched toward her, squeezing with the pain I could so clearly see colored in her eyes. But before I could pull her to me, she went on.
"But..." she shook her head, and closed her eyes. Her hands rested on my chest now, toying with the material of my shirt. "I don't know—what it'll be like. What I'll be like. And it doesn't even matter to me that we haven't been together that long, I know that I want it with you. But..."
She trailed off, her eyes sliding sideways as the words at the tip of her tongue stayed there.
I tilted my head down to try and catch her eye, my heart absolutely hammering in my chest. "But?"
Mads looked at me through her lashes. "But... I guess I didn't know if—I didn't know if you would—"
"If I would what?" I asked, feeling like I could shake her just for something to do with the excitement and anxiety simmering in my veins.
Her gaze didn't falter. "It hasn't been that long for you," she said softly. "Since we've been back together. And with your career... and you're so young. We're both so young." She bit her lip. "I didn't think you'd want to be tied down like that, and it's a baby we're talking about here, a huge, lifetime commitment, and—and I want to make sure that you're one hundred percent sure and ready when we decide to make that decision."
I took a breath, readying to respond, when she said, almost whispering, "I want to be ready, too. And... the truth is, I'm not ready yet, Harry. Even though I want it, even though I want it with you, I—I just... I want to do things right this time. I want to have stability in my life, I—I want to have a place where the baby can grow up—a place to call my own. Our own. I don't want it to be something we have to face, I want it to be something we choose, something we can look forward to. I want to start a family with you because we decide it's what we want. Not because we weren't careful enough and have to deal with it—though of course if that were to happen, we would."
There was so much resolve in her eyes, so much certainty—as if this wasn't the first time she'd given this any thought—my heart thumped off beat.
Her hand settled over it on my chest. "I want to do everything with you. Just... not before we're ready to. Not before we've had the chance to really experience things together. Just you and me." She smirked a little, then. "I want you all to myself for a little while first."
I felt myself smile in response, and touched the side of her face, brushing a stray strand of hair back, curling it around her ear. Her smile fell as I leaned closer, her gaze dropping to my mouth as her breath hit my lips, and I kissed her then, tucking my hand against her neck and feeling her soft hair at the tips of my fingers as her warm mouth moved over mine.
She was just about my height in her heels, and her hands slid beneath my jacket on my waist, her fingers running over the thin material at my sides as her tongue darted into my mouth. A little groan I hadn't felt coming sounded at the back of my throat, and I turned her around so that her back was to the counter now, never detaching my lips from hers.
It came as no surprise to me that she was right. That we weren't ready. That I wanted to be, but that didn't mean we were. And hearing her say it eased something in me. So, I let myself get lost in her. Let go of whatever was left of the tension I'd been feeling—her words had done a lot to chase it away, but I wanted the reassurance of her body now. I wanted her to know just how badly I wanted all of that, too.
"Harry," she murmured, breaking from our kisses just as they were getting heated, just as I was hiking the soft material of her dress up her leg. "What about Gemma?"
"She's out," I managed to say, my hands fisted in the material, my lips on her throat. "Gone out with friends for the night."
"What if she comes back?" Mads asked breathlessly just as my mouth drifted to the rise of her left breast above the lovely neckline of her dress.
I kissed it, let my tongue sweep out over it. "I'll be fast."
I felt Mads chuckle in my arms and smiled myself as I looked up at her, taking a moment to breathe—to take in her smiling blue eyes.
Her hands came up to the sides of my face, and the folds of her dress slowly slipped from my fingers. "What about... what about the photographers?"
I felt some of the lust leak out of me.
"How did they know?" she asked, some of the fear back in her eyes. "What do we do?"
The truth was, I didn't know. It certainly sounded like they knew more than they should, but I didn't know what was to be done about it. And I didn't want to think about it, either. Not right now.
So, I leaned forward, brushed a kiss to her lips again—one that reignited the flame that those worrisome thoughts were trying to snuff out.
The lust was back in her eyes, too, by the time I pulled back.
"Tomorrow," was all I said. And Mads nodded before attaching her lips to mine again.
My hands found the skirt of her dress, and I shimmied it up her legs once more, desperate to find her skin. She was kissing me hungrily now, just as desperate it seemed, but my fingers found something else beneath her dress, and I had to pull away, a grin tugging at my mouth.
"You're wearing Spanx?" I asked, totally amused.
Mads was breathless, her arms still looped around my neck as she glanced down at herself. And she was only blushing a little bit when she asked, "You didn't think all this just happened, did you?"
I chuckled and shook my head in amusement, my fingers finding the band of those impossible hosiery. We both laughed as I yanked them forcefully off her legs, and we were still laughing as I tossed them aside.
We didn't make it any further than the kitchen counter before I bent her over it and took her, that gorgeous dress hiked up around her waist, my trousers puddled at my feet, and all our worries about tomorrow long forgotten.
___
Author's Note:
WHAT. A. DAY. I can't believe we have Harry's album. Like... even when I'm listening to it, it's not real to me. I've only had the chance to listen through the whole thing once, and it was very interrupted, so I'm REALLY eager to get to sit down with it and give it all my attention. However, a couple readers tweeted me last night and said "From the Dining Table" and "Meet Me in the Hallway" fit this story, and just from my first listen, I was like, SHIT. They both capture the feelings I have about this story perfectly! So, I have a feeling those are two I'll be listening to a lot. But I mean really, the whole album is perfect. There's not one song I don't like. I won't say I have any faves yet, cause I haven't given it a real proper listen, but you've got to tell me yours!!!! And I'll just say this again bc why not:
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVE HARRY'S ALBUM YOU GUYS. IT'S REAL, IT'S HIM, AND I LOVE IT.
Now as for this chapter, how are we feeling about it??? There were a few things going on, and hopefully it drummed up some nice (not-too overwhelming) tension for you guys! AND I got to write the rest of the boys again! Always a fun time, though I do worry I don't do them justice. I admit, Harry has always been the pull for me. Not that I don't love the other boys, cause I absolutely do, but I couldn't help but pay more attention to him when they were together :) But anyway, LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! I can't wait to read them :)
And before I go, this story has over 95K reads, and WHAT THE FUCK EVEN ANYMORE. I can't believe it, and I can't believe how close we're coming to the end. BUT I'm pretty set on a third book (cause separation anxiety is real, y'all), so at least we'll have that to look forward to! THANK YOU, as always, for being so wonderfully, incredibly supportive and kind through this journey, even when you thought I was trying to kill you with feels ;) I know we haven't quite reached 100K, but here's to another 100K together <3
Lots of love, babes. You're all cute as a button. Each and every one of you. xxxx
(^^I'm sorry for that I don't know where it came from except that when it came into my head I had to say it. Okay, love you, bye.)