"I did something bad" - Taylor Swift
(Songs at the beginning of chapters kind of match the theme of it. You can listen while reading if you want)
I hate Harry, always have. Tonight we're throwing a huge welcome home party for him that I couldn't be less thrilled about. I have to be nice to him when he arrives, according to mom and dad. I'm twenty, and just because I live at home, doesn't mean I have to listen to their orders. It's just easier this way since I'm doing college classes.
Mom strolls through our back yard examining the set up. I guess she's trying to make sure everything is perfect for Harry. She eyes the six white canopy tents, all the tables with dramatic center pieces, and of course the food and drink area. I only care about the bar that's set up by our pool.
The massive wall clock on the front of our guest house chimes, indicating that it's now seven. The crowd has grown to an immense amount of people, some Family, friends of my parents, and a few of my friends. A lot of the guests must be Harry's friends, because I don't recognize them. Harry's extra ass hasn't arrived yet, probably waiting to make a grand entrance.
As if on cue, a silver Range Rover drives up the road, and the crowd stops what they're doing. They all stare toward the drive way, waiting for the "guest of honor" to join us. I don't even stand up, but I know when he rounds the house into the back yard because the guests go wild, cheering and clapping. Mom gives me a death glare, so I stand up and give a few unanimated claps.
Harry is wearing black skinny jeans and a button up shirt. The eyes of all the guests follow his tall frame as he makes his way up to the small stage that holds a microphone. Was he always that tall? The last time I'd seen him was in August six years ago. I had made it a point to not be home when he would come back to visit.
Harry makes some big spiel about having the best family and friends anyone could ever ask for. He goes on about feeling honored to celebrate with everyone and how happy he is to be back home. Was his voice always so deep? Had he always been so articulate? Maybe he practiced his speech for weeks. Who knows?
Mom goes up to the microphone next. "We may all start feasting now. Let the party begin!"
We have a huge variety of food, and I am kind of hungry. Deciding on Chinese, I move through the crowd and head to the sushi table. Before I make it there, someone shoves me, making me stumble and almost fall. Like I don't already have to try hard enough to not trip in my sky high heels?
"What the hell?" I say through clenched jaws.
"Sorry, little sister. I've just missed you, that's all."
When I look up, my adopted brother is blocking my view. "Harry, leave me alone." I shove him back but he doesn't budge. His chest is like a wall of granite, and his biceps are big enough to almost bust the short sleeves of his shirt. He definitely wasn't this buff six years ago.
"You didn't miss me?" He asks, British accent thick as ever.
"No, now please get out of my way." I swat at his granite wall chest.
"Fine," Harry grasps my shoulders, gives me a once over with his eyes, and moves around me.
I let out a breath of air and stay still. The people around me continue on, getting in line for food, ordering drinks from the bar, and chatting. My chest is tight, and my skin tingles where Harry touched me, and it's the strangest sensation. I jump and squeeze my arms around my mid section when a pair of arms embrace me from behind.
"Chill out, Stella, jeez." Kate says.
"Sorry, guess I'm jumpy tonight. Big crowds and all, you know how I am," I reply once I've caught my breath. I hug my sister because it's been a few months since I've seen her.
"You love big crowds, sis."
We catch up over sushi after that, but my head isn't in the conversation. I can't stay focused for the life of me. My mind keeps drifting back to my reaction to Harry's casual touch, and Harry is general. He no longer looks like the scrawny teenager who I always hated. He no longer seems like the nerd who I thought my parents were more proud of than they were me. College changed him. It's like I don't even know him at all.
"I need wine." I tell my sister just as Jade joins us at our table.
"Wine? I'm in. What kind? I'll go get it." Jade says all in one breath. I could always count on my best friend when it came to wine. I shrug in response and tell her to choose.
Jade is back in no time with a full bottle of Ace Of Spades Rose wine by Armand De Brignac and three wine glasses. She pours each of our glasses full before sitting down. Kate and Jade take small sips of their drinks as I gulp down half my glass.
"Wow, someone is thirsty." Kate comments on a laugh.
No, I just need to calm myself down, I reply mentally. I nod my head and give her a smile just as Harry and few other guys approach our table. All three set down and have full shot glasses in hand. Harry's shirt is now half way unbuttoned, showing a good portion of his chest. Kate and Harry catch up with each other with easy conversation while I kill the rest of my wine in one long drink. I pour my glass full again which gains me Harry's attention.
Oh, great.
Harry starts to say something to me, and I know by the look on his face that it's going to be sarcastic. Before a full word can leave his lips, a pair of hands cover my eyes. What is it with people coming up behind me tonight, anyways?
"Hey, babe,"
"Wyatt," I say, pulling his hands from my eyes and tugging him downwards. I tilt my head up for a kiss but he frowns and untangles himself from me.
"You're drinking again?" He asks. "Of fücking course you are."
"Calm down, it's just wine. I'm not even getting drunk."
"I'm leaving. Actually, I shouldn't have even came." He stomps away, leaving me embarrassed in front of the group of people at my table.
"Stella, you deserve better than that." Kate tells me.
I nod and push my wine glass away from me. Just then, my dad approaches our table, still in his tux. He must of just got home from work a couple of minutes ago. Harry stands up and goes in for a hug with Dad, and they chat for a minute of two while I sulk about Wyatt in silence.
"Stell bell, why don't you go show Harry the renovations that we done to the guest house? He'll love it." Dad looks at Harry now. "You'll love it. We redone the whole interior."
This whole night has gone terrible so far, just like I imagined it would.
"I would love to see it, actually." Harry throws a glance in my direction with a gleam in his green eyes. "Let's go, little sister."
Harry leads the way to the guest house, and I trail behind him by a good three feet. He stops at the door and waits for me, opening it when I reach it. I point out to him the new tv built into an in-wall entertainment center and the Bluetooth surround sound system, explaining a few details about them in a monotoned voice. The strong scent of his cologne mixed with crown royal engulfs me as I lead the way into the kitchen and dining room area.
"Quite the tour guide, aren't you?" Harry asks with a chuckle.
"We both know you don't really want to see the new renovations. You just agreed with Dad so you could annoy the hell out of me. It's what you do best." I say, leaning against the new marble counter tops. The wine must of hit me all at once because my body is starting to buzz.
My eyes examine his hair against my will, that now falls onto his broad shoulders in sleek curls. His hair was always short before he left. Another thing that had changed.
"Your boyfriend is an asshole." Harry states.
"Wyatt is just. . ."
Harry walks closer to me and finishes my sentence. "An asshole,"
I stay quiet and stare at Harry's chest, then at his arms. I'm only staring because he looks so different than he did six years ago. That's the only reason, I remind myself. He walks even closer, and a smirk breaks across his face. It seems like his eyes are drinking in my body, but I know they aren't. Drinking wine does crazy things to me.
"What?" I ask.
"You know what." He licks his lips, sending a tingling sensation from my chest to all the way down between my thighs.
I squeeze my eyes shut and try my best to make the feeling go away. It won't. This is wrong, so wrong. I can't stop my breath from hitching in my throat when I feel Harry's fingers trail down my bare arm.
"Harry, don't." I say through clenched teeth.
Harry closes the space between us, and all my senses are taken over by him. The smell of his cologne. The feel of his breath fanning across my neck when he tilts his head down. And when I open my eyes, the sight of his face so close to mine. His green eyes so wide and blazing. His lips full, wet, and pink.
"Harry, get away from me." I can't breathe.
"You don't mean that." He whispers near my ear, moving my hair out of the way. "Your body language gives you away."
I start to speak up but I'm stopped by the the feel of Harry's lips pressing against my neck just below my ear and his hard body flush against mine. That single action breaks my resistance that I'd been fighting to keep up all night. All the tension that had been building for hours bubbles up, and I hastily find Harry's mouth with mine.
His strong arms wrap around me, and he shoves one thigh between mine. He moves his lips hard and fast on mine, and wastes no time to delve his tongue into my mouth. I can't seem to control myself and tangle my hands into his hair, holding him in place. I know how wrong this is, but I can't make myself stop. His lips taste too good, the feel of his body against mine too delicious to push away.
Harry lifts me onto the counter top and stands between my open legs. I don't know if it's him or I who goes in first to continue the kiss, but it doesn't matter. In the moment, his lips on mine is all I can think of. Alarms go off in my head when I feel his hand sliding up my leg underneath my dress, and I shove him away from me.
"Harry," I say breathlessly, "we have to stop this." I gasp to get a full mouth of air into my lungs. "It can't happen again."
Harry stares at me wide eyed, breathing just as hard as I am. "You liked it, though." He says and walks away.
((Please vote, comment, and share if you like this chapter. Thanks so much!))