24th August 2016
Eloise ducks her head to exit the tiny plane, pausing at the top of the steps to appreciate the blazing warmth of the Caribbean sun on her face. Grinning broadly, she takes in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the heavy, humid ozone.
It feels like holiday, in an instant. Off duty and off the grid. Literally; they're disembarking at a little private airstrip nestled between the Blue Mountains and the northern coastline.
"Welcome to the island, ladies!", their driver calls up to them, arms outstretched as he rounds the bonnet of the open air jeep idling at the end of the runway.
Eloise skips excitedly down the steps with Glenne hot on her heels. "I'm Carlton, from Geejam", he introduces himself with a broad grin and an infectious, hooting laugh.
Loaded into the jeep, when he pops the lid off an ice box, Glenne cheers and wastes no time grabbing a can of Red Stripe.
Carlton smiles at Eloise in the the rearview mirror. "He said you hate beer. There's water and soda at the bottom. We'll get you a daiquiri soon enough, no problem!", he laughs again.
Over the noise of the dancehall blasting from the radio and the rush of wind assailing her in the back of the jeep, Eloise gives up on trying to hear Carlton's running commentary to Glenne upfront, and instead lets her mind wander as she takes in the scenery.
Skirting lush and vibrant jungle on one side of the road, to the other, a fringe of palms allows quick glimpses of colourful settlements and tantalising snatches of pristine white sand and the rich blue of the sea, glittering under the midday sun.
Just thirty minutes more and she'll finally be back in his arms again.
>
Eloise had been in LA since the beginning of June, prepping and rehearsing for Daisy Jones & The Six.
Having filmed Dunkirk on and off across France, the Netherlands and the UK since May, Harry had arrived in LA at the end of July for his final few weeks of filming.
With his hectic schedule, ferrying between his home in the Hills to the Universal Studios lot and a secluded Malibu beach, to train for and then shoot the intensive water and flooding boat scenes, they didn't see nearly as much of each other as they'd been hoping for and looking forward to all summer.
She'd been pulling double duty, finalising her script with Phoebe at the same time as prepping for the film. So, more often that not, their only quality time was snatched in bed, late at night or early in the morning, before bleating alarm clocks pulled them apart again.
Once he wrapped filming in mid August, and saw how busy Eloise's schedule was for her final two weeks, Harry decided he needed to find somewhere without any distractions to properly focus on the album again.
He'd intentionally put music entirely on hold whilst working on the film, and as a result, his mind was bursting with ideas that he desperately needed to get down.
Jeff worked his magic, and, just days later, Harry and his team were on their way to the iconic Geejam studios in Port Antonio, on Jamaica's remote north coast.
They're due to stay on their writing and recording retreat for up to two months; until late September, when Harry needs to head back to London in time for Ben's wedding.
>
Eloise only has a week and a half before she needs to be back in London herself for meetings, but it still feels like an indulgent break after such a frantic couple of months. She'll take every second she can get with Harry, but is also looking forward to some proper downtime snoozing in the sun whilst he's busy in the studio.
Having wrapped up everything work wise on Monday, she spent yesterday frantically packing and tidying his house, before meeting Glenne for their late red eye flight. She fell asleep before they even took off from LAX and only woke up as they started their descent to land in Jamaica.
Shrugging off her ribbing that she made a terrible travel companion, after lengthy queues at the airport, Eloise had succumbed to another quick nap waiting for their tiny plane. She's feeling less tired now, but in desperate need of a shower and a massage to get the kinks out her neck.
>
As they pull through the gates, Carlton makes a call and hands Glenne his phone. "Jeffrey said to call when we arrive, to find out where they are", he explains.
Jeff's helping Eloise surprise Harry again, arriving a day earlier than he's expecting.
"Studio two. It's an emergency, apparently? He'll meet us outside", Glenne relays, handing the phone back.
"No problem", Carlton nods. "Well, I hope not!", he adds with a chuckle.
Eloise's excited butterflies turn into a swarm of locusts at the word 'emergency'. What could be up, here in paradise? Harry had sounded chipper and excited at their quick progress when she spoke to him yesterday.
After bantering with Carlton and defending her heavy packing - she's heading straight to Autumn in London from here - Eloise coughs exaggeratedly to break up Glenne and Jeff's reunion.
"Oh, come on!", she jokes. "You saw her three days ago in LA! Where's mine?". Harry, not a kiss from Jeff. Obviously. "My guy, I mean...", she clarifies awkwardly.
He laughs and gives her a quick hug. "Mr. Clueless is in a funk today; definitely eager to see you. Come on".
He turns to Carlton, "Thanks, man. Will you drop their bags off at our villa, please?".
>
Eloise eagerly follows Jeff up the stairs, re-tucking her (Harry's) baby blue Zombies vintage band t-shirt into her black denim shorts.
She has to pull up quickly at the top to avoid crashing into him when he pauses to rap his knuckles on the door before popping his head in. "Incoming... Now good?".
She tucks her sunglasses into her neckline, curious when Jeff grins and beckons her in with a finger to his lips.
Once her eyes adjust from the bright sunlight, she has to bite her lip to avoid bursting into laughter.
Harry lays prone on a sofa. "I can't write songs!", he wails dramatically, voice low and ragged, muffled into the cushions.
The five other men in the room, laughing exasperatedly, smile as they cut their eyes from him to the new guests in the doorway.
Judging by the balled up wads of paper littering the floor near the bin in the corner, Eloise deduces they must have been at this impasse for some time. And it must be quite the stalemate to throw off Harry's killer aim.
With a smile, she shakes her head and rolls her eyes fondly, tiptoeing over to perch on the arm of his sofa before piping up. "Christ! He films one movie and turns into a right diva. Pull yourself together, Styles!".
Harry almost gives himself whiplash, snapping his head up in shock. He pushes up on to his knees before hauling her down and into his lap in a tangle of limbs.
"No fucking way!", he gapes, holding her close. "You...?", he rounds on Jeffrey as the others laugh conspiratorially.
"Hey!", he holds his hands up in defence. "You struggle for inspiration, I deliver a muse... Anything to kibosh the dramatics!", he laughs.
"Oh, no pressure, then?", Eloise pulls back with a laugh before turning back to Harry. "Don't tell me you've forgotten all about me already, hmm?", she sasses before leaning in to peck his lips lightly.
"That's the problem. He can't quite seem to think of anything else", Jeff Bhasker, the long haired executive producer pipes up.
Harry would protest at his landing him in it, but his eager focus on trying to recapture her lips totally gives the game away. He's never had any chill around her anyway.
"But no one wants a full album of sunshine and rainbows", Tyler chips in. "We need some grit and shade too".
"But I'm happy!", Harry laughs, eyeing her moonily with a beaming, dimpled grin.
She smiles sweetly back, before chucking his chin. "Nice try. I'm happy too and I just finished a screenplay about a sociopathic serial killer. Get to it, Styles!", she sasses again, tweaking one of his nipples for good measure.
At his yelp, Jeff Bhasker laughs. "Oh, I like this one!". He turns to address Eloise, "Help him burn off some of his damn energy too and you'll be worth your weight in gold".
The guys break into shocked laughter at his crass comment. She turns to Jeffrey with a laugh and a raised eyebrow, "Oh, so this is just a conjugal visit then?".
The others cringe as Jeff Bhasker barks another laugh. Eloise turns back to face him, "You've got to try way harder than that to rile me. I grew up at the mercy of three older brothers".
"Well, game on!", he rubs his hands with glee.
Harry groans as he lifts her up off his lap to start making the introductions.
In a riot of clashing colourful Hawaiian shirts, the guys jump up to greet Eloise and Glenne properly. There's Tyler, a songwriter and producer. Alex, a guitarist and producer. Mitch, the lead guitarist and musician extraordinaire. And Ryan, the sound engineer and Mitch's roommate from back in LA.
Alex and Tyler are warm and outgoing. Mitch and Ryan are friendly but more reserved. Jeff Bhasker is zany, bursting with passion and infectious energy.
Jeffrey cuts in, "I'll give the girls a tour; let you guys crack on".
At Harry's pained look, Jeff Bhasker takes pity. "Nah, think we're good for today. We've got enough to crack on with. Go, H... And cut yourself some slack. We had a super productive first week, but we can't keep up that kind of pace for two months straight".
After hastily gathering his things and grasping Eloise's hand, Harry squeezes Jeff on the shoulder in appreciation as he leads them out the door.
>
The two couples wander through Geejam's grounds, taking in the charming and characterful villas and studios dotted around. It's quiet during the day; the soundproofed studios containing all the wizardry unfolding within. Private and discrete, the few other guests they pass seem creative and eclectic.
They chat amongst themselves, catching up on the girls' journey and how the guys have been getting on.
Harry wraps Eloise's blonde hair around his fist, dropping kisses to the nape of her neck. "Don't! I'm all sweaty", she whines, dancing out of his reach and pulling her wavy hair over her shoulder, grimacing at how it's frizzing in the humidity.
It's growing fast, now back below her bra strap, but needs to get towards her lower back in time for the start of filming in two months. She's been chowing down on supplements, trying to keep the threat of extensions at bay.
He tugs playfully at it again as he hip checks her, before slinging an arm around her neck and pulling her close.
"Alrighty then... Monica!", he sasses, rekindling their ongoing game of trading silly Friends references. "One-nil to me", he winks as she groans.
>
Meandering their way down neat pathways, cleaved through lush and colourful gardens, they make their way to Bushbar, the treehouse-like open-air restaurant and lounge bar. The scarlet of the cushioned sofas and chairs pops against the vivid greenery of the huge old fig trees it's built around, and the lush rainforest surrounding it.
After the barman insists on making them a round of daiquiris, they continue down the hillside steps to the beach bar. The white sand is dotted with inviting looking cabanas, soft white drapes dancing in the breeze off the sparkling blue water.
They can't resist kicking off their shoes to walk along the lapping shoreline.
>
Puffed after making it all the way back up the hill, Harry and Jeffrey show the girls around Cocosan, their three-level, six bedroom villa.
It's all smooth lines, dark woods and crisp white walls, interspersed with graphic accents and cool artworks. Their oasis and hive of creativity, it's filled to the brim with various instruments and innumerable journals scribbled with lyrics and music.
Out on the deck, the outdoor dining table and seating area, pool and sun loungers have breathtaking views down over the lush vegetation and sparkling sea beyond.
Stepping behind her at the railing, Harry cages his arms around Eloise. "Want to see our room?", he whispers lowly, dropping a kiss behind her ear. He dissolves into a chuckle at her fervent nod in response.
>
She trails her fingers over the frame of the four poster bed as she passes, stepping up to the wide balcony doors overlooking the pool below.
Spinning around as he heaves her suitcases on to the benches inside the wardrobe, she eyes the old typewriter in the corner and can't resist tapping a few keys. She leaves the 'Tout de la fruit' typed note for him to find later. 'One-all', she thinks, grinning to herself. She'll never admit he's the bigger Friends fan, but she'll take the easy points.
Checking out the master bathroom, she moans at the sight of the inviting green tiled dual shower and starts pulling off her clothes immediately.
She's peeling down her knickers when Harry rounds the corner, stopping short and eyeing her greedily.
He catches up quickly and crowds her as he reaches to adjust the water pressure.
Dropping his hands to her sides, he runs his fingers from her ribs to her waist down to her hips, pulling her back against his chest.
"You feel tiny, baby", he sighs, running his big hands over her chest and down her stomach, back to her jutting hip bones.
"I've got two months until I need to look passable as an addict", she says, with a sigh and a frown marring her brow. She knows he doesn't like it, but isn't keen to rehash it all again.
"You're doing it sensibly though, right?", he can't help but worry.
She snorts. "Well I've not gone method, so I am steering clear of the heroin", she sasses before reassuring him. "Of course, baby. Just lots of running and no carbs".
"Surely there can't be much more you can lose?", he says, broad palms encircling her narrow waist. "Please just be careful", he implores.
She spins in his arms and looks him in the eye. "I will, I promise. I'm already looking forward to all those glorious carbs to put it back on again", she grins.
Lifting a hand to his chest and the other to his jaw, she angles him down for a steamy kiss.
The water isn't the only thing hotting up.
>
When they hear the other guys downstairs, arriving back from the studio, she rolls off him with a groan to rummage in her suitcase for a bikini.
"Did you bring the yellow one?", he grins from the bed, unabashedly naked, eyes roving appreciatively.
As she cranes around to toss the skimpy black fabric at his face, she hisses, grabbing at her neck with a grimace.
He jumps up in concern and steps to her, cupping a gentle hand to her neck. Feeling the tense muscles, he drops his fingers down to the top of her shoulder and feels the knots deep in the muscle. "Shit", he sighs sympathetically, "Oh, babe, have you been pretzeled around that laptop again?".
Her nodded response makes her whimper again. "Come on, let me see if I can help", he says softly, steering her back to the bed. He settles close behind her and starts working on her tense muscles.
"Oh, your fingers are fucking magical", she groans, melting into his touch.
"Not the first time you've told me that", he smirks, but the sound of her appreciative moans and groans has him anything but relaxed.
>
Feeling looser and now clad in her yellow bikini - his reward - she eyes the pool from the bedroom balcony. "How deep is it?", she asks curiously.
"Not enough! Trust me, don't even think about it", he laughs, reading her like a book. "Come on", he tugs her hand, leading her straight out the room.
Downstairs, following him through the open plan kitchen diner, she notices their discrete glances, of course.
Keeping an eye on Harry, she clocks a couple of subtle pats on his back. But he just looks relaxed and happy, if a little smug.
Not too long ago, and certainly around his former bandmates, he would have been antsy and keen for her to cover up. Maybe he's matured or now has a better handle on the green-eyed monster. Maybe it's that these guys are all a bit older. Or perhaps it's that they are all here, technically working for him.
Whatever the reason, she sees it as progress, especially after all their time apart.
>
Stepping on to the deck, Harry announces to Jeffrey with a laugh, "She wanted to jump in from the balcony too!".
"Jeez, I've got my hands full with you guys", he shakes his head.
"Which balcony?", Glenne asks, already running for the stairs.
"No, G! It's not deep enough. Fuck!", Jeff tears off after her.
He returns with her thrown over his shoulder, depositing her on the sun lounger next to Eloise as they crease into laughter.
>
That night, they take the few steps from their dinner table at Bushbar to its lounge sofas. The vibe is laid back, social and a bit sexy.
It's incredibly atmospheric, lit up with candles in hurricane lanterns, with a jungle symphony of rustling in the surrounding trees, birds calling and insects chirping. And don't forget the buzzing mosquitos.
Harry sniggers as Eloise swats a hand around her head at the tell-tale buzzing in her ear. She's being eaten alive.
"Poor baby", he coos, leaning closer. "Too damn tasty", he bites at the shell of her ear.
She's cut off from replying as the lead singer of the house band, The Jolly Boys, taps on his mic. To a chorus of eager applause and cheers, they strike up the intro to Bob Marley's One Love.
Harry snuggles Eloise into his side and whispers lowly, "Hmm, how apt?", before dropping a kiss to her temple.
Hearing Alex's scoff, he flips him off neatly behind her head.
>
>
25th August 2016
Eloise wakes with a start to a high-pitched buzzing and a tickle in her ear. Smacking a hand to her head with a curse to the little blood-sucking bastard, she's confused when she swats at fingers.
Peeking open her eyes suspiciously, she finds Harry propped up on his elbow over her, shaking with mirth, lips pursed and fingers brandishing the tips of her hair.
"Traitor!", she gasps, pouncing on him with tickling fingers, quickly finding the weak spot low on his neck that zaps his strength and leaves him begging for mercy.
"Truce, truce!", he rasps, giggling. "Come on, sleepyhead. Let's head down to the cove".
"Before breakfast?", she asks suspiciously.
"It's worth it, trust me", he says between pecks to her lips.
"It can't be worth more than coffee?", she yawns through a full body stretch.
"Already waiting for you in the bathroom", he grins with a sly wink.
"Oh, wily tactic, Styles", she groans rolling away from him.
Her swaying hips leave him groaning as she rounds the corner with a wink.
>
After hiking down the hill to the beach, they splash around for an hour in the deserted cove, snorkelling and paddle boarding.
When Harry pops up at the side of Eloise's board, seeing that she's laying peacefully on her back, he kicks hard and pulls himself up on to his elbows to surprise her with a sweet kiss.
"Mmm, salty", he says with a grin, licking his lips.
"Hey, that's my line!", she sasses back.
"Dirty girl!", he shoves her playfully.
A little too hard; she startles and falls off the paddle board back into the water.
Despite his laughing, he hauls himself up and commandeers her board, laying down as she had been.
With his arms outstretched above his head, it's his turn to startle when she hauls herself up and drapes herself over him, the board rocking wildly as they giggle hopelessly against each other.
Jeffrey's voice calling from the beach interrupts them. "Will you guys pack it in? Breakfast time then studio. Come on... Vamos!".
"Taskmaster", Harry tuts. "When's he back to LA again?", he whines.
"Be nice. It's no easy job, keeping you in line", she laughs in sympathy. "Come on, let's head in before he threatens to send me home. Race you to the beach!".
She stands up with a wobble, trying to keep her balance as he gets to his knees. Their wrestle to push each other off for a crucial head start back to the beach ends, inevitably, with a couple of splashes and them both spluttering salt water through their laughter.
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