Rose-Colored Glasses (A Harry Styles Fic)

by itisannak

Summary:

(Y/N) meets Harry through Seeking Arrangement. She is a 21-year-old senior student at the New York Institute of Fine Arts, while Harry is a 30-year old executive.
Their relationship started as platonic. Will it stay like that for long?

Chapter 1: Part 1: New York

I sigh as I lock my phone, leaving it on the arm of the couch as my friend takes her seat back, looking at me in confusion.
"(Y/N), bub... Are you ok? You seem a little..."
"Out of my mind? Anxious? Petrified?" I ask her back and she chuckles softly, nodding her head.
"All of the above. What's going on? Is Pete bothering you again? You were fine before I went to the kitchen." She asks me back, passing me the bowl of popcorn.
"No, I think he is with someone else now. He hasn't bothered me in a while. And thank God for that. He is the last person I want to deal with right now. My electricity bill just came in my email. I swear, it feels like I had just paid the last one..." I whine, stuffing my mouth with a handful of popcorn.
"I mean, ever since my roommate decided to move in with her boyfriend, I can barely afford the apartment by myself. I don't want to go back to living in the dorm, it feels like a step back." I complain, making my friend look at me with a frown.
"Oh, honey. The 'looking for roommate' flyers didn't do anything?" She asks me softly.
"Nothing. Plus, it is really weird looking for a roommate in the senior year. Not to mention having to worry about the new roommate being a creep..." I groan, just at the thought of going through the whole process of building trust with a new person.
"Well, if everything fails, you can always find a sugar daddy. New York is rid of them." She nudges my shoulder, chuckling softly. I roll my eyes playfully, shaking my head at her.
"Yeah, right... Maybe I will pick extra shifts at the cafe, I'll be fine, no need to worry right now." I try to be breezy and sound optimistic, brushing the matter off.
"I am serious, though. There is this site... Seeking Arrangement or Arrangements. It is easy to join in and they run checks on the daddies and some of them don't even want sex." She suggests, cocking an eyebrow playfully at me.
"I don't think I would fit in there... Plus, old white rich men are kinda making my stomach turn, so... It's fine, I will find a way to make extra cash..." I assure her, already feeling my stomach upset at the thought of actually doing that. My moral axis is on the opposite end of that, and I can't even picture myself not getting furious at the very first message some random dude is going to send me.
"Shall we start the movie? You could use something to distract you, right?" She asks me, grabbing the remote control.
"Sure..." I smile politely, relaxing back on the couch.

--

I fidget my pen with my fingers as I hover over my budget for the month. There is no way I can afford rent, electricity, and food this month, even if I work double-hours. Fuck, I have been taking pride in myself for being able to survive in New York without asking for help from my parents so far and now I am about to call for money, in the middle of the night.
I take a deep breath, closing my eyes to try and calm myself. I have been chanting repeatedly that everything is going to be alright, but honestly, this is not working.
And what makes things worse is that the idea of signing up to that site my friend suggested has been seeping through my brain since I picked up my diary and pen to calculate my expenses.
I bring my laptop closer, sighing as I type the keywords into Google.
The site is at the top of the results; Seeking Arrangement dot com. This feels wrong, but I am just researching. My forefinger hovers over my touchpad, trying to find the courage to go against what I thought my moral compass has been opposed to.
My face morphs as I press the link, fixing my posture to take a better look at the information before me.
The couple on the homepage seems like they have definitely been hired for the promotional shoot, I could bet my money that they are not a couple but honestly is not much.
I dig the site more, reading and re-reading the terms, browsing the members, and trying to talk myself out of signing up.
But the idea is rooted deep in my head and I find myself clicking the sign-up tile. They are running background checks and I can set my terms about the type of relationship I wish for.
And hey, there is a sea of women and men on this site, I will probably not find someone interested to 'invest' and 'mentor' me. My profile will be lost in the sea of people looking for a sugar daddy.
I decide to just close the laptop and go to bed early, not hover over my screen for messages I might never receive either way.
I cover myself with the duvet up to my ears, craving warmth and safety to lull myself and fall asleep.
I am having a hard time not feeling guilty for signing up to the site; I know that there is no reason to, that there is nothing shameful in utilizing an opportunity like this, and that on my profile I have stated my boundaries, but my stomach is tight at the thought of people actually finding my profile.
And I honestly don't know which scenario would be worse; having messages from the men on this site in the morning, or logging in to an empty inbox.

 

I have a hard time starting my day this morning. Not that is ever easy for me to part from my beloved comforter, but today the New York weather begs for me to stay in bed, cocoon, and drink cup after cup of tea.
But if I want to keep the slightest hope of keeping this apartment, I have to get up and head to work.
I suppress my urge to log in to the site and check if there are any messages; I will end up spiraling or digging too deep, so I leave it for when night comes, to pair my research with my cup of noodles.
I wear my work outfit; a simple pair of black jeans, a blunt black t-shirt, and a beige apron that will complete the look once I reach the coffee shop. It is the most boring color scheme, but the owner is all about ~calm colors that are easy on the eye~. As if black is easy on the eye.
I grab my backpack and stuff my laptop in it; hopefully, I will get some surge of will to write more on my dissertation.

I walk to the announcement board of the library, looking at the huge display for my looking for a roommate ad. Still, all the fringes with my phone number are hanging below the paper, which means that no one was interested in it. I'll give it by the end of the week; either way, that's the time I have before I lose the payment deadline.
"No luck yet?" My best friend startles me, tapping my shoulder.
"No. No one even picked my number up." I sigh, my shoulders dropping as I love hope gradually.
"Maybe they just saved it on their contacts straight away. Or took a pic of the ad. Don't stress over it. Come on, we have a class with Chimera... We don't want to be late." She pulls me by my arm, dragging me away from the board.

I unlock the door to my apartment well past the time I was supposed to be back. My body is already sore from the day and I am not anywhere close to calling it a day.
I set my backpack by my bed before I strip to take a shower and wash away the day.
I pour boiling water in my cup of noddles and sprinkle the seasonings before crossing my legs on top of each other and pulling my laptop on top of my lap as I stir my dinner for the noodles to soften faster; my belly has been rumbling ever since I stepped out of my class.
I open my dissertation files, sighing at the thought of how much work I have left for this to be done and ready for submission.
And then I decide to take a look at my Seeking Arrangement profile. I tap my nails against the keyboard softly as I wait for the login to be completed.
I take a bite from my noodles as my profile appears on my screen and I see the little red dot over my message icon.
"Holy fuck." I choke on my food as I see I have already been messaged 5 times but various men. Huh... Would you look at that...
I open the messages one by one, a different tab for each message.

The first one is by a 50-year-old dude, who seems way too forward from the first message. No, thanks.
The second one looks gross; I know I should not judge a book by each cover, but my stomach twitches at the sight of his picture.
The third one started off with a dick pic, so big no and block.
The fourth one looks no older than 28, lives in New York, has a pretty face. That could work...

'Hello. Your profile seems quite interesting. And I noticed you live in New York. What a coincidence? How is the city treating you?'
His message is completely different from the others' messages, he seems a bit awkward, in contrast to the confidence the other men showed. I bite my lip and leave the cup next to me before I fix my posture to reply to his message.
'Hi. Thank you for your compliment. New York has been quite the experience thus far. I can't wait to see what adventure it brings me next. How is the city treating you?'
I send the message, waiting already for his response. I know better than expecting him to reply straight away, but this seems a bit fun.
'It has been amazing this far. Are you a student here?'
He asks; there hasn't even been a minute since I sent my message.
'I study History of Art. I am in my senior year, with only one semester left to get my degree. What about you?'
'I am working in the city. Wow, art history... Impressive. Are you an artist as well, or just an art lover?'
'Just an art lover. My drawing skills are limited to drawing smiley faces.'
'Ah, like myself. Have you been on this site for a long time?'

'I signed up last night, you are the first person I talk to in here. What about you?'
'Just a couple of weeks. This is all new to me, can't imagine how strange it must seem to you.'
'It is a strange experience, yes. I am still trying to find out how all this works.'
'Well, allow me to welcome you in here. To my understanding, you need to set your boundaries, talk about what you want to get out of a relationship.'
'And what are you looking for in a relationship, Harry?'
'Well, I don't know. I guess I am seeking some normalcy in my life. A friend who is outside my circle. Not specifically for anything sexual. What are you looking for, (Y/N)?'
'I am not sure. I guess a taste of a different lifestyle...'
'That sounds good to me. I can give a taste of that.'
'And I am sure I can give you the normalcy you are looking for. It doesn't get more normal than this, I can assure you.'
'Look at you, already making your first arrangement. See, it wasn't that hard, was it?'
'I think you are the one who made it easy for me.'
'Ah, that is untrue. Your honesty did. Would you be comfortable if we met in person? Getting to know someone through a screen only lets you find out little about them.'

'You are not wasting time, I see.'
'I promise, it is nothing sexual. Nor anything creepy. I just want to see you face to face, know the real you. You can pick the time, date, and place. Anything that makes you comfortable.'

 

And just like that, I am dressed in my nicest dress, walking to the lobby of Plaza Hotel to ask for Harry. I am under-dressed to fit the place, the luxury of the hotel almost making it seem tacky.
I walk to the front desk, clearing my throat nervously as the man behind looks at me in a poss way, almost despiteful.
"How may I help you, Miss?" He asks me, arching an eyebrow at me.
"Hi. I am looking for Mr. Harry Styles." I announce, making the man turn to the computer and punch in his name.
"And who is asking for him?" He asks, picking up the landline phone and looking at me questioningly.
"Ms. (Y/N) (Y/L/N)." I reply; on one hand, it is a good thing I gave my real name, they keep a record here, I am sure, and if anything happens to me... Well, at least they will have clues to look for me. But at the same time, I am so nervous about it, a bit shameful about revealing my name to someone. Until the man announced my name on the phone, Harry only knew my first name; and he only gave me his full name to ask for him in the lobby. I wish we could just stick to knowing only each other's first name.
"Mr. Styles will now accept you in the Junior King Suite, on the 19th floor." The man states, smiling patronizingly before letting me go my way.

I walk in the elevator, pressing the button for the floor before I walk to the very back of the cabin, leaning against the wall.
What the fuck am I doing here? Do I really want this? There is still time for me to leave... I can just get out of the elevator the next time the doors open and run. He knows I am here, but that won't be a problem, I assume.
Fuck. Maybe he won't be that bad. Maybe he really wants a companion who lives a normal life. And I do need the money. 2 days until rent is due and I don't have any other options now.
I close my eyes, trying to get to my happy place to relax. I try to regulate my breathing, along with air for my lungs dragging in the warm aroma of the elevator's air refresher
The elevator makes a ping sound as it reaches the 19th floor, and while bracing myself, I walk out of the cabin and down the hall, looking for the suite.

I knock on the door, fixing my posture a bit; I might feel like wreckage inside, but at least I have to look a bit of the opposite.
The door opens and reveals the same man that was pictured on the profile. What a relief.
"(Y/N), I am so glad to finally meet you in person. Come on in." He invites me, moving from the door and gesturing to the room.
"Hi, Harry. It is good to meet you in person." I say gleefully, extending my hand for the tall, charming man to shake.
"I am quite soothed you are like your pictures. Don't get me wrong, please, but I was kinda worried about being catfished." He states as we walk to the spacious sitting area. The gold-detailed furniture fails to give the room the renaissance air they aimed for, instead, making it seem heavy and tacky, the nouveau riche tasteless aesthetic making me nearly laugh.
"Oh, I feel the same, no need to worry about how you sound. I am glad I am seeing you and not some imposer." I giggle, taking a seat in the armchair.
"So, can I offer you a drink?" He asks, walking to the fully-equipped bar across from where I am seated.
"Just plain soda water, please." I reply.
"Not a drinker?" He asks as he reaches for the can.
"Not really, if I am being honest. I never understood drinking until passing out, so I truly cannot hold my liquor. I limit myself to a glass of wine or two, now and then." I chuckle, earning a laugh from Harry.
"Favorite type of wine?" He asks while I watch him bring me the closed can and a chilled tall glass. He opens and pours the drink in front of me, making relief and gratitude course through my body.
"Will it sound cliche if I say rosé?" I ask and he hands me the drink.
"Not at all. Rosé has a unique grace. No wonder why you like it." He states, smiling at me as he lounges on the armchair. I feel my face heating up, making me press my hand against my cheek.
"You are cute when you are trying not to blush." Harry comments, picking up his drink.
"I am not used to being called graceful. I am quite clumsy and inept at all times, my friends tease me that I am all thumbs." I laugh, earning a chuckle.
"Well, you look very elegant, way too sophisticated for your age. Maybe you lack acting like it, but I cannot picture you being clumsy." He compliments.
"You flutter me, Harry. Thank you." I cling my glass with his glass as he extends it towards me.
"So, there is no easy way to initiate this conversation, so I will take away the awkwardness and bring up the terms of our arrangement." He cuts straight to the point, sitting comfortably on the armchair.
"Of course." I mumble, taking a sip from my soda.
"I told you I am looking for normalcy. And you are looking for a different lifestyle. I can provide you with that. I can give you all you are asking me for, in exchange for being my friend, some who will help me stay grounded. I need you to be there for me, be a listener, keep me company whenever I need you. We will meet here, once a week. We can also go out for dinners sometimes, and some trips I guess, but for now, let's ease into it. I want to make it clear that nothing sexual will happen between me and you. I don't need a fuck buddy. We will be friends, good friends. And I will make sure you have a nice life. I will transfer money to your account weekly, so, give me your account details, please." He explains, passing me a piece of paper and a pen. I look at him for a moment, biting the inside of my cheek as I weigh the situation.
"Everything alright?" He asks me, pushing his eyebrows together to look at me.
"Yeah, I just... Can you explain to me what do you mean by trips?" I ask and he nods.
"Occasionally, I have to take business trips, which frankly stress me out, so I will need my buddy with me. Of course, that is if you are comfortable with traveling, I am not going to force you to come with me from day one, obviously, I am not going to force you at all, to be honest." He explains; he sounds soft, assuring, so my heart feels at ease as I open the bank up to pull up my information.
I scribble down the info, checking it twice to make sure things are ok.
"Alright then. I don't want to drain you from our first meeting. I will see you on Tuesday, around 8. We can have dinner together. You can come straight to the suite, I will leave an order to allow you here at all times." He pats his thighs before getting up, signaling me subconsciously to do the same.
"That sounds great. I will make sure to be here on time." I grin at him.
"The room is already paid for. You can stay if you want, order from room service, or take whatever from the minibar if you wish. I can't wait to see you again on Tuesday. I am really glad I met you, (Y/N). Have a great night." He extends his hand towards me, making me cheese as I shake his hand.
"It was great meeting you, Harry. Can't wait until Tuesday." I say before he turns to leave with a wave goodbye.

I wander around the giant suite, lips pursed as I tap my fingers on my thigh. It doesn't seem a bad place to spend the night if you look past the tacky decoration. I flop on top of the giant bed, the skirt of my dress rising to my thighs from the impact. I kick off my ballerina pumps and slide back on the bed until my head is propped against the million pillows. I turn to my side and reach for the nightstand, fumbling around in the drawer of it to find the room service catalog. Maybe I will get a burger, a nice juicy burger, with fries and extra cheddar cheese.
I finally find it, picking it up and looking at it. Holy fuck, room service is expensive as fuck.
But Harry said the room is paid for, so I assume further expenses are going to be charged in his card. Should I feel bad for charging the guy's card with a whopping 30 dollars for just a burger?
Ah, screw it... He will be fine.
My phone pings before I could pick up the landline and order my burger, making me reach for it at the end of the bed.
'$2,500.00 transfer to your account for 'WEEKLY ALLOWANCE'.' The notification displays on my lock screen, making me blink to make sure I read right. Fuck, shit, ok... Gotta make sure there were no mistakes done during transfer.
I look through my contacts, trying to find Harry's; he gave me it the day we confirmed our meeting, just in case I needed anything, but I can't remember so the life of me to remember how I saved it.
Oh, H*... Sure.
I press call and bring the phone to my ear, biting on my nail as I wait.
"Hello, Harry's speaking." He sounds a bit cheery; I can hear the busy city street in the background of the call.
"Hi, Harry. It's (Y/N)... I just got a notification from my bank..."
"Yes, I made the transfer. Is everything alright?" He asks.
"I was wondering if there was a mistake. Maybe you meant to transfer 250 dollars and the extra zero was an accident."
"No, it is your weekly allowance. I didn't tell you about the amount?" He asks in confusion.
"It is a lot of money." I point out.
"It is not, love. I told you I can give you a better lifestyle. Enjoy it." I can hear the smile in his voice.
"Thank you. Ok then, I guess..."
"Listen, love. I have to go, I am driving. I will see you on Tuesday again. Take care." He says charmingly, making me chuckle.
"You too." I reply before the line goes dead.
Fuck me... I don't have to worry about rent for the next 3 months at least, and Harry is a decent guy. Maybe it is not as bad as I thought it would be.

-

This might as well be the first time I paid rent before it was even due - well, by a couple of days, but still, it counts.
I even went grocery shopping and filled my fucking fridge with food. Not canned goods or ramen noodle packets, but actual food, and had no guilt whatsoever about all the money I spent in a single day.
"Are you coming to the karaoke party tonight?" Chrissy asks me, tapping my shoulder as I pick up my stuff after class dismissal.
"Sure, let me get into my time machine and transfer to 1992 when karaoke parties were cool." I sass, rolling my eyes at her.
"Oh, come on... When was the last time you came to a party? We will start thinking you are avoiding us..." She pouts at me, making me shake my head at her.
"I am working an extra shift today. But I might be free on Thursday. We can go for drinks, at that fancy cocktail place if you'd like."
"Fancy cocktail place, huh? Your penny-pinching boss decided to give you a raise or something? Last week you didn't know whether or not you would be able to pay rent and now you are talking about fancy cocktail places?" She asks confused, cocking an eyebrow at me.
"I found my childhood piggy bank..." I mock and she chuckles.
"Ok then. I am going to keep you true to your words and Thursday, you and I are going for a cocktail." She eyes me, making me nod.
"Thursday it is then." I assure her, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

 

I decide, for the first time since I moved to New York for college, to splurge on a nice dress. Of course, not too nice, since rent, bills, and grocery shopping have already taken off a considerable part of my budget. But still, I can afford a dress in the 3-figure range, which is something I have never been able to.
So, on Tuesday, at 8, I make my way out of the elevator once it reaches the floor the suite is on, clad in my burgundy red dress that stops a bit below my knee, with short sleeves and a neckline that elongates my neck. I am sure Harry will not mind the dress much; I could have worn any other dress in my closet and I bet it would be the same.
I knock on the door of the room, waiting for Harry to open and let me in.
I fidget with my fingers; it has been nearly a minute since I knocked, but no response, not even a sound coming from behind the door.
Maybe he forgot we would be meeting tonight, or he was caught up in his office.
My spiral soon comes to an end as Harry opens the door, smiling at me before moving.
"Are you always this precise at your appointments?" He asks me with a chuckle.
"I try to. I have to admit that I am not always successful at it, though." I giggle as he closes the door.
"Hope you brought an appetite." Harry points to the carefully made table in the place a lounging chair was the last time I was over.
"What are we having?" I ask, taking a seat as Harry pulls my chair for me, in true gentleman fashion.
"I thought of ordering a 12-course meal..."
"Oh, God..." I rasp, just at the thought of it.
"But I figured it would be a lot. So, I settled for something more mundane. Italian. The first course is bruschetta with eggplant and parmesan. Second, Calamari, stuffed, and fried. For main, linguini alle vongole. And an Italian green salad for the side, I guess. Then we finish with tiramisu cake and classic gelato. Paired with rosé, to please the lady's taste." Harry explains, opening the first bell to reveal the bruschettas.
"This looks lovely, Harry." I am in a state of awe, looking at the delicate, yet hearty-looking pieces of crispy bread with diced tomato and eggplant garnish on top.

Harry pours the wine on our glasses, his movement, and mannerism revealing that he has been in the high society for quite a long time.
"How was your day?" I ask Harry, who rests back on his chair. He is dressed in a loose white shirt, the top button undone to show off his ink-covered sternum, paired with flannel trousers and a set of pristine loafers, that look like they have ever touched gravel.
"Very boring. Nothing dramatic happens in my world if I am honest. How was your day?" He asks me back, picking up the bruschetta on his plate. I notice the ring wrapping around his fingers, silver or white gold, I don't know, I was never good at telling the difference.
"I had classes in the morning. Then a meeting with my supervisor for my dissertation. And then my friend begged me to join her karaoke party, so I had to bribe her with drinks at a fancy rooftop cocktail place in 12th Street on Thursday. It wasn't very eventful, to be frank." I reply, taking a sip from my wine.
"I never asked you... Why art history? Why study it?" He asks me, looking at me in full focus.
"Ok... I was 4 when my parents took me to a museum. Kids had a free pass and either way, it was the first Sunday of the month, so people could just get in museums for free. My parents took me there, and we went through the artifacts until we reached a small expo about Renaissance paintings and I got enamored. I was a child in my little candy store. I milked the kids' free pass for as long as I could and then I saved every dollar from my pocket-money to visit the museum. I had seen every single one of the special expos by the time I was 16, and I went to the museum manager, knocked on her door, and begged her for a job. She found it sweet that I was so obsessed with art, but she couldn't offer me a job. She helped me apply to the best art history programs, gave me a letter of recommendation even. I still see her every time I visit home for the holidays. You see, I knew from 4 years old that I would be following this career path. There was no other option for me." I explain.
"You never changed your mind on it?" He asks, staring at me in awe.
"Never, not even for a second... Well, that's kind of a lie... I did change my mind for about 5 minutes when I saw that my supervisor would be Chimera, but I snapped out of it."
"Chimera?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow.
"There is this lecturer, toughest of them all. We call her Chimera. Chimera was this monster in Greek mythology, a lion-goat hybrid with a snake tail that breathed fire. My lecturer has this despotic, authoritarian physique, she is pretty terrifying if I am honest." I explain.
"You know your mythology, I see..." He comments, swirling the liquid in his wine glass.
"I had to. A huge proportion of art is inspired by mythology." I reply. He is looking at me with a piercing, invested gaze, prompting me to talk more.
"I never asked you what you do for a living..." I point out, the information gap leaving me with an inch on my insides.
"I run some business, a cluster of corporations. Some family business, others my own or purchased." He replies. Even though he did answer my question, the void is still there, intriguing more as to why he chose to not give me a clear answer.
"Does it fulfill you? I mean, your job, does it make you happy?" I ask, pushing my plate a bit away from me. I fix my posture, aligning my back with the chair's back.
Harry stays quiet for a moment, looking at me in a brooding, almost reflecting way, before chuckling and taking a sip from his wine.
"No one is truly happy nowadays, (Y/N). Happiness is an illusion, all of it is but a bubble, on the verge of bursting with every decision you make. Tell me, are you happy?" He asks me back. I shrug my shoulders softly, biting my tongue as I think about it.
"I consider myself happy, yes." I reply, making Harry shake his head along with his finger in a rejecting way.
"See, this is utter bullshit. You are not happy, you are lying to yourself. If you were happy, if you were truly happy, you wouldn't have signed up on that site. You can lie all you want, but you know as well as I do that we only met because misery pushed us together. So, I will drink to misery, since she is the reason I met you." He leans in, bringing his glass to the middle of the rotunda table. I gulp awkwardly, following his lead and clinging my glass with his, the sharp, pitched sound produced filling the silence coating the room.

"Did I bring you down with my realism?" He asks me, noticing that I awkwardly go back to munching on my bruschetta, who is now cold and more solid than before.
"No... Well, maybe a little, if you want honesty. I choose to believe that happiness exists, and while it may be fragile, we all deserve to taste it. If you want to credit misery for our meeting, fine. But I choose to believe that something else brought us together. Loneliness, maybe. But not misery. I was happy when I signed up to the site, and I am not going to take away the happiness because I was stressed at that point of my life." I state, trying my best to keep my voice calm.
"Maybe I am the miserable bastard of the story. Time will show. Come on now, love. Let's ditch the long faces and serve the next dish." Harry cheers, standing up and walking to the door to let the people who are here to serve our next dish in.
The man takes away the plates, while a much younger man, close to my age replaces the cutlery and places the bells before us. Harry thanks the men while I smile politely at them before they walk out.
"Were they waiting behind the door to bring the next plate?" I ask Harry, who is pouring more wine into a fresh glass. I guess I didn't realize they took away the glasses too.
"No... They are serving us based on a timeline. I realized it was time for our next meal when I took a look at my watch." He explains, tapping his finger against the watch that must have cost half my tuition if not more.
"I see. I would feel kinda bad if they were standing behind the door throughout the meal." I state, causing Harry to scoff.
"Don't worry, I am not that big of a tyrant." He muses, raising his bell.
"I don't think you are a tyrant. On the contrary, I think you use the tough, bossy profile as a defense." I slouch my shoulders a little, relaxing my posture as I open the bell before me.
"I didn't realize the weekly allowance covered the psychoanalysis fees as well..." He comments, cutting a piece of his calamari with his knife.
I know that is my cue to shut up, so I just stuff my face with food or wine for the rest of the meal.

"The suite is prepaid for the night. If you feel like it, you can stay." Harry comments, slipping in his jacket.
"I have an early class in the morning, so I will catch a taxi home now." I reply, fixing any creases on my dress from sitting that many hours during our dinner.
"Nonsense, my driver can take you home." He offers but I shake my head.
"I don't want to put you out of your way... I will be fine with a taxi." I try to assure him but he scoffs and brushes me off.
"I am not hearing another word. My driver will take you." He almost commands, opening the door for me, placing his hand on my back as we walk out in the hall.
"Vinny, you are taking the lady home. I will be having a drink at the bar here, pick me up after she makes it home." Harry announces to his driver as we reach his car. The man opens the door of the majestic Rover for me, letting me climb inside and make myself comfortable on the leather seats.
"And (Y/N)... Make sure to text me on Thursday morning about the time you and your friend will be going to that fancy rooftop cocktail place. Be safe, see you on Saturday." Harry states, patting the hood of the car as his driver starts the engine.
I am not sure if he did it on purpose, signal the driver to take off before I could talk, and neither will I have the chance to talk about it next time we meet. I pull my phone out, scrolling through my socials to pass time.
"Where to, miss?" The driver asks me, looking at me through the driver's mirror.
-

'Good morning, Harry. You requested I text you about my going out tonight, so here it is I guess. My friend and I will be heading to the bar at around 9. If you want to meet afterward, I assume that by midnight I will be free. Have a great day. x'
I am not sure if we will be meeting tonight with Harry, to be honest, but I had to follow his order and text him.
I stared at my phone throughout the day, waiting for at least a reply out of courtesy, but nothing so far.
My friend insisted we have a kick out of our night out, so we had a little dress up, with her nearly forcing me into one of her fancy little dresses. I did her makeup and we took turns doing each other's hair, so it felt like having an adult dress party.

We make it to the rooftop bar at around 9:15, the night sky making the whole scenery even better.
"Hi, can we have a table for two?" I ask the hostess who smiles at me.
"Ms. (Y/L/N)?" The woman asks me and I nod, furrowing my eyebrows together as I look at her.
"I am sorry, have we met?" I ask her and she shakes her head at me.
"No, no. I was instructed to guide you and your friend to the VIP lounge." She explains, handing me an envelope.
"Instructed by who?" My friend asks. I feel awkward, knowing I cannot explain to her.
"Chrissy, it is fine..." I brush it off, following the hostess to the spot.
We settle into the lounge, enjoying the view of the city for a moment before the waitress catches our attention.
"Your waiter will be with you shortly. Enjoy your night." She smiles politely, walking away after making sure we are comfortable.
Chrissy is looking at me in suspicion, but says nothing, opting to scan through the menu. I find the opportunity to open the envelope, revealing a note on a stationery card.
'Enjoy the night on me. -H.'
Simple as that, even on my night out he chose to intervene. Money buys everything, even a way for him to control my day.
"I was kinda hoping for a mojito tonight..." Chrissy groans and I chuckle.
"If you ask for a mojito in here, I think they are going to throw us off the rooftop." I giggle, picking up my menu.
"Everything is freaking expensive in here..." She whispers and I chuckle.
"Don't worry much about it. It has been handled." I reply. She cocks an eyebrow at me, but before she could open her mouth, the waiter approaches as with a tray full of plates and 2 glasses.
"Good evening, ladies. May I get you started with Apéritifs while your drinks are getting prepared?" He asks, lowering plate after plate before us.
"We didn't order those." Chrissy points out.
"We have been instruct to serve Ms. (Y/L/N) and company a variety of our catalog." The man replies, leaving two tall glasses of Aperol in front of us. Chrissy is looking at me surprised but doesn't comment, relaxing back on her seat.
"Did you have a chance to look over our drinks catalog?" The man asks us.
"Yes. May I have a Lavender Lake?" My friend asks, looking over the plates set before us.
"Of course. And for the other lady?" He asks me, turning to face me.
"I... Can I have a second, please?" I grab the menu, scanning over it quickly.
"I am having a North Fork Royale," I reply, leaving the menu on the edge of the table.
"Can you please tell us what we have before us?" Chrissy asks, twirling a strand of hair behind her ear. Her flirting mode is on, eyes sparkling as she stares at the guy, who chuckles.
"Of course. Before you, there is Hummus and Pita, a Watermelon Salad with Feta Cheese, Guacamole with Crispy Tortilla, Spiced Chicken Empanadas with a light Minty Yogurt. And for your next course, you can pick between Dry Aged Beef Burger, Duck Carnitas Tacos, or Seared Ora King Salmon." He explains.
"I will have the Salmon, please." I announce, biting the inside of my cheek.
"What would you suggest?" She asks the waiter.
"The duck is juicy and flavorful. The burger has an exquisite, rich taste. The salmon tastes fresh. For someone with your temperament, I would suggest the duck tacos." The man replies, making my eyes widen. Chrissy and her flirting, always getting whoever she has her eye on.
"Alright then. I will have the juicy duck..." She says suggestively, making me choke on the sip o my Aperol.
The man walks away and I scoff, looking at Chrissy in surprise.
"Not wasting time I see..." I comment.
"He looks like a tall glass of cold water and I am parched. You didn't seem interested, so why play around?" She asks with a shrug.
"By all means, feel free to get it..." I giggle.
"Besides, you don't seem in need of a man." She states, cocking an eyebrow before bringing her glass to sip from it.
I feel like protesting the comment, asking her what she means by it, but I remain silent, knowing that if she brings up her past suggestion, I will be exposed.

My phone rings at 12:30 after I have undressed and taken off my make up. I pick up my phone from the top of the dresser and realize that Harry is calling me this late at night.
I try to figure whether or not I want to talk to him right now.
"Hi, Harry. Is everything ok?" I ask, sighing quietly as the line goes live.
"Hi, doll. I wanted to invite you over on Saturday. We said we would meet, but didn't arrange anything. What would you like to do?" He asks me. I rub my temples and close my eyes, thinking about it for a moment.
"You want normal, right?" I ask and he hums softly.
"I want whatever you want, sweetheart."
"Pizza and a movie. No formal clothes. How long has it been since you wore sweats, ate greasy pizza, and just chilled?" I ask.
"Ok, then. Come up the room at 8. Sweats and pizza movie night." He chuckles.
"I have to go. It is late and I am tired. Thank you for the treat tonight."
"You are welcome. Hope you had fun. Sweet dreams, see you on Saturday." He cheers off before the line dies.
He sounded a lot lighter than the last time we met, the broody tone giving place to a more positive one.
-

I knew I would potentially be kicked off the moment I stepped into Plaza's lobby, wearing sweats and a t-shirt, so I opted for dressing up and packing a change of clothes for when I reach the room.
I knock on the door, looking around me to make sure no one is paying attention to me.
"I thought you said the dress code for tonight is sweats... You look ready to go for drinking..." Harry states as he lets me in. He is already dressed in a pair of sweatshorts, resting just on his mid-thigh, and a grey muscle top, revealing many of his tattoos.
"I brought a change of clothes with me. Did you get here like that?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Of course."
"And they didn't kick you out?"
"Why would they?"
"Because this place is posh. It has an unspoken dress code."
"So?"
"So..." I am speechless, his confusion over my words revealing the huge difference between me and him. He doesn't have to worry about how he looks; money buys you a place everywhere.
"I will go change." I excuse myself, walking straight into the bathroom.

I walk out of the bathroom, looking around for Harry.
"Harry?" I call out, trying to trace him.
"I am in the bedroom..." He announces, making me furrow my eyebrows together.
I walk towards the sliding doors, finding him sitting at the end of the bed. I feel a weird tightness in my stomach; this isn't part of our deal.
"Don't worry, this isn't what you think it is. It is just the only room with a TV in the suite." He explains, patting the spot close to him on the bed for me to sit on.
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have made assumptions..." I stutter, making him chuckle.
"I told you, this is platonic. I just need a friend. I will not take advantage of you just because I give you money." He assures me.
"Can we talk about something?" I ask him and hums in agreement.
"Of course. What is it?"
"I appreciate that you treated me and my friend to a night out, and we wouldn't have had such a great time as we did if you didn't surprise me, but it also put me in a tough spot with my friend. I didn't know what to tell her..." I explain.
"Oh... I didn't think there would be a problem." He sounds shocked.
"I know you didn't do it on purpose. I just... I want you to be a bit more... Considerate of my position..." I reply.
"Your friend doesn't know about this?"
"I haven't told anyone about this. It is not like I want to brag about being a sugar baby." I reply. Harry hums, drawing in a deep breath.
"Why? Have you told anyone about this?" I ask.
"No, but it isn't the same."
"It is, Harry. I am not ashamed I am your friend. I am not ashamed of spending time with you. I just don't want to expose you, and I don't want people all over my business." I explain.
"It's fine, you don't have to explain things to me. I appreciate that you don't kiss and tell." He chuckles.
"Anyway, I loved what you did yesterday. It was very sweet of you. I just wish you would have told me earlier so I could come up with something to tell my friend." I try to lift him, not cause him to turn colder towards me.
"Next time I will. Ok... So, which movie and what kind of pizza do you want?" He asks me, grabbing the TV remote from the nightstand and handing it to me.

 

I groan as I open my eyes, the light from the blinders hitting me right in my face. I find myself sleeping on top of Harry. My head is on his chest, and his hand is resting on my back. We are both clothed, the same outfits we had as last night still covering our bodies.
If I remember correctly, we were just buzzing from the wine and decided to just lay for a bit. But the bit turned into sleeping through the night.
I don't want to wake him up by moving, since his arm is still around my back. So, I just stay, closing my eyes and trying to pay no attention to the blinding light.
"Hey... Are you awake?" He asks, in a groggy voice.
"Oh, thank God. I didn't want to wake you up." I reply, moving from his chest.
"I didn't want to wake you up." He chuckles. I sit upon the mattress, stretching my body, and making my joints pop.
"You look cute in the morning..." He compliments me.
"Stop messing with me."
"I am not messing with you. You look cute." He shrugs.
I mumble a 'Thanks', feeling warm inside over his compliment.
"Should I order breakfast?" He asks me, and I hum as I think of it.
"We should go out and get some." I suggest, making him morph his face in disapproval.
"It is way easier to order and be served here." He replies.
"Yes, but more fun going out to get some." I point out, getting up from the bed.
"Plus, you want normal from me, and that is normal..." I sing and he groans.
"Normal people opt for having breakfast in bed when they are staying at the Plaza." He mutters but I shrug.
"Not when they check the fees for Room Service. Come on, get up, grandpa. The more you gripe over it, the more you suffer." I nearly have to drag him out of bed, making him groan at me.

"So, where are we going for breakfast?" Harry asks as we step out of the hotel. The quiet lobby floor gives place to New York's loud street life, which is quite honestly a whole lot more calming than the judgy crowd of the Plaza Hotel.
"I don't know..." I reply, beginning to walk down the street. None of us bothered changing from our outfits, Harry still in his shorts and muscle top; thank God that spring weather has started kicking in.
"What do you mean you don't know? Where are we going to have breakfast at?" He asks, walking by my side.
"We are having breakfast on the street. We are walking down the street until we find a vendor we like, and we are having coffee and a bite from them. We can find a park to sit at and enjoy our morning, but I'd rather have it while walking..." I shrug. Harry sighs, but continues following me, mindlessly roaming while looking for a vendor.
"You do that often?" He asks me, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Not really. That's why I want to do it today. I don't get to enjoy a morning stroll, with a cup of coffee in hand... And I am willing to bet all that is under my name that you have never done that, ever before..." I state and he chuckles.
"There is always a first time for everything..." He mumbles.
"You would think that on a Sunday, New York would be a lot quieter, a lot less busy. But it feels like every other weekday in this city." I try to make small talk, avoid opening a heavy discussion, seeing how last week's happiness stunt went.
"Well, most people go to church, bright and early in the morning, sporting their best Sunday's attires and worshiping God to make up for all the crimes they commit the rest of the days. And then they roll around in their expensive cars, to head to expensive lunches and back with their lives." He replies, pointing to the convoy of expensive city cars heading the same direction.
"You don't believe in God?" I ask him; there goes not talking about heavy stuff.
"I do, just not in worshiping them that way. I believe God exists within us, and the way to honor them is by being kind. I am not that good at honoring God." He chuckles
"I think you are a better person than you credit yourself, Harry. You are nothing but kind to me."
"You only see this part of me. You don't know how I am in real life." He replies.
"True. But the part of you I see is kind, and that is enough for me to know you have the potential to be kind." I state. I spot a small food cart across the street, so I grab Harry by the bicep and drag him across the street.

The cart has the typical laminated paper that displays the options we have for breakfast, so I quickly scan the pictures to make up my mind.
"A cup of coffee, black. And an egg and cheese sandwich, please. And whatever the gentleman gets." I state, handing the vendor a 20$ bill.
"Oh, no."
"Oh, yes. Keep the change." I instruct, looking at Harry as he makes up his mind.
"Dark coffee too. And a cream cheese bagel." Harry sighs, rolling his eyes at me.
The man hands me my cup first then puts our snacks in paper bags, before fixing Harry's coffee. We thank the man and move along, strolling as I take a sip of my coffee.
"It tastes like crap." I cringe and he laughs.
"We can get some from somewhere else." He offers and I shake my head.
"No, that's the magic." I reply and he chuckles.
"How do you do that?" He asks me.
"How do I do what?" I ask him back, a little bit confused.
"How do you find the best in all cases? How do you stay so positive?" He asks me. I sigh, shrugging my shoulders before giving him an answer.
"I don't know. But I know I would be pretty miserable if I didn't. And I am not always like that. This is a pointless matter, one bad coffee won't kill me. When things get more serious... Well, you wouldn't think I am a positive person." I reply, trying to open the paper bag with my breakfast sandwich.
"I hope I never have to see you lose your positivity." He comments, making me smile at him softly.
"You never told me if you liked your necklace." Harry changes the subject as we stroll by some posh shop's window.
"What necklace?" I ask, looking at him with a furrow.
"I gave you the necklace last night, didn't I?" He asks me, making me even more confused.
"No..."
"Shit... I must have forgotten. I am so very sorry."
"It is ok. You got me a necklace?" I ask and he nods.
"You didn't have to, Harry. You are already doing a lot for me..." I state and he brushes me off, flicking his hand dismissively.
"I like treating you. And I wanted to get you something that would go with that lovely dress you wore when we had that dinner together. It suits you well. You should wear it more often..." He compliments me, making me hum at him.
"Thank you. I might follow your advice and wear it all the time." I state and he chuckles.
"You will join me for a proper lunch, won't you? I will give you the necklace then. I have it in the hotel room." He asks me and I chuckle.
"Of course I will. But not because you are giving me the necklace then." I reply.
-

Harry gifted me the most beautiful rose-gold platted dove necklace. The dainty necklace goes pretty much with everything, so I just wear it all the time.
Chrissy is sprawled on my couch, her phone in hand and a bowl of popcorn on her lap.
"Pizza is on the way." I announce, sitting comfortably on the couch and handing her her glass of wine. She locks her phone and leaves it on the side, taking the glass carefully.
Before we could cling our glasses together, her phone pings loudly, signaling she has a text.
"You are over the waiter from the cocktail place already?" I ask her jokingly.
"That IS the waiter from the cocktail place." She muses in triumph, picking her phone up and snapping a picture of herself taking a sip of her wine.
"I gotta admit, you are not killing time here." I state, impressed by how easy it is for her to get whoever she wants.

She huffs and leaves her glass on the coffee table, turning to look at me fully.
"What?" I ask her, making her roll her eyes and shake her head at me.
"You totally have a Sugar Daddy... Stop complaining..." She giggles and I look at her in shock.
"What are you talking about?" I stutter and she scoffs.
"Your rent is paid, you sport new clothes, that necklace is probably worth 2 months of rent, we went to that amazing place and nearly had a tasting of the full menu. You have a Sugar Daddy." She cheers and I sigh defeated.
"Ok, fine... Yes. I signed up on that site you suggested and I found someone... Are you happy now?" I ask.
"Spill. Tell me everything..." She encourages me, paying her full attention to me and ignoring her phone pinging maniacally.
"He is sweet, caring, in his 30s I guess. I never asked him how old he is, to be honest. He treats me more than well." I reply, trying not to reveal too much about Harry. I know he would want me to respect his privacy.
"What about the sugar?" She asks, moving her eyebrows suggestively.
"We are just friends. There is no sugar in the way you mean it." I reply and she groans.
"Just friends? What? Is he fat? Married? Bald?" She asks, cringing more and more as she lists off.
"No, nothing of that sort. He is actually hot. Like, model-hot. And he has a full head of luscious hair... We've just agreed on being friends." I shrug my shoulders.
"So, your kind of sugar is friendship."
"Yeah, I guess..." I sigh.
"So, no hook-ups for you?"
"Didn't I just say we are only friends?" I ask her and she scoffs.
"I meant with others, idiot. What does your agreement say on the matter?" She asks me.
"We haven't talked about it... I mean, I guess since we are only friends, it is fine to see other people..." I reply.
"How would you feel if he started seeing someone?" She asks me. I contemplate for a second; we are just friends, after all... Why would it matter if he had a girlfriend or boyfriend? Or a partner or whatever?
"I don't know. I have to be honest with you. I don't know how I would feel." I draw in a deep breath, before taking a big sip of my drink.
"Well, I think this is something you should discuss with him. I might have someone for you if you get cleared for hook-ups..." She wiggles her eyebrows, finally picking her phone.
-

"You seem awfully quiet tonight, sweetheart. Is something bothering you?" Harry asks me as the waiter summons our desserts. I have been out of it throughout the dinner, trying to find a way to bring the subject up for conversation.
"It is nothing. Don't worry about it." I brush it off; I don't want to ruin the night. We are having dinner at a terrace, privately booked for Harry and I, with a simple dinner of steak and salad, since last time we had a big dinner together, we both got a huge bloating in the morning.
"If something is bothering you, you should talk to me. I would love to help if I can." He insists, reaching his hand to top mine.
"I know we have said that this is platonic and we are just friends. And I am fine with that, I am. I am just wondering... Is it ok for me to have hook-ups with others? Our situation is kinda tangled and confusing, and I don't want to do something that is not ok with you." I explain; I am sure there won't be an issue. We are just friends, it would be irrational for him to not allow me to have other relationships.
"Absolutely not." He suddenly becomes colder, taking his hand away.
"What?"
"No, you cannot hook up with people, you cannot get a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whoever you want to be with." He states, making me cock an eyebrow.
"You cannot be serious right now..."
"I am serious."
"Why?" I ask, trying to understand why he is so hellbent.
"A hookup, or a boyfriend, would take time away from me. It would limit the time we spend together, it would take you away from me. Plus, explaining our situation to someone else would be such a big headache." He says coldly.
"And what about you? Are you free to have a girlfriend or hook-ups with others?" I ask him and he scoffs.
"Of course. If I choose to, I can hook up with whoever I want. I am a free man." He replies.
"And I am not a free woman?"
"It is not the same."
"Why is it not the same?" I ask and see his face change, twist with anger.
"I am spending money on you. I am spending money so you spend time with me. And I will not allow anyone to take the time we spend together from me. And I will not allow you to spend the money I give you on some low-life boyfriend." He slams his hand on the table, making me jolt back and look at him with wide eyes.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to startle you..." He is quick to apologize, but I am already too intimidated by him.
"Can... May I leave? Please..." I stutter, not daring to look at him now.
"Vincent can drive you home." He offers his voice now calmer.
"I prefer going alone. Goodnight." I quickly gather my stuff, before rushing to the elevator.
I have never been that scared of anyone in my life. His eyes were dark and his face was burning, I have never seen him like that before.
I don't know if I ever want to be alone with him again.

 

Chapter 2: Part 2: New York & Aspen

Summary:

(Y/N) meets Harry through Seeking Arrangement. She is a 21-year-old senior student at the New York Institute of Fine Arts, while Harry is a 30-year old executive. Their relationship starts as platonic. Will it stay like that for long?

Notes:

This part does not contain smut scenes, only slight mention. But the next part does, so read at your discretion. (Words: 7.2k)

I have avoided calls and ignored messages for a week now, all coming from Harry. I even returned this week's allowance; the reason for the transaction from the statement wrote 'I am sorry' and the amount had a raise of an extra 500$. I think he feels like he can buy me and my forgiveness with his money. I tried to spend the bit of extra time on writing my dissertation, but my brain decides to play tricks on me, making me recall the moment time after time and stopping me from doing anything. I am practically glued on my couch not having the energy to move. My stomach hurts at the memory of him treating me like that. I have never felt so cheap, I have never felt so insignificant, ever in my life. He practically said he owns me, he practically said he has the right to control me. And that's some shit I didn't sign up for. 

I get up and head to my kitchen, pouring some water in my kettle to make myself a cup of tea. A spoonful of the chamomile, lavender, and valerian tea mix -which, based on the lady from the herbal store- is supposed to help me relax and sleep better, is added in the tea diffuser, which I dunk in the kettle while the water warms up.
I need a full night of sleep, my body is already protesting the week of sleeping for less than 4 hours.
I pour my tea into my mug, popping the diffuser in to let the tea seep for a little longer when I realize someone is knocking on my door.
I drag my feet and stand on my toes, peeping through the peephole to see who's outside my apartment.

Shit. Harry is behind the door, knocking on it harder as the seconds pass. I sit with my back pressed on the door, trying to gather my thoughts and make a plan on what to do. 
"I know you are inside. Please, let me in..." He pleads; I feel the vibrations of the knock push their way into my spine; by now the knocking is so loud that soon the whole building will gather to see who's screaming. I open the door, letting Harry walk inside my apartment. I just pray I won't regret it. 
"What do you want?" I ask him, closing the door once I make sure my neighbors weren't startled.
"You have been ignoring me... For days now." He states as I pick up my mug. 
"I am aware. I would offer you some tea but you are not staying for long." I pull the diffuser out, placing it on the counter of my kitchen. 
"You live here?" He asks me, pointing around my apartment. 
"Yeah, I know... It is not fancy. How did you find it?" I ask him. 
"Vinny has brought you here before. He knew how to find the neighborhood and I looked around the entrance bells for your name. You weren't answering any of my calls or messages, so this was my last resort." Harry states. I sigh and close my eyes, unable to bring a response out of my mouth. 
"What do you want?" I ask him, taking a seat on the couch. He points at the other end of the couch, silently asking for permission to sit down. I nod and bring my mug to my lips. 
"You returned your weekly allowance. Why?" He asks me. 
"I don't want your money." I reply. 
"We had an agreement." He stutters. 
"We didn't agree on you owning me. My soul, my body, my mind... I am worth more than whatever you have to offer. I'd rather go back to living paycheck to paycheck than being owned by a man who thinks he owns the world." It takes so much out of me to talk to him that way. 
"I know you don't need me. And I know that I don't own you. I know that. I just don't like the thought of you with other men. I know we are only friends, but it tears me apart that I might have to share you. You might not need me, but I need you, (Y/N). You bring out a part of me I didn't know I have. I need you to help me keep it alive. I need you to be yourself with me, so my best self comes out too." He pleads. 
"The man I saw that night wasn't your best self. He wasn't a good man. He wasn't the man I am used to, the man that treats me well, the man who is soft and kind. And I don't want anything to do with that man."
"I know, I know... You left and I felt like shit. You deserved better than that. Listen, I could have found another Sugar Baby, there is a sea of them on that site. But with you... I can't replace you. Please. I will give you whatever you want." He begs, running his hand down his face. 
"Harry, this is not a matter of what I want to come back to you." I state and he sighs.
"I know I cannot buy you off. Take your time, sleep on it. Lay your terms. I just... You are the most normal part of my life, you balance me. I will do whatever you ask me to." He sounds genuine. The all-mighty man has now melted to nothing more than a facade. 
"That. I want that. I want you to be honest with me. I want you to consider me as an equal. You don't like sharing me, I don't like sharing you. If you are allowed to sleep with people, I want to be allowed too. I have some needs, I need to satisfy them." I state. 
Harry sighs; I can see how hard this is for me. 
"If you are going to be sleeping with others... Just, make sure I don't find out. Don't rub it in. And they won't be taking my time with you away. And I need to see you more. 2 times a week is so little."
"3 times a week then. I can't do more... I have work, I have school. It's a lot on my plate." I offer and he nods. He reaches inside his jacket, pulling out an envelope. He hands it to me, and I try to push it away. 
"You returned last week's allowance. So, inside you have last week's and this week's allowance. Plus the bonus, but minus the apology. I know you would feel like I was buying your forgiveness. And I want you to forgive me because you want to..." He states, putting the envelope on my lap.
"I am going on a trip next weekend. To Aspen, for a deal. I want you to come with me. We will leave Friday afternoon and we will be back Sunday at midnight. I want you with me or else I will bore myself to death. I understand if you don't feel like coming, but it would mean a lot if you did." He states, reaching to stroke my hand.
"I want to come. Send me an email with the details so I can pack appropriately." I state and he smiles. 
"If you need more money to buy things for the trip, let me know." He offers.
"I think that 5k is enough to cover everything." I chuckle. 
"Still... If you need extra, let me know." He smiles, getting up from the couch. He leans down and pecks my forehead softly.
"I will see you on Saturday, angel." He says warmly, waving me off as he walks himself out.

--

On Friday, at 4 in the evening, Vinny, Harry's driver pulls up in front of my building. I pick up my suitcase to walk from the door to the car, but Vincent walks up to me and picks the suitcase.
"Good evening, Vinny. How are you?" I ask the man who carries my luggage to the trunk of the city car. 
"Good evening, Ms. (Y/L/N). I am good. How are you?" He asks me back, opening the door for me. 
"I am very good. Are we picking up Harry?" I ask him and he shakes his head. 
"Mr. Styles is already at the airport. I am taking you straight to him." He replies, starting the car.
"Do you need me to stop anywhere before the airport?" The man asks me and I shake my head no. 
"I am all set, Vinny. Thank you." I assure the man before picking my phone out of my jacket.It might be 60 degrees in New York, but in Aspen is barely 50, making me shiver just at the thought of the cold.

We drive up into an empty slot, a private jet parked and waiting. Vinny gets out of the driver's seat and opens my door for me, letting me get out while smiling. 
"I will get your luggage, miss." Vinny assures me, gesturing for me to head towards the jet. 
"We are traveling in that?" I ask and the driver nods. I make my way ahead, climbing up the stair of the jet with Vinny following suit with my luggage. 
"Welcome aboard, Ms. (Y/L/N)." One of the crew members greets me, picking the luggage from Vinny. Harry is already sprawled on his seat, looking at something on his tablet. He is wearing a light shirt, with flannel pants and a pair of loafers, way more dressed up than me. 
"Hi, love. I am so glad you made it." He greets me, standing up from the leather seat. 
"Hi. I am glad I made it too. Thank you for having me." I state, placing my jacket and purse down on my seat. 
"Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me."
"Is it going to be just me and you on this flight?" I ask and Harry nods.
"My assistant is joining us too. He will arrive shortly. I thought we would all be a lot more comfortable on a private flight." He replies, making me swallow the knot in my throat. 
"Your assistant?" I ask, already sweating. I wonder what he has told the man. 
"Yes, I kinda need him for the deal. Don't worry, he knows a friend of mine is joining us on the trip." He replies. 
"He knows I am your friend?" I ask again, looking at him in the eye.
"Yes. No need for him to be part of our deal." He whispers, avoiding being heard by the stewardess passing by to make sure things are in place. 
"So, tonight I am having dinner with the president of the other company, I don't know when I will be done. And I have to wake up early in the morning because we are starting the meeting for signing the deal at 9 and I need to prepare. I believe that by afternoon we will be done. Then, they are throwing a celebratory party, and I want you to come with me. The ordeal is pretty boring, so I need you to be with me there."
"I am afraid I haven't packed for a business party." I reply and he scoffs. 
"That's not an issue, you can go shopping on Saturday morning. Aspen has lovely stores. And then on Sunday, we can have the whole day to ourselves." He smiles at me, making me smile too. 
"I love when we spend Sundays together." I sigh and he hums. 
"Sundays are a whole lot better when I spend them with you." He says softly, making my body fill with warmth. 
"So, what are we doing on Sunday?" I ask him and he shrugs his shoulders. 
"I have no clue. Whatever you want to. I feel bad for not being able to spend more time with you on this trip." He replies and I chuckle. 
"It is fine. I need some time alone. I brought my laptop and I hope I can work a bit on my dissertation. Maybe the change of scenery will inspire me." I assure him.

A tall, languish man enters the jet, making Harry and I jolt back to our seats; I didn't realize we had leaned in so close to one another until now. 
We are back at sitting on our seats, me across from him, with our backs resting against the leather chairs. 
"Mr. Styles, I apologize for the delay. I needed a few documents for the agreement." The man states, taking a seat on the other side of the aisle. 
"It is ok, Wilson. (Y/N), this is my assistant, Wilson. Wilson, this is my friend (Y/N)." Harry introduces me to the stereotypical assistant, who shakes my hand. 
"It is a pleasure to meet you, madam. I hope you enjoy this trip with us." The man states, leaning over to shake my hand. He is sucking ass right now, thinking that sweet-talking me is going to earn him the good graces of his boss. 
"It is a pleasure too. I hope the trip goes smoothly." I smile as I pick up my laptop from my purse.
"Let's give the lady some quietness. She is working on a very important project." Harry winks at me, shutting down the man who tries to show him something on his tablet.
"Of course, sir." The man retreats, making me shake my head at Harry playfully. 

 

I settle in my room, with my laptop on my lap and my fingers tapping happily on the keyboard. The change of scenery seems to be working on me, at least for now. The room is amazing, spacious, and simplistic, with an amazing view of the snowed mountains. I have to admit that since the night fell, the cold only grew greater, making the place feel a lot more like a winter fairytale setting. 
The light tap on my door makes me jolt on my spot. It is well past midnight, so no one should be outside my door now. I get up and walk to it, contemplating if I should even check who is behind the door. 
"Who is it?" I ask, in a barely-above a whisper voice. 
"It's Harry." His voice is familiar, like when he was talking to me that Sunday we woke up together. I open the door and let him in; he is dressed in his sleeping attire, his hair flying messily as he drags his feet in. 
"Is everything ok?" I ask him and he shakes his head.
"I can't sleep." He announces and I chuckle. "Nervous about your big day tomorrow?" I ask him, gesturing for him to sit on my bed. 
"No. I just can't sleep." He replies. I save the document on my laptop before shutting it and placing it on the nightstand. 
"How can I help?" I ask him and he shrugs. 
"I don't know. I just didn't want to be alone." He replies and I hum. 
"I get that. Do you want to sleep here?" I ask, patting the king-sized bed.
"I don't want to put you in a tough spot." He mumbles. 
"I suggested it, didn't I?" I ask.
"Yes, but that's because I showed up at your door, looking like a wounded puppy. You couldn't have really kicked me out." He opposes.
"I could have. But I am telling you, if you don't want to sleep alone, you can stay here." I reply, already laying on the bed. 

"I have to wake up early." 
"I remember, you told me that. Turn on an alarm on your phone. And before you leave, please, don't you dare wake me up. You don't want to deal with cranky, early-awaken (Y/N)..." I joke and he chuckles. 
He leaves his phone on the nightstand and gets under the covers, sighing in frustration as he looks at the ceiling. 
"Hey, come here..." I invite him to get closer to me, wanting him to just relax and have a nice night of sleep. He hesitantly does, and I help position him on his side, with his back turned to me. I drape my arm over his torso, resting my head against his back. 
"You will be just fine tomorrow. I mean, you kinda have to. You promised the deal will be done by early in the afternoon and then you will take me to the celebratory party. And you also promised to spend Sunday with me. You can't break your promise..." I whisper, stroking his hair with my free hand. 
"I really can't." He mumbles, a moan taking over his voice as I run my fingers through his soft curls. I must know what conditioner he uses, I have never sunk my fingers into such silky locks.
"Plus, I figured out what I want us to do on Sunday." I state.
"What, baby?" He asks me, in a hazy, nearly sleeping voice. 
For a second I lose it; the pet name brought chills on my skin, he has never called me that, up until now. I feel flustered, but convince myself that it just slipped past his lips in a sleep-related deliriousness.
"I want to go for a nice breakfast and then for a hike. Then a light lunch." I reply and he hums.
"Sounds good, baby..." He moans, making my heart flutter. It sounds so weird coming from his lips, and I know he doesn't mean it but it still makes me feel weird. 
I fix the covers on our bodies, snuggling closer to him to share warmth. 

 

I didn't realize I fell asleep, nor that Harry left in the morning. I wake up to an empty bed, but covered with the duvet fully, nearly wrapped like a burrito. I smile to myself, stretching my body against the mattress and yawning loudly to wake myself up. 
The view from my window is ideal for sleeping in, just staying in bed for a little longer, but I know I have to get in town and by a dress, then get ready for the party, while also working a bit on my draft.
No time to lose, but this bed is so comfortable and warm, and outside it seems so cold...
I grab my phone and open the countdown, setting it to ring in half an hour from now. I drop it on Harry's side of my bed -well, at least for last night- and bring the duvet over my head. 
My skin erupts in goosebumps at the memory of last night. I know that nothing happened, but the sound of his voice calling me 'baby' really sets the mood for me. It meant nothing to him, I am sure. But apparently, it meant something to me, since I cannot shake it off.
I remember how good it felt hugging him through the night, how safe I felt with my head resting against his back, and how delicious his scent was. 
This might as well be happening due to the fact I haven't gotten laid since the previous semester. I don't even wait for the countdown to end before I slip out of bed and into the shower. I need to cool off, get my head straight before I head to the shopping part of the town. I wonder what the hell I am going to buy for the party. I need to look classy, but I crave getting some attention from Harry. I loved it when he complimented my dress, it created a need for me to get more out of him. I always liked getting compliments, always loved being liked, but ever more so since I started seeing Harry. 

I order an Uber while I get ready and make sure I have everything I will need for the day. I decided to pack my laptop and notes with me, hoping that I will find a small, scenic cafe to work on my assignment. 
I am way behind on it, in comparison to my peers and I just want to be able to have it done weeks before my deadline. 

 

"Hi. Can I help you?" The young woman asks me, approaching me as I enter the store. 
"Hi. I am looking for a dress. I am going to a party tonight and I would like something nice. A bit fancy, but not too modest, I guess." I smile at the woman who eyes me up and down before gesturing me to follow her. 
"What kind of party are we talking about?" She asks me and I sigh. 
"My friend closed a deal today and there will be a celebration about it tonight." I explain. 
"Is it going to be a cocktail party, a dinner party, a sit-down party?" She asks, obviously not satisfied by my previous answer. 
"I have no clue. Does it really matter?" I ask back and she stifles a laugh. I feel like a total hilly-billy, clueless of the etiquette that people silently follow on such events. 
"We can just look at something classic, that goes well with every occasion." She suggests. I nod my head as she looks through the racks, paying no attention to me. It takes a lot out of me not to lower my head and seem like a scolded puppy. 
"I think a silky slip dress is something that could possibly be worn on whatever party it is thrown. Would you like to try it?" She asks me, handing me a hanger with a black slip dress. 
"Do you have that in any other colors?" I ask her. 
"I might have it in burgundy in the back." She replies. 
"Could you please bring it to me while I try this on?" I ask her and she smiles with a hint of irony.
"Of course." She gestures towards the changing room, letting me settle in. I get rid of my clothes, trying on the black dress. 
I have some trouble reaching the zip on the side of it, but overall it doesn't look bad. It reaches just below my knee and the neckline reveals just the appropriate amount of decolletage for it to look classy. 
I try to imagine the dress with my hair in a low, loose bun, and just a touch of makeup. I will need a different bra for the dress, maybe a nice pair of earrings too. And of course a pair of shoes for it, some black stiletto pumps will do. 
"The burgundy dress is a lot longer. Kinda looks like a gown." The woman calls from outside the dressing room. 
"I will try it on..." I reply and she shoves the dress through the gap in the side of the curtain. I strip out of the previous dress, hanging it back on its hanger before I try the burgundy one. It is a lot longer than the black one, the hem of it reaching the floor, and a lot tighter too, wrapping around my midriff snugly. The neckline looks more structured, deeper than the previous one, but still not looking cheap. 
I sigh, totally unable to pick between the dresses. 
I check the tags, scoffing at how expensive both dresses are. I guess the black one it is. 

I dress back in my clothes, exiting the dressing room holding both dresses in my hand. 
"Did you make up your mind? Or would you like to check out something else? Something closer to your budget, I assume?" She asks, giving me a dirty look. 
My eyes go wide and I have to blink a couple of times before I muster a reply. 
"Actually, I will get both. Do you accept cash?" I ask her, reaching for my backpack. She looks at me as if I am alien, which gives me one more chance to gloat on her.
"Oh, maybe you prefer cards... Well, whatever suits you better." I assure her, looking at the woman who seems to be malfunctioning at the moment. 
"Both are good..." She utters, gesturing for me to follow her at the register. 
"Could you please suggest any good shoe stores around here? I am afraid I might need some new ones to match my dresses..." I cock my head to the side, looking at her; I think subconsciously, I am trying to assert dominance over the poor lady. 
"Uh... There is one at the end of the block. You walk straight down. They have everything, from snow boots to Louboutins... I am sure they will be able to help you find something lovely to match your new dresses." She replies, her voice changing to a soft one. 
"Thank you, I'll make sure I visit that." I smile politely, handing her the cash for my dresses. 

 

The knock on my door at 5 makes me jolt and nearly burn my neck with my curler. I move to open it, finding Harry looking at me a little strangely.
"Hi. You are getting ready by yourself?" He asks me and I nod.
"Yeah... It isn't a complicated look, after all." I reply.
"What are you wearing?" He asks me, taking a seat on the little couch by the window.
"Both dresses are laid on my bed. Give me input."
"Both dresses?" He asks in surprise.
"I know, I know. I only wanted to get one but the lady at the store give me the nasty eyes, so I had to get both. Which one you like best?" I ask.
"I am actually clueless until I see you wearing them..." He replies and I hum.
"Very helpful... Anyway, how did the deal go?" I ask him, letting my curls cool off before I tie them in a bun.
"It went as expected. We signed, and I got their money and now we drink expensive champagne and eat crappy canapes." He sighs.
"You don't sound too excited..."
"It might be because I am not. It was a done deal, there were no stakes at the table today. Just plain old boring reading through the pages... Nothing exciting..." He sighs.
"You are the only person I know that complains about their job being easy..." I chuckle, putting on my lipstick before pinning my hair on a low bun.
"I am weird, I know. Anyway, how was your shopping spree?" He asks me, relaxing back on the couch as I walk towards the bed.
"It was tiring, to be honest. But worth it, I think." I reply. Harry's phone goes off, stopping him from commenting.
"My outfit is ready. I better go get ready." He shoots up, smiling at me.
"I will see you at the party then..." I reply, reaching for my high heels.
"I can come pick you up if you want." He offers, but I shake my head no.
"I can find my way to the grand hall. I'll meet you there." I reply with a smile.

My heels click on the marble floor as I walk towards the entrance of the hall. There is a hostess in front of the door, standing behind a podium with a list before her.
"Good evening, madam. Name, please."
"(Y/L/N). I am Mr. Style's plus one." I reply and she nods.
"Of course. Have a great evening, Ms. (Y/L/N)." The woman smiles politely, signaling for the man at the door that I have been cleared.
The man opens the door for me, letting me walk into the hall. I look around me, at the wonderfully decorated hall, at the lusciously dressed women and posh clothed men, trying to find Harry within the crowd.
"Hi." I greet as I reach him, interrupting him from talking with 2 older men.
"Hi. Gentlemen, this is my friend, Ms. (Y/N) (Y/L/N), art historian. (Y/N), those are Mr. Andy and Robert Hanson, executive directors of the hotel we are staying in." He introduces us. The men take turns shaking my hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me in your wonderful hotel." I state politely, mustering a smile.
"The pleasure is all ours. How are you liking your stay this far?" Andy asks me.
"It has been truly a treat. I can't get enough of the scenery." I reply, making Harry chuckle.
"Will you excuse us for a little while? I must get the lady a drink." Harry asks the men.
"Of course. Enjoy the party." Robert says before turning to walk away.

Harry places his hand on my back, guiding me as we walk away.
"You definitely picked the right dress... Red looks amazing on you."
"That's burgundy, actually. But thank you. I wasn't sure what was appropriate to wear at this party." I reply, feeling his hand smooth over my back.
"You are definitely the best dressed in here... You look gorgeous, everyone is looking at you." Harry whispers in my ear, making me shiver.
"I think you are trying to make me blush..." I try to calm myself, earning a chuckle from him.
"I am not. Just speaking the truth..." He replies, moving away as we reach the bar.
"What are you having, darling?" He asks me, while he waves at the barman to get his attention.
"Can I get a vodka grapefruit, please?" I ask and the barman nods, grabbing a glass.
"Looking like that, you can get whatever you want, honey..." Harry states, pecking on my temple.

Harry is doing tons of PRing at the party, which leaves me standing by his side like a decorative plant. I decided to ditch the scene and walk out on the balcony. The air is crisp and chilly, making me run my hands down my arms to calm the shivers on my skin. I take a sip from my drink, swinging to the rhythm of the song that is playing in the background.
The view is even better with the dim lighting, the quietness that night brings dressing the scenery even better.
"There you are... I didn't notice you left..." Harry cheers, stopping next to me and leaning on the railing.
"I know you didn't." I chuckle, taking one more sip.
"I have been an awful date tonight... I know..." He sighs and I shrug.
"It is fine... I know you have a lot of people to talk with..." I reply.
"Still, you are my guest... You came all the way here for me. I should have been a bit more entertaining." He states.
"You promised we are going to spend tomorrow together. I would be overstepping my boundaries if I asked for more."
"You seem sad." He points out, stroking my back softly.
"I... I don't know, Harry. Did you fly me out to be your arm candy? Did you just need someone to look pretty?" I ask him, turning to look at him.
"No. Absolutely not. I brought you here because... Well, I don't know the reason why. But I wanted to spend a fancy night with you. If you are not comfortable here, we can always just ditch and do something else." He suggests and I shake my head.
"No, you have to stay." I sigh and he does too, looking up at the sky.
"I don't."
"Stop trying to convince me. I know you have to. And it is fine. I can stay here, you go inside and woo them."
"Come inside with me. 30 more minutes, then we go to my room, we order pizza and start our day together early." He promises, holding his hand out for me.

We walk back inside, earning a couple of looks as we walk through the crowd. Some people whisper, others just chuckle; I know what they are thinking, I wish it was true.
"You shouldn't have come out to find me. People are staring now..." I lean in to whisper and he just shrugs.
"So, let them... They would stare, either way, you are beyond gorgeous tonight." He compliments me again, resting his hand on my hip as we mingle with the crowd.

Harry stayed true to his word and half an hour later we are walking towards his room.
"I have a pair of joggers and a t-shirt you can change into if you don't want to stay in your dress." He offers.
"Yes, please. I don't think I can eat pizza in that dress." I giggle, earning a chuckle from him.
"It seems tight. Can you breathe in it?" He asks me jokingly.
"I can, but it is still a bit snug." I reply, running my hand over my stomach.
He unlocks his door, letting me walk in first. His room is a little bigger than mine, and to be honest, I thought that his room would be much bigger, if not a presidential suite.
"Wilson is not staying with you?" I ask him and he scoffs loudly.
"Of course not. That would be weird, wouldn't it?"
"I expected you would be staying at a suite..." I comment, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
"I let Wilson stay in the suite and took the room to be closer to you in case you needed anything." He replies, opening the minibar and grabbing 2 water bottles.
"That is very kind of you. I didn't expect such a move from you..." I state, laying on my back and relaxing.
"I didn't either. I told you that you are rubbing off on me." He chuckles.
"I think your kindness is bursting from within you."
"Last night I had the best sleep I have had in a while. Thank you for that..." He mumbles, making my turn on my side to look at him. I smile, reaching to stroke his cheek softly.
"It was the least I could do. I am glad I could help..." I smile at him. Harry kisses the side of my palm, looking at me in the eye.
"Can you help me with my dress?" I ask and he nods.
I stand up before the bed, Harry following right behind me. He reaches for the zipper, pulling it down and letting my strap roll down my shoulder. I crave him touching my bare skin, his hands lingering on my body. But he is way too behaved to do that.
He moves away, opening his closet and bringing out a pair of joggers and a t-shirt for me.
"I hope those are comfy. Shall I order the pizza?" He asks me and I nod, pressing my thighs together to get read of the tightness in my stomach.
"Yes please. I'll take anything with mushrooms." I reply, taking off my dress. I slip onto my temporary clothes and flop on top of the bed, letting my dress balled on the floor.
"Do I call the lobby and ask for a bottle of their nicest rose?" He asks me and I shake my head no.
"I have had quite my fair share of drinking. A drop more and you might have to watch me throw up..." I giggle, taking a deep breath of the scent lingering on Harry's clothes.
"I would hate to see that. Our relationship needs some magic in it..." He jokes and I roll my eyes.
"Yeah, that's what our relationship needs." I mutter, grabbing a pillow to rest my head on.
"Did you say something, love?" He asks me, tapping on his phone to place the order, assumingly.
"I asked if the pizza is going to be late... I am kinda starving. You were right, the canapes at the party were awful." I reply and Harry chuckles.
"I told you so. The site says in 20 minutes." He replies, taking a seat on the bed.
--

"So, how was the trip with Mr. Sugar?" Chrissy asks me as we take a seat at the little cafe across our campus.
"Can you be a little louder? The whole campus hasn't heard you..." I scoff sarcastically, picking up the menu card.
"No one gives a flying fuck. Come on, now, tell me." She nudges me softly, looking at me like a child waiting for a bedtime story. I huff and place my menu down, shrugging my shoulders.
"We flew in private. He instructed the crew and his assistant to let me be so I can work on my thesis, then we made it to the hotel. He had dinner with the president the night we got there. But he showed up at my door that night..." I begin and she gasps.
"Did you guys fuck?" She asks me, clapping her hands together.
"No, I told you we are just friends." I sigh, making her roll her eyes.
"Ai, what's the point of going on a trip with him and him showing up at your room at night if you guys don't fuck..." She scoffs, making me slap her hand to quiet her down.
"If you don't lower your fucking voice, I'll stop." I threaten, glaring at her.
"Ok, ok. I am going to shut up." She raises her hands in defeat.
"We slept together, I mean on the same bed... I spooned him."
"Is he a big spoon or a little spoon?"
"Oh my fucking God, you can't go a second without talking, can you?" I shake my head at her, earning a shrug.
"He was the little spoon, he needed someone to calm him down. Anyway, we were talking, I was telling him about what I wanted to do on our free day, and he called me baby."
"He called you baby?" She cheers and I nod.
"Yeah, he was in and out of sleep, I guess. He didn't mention it again." I sigh.
"Then what happened?" She asks me, only to be interrupted by the waiter.

"What can I get you ladies today?" He asks us, making Chrissy groan frustrated.
"I will be having a double cappuccino and a parmesan biscuit." I reply with a smile, enjoying the look on Chrissy's face.
"I'll have the same." She says in a rush.
"Are you sure you don't want some tea?" I ask her teasingly, cocking my eyebrow at her.
"For fuck's sake..." She mumbles under her breath. The waiter looks at us in confusion, making me giggle.
"We are fine here, thank you." I dismiss the man, who nods and walks away.
"Why are you all up in my supposed love life? How is yours going?" I ask her, taking a sip from my water bottle.
"Adrian works long shifts at the cocktail bar so we barely meet. But... He is nice and caring, and sex is good. So, I am not complaining here, but your relationship seems more interesting." She replies.
"Fine then... Well, I went shopping on Saturday morning, bought 2 expensive dresses just to spite the store girl, and then Harry insisted on paying me back. We had a bit of a fight on Sunday morning about it. We went to the party for the deal together, well, he went first and I met him there. But he introduced me to everyone and he even offered to leave the party when I started feeling weird. We spend the rest of the night together, we ate pizza and talked, we slept together once more."
"Why did you even book separate rooms if you spent both nights together?" She shakes her head at me.
"I don't know. Anyway, I wanted breakfast at a cafe and a hike, but we woke up in the morning and it was raining. We had to leave nearly at midnight because of the rain." I chuckle.
"So, what did you do on Sunday?" She asks me.
"He booked the room for the day so we would have to leave. And then he went to my room and picked up my stuff and I stayed in his room to work on the dissertation. He helped me a bit with it. We had breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the room and when the plane was cleared we flew back. He gave me a ride home, and that was my Aspen adventure." I reply.

"I really hoped you would say you spent Sunday pinned underneath him..." She sighs disappointed. "Yeah, I kinda wished that too..." I pout and she looks at me with wide eyes. "What?" She whisper-shouts, her jaw hitting the floor. "Nothing..." I utter, while the waiter leaves our order before us. "Enjoy..." He smiles before retreating, making Chrissy scoot closer to me, nearly leaning over the table. I pay no attention to her, picking up the little vial of sugar to sprinkle some in my coffee cup. 

"(Y/N)... You are craving..." She states in shock.
"No, I am not." I scoff, but Chrissy seems to not bite into that.
"Holy fuck... You really do." She covers her mouth with her hands.
"Chrissy, we are just friends."
"Just friends my ass. You want a piece of that. Not judging you, if he is as handsome as you claim and treats you as right as he does... Well, I would want to ride that man to oblivion too."
"Ok, hold up. I didn't say anything like that..."
"Oh, please... Your face tells all." She scoffs at me, picking up her cup.
"Fine... Ok, yes, I have thought of it... And I really fucking want him. But we had agreed on keeping this platonic. He doesn't see me that way." I reply.
"Do you smell that?" She asks me, making me look at her in confusion.
"What? Where? I don't smell anything..."
"I smell bullshit. You are fine, sexy, a fucking walking snack. You can corrupt him just by moving your pinky finger. And I think you both only stick to the original agreement in fear of the other not responding to your intentions." She states.
"You should have picked a major in psychology, you couple-therapist minx." I roll my eyes at her and she cocks an eyebrow at me.
"I know. But it is never too late... Now, the question is, are you willing to take the first step? Are you willing to take one for the team and seduce him?"
"How? I asked him to unzip my dress and he didn't even look at my naked back... How exactly am I going to seduce him?" I ask her and she shakes her head at me.
"My poor innocent (Y/N)... So naive. Are you meeting him this week?" She asks me, taking her parmesan biscuit and snapping it in half.
"Yeah. He is coming over to my place on Thursday for dinner."
"Great. Drink your coffee, we need to go somewhere..." She smirks mischievously, making me gulp thickly.

"You are hurting me..." I wince as Chrissy drags me by my arm, rushing down the street.
"I am sorry. But we have to hurry. Come on." She cheers, letting go of my arm and sprinting ahead.
"You still haven't told me where we are going..." I point out and she scoffs.
"To get the essentials for seducing your man..." She winks at me, motioning for me to walk faster.
I strut by her side, deciding that my best interest is following her without a word. I know how she gets when she doesn't get her ways...
We walk inside a store in the basement of a building. The place is brightly lit and there are rows on rows of bras, knickers, and lingerie, accompanied by toys and accessories hanging on the walls.
"What is this place?" I ask Chrissy, who seems done with my ass today.
"A flower shop. Are you dumb, girl?" She asks me, walking straight ahead. I follow behind her as she looks through the racks.
"I don't want to freak him out..." I whisper, looking nervously at the leather garment she is inspecting.
"Please, that's for me. I am not picking lingerie for you. You have eyes, pick your own damn slutty drawers." She giggles.
I don't even know where to start, all these colors, material, all those looks, it is impossible to focus on just one.
"Can you help me? Please..." I plead, looking at her as her face changes to a surprised one.
"You've never bought lingerie before?" She asks me.
"I never had to. For others, I just stripped and they jumped me." I explain.
"Oh... Well, of course then. Let's see. We have to pick a color that looks sexy on your skin tone. Then see if lace of satin looks better on you. Of course, we have to see if you feel more comfortable in a set or in a body. If you are confident in your lingerie, he is going to think you are a hundred times sexier..." She explains, holding a set in front of my body.
"Is it bad that I am nervous? This is worse than my first time." I utter and she laughs softly at me.
"I get it." She chuckles at me, looking for more sets.

 

Chapter 3: New York, Amalfi Coast, & Rome

Notes:

(Smut /  Unprotected Sex / Oral) 
This is an NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable reading stories like this one, please scroll through the rest of my stories to find something you might like. (Words: 8.9k)

"I love being at your house..."
"You do?"
"Yeah... It is the most normal part of my day." He smiles, sitting on the floor before the coffee table.
"You should definitely come more often, then. I am sorry we are eating on the coffee table..." I take a sit close to him, opening the containers of Chinese food.
"It is fine. I like it like that." He smiles at me, picking up the bottle of wine to serve some in our glasses.
"How was your day?" I ask him, serving him some dumplings.
"It was weird. I kept thinking of how much I wanted to go away."
"Go away where?" I ask him, looking at him with knitted eyebrows.
"I don't know. Away. I want to leave town."
"Forever?"
"No, that would be impossible. For a couple of days, on a little retreat. I didn't enjoy the trip to Aspen. And God knows when was the last time I took a vacation." He replies.
"Maybe you should... You need a few days off. And of course, you didn't enjoy Aspen. You were preoccupied with the deal from the moment we arrived. And on your day off, we stayed in the hotel room. All that rain ruined our plans." I reply.
"I had fun on my day off. I know it didn't go as planned, but it was fine. Especially when you got tipsy and had me type your dissertation."
"The keys were jumping before my eyes." I giggle.
"I noticed. The typos on that last paragraph..."
"Well, wine and typing don't go well together for me."
"It was so funny, having you slur out sentences for me, giggling in between."
"I have told you I am not holding my liquor well." I laugh, digging into my fried rice.
"You are adorable when tipsy. A giggling mess." He pinches my cheek softly as I take my first bite. 
"Where do you think of going on vacation?" I ask him, making him shrug.
"I don't know. I always wanted to travel to Italy, go around a bit, then maybe rent a yacht to explore the little islands."
"That sounds dreamy. They have amazing food, great architecture, museums that take whole days to explore. And the islands are beautiful..." I sigh, dreaming of the place with my eyes open.
"Have you been?" He asks me.
"No, but it is my dream vacation. I have searched so many traveling guides..." I reply.
"When do you think you will be available?" He asks me, making me look at him confused.
"Available for what?"
"For the trip to Italy. When should I book it?" He asks me.
"You can't be serious... Harry, that is insane..."
"Why? It will be pretty boring going alone." He replies.
"I don't know what to say."
"Just tell me when you will be available."
"From the 3rd week of May and onwards..." I reply.
"Let's say June then. I was thinking for a month-long vacation..."
"A month-long? Will the company last that long without you?" I ask him and he shrugs.
"They will be fine without me. My assistant and all the directors will be there." He replies.
"Can I ask for something? I mean, I know that even you taking me with you on this trip is a huge favor, but can I ask for one more?"
"Of course, anything."
"Can we leave the second week of June? Spend mid-June to mid-July in Italy. The Mediterranean is magical at that time of the year." I ask and he nods.
"That's all? That's the easiest favor I have ever been asked." He replies, taking a sip from his wine.

Per our agreement, Chrissy calls my phone at 10. Harry and I have long finished our meal and have been chatting away over our wine. Deliberately, I left my phone in my bedroom, so I could have an excuse to head there and take off my clothes. I slip the matching robe we bought on, tying it loosely so the lace of my lingerie can be seen without me layering off the satin cover.
I take a deep breath, still unsure of what I am about to do. But fuck, have I been dreaming of this moment for the past week...
I fix my posture and walk out of the bedroom, trying to mask the fact I am trembling down to my core.
"It has gotten a bit late, hasn't it? Should I get going?" Harry asks me, mindlessly looking at his phone.
"You can stay... You should stay." I reply, earning his attention. He looks at me surprised, scanning my body.
"Please stay..." I plead, untying the belt of my robe.
"What are you doing, love?" He asks me. I let the robe pool at my feet, moving ahead but still keeping a distance from him.
"I have been thinking about you... And I know you have to. So, if you want, we can upgrade this friendship..." I try to sound as seductive as I can, looking at Harry in the eye. He shifts from his spot a little, before standing up and walking towards me.
"Are you sure you want that?" He asks me, eyeing me up and down, taking in my appearance.
"More than anything. I have been thinking about you for so long..." I reply. He nods his head, pulling my close to his body by my waist.

He rests his hand on my cheek, pulling me in for a kiss. My eyes roll to the back of my head, feeling his lips merge with mine, my body filling with tingles.
He kisses me softly and slowly, taking a small taste before he traces my bottom lip with his tongue. I part my lips for him, letting him kiss me deeply as his hand moves to the back of my head. My hands move to his hips, holding onto them to keep him close to me.
I don't want this to end, I don't think I will ever get enough of the taste of his lips. So I groan when he moves his lips from my lips, trailing them down the side of my mouth, to my chin then jaw and neck.
"I am going to take you to your bedroom now..." He whispers, kissing around my neck to find my sweet spot.
"Please..." I whimper, feeling him softly push me towards it.

I am shoved on top of the bed, with Harry's hand gripping on my jaw tightly. He looks at me with glazed eyes, licking his lips as he looks down my body.
"Lace looks good on you..." He comments, tracing his finger over the lace trim on the decolletage.
"I bought it just for you." I reply and he chuckles.
"I like the sound of that..." He hums, lowering the strap of the lingerie. I like the way he is touching me, barely grazing my skin. It is like he is teasing me, as if he enjoys the way my skin erupts in goosebumps.
He lowers his face to my neck, sucking on my skin softly and grazing his teeth over every mark he leaves there.
I gasp when his fingers move the cup of my lingerie away and his mouth latches on my nipple. I feel heat shoot right through me, my stomach tied in a knot as he sucks harshly.
His hand moves down my body, finding its way to my sex. With his fore and middle finger, he rubs my still clothed sex, making me shriek and cover my face with my hands. His lips leave a wet trail from one breast to the other, his tongue darting past his lips and circling around my nub. His lips and his hand working me on make me feel like floating.
"You like it when I do that?" He asks me with a smirk, lowering even more on my body. He plants a kiss over my navel, the lace that dips into my skin more while he presses his lips there making me ticklish.
He spreads my thighs more, lowering his face to my clothed sex. I feel his breath on my pussy, which only accentuates how wet I am.
He pushes the bottom of the lingerie aside, revealing my core to him.
"You have such a pretty pussy, baby." He praises, running his fingers down my slit, soon joining them with his mouth.
"Fuck..." I buck my hips up instinctively, pushing my sex more on his face as his tongue moves masterly on it. He flicks over my clit time after time, gathering some of my wetness from my entrance. It only makes him hungrier, turning him rougher and bolder, plunging his tongue deep inside me.

My clit gets the attention it -oh so desperately- craves from his thumb, which strokes it fast as his tongue moves inside me. Without realizing it, my thighs are shutting around his head, which causes him to cease all activities.
"No, no, don't stop..." I plead, my chest rising and falling as my breath gets hard to leave my lungs.
"You shouldn't have tried to shut your thighs if you didn't want me to stop..." He teases, crawling up towards me.
"I am sorry. I am so sorry. You were just so good." I whine, making him coo at me, only for me to realize a second later that he is doing it sarcastically. He tears the bodysuit off of my body, grabbing it by the neckline and tearing the lace apart, and exposing my body to him. His eyes are a shade darker, pupils blown out as he looks at me hungrily.
"You are going to have to fucking control yourself if you want me to make you feel good." He spits out, face tensing as he grips on my throat. I gasp, surprised by how good it feels to have his hand there. I throw my head back and close my eyes, thrashing as I try to invite him to touch me. 
He leans closer to me, teeth biting onto my earlobe and pulling softly.
"Oh, you are so pretty like that... Naked underneath me... Better than I dreamt you would look." He rasps, letting go of my throat. I gasp, hands moving to touch the skin he touched, wincing a little as his fingerpads have left bruises on my skin. I haven't realized how tightly he was choking me until now; I guess in my haze I wasn't aware.

I watch as he strips off his clothes; first his shirt, then his leather belt, which coils and throws above my head. Then his pants and boxers, freeing his boner which springs against his stomach.
"You are going to keep your legs open for me..." He demands, wrapping his hands around my knees.
"Yes, sir..." Compliance with his needs comes out of me naturally.
"Do you have condoms?" He asks me.
I sit up, sliding to the side of my bed and opening the drawer, finding the box of condoms right where I put them this afternoon.
I pick one out, tearing the foil apart as kneel on my mattress, mirroring Harry's posture.
I reach down his body, taking his cock in my hand and stroking it as my lips contact his neck. I trail down, soon mapping from his clavicle down his happy trail, while my hand works slowly on his cock.
I prop the rubber right before lining it down his cock, looking up at him to find him with his head thrown back.

I sit upright, bringing my lips to his. My hand travels to the back of his head, finding the hair that rests there and toying with it. He places his hand on the small of my back, softly pushing me until my back collides with the mattress.
"You are such a good girl, baby... I will have to reward you for that..." He coos at me, spreading my legs back to his liking.
He runs his cock up and down my slit, pressing on my clit with his tip. I am a dripping mess, in agony of his next move.
When he thrusts in me, I feel myself tensing. I whimper and squeeze my fists, gathering my bedsheets in my hands.
"Oh fuck." He groans, bringing his hand down my hips. He grips onto them, holding me pinned to the mattress. He moves slowly, thrusting inch by inch inside me until he bottoms out.
"Fuck me harder, please... Fuck, Harry... Fuck me harder." I beg, digging my nails into his arms. He grabs me by the chin, forcing me to look at him as he slams his hips down on mine.
"I am going to make you regret that request..." He growls, using his full weight on his thrusts.
He lets go of my chin, reaching for my hands that are still on his shoulders and pinning my wrists above my head.
"I am going to fucking wreck you... That's what you want, isn't it, sweetheart?" He rasps, pounding into me. He doesn't go fast, but he reaches deep inside me with a force that makes his tip press on my soft spot.
"I want you. All of you." I whimper, enjoying the way my body responds to him. I am covered in goosebumps, my stomach pulsing inside me, more and more with every time he slams into me.
"Fuck... Princess... You are so tight around my cock. You were made for me, weren't you?" He groans, tightening his grip on my wrists and lowering his face to my neck. He bites into it, making me whimper in pain softly.
"I was. Harry... I wanna touch you..." I plead, earning a scoff from him.
"Then you'd better not dig your claws into my skin next time." He muses.
There is no love in the way he is fucking me, just him thrusting inside me with force, hitting my spot, and making me whine in pain and please.
"Oh, God... Oh God, Harry..." I cry out, squeezing hard around him. I am getting closer and closer now, my body moving against his. Well, the best it can since his body is pressing mine against the mattress.
"I am going to cum... I am going to cum... Oh, Jesus..." I groan, my face morphing into a frown as I chase my high.
"I love how you use His name in vain while I am fucking your tight little pussy... It sounds so dirty coming from such an angelic face like yours." He groans, burying his face in the nook of my neck. His teeth are grazing my skin, leaving marks on my flesh as he pushes his cock deep inside me. His breathing is rapid and inconsistent, sounding euphoric as he fucks me towards our orgasms. Not being able to touch him or myself right now only magnifies how good this whole thing is.
"Harry..." I whine, feeling my stomach tighten and pulse one last time before I come undone around him.
"Fuck... You should look at your face right now." Harry utters, letting go of my wrists and grabbing onto my chin, moving it a bit to get a better look at my face.

He pulls out of me, discards the condom on the floor before kneeling by my head. He presses his thumb on my bottom lip, silently asking me to open my mouth for him, which I gladly do, making him bring his tip to my lips. He strokes his cock over my lips until he cums, throwing his head back.
He looks disheveled, face tensed, and fazed out for just a moment.

I don't think I even blinked from the moment he laid next to me to the moment he started dressing up.
"Aren't you staying?" I ask, pulling the sheets to my body.
"I can't. I have to go to the office early and I don't have a change of clothes." He replies.
"You can't just stay for a little longer. I... Harry, if you didn't like it this time..." I begin but he leans down and plants a kiss on my lips.
"It was nice... But if you want us to have sex again, you need to get on birth control..." He whispers.
"I am already on birth control..." I reply and he sighs.
"You should have told me earlier..." He murmurs, planting a kiss on my forehead.
"I am sorry. When will I see you again?" I ask and he shrugs.
"I am going to let you know when I am free. Ok, baby?" He asks me and I nod my head.
"I wish you could stay. This doesn't feel right..." I pout.
"I promise I will stay next time...He replies, kissing my forehead softly as he goes back to getting dressed.

I lay in bed, still naked and staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out why he acted like that. I really liked having sex with him, I liked how he touched me and how he felt on me and in me. But he seemed a bit off like he wasn't really feeling it.

Fuck... He really hated it, didn't he?

 

 

 

I open my eyes, groaning as I feel a chill run down my spine. I realize that last night I didn't even bother putting my clothes back on, I just dozed off. I groan as I sit up, scratching my head as I bring my knees to my chest. I grab my phone from the nightstand, scrolling mindlessly through my socials. I really hoped I had a message from Harry, anything really. But there has been radio silence from his side and I don't really know what to think of it.
I get up from my bed, picking up my towel to hop in the shower before I officially start my day.

I let the water get warmer before I get in the shower, taking deep breaths of the steam that comes out. I feel the water cleans my skin, washing away last night's events. I don't regret having sex with Harry, but I do feel bad about how the night ended. I wish I had fought more for him to spend the night, I wish I somehow made him stay with me.
I turn off the faucet and wrap myself in my fluffy, warm towel, thinking of what I should have for breakfast this morning.

I start my coffee maker and pop some bread in the toaster while I slip in my comfortable homewear.
Before my coffee could fully brew, my doorbell rings, making me jolt and sprint towards my door.
"Good morning. Ms. (Y/L/N)?" The delivery guy asks me, and I nod.
"That's she."
"I have a delivery for you. Can you please sign here?" He asks me, handing me a form and a pen. I sign by my name as he hands me an envelope and a bouquet.
"Have a nice day, ma'am..." The man greets me off with a smile, walking towards the elevator as I shut my door.

I let the bouquet on my countertop, tearing the top of the envelope with the side of my nail.
There is a note inside, along with a wad of money. The note reads 'Hope you don't mind your weekly allowance is in cash this week. Harry x-'
I take out the cash, counting the money as the thickness of the wad seems a bit odd.
The total comes to 3,500$, way over the weekly allowance we had agreed on.
There is a sting in my heart; did he really just paid me for sex?

I grab my phone and dial his number while I prep my mug for my coffee.
"Hi, love. I assume you got the flowers already?" He cheers as he picks up.
"I did. Along with the cash... There is an extra 1,000$ in the envelope. What is that for?" I ask; I don't have time to play around, nor the patience to do so.
"Well... It is a little gift for you... To treat yourself after last night's events."
"Harry, this isn't right. You are basically paying me for having sex with you." I exasperate, feeling my face become hot.
"No, no... This isn't it. We had agreed we wouldn't evolve sex in our ordeal. And last night we did. It seems only fair to upgrade the transaction part of our deal. I want to take care of you, make sure you don't have to worry about anything else but our relationship. Plus, you need to start shopping for our getaway... I am sure the extra money will come in handy for a little bikini, or a pair of lingerie just for me..." He whispers the last part, which makes me bite my bottom lip. What he is saying, makes lots of sense in my head.
"Ok then..." I reply and he chuckles.
"Why don't you get ready? I will send Vinny to pick you up and bring you to my office. We can have a light lunch together. I want to take you somewhere I am sure you will like." He suggests.
"What time should I be ready?" I ask.
"Let's say in an hour. I will tell Vin to wait in front of your building. Ok?"
"Ok. See you then..." I hear myself purring; I was making fun of girls who do that and now how the tables have turned.

I wear a red floral dress that I have just bought last Monday; the weather is wonderful today, so the skin that is revealed from the short, thin fabric doesn't make me feel uncomfortable or cold.
"Good afternoon, Ms. (Y/N)... How are you?" Vinny asks me as he opens the door for me. I smile at him walking faster towards the car.
"It has been very calm this far. How is your day going, Vinny?" I ask him back. He closes the door for me after I sit comfortably on the backseat, and walks to the driver's seat.
"It has been great this far, Ms. (Y/L/N). Thank you for asking." He starts the car, pulling out of his parking spot.
"Mr. Styles ordered me to take you to his office. He has a bit of work to do, so I will pass you through security and you will head to his office." Vinny states and I nod my head.
"Alright then..." I mumble, picking my phone out of my little purse.

The drive is fairly short; Harry's office is apparently in one of those big buildings on the main street.
Vinny was able to pass me through every security point until we reached one of the top floors. I knock on the door that has Harry's name scribbled on a golden plaque, and wait until I hear the 'Come in'.
I walk in, smiling at Harry who is sitting behind his desk.
"You are here already?" He asks with a cheer as his eyes land on me.
"Turns out my house is pretty close to your office." I reply.
"Hm, I never realized. Come here..." He calls me over, patting the top of his thigh.
"Vinny told me you have work to do. I don't mind going to a coffee shop nearby and wait there." I state and he shakes his head.
"I have been thinking about you all day... I need you here." He pulls me by my wrist softly, making me land on his lap.
"You have?"
"Yes... Last night was playing in my head over and over again. I wanted to call you in bright and early but I knew you would be the only thing I would have my attention on." He replies, prying my head closer to his by placing his fore and middle finger on my jaw and pushing it towards him.
"You wore a dress?" He points out, bringing his free hand to the hemline of my floral dress.
"You like it? I bought it last week and it felt like the perfect match for this weather."
"It is amazing on you. I love the neckline." He whispers, bringing his lips to my neck.
"I love how exposed it leaves you to me... I can see your breasts, your legs, and with the blow of wind, I will be able to see everything..." He murmurs, bringing his hand under the hem of my dress.
"You have work to do." I moan, enjoying his lips on my sweetspot. His hand travels further up my thigh, stroking his thumb over my hip.
"I can do it later. It is enough as it is that I am in my office on Saturday." He replies.
"Why are we still here, then?" I ask him, tilting my head back to give him access to my neck.
"I thought we could sneak some time here before heading to lunch." He chuckles.
"Be a good girl and spread your legs for me." He instructs, lowering his hand to my pelvis. I spread my legs the best I can without tripping off the chair.

His hand finds its way to my sex, fingers slipping in my panties and heading straight to my clit. His face lowers to my chest, first kissing and marking his way down to my thoracic valley, then moving the neckline of my dress to free more of my breasts. He lowers his lips until my nipple is in his mouth. And then he pushes two fingers inside me, curling them up to find my spot. His lips suck hungrily on my tit, roughening the bundle of nerves and making chills run down my spine. Instinctively, my hands lace behind his neck, fingers messing with his soft hair.
"What if someone walks in?" I ask through moans. Harry pops my nipple out of his mouth, tracing a trail of kisses up my neck.
"They know better than to walk in without knocking." He replies. His fingers find my spot, making me jolt and squeal at the sensation. His thumb moves to my clit, stroking it fast as his fingers move in and out of me, curling on my spot repeatedly at a tandem pace.
"Fuck. Fuck... Oh, don't stop." I beg, making Harry comply with me and keep the pace.
He goes back to paying attention to my breasts, fondling and sucking hickeys on them. His fingers pinch my nipples, pulling them slightly and adding to the sensation being built in my stomach.
"You are going to be heard, baby. And then we are definitely going to be walked in." He chuckles, gluing his eyes on my face as he tries to pry an orgasm out of me.
"I was having my morning meeting today and all I could think of was that I would give everything to have you bend over my desk, fucking your tight little pussy. I wish I had stayed last night... I wish I had woken up next to you this morning... Fuck, I wish I could turn back time." He mumbles, lips still on my skin.
"Had you stayed this morning, I would have woken you up by sucking your dick..." I groan, bucking my hips on his hand, pressing my core more on it.
"Are you good with your mouth, princess?" He asks me, digging his teeth in my neck.
"You will have to see that yourself and let me know..." I tease him, but my confidence is drained from within me as his fingers press perfectly on my spot.
"Fuck, I am cumming." I whine, moving my hips and pulsing around his fingers. It is like my whole body is going numb but at the same time, I can feel everything.
I grip onto his shirt, nearly bunching it up in my fists.
"Your face is so cute when you are cumming..." He comments, still stroking his thumb over my clit.
"I can't take more..." I complain, burying my face in his neck.

Harry and I walk towards the elevator, being eyed by the people who are in the office this evening. We enter the elevator, finding out we are alone for now. I head to the mirror in the back wall of the cabin, gasping in shock as I notice the marks on my skin.
"Why didn't you say I have hickeys?" I ask Harry as I quickly look for my powder in my purse.
"I thought you would have figured it out. I was latching onto your neck while we were in my office..." He replies with a smirk on his face. He walks behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and planting a kiss on the side of my neck.
"I think they are hot. Maybe you shouldn't cover them..." He comments.
"We are going out for lunch, people will see them."
"We are not going yet. We have a stop before that." He chuckles.
"Still, people will see. Fuck, I don't think just powder will do." I sigh, pressing the sponge on the purplish mark repeatedly.
"So, why even bother with that... Just let them breathe." He suggests and I roll my eyes at him.
"Yeah, just let everyone know you have been marking me up." I scoff, pressing the sponge a little harder on my skin.
"Aren't you mine to mark as?" He asks me. I feel my core become wetter at his words; oh, I love being called his.

Vin drops us off in front of a post-modern building. The tall, slender building looks like an iceberg cap, crafted of metal and glass, with the glass tiles reminding me of mirrors.
"What are we doing here?" I ask as Harry links his arm with mine.
"This is an Art Gallery. My friend Paul is the owner and we are here for a private show. I want a new painting for the office, and I need your eye for that." He states, breezing through the door and past the security guard.
"Thank you so much for that..." I lean my head on his shoulder, gripping onto his bicep.

We are shown to a private room by an assistant, who stands by the entrance of it, with his back turned to us. The walls are covered in paintings, each bearing a white plaque on the bottom of it, with details of the medium, and the artist scribbled on it.
"Do you have something in mind? Maybe a bit of inspiration, or a specific thing you want to add to your office..." I ask Harry as he observes the art carefully.
"You have seen my office... It is pretty monotonous, mostly monochromatic. I was thinking about having a pop of color in there."
"You are thinking about vibrant colors... A statement piece, perhaps... Something that will draw attention." I suggest and he tilts his head to the side.
"You have an all-white and black office, with nice marble details. So maybe we should look for warm tones; orange, red, that sort of palette." I continue, making him hum.
"But if you want to think outside the box, a sapphire blue touch would just look gorgeous. Now, theme-wise, I would suggest realism, so it matches your personality and space." I look at Harry for a response, finding him smirking at me.
"Didn't I tell you my assistant is perfect for the job?" Harry asks. The man who was standing on the door with his back on us turns around and claps, walking towards us.
"You did tell me. Ms. (Y/L/N), I have heard many great things from your boss, I am glad to find out he was not exaggerating." The man turns to me, smiling as he extends his hand for me to shake.
"I don't understand." I utter, hesitantly stretching my hand to shake his.
"This is my friend Paul Leonard, he owns the gallery we are in. I told him that I have a lovely assistant who is about to graduate with a History of Art title, he needed a new counselor." Harry explains, his lips curling into a devious smirk.
"And seeing you in action, made me realize I don't need to look further. If you survived through working with Hazza over here, you will breeze through this job. What do you say?" Paul asks me. I am dumbfounded, looking at the man with my mouth agape.
"Are you offering me the job? For real?" I ask and he nods.
"I am. We can discuss the finances after you receive your degree and come back from your museum exploration in Italy. Don't worry, your boss has filled me in your plans post-graduation." 
"Thank you, sir. I promise you won't regret it." I shake his hand and he scoffs.
"Of course I am not." He assures me.
"Now, about that painting. I think I will go for the warm tones. Can you show me a few pieces?" Harry asks, making Paul shakes his head.
"I have been trying to sell him a painting for over a year now, and you just come in and do it in mere minutes. Unbelievable." Paul shakes his head, pressing his hand on his forehead as he laughs.
"I trust her taste more than I trust yours, I guess." Harry winks at me, darting his tongue from between his lips and licking his bottom one suggestively.

 

 

"Still studying?" Harry asks as he walks into my apartment. I am holding the last batch of revision cards I made, reading through the notes on the back.
"Yeah, sorry. My house is a mess and I look like crap." I groan, making Harry chuckle at me.
"It is fine. I will order some food and you can shower while I tidy up. I can help you with revision." He suggests, prying the cards from my hand and planting a kiss on my forehead.
"You don't have to." I mumble and he shakes his head.
"I do. Now, head for a shower. That mop of hair needs to be washed. Go." He gently pushes me towards the bathroom, until I give up and head in for a shower.

I think I have blacked out for most of my shower routine, doing everything mechanically, until I feel Harry's arms around my waist.
"Mind if I join you?" He asks me, bringing his lips to my neck. I relax my head back onto his chest, humming in approval as his hand traces up my stomach and lands to fondle my breast.
"Your shower gel smells so good... I could eat you up right now." He groans and I chuckle.
"It is new. My friend Chrissy bought it for me to cheer me up." I giggle, making Harry release a throaty moan.
"Remind me to stock it up for you and send Chrissy a Thank You gift..."
"You are being silly..." I giggle, but Harry stops that laugh by pushing me up against the wall.
"Silly? That is a mean word, Ms. (Y/L/N)..." He groans in my ear, lowering his hand to my ass. His fingers spread my cheeks, trailing up to my entrance and rubbing over it in circles. I clench around nothing instinctively, turning my head to look at Harry who chuckles and shakes his head.
"You are so needy... I bet you have been thinking of my cock fucking you so deeply." He rasps. He is pressing his boner on my ass, showing me how excited he is for me.
"What happens if I say no?" I ask, teasing him.
"I will have to expose you as the liar you are." He replies, pushing his cock inside me. I release a sigh of relief, throwing my ass back for him. He fucks me fast, slamming his hips against me as he grips onto my throat. My back is arched and my breasts are pressed against the wall, while he guides his cock deeper and deeper with every pound he delivers.
"Your pussy is so tight... So fucking tight, it is perfect around my cock." He growls in my ear, biting my earlobe.
"You are hurting me." I moan, my voice breaking.
"Want me to stop?" He asks me, slowing down.
"No. It is the good kind of hurt... I love it when you fuck me like that... I love it when you use me however you like..." I whimper, feeling his hand grip onto my throat tighter.
"Of course you do, sweetheart. You are my favorite toy, my perfect little toy... Just for my cock, only for my cock." He presses me harder on the wall, fucks me with more force now, fucks me like he hates me. And I love that; I love that he is inside me, I love that I get to be his and I love that I am the only one he fucks like that.
"I can't wait until we are in Italy, away from all anxiety and fucking all day long." He kisses my pulse point under my jawbone, letting go of my neck. I gasp for breath, while Harry's hand snakes down between my thighs. His fingers find my clit with ease, pressing on the pulsing bundle of nerves as I yelp softly.
"You are going to be a good cum hole for me... And I am going to reward you... You are going to make me cum, right princess?" He rasps, his skin slapping against mine.
"Yes, sir." I utter, while his fingers work my clit. I squeeze myself around him, feeling him already pulsing between my walls.
The cold tiles make my skin erupt in goosebumps, my nipples harden at the coolness and the water turning cold doesn't really help in the situation.
"I am going to cum so deep inside you. And you are going to take every last drop of my cum, like the good girl you are..." He praises, pinching my clit between his fingers.
"Please..." I beg, tensing up at the sensation.
He groans, chest puffing as he breathes heavily; I know he is going to cum, I can feel him going stiffer inside me, veins pulsing against my walls.
It makes me feel warm on the inside as he fills me up, a smile on my lips spreading as I hear him moan my name quietly.
He gasps as he pulls out of me, turning me around and sinking to his knees. Without wasting a breath, he falls to his knees, spreading my thighs more before he buries his face into my core.
"Oh, God." I gasp as his tongue toys with my clit. I bring my hands to his hair, pulling tightly at his locks.
He sucks on the bundle of nerves hungrily, keeping eye contact with me. I stand on my toes, spreading my legs more and bringing out my core more.
"I wonder if we taste good together..." Harry utters, before he brings his tongue to my entrance, thrusting his tongue inside me. I am on the verge of collapsing, feeling my back sliding down the wall as he hums against my core. His hands travel to my waist, pinning my body straight on the wall and keeping me fixed to continue his feasting.
I feel my breath shorten every time he passes his tongue from my entrance to my clit. And what makes it worse is that he is still looking at me in the eye; his eyes are sparkling mischievously as he uses his tongue to bring me to my high. He is enjoying that way he is making me feel, he is enjoying every little jolt, every rasped breath, every tugging on his hair.
He kisses my outer lips until he rests his head on my thigh and uses the tip of his tongue to tease my clit.
I blink repeatedly, tensing up at the sensation.
"We taste good together..." He smirks at me, watching me as I melt down completely.
"I am... Fuck, Harry..." I cry out as he flicks his tongue, little soft strokes sending chills all over my body.
"Cum, baby. You've earned it..." He encourages me; not that I really needed it, I was already on the edge.

"You are really not helping me much with studying... You know that, right?" I giggle, as Harry pulls away from our kiss. He is still on top of me, my legs on either side of his waist, and the flashcards spread on the floor of my living room.
"Are you implying I am not a good study-buddy?" He asks me, gasping to fake offense.
"I am telling you straight to your face. You are the worse study buddy I've ever had." I reply, making him squint at me.
"You are going to have to pay for this..." He growls playfully, bringing his fingers under my t-shirt to tickle my sides. I giggle uncontrollably, giving up the thought of studying today while Harry is present.
"Oh, you are ticklish?" He teases me, tickling me even harder.
"I am." I manage to say through fits of hysterical giggles.
"Oh, no..." He mocks.
"I can't study with you around. I give up." I giggle, shaking my head. Harry leans in to kiss me, halting the tickles.
"Oh, to be in Sardinia with you right now, on a boat, drinking wine..." He breathes softly, stroking my face with his fingertips.
"We will be there sooner than you realize." I reply, closing my eyes to daydream of our getaway. It will be lovely, I am sure. He and I with no distractions. For some reason, I keep on having the picture of us, Blue-Lagoon style... I know our vacation will be nothing like that- I mean, I hope so- but the vibe I get every time I picture our vacation is that.
"What are you thinking, pretty?" He asks me, stroking my hair softly.
"About our vacation..." I sigh and he hums.
"Daydreaming?" He asks and I nod my head.
"I just want to leave everything and pack my bags for Italy." I sigh.
"Soon. Soon, pretty girl." He murmurs, leaning down to peck my lips.

 

 

 

The sea breeze hits my face as the boat cuts through the soft waves. It is a beautiful Sunday evening, and Harry has rented a boat for the weekend. We have sailed along the Amalfi coast and now we are making our way back to the spot we were picked by the boat. I am wrapped in a thin shawl, barely sealing any warmth in, but at the time it seems to help me.
"Deep in thought?" Harry asks me, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"Not at all. I don't have a single thought in mind." I reply, leaning my head back on his shoulder. His hands are rested on my hips, fingers softly tracing under the hem of my bikini bottom.
"I, on the other hand, am thinking about dinner. I have been starving for quite a while now..." He comments, making me chuckle.
"Is there a time you are not hungry?" I ask him and he scoffs. He stays quiet, enjoying the sound the waves make while the boat skips through them.
The scent fills my nostrils; his cologne mixing with the sea aura creates something I can only describe as addictive. His skin has turned a little darker, courtesy of the sun hitting his body as we leisurely laid on the deck, so his white, cotton shirt that rests unbuttoned on his body contrasts his skin beautifully.
"Tomorrow we will be in Rome. Only for a couple of days though. Venice is waiting for us, then Florence and finally Sardinia." Harry lists off; this is probably the thousandth time he has told me the cities we are visiting next, so I know for fact this is chatter to make up for the lack of dialogue.
"And because I know you have a list of all the places you want to visit in Rome, I have arranged for us to be shown around. Kind of like a little road trip around the Ancient City. We will see every museum you want, for however long you want. We won't even have to stay at our hotel, there are plenty of Inns we can spend the night at." He whispers in my ear, strumming his thumb over my hip. I swallow the squeal that tries to escape my lips, simply settling to bouncing a little on my heels.
"Harry... This trip... This has been more than I ever dared imagine. This has been dreamy, I don't know how to thank you for this." I turn around, bringing my arms to rest on his neck.
"Your happiness is the greatest payment. Plus, this has been great for me too. I haven't been this relaxed for the longest I can remember." He sighs softly. He truly looks like a transformed version of himself, and I have to admit that this upgrade makes him a whole lot more attractive.
"Who are you and what did you do to Mr. Styles?" I joke, making him roll his eyes at me.
"I know. I am barely recognizing myself at this point..." He replies, leaving a kiss on my nose.
"Let's go eat. Your hunger must have gotten to me too." I quickly say, pulling away from him.

 

One thing I have to be thankful for now that we are in Rome is that I don't get seasick anymore. The weekend-long excursion was in every way beautiful, but the constant moving of the boat made me pop Dramamine after Dramamine into my mouth to avoid spilling my guts before everyone.
Another thing on my gratitude list is the fact that Harry and I have been spending our days roaming in the little streets in the city's neighborhoods, constantly sipping on refreshing little grapefruit sodas that apparently can be found in every corner street, sold in cute little glass bottles, and that we have been eating all the gelato our hearts desire.
The sun has long set and Harry decided it is time for a light supper in one of the little bistros. Our diet lately has been consisting of pasta- in every way, shape, and form- which is so stereotypical of tourists in Rome.
"I think that in Rome, even the worst pasta is still the best you've ever had." Harry comments, swirling his fork into his linguine dish.
"Or maybe you think so because this is what you have been told to think of." I say back, making him furrow his eyebrows together.
"What are you talking about?" He asks me.
"If you think about it, you have been told by everyone ever that Italians know how to cook the best pasta dishes. So, you have kinda been conditioned to think that you are having the best pasta here..." I explain and he chuckles.
"Did my cynicism left my body and flew in yours?" Harry asks with a chuckle in his voice.
"You are not as cynical as you think. And I am certainly not becoming one. I am just giving you another point of view on the matter." I state, picking up a forkful of penne pasta.
"Did I ask for it?" He asks me.
"No. But I am very sure you wish you had." I sass, earning a chuckle.
"What do you want to do tonight?" He asks me and I shrug my shoulders, pushing my food around with my fork.
"I think I want to just stay in tonight, I want to sleep a lot. Being out in the sun, walking around all day, it made me exhausted." I reply.
"Just sleep?" He asks me; I recognize the tone of his voice, I can tell the question was suggestive.
"I don't know. Do you have a better offer?" I ask him, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"I might." He winks at me, picking up the parmesan grater.
"Oh, you might..." I scoff and shake my head.

 

"You looked very pretty today. That little sundress of yours looked perfect..." Harry compliments me as I strip out of my day clothes to get ready for a short shower.
"I was wearing it all day. Now you remembered to tell me?" I giggle and grab my washing purse out of my weekend bag.
"I didn't really have the chance to tell you all day, did I? You have been asking Paolo about every little house on the streets we walked through. I couldn't really interrupt you two, could I?" He asks and I roll my eyes at him.
"Aren't you exacerbating a bit?" I ask him and he shakes his head.
"Not at all. Every little house in the 'most historic area of Rome', it was your opportunity to chat away with Paolo. Do I sense a little bit of a crush on the Italian stud?" Harry teases me, plugging his phone to charge.
"Do I sense a little bit of jealousy about the Italian stud?" I ask back.
"Jealousy? Please..." He scoffs at me, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. I walk across the bed, standing before him before I take a seat on his lap.
"You look cute when jealous." I giggle softly, touching the tip of his nose softly. I pull him in for a kiss, tangling my fingers into his hair. I know he loves it when I play with his hair while we kiss, he lets out soft sighs as I do.
His hands wrap around me, keeping me stable on his lap as we deepen the kiss.
"I love you." I whisper as his lips leave me lips to trail down my neck.

Suddenly Harry freezes, and tension fills the room in an instant. He pushes me away gently until I am sat on the side, and he stands up, pacing the room as he holds his temples.
"What did you say?" He asks me; I am trying my hardest to read his voice, decipher his demeanor, and all this reminds me of is that night at that terrace, when we had a fallout about me being allowed to date.
"I said I love you." I reply, focusing on not making my voice break. I feel exposed to him all of a sudden, my nakedness dawning on me the longer he stays silently upset.
"Stop it." He doesn't even look at me.
"Harry, I understand this is sudden but..."
"I said stop it. I don't want to hear a word, I don't want you to mention that again. Stop it, just stop."
"Harry, please. I am trying to have a serious conversation with you." I plead, slipping into my dress.
"And I am trying to avoid it." He snaps at me, the intensity of his voice making me shiver.
"You can scream and shout, but you are going to listen to me. I have to be honest with you, I have to be honest with myself. I love you. I truly do. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't mean to fall for you. But I did. And you can deny it all you want, but I know you love me too. I don't know what you are so afraid of, but I know you love me." I walk up to him, standing proudly before the man who chuckles.

"You think I love you? You think I give a damn about you? You are nothing but a fuck, (Y/N). Nothing more than that. I can pay anyone to take your place. Hell, they would even do it for less than what I spend on you. You mean nothing to me, so stop being delusional." He hisses, his face becoming red as I walk backward to distance myself from him.
"You don't mean that..." I stutter and he scoffs at me, shaking his head.
"Oh, I don't? Come here, let's see whether I mean it or not..." He grabs me by my wrist, dragging me to the nightstand where his phone is charging. He unlocks the device and taps a shortcut which directs him straight to the Seeking Arrangement website.
He scrolls through a list of profiles, picking up a random one. He looks at me in the eye, so much hatred in his gaze, before he sends a message to the girl behind the profile.
I pull myself away from him, walking to my side of the bed. It is like I have snapped out of a dream violently and I am back to reality; he never changed, he is still the same person I met all those months ago.

I pull my weekend back up on the bed, throwing my stuff inside as fast as I can.
"What are you doing?" He asks me as if the last 10 minutes never happened.
"You can pay someone else to take my place. I have to walk away from all this, I have to walk away from you. I can't do this anymore, I am done. I am leaving you." I reply, zipping my bag before raising my gaze to meet his. He clenches his jaw and moves to the door, opening it for me. I pick up my bag and my backpack, pressing my tongue against my bottom teeth to stop myself from tearing up.
"If you walk out of here, you are dead to me." He states. I nod my head and purse my lips, turning my head to look at him.
"Goodbye, Harry." I reply, shutting the door as I step out of the hotel room. 

 

Chapter 4: Epilogue

(3rd Person POV)
Time seemed to pass more slowly than ever. For weeks on end now, his days have merged into one enormous mess.
His fingers fiddle with the pen in his hand. He cannot remember the last time he let it down; it is her gift, the only thing that’s left of her. And now the ink is running out. He knows that such an expensive pen must have refills, but he doesn’t want to change a single thing about the Italian, silver pen with his initials on the carved clip. He wants to keep it as is, to remind him of the woman who gifted it to him.

He runs his fingers over the scruff on his face, reclining back to his chair. He doesn’t remember when he had his last shaving, his last proper bath, his last 8-hour sleep.

It was summer when he last saw her, and now leaves have turned orange. The last time he saw her was in that Inn in Rome, the night he treated her like she was trash, and then she left. She left without telling anyone anything, even leaving her luggage in their original hotel room.

He tried to, he really did try to move on. He looked for other women, went on a few meetings with girls he talked to on Seeking Arrangement, but no one came close to her. The first time he met (Y/N), he felt peaceful, like he wasn’t forcing himself to see her. And his latest meetings with women could only be described as agonizing.

He gave up after a while, started looking for her. He had Vinny stalk her apartment until he saw her. The driver had clear instructions to not leave her street for even a minute, but when (Y/N) saw him on Day 3 -the first time she left her apartment- she called the police.

Harry searched for her on the site but stumbled upon the fact she had deactivated her account. He even made someone else on the site look her up, hoping she had just blocked him, but his friend had the same fate.

He mustered enough courage to go to her place himself, however, he found the apartment occupied by a new tenant who had no idea who (Y/N) was or when she left.

His very last hope of finding her himself was his friend Paul; as her employer, he had to know where she was living. His effort was futile, his friend only informed him that she never actually started working for him and that the last he heard of her was when he received an email, thanking him for the opportunity but declining it. Harry then asked him when that happened, finding out it was the very night she left him.

And now he is waiting for the Private Investigator to walk into his office with the latest news of his investigation. He told him to look everywhere for her, that he would pay triple his rate if he told him precisely where (Y/N) is.

 

 

 

(Y/N) is mindlessly narrating the history of the exhibit to the group of middle school students walking behind her; she has learned the paragraphs by heart at this point, it is part of her routine now. The students seem way less interested than the man who lurks in the background, waiting for the tour to be over already so he can have a chance to talk to her already. His heart has been beating out of his chest the closer they get to the ending of the tour. He listens to her talk, letting her voice fill his ears after nearly 3 months of radio silence.

(Y/N) greets off the students who scatter outside the museum. She doesn’t blame them for not showing the same interest she did their age. This is the only museum in close proximity to their schools, so they have probably been here a hundred times already.

She walks to the front desk, checking the list of reservations. On a weekday, she knows not to expect too many guests.

“Excuse me.” She hears someone trying to get her attention. She raises her head, finding Harry looking at her. She just stares at him in shock, noticing how rough he looks. She doesn’t pity him, not a bit; she was in a far worse state than he could ever be.

“Can we talk?” He asks her.

“What do you want?” She asks him back. She is looking around for her supervisors, making sure they are not around here.

“I have been looking for you. I just want to talk with you.” He states, feeling his lugs collapsing as he tries to catch his breath. This is far more anxiety-provoking than he thought it would be.

“I am working here.”

“Can you take a lunch break? I’d like to take you somewhere for a bite.”

“No. I’ve already taken my break. And I don’t want to be alone with you. I don’t even want to see you. You have to leave.” She is looking away from him, trying to avoid his hurt gaze. He sighs and sniffles, digging his nails into his palms.

“I am trying. I am really trying, (Y/N). Can’t you see that? Can’t you see that I am sorry?” He asks her, his voice breaking as a sense of righteousness takes over him, clogging his throat.

“What are you sorry for? You were absolutely right. I am nothing. You can buy anyone you want to take my place. Go buy yourself a new toy and leave me alone. I am nothing to you. You said that, and you were right. I was nothing, I was nothing when I was with you. So, fuck out of here and try to find someone else to bother and mistreat. You don’t own me. Leave.” She raises her voice, making Harry look at her in shock.

“No, no… I was wrong, I was stupid. You are everything. Please, (Y/N). I miss you. I miss who I was when I was with you. Please, let me make things right. I am miserable from the day you left me. I have tried to find someone else to fill the void but no one is like you, no one is making me feel as good as you made me feel.” He begs her, almost pleading at her feet, but (Y/N) shakes her head.

“Please… This is just the Rose-Colored Glasses phenomenon. You think things were better, but once you sober down from the delusion, you will feel better, you will see you are wrong. Go home, Harry. Go back to New York. You will feel better in a few weeks.”

“(Y/N)…”

“Leave, Harry.” She says stubbornly.

Harry hesitates for a second before he lowers his head and sighs. His heart is to his knees, feeling like he is going to fall on the floor any second now. Despite that, he leaves the premises without turning to look at her; he knows if he does so, he is going to lose all dignity and beg for her to be his again.

(Y/N) watches him as he leaves, but only for a couple of seconds to make sure he is gone for good. Out of sight, out of mind, out of life. Right now she feels more powerful than ever before.

Sure, life is hard without Harry, and leaving New York was difficult, and felt like she was sacrificing too much to get away from him, but right now she feels as if she gained back her self-respect. She will manage just fine without him like she did all these years before meeting him.

She picks up the list of people visiting for a tour today, crossing off Williamsburg Middle School.

 

Chapter 5: Part 5: New York

Summary:

Ever since leaving New York months ago, (Y/N) has been sulking in a city in the middle of nowhere, far from what she used to call home. Now, she has to go back to New York, for her best friend's wedding.

Notes:

(Words: 4k) (Angst, a bit Bitter-Sweet)

“I still cannot believe you are getting married next weekend.” I say to my friend Chrissy over the phone as I unlock the door to my apartment. I step out of my shoes, leave my purse on the console by the door, and hang my coat on the coat rack hanging on my door.
“I know. I barely had time to even process it myself. You are sure you are going to make it for the bachelorette’s on Thursday?” She asks me and I hum in agreement.
“Worst case scenario, I land Thursday evening. I leave my bags in my hotel room and I come straight to the party.”
“Do you know how much I have missed you?” She sighs and I smile to myself.
“You are going to see my pretty face in a couple of days. Are you ready for the big day?” I ask, earning a sarcastic chuckle from her.
“In all honesty, Timothy seems more ready than I do.”
“It is still unbelievable that you are marrying the waiter from that one night out.”
“Who would have thought, right?” She giggles.
“Well, no one. But we are all certainly way too happy for the two of you. You both deserve happiness.” I coo and she sighs.
“Don’t get me crying today. I have just had my lashes lifted.”
“We better hang up then. I have quite the emotional comments to make.”
“Go then. Maybe you will finally pack your bag for the trip…”
“I am leaving in 6 days. I have more than plenty of time to get my bags ready.”
“I swear to God, (Y/N)… If you leave things for the very last minute, I am flying over to gut you.”
“Oi, that’s kinda harsh, isn’t it?” I ask and she snores.
“I think it is a pretty fair punishment. I am hanging up. Talk to you later?”
“Sure. Give Timothy my best.” I press the end icon, throwing my phone on my couch as I begin undressing. 

Working at the museum becomes more of a routine than an excitement nowadays. I do the same things, I give the same tour, I see the same faces almost every day. And the restriction of living in a small town doesn’t leave me with many options to fill my days. It is unfair that I had to leave New York while he is still there, living his life, as usual, dating whoever he wants to. Nothing changed for him after I left, but I cannot say the same about me. I had to leave, I had to disappear since I knew from the very first moment he would want me back.
Not because he loved me, but because he saw me as a possession.
But even leaving was futile; flesh and bones, I saw him before me, not too long after I was gone. I knew the day would come, I was prepared for it; it is not like I had left the country and erased my prior existence. If I am honest, I expected him to put more of a fight, and I don’t know how I feel about the fact he didn’t. Maybe that’s how much I meant for him. But of course, I knew that, from that night in Rome, when he showed me how dispensable I was to him. Almost a year after and I am still hurting over it. 

I put my pajamas on and walk towards the little fishbowl I have on the little counter by my kitchen. I drop a couple of fish food flakes in the bowl, making the goldfish swim fast towards the floating pieces.
“Eat up, Harry.” I cheer, tapping the glass softly. 

 

“When was the last time you flirted?” Chrissy asks and I shrug.
“I don’t even remember anymore.” I shout, trying to be heard over the loud music of the night club we ended up after what was supposed to be a calm sushi dinner with the gals.
“I figured. That dude has been eyeing you for more than an hour. Haven’t you noticed?” She asks.
“He seems creepy. An hour is definitely too long to be staring at someone.” I brush it off, ignoring her eye roll.
“Am I missing something? Are you dating someone back in that village you are staying in?” She asks me.
“It is not a village. And no, I am not dating anyone, nor I wish to.” I sigh, sitting back and taking a sip from my gin and lemonade.
“Are you saying you are done dating?” She asks, knitting her eyebrows together.
“Yes. I am done. If it happens, it happens. But I am done, done done…” I reply. “Girl… You are not even in your mid-20s, you are hot as the sun and you can have whoever you want. You cannot possibly be thinking of not dating anymore.”
“I am. I don’t need the drama of it, the pressure, the expectations. I want for once for things to happen naturally. And if I am supposed to be with someone, I want it to occur naturally. So, until it is, I am done.” I explain. She sits back, takes off the cheap bachelorette crown, and leans her head against my shoulder.
“Does this decision have anything to do with Harry?” She asks, hesitant to let it out completely. I stay silent, looking at my fidgeting fingers.
“No need to answer that. I can tell.” She sighs deeply, making me huff.
“Men, right?” I chuckle.
“You are barking at the wrong tree, love. I am so smitten with mine, I am actually marrying him.” She teases and I shake my head.
“Look at you, settling down. And I thought I would never see the day…” 

 

Chrissy and Timothy could not have picked a more perfect day to get married than today. The sun is up high in the sky, minimal clouds, and a beautiful breeze, all coming together to mark this beautiful wedding in the park. Not the Central, of course, but this small, cozy park, in a quiet suburb of New York is the perfect place.
I have been walking through the crowd of invitees, mostly seeing past classmates, chatting away and lying about my life away from New York, and the reasons why I rejected the city. Most of my past classmates seem to have brought a plus one, all of them asking whether or not I am here alone today. Even if I wanted to ignore the pitiful glares, I couldn’t. I walk to my seat, waiting for Chrissy to finally finish getting ready, and walk down the aisle. I cannot wait for the ceremony part to be over and for the party to begin at the little venue nearby. I want to drink and dance and not have a single care while I enjoy the part my friend is the most excited about; Chrissy made it crystal clear that she couldn’t care less about the wedding ceremony, which was more of a thing for their parents than themselves.
But the party… Oh, the party she promised to be fabulous, in true Chrissy nature. I look around me, trying to spot any person for whom I have even the slightest interest in hearing about their post-graduation life, but it seems as if only the bores are attending the ceremony. Chrissy told me that most of our common friends will be attending only the party.
And then my eyes land on him, sitting on his chair, looking around as well. I try to turn my gaze away, but I can’t, and soon I catch his eye. We both stare at each other, in pure shock. He looks more refined than the last time, his hair now shorter and his face sharper. He stands up, making his way towards me. Shit, fuck…. Fuck. I have to get out of here, but I cannot move a single muscle. And he is getting closer and closer with each breath I draw. I swallow the knot in my throat, prepping myself for the unavoidable. He stands before me, looking at me and gulping. He seems scared, far less confident than I am used to him being. And I can bet anything that I look just as scared as he seems to me. I feel no ounce of warmth inside me, cold filling me. 

“I am not here to startle you.” He clarifies. He keeps a respectful distance but makes sure no one is hearing us.
“Then? Why are you here?” I ask, closing my eyes to ground myself and keep my calm.
“Chrissy invited me. She says you would only go to the party. So I thought I wouldn’t bump into you.” He replies. I shake my head in confusion, trying to understand what he is saying.
“Why Chrissy invited you? How the fuck does Chrissy know you?” I ask, pressing my hand on my forehead.
“I can see that I am upsetting you. This is not the reason why I am here. So, I should go back to my seat. Maybe… Maybe you would like to grab a drink with me after the wedding party.” He offers.
“What I would like is not to lay my eyes on you after the ceremony.” I say, standing up to walk away. 

 He doesn’t follow me, he doesn’t call after me, and that is great right now. I never thought I would make a scene on my friend’s wedding day, but I must address it now. I walk to the tent Chrissy is getting ready, walking inside without a care. She is already dressed, so she is simply taking pictures with her family.
“Can I please have a moment?” I ask as calmly as I can.
“(Y/N), dear… Can’t it wait for after the ceremony?” Chrissy’s mother asks me. I stare at Chrissy who nods in understanding.
“Mom. Give us a moment.” Chrissy says calmly, taking a seat carefully not to crease her wedding dress. Her family scatters out of the tent, leaving me and Chrissy staring at each other.
“When were you going to tell me he was going to be here?” I ask her.
“I hoped I wouldn’t have. I hoped you wouldn’t see him today.” She replies.
“Why did you invite him here?”
“You have to understand.”
“I have to understand what? You know how he treated me. You were the only person you knew and now I find out that you have been hanging out with him, to the point of inviting him to your wedding…” I have been trying my hardest not to snap, but by this point this effort is futile.
“After you disappeared in the middle of the night…”
“I did not disappear in the middle of the night… What are you talking about?”
“I don’t think you have the correct memory of how you left New York. You called me from Rome, crying. You told me to go to your apartment, start packing. You didn’t let me ask you anything. Then you arrived in New York, and within 2 days you were gone. I tried asking you what was happening, where you were going, but you told me you had to leave New York. You called me a month later, told me you were alright, you were living in a city in God knows what state. All you told me was that I cannot tell anyone where you are. I was scared, I thought you were in trouble. Then Harry showed up at my door, he was looking for you. He told me what happened in Rome, all of it, how he made you feel worthless, how you left with your pride and your head held high. And I was proud of you for doing that. And I was mad at him for doing that to you. I kicked him out of my house, chose not to tell you about it, since I knew it would upset you, worry you. He left me alone, then he showed up again once fall has taken over summer. He was worried, deeply worried, I could read that on his face. So we started hanging out. I never told him where you were, just that I knew you were fine. He was sorry, he still is. And we bonded over the fact we both missed you. Timothy understood that, and Harry never tried anything funny with me, because he has never, ever stopped loving you.”
“He doesn’t love me, Chrissy.”
“Oh, but he does. I know he didn’t treat you right, I know your relationship with him was not the one you deserved, but he loves you. When he told me he had tracked you down and that he was visiting you, I was scared. I tried to tell him that this visit might upset you and that you might disappear again. And he told me about the days and nights he had spent wondering whether or not he should visit you. He knew he wouldn’t get you back, he was aware. And he knew that you didn’t want to see him. But he wanted to try, because what if… He was satisfied knowing you were alright, you were safe, but he ached to see you one more time. He came back, told me what happened when he visited you, how you spoke to him, and how you looked in pain. And I knew you were lying all this time, that you weren’t alright.”
“I was alright. I am alright.” I protest.
“For Christ’s sake, (Y/N), stop playing this farce. You are far from alright. You are all but alright. You told me you don’t want to date again, you told me you weren’t interested in involving yourself with the dramatics of dating. Reflect on that. Ask yourself why.”
“Are you suggesting I go back to Harry? After everything he did?”
“I think this is called projection. You attribute your thoughts to me, to disown them. Of course, I am not suggesting you go back to dating Harry after everything he did. He didn’t treat you right. You didn’t deserve that behavior. I am saying that you are not alright and you need to deal with it.” She says, reaching to stroke my shoulder.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I understand if you want to leave the wedding. I will not hold that against you.” She adds. I stay quiet, blinking before getting up and walking out of the tent.
“(Y/N)…” Chrissy calls as I push the fabric to open the tent.
“What?” I ask, turning to look at her.
“People change. And they deserve a chance to show you.” She smiles at me. I leave the tent without a word, walking fast back to my seat. 

 

 I haven’t slept since the wedding. Chrissy’s words and the void inside me keeping my thoughts active even in the deepest of the night. I was supposed to leave yesterday evening, but I don’t feel like leaving yet. I called work, told them I would have to stay in New York until Tuesday. They sounded understanding, which is a relief.
It is like muscle memory took me to the building Harry’s office is at. I am hesitant to walk up to the lobby of the building, but I know I have to. I owe it myself to finally be alright. So, I take the steps and walk to the lobby, stopping and waiting until the lady notices.
“Good morning. Can I help you?” She asks.
“Good morning. I am here for Mr. Styles.” I state.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I am afraid. I am a… friend of his. (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Can you let him know I am here to see him?” I ask.
“I am afraid not. Mr. Styles only accepts people by appointment. It is the protocol. If you are a friend of his, you can call his number and request to be booked.”
“I am leaving tomorrow and I am afraid booking an appointment is going to take long. Can you please call him and tell him (Y/N) is here to see him?” I ask.
“I have already told you no. Please, do not make me call security.” The lady says, staring down at me.
“Ms. (Y/L/N)?” I hear someone call. I turn my attention to the source of the sound. I find Vinny, looking at me in surprise.
“Hello, Vincent. How are you?” I ask him, smiling at the driver who I haven’t seen for the longest.
“I am fine. It is so good to see you again. How are you? What are you doing here?” He asks me.
“I was hoping to see Mr. Styles before leaving, but I am afraid I cannot without an appointment.”
“This is nonsense. Please, come with me.” He gestures for me to follow him. The lady behind the front desk sighs as we walk away towards the elevator. Inside, Vinny punches in the floor number and the doors shut. 

“I am sorry about the last time we saw each other.” I apologize and he brushes it off. 
“No need to, Ms. (Y/N). I understand.” He assures me. “How have you been?” He asks, breaking the silence after a few seconds.
“I really don’t know how to answer that, Vinny.” I mumble.
“I am sorry, Ms. (Y/N).”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” The elevator finally reaches the floor and we walk out of it in silence. Vinny walks past Harry’s secretary, opening the door to Harry’s office and signaling me to stay outside. I wait, with my back turned to the secretary, but feeling her gaze on me. 

Vinny opens the door again in less than 20 seconds, keeping it open until I walk in. Harry looks shocked, standing up from his chair as Vinny walks out and closes the door.
“You didn’t stay at the wedding.” I start.
“I left. I didn’t want to cause any trouble at Chrissy’s day, and I didn’t want to upset you more than I already had.” He replies.
“I don’t trust you.”
“I know, you have every right not to.”
“I don’t trust you to go out for a drink with you. But I can do coffee.” I reply.
“Of course. Would you like to order some, now?”
“I prefer going out. To the coffee shop in the corner. Neutral ground.” I state.
“Sure. Let me just grab my stuff.” He nods his head, moving to collect whatever he needs. We stay silent, Harry leading me out of the office before stopping in front of his secretary.
“If anyone asks for me, I am out of office. I don’t know what time I will be back.”
“You have a call with Mr. Greenham at 4.”
“If I am not here by then, tell him I will call him as soon as I can.” He replies, gesturing for me to walk ahead to the elevator. 

 Not a word is spoken until we find a table in the coffee shop, and we place our order.
“I am not going to keep you for long. I know your time is money and you have a lot to attend to.” I start and he shakes his head.
“You have all my time. We can stay here till tomorrow if you want to.”
“I have to go back to my hotel and pack my stuff. I am leaving tomorrow morning.” I reply.
“You are still living in Virginia?” He asks me, fidgeting with his fingers.
“Yes, that hasn’t changed.”
“I am sorry to say that, but that town, it seemed depressing.”
“It is. I never thought I would ever leave New York, so adjusting there is very hard.” I reply.
“Why did you leave?”
“Are you kidding me? I didn’t even have the time to go home from Rome and I found Vinny stalking me. I know you saw me as a possession, and you wouldn’t leave me alone. I had to leave.” I reply.
“I am sorry, (Y/N)… I know it might not mean much to you, but I am sorry.”
“Sorry means nothing if there isn’t change.”
“I have been seeing someone.” He states. I freeze, not knowing how to respond to what he said.
“That is great.”
“I mean a therapist. I have been seeing a therapist ever since the last time I saw you. I was hoping you were right, that missing you was just rose-colored glasses. And I started going to therapy for exactly that. Turns out, I had many issues to work through.” He explains.
“How are you feeling?”
“Guilty. I was horrible to you. And I was insecure. So, I treated you horribly in fear of losing you.”
“It is in the past now. I am glad you are working on your issues, Harry. Despite what happened, you deserve to be happy.” I reach to place my hand on top of his. He smiles tiredly, taking a mellow look as he looks at me.
“You were wrong, you know.”
“About what?”
“It wasn’t Rose-Colored Glasses. I still love you. It isn’t stubbornness or obsession or possessiveness. I love you. And I know I have no right to ask for your love, so, it is enough for me that you are happy, even if you are not around anymore.” He states, looking at me straight in the eye.
“So, I guess this is all we have to say. I should be going, let you go back to work.” I pick up my stuff and take my coffee in hand, getting ready to leave the cafe.
“Can I walk you back to your hotel?” He asks, standing up as well.
“Don’t you have to go back to your office?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“I don’t think I am going to head in any way. I will work from home the rest of the day.” He replies. I take a breath, my mind telling me to reject his offer, but my heart is beating out of my chest for more time with him.
“Sure then.” 

“I have to admit, I have missed Vinny. It was great seeing him today.”
“He was very excited when he told me you were at my office to see me. I think he has missed you too.” He chuckles.
“He is still your driver?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“Vinny is more like my bodyguard. He is not just a driver. And now he is more of my assistant, I guess. I don’t even know anymore. He is my most valuable partner if I am honest.” He explains.
“You know, if it wasn’t for Vinny, the lady in the lobby would never let me get up to your office.”
“Really?”
“Yes, she said I needed an appointment. I explained I didn’t have the luxury and that I was leaving tomorrow. And she insisted on the appointment. She was about to call security when Vinny saw me and took me up.” I explain and he huffs.
“Stupid protocol, I am sorry.”
“It is fine. Vinny saved the day.”
“I am really glad I saw you today. I am really glad we talked.”
“I am glad we did too.” I smile at him. I honestly enjoyed my time with him.
“Next time you are in New York, feel free to drop by anytime you want. I will make sure your name is on the list of free passes.” He states.
“I don’t know if I will come soon again. I was here for Chrissy’s wedding. I don’t think I have more reasons to come here, at least for now.” I reply.
“No matter when, even if it is in a week from now, if it is a month, a year, a decade, I don’t care. Next time, you walk right in.” He smiles.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Harry. I am staying in the hotel across the street. So, I guess this is goodbye.”
“Goodbye, (Y/N). Take care of yourself.”
“You too.” I give him a small smile, before turning to cross the street. 

If I had a saying in how things go now, I would have him run on the street, spin me around by my wrist and kiss me in the middle of the busy New York road.
But of course, I don’t have a saying, and he would never chase after me.
I believe him, what he said about loving me much to be satisfied with me being alright, even away from him. I do believe him.
If only I was alright away from him. 

 

Chapter 6: Part 6: New York, Upper East Side

Summary:

(Y/N) has to go back to Arlington after Chrissy's wedding. But something draws her to stay back in New York.

Notes:

(Words: 3.6k) (Smut / Penetrative Sex / Unprotected Sex)

My bags are packed and I am waiting for the taxi to arrive and take me to the airport. It is the deepest sorrow that I have to leave New York, that I have to leave Chrissy... That I have to leave Harry. Another night that I couldn't sleep, this time because Harry's words were stinging my heart. I wished he would show up at the hotel, he would ask for me and tell me to stay. But he didn't. And all I could do was replay the moment he told me he loves me in my head. It felt nice, finally hearing him say he loves me, while he looked into my eyes.

I leave my luggage to the taxi driver to put them in the trunk while I slide on my seat and chew on my bottom lip. The man takes his seat behind the wheel and starts the ride meter.
"Can we change the destination?" I ask and the man nods.
"Of course, ma'am."

I walk up to the lobby again, stopping before the lady while dragging my luggage behind me.
"I am here for Mr. Styles. I do not have an appointment, but I believe you have my name on the free pass list." I tell the lady.
"Would you like me to call the secretary and announce you?" She asks.
"No."
"Very well. I am sure you are aware of Mr. Styles's floor." She smiles, gesturing for me to move ahead.
I tapped my foot against the floor of the elevator the whole ride up. I am jittery, nervous about what I am about to do, but I am already here and have nothing to lose. Well, except maybe a flight...
I only focus on listening to the wheels of my luggage squealing, trying to gain some courage as I barge into his office.
"(Y/N)?" I hear his voice call in question.
"I am sorry Mr. Styles, I didn't manage to stop her." The secretary says, rushing inside right after me.
"It is alright. Leave us alone." He turns to me right after the woman leaves.

"I am not alright. I am not happy." I declare, making him look at me in confusion.
"What? I am sorry, I don't follow." He walks closer to me.
"You said you love me enough to be satisfied with the fact I am happy even if I am away from you. I am not happy, Harry. And I am far from the alright I pretend to be."
"I am sorry, (Y/N). I know I have hurt you beyond words."
"I am about to leave for Arlington. A city which by the way, I hate. I have nothing holding me here, nothing holding me there but a miserable job and a crappy apartment." I feel tears welling up in my eyes as Harry seems to become petrified.
"Ask me to stay." I demand. Harry opens his mouth, but he just stutters.
"Will you stay if I ask?" He asks me and I shrug.
"You have nothing to lose. Ask me to stay."
"Don't leave me. Don't leave me again. Please. Stay. Stay and I promise I will never hurt you again. Stay, my love." He begs, taking my hands in his. I burst into tears, burying my head in his chest as he holds me in his arms.
He grabs my face, cradling it in his palms before he kisses me. I lean in completely, holding my breath as I realize that he has never kissed me like that before.
"Don't screw us up this time. I am begging you."
"I will not. I will not, my love." He promises, pulling me for a kiss again.

We kiss until I am out of breath and as he pulls away, heaving for air as I am found hitched on top of his desk.
"I have missed you more than I can describe." He sighs. I wipe my tears away from my cheeks, looking at Harry who has the biggest smile on his face.
"Can you lock this door?" I ask, pointing at it.
He moves ahead, quickly locking the door as I take off my blouse.
"You will have to be very quiet." He points out, unbuttoning his shirt.
"I can't make any promises." I pull him closer to me once he is in proximity.
Quickly he kisses my lips, then moves down my neck and chest, while he undoes my jeans in a hastily way.
He picks me up, carries me to the couch while he kisses my neck. I undo his pants as he lays me softly on the couch, wasting no time to free his cock. He takes my jeans off, dropping them behind the couch before pushing my panties aside and lining up to my entrance. He pushes inside me slowly, making me whimper as I feel him inch by inch.
It has been more than a year since I have felt him, so it takes me a moment to adjust to him.
"Fuck me, you feel so good around me." He groans, placing his thumb on my chin to steady my head and plant a kiss on my lips. He moves carefully, kissing me deeply as he does, to ease the feeling.
"Harry..." I groan, parting from the kiss to tilt my head back.
"What, baby?" He asks, moving his lips to the spot below my ear.
"Faster." I wrap my legs around his waist, hitching him closer to me. I have to press my hand against my mouth to stop from making noises; I know his office is not sufficiently soundproofed, so anything louder than my whimpering, is going to raise some suspicion.
"I've missed you..." He groans, bringing his lips to my neck. He sinks his teeth onto my sweetspot, moving his hips faster on mine, as his lips mark me up.
"Don't talk..." I demand, driving my hand up to mess with his hair. It is still silky soft, still inviting me to tangle my fingers into it.
Harry chuckles, giving me a hard thrust, before resting his hips on mine, letting me feel his pulsing cock. I have to bite my bottom lip as hard as I have never had before, the pleasure becoming impossible to handle in silence by this point.
My foot presses his hip, in an effort to remind him I still need him to move, I still want him to fuck me till I cum around him.
"Fuck me, please... Please, just move inside me, touch me... Something, anything. Please. I need you." I beg, my voice barely a whisper. Harry stares at me, his green eyes studying my face with care, taking in the details, even the tiniest ones.
"I have missed hearing you beg for me..." He replies, stroking his thumb over my cheek.
My effort to protest is cut off by Harry picking up thrusting again, changing the pace he drives his cock in and out of me. I know we have to be quick, I know that any minute now, someone could knock on the door and put a halt to what we are doing. And the thrill is driving me insane.
I feel my core tingling with excitement, my stomach numbing for a second before it fills with pins and needles.
"If I could, I would send everyone home and take you on top of the table in the conference room. I would have you fully naked, so I could take a look at your body, that body I have missed so much. Tell me you are not leaving... Tell me this is not the last chance. Tell me I will get to see your pretty face again." This round, he is the one to beg, looking deeply into my eyes to find my honest answer. The need in his voice drives me over the edge. My eyes shut and arch my back, letting out a soft moan before I bury my face in the back of the couch.
"Oh, fuck me, princess... Look at you." He groans, slowing down as I begin pulsing more around him.
"Are you still on birth control?" He asks me, breathing heavily. All I can do is nod, still trying to sink in my high.
"Good, because you feel so good, I would hate to have to pull out." He kisses my neck as he buries his face in the nook of it, groaning as he pursues his own orgasm.
"I can't... I can't take it anymore." I cry, squirming as he is still pushing his cock deep inside me.
"Just a couple more seconds... Please, baby. You feel so good..." He gasps, putting his energy into the final thrusts, before coming undone inside me. I am a mess, panting and feeling sweat stick on my skin, and Harry does not look any different than me.

"I am not leaving..." I whisper, stroking his hair softly.
"What, love?" He asks, bringing his face away from my neck so he can take a look at me.
"A few minutes ago, you begged me to tell you I am not going to leave. I am not leaving, Harry. There are a lot of things that need to be done, but I want to stay." I explain. He smiles softly at me, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles.
"What things?" He asks, whispering as if we are hiding.
"I need to quit my job, find a place to stay, find another job here, get my stuff from my house in Virginia, find a way to bring Harry over..."
"Harry?" He asks in confusion.
"My goldfish. There are a lot of things that need to be done, this was really a last-minute decision." I sigh.
"I am sure Paul will be more than happy to make you a re-offer..." He adds.
"No. Harry, no. If we are going to do this, if you want us to be together, you have to promise me you will not meddle with my life. We are not going back to you being my sugar daddy. You are not going to pull any strings for me. What I do, I will have to do alone, standing at my own two feet. Promise?" I demand and he sighs.
"But if I can help..."
"Promise?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"Ok, ok... Fine. But at least come stay with me until you figure it all out. You will be my guest, I will even give you your own room if you are more comfortable like that." He suggests and I shake my head at him.
"Only until I figure it out. And I don't mind sharing a bed with you, Harry. Thank you for trying to make me more comfortable, though." I kiss the tip of his nose, before moving to put my jeans back on.
"Why are getting dressed?" He asks, wrapping his fingers around my wrist.
"I cannot stay naked in your office. What if someone tries to walk in?" I ask and he scoffs at me.
"The door is locked." He reminds me.
"And why is it locked?"
"Because we were... Oh..."
"Yeah. Better safe than sorry. I suggest you fix your clothes too." I reply, ruffling his hair.

 

"I can call Vinny and ask him to take you to my place. So you don't have to stay waiting." Harry suggests as I take a seat on the armchair before his desk, arching my back to crack it. I cross my legs on top of each other, taking a good look at his office. Nothing seems to have changed since the last time I had been here. Only a painting hanging on the wall is what looks different, though very familiar.
"It would be weird to be all alone the first time at your place." I reply, making Harry look at me with furrowed eyebrows and confusion written on his face.
"What are you talking about? You have been to my place before." He takes his seat on his office chair.
"No, I haven't." I chuckle.
"Yes, you have. I am sure of it." He insists, and I sigh, shaking my head.
"No, I haven't. We used to meet at the Plaza and sometimes at my place. I have never been to your place." I explain and he sighs, closing his eyes before he responds.
"It still strikes me how big of an asshole I was... I am sorry." He apologizes; he has taken his most sincere voice, the one that shows how honest he is, how vulnerable. And that's how I know his guards are down.
"Not the worse thing you have done to me. And I have forgiven you for all the worse." I assure him, smiling at him.
"Would you like some coffee? Maybe tea?" He asks me, changing the subject.
"Tea would be lovely." I reply.
"Could you please bring in a tea tray for two?" Harry asks after pressing a button.
"Right away, sir." His secretary replies cheerfully.
"Tea tray?" I ask and he nods.
"I am a bit hungry, aren't you?" He asks me with a smirk. I roll my eyes playfully, getting up to pick my laptop from my carry-on.
"Do you mind if I send an email?" I ask and Harry shakes his head. He opens his drawer, digging around a little before he finds what he is looking for.
"This is the wifi password for my office. Only I use it, so the signal is great." He explains, letting the piece of paper on his desk and tapping his fingers twice on it to make sure I have seen the little square.
"Thank you." I take my seat again, dragging the armchair closer to the desk to rest my laptop.
"May I ask what email you are going to send?" He asks out of curiosity.
"My resignation and recommendation to the museum." I reply, making Harry hum happily.
"Alright then. I will make sure I shut up and let you do your thing." He announces, opening his laptop as well.

It only takes me 15 minutes to compose the email; I have done this before, the only difference being that I never worked at the last place I resigned from.
"You know what I have noticed?" I ask Harry, catching his attention. The only interruption of silence has been his secretary bringing the tray in.
"What?" He asks me back, shifting his attention to me.
"You bought the painting. From Paul's gallery." I point to the painting with the bold sapphire blue strokes. Harry smiles, standing up from his chair. He picks up the kettle which has been resting on top of an electric warmer to keep it at temperature and pours us a cup each.
"You loved it that day. I wanted it because of that. When you were gone it reminded me of you." He replies, passing me my cup. He sits on the edge of his desk, raising his cup at me. I watch him take his first sip, even holding up his pinky in the most cinematic stereotype I have seen before my eyes.
"Why are you giggling?" He asks me, making me cover my face with my hands.
"I am so sorry. You look like a fucking royalty holding your little finger up." I state and he looks at me confused.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"I don't know. You look like you have watched one of those old TV series and you are mimicking tea taking to seem fancy." I explain, sipping a small sip from my tea. Harry clears his throat and licks his lips softly with a smile.
"You know I am British, right?" He asks. I choke on my sip, reaching to leave the cup on the desk.
"Oh, God. Are you ok?" Harry approaches me, placing a hand on my back, rubbing it in a slow circle to soothe me.
"What do you mean you are British?" I ask, raising my gaze at him.
"I thought I had told you. I came here in my early 20s. My family still lives in the UK. You haven't noticed the accent?" He asks me and I shake my head no.
"I am not good at picking accents. And you never told me. I thought you are running a family business here." I state and he nods.
"Yeah, my uncle has some, I started some, purchased some. I thought I told you that."
"It is like meeting you for the first time." I shake my head and he shrugs.
"That's a good thing. Like starting new." He replies, making me nod in agreement.
"You have to try one of those little sandwiches." Harry points at one of the plates on the tray before he leans in to plant a soft peck on my forehead.
"Do they always have fresh tea sandwiches laying around here in case you want to have tea or did some poor guy have to rush to buy some?" I ask, reaching for one.
"I always take tea here. I guess it reminds me of home." He replies. Kinda stereotypical, but still very cute.
"I had you more of a strong espresso kind of guy."
"Oh, princess. You still have many things to learn about me, don't you?" He smirks and I cock my eyebrow at him.

 

Harry politely took my luggage when we called it a day, earning some surprised stares from the employees who are still working.
Vinny has been waiting at the front of the big underground parking, having parked the car Harry uses right at the door.
"Good evening, Vinny." Harry cheers.
"Good evening Mr. Styles, Ms. (Y/L/N)."
"We are heading to the pend house." Harry passes the luggage.
"Are we dropping Ms. (Y/N) somewhere?" The man asks.
"Ms. (Y/N) will be staying with me. At least for the next couple of weeks." Harry explains. Vinny smiles at me, taking the luggage to place it in the trunk. Harry opens the door for me, letting me get in first. He follows next, shutting the door and buckling his seat belt.
"I am going to cook for you while you settle in. Any preferences?" He asks me and I shrug.
"Whatever is your best recipe." I reply. Instinctively, I scoot closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder and buckling myself in on the middle seat. Harry turns his head and presses a kiss on top of my head.
"I need a shower. And a nap. I feel spent even though I did nothing today."
"It was a very intense day, baby. When we get home, leave everything and go for a shower. I'll let you nap while I cook." He suggests and I hum.
"I might take up on that offer. I can barely keep my eyes open." I sigh.
"I can tell Vinny to take the shortcut."
"Yeah, that'd be nice."

The pad looks nothing like what I pictured for Harry, or at least the Harry I thought I knew. It is large, but the furniture gives it a cozy, familial aura.
"This is obviously the living room. Over there is the kitchen. I have the shelves and pantry stocked up once a week, so feel free to tell me if you need anything that isn't on the pantry and I will make sure you get it. There is a balcony outside the kitchen window, with a small heated pool. If you feel like having a dip, certainly do." Harry points out the things he is narrating. He motions me to follow him, guiding me further into the pad.
"This is my study. I have a small library if you'd like to check it out. Feel free to use the room for everything you have to arrange. There is the guest bathroom. I assure you the master bathroom is so much better. The guest bedroom is over there, but you are not interested in that, are you?" He asks, hesitation dripping from his voice as he double checks.
"I couldn't care less about the guest room." I smile at him, connecting my arm with his.
"Then let's show you the bedroom." He replies, opening the door to the biggest room in the house.
"I will make sure you have room for your clothes now. That door leads to the closet, you can tidy up your clothes tomorrow. This one is for the bathroom, come on." He motions me to head first. The white-marbled floor and black-tiled walls make the room look like something out of Architectural Digest. There is a large shower cabin, big enough to fit at least 5 people in, and a smaller round bathtub, which looks welcoming enough for two. A long mirror runs along the smallest wall of the bathroom, with two sinks underneath it. Harry moves aside, opening a large dresser. He pulls out a fluffy white robe and a towel.
"I don't have hair towels, but I will make sure to get some tomorrow. You will have to settle for a body towel." Harry chuckles, putting the linen on my arms.
"It is ok. I could live in this bathroom. I think it is bigger than my apartment in Arlington." I look around me and Harry smiles.
"You take as much time as you need in the shower. I will make room in the closet and start cooking. When you finish with the shower, slip right into bed. I will wake you up when the food's ready. Here you will find washes et cetera. Take whatever you need." He opens a smaller cabinet, revealing a plethora of bottles and bars.
"Thank you."
"If you need anything, just shout." He presses a kiss on my forehead before he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. I look through the washes, trying to decide which ones I am using today.

I wrap my hair in the hand towel, fixing it tightly on my head so it doesn't fall off as I walk out of the bathroom. My luggage awaits me at the foot of the bed and I can hear Harry humming a tune from inside the closet as I reach to pick out a fresh pair of underwear.
I slip into my panties and a t-shirt before I climb onto the bed. Harry turns around as he hears the bed rattle, and I smile at him, fixing the duvet to get comfortable underneath it.
"You can join me, you know." I shout, making him chuckle.
"I have to make room here, and then cook. I might take you on your invitation tonight, tho." He replies, going back to making space in his closet.

 

Notes:

Ahhh... Don't you just love love?

Chapter 7: Part 7: Harry’s Apartment, Upper East Side, New York City

Summary:

Harry and (Y/N) have their first date.

Notes:

This is an NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable reading content like this one, please scroll through the chapters to find something you might like.
(Smut / Penetrative Sex / Cowgirl / Unprotected Sex)
(Words: 6.1k)

The bed seems to have swallowed me whole, my body feeling suffocated by the softness of the mattress and the duvet. I open my eyes, stretching my body until my back cracks. I sit up, looking around me confused by the plethora of light coming from the windows.
I hop off the bed, walking on the tip of my toes around the house as I am still trying to wake my body up.
The open space build of the house helps me remember a little better where the kitchen is. Harry is sitting on the island, sipping on his Americano while reading something on his iPad.
“What time is it?” I ask, knitting my eyebrows together.
“It is 8:30, good morning.” Harry is surprised to see me, leaving the device on the marble top.
“I have been asleep all that time?” I ask, blinking fast in shock.
“Mmm… I assume you rest well?” He asks me and I nod.
“Why didn’t you wake me up when dinner was ready?” I ask, climbing on top of a stool by Harry.
“I tried to. I really did. But you were so adorably asleep, I couldn’t bring myself to pull you out of your sleep.” He replies, stroking his thumb over my knuckles.
“What happened to the food you cooked?” I ask, making him chuckle.
“In the freezer, for a night I won’t have time to whip up even something quick.”
“I didn’t have you for the guy who would freeze leftovers.”
“Hey, I am a normal person.” He protests.
“No, you are not.”
“Why so?”
“You are rich. Rich people don’t eat leftovers…” I shrug and he chuckles.
“Well, it would be a waste to throw it away.”
“How did you sleep? I hope I didn’t hog all the covers…” I bite my lip. Harry smiles, leaning in to plant his lips on my forehead.
“I was waking up throughout the night. But other than that, it was great.” He replies, finishing the last bit of his coffee.
“Why were you waking up?” I ask him, leaning my head on my palm.
“I wanted to make sure I was not dreaming of you sleeping by my side.” He admits and I feel my heart skipping a bit.
“Oh, you are so corny…” I try to hide my fluster but Harry’s smirk tells me he already knows.
“I have to leave for the office. My housekeeper will be here at 10. If you’d like, she can make you breakfast. You get the house all to yourself until then. She leaves at 3, and I will get home at around 8, so you get to be unbothered for a while.”
“I will work a bit in your study if it is ok with you…” I ask and he nods at me, leaning in for a peck on my forehead.
“Use it for as long as you want. And if you need anything, just call me… Do you still have my number?” He asks me, making me clear my throat and wiggle in my seat uncomfortably.
“What?” He asks, looking at me in confusion.
“I deleted it.” I admit.
“Ow…”
“I mean… In the beginning, I was way too tempted to call you or text you. I had to.” I explain and he sighs.
“Ok. I will leave you my personal card. And you… You should put your new phone number in my phone.” He passes me his device, unlocking it for me.
“What makes you assume I changed my number?” I ask him, cocking an eyebrow at him.
“Oh, come on… I tried calling your old number a million times.” He replies, bopping my nose.
“Fair enough.” I mutter, punching in my contact on his phone.
“I have to go get dressed for work. Will you be ok by yourself?” He asks again.
“I will be absolutely fine by myself. Don’t worry.” I assure him, standing up and placing my hands on top of his chest. I lean in, pressing a kiss on his lips. He hums in satisfaction, bringing his arms to wrap around me, gluing my body on his by pulling me in by my waist. He deepens the kiss, making me giggle against his lips. His hand travels up from my waist to my face, his thumb stroking my cheek.

“I thought you were going to get dressed…” I moan as I pull away to take a breath and his lips land on my neck.
“I can take the day off… Please, let me stay…” He pleads, moving his lips to my sweetspot. The way he still remembers my body, even though intimacy was the shortest part of our relationship and even though it has been so long since…
“It will be the third day in the row you are not going to work normally. You have to go…” It is hard for me to turn him away, especially now that he is holding me like that.
“Oh, screw work. They can’t fire me… Come on, I need to be here…” He whines, making me bite my bottom lip.
“You have to go to work. And I have to arrange for my stuff to travel from Arlington, all the way here, without me traveling all the way there.” I say softly, letting my hand linger on his chest.
“We can send someone to Arlington if you want. I am sure Vinny will be happy to take care of it himself.” Harry suggests and I scoff.
“Work… Leave. And I will call a moving company for my stuff. And I also think I am going to call Chrissy. I should tell her about the changes.” I reply and he hums in surprise.
“You should. Chrissy will be happy to hear about the… changes.” He kisses the side of my face, his lips tickling my earlobe softly.
“I was such a bitch on her wedding day…”
“Chrissy loves you and she knows you were in a shock. You will be fine. You can even call her over tonight for dinner with Adrian if you’d like. Oh, shit, you can’t…”
“Why I cannot?” I ask, squinting at him.
“My gift to them was a week-long vacation to Punta Minta. They left yesterday.”
“You know, normal people gift coffee machines, or irons, or bedsheets… Not vacations.” I point out.
“Do you know me to be normal? Besides, I wanted to get them something nice.” He replies, and I shake my head at him.
“You have to leave for work. You are going to be late.” I give up, pulling away from him.
“Fine. You win. I will go get dressed.” He groans, picking up his phone.
I bite my top lip and move further into the kitchen, finding the state-of-the-art coffee machine to make myself some coffee.

Despite being in Harry’s house for the very first time, the place is oddly familiar, like I have been here my whole life. His home office is a classical one, fitting his status. The leather seat is comfortable enough to sit for hours, and the light coming from the window makes everything appear in perfect clarity.

Having arranged for my stuff to travel all the way to New York, and having finished informing my landlord about vacating the apartment, the only thing left for me on my to-do list is to call Chrissy. I would hate to interrupt her morning on a tropical beach, or lazily lying in bed with her lawfully wedded husband, but she is the only person I want to talk about my last couple of days with Harry. She is the one I trust to tell me if I am blindly in love walking into a situation that will hurt me again.

So, ignoring the rules of decency, I call her number, hoping international calls will go through.

I lean back against the leather armchair, the furniture reclining back to accommodate my posture. The line goes live in just a few seconds.
“Hello?” Chrissy asks, hesitantly. The number must be strange to her.
“Hi, Chrissy. It’s (Y/N).”
“(Y/N), oh my God. I tried calling you on your phone and at your place in Arlington but no answer. Are you ok? I thought you were mad at me.” Chrissy says. I can hear the faint sound of waves in the background of the call.
“I think my phone is dead since last night. A lot has happened in the past couple of days, honestly, my mind is all over the place. I am not mad at you, Chrissy. I am so sorry I was such a bitch on your wedding day. I feel horrible for causing a scene on such a big day.” I feel a tug at my heart, replaying the memory in my head. I was a horrible friend.
“You were taken aback. It is all forgiven. You said a lot has happened in the last few days. What’s going on? What’s this number?” She asks, understandably curious.
“It is Harry’s home. I went and saw him the other day. We had a talk. And I was about to leave town yesterday, but I couldn’t. I went to meet him again. And I don’t know, I guess we are together now. I decided to move back to New York, and start new. And I am staying at Harry’s until I find a job and a new place.” I explain and she gasps.
“(Y/N), baby. That is wonderful. How did that happen?” She asks.
“I think he has truly changed. He is working a lot on himself. And honestly, I am not as happy as I thought I was without him. I don’t know how and if this is going to work. But I want to be with him, I want to try.” I reply, waiting to hear her response.
“I know that I said it before, but I will say it again. People change, and Harry loves you. I have seen it with my own two eyes. He loves you enough to change.”
“I don’t know, Chrissy. But I want to try. Anyway, I would hate to pull you away from your honeymoon and from your husband… I am sure Adrian will hate me for taking you away from him.” I chuckle and she sighs.
“You know about Punta Minta?”
“Harry told me this morning… I hesitated to call you because of that.”
“You were so right to call me. I wanted a moment away from Adrian. He has been all over me…” She sighs.
“You are complaining? Since when you don’t want Adrian all over you?” I ask and she laughs.
“I am sore, all over. A small break is much needed.” She replies with a giggle.
“Save all the gory details for when you get back. I owe you a brunch.”
“I am going to hold you up to that. I can’t believe you are back in New York. And I can’t believe that you are going to be there when I get back…” She says with such love in her voice.
“You better believe this. I am going to be here. And we are going to be seeing each other almost every day again.” I assure her and she laughs.
“I should thank Harry for that. Anyway, I have to head back. I will call you tomorrow. I gotta learn how the sleepovers at Harry’s are going.”
“I will make sure to keep a journal of all the details.”
“You better. K, bye. Have fun.”
“You too. And make sure you make gorgeous babies while at it.” I tease her and she scoffs.
I rax my back, ending the call to Chrissy. She sounded very excited, more so than I thought she would be about the news. In all honesty, I am excited too about this. Harry has given me not a smidge of the impression we are going to get back to how we were. But then again, it has only been less than 24 hours since we chose to give this another try.

“Ms. (Y/L/N)?” There is a soft knock on the door of the home office, making me raise my gaze from my laptop. There is a woman in her 40s, waiting by the door, holding a tray in her hands.
“Hello?” I ask, confused by the stranger before me, who I assume is Harry’s housekeeper.
“I am Lita, Mr. Styles’s housekeeper.” She introduces herself, walking further in.
“Oh, hello. I am (Y/N)… Mr. Styles is hosting me for a few days.” I get up from my chair to help her with the tray.
“I know, Mr. Styles informed me about you. He also requested I fix you some tea.” She presents the teapot and the light little sandwiches and pastries on the fine plates. I chuckle, remembering how big a deal his tea taking is.
“Thank you, you are so kind.” I say.
“Vinny is here for you as well. He is waiting outside. Are you available?” She asks and I have to muffle myself not to laugh. As if I had anything else to do.
“Of course. You don’t have to ask me…” I reply, picking up the little cup.
“I will send Vinny in. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to call me.” She smiles politely before leaving.
It is all too formal for me, the housekeeper treats me as if I am the lady of the house, which makes me feel flustered.

“Good morning, Ms. (Y/N)… How are you today?” Vinny walks into the study, yielding in hand what I assume is a bouquet of all the pink roses in New York City.
“Hello, Vinny. I am very fine. How are you?” I ask the man, offering him a seat on one of the study’s armchairs.
“I am very glad you are well, Ms. (Y/N). If you need anything, do not hesitate to give me a call. I can take care of anything you need for a comfortable stay.”
“Everyone is so accomodating, I feel like royalty. Would you like some tea? Lita has made plenty for one person.” I offer but he shakes his head no.
“I am here to bring you these. Mr. Styles wanted me to personally make sure they are here as soon as possible.” He replies, passing me the huge synthesis of roses.
“Those are lovely. Thank you for bringing them.” I take a whiff, trying not to fall over by the weight of the flowers.
“You are welcome. Mr. Styles also sends this.” He adds, taking a small envelope out of his breast pocket.
“Thank you, Vinny. Can I open it now?” I ask and he nods, getting up.
“I will give you some privacy. And inform Lita about needing some vases for the flowers. It is great seeing you here, (Y/N).” He greets me off.
“It is great seeing you as well, Vinny. Thank you for these. And for all the help.” I smile, opening the little envelope.

There is a little card, with Harry’s personal stationery logo on the bottom of it.
‘Hope the dream will continue. Dinner tonight?’

I chuckle and shake my head, picking up the phone and dialing his personal number.
“Harry Styles’s office. How can I help you?” I assume his assistant or secretary picked it up. I am sweating, not knowing how to appropriately ask for him.
“Good morning. Could I speak to Mr. Styles, please? I am (Y/N)… (Y/N) (Y/L/N), a friend of his.” I explain, fidgeting with the card in my hand.
“Hold for a second.” Waiting line music fills the void of sound and before I could even drag a breath, I am connected to Harry.
“Hi, sunshine. How is your day going?” He asks me, sounding cheerful.
“I already arranged for the moving company and called Chrissy. How is yours?” I ask back.
“Look at you getting shit done. I might have to hire you as my personal assistant.”
“How many assistants do you actually need, Mr. Styles?” I ask with a giggle.
“My last name sounds so hot when you say it like that…” He lowers his voice, making me sigh in accomplishment.
“I got the flowers. Is there a rose shortage in New York now?” I ask playfully.
“No… But that central flower place I got them from really is out of pink roses now.” He replies.
“They are lovely.”
“Did you get it? Rosé roses? Because you like rosé wine?” He asks. He sounds so cute, it makes me pout.
“Very thoughtful, Harry. But I don’t know if you have enough vases for all those flowers.” I state and he hums.
“If Lita sees we are short, she will call Vinny to pick some up.”
“You have everyone waiting for my every need, huh?”
“And ever more so than anyone else, I am ready to serve your every need.”
“Every need?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow even though he cannot see it.
“Name it and I’ll do it. Every single need.” He puts emphasis on the last words, making shivers run down my spine.
“I’d like to see you hold up to that.”
“Did you see the note?” He asks.
“Yes. Dinner tonight. Where?” I ask.
“Home. I thought I’d cook for you.”
“Hm, cause that went so well last night…” I tease.
“I have my hopes up for tonight. So, nap if you need at noon, 'cause I need you awake when I am done with cooking.”
“You are not pulling yesterday’s food out of the freezer?” I ask and he chuckles.
“I think you deserve a freshly cooked meal for our first date.”
“Is it our first date?”
“It is. I am actually nervous about it.”
“I better dress up, then. I don’t want to make a bad impression on our first date.”
“Even in sweats, you would look amazing.”
“Sweats it is, then.” I tease and he scoffs.
“You are going to be the death of me.”
“That’s the plan. But only after you put me on your will.” He laughs loudly, making me bite my tongue.
“I have to go back to work. But save your funny jokes for dinner.”
“I will make sure to prepare a full set of them. Bye. Have fun at work.” I hang up before he could reply. I am sure this could go on for an hour.

I pick up the flowers, struggling to balance myself with a hug full of roses.
“Hi, Lita… Could you please take care of all these flowers?” I ask the housekeeper, peeking behind the bouquet.
“Of course, Ms. (Y/N)… Hand them to me, I already have prepared some vases.” She replies, picking up the flowers off my hands.
“Would you like me to bring some in the study and put some in the bedroom?” She asks.
“Um, I am not sure. I wouldn’t want to mess with Mr. Styles’s space.” I reply, biting my bottom lip.
“Oh, Mr. Styles will not mind.” She brushes it off, walking to the kitchen.
“Let me at least help you with these.” I say, following her to the kitchen.
“It is ok, Ms. (Y/N). I can do this.” She assures me, undoing the bow of the bouquet and letting the flowers lay on the island before sorting them in the vases.

Harry stayed true to his word and came home at 8, practically shoving me away from the kitchen no matter my pleas to help him cook. And at 9:30, he announced that dinner is served and I made my way out of the bedroom.
“It smells amazing, whatever it is.” I comment as I make my way to the kitchen.
“Just some chicken curry with pita bread and jasmine rice, nothing too fancy… Wow, you look great.” He compliments me, popping the cork from a bottle of white wine.
“I know, I am way overdressed. But I packed enough clothes for 4 days, and the dress I was wearing at the wedding was the only one fitting for our first date.” I reply, taking a seat on the island.
“I am not even complaining. I didn’t have a chance to admire the dress as I should have at the wedding.” He scans me up and down, smirking at me.
“Well, feast your eyes upon it now… I am wearing it just for you.” I smile, picking up my fork.
Harry pours me some wine and then some for himself, before sitting before his plate.
“It looks delicious. I didn’t know you could cook.”
“I started after I went to therapy. It is a little grounding, it helps me reflect on my day, on my feelings. That’s why I’ve gained a bit of weight.” He comments.
“You look exactly the same to me. Not a pound heavier than you were in Italy.” I reply, taking a forkful of my food.
“You, on the other hand, look like you haven’t been eating all that well. So, eat up. There is more food in the pots and the pans.” He pushes some chicken from his plate into mine, making me roll my eyes at him.
“I have been eating.” I point out and he hums in irony.
“Don’t make me feed you like a baby now, sunshine.” He says sternly, digging into his plate.
“I called Chrissy today. She sounded a bit exhausted from her honeymoon.” I chuckle and he hums.
“Good for her. How did she take the news of you moving back to New York?” He asks me.
“She was very excited. She is team Harry all the way.”
“Was there any other team for her to root on?” He asks and I shrug.
“After you, no. I did not think I would ever go on the dating market again.” I explain.
“You technically didn’t.” He points out.
“Anyway… I promised her brunch and details once she is back.” I reply and he hums in eagerness.
“We got to make some details then… We cannot disappoint the fans.” He cocks an eyebrow.
“You are such a…”
“Such a what, sunshine?” He asks, his tongue peeking from between his lips.
“Why are you calling me sunshine?” I ask, feeling my cheeks heating up. It is such a beautiful pet name.
“It suits you. You brought light back to my life with your presence.” He reaches for my hand, bringing the back of it to his lips and pressing a kiss there.
“You are so cheesy.” I sigh, leaning my head on my palm.
“We still haven’t toasted…” He picks up his glass, swirling the liquid around as he waits for me to mimic him.
“What are we toasting to?” I ask, holding my glass up.
“To your stuff getting here soon. I can’t wait to meet Harry, finally.” He states.
“To that. And to new beginnings.” I add.
“And to new beginnings. May we never have to start over again.” He clings his glass to mine.
“We better not have to.” I take a sip from the wine.
“I know you prefer Rosé, but this white is the perfect pairing for chicken curry.”
“I don’t only drink Rosé. You don’t have to worry about wine being of my taste.” I giggle.
“When are your things going to be here?” Harry asks as I calm from my laughter.
“They are packing tomorrow, my neighbor is helping along with my landlord. Hopefully the day after tomorrow they will start the journey and they will be here within a day.” I explain.
“Do you need anything from me? Perhaps some money for the moving company.” He offers.
“I will pretend to not have heard that.”
“Come on, (Y/N). I know this is costly. Let me handle it.”
“You already had to move out twice because of me. Let me repay you, let me take care of it.”
“Harry, you are already doing too much.”
“Please, I am barely doing enough after what I’ve put you through.”
“What did you put me through? This is our first date.”
“(Y/N)…” He cannot help but giggle.
“Look, I can go behind your back and take care of it. Or you can accept my offer. It is what couples do.” He states and I choke.
“We are a couple?” I ask, regaining breath after a sip of wine.
“Aren’t we?”
“I don’t know. I thought we were dating, taking things slow.”
“If you want to take things slow, I am in. We can take things slow. I don’t care about the speed of things. I care about being with you.” He explains. I feel my belly churn, my stomach tightening at his admittance.

I get up from my chair, walking the little step closer to him. I reach for his face, pressing my lips on his. He responds to the kiss softly, letting me be the one to guide us.
“I don’t care about labels. I am yours.” It feels right to say it out loud, letting go of all calculated and careful moves and going with what my heart is telling me.
“I love you.” He says, with a soft peck on my lips.
“I love you…” I repeat, tracing my hand on his cheek. We did not admit to each other something that we were not both aware of. I know he loves me, he has shown it in the past months. And I love him, all of him, with his own little quirks and peculiarities.
“Oh, fuck…” He groans, shaking his head at me.
“What?” My heart skips a beat, the memory of what happened in Italy being brought up again.
“One more meal that will have to go to the freezer…” He sighs, pulling me closer to his body. I smile and press my lips together before Harry leans in and kisses me.
Without a single hesitation, his hands lower to my ass, groping me over my dress. I feel heat in my core, my body letting me know that I need to rush things a little and get the relief that I so crave.
“I’ve heard chicken curry tastes even better after sex…” I whisper against his lips, my forehead touching his as I speak.
“Where did you hear that?” He asks me with a soft chuckle.
“Somewhere…” I peck his bottom lip, pressing my chest on his.
“We have to test if it is true, then…” He says suggestively, letting his hand wander down my dress, reaching the hem of it before he slips his hand between my thighs. I gasp and grip his shoulders, holding myself stable as his fingers rub onto my slit.
“You are wet, sunshine?” He asks cockily as if he doesn’t already know.
“Harry…” I moan, shutting my eyes as he lowers his hand to brush the tips of his fingers over my entrance.
“It’s alright, sunshine. I know how needy your little cunt gets…” He whispers, slowing down his strokes.
“My cunt…” The word mesmerizes me, almost making me melt in his hands.

Before I pass out from the teasing, Harry picks me up over his shoulder, carrying me to his bedroom.
With my back resting comfortably on the bed, Harry hovers over me, cradling my chin in his hand softly.
“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen…” He whispers, making me smile at his comment.
“Sure am…” I mumble and he leans in to peck my lips softly.
“You are. You are my favorite person to look at. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He assures me, stroking my face tenderly. His eyes wander down my lips, his thumb passing over them slowly. It is so intimate, so soft, that it makes my eyes flutter and my skin erupt in goosebumps.
“I am going to take this dress off your body now.” He looks me in the eye, waiting silently for my response. I nod my head and bite my bottom lip, closing my eyes and allowing myself to get lost in his touch.
Masterly, his fingers unzip my dress and bare a bit of skin to him, which his fingers eagerly find and stroke.
I shiver, my body arching in response to the stimulus.
“Harry…” I mutter under my breath, tingling down to my core just from a simple touch.
“I want to be inside you… I want to be inside you so badly.” He whispers, attaching his lips to the nape of my neck. The pit of my stomach tightens just at the thought of having him inside me, thrusting his hips on mine and hitting that spot inside me until I come undone around him.

With careful movements, he takes off my dress, letting it rest aside us before he focuses his all on my panties.
“Touch yourself for me… Just for a second.” He instructs, picking up my hand and pressing a kiss on it before he brings it between my thighs, resting it on my heat.
I have never been asked to do something like that before. But Harry’s eager eyes are asking me to move forward with it.
Shyly, my fingers begin toying with my sex, circling around my clit which is already throbbing, demanding attention from Harry.
Harry, however, while he keeps his eyes on me, undresses messily, trying to get rid of his clothes as fast as he can.
“Shit… Shit…” He almost falls as he tries to take off his pants, but he brushes it off with a soft laugh.
“You are going to be the death of me…” He comments as he hovers above me for a second, before he captures me in for a kiss. My hand still stays between my thighs, touching my cunt indolently and causing me to moan as he kisses me.
“Shit, you are touching yourself still?” He asks, stroking the corner of my mouth. I hum, making him lower his eyes between our bodies.
“Princess…” He sighs, bringing a hand to stroke my thigh.
“Harry… I need you. Please.” I whimper, feeling warmth spreading on my body. Harry pulls my hand away from my sex, grabbing his cock into his hand before stroking it a couple of times.
“Fuck me, I am so hard… Look what you do to me.” He groans, lining his cock up to my entrance.
“Such a beautiful, wet cunt…” He comments as he thrusts inside me. I whimper, pulsing around him as he bottoms out.

“Holy fuck… My pretty wet cunt. You take my cock so well. Look, look how easily I thrust inside you… Fuck.” He groans, burying his face in the nape of my neck. I move my leg, hoisting it on his waist to grant him even more access to my body.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day…” I moan, tilting my head back and allowing him to nibble on my skin as he fucks me.
“It explains why you are so wet for me… I have been thinking about you too. All day, throughout all my meetings… I have been thinking of your taste and your sounds… Moan my name for me one more time, sunshine.” He begs, flicking his tongue over a mark he left on my skin.
“Harry…” I let out, smiling from ear to ear as I feel him harden inside me.
“I will fucking lose it.” He pounds inside me. My hand travels on the back of his head, fingers tangling in his locks of hair.
“Do you even know how good you feel inside me?” I ask him, bucking my hips in the air to get more of him inside me.
“Tell me, sunshine.” He nearly demands, his voice almost coming out as a growl. I grab his hand, guiding it between our bodies and placing it where I feel the impact of his thrusts.
“I feel you there. And that sends electricity all over my body. It is so good.” I moan, looking deep into his eyes. Harry groans, bringing his hands to cradle my face, pulling me in for a fiery kiss. A hand moves to my hair, grabbing a fistful to pull on it slightly. I hiss, doing the same for him, pulling at the locks that are tangled in my fingers.
“Let me ride you… Please, let me get on top of you. Let me please you.” I plead, raking my nails down his back.

It takes him a moment, during which he stops thrusting and just looks at me with wondering eyes, before he flips us, laying on his back and having me straddle him.
“Do your worst, sunshine.” He provokes, resting his hands on my hips. I look down at him for a moment, admiring his body and deciding where I want to place my hands on. Every part is perfect, chiseled, and toned to a Greek God level. I settle for his chest, just a bit above his butterfly tattoo, supporting myself as I begin riding him.
I take every inch of his cock, sinking my hips slowly down on his to make sure I feel him whole. I am trembling, shaking as I move on top of him with a slow rhythm. I want to grind on him, feel his skin rub on my clit, overstimulate myself to the point of crying happy tears.
I lean forward, making sure my clit gets the attention it craves as I bounce on him.
“Oh fuck me…” I cry out, throwing my head back as my hips wiggle on his.
“Fucking look at those tits… Look how they bounce… Jesus.” He whimpers, moving his hands to cup my tits. He squeezes them softly, running his thumbs over my nipples.
“Fuck… Fuck… Harry, I love this so much…” I cry out, bringing one hand to dig my nails into his forearm.
“I wanna cum inside you… I wanna fill you up…” He shrieks, pulling at my left nipple.
“Wait, wait… Let me get there… I am so close, Harry. Please, let me cum, please.” I beg, grinding down on him and shivering as my clit grazes over his skin.
“Shit, sunshine. You are going to cum around my cock? You are going to squeeze around my dick?” He asks me, still pulling at my teat.
“Harry, please… Please.” I am not sure what I am begging for, but Harry smirks at me, satisfied by my pleading.
“Princess wants to cum… Of course, sunshine, you should cum around my cock… I need you to cum around my cock.” He assures me, his chest heaving as he moves his hips to move his cock deeper inside me.
“Harry, this is so good. Oh God, it is so good.” I wiggle my hips back and forth, focusing on getting myself to my high. It is selfish, I know that I should care about his pleasure almost as much as I care about mine, but there is fire in my loin and an itch deep inside me that I need to scratch.

My hands move to his thighs, supporting my body as I ride him, with my back arched and my head thrown back, chasing after my absolute bliss.
He gives me that, he gives me my absolute bliss, a sense of love and security. And I know it is so soon after everything to blindly trust him, to blindly feel all those things, but I do, I blindly trust him, I am blindly loving him.
“Oh shit… There… There…” I whimper, digging my nails into his skin.
“Shit, you are cumming. You are cumming around me… Shit.” Harry groans, gripping onto my waist tightly.
“Harry… Harry… Cum inside me… Cum, please.” I cry out, fixing my body down on his. I can feel myself pulse around him, shivering as my orgasm hits me. Even the slightest touch sends electricity down my spine, that’s how sensitive I am now that I am on top of him.
Harry thrusts upwards, fucking me towards his high as I try to ride my own orgasm.
“Shit, princess. Look at how messy you are.” He groans, holding my hips down to cum inside me, bursting into moans as he hits his high.
“Don’t move…” He says breathlessly, his face still contorted from the orgasm.
“Wasn’t planning to…” I reply, laughing as I try to soothe my breathing.
Still, with our breaths coming out rushed and his cock still inside me, I bring my face in the nook of his neck.
“I’ll quit my job and we will do this all day, every day.” He mumbles, stroking my back. I laugh, kissing the side of his neck before I answer.
“Yeah, for sure… You look like a guy with no ambition in life.” I chuckle.
“My only ambition in life right this moment is to have sex with you all day, every day.” He replies and I bring my lips to his, kissing him softly.
“I can promise you that I will be right here tomorrow after you are done with work. We can have all the sex we want then.” I assure him.
“What day is tomorrow?” He asks and I knit my eyebrows together, trying to remember.
“Friday. Tomorrow is Friday.” I reply and he groans.
“What?”
“I have therapy tomorrow after work.”
“You are still going to be going to therapy?” I ask him and he nods.
“We have talked about the possibility of you coming back with my therapist, and we have agreed that I would still need to go in because I still have issues I need to work on. You coming back doesn’t magically fix me.” He replies, stroking my hair and twisting a lock behind my ear.
“Look at you, so adult, so mature… Practically a grandpa.” I tease him, making him roll his eyes at me.
“You know you are a very mean person, right?” He asks me and I hum.
“The meanest of them all. But I am very proud of you for working on yourself. It is brave to admit you are a work in progress.” I say in all honesty, running my thumb over his cheek.
“I want to do this right this time. I am going to do better this time.” He promises, holding me even closer to his body.
“I know we will do better this time, my love.” I sigh, placing a hand on his chest.
“I am starving… Shall we go have some of what I cooked?” He asks me and I hum.
“I honestly don’t even remember what you cooked…"I state and he laughs at me.
"That will go straight to my head, just so you know.” He replies and I shrug.
“Great, as if we needed more of your cockiness.” I tease.

Chapter 8: Part 8: Upper East Side, New York City & Low Manhattan, New York City

Summary:

(Y/N) gets a job and Harry blows the bank to celebrate her. Harry gets a small taste of mundanity, and (Y/N) plans her gift to Harry for Christmas. (Pre-Christmas Special)

Notes:

This is a NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable with reading content like that, please, scroll through the chapters to find something you might like.
(Smut / Oral; Female Receiving / Overstimulation / Risky Sex)
(Words: 6.5k)

Cheerful steps take me to the reception of Harry's company's headquarters.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer." I greet the lady at the front desk. We have come a long way, she and I. She now knows not to stop me from heading up to my boyfriend's office.
"Good afternoon, Ms. (Y/L/N). How are you today?"
"I am very well. Is Harry in a meeting?" I ask her and she picks up the phone, dialing the internal for Harry's assistant's office.
"Is Mr. Styles on a meeting?" She asks.
"Ms. (Y/L/N) is here. Would you like to be announced?" Jennifer turns to me and I nod.
"Let Harry know I am heading up right now." I reply with a smile, before walking to the elevator.

I punch in the floor and watch as the doors close smoothly. It is so clean and neat here, I love visiting Harry's office.

And soon I am greeted by Harry's assistant.
"Good afternoon. This is for you. It's a Berliner." I chirp, passing her one of the pastries in the box I am carrying.
"Thank you, Ms. (Y/L/N). Mr. Styles is waiting for you." She smiles at me and I nod, pushing the door with my hip. 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Styles. Do you have a moment for me?" I ask, looking at Harry as he smirks and shuts his laptop.
"I think I can clear up some time for you, Ms. (Y/L/N)." He leans back in his seat. I leave the box of Berliners on the edge of his desk, before moving to straddle him on his chair. I go in for a kiss, capturing his lips before he could even speak. My hands move to his jaw, grazing it with the tips of my fingers as I deepen the kiss.
"Someone's hungry... Should I lock the door?" He asks me, bringing his hands to my thighs.
"I got the job..." I announce, biting the inside of my cheek as I wait for his reaction.
"Baby, congratulations. Can I finally know what job you applied for?" He asks me and I hum.
"We both know you would have called and gotten me the job if I told you from the beginning."
"I wouldn't, I promised."
"Hmm, you would. And you would make sure I would never found out." I graze a finger down his lips as he smiles.
"I am, officially, the history consultant for a new tech company that makes educational apps. I will be working on gameplay dialogue and content for a new art game they plan on launching." I explain and he smiles at me proudly.
"This calls for celebration, sunshine. I am so proud of you. Let's go for dinner. Right now. I'll make us a reservation." He cups my face and I nod.
"You? Call for a reservation? Isn't that a petty job for you?" I ask in a kidding tone.
"It's a special day. Pick a place, where should we celebrate?" He asks me.
"The one in Madison Park... What is it called?" I try to remember the name, hoping Harry does.
"The one we dined in when the French came?" He asks and I nod.
"11 Madison Park. Damn it, you have expensive taste, sunshine."
"Can you afford it?" I ask, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"I'll smash my piggy bank." He winks at me.
"Ok, let me give them a call." He sighs, picking up his mobile from the desk.
"You mean now? We can celebrate later, I don't want to get you away from your job."
"Amore, they'll be fine without me. What sort of boss would I be if couldn't take half a day off?" He asks, pressing the call tile.
I move from his lap, leaning on the edge of his desk to let him make the call.
"Good afternoon. Harry Styles of Styles Co... I am calling for a last-minute reservation. I would like a table for 2. Yes, it's for today. It is a VIP guest, I know it is very last minute. It would mean a lot to the company and to me personally if we could find a way to dine at your place today. Of course, at 5.20. We will be there. Thank you." The whole call doesn't even last 3 minutes. I cock an eyebrow at him once he leaves his phone down.
"I thought they had online reservations only, and that they have this crazy long wait list."
"Oh, I called the owner personally. We will be seated at 5.20." He replies, patting his thigh again.
"You know the owner? And you have his personal phone? Who are you?" I ask and he chuckles.
"We take clients, investors, partners, very often there. We like that they work with Rethink, it is good image." He replies, and I look at him in confusion.
"Rethink?"
"Rethink Food. It's a non-profit, they gather the excess from restaurants and use it to provide meals for food-insecure populations."
"You have it memorized I see."
"I think it is actually noble."
"Since when am I a VIP guest?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Since you keep the CEO sane and happy. That's very important for the company. So important that you should be paid for that..." He mumbles.
"We are not having this conversation again..."
"No, no... Not like that... I think I phrased it wrong. You should be compensated for that." He restates, grazing his fingers down my thigh, before resting them under the hem of my pencil skirt.

"Harry..." I bite the tip of my tongue as he finds the band of my stockings.
"What? We have some time to kill. And I would like to compensate you for making me this happy." He murmurs, burying his face in the nook of my neck.
"Come on... You have a house for that. We have fucked one too many times in your office."
"Oh, you will get more once we are back home. And I think we have fucked one too few times in my office." He counters and I roll my eyes at him.
"I can't win this argument, can I?"
"You can... But I think you don't want to. Do you, sunshine?" He asks, in a deeper, intoxicating voice.
"May I always forfeit this debate." I reply, earning a pleased hum from Harry, who gently pushes me to get up before getting up himself.
"Settle on the chair, I'll be right back with you." He instructs, walking towards the door. He walks out as I relax on the chair, which earns a cocked eyebrow from me. Did he really work me up just to head out?

But within a minute or two, he is back and he is locking the door behind him.
He walks to me, kneeling before the chair and keeping a smirk plastered on his face.
"I just made sure no one will bother us... Wouldn't want to be interrupted during my appetizer." He states, pulling me closer by my ankle.
"Mr. Styles... What do you have in your dirty, twisted mind?" I ask in fake shock.
"I assure you, Ms. (Y/L/N), my intentions are pure." He winks at me, trailing his hand up my calf and under my skirt, brushing over the band of my stockings.
"We will talk later about you wearing those stocks in public."
"Was I supposed not to wear them?" I ask and he hums.
"Not a big fan of others having the same thoughts as I do when I see them..." He replies, scooting my hips up to hike my skirt up the top of my thighs.
"You would have the same thoughts even if I was wearing a mascot costume, you are no fair measure." I bend my knee and bring my foot to the edge of the seat, showing Harry my underwear. He chuckles and coos, bringing his thumb to toy with my sex over the clothed sex.
"You have such a cute little wet patch..." He sighs, pushing my panties aside.
His thumb now traces over my slit, causing my breath to shake at the direct attention.
"My God... How wet you are, princess... Oh, you are going to taste so good, I can tell already." He looks at me with hungry eyes, licking his lips before bringing them to my sex. His lips work on my outer lips at first, kissing and grazing his teeth softly over the sensitive flesh.
"Jesus..." I groan, feeling the need to buck my hips up and ride his face.
"And I have barely even touched your pretty little cunt." He muses about my desperate reaction; he doesn't even have to try that hard to get me needy, at this point, I am dripping even at the sound of his voice.
"Please touch me..." I beg, my eyebrows knitting together in frustration. Harry licks a long, swirly lick from my outer lips to my entrance, and ends it with a quick flick once he reaches my clit. A loud moan slips from deep in my throat, despite my best efforts to keep quiet.
"Sunshine... You know they can hear us... Tsch, tsch, tsch... I expected more self-control from such a good girl like you..." He almost scolds me... As if he doesn't know that all self-control goes out the window, along with my dignity, every time he touches me.
"I don't care... I don't care if they hear us... Please don't stop this. I'll do anything, just don't stop using your mouth on my pussy. Please." I am desperate for him to eat me out, even if it means getting through his little torture. He has magic lips, I can cum in mere minutes from his mouth on my sex.

"Of course, my cunt wants more... Look at that... Look at my pussy... Look how it pulses around nothing, waiting for a tiny little touch... Look how desperate my pussy gets." He groans, rubbing his fingers along my slit.
Oh, he gets so possessive, it is addicting. I am his, oh God, I am his.
"Please..." I beg, bringing my hand to stroke through his hair. He smirks at me, pleased by my pleading before burying his face between my thighs. He is hungrier now, going straight into devouring me. There is no time to toy around, he wants to eat me out almost as much as I want him to. I am throbbing, my pussy pulsing and burning as he laps his tongue and looks me in the eye.
"Oh..." I cry out, arching my back off the chair's back. His tongue is circling over my clit and he is humming as he pushes two fingers inside me, pumping them up and curling them against my spot.
"My sunshine, you will have to be quiet... So loud already." He scolds me, shaking his head from side to side.
"I am sorry... But you are so good at this, I can't help it." I whisper, pressing my hand against my mouth. He smirks as he moves his fingers faster, moving back to take my clit between his lips. He rolls it with his tongue, causing me to squeeze around his fingers even harder.
"Shit, you are sopping..." He mumbles, taking his fingers off and licking my wetness from around them. I sigh at the sight, blushing at the way he moans in pleasure at my taste.
"So delicious. I have to take a taste straight from your little honey hole." He groans, fixing my body so my sex is fully exposed, my legs spread apart to a max before he thrusts his tongue inside me. It wiggles and thrusts back and forth; it is not really all that pleasureful for me, but Harry hums in ecstasy as he does it, so my whole body vibrates from this.
"Damn you, Styles... You like having me hooked, don't you?" I sigh, bringing my hand under my blouse and into the left cup of my bra to tease my nipple. I trace and pull the taut peak.
"Such a desperate brat... You want to be overstimulated, don't you?" He asks before placing my legs on his shoulders and diving in again.
"I wanna cum... I am so close, baby..." I whine, feeling my heart beat faster. Harry digs his nails into the skin of my thighs, sucking onto my clit harsher.
"I wanna cum... Oh God, I am gonna cum." I cry out, moving my hips against his face, trying to get more and more. Harry grips my thighs, trying to make me sit still, but I am trembling and shaking, so sitting still is not an option.
"God..." I cry out as I cum undone, squeezing my eyes shut. My breath is caught in the back of my throat and my whole body feels tense and rigid, yet as if I am floating. It is so peculiar, every time Harry brings me to an orgasm is a unique, never-again experienced high.
I try to shut my thighs as Harry continues licking me, the stimuli becoming too intense for me to handle but Harry's hands pry me open.
"I can't... I can't take more..." I cry out and he chuckles.
"You are done when I say so... You were the one wanting to be overstimulated..." He sounds almost sadistic, not even letting me take a solid breath before he flicks his tongue on my clit. He only does it just to watch me jerk at the sensation, and it works. I jolt in my place as his tongue flicks my clit repeatedly.
"Shit, look at this... You are grooling... Adorable." He cocks, circling his tongue around my entrance to gather my grool.
He removes himself from between my thighs and gets up from the floor. Still breathing funny, and still exposed to him, I am in no place to move.
"Are you ok, sunshine?" He asks me softly as he fixes my panties.
"I love you..." I say hazily. Harry smiles at me and leans in to peck my forehead softly.
"I love you too. Let's get you a bit decent now, shall we?" He asks, helping me move my legs down.

 

"Mr. Styles... Right this way..." A man around his 30s almost cheers as he sees us walk through the doors of 11 Madison Park restaurant. Harry didn't even have the chance to announce himself to the host, it was as if they were waiting on their toes for us.
"Thank you." Harry says politely, placing his hand on the small of my back.
"Chef Lockwood has prepared a special meal for you. Would you like to be paired or pick your own wine?" The man asks as we sit at a table by one of the windows.
"Pair us, please. Please, do transfer my gratitude to Chef Humm. I appreciate that he was able to host us so last minute." Harry says to the man who smiles and nods.
"I will make sure I do that, Mr. Styles." The man replies, passing us two cards with the menu before leaving us to settle.
"Shall I leave you two alone?" I ask teasingly as I scan my eyes down the card.
 "Me and the host?" He asks and I hum.
"Uh, he is cute. But I am kinda taken."
"Kinda?" I ask with a cocked eyebrow.
"I don't see a ring on my finger..." He mumbles and I chuckle, shaking my head at him.
"I kinda see a lot of rings on your fingers..." I come back.
"There is the only downside of dating someone smart... You always have a response." He sighs and I hum.
"You know this is the standard menu for the day. He hasn't prepped anything special for us." I comment, leaving the card down.
"Can you for once enjoy things without overthinking them?" He asks playfully.
"Nope..." I pop the p and he laughs.
"You are the sweetest pain in the ass I have ever met, amore..." He says sweetly, yet I can feel a chill run down my spine and it is not the good kind of it.
"What is up with amore lately?" I ask him. He furrows his eyebrows and shrugs his shoulders.
"I don't know. I like it." He replies. I groan lowly, hoping he doesn't listen to it.
"What?" He asks me.
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing. Your whole face dropped. Tell me, what is it?" He asks me again.
"Can you stop calling me amore? Please?" I ask.
"Why? It is a cute nickname..." He protests.
"It reminds me of Italy." I sigh in defeat, choosing to let him know about my irritance.
"And what about Ita... Oh..." He realizes, his face softening as he reaches for my hand.
"I didn't realize, I am sorry."
"It's not your fault. It's me who has the issue with it, still, after all this time." I feel bad for making him feel so bad over something so sweet.
"What about I call you 'mon amour'... I haven't ruined France for you yet, have I?" He asks.
"You haven't ruined Italy for me either. I am just not ready to make peace with it yet." I admit.
"From now on, and until you feel ready, I will ban anything Italian... Even spaghetti and meatballs..." He jokes, earning a laugh from me.
"There is no need to go to such extremes. And technically, spaghetti and meatballs is not an Italian food. Italian immigrants to America started cooking it because there was bigger access to meat, and it was cheap."
"Smartypants..." He chuckles and shakes his head.

"So, now that the job is found, what is next on your to-do list?" Harry asks, carefully cutting a piece of the glazed zucchini.
"Finding a house. I have to start looking, so I can start saving money for it. I need the downpayment and the rent upfront for sure. And then I will have to see if I will need any furniture and appliances for the new house. I still have a long way to go before I cross it off my list. You will have to suffer me for a little longer." I chuckle and he hums, leaving his glass by his plate after he takes a sip of his wine.
"I was actually thinking about this..."
"About when I am going to move out?" I ask with a playful chuckle.
"I was actually thinking if you are going to move out..."
"Geez, Harry. If you want me out of the house, all you have to do is say so."
"No, that wasn't actually my thought. I was thinking that you shouldn't move out. I was thinking that I want you to live with me. I mean, you already are. But I want it permanently. I want it official." He explains, reaching for my hand as he looks me in the eye.
"Mr. Styles... Are you really asking me to move in with you?" I ask him in shock.
"Was it not clear? I love waking up next to you every morning, and coming home to you after a rough day. I love having breakfast with you and watching you take that first sip of coffee with your eyes still closed. I love reading with you on the couch of our study, I love cooking with you and having you drunkenly twirl around our kitchen. I love every single moment with you in our house."
"Our house..." I smile, enamored by the word.
"Of course, if you are not ready yet, we can talk about alternatives..."
"I am ready. I want to live with you. I mean, I live with you already." I giggle. Harry brings my hand to his lips, pecking on the back of it softly.
"You will not regret it, I promise you this, my love..." He states in a serious, yet soft voice.
"I am afraid you will be the one regretting it." I joke and he shakes his head.
"Not in a million years..." He assures me, gesturing for a waiter to come over.
"What? Are we leaving so early? We haven't even had dessert..." I protest and he chuckles.
"Nope, we are just having some champagne. To celebrate your job, and you moving in..." Harry explains as the man approaches us.
"Can we please have a bottle of Krug '82?" Harry asks the man, who blinks at us at the sound of Harry's request.
"A Krug '82?" The man asks again and Harry hums in approval.
"Right away, sir." The man moves fast, walking at a speed that does not fit the restaurant's mannerism.
"What's up with the whole behavior?" I ask, leaning back in my seat.
"Oh, nothing... We just ordered a nearly 4-thousand-dollar bottle of champagne."
"We just did what?" I ask and he shrugs.
"Relax..."
"The meals, the pairings, the champagne... We are looking at an almost 5k bill." I whisper and he chuckles.
"Tip excluded."
"Oh, God..." I touch my temples and he takes my free hand again.
"Relax, it's nothing..."
"It's nothing...? Rich people are fucking weird..." I mumble and he laughs at my remark.
"It's a one-time thing. Let's enjoy it." Harry laughs. It still stuns me that he is able to drop such amounts of money on a single lunch. There is still this financial gap between us, which for now, freaks me the fuck out.
"Are you still here?" Harry asks me.
"Hmmm?" I bring my gaze to him.
"You seemed a bit off. Everything ok?" He asks me and I nod.
"Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking how significantly different we are."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No, it is just an... Experience being with you every day." I state, smiling at him as the waiter pours us our champagne.

-

"Pretty girl..." Harry calls, getting my attention from my laptop.
"Pretty boy..." I cheer, tilting my head back as he leans down to press a kiss.
"Working from home today?" He asks me, sitting on the edge of the desk in our study.
"No, just research... It was a hectic day in the office and I didn't manage to finish."
"Hectic day?" He asks, and I hum, saving my document.
"Yeah, we were testing a prototype for the first levels." I reply.
"Oh, testing already..."
"Don't get too excited. I will have to help the graphics team. There were issues with the design."
"What issues?" He asks me, leaning forward to show me he is listening.
"Um, period issues mostly. Hence the research. Anyway, it's pretty boring and technical. How was your day?" I ask him and he sighs.
"Way less exciting than yours. Meetings, emails, financial strategies. I really don't see the point of talking about it." He replies. I bring my hand to take his, resting both of them on his lap.
"Wanna go grocery shopping?" I ask him and he looks at me with furrowed eyebrows.
"Didn't Lita take care of it?" He asks and I shake my head at him.
"I told her not to."
"How so?" He asks me and I shrug.
"I like grocery shopping. And I have missed doing it."
"You like grocery shopping?" He asks in confusion. I stand up from the chair, standing before him as I bring my hands to clasp behind his neck.
"You will see, Mr. Styles. There is joy in mundane things." I state, my fingers twirling in the hair at the base of his head.
"Alright then. Let's do mundane things that I, an immortal have never done before." He says with prose, mocking me.
"Go change." I laugh and shake my head.
"Change? What is wrong with my clothes?" He asks and I purse my lips.
"No one goes grocery shopping in a Gucci fitted suit."
"And what should I be wearing, Ms. stylist?" He asks and I roll my eyes at him.
"Jeans. They work miracles for that ass." I comment and he smirks.
"You like my ass, huh?" He asks with a cocked eyebrow.
"Oh, my, God. Go get dressed." I command and he laughs.
"Yes, ma'am." He steals a quick kiss before running out of the room.

"You sure have a good appetite for cheese." Harry comments as I add the little block of cheddar to the cart.
"You don't seem to complain when I make those little charcuterie boards for our wine nights."
"We don't buy those premade?" He asks.
"You can't really be that aloof, can you?" I ask him with a laugh.
"What? They look almost professional." He defends himself and I hum doubtingly.
"Nice save." I mumble, pulling out my phone to take a look at the list.
"I am honest here... They looked very aesthetically pleasing." He compliments and I hum.
"Thank you very much, then. Next is produce... Roll away, sir." I point to the aisle.
"Wait, no ice cream?" He asks me.
"Not on my list. You want ice cream?" I ask him and he nods.
"Ok, then. Let's pick..." I lean over the freezer, taking a look at the options.
"Chocolate chip mint." He rushes to say. I turn to look at him, watching his cheeks become red with excitement.
"You like chip mint?" I ask and he nods.
"I do. It is my favorite... Well, Christmas pudding is my favorite, but I can't find it here. So, I settle for some mint..." He explains. I grab a pint and add it to the cart, pushing it towards the cheeses to sort of maintain the temperature.
"Well, it tastes a bit like toothpaste to me, but ok. I'll get my fudge." I pick out a pint for myself, placing it by Harry's on the cart.
"You know when I was little I used to tell my mom that when I get my own apartment, I will have a freezer drawer full of ice cream. I would have ice cream every night."
"Do you have that drawer? I haven't noticed..." I ask and he shakes his head.
"It was just a stupid childhood thing. I am an adult now." He replies. I pout my bottom lip, tangling my arm with his and leaning my head on his shoulder as we make our way to the produce aisle.
"You were kind of right you know... It is nice going grocery shopping. Even nicer with you along." He comments, pecking the top of my head.

"I fed Harry..." Harry states as he wraps his arms around me.
"You two get along great." I comment and he hums.
"He is a neat dude."
"The goldfish?" I ask and he nods.
"Ok..." I mumble, melting the bouillon cube in the oil in the pan.
"Can I help with anything?" He asks me.
"Chop the veggies over there." I point to the chopping board, earning a hum from Harry.
"No wine while cooking tonight?" He asks me, picking out a knife from the stand.
"I thought I would be cooking alone..." I reply and he scoffs.
"I always help you, don't I?" He points out, leaving the knife down.
"You do. But I thought maybe you needed some time alone to recharge." I explain, watching him as he moves to the wine rack.
"What are we cooking?" He asks me.
"Vegan Ragu with tagliatelle."
"Red then." He states, picking out a bottle.
"You are really good at pairings..." I comment, watching him pop the cork.
"Why, thank you very much." He replies, taking a whiff of the cork.
"I think you are going to like this one." He comments, leaving the bottle on the island and grabbing 2 glasses.
"I have liked all the wines you have suggested this far." I compliment him. There is something so intimate about Harry taking care of me, and treating me so nicely. I'd hate to jinx it, but it feels a little too good to be true.
"Take a picture, it will last longer." Harry muses, snapping me out of my thoughts as he leaves my glass by my hand.
"I just zoned out." I protest and he hums sarcastically.
"You zoned out staring at my butt. Those jeans work miracles on it, you said it yourself."
"Oh my God, I have never seen such vanity in a single person." I tease him. He hooks his fingers in the belt loops of my jeans, pulling me closer to his body, my back touching his chest before he rests his chin on my shoulder and leaves a peck on my neck.
"Just admit you are obsessed with me." He whispers.
"It's true..." I sigh in defeat. It is futile not admitting it, he knows it already.
"Ata girl." He bites softly onto my neck, before moving back to chopping the vegetable.
For a moment my eyes can only focus on how his hand grips the knife and chops the vegetables thickly, making a loud sound as the knife hits the board.
Fuck me, I am truly obsessed with him.

-

"I am surprised work and Harry even let you see me today..." Chrissy complains as we make our way down Hudson street. It is a heavy December morning, so I can see her breath as she speaks.
"Oh my God, look who's talking... If walls could talk, they would have quite the stories about you and your husband." I tease her.
"Jealous much of married life?" She asks with a cocked eyebrow.
"Nope... I am fine as I am."
"Look at you... Ms. I will never date again." She chuckles, punching my shoulder softly.
"I am not dating. I am living with my partner." I fix my scarf as Chrissy coos.
"Why are we here? Your house is all the way on the other side..." She asks. It is true, we are nearly approaching Lower Manhattan, 1 hour away by foot from the penthouse on Upper East Side.
"We are here to buy ice cream..." I reply.
"Ice cream?" She asks as if I said something outrageous. I think she would react way less surprised if I told her we are here to buy cocaine.
"Yes, ice cream. There is a little place down here." I point to the next block, right where the little British store is.
"Why would we have to buy ice cream from here? And why are we buying ice cream at the beginning of the winter?" She asks me, looking at me as if I am insane.
"It is the nearest place I could find Christmas Pudding ice cream. It's for Harry." I explain.
"We are an hour away from your place. It will practically be soup by the time we arrive."
"Vinny is picking us up and he has a cooler with him. We are going home, I am giving this to Lita, and then we head to the market to buy ice cream." I explain.
"More ice cream?" She asks me; she looks nearly outraged and I can't say I blame her.
"I am going to give Harry a drawer full of ice cream. As an early Christmas present. He told me he likes chocolate chip mint, but his favorite is Christmas pudding. So, I am buying 5 pints of that, and then various flavors. And some for me, because choc mint still tastes like toothpaste, no matter how hard he tries to make me like it."
"Oh, wow... Ice cream..." She says sarcastically.
"He told me that when he was little he used to tell his mother that once he was older, he would have a drawer in his freezer, full of ice cream. I asked him why he doesn't have it, and he told me it is a stupid childhood thing, and that he is an adult now. I swear, it was the saddest thing he has told me... And now I have to make it happen. So, shush, buy ice cream with me, and let's catch up." I open the door to the market, walking in first.

"It is actually lovely of you to do this whole thing for Harry. You are smitten." Chrissy nudges my shoulder as we organize the ice cream.
"I am... Look at me doing stupid shit, for a man... I spent a quarter of my paycheck on ice cream. I am dumb, aren't I?" I ask her.
"I mean... I get it. I nearly broke an arm to get Adrian that stupid first-edition comic book signed by RDJ. And I spent more money than I am willing to admit to doing that whole thing."
"Well, he is your husband." I point out.
"That was for our 2-month anniversary."
"Jesus..." I laugh, and she joins me, giggling loudly.
"I know, I know. The worst thing is I would still do it, tomorrow if needed." She comments.
"Yeah, good thing he married you. You are wifey material."
"Oh, dear God, stop... You are just like me, you know."
"Not married. There is still hope for me."
"As if you would say no if he showed up tomorrow morning with a shiny diamond ring from Cartier." She cocks an eyebrow at me, expecting the answer.
"I don't like diamonds. And I also think this would be too soon."
"Didn't answer my question..." She mumbles, stacking one more pint of Christmas pudding ice cream on top of another.
"It's not happening, so let's not discuss it. Hot cocoa?" I ask her, putting the last chocolate chip mint pint in the drawer.
"Sure. Extra sprinkles and whipped cream."
"Oh, wow, you are a brat..." I comment and she snickers.
"Ask Adrian..." She mumbles and I roll my eyes.
"TMI, sis, but k..."

-

"Can I take this off now?" Harry asks. In lieu of a blindfold, I have put a sleeping mask over his eyes, so now I am guiding him to the fridge to show him the surprise. I was practically waiting for him by the door, and I couldn't wait a moment longer to reveal the ice cream to him.
"Not yet..." I mumble, opening the door to the freezer.
"This better be good, sunshine... I had a very long day at the office." Harry sighs. He can't say no to me, no matter how tired he is...
"Just a few seconds more." I announce, opening the drawer. I take one last look at it, smiling to myself over how cute this surprise is.
"Ok, ready?" I ask him and he hums approvingly. I stand on my toes, reaching for the sleeping mask.
"Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them..." I instruct and he huffs.
"Dear God..." He mutters. I press my lips together and smirk as I take off the mask.
"You can open your eyes now... Ta-da!" I exclaim excitedly, standing aside from him to let him take a look. Harry is confused in the beginning, eyebrows pushed together as he tries to figure out why I brought him to the fridge.
"What am I looking... at?" He asks, but before he could finish his phrase, his eyes light up and he reaches for the tub of Christmas Pudding ice cream.
"It's your very own ice cream drawer..." I explain, waiting for his reaction. Harry leaves the ice cream down, opens his arms to wrap them around me, and pulls me into a bear hug.
"What did I do to deserve you?" He asks me, pecking the top of my head multiple times.
"Where did you even find Christmas Pudding ice cream in New York?" He asks me and I chuckle.
"In a store in Lower Manhattan... It has English delicacies. I hope it is good." I giggle as he cups my face in his hands.
"You are so perfect... Thank you, thank you, my love." He peppers my face with kisses, making me laugh at the tickling.
"Come on, now. It is time to have dinner." I place my hand on his sternum, stopping him from covering me in kisses.
"What's for dinner?" He asks me, resting his hands on my waist.
"Ice cream..."
"8-year-old Harry would adore you." He comments.
"What about 31-year-old Harry?" I ask, making him hum before he replies.
"31-year-old Harry worships the air you breathe." He replies, grabbing a tub of his ice cream.

Harry hovers the spoon before my mouth, teasing me as I try to eat a spoonful of the Christmas pudding ice cream.
After a fit of laughter and me frustratingly grabbing his wrist to finally take the bite, I moan at the taste of the dessert.
"I didn't expect I'd like Christmas pudding ice cream so much..." I mumble, making Harry look at me softly.
"It's good, huh?"
"You might like toothpaste ice cream, but this is good." I point at the tub, before digging my spoon into my pint.
"I don't know how to thank you for this. It might be the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me." Harry states. I smile and shrug, biting my bottom lip before I speak.
"You deserve it, all of it. No matter how much Chrissy huffed and puffed while we were buying the ice cream..."
"You saw Chrissy?" He asks me and I hum.
"I did. She helped with this." I reply and Harry chuckles.
"How are Adrian and she? We haven't seen them in a while." He asks me and I shrug.
"They are sickeningly in love with each other. And Chrissy can't wait for their first Christmas, she is even collecting recipes to cook with Adrian and host their families for dinner... It is so out of character for her, but so adorable..." I state, trying to steal a spoonful from his ice cream.
"If you like this Christmas pudding ice cream, wait until you try the real deal in Cheshire."
"Is it better than this?" I ask and he hums.
"I am not going to spoil it for you... You will try it on December 26..." He says mischievously.
"Are you having it shipped for Christmas? Is it even going to last during the trip here?" I ask and he chuckles.
"I am shipping us there. Christmas in the UK..." He explains. He sounds excited about it, surely has been planning it for a while.
"Why that face?" Harry asks. I didn't realize my face was contorted all this time.
"Don't you think you should have talked with me about this before planning the whole thing?" I ask him, feeling my heart sink to my stomach.
"I thought it would be a nice surprise..." He shrugs.
"I don't want to spend Christmas in London, nor any place else. I want to spend Christmas in New York. I want to spend Christmas here, at home... Last year I couldn't... This year, I want to spend it in New York. I want to go to Santa's workshop the weekend before Christmas, to Time Square for the ball drop, and visit Chrissy's and Adrian's place on the second day of the year to play cards and drink wine. I want to do the things I couldn't do last year. I am not going to London. End of discussion." I can barely hold back the tears, my body shaking as I try to come up with enough excuses so Harry will drop this.
"I have already made arrangements... Do you know how hard it was to arrange for my Christmas leave? You can't dismiss that without proper conversation." He points out.
"Maybe you shouldn't have made plans without proper conversation to start with. I am not going to London. You can go alone if you want to so badly. Goodnight." I have the final word, leaving the ice cream on the island before hopping off the stool.
"(Y/N)..." Harry calls, but I manage to ignore him and slip into the guest room.

Chapter 9: Part 9: Harry's Apartment, Upper East Side, New York City, Winter Wonderland

Summary:

It's Christmas time, the first Christmas the couple will spend together (Christmas Special)

Notes:

This is an NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable reading content of this kind, please, scroll through the chapters to find something else you might like.
(Words: 5.4k)

"You don't seem too well today... Did the surprise not go as planned?" Chrissy asks as we settle into a little coffee place near my office.
"The surprise went well... He loved it." I reply, nearly curling up to my spot on the cushioned booth.
"Then? Why the sulk?" She asks me with her eyebrows joining together. I stay silent, biting the inside of my cheek as nerves take over again, making my whole body shake to the core.
"Ok, you have to tell me, because my mind is on the worst scenario right now. What is going on?" She asks, reaching to caress my hand.
"He wants to go to London for Christmas..." I mumble. Even more in confusion now, Chrissy grips my chin and turns my head so I can look at her.
"What?" She asks calmly.
"He wants us to go to London for the holidays, so I can meet his family..." I explain a bit further, but Chrissy's look of confusion does not change.
"I don't understand..."
"I don't want to go to London. I don't want to. So, we had a fight..."
"You had a fight?" She asks in shock and I nod.
"Wow... Your life must be so fucking difficult... Your boyfriend wants you to spend Christmas in a capital European city, known for being an excellent and seeked-after spot to spend the holidays... And you are sulking about it?" She asks teasingly. I sigh and tilt my head to the side, rolling my eyes at her.
"Don't you think this is all too fast? Because to me, it feels like we are going 100 on a 55."
"This excuse is bull, and you know it."
"It's not bull... It actually feels too fast. I can't meet his parents. What am I going to say? 'Hi, I am your son's sugar baby. It is very nice to meet you.'?"
"You know you don't have to reveal the whole sugar baby thing, right? Now, stop hiding and tell me... Why are you so hellbent on not going to London?"
"I am not getting away from this, am I?"
"You are absolutely not. So, make it easier for all of us and spill it." She instructs and I sigh in defeat.
"Last time we went on a trip together, we fought and broke up. I don't want this to happen again. I don't want to lose him, now that things have been going so great." I admit and Chrissy chuckles.
"Honey..."
"I know... It is a stupid thought."
"I mean... It is, for someone who hasn't been through what you have been through. But you have, and I can't say that I get it, it is something that happened to you and him. And maybe that is the only people who should be discussing this..."
"You should have gone for that psychology major." I mock her, but I can't say she wouldn't be a really skilled psych, it would be a lie.
"It is just common logic, which you would have also if you weren't into this." She shrugs and I sigh, reaching for the menu as I see the waiter approach.

-

"Hello, Lita..." I greet the housekeeper as I enter the loft.
"Ms. (Y/L/N)? I thought you would be home later on." The woman says and I hum.
"I got off work earlier. I need to do some research in the study if it's ok..." I point down the hall to the study and the lady nods.
"Of course. Shall I bring you in some lunch?" Lita asks and I shake my head no.
"I grabbed a bite earlier, but thank you for asking. Hey, do you know when Mr. Styles is going to be back home?" I ask and she shrugs.
"He is usually late on Fridays." She replies.
"Thank you, Lita." I turn to walk into the study, my head already heavy from the day and it is not even close to being over yet.

I scribble some quick notes in my journal, huffing over how stressful it has been this far for me. I can't shake this ominous feeling that has been in my stomach for 2 days now. It feels like shit being on such terms with Harry, but the sole thought of traveling anywhere outside the borders at this point of our relationship fills me with terror.
A knock on the door gives me a good reason to give up on the dreadful research for now.
"Come in." I clear my throat and shut the journal. It is futile to believe there is anyone else behind the door but Harry, which excites me and scares me at the same time.
"Do you need the study?" I ask him as he walks in.
"No. I need a bit of your time. Is it now a good time?" He asks me and I nod my head. Harry drags a chair closer to mine, sitting right across mine.
"I don't like fighting with you." He begins, reaching to take my hands in his.
"I don't like it either..." I mumble, looking at his fingers as they trace mine softly.
"If you don't want to go to London for the holidays, fine, we won't go. We will stay here and spend our Christmas together." He assures me. I can tell that the decision was not easy for him to take, as it was not easy for me to accept it.
"It's not fair to you, nor your family." I comment and he sighs softly.
"It is fair for me to be with the person I love and I have been craving to spend Christmas with for a year now. Maybe in a couple of years, when the memory of Italy has faded, we will be able to head to my hometown, and I will show you my favorite places. Until then, we do what makes us comfortable."
"Did you talk with Chrissy?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrow.
"No. I had a session with my therapist today. I was telling her about everything that happened and how your reaction was surprising... And then it clicked on me. You think we are going to break up if we travel, because of what happened last time." He states and I nod my head.
"It's stupid."
"It's trauma. And it's something we can work on, together. I am not going to pressure you about anything again. But I will need you, to be honest with me from now on. I will need you to tell me the real reasons and not use excuses. Can you do that?" He asks me. I bring my hand to cup his cheek, tenderly brushing my thumb over his apple.
"Look at you, Mr. Styles... All grown up. I think I can do that." I smile softly, making Harry turn his head and place a peck on my palm.
"You know, we could always find a middle ground with the holiday debate..."
"We can?" He asks me and I hum.
"And what would that ground be?" He asks.
"You can always fly your family over for the holidays, right?" I ask him, just to confirm what I already know. Harry takes a moment to think about it and sighs before he shakes his head at me.
"You want my whole family over here?" He asks me back and I shrug my shoulders.
"How bad can it be? You wanted us to travel all the way there to meet them..." I point out and he chuckles sarcastically.
"I honestly don't know... I have never brought someone home to meet them." He admits and I coo, sticking my bottom lip out.
"I am your first?" I ask him and he rolls his eyes, sighing.
"It sounds so lame when you say it like that." He mumbles but I shake my head at him to assure him.
"If it makes you feel any better, my parents haven't met any of my exes as well..."
"Yeah, sure... But you are in your 20s, it is normal. I am 30. 30 plus."
"Are you?" I ask him mockingly and he scoffs.
"Are you worried they are not going to like me?" I ask him, moving even closer to him. I am now practically straddling his lap, holding his face in my palms as his hands move to support my waist.
"I am worried they are going to love you. Especially my mom. She is going to think you are perfect, an angel."
"If only she knew..." I tease him and he chuckles at my suggestiveness.
"I am being serious now, (Y/N). She is going to think you are the best thing that ever happened to me and rightfully so."
"I am not the best thing that ever happened to you."
"You are. You softened me, look at me. I am finally human."
"What were you before?" I ask with a soft smile.
"Before you?" He asks me and I nod.
"I can't really remember, but I wasn't much of a human. You have to admit you changed me. I'd like to think that I changed you too..."
"I like to think that we grew together, that we evolved." I correct him and he cackles lightly.
"If you think your mom is going to love me, why are you so nervous about me meeting them? I mean, you didn't seem too nervous when you wanted us to go to the UK." I point out, stroking a lock of his hair.
"I am afraid that it will make things weird, that I will somehow screw things up and lose you again. And in the UK, we would have every excuse to go out. I would take you exploring, sightseeing, and out to see the nightlife. They wouldn't really have the time, nor the chance to fall completely in love with you. I don't know, it is just irrational, but the thought is there." He admits. It takes me a moment to put it all together, but it does -sort of-, make sense.
"I promise to try my hardest to make sure they won't fall completely in love with me. I will put my meanest front. I will neglect you and be busy to the point they will have to wonder what you saw in me in the first place." I tease him, trying to make sure he cheers up.
"You and I both know a little too well you can't neglect me, mon amour." He snakes a hand under my top, tracing his fingers along my spine until the clasp of my bra.
"I don't know such thing." I bite the inside of my cheek. Harry cocks an eyebrow at me, the corners of his lips curling up in a slight smirk.
"We both know you are putty in my hands. Just a motion of my fingers and you become putty in my hands." He says cockily and I look at him with wide eyes.
"Oh, Mr. Styles is so self-assured..."
"Mr. Styles is just stating the facts." He says casually and I hum in irony.
"I think that you will be surprised by how good I am at not becoming putty in your hands with the motion of your fingers." I say confidently, tilting my head to the side.
"You wanna bet?" He asks me with excitement written all over his face.
"Bet on what?" I ask him, all intrigued by the question.
"Bet who will last longer without becoming putty in the other's hands."
"You are willing to last that long?" I ask and he brushes me off.
"Oh, please. By this time tomorrow, you are going to be begging for me."
"Mmm, don't hold your breath, Mr. Styles. You know I can be pretty stubborn." I retort, and Harry furrows his eyebrows together to mock me.
"I am sure you are."
"I am very serious."
"I know, I can tell."
"This is going to be so funny. I am going to crash you." I squeeze his face into my palms, kissing his lips softly.
"Oh, princess... You sure know how to talk the talk." His eyes twinkle, a few lines appearing on the sides as he squints at me playfully.
"I can walk the walk alright." I press my tongue against my cheek, before moving from his lap.

-

"Talked with my mom this evening. She told me they'll be here on the 22nd." Harry announces, walking into the bedroom. I take a peak from the closet's wall, finding him shirtless and sitting on his side of the bed. I can see his iPad resting on our duvet, the bright screen contrasting the dark grey fabric of the weighed cover. The bet is still going, with Harry lasting longer than I had predicted, which by now has become frustrating.
"That's in like a week, right?" I ask him, walking out of the closet and heading for our bed.
"5 days... They were supposed to leave the day after, but the weather forecast suggests heavy weather that day so they changed it." He replies, picking up the stylus for his iPad.
"It's all good, then. Having a safe trip is important." I fluff my pillows, raising the corner of the duvet so I can crawl under.
"That's a nice t-shirt. Is it new?" He asks me, momentarily peeking from the document he is reading.
"It's one of yours. Like it?" I ask, stretching the garment down so he can take a look at the Stevie Nicks print. He hums surprised, cocking an eyebrow at me.
"It's mine? Huh, I have forgotten all about it. Suits you." He smirks, his eyes darting down to the hem of the t-shirt that rests on the top of my thighs.
"Thanks. I found it in the back of the closet and thought it was cute. Maybe I should have asked you before taking it." I press my lips together and Harry chuckles.
"What's mine is yours, mon amour... Do you mind if I keep my light on?" He asks as I crawl under the duvet.
"Not at all." I grab my phone from the bedside table, checking one last time if I have my alarms on for the morning.
"Oh, tomorrow I might be a bit late..." I state and Harry makes a questioning sound.
"How so?" He asks me.
"I'll go for some light shopping with Chrissy. She wants to buy some lingerie." I reply. Thankful that I have turned my back to him, I can smirk all I want without giving my ploy away. But oh, do I wish I could take a look at his face right now.
"Are you... Are you buying anything?" He asks me, his voice becoming a little higher than usual.
"Why would I? I don't need anything anyway... You are so good at not succumbing to temptation, I won't be wearing any lingerie any time soon."
"Oh, I haven't noticed we are still on with the bet. Who is counting either way?" He scoffs and I hum.
"See? Why blow my money on sexy little lingerie? The red Mrs. Claus set Chrissy suggested is way too expensive either way."
"Yeah, yeah. Save your money."
"Besides, we won't be having sex while your mom stays with us." I comment and silence falls in our bedroom. I can hear a faint 'Shit' coming from Harry's lips before he composes himself.
"Totally, yeah. That would be very inappropriate." He fakes a being-ok-with-it tone, which I am sure I do too when he becomes suggestive as well.
"I am so glad we are on the same page about this, you know. It is so refreshing to know my partner can resist me for nearly a month without a problem." I turn around and support my weight on my elbows, before pressing a kiss on his cheek.
"Same, same. I will go get a quick shower and then doze off as well." He locks the iPad before leaving it on the bedside table and getting up from the bed.
"Haven't you taken a shower already?" I ask, but Harry gives no response.
It is a little victory, knowing that I can at least get him bothered enough that he has to step away and be by himself.

--

"Happy to be away from the in-laws?" Chrissy asks me, cutting some swiss cheese into small triangles.
"Not my in-laws." I point out, looking across the counter for Harry's reaction.
"Right. Where are they, either way?" She asks me. Since their arrival, 10 days ago, we haven't really been apart from them.
"Vinny took them to a Broadway show. My mum has been dying to see the Tina Turner musical." Harry replies and I hum.
"It is all she talked about since New Year's day morning. She was kinda disappointed we didn't go with her." I reply with a small frown.
"When are they leaving?" Chrissy asks and Harry sighs.
"The day after tomorrow. Gemma can't stay longer and mum's missed home." He replies and I can feel my heart sinking. He is sad they are leaving, he wishes they could stay longer. He has not seen them in so long, the 2 weeks they've spent with us are not enough for him.
"That's a pity, man. I know how difficult it can be." Adrian pats Harry's back sympathetically. Chrissy rolls her eyes with a sarcastic chuckle.
"What?" Adrian asks her, cocking an eyebrow.
"Nothing." She mumbles.
"That's not nothing. You rolled your eyes at me." He insists.
"Ri, it's fine. I just think you are a little dramatic. We see your mom 3 times a month. She lives like, 45 minutes from our apartment. Harry sees his mom like, what, once, twice a year. She lives across the ocean. I don't think you know how difficult it can be." She states. Adrian scoffs and shakes his head at her.
"Is this whole thing because we spent Christmas with my family and not yours? Are you still upset about it?" She asks him, knitting her eyebrows together. This feels like a private moment for them and Harry seems to sense that as well as he motions me to follow him before Adrian responds to Chrissy's comment.

"Is everything ok with them?" Harry asks me, closing the door to our bedroom.
I smile, leaning against the boudoir and facing him.
"I wouldn't worry much about them. That's how they do things. A small, insignificant fight, just so they can have make up sex. I just hope they don't fuck on top of our island." I sigh, taking a look at my nails. Harry hums, walking towards me.
"I suggest we give them some space, then. Let the whole thing blow over."
"This seems like a comfortable hiding place." I comment, just as Harry stops in front of me. He scans me with his eyes, from head to toe skimming through my details.
He runs his hand over his face, sighing in defeat before he rests his big hands on my hips.
"Fuck it. You win." He mumbles, leaning towards me and kissing me hungrily. Swiftly, he raises me to sit atop the sturdy furniture, while my hands cradle his face.
His mouth escapes mine, moving lower to my jaw and neck, getting the taste of my skin on his tongue.
"I won…" I mumble, proud of my achievement and greedy for him. All I want is him. I want to savor him one more time.
"Yes, you won. Now you are going to be a good girl and let me get inside you." He grips my chin, maintaining eye contact as his nimble fingers caress my thigh.
I can feel shivers run down my spine, my eyes flickering open and shut at the sole sensation of his hands on me.
"Is that silk?" He asks me, toying with the hem of my dress. I hum in affirmation.
"It's the slip dress I bought in Aspen. The one I didn't wear at the party." I remind him, but he seems to be uninterested in the details.
"Silk slip dresses…That's all you are allowed to wear from now on. That, or buck nakedness." He comments, pressing his body more on mine. My legs wrap around his waist, my body urging me to leave no space between us.
"I don't think wearing slip dresses at work is appropriate."
"You are talking too much right now."
"Surprisingly, my mouth is both an advantage and a disadvantage of dating me." I joke and Harry chuckles.
"Perhaps I should give your mouth something to keep it shut." He passes his thumb over my lips, looking at my eyes flickering to his. I part my lips, letting his finger enter my mouth.
"Shit…" He groans as I suck my cheeks in, circling my tongue around his thumb.
"What?" I ask, my voice muffled as his thumb presses down my tongue.
"We don't have time to do everything that's on my mind." He says, breathing through his nose.
"Why? What's on your mind?" I ask him, pressing a peck on his thumb.
"So many things… We start with you on your knees, my cock in your mouth, looking at me with your big, innocent eyes. You take me down your throat, and you gag and gasp for air. There are tears in your eyes. Pretty, sparkling tears in your beautiful eyes." He is in the zone, breathing sharp breaths as his hands tear off my panties.
"Then I press you up against this mirror, your face on the cold surface, watching us as I fuck you. You fog the mirror with your breath, and you scream my name at the top of your lungs. I use your cunt, your sweet, wet, warm cunt, until it takes all I can give it." My panties are now a bunch on the floor, my dress hitched up my hips, and Harry's cock out of his pants and rock hard pointing upwards.
"Then I move you to our bed, make you all comfortable with pillows and shit. I spread your thighs and explore your cunt with my tongue. I taste our taste and coax another high from you, bringing you to another orgasm. You get hooked on me, you refuse to leave our bed for days, I fill you up with my seed again, and again, and again…" He trails his lips down my neck, grazing his teeth over my collarbone, pulling me closer by my waist before he slips inside me.
I let out a soft cry, my back becoming an arch as he guides his cock deep inside me.
"Harry…" My mouth stays agape, forehead pressed against his for proximity.
"Shh… We can't let our guests know what we are doing…" He chuckles, bringing his hand to the back of my head to keep me there, close to him.
"I don't care. They are fighting, they can't hear us." I mumble, moving back until my back is against the mirror.
"(Y/N), behave…You are my good girl, aren't you?" He asks me, with a smirk of satisfaction on his lips.
"Harry, don't you miss my moans and my screams, baby? Don't you miss hearing how good you make me feel?" I ask him. Harry slams his hips onto mine, making the boudoir move and make a squeaky sound.
"I've missed all your sounds and all your little expressions. I should have given up trying to resist you weeks ago when I saw you wearing that Stevie Nicks t-shirt... Fuck, you looked so fucking sexy." He groans, his grip tightening on my hips.
"You are so fucking tight, princess. Fit just for me. I don't think I'll last long now…"
"I don't think that either. It's been too long, far too long." I writhe on my spot, feeling my sex already pulsing.
"This feels like deja vu…" He whispers, grabbing me by the back of my head and bringing me close to him, pressing his forehead against mine. His lips tease mine, while his tender fingers dig into my hair.
"Let me cum inside you…" He groans, his voice breaking as he draws a breath.
"Please…" I can barely breathe, all my body can do is crave release.
"Are you sure, princess? Are you sure you want my cum inside your cunt?" He asks me cockily.
"Harry, please." I whine, feeling his warm breath on my skin.
"Please sounds so good from your lips. baby." He chuckles, finally pressing his lips on mine. I let his tongue slip into my mouth, moaning at the way he thrusts inside me.
He has power over me, an addicting kind of submission over my whole being. Shit, I would let him do anything to me, anything with me.
Harry bites onto my bottom lip, pulling back a little as he presses his hips on mine and doesn't let go.
"I need you to cum around me." He breathes heavily, his cock pulsing inside me. He has to focus on not cumming. He shuts his eyes and tenses his whole face in an effort to stop himself from spilling inside me.
"Harry…" My voice is barely above a whisper, but he seems to hear me. I want to tell him I need a little more, that I am close but not there yet.
"Don't speak until you've cum… The sound of your voice will make me fucking lose it." He presses his hand on my mouth, his other hand helping me grind my hips on his, teasing myself some more without him having to pull out of me.
He presses his hand on my mouth, stopping me from making more sounds. My eyes roll to the back of my head, his strong hand muffling my face making me feel so small, so helpless.
"Shit, you are pulsing. You are going to cum, baby?" He asks me with a chuckle. I nod my head, my legs wrapping tightly around him until my breath hitches and I hit my precious high.

It is not easy to describe how good it feels to finally get to my high. It is both numbing and an outburst of all sensations. La petite mort, the French call it, the closest to death a living person can get without dying. With Harry, I now understand why they use it to describe an orgasm.
"Shit." Harry mumbles as I arch my back and pull him closer with my legs.
"I am going to cum, baby. I am going to cum for you." He whispers, cradling my chin in his hand. His grip tightens the closer he gets to his own orgasm. His thrusts are sloppy and short, prolonging the beautiful tingling in my sex.
"Fuck, princess, shit…" He groans, releasing deep inside me. The excitement is unreal, watching him become a mess because of me is a fucking privilege.
"Oh, how I've missed you…" I admit and he chuckles, his chest rising and falling irregularly, with no rhythm as he is trying to catch his breath.
"I think I've missed you just as much, sunshine." He kisses the tip of my nose softly, making me giggle.

A rapid knock on the door interrupts the sweet moment.
"We are leaving. When you stop fucking like rabbits, call us to reschedule. You guys are the most horrible hosts…" Chrissy jokes. I can feel a blush creep up my face but Harry seems unfazed by the embarrassment.
"Drive safe…" He says cheerfully before shifting his attention to me again.
"Oh God, how embarrassing." I mumble but he simply smirks at me.
"I don't see why it would be embarrassing. Obviously, they know we fuck. Now they know how well I fuck your tight, little, wet pussy…" He cocks, kissing down my neck.
"Harry…" I protest.
"Yes, (Y/N)?" He asks playfully.
"I have to clean myself. And I am starving…"
"Yes, ma'am." He pulls out of me, kissing my neck before he helps me onto my feet.
"I hope you don't mind that I am joining you in the shower…" He picks me up as I giggle, carrying me to our bathroom.
"I'd say that it is an absolute requirement." I comment as he leaves me down.

-

"You know, it is nice that we are finally able to do this." Harry presses a kiss on the base of my neck as I press my back more on his chest. My fingertips are tracing a lazy pattern on his forearm that is snaked around my waist.
"What? Lay in bed together?" I ask with a giggle. He hums, taking a whiff of my hair.
"I've missed not having to get up early to entertain my family." He whispers and I chuckle.
"You are going to start missing them soon."
"Maybe. But for now, I miss my goddess." He presses his body more on me.
"Goddess? That smitten?"
"Maybe even more than that. You know, my mom thinks I have finally settled down. And Gemma thinks that before this year ends, we will be married." He replies and I laugh.
"That's a little fast, don't you think?"
"Mom says in 6 months."
"Jesus… She is in a rush to get you married." I joke, earning a chuckle from him.
"She is just worried that I will somehow fuck it up and lose you…"
"Why would you lose me?" I ask him and he hums.
"I have already lost you once…" He admits and I sigh. I turn around, now facing him, and bring a hand to cradle his face softly.
"We have both learned from that. And we wouldn't be here if we haven't lost each other once. We wouldn't be this solid if it was not for that time of our lives." I try to assure him. A beautiful smirk dances on his lips before he cocks an eyebrow at me.
"You sound just like my therapist."
"And when does your therapist think we are getting married?" I ask as a joke.
"She doesn't know when, but she knows I've found the one…"
"Oh, God…" I hide my face in his neck and he giggles.
"Honestly now, have you ever pictured us getting married?" He asks me, his voice mellow yet serious, firm. I take a moment before I reply, raising my gaze to find his on me already. He is looking at me softly, not expecting a specific answer from me, but eager to hear me say it.
"I have." I admit. His face lights up and he licks his lips before opening his mouth.
"And? What does that picture look like?" He asks me. He is eager to hear me say it, he is eager to hear me admit that I can only imagine a future if it is him in it.
"It looks like a Sunday morning, with the sun coming in from this window… You don't have to go to the office, we don't even have to get out of bed if we don't want to. You are holding me close, so very close. I am kissing your neck, and soon you've let your guard down enough for me to be able to straddle you…" My lips trace down his chest and he is moaning at the sensation of my mouth on his skin.
"Sounds like you are describing what is happening now…" He manages to say coherently.
"Now it does…" I comment as I flip him on his back, holding his hands over his head as I settle my thighs on each side of his torso.
"This is what our marriage looks like to you?" He asks me and I hum.
"Among other forms it takes…"
"I knew you only wanted me for my cock…" He laughs, eyes crinkling on the sides.
"What else would I want you for?"
"My money would be an acceptable answer…" He mumbles jokingly.
"Ah, yes, your money… The absolute reason I am with you. How could I forget to mention…" I joke as well, making him giggle softly.
"Now, seriously, sunshine… Would you ever want to marry me?" He asks, taking my hand in his.
"Are you proposing to me right now?" I ask him and he shakes his head negatively.
"I don't have a ring, do I?"
"Do you think you need a ring to propose?"
"Oh, sunshine. It is an absolute requirement. It is how you seal a deal…"
"A deal?" I ask him with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course. The 'I will love you until the day I die' deal." He explains, running his thumb over my knuckles.
"Will you love me until the day you die?"
"And far beyond that, mon amour." He says softly. I smile, my eyes tearing up already.
"Then I really want to marry you one day…"
"One day?"
"Do you need a specific day to settle the bet between your mom, sister, and therapist?"
"No, they can stay in agony for a while." He sits up, pressing a kiss on my lips.
"Let me know when they start betting heavy money. I want in…" I joke, biting my bottom lip. 

 

Chapter 10: Part 10: New York, Zurich, London

Summary:

(Y/N) has some major career choices to make. Harry takes her along on an investors' tour, and they have a big discussion about their relationship.
The penultimate part.

Notes:

This is an NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable reading content like this one, feel free to scroll through the chapters to find something you might like.
(Smut / Teasing/ Oral Sex; Female Receiving / Breeding Kink / Semi-Public Sex)

(Words: 8.4k)

It has been about a year since that conversation with Harry. Another Christmas went by, with everyone's eyes glued on my ring finger, to find out whether Harry popped the question or not. It is not just his family and our friends anymore. Every time I accompany him to business dinners or trips, every time I visit his office, everyone is looking at my hands, scanning for a sparkling stone on that finger.
At first, I was getting annoyed, and frustrated at the invasion of privacy. But now it is just funny, everyone is so obsessed with our relationship, so amazed by the fact Harry is in the longest relationship of his life -at least by Lita's sayings.

"Well, I will be damned..." I hear a familiar voice from the entrance of the design room. I have been helping from the game studio's headquarters lately, so I have been meeting with a lot of people.
I raise my gaze to find Chimera, my old professor from my bachelor years.
"Professor Fisher... It is so good to see you again. How have you been?" I ask her, leaving my pad on the desk to walk toward her.
"I have been fine, Ms. (Y/L/N). Last I heard of you, you were moving out of New York." She shakes my hand.
"Yes, but now I am back. I apologize for not attending our meeting all the way back."
"The past is in the past, (Y/N). Tell me, what are you doing here?" She asks me.
"I help with the gameplay dialogues and info, check the validity of information, you know, putting my knowledge to any use I can." I explain to my old professor who is now looking at me as if she is scanning me, looking for any excuse to judge me.
"I see."
"What are you doing here? This is the last place I expected to see you." I ask her.
"The studio wants to recruit one of my students, apparently as your assistant, as part of their dissertation. As the head of the department, I had to check this place out." She replies.
"Oh, that is amazing. I could use some help around here. And I am glad I will get to work with a fellow NYU student." I smile at her.
"Now that I have found you, what about we go grab some lunch and discuss how you like it here? Maybe we can have that meeting we didn't have all this time back." She suggests. I check my wristwatch, seeing that I have at least 45 minutes until my lunch break.
"I will have to ask my supervisor if I can have my break a bit earlier." I smile and point to the supervisor's office.

-

"What's up with you today?" Chrissy asks, pulling out a lace bodycon from the rack and holding it before my body.
"Hm?" I realize that I have been holding onto the same pair of satin panties for the last 10 minutes, mindlessly feeling the smoothness of the fabric in my hand.
"I am asking what is going on inside your head... You are off today. What is so much more interesting than lingerie shopping?" She chuckles.
"I saw Chimera today... Professor Fisher." I state, placing the pair of panties in my shopping basket.
"You did? And what, she sucked the life out of you?" She asks jokingly.
"No... I mean, she was actually very nice. She bought me lunch."
"Well, I mean, she always liked you. You were her little teacher's pet." She teases me, knowing that I am dying to hear praise from any authoritative figure.
"Still, she was very difficult to deal with, you remember."
"Anyways, is that the reason you are off today? Because Chimera bought you lunch?" She asks with a scoff.
"I was supposed to have a meeting with her when I got back from Italy." I explain, avoiding eye contact.
"(Y/N), baby. I love you, but I can't keep pressing you to extract information. You have to be the one to tell me if you want to let it out." She comments and I sigh.
"She wanted to suggest I start my Ph.D. back then. She said that my research project was riveting for a bachelor student and that skills and insights like mine should not be limited to developing a mobile game. She said that if I am up for it, I can apply tomorrow morning and start next week because she will vouch for me."
"(Y/N), baby... That is amazing. Oh my God, I am so proud of you, but oh, oh so jealous. You should be celebrating, not sulking." She encourages me, hugging me in celebration.
"What are you thinking? Are you doing it?" She asks me. I sigh, feeling my eyes brimming with tears.
"I can't afford it. I have to pay off my student loan. She said we could look for partial funding, but it is not enough for me to not go into complete debt with my current salary." I reply, feeling a tightness in my stomach. I really, really want this, but I can't have it.
"Why... Why are you not... asking Harry for money? He would be more than happy to help, you know that." She suggests.
"We made it very clear when we first got back together that he will not treat me like a sugar baby again."
"Yeah, ok. But this is not like that and you know it."
"It will feel like that to me. I won't even tell him about meeting with Chimera today. And I'll just forget about it. I have to focus on other things either way." I reply and she looks at me with a furrow on her brow.
"Other things?"
"I mean the game. I'd tell you if I had to plan a wedding, don't worry." I roll my eyes, showing her my still-ringless ring finger. She just hums and places the bodycon in my basket, moving to the next rack.
"You know, sometimes I feel like your personal Barbie doll. You dress me up and then send me home for Harry to enjoy."
"I am on his payroll for exactly that reason." She jokes.
"That explains a lot, actually." I mumble and follow right behind her.

-

It has not been easy for me to move past this. I have always thought of myself as a scholar, as a person active in the field of research, someone who helps the next generations understand art a little better, and a person who helps all those stories behind artworks to be told to the world. So it is not easy for me to kick away this opportunity.

"Sunshine, you are still not ready?" Harry asks, emerging from the closet. He is trying to fix the cufflinks on his shirt's sleeves but he is struggling, so I gesture for him to come closer so I can do it for him.
"I am not really feeling well. I think I am staying home tonight. Give my apologies to the company." I murmur, fixing the little decorations on his crisp, white shirt.
"What is it, princess? You have been under the weather for a while now. Have you been to the doctor?"
"It's fine, it's just tiredness." I assure him. I don't like lying to him, and I certainly don't enjoy watching him worry about me, but it is not really a lie. I am feeling sick, and being with his nosy business partners will not help me feel better.
"Baby, have you... Have you taken a test?" He asks me. I can sense some hope in his voice. He has expressed that he wants us to have a family, but we have agreed to not rush it or force it. It will come in its own time.
"A test?" I ask him.
"A pregnancy test." He clarifies and I chuckle.
"Harry, I am not pregnant." I hate to crush his hopes.
"Are you sure? I can ask Vinny to bring you one." He offers and I nod.
"I am sure. I had my period 10 days ago, remember?" I ask and he huffs.
"I am just tired. I am sorry." I smile softly at him, running my thumb over his knuckles.
"I'll cancel tonight. I'll stay with you, cook you a healthy soup, and we will sit and watch something on the telly." He begins unbuttoning his shirt but I stop him.
"No. You should go. I will be fine for a couple of hours. I'll drink some tea, take a melatonin gummy, and go to bed. Tomorrow I'll feel better." I assure him, standing up to give him a short kiss.
"Are you sure about that?" He asks me and I nod my head.
"I will be fine, baby. I just need to rest. Go, have fun. I will see you during breakfast."
"If you need anything, just call me."
"I know."
"I mean it. I will keep my phone on."
"Okay, Harry. Now go, don't be late for dinner."
"Fine. I am going. Oh, I can leave Vinny here. Just in case you need anything. He suggests but I shake my head no.
"I will be fine on my own, Harry. But thank you for being so considerate." It is sweet of him, I can't lie.
"Alright. I'll try to get out of it as soon as possible. Bye, baby. I hope you feel better soon." He moves out of the door hesitantly, leaving me alone in the empty house.

-

A knock on my office's door brings me out of my zone, stopping my typing mid-sentence.
Harry stares at me through the glass door, waving at me happily. I smile and gesture for him to enter, watching him as he tries to open the door with his body.
"I come bearing gifts." He announces as he walks in. And he truly does. A bouquet of fresh daisies, a large, brown paper bag from our favorite takeout place, and a smaller bag from the french patisserie near his office, all carried by him and placed on top of my desk.
"This is a surprise." I state, standing up from my chair to hug him. I know that the glass door and the window divider don't give us much privacy, but I don't mind being seen hugging my man.
"Is it a pleasant one?" He asks me and I hum.
"Always. What are you doing here?" I ask him, inviting him to take a seat on the small, 2-seat leather couch in the corner of the room. My office is not as impressive as his, it is way smaller, way less private, and more minimalistic than his, but at least it is all mine.
"You haven't visited my office in a while. So I thought I should pay my busy girlfriend a visit." He starts taking the takeout out of the bag.
"You know I have been swamped lately, bub. And you see me at home all the time. Is that not enough for you? You'll wound up tired of me in the end." I joke as he hands me a lunchbox.
"It will never be enough for me, no matter how many hours a day I see you. I just wished I would see you happier a lot more often." He hands me a travel mug with coffee, my usual fragrant cappuccino feeling warm in my hand, despite the isolation of the mug.
"I've been feeling a bit off lately, that's all. I'll get better once spring takes over." I try to make up an excuse, but Harry is smarter than that, he doesn't buy it.

"Why didn't you tell me about the Ph.D. offer?" He asks me, sitting across from me on the couch. Well, due to the size of the furniture, we are pretty much one upon another.
"Harry..." I don't know what to tell him. I didn't even realize he knew that much.
"(Y/N)..." He insists, prying my head up with his pointer and middle finger.
"Chrissy told you?" I ask him.
"Only after I told her how miserable you've been lately. She is worried about you. I am worried about you. I thought you wanted to break up with me and didn't know how to tell me." He explains.
"Harry, no. Of course not. I just... I can't afford to do it now. So what use would there be telling you? I wanted to suppress it, I wanted to forget it even happened." I admit, fidgeting with my rings.
"If there is one thing I learned from therapy is that the more you suppress things, the stronger they return when they resurface. You can't ignore a smoke alarm, the fire will catch up to you. Yes, you wanted to suppress it, but it took away your happiness."
"Ok, yeah. It happened. But even now, nothing has changed. I still can't do it, and now you know about it, so every time you'll look at me, you'll pity me." I sound frustrated, more so than I thought I would.
"Is this Ph.D. something you want to do? Is it something that will bring happiness back to my favorite person?" He asks me and I sigh. I simply nod my head, biting my lip to stop myself from crying.
"Then you should go ahead and do it."
"You know I don't get paid enough to pay off my student debt and start a Ph.D." I chuckle and he scoffs.
"I'll fund it." He states.
"Harry, no. We have agreed you wouldn't treat this as a business deal. This is precisely why I didn't want you to know in the first place." I try to sound definite about this and cut this option off completely, but Harry remains calm and just looks at me until I am calm enough to listen to what he has to say.
"I am not doing this to control you. I am not doing this to own you, or because I want you to feel in debt to me. I am doing this because this is the sort of thing you do for the person you love. I love you. And if this is going to bring the smile back to your face, I am going to pay ten times the fucking tuition."
"What if we break up?" I ask him and he tilts his head to the side.
"Are you planning on breaking up with me, (Y/L/N)?" He asks me.
"Of course not, Harry. But shit happens, you never know. You might get bored of me, you might be the one who will want to break up."
"(Y/N), baby... I will never get bored of you. I don't ever plan on breaking up with you. And believe me, if you ever decide to break up with me, the last thing I will care about will be the money. So, (Y/N) (Y/M/N) (Y/L/N), do this sad, sad man a favor and apply for the Ph.D., because every second I don't see the light in your eyes, I lose my happiness too." He takes my hand in his, bringing it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss on it.
I smile and nod, moving closer to him to press a kiss on his lips.
"I don't know how I will ever repay you." I whisper. He strokes my face softly, looking at me for a moment, staring deep into my eyes.
"Love me. It is enough for me. Love me, because your love makes me a better person, and it makes the darkness go away. So, just... Love me." He states, stroking his thumb over my cheek. I nod my head, feeling finally ready to burst into tears. I have been holding myself for a while, trying to deny the pain I have been feeling. But now I can finally let go, I can finally admit how painful this has been for me.

-

"Is that the necklace I got you back when we first met?" Harry asks me, holding up the chain with the rose-gold plated dove necklace. I am currently finishing packing up for our trip to Europe, for an investors' tour. Harry is checking the jewelry I have packed for the trip, bored out of his mind now that he has finished with his own obligations.
"It is." I smirk, looking at the dainty necklace.
"You still got it?" He asks and I nod my head at him.
"I thought it had long been buried in Arlington's grounds."
"It is way too pretty to be buried." I reply. He hums, closing the box and placing it back into my luggage.
"I hope this one is not packed to be worn in public..." He holds up a lace teddy, a baby pink, nearly transparent one, which of course Chrissy chose for me, but I couldn't agree more that I have to wear this.
"Oh, this one? This one is for dinner with your parents... This, the pair of gladiator lace-up Amina Mauddi high heels you got me for Valentine's, and the silk romp Chrissy got me for Christmas... The perfect outfit for the in-laws, don't you think?" I ask him, folding in half the protective fabric bag that has one of my formal dresses inside, and placing it in my suitcase.
"For the in-laws?" He asks, cheerful about the phrase I used to describe his parents.
"I meant your family."
"You said the in-laws, though..." He teases, walking closer to me.
"I meant your family, Harry. Don't make too much of it." I scoff and he shakes his head at me.
"You said the in-laws..." He grabs me by the waist, pulling me close to his body.
"You said the in-laws."
"Harry..."
"No, no, no. Don't ruin it for me now... You said the in-laws. Which means, you are thinking of me as your husband. Tell me, (Y/N)... Are you thinking of me as your husband, baby? Are you thinking of becoming my wifey, Ms. (Y/L/N)?" He asks me, gently pushing me onto our bed.
"I have to finish packing... Or else the teddy will be worn during a business dinner." I giggle. He pins my hands onto the mattress, hovering above me as he smiles.
"Don't threaten me, 'cause I will call Gemma and have her send a dozen outfits to Switzerland before we land." He teases me, leaning down to bury his face in my neck.
"Harry, I have a shitload of things to do." I purr, but Harry knows better than to back away.
"You wanna be called Mrs. Harry Styles, baby? Cause I can arrange that... Pretty much right now." He nudges his nose on my sweetspot, causing me to sigh at the sound of his last name as mine.
"Harry, baby..."
"Oh, I know, I know... You want me to put a baby inside you, hm... You want that even more, don't you?" He asks, letting go of my hands and raising the hem of my sweater until it is off my body.
"I just want you." I admit, succumbing to the way his lips are working on my skin.
"I knew that already, baby. If you could, you would have me fuck your tight little cunt all the damn time, wouldn't you?" He asks me, moving his hands now to take off my biker shorts.
"I bet this little pussy of yours is already soaked, isn't it sweetheart? Just imagine how much needier you will be with those pregnancy hormones. Fuck, we will have to build a bed in my office for our little mid-day meetings." He toys with the hem of my panties, grazing the very tip of his finger over my bikini line and sending shivers all over my body.
"Damn, your impregnation kink... You know, rich guys tremble at the idea of producing spawns with random women, in case they demand a fortune for their paternity." I manage to gather enough coherence to tease him.
"You've taken all logic out of my brain, princess. I don't care if I am left with a single penny after I put a baby inside you."
"Now, do you want me to put a baby deep inside you? Do you want me to put a baby right here?" He asks me, kissing my lower stomach.
"Yes, please, daddy." I moan, feeling his hot breath on my skin.
"How much do you want me?" He asks me, lowering his lips until they rest on my still-clothed mound.
"I want you so much, I can't even find the words. Please... Look how messy you've made me." I groan and Harry chuckles.
"Oh, princess... But you have to pack your luggage." He slithers away, smirking victoriously.
"You little shit." I protest, nearly jumping up from the bed.
"Weren't you the one protesting that you have to finish packing?" He asks cockily, walking into the bathroom with a toiletry bag in hand, whistling a tune in faux-mindlessness.
"Get back here, Styles." I groan, folding my arms before my chest.
"We have to finish packing, sunshine. Get back to it." He sounds too smug for my liking like he knows he won this round. Fuck, this is the last time I play hard to get when I want him that bad.

-

"I can't believe I won't see you for 3 whole weeks." Chrissy sighs before pouting at me. I roll my eyes playfully, knowing how dramatic she is right now.
"Chrissy, we have gone way longer without seeing each other."
"Not since you moved back to New York..." She mumbles.
"I'll bring you Swiss chocolates to make up for the lost time."
"Bitch, you keep your Swiss chocolates. You'd better bring me a Swiss watch." I laugh at her comment, earning looks from the jet's crew who are impatiently waiting for me to hang up.
"I'll do my best. Chrissy, baby, I gotta hang up. We are preparing for takeoff and I need to switch to airplane mode."
"Fine. Stay safe, call me when you land." She demands.
"I don't know what time it is going to be here when we land there, honey."
"I don't care... You call me. Love you, be ok." She greets me. It is adorable how much she worries about me, it makes me feel like someone has my back.

I would be lying if I said I don't get why she is so worried; the last time I left for so long with Harry, it was for that trip to Italy, and we all remember how that went. Of course, Harry and I have traveled abroad again since we got back together. But it is the first time we are going to be gone for so long. And it is the first time we are traveling for business. I can feel the nervousness in my stomach, and a burn in the back of my nose. It feels awful, and I am glad I share the feeling with Chrissy, because Harry seems on cloud nine, completely in his own fucking world, and not too bothered by what is clearly on my mind.

I put my phone on airplane mode and grab my journal -a beautiful recycled leather journal that Chrissy got me for my research-, and my laptop. With around 80 academic journals, articles, and pdfs, I have enough to entertain myself during the long flight, the long trip to be honest.

"We are all set." Harry announces, plopping down on his seat. The comfortable seats allow me to sit fully curled on mine, my laptop resting on my lap. I know it is not the best position to study in, and I will soon have to change it, but for now, it will have to do.
"When are we taking off?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Eager to get up high, sunshine?" He asks me with a soft smile.
"Not really. I am just craving coffee and I know they are supposed to serve us after takeoff."
"Oh, they are not?" He asks as he motions for a flight attendant to approach us.
"Can you please bring us some coffee? The pretty lady over there needs a caffeine boost, she is an academic..." He comments, looking at me adoringly. I cock an eyebrow at him, opening my laptop to access the folder.
"Right away, sir." The flight attendant smiles and walks to the front to execute Harry's request
"You didn't have to do that. And I am not an academic." I mumble and he chuckles.
"You are a Ph.D. candidate, correct? And you wanted some coffee, right? We are passengers on this flight, we can have some coffee." He states. I just hum, focusing my gaze on the text before me.
"Is someone a little pissy today?" He asks me, leaving his seat and walking towards me.
"Nope."
"Oh my God. Are you mad at me?" He asks me with a sly smirk.
"That I am." I admit.
"Look at my perfect doll, owning up to how she feels... I am so proud of you." He licks his lips, sitting on the arm of my seat.
"Aren't you going to ask why I am mad at you?" I ask him and he shakes his head, stroking the side of my face.
"Oh, I know why already..." He scoffs. The flight attendant brings a tray with coffee and paraphernalia.
"Oh, you do? So tell me, Harry, the all-knowing, why am I mad at you?" I ask him, peaking at the pot of coffee to avoid eye contact with his smug, stupid face.
"It is because I haven't fucked you in the last 4 days, isn't it? Your little cunt is so wet, desperate, and hungry for my cock that you've turned horniness into anger. You crave me so much that you are pissed you can't have me." He states. My eyes dart straight to the flight attendant, who backs away with wide eyes.
"People can hear you, you know..." I mumble, but Harry seems to not care.
"I am telling the truth, am I not?" He asks me.
"Yes, yes... I am pissed at you for not fucking me, Harry. You have been teasing me for days now, and you have been leaving me high and dry. How is that fair? You know, it reminds me of the stupid bet we had last year before Christmas... And if I remember, we both did not like that time of our life." I clench my jaw, making Harry chuckle at me. He grips my chin, making me look at him and calm down from my fluster.
"4 days without my cock inside you and you are spiraling... Oh, dove... I should have known how desperate my wife gets without feeling me inside her." He teases me.
"I am not your wife." I protest and he hums.
"From all I said, you chose to protest the wife part... Interesting." He states and I shrug.
"I want you to count 75 minutes from when we take off. After 75 minutes, I want you to get up and head to the bathroom, wait for me there... I promise you, I am going to make it up to you for the dry spell."
"We are not having sex on this plane."
"Yes, we are. I have always wanted to join the mile-high club. And now, I have the most perfect partner to do so. So, we either do it in the bathroom, or I take you right here, with only a lap blanket hiding what this mean, big man is doing to this sweet, little angel." He cocks an eyebrow at me, expecting an answer. Despite the idea of him fucking me before everyone's eyes is turning me on to the point I have to press my thighs together, I am way too shy to ever do that.
"Fine. 75 minutes."
"Until then, I want you to focus on your bibliography." He reaches for the pot, pours me a cup of coffee, and hands it to me.
"You are a huge dick, Styles." I roll my eyes, taking the first sip of coffee.
"Oh, I know that." He winks at me, moving back to his seat.

I could not stand still while waiting for time to pass. I thumped my pencil on my journal countless times until I filled a page with random lines from thumping. What was worse was that Harry seemed too focused on his tablet, not even throwing me an accidental look. I hate that he looks so casual when I know he burns for me.

I followed his instructions down to the very last word. I took my refreshing cosmetics pouch that I had packed in my backpack for a touchup before landing and headed to the bathroom, which seems way more spacious than the ones on commercial flights.
Of course, Harry had to tease me, making me long for him even more. He calls it delayed gratification, I call it torture.

A knock on the door, and then my heart pounding that someone might need the bathroom, and I got excited over nothing.
"(Y/N), baby... It's Harry. Let me in so I can help you. Is it your travel sickness again?" He asks me from the other side of the door.
I am confused, eyebrows furrowed together, but I decide to play along without phrasing my bewilderment.
I open the door for him, allowing him inside the bathroom which now feels not-so-spacious.
"Since when do I get travel sickness?" I ask him once he locks the door.
"Since we need a cover. I needed a reason to join you. Would you rather if I said morning sickness?" He asks me, gently cornering me against the wall. One hand rests on my waist, the other on my face, and he is looking at me with a dominant expression. I love that expression, I love it on Harry and Harry only.
"Smart, Styles..." I comment with a soft smile.
"Just creative, dove. Very creative when it comes to pleasuring my wife."
"Not your wife..." I comment and he smirks.
"Right, not yet." He states, slipping his hand into my culottes. I gasp when his fingers find their way to my panties, toying with my cunt that is still covered by the thin, cotton undergarment.
"Oh, look...My favorite cunt is so wet, it has a damp patch already." He chuckles and coos, rubbing his fingers along my slit.
"Are you here to tease me, Styles?" I ask him, too desperate to even try to hide it.
"Part of my job description is that, yeah..." He states, kissing the nape of my neck.
"Styles..."
"Styles..." He repeats at me, making me roll my eyes at him.
"I go by (Y/L/N)." I remind him and he scoffs.
"You'll go by Styles, just for me..." He kneels on the floor before me, lowering my bottoms along my panties.
"Just for you?" I ask him, feeling his breath on my thighs.
"Just for me. Only I will be allowed to call you Mrs. Styles. Mrs. Harry Styles. Deal, baby?"
"Deal." I whimper as he fixes my leg onto his shoulder, allowing him access to my sex.
"That's my good girl. Mon soleil. And now, I am going to reward you." He goes straight in, his tongue lapping up my sex, circling on the tip of my clit obnoxiously slow.

I know I have to keep quiet because there is no soundproofing in this shoebox of a bathroom. I know that a few feet from us are top executives of Harry's corporation. I also know that what we are doing is technically illegal. I know all that, and still, all I want to do is scream at the top of my lungs how good his mouth is at pleasuring me.
I feel my heartbeat in my stomach and I can tell that it will only take a couple of seconds for the whole plane to hear me beg for more if I don't do anything to shut myself up. So I press my hand against my mouth, biting it until I feel my teeth leave marks on my skin. Harry moans lowly, enjoying himself as he savors me and sends vibrations to my sex. The sensation travels all across my spine, making my scalp tingle.
"Harry..." I call for his attention. In return, he brings his gaze to meet mine, his beautiful, bright, green gaze fully on me.
"I need you inside me." I beg, as quietly as I can. I need him, I need to feel him, all of him before I burst.
"Oh, no, sunshine... We are having the main course when we land. Now it is just a little treat, a small preview." He kisses my inner thigh as he speaks, using his fingers in lieu of his mouth, pumping 2 fingers inside me.
"But I need you... And is it really the mile-high club if it is just oral?" I ask him, my hand traveling to his curls.
"I am sure the club's board won't be upset." He states, his mouth joining his fingers in pursuit of my high.

I understand there is no point in begging him for more now. He is going to give me what he has been planning to give me, and Harry is not one to go against his plans. Well, he wasn't, until he met me. And since then, he has been persistently failing to keep up with the precalculated path. We were not supposed to have sex, and then he succumbed to my seduction. He was not supposed to fall for me, yet he couldn't move on after we broke up. He was not supposed to wait for me, and yet he changed himself in preparation for my comeback. We were not meant to become addicted to each other, but here we are, unable to spend a day apart.
"Deeper, please. Please, Harry." I mumble, sufficing to just the feeling of his fingers in that spot deep inside me.
He seems to follow my wish, dipping his fingers knuckles deep inside me.
"Are you going to cum in my mouth, sunshine?" He asks me, only parting from my sex momentarily.
"I don't think I will be able to keep quiet. Edge me." It hurts me physically to ask for that, but we have no option.
"Oh, no, honey. You are cumming for me. I don't care if everyone hears how good I eat this beautiful cunt." He uses his free hand to grab onto my hips and keep me there as he brings me to my breaking point.
My sex glues to his face as I reach my spine-chilling high, eyes shutting tightly as I bite onto my palm.
"There is my delicious girl... God, look at my honey, look how good she looks when she cums." Harry stands up, pressing me against the wall as he brings his lips to mine.
"Do you think we are going to get arrested?" I ask, cradling his face softly in my hand.
"For what?" He asks back.
"For fucking in public..."
"No one knows. And if they did, they would have burst in to stop us. We'll be fine, my love." He assures me, kissing the tip of my nose.

-

"You look so hot in just a towel..." Harry whispers in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"You think I look hotter without it." I chuckle, scrunching my hair with the microfibre towel.
"Look who's turned cocky." He turns my head, bringing his lips to mine.
"All the worshipping you do has finally gotten to my head."
"Objective completed then." He peels the towel off my body, letting it fall on the floor.
"Harry, we have dinner with Gemma in an hour. " I remind him as his hand snakes down to my sex.
"Yeah, I remember that." He rubs his fingers in circles on my clit, slowly inching them down to collect some wetness from my entrance.
"I have to get ready for it. And you are a distraction, currently."
"Oh, I am a distraction? Like you were when you wore that high-slit gown for dinner with the Dewis family?" He asks me, still moving his fingers slowly.
"Oh, is that it?" I ask him, using my teasing voice, just to get on his nerves a little more.
"All fucking night, all I could think of was your fucking pussy. And you made it even harder when you handed me your damn panties. Do you even know what it took for me not to blow everything up? Do you have any idea how much you could have cost me that night if I did not salvage the situation?" He is working his fingers faster, yet his voice is very calm, almost soothing.
"And what's worse, princess, is that I would not give a damn if I lost money that night. All that mattered was the fact I had to have you. That's what you are doing to me, Mrs. Styles. That's how hooked you have me." He growls by my ear, stroking my clit faster.
"Harry..." I whimper, gripping onto his forearm.
"You can go ahead and get ready. I'll just have my fun with you." He sounds serious, his fingerpads pressing onto my sensitive bundle of nerves.
"Harry, you know I can't concentrate on anything else with your hand between my thighs." I protest, my head falling back onto his shoulder.
"Now you know how that feels." He is satisfied with himself.
"Harry..." I purr, in a final effort to win this argument.
"Time is passing, baby. We don't want my sister to wait, do we?" He chuckles, slowly teasing my sex.
"You are so paying for this..." I whimper, bucking my hips on his hand.
"Oh, princess...l don't think you understand... You are paying for what you did yesterday." He strokes my cheek with his free hand.

 

"You seem to have forgotten your manners, Styles." Gemma greets us as we reach the table reserved for us.
"Sorry, darling. Someone took all night to get ready." Harry kisses his sister's cheek before allowing me to hug her.
"Oh, no, baby... You are not putting the blame on me... Your brother seemed to have his hands full with obligations, Gem." I turn my head to watch Harry's reaction with a smirk on my face. He bites the inside of his cheek and shakes his head, keeping a playful smile on his face.
"Oh, sweetheart, I believe you. You can take Harry out of the boardroom, but you cannot take the boardroom out of Harry." Gemma chuckles, taking a step back to check me out.
"You look amazing, (Y/N). My God, how long has it been since the last time I saw you?" She asks as Harry pulls a chair out for me.
"You never visit, Styles." Harry comes back, making her hum.
"Thank God you conduct business in Europe and we see you once in a blue moon."
"Are we here for you two to bicker back and forth?" I ask, picking up the menu card.
"That's our love language, sunshine." He responds, kissing the back of my hand.
"You would know if my brother didn't hog you all to himself at every visit." Gemma cocks an eyebrow at Harry, picking up the card as well.
"Gemma, babes, can you stop staring at (Y/N)'s hands? We'd tell you if we were getting married."
"Mum's raised the bet. If I lose half a grand because you cannot commit..."
"Half a grand?" I ask, eyes going wide at the new information.
"You can understand the kind of stress I am under. We are talking about good money."
"What's your bet, Gemma?" I ask, biting my bottom lip.
"Under 3 months." She replies. I turn my head to look at Harry who tilts his head and shrugs.
"You might win it." I mumble, going back to the menu to make up my mind about what I want to eat tonight.

-

"Help me out of my dress?" I ask Harry who is already out of his shirt and drinking his last drink of the night.
"Gladly." He leaves his glass down as I gather my hair up to reveal the zipper of my dress.
"My sister made you feel uncomfortable, didn't she?" He asks me, slowly unzipping me.
"No, it was actually nice. I like hanging out with Gemma."
"I am talking about the stupid bet. It was fun at first until they started betting money. Now it is just annoying and creepy." He comments, grazing my spine with the knuckles of his fingers.
"Same goes with your business partners... They were so pushy about the marriage topic. Everyone keeps on asking the same question; when is the wedding..."
"They are worried you might realize you deserve better and leave me." He kisses the base of my neck before I turn around to face him.
"This is nonsense, Harry. I love you too much to walk away." I place my hands on his chest, looking up at him as he touches my cheek softly.
"Shall we do it then? So they stop asking?" He asks me, his face calm and voice steady.
"Are you asking me to marry you so others stop asking?" I ask him back with a chuckle, but my heart is pounding in my chest. It is happening, for the first time he is honestly asking me to marry him.
"Well, we already live like a couple, where is the hurt in signing a paper?"

For a moment my stomach sinks; it is just a formality.
"Besides, I don't want to spend my life with anyone else but you. And I would very much like for everyone to know you are mine, and just mine." He kisses my lips tenderly, only for a second before he pulls away a few inches and stares at me.
"Is this an actual proposal? Do you need an answer?" I ask him.
"I...I mean... I know I don't have a ring and that it is spontaneous, but I..."
"Yes, Harry. I want to marry you. Fuck the ring, fuck the prep, fuck everything. I'd marry you with paper rings tomorrow morning in the mayor's hall." I reach up, cupping his face in my hands and kissing him deeply.
"Did you mean what you said? About marrying me tomorrow morning in the mayor's hall?" Harry asks me as I stroke his hair hazily.
"And the paper rings part." I reply, still not able to wrap my brain around the fact he proposed. Harry, the love of a lifetime, the love of my life, asked me to be in his life forever.
"You don't want a big wedding?" He asks me and I shake my head.
"I never did, to be honest. Ideally, I'd like it to just be me and you. But we have to have witnesses." I roll my eyes and he hums.
"Me, you, the mayor, Vinny, Chrissy, and Gemma." Harry counts on his fingers.
"What are you thinking?" I chuckle and he smiles at me, kissing the tip of my nose.
"Let's get married when we get back to New York. My assistant will do all the paperwork, we will buy whatever we need from here, we will invite just our witnesses and get married in New York, Saturday morning." He suggests.
"Don't you want a big wedding?" I ask him, biting my bottom lip. The idea of a quick, no-fuss wedding excites me.
"No, fuck that. We will sign our paperwork, and then I'll pick you up and leave for our honeymoon. Fuck anything else." He states.
"If we invite Chrissy, we will have to invite Adrian."
"Sure. But no family. Just Gemma because she is going to neuter me if she is not there at our wedding."
"Deal. I'll call Chrissy. Saturday morning?" I ask him and he nods.
"Friday we are going to be back in NY, Saturday I am marrying you." He says excitedly, placing a hand on the small of my back and pulling me closer to him.
"Let's call Chrissy. But you will be quiet and go along with what I say. Promise?" I hold my pinky up for him. He chuckles and links it with mine before I blindly reach for my phone by my pillow.

Chrissy doesn't take long to pick up the phone. Her cheerful voice fills our hotel room, making Harry chuckle.
"Hey, babes. What are you doing up this late, little minx?" She asks, singing at the phone almost.
"Hey, Chrissy. I've missed you and I know you get off work around this time of the day. How are you?"
"I am ok, missing my best friend and thinking of all the gifts she is bringing me from Europe." She says suggestively. I hum and roll my eyes, not that she can see my reaction.
"Hope you like fridge magnets and keychains."
"That's how much I am worth for you?" She gasps playfully.
"Such a drama queen. Anyway, I didn't call you to discuss that. As I said and went unnoticed, I have missed you. And I was wondering if you and Adrian would like to join Harry and me for brunch on Saturday. There is this cool place across from NYC's town hall we've been dying to go and we thought it would be perfect to see you there when we return."
"Oh my God, yes. What's that place? Have I heard of it?" She asks.
"Nope. It is fairly new and exclusive. So dress up nicely and have some ID with you, they are pretty strict."
"Oh, fancy. What time should we meet?" She asks me. I turn to Harry who just shrugs.
"We have to make a reservation, so I don't know the time yet. I'll have to update you on that..."
"OK, cool then. Will you find a reservation on such short notice?" She asks and I scoff.
"Please. We have Harry's name opening every door. Who wants to piss off the mighty mister Styles?" I ask. Harry pokes my ribs playfully, causing me to slap his hand away.
"Sometimes I forget you have one of New York's most powerful men wrapped around your pinky." She laughs.
"Hm, only because he has me wrapped around his as well." I wink at Harry who just shakes his head.
"You guys are sickeningly cute."
"Said the girl who rejected her hoe side and married a year after meeting her husband."
"I am not to be compared. Anyways, I have to go pick up dinner. Adrian will eat me if there is no food on the table in the next 20 minutes."
"Since when do you complain about Adrian eating you?" I ask with a cocked eyebrow.
"Your head is so deep in the gutter, (Y/L/N)."
"I try my hardest, babes. K, bye. I have to go to bed."
"See you on Saturday." She sings before the line goes dead.

"I think she is going to be pretty pissed when we don't have that exclusive bruncherie." Harry comments as I leave my phone down.
"I think she is going to get over it when she signs as a witness to our wedding. Besides, we are heading for brunch after the wedding." I place my leg over his thigh, nesting my head on his chest.
"Whatever the boss wants." He strokes his hand down my back.
"I am the boss?" I ask, placing a kiss on his sternum.
"Who else?" He asks back.
"Why didn't you tell her about the wedding?" He asks me and I sigh.
"She would make a big deal out of it. Plus, she would try to find a way to throw me a bachelorette party and I really don't want to spend a night away from you..." I explain and he coos.
"So obsessed with me, my baby." He kisses the top of my head as I feel my eyelids become heavy.
"We need to sleep... We have a big day tomorrow."
"I thought the big day was on Saturday."
"Yeah, but tomorrow we have to get the rings, the outfits, arrange for the paperwork, all the details. Plus, you have meetings, don't you?" I ask him and he groans.
"Let me call my assistant for the paperwork." Harry tries to reach for his phone but I grab his forearm to stop him.
"In the morning. Let him sleep." I smile at him, earning a sigh from him.
"I can't wait... You are going to be my wife, my Mrs. Styles..." He strokes my cheek, smiling brightly.
"Sleep now, Mr. Styles. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow. And I would hate for you to not look fresh and rested in our wedding pictures." I kiss the side of his neck and wrap my arms around him.

-

"Oh, we have to look this fancy..." Chrissy comments as she approaches us on the stairs of the town hall. I smile at her, hugging her and giving her a cheek kiss.
"Thought I dress up a bit." I shrug my shoulders as she scans me from head to toe.
"It suits you. I love the oversized blazer and the pant line. Though, creme looks a bit bridal."
"Oh, no, honey. We can't have you looking like a bride without being one. We must do something about it..." Harry gasps dramatically, faking a shocked look.
"You are absolutely right, baby. But what can we do... What can we do..." I shake my head. I must look ridiculous.
"Oh, I know. Let's head right in there and get married. We have to, there is no other option now that you are dressed like that." Harry suggests, pointing at the town hall. I don't know who is a worse actor, him or I.
"Excellent idea. Let's go." I giggle as Harry brings the bouquet of flowers from behind his back.
"This was all a setup..." Chrissy gasps, jumping forward to hug us both.
"I owed you a setup for what you did on your wedding day." I tease her and she scoffs.
"If it wasn't for that set up we wouldn't be here today." Adrian chimes in, defending his wife.
"That's why we thought it would be nice if you were our witnesses. It would actually be our honor if you accepted." Harry suggests, looking eagerly at our friends.
"I would never talk to you again if you didn't ask us." Chrissy is on the verge of crying, right where I am too.
"We should head in. Gemma and Vinny are waiting for us." Harry states, putting a pause to the crying session.
"The mayor too." I giggle.
"You two should head in. I'll give her away to you." Chrissy orders the two men, focusing on fixing the collar of my blazer.
"Chrissy..." Harry protests, showing her his watch.
"Styles, I spoke." She digs her heels into the ground, staring down at my very soon-to-be-husband. He raises his hands in defeat as Adrian pats his back.
"Come on, you are not winning this argument. Chrissy, baby... Don't drag this out, yes, love?" Adrian requests, to which my friend hums.
"Just a super quick bachelorette to give her the chance to change her mind... Just kidding. We will be right behind you." Chrissy assures them, dismissing them with a motion of her hand.

"Are you sure about this?" She asks me and I nod my head.
"I am. I have never been so sure about anything else. He is the one. And I have to thank you for our second chance. If it weren't for you insisting he has changed, I would never even talk to him again."
"And if it wasn't for that one night out, I would have never met Adrian, and there wouldn't be a wedding to invite you both to and bring you together again. Harry and you are meant to be, and everything has happened for that reason. Alright, it is time I hand you over to Harry. And I might be giving you away to him, but I am never giving you up. I love Harry and he is perfect. But I will always love you more, I will always choose you. A phone call away, and I will bust his head open." She strokes my cheek as I look up to avoid tears spilling from my eyes.
"No time for tears, my bestie is getting married and I have to make sure she doesn't run away at the very last moment." Chrissy holds her hand out, inviting me to link my arm with hers.

 

Chapter 11: Epilogue: Hawaii

Summary:

Every love story has an end.

Notes:

This is an NSFW story. If you feel uncomfortable reading this type of content, please, scroll through the chapters to find something you might like.
(Smut / Unprotected Sex / Public Sex/ Penetrative Sex / Breeding Kink / Corruption Kink if you squint / Pregnancy / Labor)
(Words: 2.3k)

“How is the water?” I ask Harry as he walks towards our hammock. He is dripping with water, the sun highlighting his gorgeous tan. He grabs the towel that has been hanging from a tree branch, softly drying his body before he climbs on the hammock with me.
“You would know if you left this book down for ten minutes and joined your poor little husband.” He complains and I chuckle, shaking my head.
“The book is captivating.” I reply as he makes himself comfortable behind me.
“The book about Hawaiian myths and legends is more captivating than your husband?”
“Don’t ask questions you know you won’t like the answer to.” I sigh. He delivers a light slap to my ass, kissing the side of my neck softly.
“The curse of marrying an intellectual.” He mumbles, moving his hand down my stomach. He finds the hem of my bikini bottoms, tracing it with the tip of his finger.
“Harry…” I sing, stirring in my spot from becoming ticklish.
“Yes, honey?” He asks, kissing my neck softly.
“You have to stop penetrating me every 5 minutes.” I place the piece of paper I use as a bookmark inside the book and leave it aside, knowing well that I won’t be reading more anytime soon.
“It has been at least 15 minutes since I was inside you.” He jokes and I roll my eyes.
“We will be seen.” I protest and he laughs at my comment.
“By whom? This is a private beach. We got here specifically because it is private and we can fuck all we want here.” He states and I shriek as he slips his hand under the strings of my bikini.
“There are people in this little bar over there, remember? They brought us coconut water and fruit a little ago?” I point and he brushes it off.
“They are not looking our way. Plus they are very discreet.”
“We have to pace ourselves. You’ll get tired of me and start looking for someone else to fuck soon.”
“That doesn’t sound plausible. I don’t think I will ever get tired of you. I’ll be 80 and still craving you.” He replies, cupping my sex. I can feel the metal of his wedding band on my sex and that excites me; of all the rings on his fingers, the wedding band is my all-time favorite.

“What do I have to do to convince you to get off birth control?” He asks me in his hot, raspy voice.
“This is not a discussion we should have while hot-headed, baby. And it is not something that can happen within a day.” I reply and he hums, stroking my clit slowly.
“I am not hot-headed. I was just thinking that it is a good time to start planning. I want to have as many children as I can with you. And I know you want that too. Am I wrong?” He asks and I shake my head.
“I want that too. A huge fucking family, as soon as possible. I want that with you, Harry. But I have to talk with my doctor to get off the pill.”
“I didn’t know that.” He admits, pressing his fingers more on my sex, causing me to pulse around nothing.
“The more you know…”
“For now, we can practice, right?” He asks me and I chuckle.
“Harry…” I can barely let his name out of my lips.
“Just the tip, princess. Just the tip. Let me just, slip it inside your perfect little hole.” He moans by my ear, raising chills along my spine.
"What are you doing to me?" I ask him, pushing my ass more toward him. He breathes on the back of my neck, untying the top of my bikini.
"Nothing more than what you are doing to me. Can you feel how hard you've made me?" He asks, taking his hand out of my bikini bottoms and lowering the back of the swimsuit, freeing my sex enough for him to have access to it.

"Look at those fucking tits. My God, you look so good, baby. An angel out of heaven, and I get to corrupt you for as long as we live." He murmurs, slowly slipping his tip inside me. He doesn't move past my entrance, and his presence there is making me pulse.
"Need you to move inside me." I mumble while his hand roams up to my breasts. He removes the triangular fabric that covers my tit, cupping it with his big hand and squeezing it tightly.
"But we said just the tip…" He teases me, kissing the spot below my jaw.
"We both know that it is never just the tip, Harry. We have never stayed just at the tip." I reply and he laughs before he thrusts inside me.
"Oh, fuck." I cry out, my hand traveling to meet his on my tit. I dig my nails into the back of his hand, causing him to groan against my neck.
"Slowly, Harry. One wrong move and we will fall from the hammock." I press my body onto his, leaving no space between our bodies. He wraps his arms around my body tightly, stopping me from squirming and flipping us over.
"Fucking on the sand is not that bad." He thrusts his hips upwards, pushing his cock so far inside me that I feel my stomach numbing.
"Sand gets everywhere. We don't want an infection halting our month-long, honeymoon fuckfest, do we?" I ask, turning my head to look at him, which he uses as an excuse to capture my lips in a kiss. His tongue hazily moves against mine, his lips curling into a smile as I whimper.
"Should I cum inside you, mon amour?" He asks me, his hand leaving my tit and reaching down, moving past my stomach and right into my bikini bottoms again. He presses his middle and forefinger onto my clit, circling it fast, just to watch me jolt up like I have been hit by a lightning bolt.
"Sure, ruin another bikini… Hope you like your wife swimming around like a nudist." I tease him and he moans.
"A literal dream. The only thing I had in mind when we booked this trip. " He continues stroking my bundle of nerves, making heat spread on my body.
"Perv…"
"You already knew that, didn’t you? It is the reason you married me” He slams his hips onto my body, harder than before. He is ready for me, he is ready to fill me up. And I am ready for him, I am ready to reach that sweet, sweet high he so generously gives me all the time.
“It’s fine. Cum inside me. I’ll buy a new bikini tomorrow morning when I head to town.” I assure him, grabbing onto his forearm. I am ready, I am there, I am there, I am…

I feel as if something exploded inside me, a rush of excitement and pleasure filling me up.
Harry holds onto me tightly, keeping me from flipping the hammock over.
“Shh, babygirl. Shit, you get so loud when I fuck you good, don’t you?” He asks, his hand from around my body moving to my mouth to muffle me up.
“There, there…” I keep murmuring as he continues stimulating my clit. It is a constant jolt, my full body spasming the longer he touches me after my orgasm. Of course, I can hear the words come out muffled, but I can’t stop myself from repeating them.
“Ready for me, baby?” He asks through gritted teeth. I nod and hum, pulling his hand out of my bikini. It is too much for me, and I want to feel the pure sensation of him exploding inside me, no other distractions.
“Fuck, fuck… You take my cum so well.” He praises me, gluing his hips on my ass as he fills me up.
“Kiss me.” I demand, turning my head towards him. He pulls me in for a kiss, capturing me in a breath-stopping kiss. I don’t care about anything right now but him. I have all I want right in my arms, or better said, I am between the arms of everything I want.

I hop off the hammock, fixing my bikini to cover what Harry has exposed to the world. Harry whistles at me, making me turn around and give him a side-eye.
“What? I am just admiring what is beautiful… And with this light, you look like a work of art, darling.” He replies and I stretch my body.
“If you are trying to kill me with a heart attack to get my inheritance, I haven’t included you in my will yet…” He states and I turn around so fast, I hear my neck pop.
“Why would you have a will? Is there something you are not telling me? Are you sick? Is it the reason we got married? For us to be able to enjoy some good time together before it gets bad?” I ask him, eyes going wide in worry.
“Baby, I was just joking. I am absolutely healthy, we don’t have to worry about anything.”
"And you don’t have a will?” I ask and he nods his head.
“There has been no need for one this far.”
“This far?
“Now that we are married and we are thinking of starting a family, I might need to get some things in order. Just to make sure you are going to be ok if something happens.” He replies as I climb onto the hammock to join him.
“I don’t like this conversation.” I pout and he wraps his arms around me.
“Let’s change the topic, then.”
“It’s nice here…” I sigh and relax on his chest.
“It is. A little piece of paradise.” He kisses the top of my head, stroking his hand down my back softly.
“And apparently a great place to raise kids. Good hospitals, good schools.” I list off and he hums.
“Looks like you did your research.”
“Just some info, I was a bit curious about the place.”
“Curious?” He asks and I shrug my shoulders, looking up at him.
“I just wish we could stay in this place forever.” I admit and he smiles softly.

–

"Is there space for me here?" Harry calls for my attention. I raise my gaze from my book to see him standing up with 2 glasses of lemonade in his hands.
“Of course…” I move a little, letting him sit behind me, his legs on either side of my body. He grabs one of the pillows that are laying on the throw blanket we are sitting on and brings it between his torso and my back as I take a sip of the refreshing lemonade.
“There we go. How are my babies?” He asks, cradling my protruding bump in both hands.
“We are ok. Even better now that daddy is here.” I smile, bringing my hand to stroke my stomach. The baby has finally calmed down with the kicking, and I feel better now that I am sitting on the grass, watching the beautiful Hawaiian sunset. This little spot in our yard always seems to soothe me, and since I have entered the month I am due to deliver, I spend most of my days here.
“All well in NY?” I ask him and he hums.
“Everything is as it was. Or at least it seems like it.”
“You are worried you are not there, aren’t you?” I ask and he chuckles.
“I am still adjusting to remote work, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here.” He strokes my hair and I relax back on his chest. 

It is true that we are both still adjusting to this change. Everything happened so fast; we saw this house when we were on our honeymoon, so we decided to buy it, just to have a little safe haven here and a reason to get away more frequently. By the time we were done renovating it, we found out that we were expecting, which gave us a reason to consider the quality of life we would like to offer our family. So we decided to split our time between New York and Hawai'i, at least for the first couple of years of our baby’s life. Which means that Harry will have to work remotely for half of the year. He says he doesn’t mind, but I know his controlling nature is eating him alive. But at the very least, he is trying and I appreciate that more than I can phrase. I changed the topic of my Ph.D. even, right after our honeymoon, much to my supervisor’s dismay. Our trip inspired me to study Hawaiian art and the mythological representation in Hawaiian culture. I have to start over and throw away all the previous research I did, but I am enjoying this topic way more than the previous one.

Even Chrissy and Adrian relocated here. Harry and Adrian are opening a restaurant, a high Hawaiian cuisine, which if all goes well, will be a classy spot celebrating locality. Harry chose Adrian as the manager of the restaurant due to his experience in hospitality, but deep down I think he did it so I could have my best friend here, to keep me happy. He won’t admit that, though. He thinks the only person he can trust with this business is Adrian, which I agree with. I love having Chrissy here; when she is not busy with work and Mark, her 1-year-old son, she spends her time with me, and she has been the biggest help with this pregnancy, keeping me calm and helping me feel confident in this role I am about to take.

And just like that, Harry and I will be married for 3 years in 4 months, 3 years of the most beautiful moments of my life, 3 years of pure magic. May we have 100 more…

“Should we head in for dinner? The timer will go off in a couple of minutes.” Harry suggests, peeking at his phone. I nod my head, picking up my book before Harry helps me up from the ground.
“Harry…” I call calmly as he picks up the blanket and pillows.
“Yes, sunshine?” He folds the blanket messily.
“I think my waters just broke.”