Things We Don't Normally Do

TWENTY EIGHT

After 'breakfast', they wound back in bed, both on their phones, showing each other random videos and reading. She had her head resting on Harry's shoulder, scrolling aimlessly on her phone when Harry snapped a photo of the two of them. He was the last person she would've expected to take a cheesy selfie, yet there it was.

"Don't do that." she protested, "I look like shit."

"Shut up." he countered quietly, kissing the top of her head, "You're pretty."

Usually, she would've brushed the compliment off, but it felt sweet. In a moment of confidence, she got out of her head and lifted her face up to meet his, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She thought a little kiss would quench her impulses, except a little taste only made her more greedy.

Next, she was sinking into the bed, pulling him in for another kiss. She hasn't tasted his lips since he left for London, and the first couple of seconds were clumsy, as lips clashed hungrily against each other. But they quickly found their pace, with Harry groaning with pleasure as he took her bottom lip between his. His lips were warm and soft--just as she remembered them. She parted her lips, and he quickly slipped his tongue in, as if searching the inside of her mouth.

She protested when he pulled away out of nowhere, propping himself up on his elbows, hovering on top of her. He moved some strands of hair away from her face, "This is alright? You're okay?"

The sentiment and concern was something she could appreciate, but at the same time, it made her feel weird. The last thing she wanted was to be treated differently. She did not want to be coddled.

"It was great, until you stopped." she said, clutching his shirt and pulling him back down to her.

He smiled against her lips, relaxing into her, seeking entry into her mouth again. His right hand was running up and down her side as he continued to kiss her, their tongues in a curious dance. He had been playing with the bottom hem of her shirt, tempted so badly to lift it, but too awkward and in his head to even try.

"I'm not fragile, you know." she whispered when they came up for air, "I do appreciate you being so respectful though."

"Have I bottled it?" he asked, as they were then sat up side by side on the bed again.

She let out a short laugh, "Not even close."

A mischievous smile crept up Alex's face. This wasn't something she would normally do, and it felt like it was more the reason to do it. For all her talk of stepping outside her self-imposed box, she had mostly hidden inside or behind that very box for as long as she was stone cold sober. However, with Harry, it felt different--it felt safe enough to be herself and try things out with him. Because if all else fails, it felt like she could at least laugh at herself and he would just laugh with her.

So without giving herself much time to wuss out of it, she swung a leg over him. She sat on top of him, legs on either side of his.

"Oh Nelly!" he exclaimed, surprised by the sudden developments.

She grinned at him, trying to hide the fact that she had no idea what she was doing. But she did notice him playing with the hem of her shirt just moments before, so she did the same. She tugged at his shirt, except she decided to actually grow a pair. "Let's take this off."

With his mouth gaped open, Harry looked like he could not have been more surprised, but he did as he was told, taking his shirt off at lightning speed. Alex bit her bottom lip--and he could've sworn she was doing it to drive him crazy.

"You're killing me." Harry let out a nervous laugh.

Instead of saying anything in response, she just raked his body with her eyes, making it obvious that she was in fact checking him out.