If You Only Knew

Chapter 14

We are lying side by side on Louis' bed, the dim light from the movie casting flickering shadows across the room. The soft hum of the film fills the space, but it's the comfortable silence between us that I find most soothing. We agreed on a 6pm arrival time at Liam's, but there's no rush. Not yet.

Louis turns to me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hey, Lou, how do you want to tell the boys?" he asks, his voice laced with curiosity.

I roll onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow to look at him more closely. His face is inches away, warm and inviting. "I think we could just not say anything," he suggests, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Just act all couple-like and see if they catch on, or what they say."

I laugh at the idea, the thought of throwing our friends into a whirlpool of confusion amuses me more than I care to admit. "I like that plan, Lou," I say, grinning. "We could do something like this."

I lean in and kiss him, slow at first, teasing, before deepening it. Louis doesn't hesitate. His lips meet mine with a fiery intensity, his hands tangling in my hair, pulling me closer. He takes control immediately, like he's been waiting for this moment. I let him, surrendering to the sweetness of the kiss, the familiar spark that ignites every time he touches me.

But as much as I want to lose myself in him, I know we can't go too far. Not now. Not with Jay downstairs, her footsteps echoing in the hall. I pull away reluctantly, my breath catching in my throat.

"Lou," I murmur, my voice shaky. "We need to stop."

Louis pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, his expression teasing, but there's an unmistakable longing there, too. "But I don't want to stop, Haz. And I know you don't want to either."

He smirks, leaning in again, but I gently push him away, my heart pounding in my chest. He's right, I don't want to stop, but we have to.

I gulp nervously, glancing towards the door. "L-Lou, your mum's downstairs." The words come out in a rush, my cheeks heating with the thought of her possibly overhearing us.

He pauses, his expression faltering just for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he sits up, running a hand through his messy hair, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. He's flushed, out of breath, and suddenly so much more endearing.

"Yeah, you're right," Louis says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "We should stop. Besides, we need to meet the boys anyway."

I can't help but giggle, watching him flustered in such a charming way. "You're cute when you're flustered," I tease, resting my head on his chest as he leans back against the headboard, his heart still racing from the kiss.

He smiles softly, wrapping his arm around me. "You're cute always," he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head.

"Now come on, sweetheart," he says, nudging me playfully, "We need to get going."

I groan slightly, wishing I could stay here forever, but reluctantly, I rise, feeling the warmth of his hands leave me. We both know that, despite the rush of emotions we've just shared, the world outside the bubble we've created still exists. We've got to face it.

We climb into my car, the cool leather seats welcoming us as I start the engine. The hum of the engine and the soft glow of streetlights passing by outside create a quiet rhythm to the 15-minute drive. I can feel the tension between us, an undercurrent of excitement, as we head towards Liam's house.

The conversation flows easily as we discuss ways to show the boys we're dating. Louis has a few playful ideas that make me blush—some cheeky, some a little bolder than I'd expected. I can't help but laugh at some of them, the thought of keeping our relationship a secret while the others try to figure it out filling me with nervous excitement.