This Was Home [h.s.]

| 25. EGO |

Harry's POV

  The sound of pots and pans clanking together woke me up abruptly, causing me to shoot upright out of bed. I held my hand up to my chest to allow myself to bring me back to my awakened reality. My heart hammered hard against my hand as I pressed firmly against it. Part of the anxiety was from the dream I was interrupted from. It was hard to remember the specifics, but I remembered being a kid and terrified. There wasn't much out of the ordinary going on around, but something in my body felt inconsolable.

I looked over to my side where Brin laid, still as passed out as she was beforehand. I had no idea how she slept through some of the things she did, but then woke up so easily for something else. She was one of the most confusing people I had ever met.

Her mouth was slightly agape as heavy breaths were inhaled and exhaled. She looked so peaceful, I couldn't lie. If I could just let her sleep there for as long as she wanted to, I would have. But, time was always ticking and I knew we needed to head out as soon as we could.

It didn't help when my eyes started to venture farther than I meant for them to, scanning down her soft shoulders. The blanket tucked just underneath her arms, but it didn't hide the bit of lacey fabric that exposed itself above it. The same fabric that I had watched her trail down her body to pile down at her feet.

I guessed at some point last night she got too hot and mindlessly threw off her shirt to the side. I doubt she would have done that on purpose, although I kind of wish she would have. Because, to be honest, I couldn't get the night before out of my head. The way her eyes shifted around my body, dancing around like she couldn't help it. She was like putty in my hands and I didn't even touch her. I didn't have to, but God did I know she wanted to. I wanted to, too. Painfully bad. Her soft whimpers and whines could lull me to sleep any night if she would just let me.

I shook my head, not realizing how off track my thoughts had gotten from the sight of her. I blinked my eyes hard, feeling slightly guilty that I was staring at her while she was asleep with thoughts like that running through my mind. That and the fact I didn't want to rile myself up this early in the morning.

It wasn't like it would have been the first time.

But, who could blame me? Was she annoying? Yes, definitely. Was she a lot at times? Yes, definitely. Was it hard not to stare sometimes? Yes. Definitely.

I never really noticed how attractive she was when we first met. I was too clouded with annoyance over the fact that I had to protect some ditzy, naïve girl, because I had too big of a heart to let her die. Either that or I was just that stupid.

Regardless, that didn't change that she was still annoying. Even if I didn't regret it after all—at least not as bad as before. Although, I would never tell her that.

But I still had to make sure she was protected, which meant I also had to make sure Alayna was protected, too.

Ever since we got here I had this weird feeling in my stomach. I didn't want to say I doubted anything, but I couldn't help it. It was hard to describe, but something just seemed off. I wanted to play it off as just not knowing these people personally or how they normally acted, but things weren't making sense. Why would Alayna leave and have Brin do this runaround for her like this?