The Maiden in Winter // Harry Styles Series #4

TWENTY TWO

~A~

After a morning tearing my room apart looking for something to wear, I gave up. And gave in.

"Bean, I'm going to take you to Lizzy at the store early. I need to go to the mall."

"I wanna come."

"Nope, it's not a fun trip, it's a business trip."

"What business?"

"My business. I need some things and you'll be bored while I shop. You can help Lizzy close up the store and spend the afternoon helping Ed around their house."

"Ok. What are you doing tonight?"

I was all about telling him the truth, the question was usually how much?

"Harold and I are going to the Fluke."

"Are you going to be grumpy on Sunday morning, like the last time you went out with him?"

"No, I won't be grumpy this time." I'd promised myself no more than one drink at the bar, and maybe one back at his house. There would be no repeat of our last date night.

"Cool. And can you not come get me so early this time? Lizzy makes really good cimmanon rolls for breakfast."

"I'll come get you after lunch. I think you mean cinnamon rolls. Would you save one for me?"

"That's what I said, cimmanon."

***

I'm not very fashion-forward, so I let the teenage salesgirl at Francesca's put together an outfit for me. "Dress me like I'm going to out to have a casual drink with Harry Styles." She jumped on the challenge, finding me a pair of faux leather pants that skimmed my legs perfectly, and a deep forest green cowl neck sweater. It was the softest piece of clothing I'd ever felt, showing just enough cleavage to be "tempting but not trashy" according to my new wardrobe guru, Aymberlynne.

My chest is a perky 34B, and I'm not a fan of false advertising, so I had a hard time finding something at Victoria's Secret that didn't make me feel like I was making promises I couldn't keep. With the help of yet another very young salesperson I decided on a dark green lace longline bra and matching thong. 'Sexy as fuck' as Kaighleigh so delicately put it.

Where did their parents come up with these names?

I decided that I didn't want to be without my own transportation at Harry's, so I drove out to Maiden Point a little before seven o'clock. Harry had given me the code so I could enter the gate without having to buzz up to the house. George answered the door.

"He's getting dressed. It can be a bit of an ordeal." He rolled his eyes. "Come into the kitchen. Can I get you a drink?"

Was that a smirk?

"Water, please."

Harry came out of his room a few minutes later. Grey flannel trousers, a crisp white button down shirt open just enough to glimpse the antennae of his butterfly, and a navy and grey plaid cardigan made him look like the hottest professor on campus.

"Ms. Griffin, you're beautiful as always this evening." He reached out and ran his hand down my arm. "So soft."

"Thank you, Mr. Styles, and may I say that you make preppy pretty damn hot." I gently adjusted the collar of his shirt. "Lisha has our table all set, and we can go in through the dockside door."

"Perfect, shall we go?"

George drove, parking in the spot closest to the deck and pier. Harry wore a fedora and scarf, but there was no one to be seen outside as we walked around and into the building. As we slid in the back, George came through the main entrance, taking the attention of Charlie at the bar and the two tables of customers away from us.