Trace of Innocence (No Control Book 3)

Chapter 62 - part i

(No Control - 62. Little Things, first part)

"Oh God," Jess moans faintly, and I grin to myself as I get out of the car and scoot round to her side to open the door for her.

I know she's nervous, but nothing can compare to pitching up to her parents' house uninvited to face her psychotic brother.

"You look terrified," I remark as she climbs out of the car.

"I am terrified," she replies through gritted teeth, so I lean towards her and kiss her, which forces a smile onto her.

"That's better. You'll be fine," I tell her.

I grab the bags out of the boot and look up to see Mum standing in the doorway beaming at us.

"Hi," I call to her, and she gives an excited wave as I sling both our holdalls over my shoulder and saunter up to the door. She flings her arms around me and I hug her tightly, one-handed.

I introduce Jess and then grin at her over Mum's shoulder as they hug.

I can tell Jess is bricking it.

We head inside to see Gemma, and I take great delight in breaking the ice immediately and reminding Gemma that Jess knows who she is already because she follows her on Twitter.

"Oh Harry! Don't embarrass Jess like that!" Mum tells me off immediately.

"She follows you too," I reply, without missing a beat, as her face turns beetroot. "Don't you Jess?"

"Harry," Jess begs, but I'm enjoying myself too much to stop yet.

"She's a big fan," I tell Mum and Gemma, and pull a this-is-awkward face at them.

"We do know all this," Gemma interrupts, looking at Jess. "He hasn't shut up about you for the last three months."

OK, Gemma needs to shut up now.

"It's been all 'Jess is a huge fan, she like, knows the drumbeat to Little White Lies, it's amazing,'" Gemma continues, mocking the tone of my voice. "And 'it was so funny the other day when Jess sassed Louis right back, he made some dirty comment to her and she just slayed him, it was brilliant!'"

OK, I mentioned those things once. She's making out like Jess is all I talk about.

"I've got far more shit on you," she finishes with a smug grin, and Jess grins too. I scowl.

While Mum makes a pot of tea I show Jess upstairs to my room, and as soon as the door closes behind us I slip my arms around her waist and brush my lips against her neck.

She wriggles out of my grip and points at me.

"You're in trouble," she warns, and I like the thought of this, so I laugh out loud.

"Why?" I ask, but of course I know why.

"You know why!" she scolds me. "Trying to embarrass me like that! You know how nervous I am!"

"It broke the ice didn't it?"

"I can't wait to hear what other shit Gemma's got on you," she says, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow at me.

"Pfft, she's got nothing," I lie.

"Sounds like she's got plenty. Talk about me a lot, do you?"

Come to think of it, every conversation I've had with Gemma lately has involved Jess in some way.

"Occasionally," I reply, trying to be casual, and I turn away so she can't see my face, but of course she knows me too well, and moves around to peer at me. I smile sheepishly, because I know I'm blushing, and she laughs indulgently.