LA to The Bay

Chapter 43: Bass Lake (3)

Bass Lake, California

'What's wrong with you?' I question Harry when I eventually find him hiding in the gap between two neighboring cabins, kicking up the gravel on the ground with his shoe. He's obviously sulking and I have no idea why. Do I need to know why? In fact why am I even out here looking out for him, like I might be concerned or something?

'I just needed some air.' He sighs and holds his head back looking up at the now dark sky.

'Are you avoiding singing next, is that what it is?' I probe him anxiously, unsure that I want to hear what might really be bothering him.

'We don't all have our oldest best buds here to sing our favourite childhood songs with.' He stares at me blankly.

'Are you jealous?' He has to be, why else would he be sulking like this, but I can't figure out just what he is jealous of; I'm sure that Louis and Lottie would be more than happy to sing another song with him if it means that much.

'Why would I be jealous?'

'I don't know, you tell me?' Anger is starting to crackle in both of our voices again.

'Wait, where are you going?' I blurt out as he begins to walk away from me. He can't walk away from me, I'm the one who does that to him remember?

'Are you determined to torture me?' He turns to face me, now serious and running his hands through his hair again.

'I don't know what you mean,' I splutter, 'why would I want to torture you?'

'Well you've clearly no interest in me, yet here you are following out here and now you want to know where I'm going.'

'I...' I'm devoid of excuses because he's right, I did follow him out here.

'I'll see you around Niamh.' He starts walking away again.

'Wait.' Without thinking I grasp at his hand to prevent him from going any further.

'What are you doing?' His words are cautious and echo my own thoughts.

'I'm not sure?' And I'm really not, I just need a moment to process this, without him putting an unnecessary time limit for his departure on it.

'Well you've followed me down an alley way and now you're holding my hand, so you might want to give me a bit of a clue. Please.' His final word is a strained whisper.

'I think I might like you.' I blurt out without thinking, the words tumbling from my lips before I can even begin to consider holding them back.

'You think you might like me?' He repeats my words slowly.

'I don't know?' I grasp at my own hair frustrated, slapping my forehead with the palm of my hand and willing that a magical explanation for all this will suddenly swoop down and embrace me. 'I just think...' My voice trails and I too begin scuffing my shoe against the ground.

'You think what?' He's inching slowly towards me, backing me closer to the wall of the cabin with each step he takes. 'Say it.' He demands.

'I think I liked it when you kissed you.' I gasp at my confession and Harry bites his bottom lip, his melancholy whisping away like the end of a storm cloud, its departure restoring the twinkle to his eyes. Even in the dark I can see them sparkle.

'I mean, I'm not sure.'

'I think you need to stop talking Niamh.' His voice is even lower and raspier than usual.

I'm now fully backed against the wall and Harry is standing in front of me, his breathing now thick. He licks his lips still holding contact with my eyes and my heart is racing and my body is aching in anticipation of what is about to happen.

My mind clouds over, and any argument I might be trying to formulate subsides as his lips touch mine. As his tongue parts my lips my hand struggles to find his chest, to pull him closer in to me, to feel his life force and devour the humming strength of his being.

'Oh Niamh.' He moans as my tongue moves against his, finally surrendering. As his warm tongue continues to feel me he raises one hand to my hair and places the other on to my stomach. If it wasn't for the wall holding me up then I'm certain that I would melt beneath him. The pleasure is immense and I can feel the pain of my life inching away with each stroke and I want this moment to last forever; to keep kissing this beautiful man who I also just happen to loathe so much. And he really is beautiful. I break our kiss to study him; he's so tall and brooding yet adorable and sincere at the same.

'You're shaking.' He looks down at me concerned and I nod. I lift my shaking left hand to stroke his face and he smiles before reaching back down to kiss me again.

'Okay, so this looks interesting.' A voice has found us and we both freeze in position, our lips still together but no longer moving, both of us terrified to find out just who we might find when we turn to confront them.

'Leah.' Harry coughs when he finally looks at her, still holding me close to him whilst I study his chest, too mortified to look myself, because if I look at Leah then it is over and our secret is out.

'Please don't tell anyone, okay?' He is negotiating with her.

'Of course not. Customer confidentiality.' She grins and winks before walking away in to the shadows and leaving us alone once more.

Authors note: please watch the uploaded video. Oh how I 💗 the elevator scene. Leo was kind of Harry like, right?