Taken // h.s

Pond Party

“Wanna go swimming?”

This was the first thing Harry asked me when we finished unpacking from our lengthy trip back to America. I was a little puzzled by his question, so I raised an eyebrow.

“Where?” I replied, joining him in the kitchen. I leaned on the bar and waited for him to tell me.

“There’s a pond not too far from here,” Harry pointed out, smiling brightly. As of now, he looked the happiest I had ever seen him. He had a skip in his step and the bounce of his curls even seemed bouncier.

I smiled at his joyous manner. If only I could be that happy. “But I have no bathing suits.” I decided to state the obvious, which was the truth. There were none in my drawers or any in the bathroom. He must’ve failed to buy me at least one.

“On the contrary, I have one in my room,” Harry smirked mischievously and I knew he was up to something. “Grab us some towels and I’ll fetch your swimsuit.”

He went in the direction of his room, humming a soft tune. I did what was asked of me and grabbed two towels from the bathroom and hurried back, eager to see what the swimsuit looked like. When Harry returned, he was wearing a plain, gray tank top that revealed his muscles and various tattoos placed on his arms. They were mesmerizing, just like him. I wanted to trace the designs that were permanently etched onto his tanned skin. It was perfect. He was perfect…

“Like what you see?” Harry asked with a cheeky grin. My face ignited with heat once I realized what he was referring to. But I just couldn’t keep my eyes off of him.

With a chuckle, he stepped forward and placed what I thought were two rags in my hand. Now that I felt the fabric, I could tell it was a bathing suit. I held it up and quickly found out that it was a skimpy bikini.

“There. Go change so I can admire you as well.”

Harry really expected me to wear this? Never in my life had I owned a bikini, let alone worn one. Back at home, I usually wore tankinis or one piece suits to cover my stomach and other areas of skin. I never thought I had the body to pull one off before, assuming I was always a little to big for something so tiny.

Harry just stared and waited for me to change. I knew I needed to do just that because he probably didn’t have any other bathing suits that would adjust to my needs. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I sulked to the bathroom. My nerves were on edge. I didn’t want Harry to see me exposed like this. He had never seen me like that before and I didn’t want it to start now.

I began to slowly strip off my clothes and pull the bikini on. It was dark blue with fringe, leaving little to the imagination. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I could see all the flaws that were my body. How could someone like Harry love someone like me? I didn’t have the looks he had, but yet he still saw me as the most beautiful girl on Earth. I could only hope no one would be at the pond we were about to go to.

Before the leaving the privacy of the bathroom, I slipped on my clothes I previously had on, leaving my undergarments laying on the tiled bathroom floor. A simple t-shirt with Emblem3’s logo on it and some jean shorts, my usual uniform for daily lounging.

I reluctantly stepped out of the bathroom, peering to see if Harry still stood in the kitchen. He was, in fact. When he saw me come out though, he looked a little disappointed. He must’ve thought I wasn’t going to put my clothes on over the bikini. My nervousness hiked a couple levels, leaving me almost shaking.

“Ready, Princess?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, sticking his hand out for me to take.

I did so and nodded. He led me out the door and back to the car we had spent hours in driving to and from the airport. I tried to calm myself as we weaved through the curvy roads and entered a woodsy area. There were trees everywhere.

He could kill you out here and nobody would know…

I pushed that stray thought out of my ever-wandering mind. Harry wouldn’t dare hurt me because he loved me. That I knew for sure.

Harry parked a few feet from the body of water beside a lone tree. He climbed out of the car and I followed suit. Then, immediately he began to strip, wearing only a pair of swim shorts. I noticed Harry also had tattoos on his chest. They were random, as were the ones on his arms, but I didn’t seem to mind. It was like each one had a significant reason for being there.

I watched as he plunged into the depths of the clear water, shaking his wet hair. His curls fell limply and were no longer bouncy. He was still majorly attractive, though.

“Come on, Veronica. The water’s fine,” he said, while looking at me.

I realized that I just stood there with my clothes still on. My breath hitched in my throat and I smiled weakly. “Hold on.”

I nervously pulled a towel out of the car and took it behind the tree with me so that I was hidden from Harry’s gaze. I was doing my best to prolong the inevitable. Sliding my shirt and shorts off, I slipped the towel around my body, covering my skin.

“Veronica?” I heard Harry question.

I could tell he was getting anxious, so I came out from behind the tree and stepped to the edge of the pond, slipping my shoes off. Harry’s disappointed eyes landed on me and he frowned. It was then that I tightened the towel around my body.

My heart rate was speeding by the second.

“Are you coming in?” Harry asked, swimming closer to me.

I nodded shakily, still gripping the towel tightly, but I just couldn’t let go. It was like I was frozen on the spot. When Harry saw me like this, he climbed out of the pond and stared down at me.

“Let go of the towel.”

My eyes widened and I felt my cheeks heat up. He really was going to make me do this. I continued to stand there, frozen to the spot. It was then Harry did something that surprised me. With both of his hands, he grabbed my towel and yanked it away from me, letting it fall to the grass below.

I gasped loudly at his sudden movement, trying my best to cover my body with both of my hands. I was too slow though, because Harry grabbed them and pulled them away so now that he could see me with his observant eyes.

Why did he have to buy me a bikini?

“Don’t hide yourself from me,” Harry plainly demanded, staring deep into my eyes. “You’re so beautiful. Inside and out.”

A wave of heat rushed to my face again and I looked down, away from his powerful gaze. Then he placed one hand on my bare back and the other on my butt. “Jump,” he said.

I did so and wrapped my legs around his torso. Harry carried me into the water, pulling me closer to his toned chest. This made me feel warm and at ease for once, even if I did feel self-conscious.

We floated in the water for a while, my head resting on his chest. I could hear his steady heartbeat that was slowly lulling me into a deep sleep. But I was instantly pulled from my daze as Harry peppered my neck with kisses. I leaned to the side, allowing him more access.

“I need you Veronica,” he whispered in my ear, sending a shiver up my spine.

He continued to kiss me, but it was more heated. He traced the outline of my spine up and down gently. When Harry touched my bare skin, it felt odd, but in a good way. His hand traveled up to the strings that was holding my bathing suit in a place and began to unravel them. I immediately stopped him, grabbing his hand and pulling it away.

“Not here, Harry,” I spoke, my voice low. To be honest, I didn’t want to do this at all. I knew what his intentions were.

“Why not?” He replied, slightly pouting.

I looked around to point out that we were in a pond with all sorts of unknown germs.

“Come on.”

I was jerked from the water and into the car. Harry didn’t even bother to grab my clothes or the towels; he just peeled away from the body of water. I turned in my seat, watching the view disappear behind us. He placed his hand on my bare, wet thigh and squeezed lightly. Harry’s expression was concentrated and serious. I could tell what was on his mind. It was amazing how a playful day could turn into something so much more sensual…

“I can make you feel so good, Veronica,” he broke the silence, making my eyes widen.

I stiffened in my seat and felt his hand ease up my thigh. We were almost home and I felt my anxiety rise. Harry wanted to have sex with me, but I wasn’t ready. Not in the least.

What was I going to do?