Lego House

Chapter 14: Clothes Off!

Hannah's POV

Liam walked next to me--amicably enough--and I kept noticing the way his muscles contracted as his arms pumped at his sides. He'd glance down at me every so often as if to make sure I was still there trotting happily next to him. So to keep him assured, I took his hand and leaned my cheek on his taut arm as we walked.

He tensed slightly, and never really relaxed back to normal, but he didn't actually fling me off. I take that as a good sign to grip a tad tighter. He looks down at me when I do and his lip twitches up slightly at the corner in a small smile.

'Point- Hannah!'I think to myself. 

"So..." Liam begins slowly, "You know a lot about me, eh?"

His cheeks are slightly pink and I look up at him through my eyelashes.

"Nope," I say loudly, popping the 'p', "Kara knows a lot about you and she um...helped me out a bit. I guess you could say."

Liam smiles and lets out a soft sigh.

"She seems like a bit of a handful, if you ask me. Always full of mirth and energy...like a tiny imp! ...Or Louis." Liam mumbles good-heartedly.

I laugh loudly and grin at him, "That girl is crazy! But I love her to death."

"Same, Lou's right strange, but he's like a little older, younger brother and I love him all the same!"

We go on a bit longer, friendly chatter between us, until we near a store I like.

"Did you want to go to 'Buckle', maybe?" I ask, stopping in front of the store in question. 

He gives it a weighted glance before shrugging and motioning towards me to 'lead the way'.

I take his hand again and drag him along. He just sort of stands there, walking along behind me and occasionally dropping in his opinion about how 'nice' some shirt would look on me, or whether those boots are 'actually comfortable.'

I just answer him back and continue to try on interesting things while begging him to do the same. Finally, he consents. I hurl a pair of pants at him and practically shove him into one of the dressing rooms to try it on. Once he's in there for a bit, I slip my hand through the thin sheet that serves as the door to his dressing room and grab ahold of his shirt he'd taken off, pulling it quickly out with me and hiding it behind my back.

After a brief pause, there's: "Hey, Hannah?"

"Hmm?" I ask with a soft smirk.

"Seen my shirt?"

"I never gave you a shirt, I don't think." I reply quickly and cover a laugh.

I hear him sigh softly before pulling the curtain back slowly so that it shows off his face and a bit of shoulder.

"What have you got there?" He asks motioning with his arm towards my hand still hiding behind my back.

"Oh, nothing!" I quip quickly and take a step back.

"Sure about that?" he asks with a grin as he steps quickly towards me, revealing the rest of his toned upper body.

"Um...yeah!" I say breathing a tad quicker and backing up a bit more.

"Show me," he breathes, stepping up closer to me and reaching a bit behind my back.

I feel my resolve begin to lessen and bring both of my hands--shirt included-- up to his chest and push gently, making him stay there. He gives a soft 'Oomph' and looks down at me questioningly before slowly tugging his shirt out of my hand and taking a small step away.

"I'm sorry," he breathes as a red starts to dot his cheeks.

"No-it's fine! I just...I don't know what got into me."

He smiles softly and slips his shirt over his naked torso, his arms and abs pulling deliciously as he moves. He catches me staring and lets out a chuckle. I shoot him a wink and give him an obvious once over as he finishes his dressing. He stands back a bit more and opens his arms as if to say, 'Ya dig?' and I do. Oh, yes, I dig!

"You are like, so hot!" I swear it slips out in a moment of weakness, but it takes the smile right off his face just the same.

"Shit!" I mumble, and he bursts out laughing so hard he has to hold his chest.

"It's fine, babe!" he says between gasps of breath, "You're fine!"

I put my face in my hands to hide the blushing and shake it back and forth slowly.

I feel a strong arm on my shoulders and look up to meet soft, warm brown eyes.

Liam's POV

"You're pretty 'hot' yourself," I hear a voice that sounds surprisingly like my own whisper back.

She gives me a wide smile and her green eyes crinkle endearingly.

"You really mean it?" she asks softly, and I sense a brief moment of weakness in her voice.

"Yes, of course, Love!" I run my hand down her arm and slide her hand into mine. 

Her fingers are thin and long and I give them a soft squeeze. She lets her breath out in relief and squeezes back just as tight.

"C'mon, Hannah," I say at my normal volume and give her hand a gentle tug, "I'm buying you that dress that you look damn good in, and then we're going to see if we can catch one of the other couples up to no good!"

"Couples?" she asks with a cheeky smirk.

"Are you taking the piss?" I ask her with a smile.

She just laughs loudly and leads me to the register.

"I'll definitely be keeping my piss in a toilet, thank you!" she replies after a beat.

It's my turn to laugh, and I do so heartily. I take in her laughing features again.

'I think Harry might be on to something with this lot.'