As he strolled through the open doorway, the first thing I noticed were his curls. Dark and a chocolate brown, I was impressed by their buoyancy. His tall, lanky but muscular frame fit them well and one could tell that his body was something he was comfortable with. He wore dark jeans with holes at the knees and a t-shirt that was a crisp white.
But then, my eyes wandered up to his.
A shocking emerald green hid behind his long dark lashes, making them a different shade every time he blinked. If eyes truly were the window to the soul, I knew right then that I could look into his for the rest of forever and still never know him fully.
That's when I noticed I wasn't breathing.
I coughed and realized my body was shivering as I kept my eyes on his. Look away, Audrey, look away. I forced myself to look towards the bar again, but like a magnetic force, my eyes already longed to look back at him. I didn't have the courage to look away.
By now we had been standing in front of each other for a full two minutes, just staring at the other. No words had passed between us but he kept his eyes focused on me, and I suddenly felt self-conscious. Why isn't he saying anything? Why am I not saying anything? This is embarrassing and ridiculous, no man should get under my skin so easily, so quickly. I could already feel him seeping into my veins.
His stance was paused, still staring at me and not embarrassed like I was. I suddenly wished I could disappear into the dark ground, quickly dispersing. I wished I could turn and leave, forgetting about this dark curly haired man. But I knew right then, that he had me at his mercy, fully disarmed and at the edge of my seat.
He then spoke to me in a voice that slowly engrained itself into my mind. A voice I know that I could never push out of my mind no matter the force.
"Hello," his lips curved around the word like a glove. It was funny really, how when he opened his mouth to speak, all I saw was his hard jaw bones and full lips moving, never even noticing that the voice that emerged was even more beautiful than the rest of him.
Soft and kind, his deep accent put flame to my insides.
Trying to be calm and collected, I tried my first attempt at words in the last seven minutes. "Hello," I replied, my voice soft and trembling as I felt his eyes travel my body. He took a step forward, towards me, although it didn't quite register how much closer we had become. All I could breathe in was his scent and all I could see were those green eyes that made me lose myself.
Again there was silence, and I couldn't tell if he was making fun of my obvious infatuation over someone I had just met. But then, he spoke again.
"I don't think we've met before," he spoke and my cheeks became a not very subtle tomato red. This was absolutely insane.
"I don't think we have," I managed. I would remember someone like him.
He kept his eyes on mine as he waited for my name, holding out his hand when it was obvious that I was completely far gone. How was I supposed to do a simple gesture like shaking hands with this beautiful creature let alone breathe next to him?
"Harry," he said. His name rolled off his tongue easily and effortlessly, and if I hadn't been fixated on his eyes I would have fallen to the floor.
"Audrey," I breathed, sticking out my hand awkwardly to meet his. When our hands connected, the feeling was indescribable. Sparks shot up my arms and shook my whole body. My mind went fuzzy and I lost all sense of myself and who I was. All that mattered to me in this moment was the tall, curly haired boy in front of me.
He glanced at our hands again and I could tell from the surprised look in his eyes that he had felt something too. His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as he kept my gaze. When he finally let go of my hand, I felt his absence and my own eyebrows furrowed in frustration. What was wrong with me?
"Are you here with anyone?" He said, stuffing one hand into the pocket of his torn jeans and tensely ran his fingers through his dark curls. What was wrong with him?
"Umm, yes," I was stuttering, confused at his sudden rigid appearance. "Just over there," I pointed my finger through the crowd of people towards the table where I realized Grace, Brynn and all my new friends were staring at us. Their mouths dropped to the ground, especially Harry's friends. Louis' eyes were wide in surprise. Why? Did they not expect him to show up? Certainly he wasn't that unreliable.
"Come," he leaned down and whispered in my ear, sending continuous tremors down my body. The hand he had running through his hair reached down in search for my hand and I willingly gave it to him. He glanced down at me, and again he seemed confused. What was going on in that mind of his?
He led me to the table, pushing past the throngs of people and towards our very surprised and utterly speechless friends. I knew how they felt.
"Hello," he nodded towards his friends, but they just stared at him. He took in the sight of Louis, eyes still wide, and his eyes danced, a conversation passing between them that no one else could understand. I watched him in wonder.
Finally, Harry cleared his throat and looked over at Grace, still wrapped in Niall's lap, and Brynn, now seated beside Luke, both pairs of eyes excited and I knew I would be questioned later.
"Hi," Grace and Brynn said in unison, completely taken aback from this man, who truly was sculpted by angels. Niall knew what he was talking about.
I looked down at our hands, still entwined together, fitting like puzzle pieces. When he noticed me staring at our hands, he squeezed his closer to mine, if that were even humanely possible. He didn't want me to let go. I then realized that I was okay with this.
Our friends continued with their conversations, Louis' eyes still taking in the two of us as if we were alien specimen.
Harry leaned down to my level again, and whispered in my ear, "Come, it'll be quieter this way." He pulled me towards the corner of the bar area, to a corner table that was screwed to the wall. I watched the inner battle in his face as he debated on pulling out my chair. In order to do that, he had to let go of my hand, and when he did I felt another absence. He quickly pulled the chair out, waited until I was seated and sat down in the chair in front of me. He stared. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying my best not to look uneasy. I knew I had failed when he leaned his head on his hand watching me in wonder.
"Where did you come from?" He breathed. I wasn't sure if he had meant to say it out loud, but I answered anyways.
"Well I'm originally from New York, but my mother is French and my father is... Well I'm not sure actually," I stammered through my words.
He grinned wildly for the first time this evening, and it was glorious. Two dimples found their way onto his cheeks and his lips stretched even farther when he caught me staring at them. His eyes shifted back to the table, and his lips came together again, as if he wasn't sure whether or not his smile was a good thing. He glanced at me nervously.
"I didn't mean to say that out loud," he murmured. So I wasn't supposed to hear that then.
I pushed him farther, "Well what did you mean?" My body stilled from its restless state, waiting anxiously for a reply.
"I'm not sure you want to hear."
"I do, trust me," I replied. At those words his eyes lifted off the table and took me in for the second time. He ran a hand through his hair.
"That's just it, isn't it?" He looked at the crowd, frustrated and confused. I decided this was my favorite expression on him by far. How messed up was that?
"What's just it?" I questioned.
"You," he gestured to me. "Just," he paused. "You. Everything. When Louis told me there was a surprise for me here I didn't think it would be you. I didn't even know you were the surprise when I first saw you about fifteen minutes ago. You completely drew me in. I'm confused and I'll admit, a bit flustered by your presence, Audrey."
I gasped at his words. "You don't even know me," I leaned in towards him.
"I know your name."
"Is that enough?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I want to know everything about you. I'm drawn to you, and I know you are to me," he leaned in closer to me across the table, whispering his next sentence as if it were a secret passing between just the two of us. "An Icarus to my sun."
I stared at the man in front of me. Where did he come from?
As if reading my mind he said, "Here. I was born here. Just outside of London actually."
"Do you like it here? Or do you wish to travel?" A question so significant to me, everything he said was breath taking.
"I do like it here, yes," he paused and looked at me, eyes filled with wonder. "I have travelled a lot of places, Audrey. But home has always been and will continue to be my favorite."
"Why?"
"I don't think you want to know the answer to that," he looked down at the table, staring at our hands still entwined.
I didn't question him further and instead said, "I want to know everything you're not willing to tell me."
He looked up in surprise, eyes wide and lips falling open only slightly before closing them tightly. "You don't mean that," he said, not breaking my gaze.
"I do, though." I was not backing down.
He shook his head slightly. Just as he opened his red lips to speak again, he paused and looked at the bar behind me. His hands tightened around mine and he tried to compose his obviously upset facial expression. "We have company."
I turned and focused on Grace and Brynn dragging one another toward us, obviously giggling at something or someone. Both of their faces were contorted into large smiles, eyes disappearing into their cheeks.
"Audrey!" Brynn called to me, and waved ferociously.
"Brynn, I'm sitting right here, you don't have to yell," I said as I glanced back towards Harry, his face now amused. Good.
"I know," she drawled. "It's just that these boys are making bad jokes and then we had two drinks... Actually I think we had five, and now I just want to go home." Her sentences blurred together as she looked down at a very giggly Grace, who was holding onto Brynn for dear life. Grace let go of Brynn and attempted to make her way over to me and Harry. I held my arms out in case of her falling, which required me to let go of him. Oh, how I felt so empty without this single physical act with him. I held hands with boys before, but it had never been like this. I never had missed the absence of his hand. I needed him closer to me.
Grace grasped both my shoulders as she climbed onto my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and mumbling drunk incoherent words in my ear. I thought maybe she said something about being in bed. I needed to take them home. The realization of being away from him hit me hard, and I felt my heart ache at the thought.
"You have to go," he said, reading my mind. His face looked solemn, and again the look of confusion fell upon a hint of his face. But only a flash of it, and then it was gone.
"Yes, I have to take them home." I stared at him and him at me, daring each other to say something, anything.
"I'll walk you out," he said assertively.
"Okay." Good god, I didn't want to leave him.
We started towards the exit to the bar, pushing past more drunk people, young and old. When we finally made our way outside, I asked the valet for my car.
"Right away, Miss Reynolds," he said and scurried off.
As we waited, Brynn and Grace still hanging on to each other for dear life, Harry stood only centimeters away from me. His hand reached for mine as he stared at me. In that moment, I knew what was about to happen. The electricity coursing between us was enough to set fire to billions of cities. Just as he was about to speak whilst leaning closer to me, the valet pulled up with my car. Harry paused and looked from the car and back to me warily.
I coughed and looked at the ground, our toes almost touching. "You should probably come with me to make sure they're okay." I looked up from under my thick dark lashes and I could've sworn I heard him catch his breath.
"I don't think that's the best idea, Audrey."
I frowned and nodded my head, the hurt from his subtle rejection alight on my face. "I understand."
He nodded and took his large hand to cup my chin so I would look at him. He sighed heavily as he stared into my eyes and I could see him battling with the want to go with me. Again, his confusion returned. After a short silence and a soft sigh, he spoke.
"Come, let's get you in your car," his thick accent rolled over the words effortlessly. His hand found my waist as he lead me to the driver's side, opening my door swiftly and holding my hand as I stepped inside. I didn't want to leave without him.
"Goodbye then," I said quietly. I looked at him fully, taking in the sight of his arms in the white t-shirt, the dark curls that were pushed up onto his head and his eyebrows pulled together as if still making a decision.
"Goodbye, Audrey," he said just as softly. He shut the door tight and I turned in my seat to make sure Brynn and Grace were buckled up. I didn't want to watch him go.
"He was so hot!" Grace exclaimed. She giggled again in the back seat of my Audi.
I chuckled but it was cut short by the sight of Harry jogging back towards my car. I rolled down the window, too shocked to say anything.
"I've decided to tag along," he breathed heavily. All I could do was nod my head in agreement and glare at the still giggling girls in my back seat.
The ride home was eerily loud no thanks to the drunk girls in my back seat. Harry sat beside me in silence, holding my free hand the whole way home. When we had gotten to my flat he had reluctantly let go of my hand and helped the girls up out of the car.
Now, the girls were in my guest bedroom and passed out. I was hiding out in my washroom, trying to get rid of smell of Rocky's. I glanced over at the door when I heard someone push it open and to my pleasant surprise, Harry found his way into my bathroom.
"Your pajamas are lovely," he said as he looked at me up and down. I just happened to be wearing the long plaid ones with a black long-sleeved t-shirt. So attractive Audrey. I mentally patted myself on my back.
He leaned his tall frame against my bathroom counter and for some reason, he looked strangely out of place. Why is this more than attractive man in my bathroom? What was he still doing here? I mean I wanted him here, more than I'm willing to admit, but I just didn't understand.
"Do you like books?" He asked, staring at my collection of Hemmingway sitting on the bathroom counter.
"I love books," I replied softly, caught up in his gaze.
"It's refreshing to meet someone who does," he mumbled, more to himself than to me.
I felt the closeness of his body heat radiating off of him in the small space and I felt the need to touch him, but I pulled away and cleared my throat instead. He watched me the whole time.
"Do you need to go?" I asked, staring at the white tiles.
"I think I'll stay, if that's okay, with you," he held his gaze.
"Okay."
I started to walk past him and into my living room, but he stopped me by pulling his long arms around my torso.
"Is this okay?" He asked. When I nodded my head slowly, staring into those ocean green eyes, he spoke again. "I meant what I said at the bar. How I'm drawn to you. I feel the need to be with you, and it's only been a few hours. I don't know how much longer I can last."
I was frozen at his words.
"Then don't."
