Before She Falls

Chapter 31

"This is why I like you" Harry says sitting on the kitchen counter.

After our short, yet pretty intense, make out session on my bed, Harry decided it was time for a late-night snack.

"Why, because I'm making you food?" I smile while mixing the tomato sauce on the stove.

Harry insists that we make pasta with tomato sauce but for some reason I'm the one who is doing all the cooking.

"Heeey, I helped!" Harry says defensively.

I laugh, "Yeah, you helped boil the water."

"Which is a very difficult task to master" Harry waves his finger at me.

"I thought you loved to cook" I ask as I pour the pasta and boiling water into the strainer.

"I do" Harry watches me work. "But I love watching you cook more."

"So lazy!" I tease him while giggling.

"You're standing in your underwear, mixing tomato sauce, and you expect me to interfere?" I look up to see Harry smirking.

I guess I have gotten a little more comfortable around Harry because I am indeed standing in the middle of the kitchen in only my pink lace underwear and my white t-shirt.

"Do you think of me the same way the media does?" Harry's statement catches me way off guard, I suck in a breath.

"Yeah, I think you're extremely charming..." I look up from stirring the pasta and smile at Harry, whose facial expression does not match mine.

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't think you're a 'womanizer' if that's what you're getting at" I answer honestly. "You're a regular nineteen year old when everything boils down. I knew who you were before all the hype, Harry. You were never like that and you're not like that now" I continue to stir.

Harry stays silent, surprisingly, and I take that as my cue to continue my little rant.

"Give yourself some credit and stop focusing on whatever story's going around." I step away from the stove and move closer to Harry, fitting right in between his legs that are dangling off of the kitchen counter. "Are you happy right now, in this moment?"

Harry's eyes raise to meet mine, "Yeah."

"So remember this the next time you're thinking about the stupid media" I bring myself right in between Harry's legs and cup my hands around his smooth face.

Harry feels no need to answer and instead pulls me closer to him by my waist. He takes control and pushes his lips onto mine.

"You are something else" Harry's pink lips seem to move in slow motion.

"You're so warm" Harry hums as his fingertips drag along the length of my arm.

"You're just cold" I mumble into the my pillow.

Harry's lying next to me, turned onto his side, in only his boxers. I'm on my stomach, facing Harry and his chest while he continues to stroke his chilly fingers up and down my arm.

"Opposites attract" Harry states in his raspy voice.

"We're not opposites" I correct Harry as I start to think about how we're alike somewhat.

"We're not the same either" Harry counters me, moving his fingers up to trace the outline of collarbone.

"I'd say we're in the middle" I smile.

"In the middle of what?" Harry chuckles.

"I don't know. We're not the same and we're not the opposites. We're in the middle" I explain as sleep takes over my voice.

"Go to sleep Kat" Harry pulls the blanket we're sharing over my shoulders.

"You go to sleep" I say so quietly it's almost a whisper.

"I said it first" Harry scoots closer to me and wraps his huge hands around my torso.

"Yeah yeah" I sigh into his chest and nuzzle my face into his inked skin. "But I-"

"Don't be stubborn now" Harry's teasing voice is almost as lovely as his morning voice.

"Stop being cute" I jokingly chide Harry and poke my finger to his warm chest, right in between the tattooed swallows.

"Oh shut up" Harry tightens his grip around my back.

His legs are entangled in mine and I pat myself on the back for making the decision to shave my legs earlier today.

"When are you going home?" I ask into Harry's neck as I start to close my heavy eyes.

"Already trying to get rid of me?" Harry breaths into my hair.

"I obviously want you to stay."

"Is this you finally expressing your feelings for me?" I didn't have to look up to know Harry's lips are forming a smirk.

"What do you mean 'finally'? You know how I feel about you" I pull away from him enough to look at his tired face; his eyes are sleepy and his lips form a lazy smile.

"Do tell" he sounds amused but his accent makes it hard to understand him.

"I have feelings for you. What else is there to know?" I ask, holding eye contact, something I'm not always particularly good at.

"Why do you have feelings for me?" His smirk turns into a big, doofy smile. "Enlighten me Katrina."

"It's a mystery" I place my head back against his neck and lean farther into his chest. "I'll never tell."

I hear a chuckle escape Harry's mouth and could feel him shaking his head at me. A slow silence grows around us as our breathing decreases to a steady pace and our heartbeats manage to almost synchronize.

"Why do you have feelings for me?" I whisper, not even sure Harry is awake to hear me ask.

Harry stirs slightly and his hand moves from my lower back to my side.

"I asked first" he mumbles directly above my ear.