Suit & Tie (Harry Styles au) [REPOSTED]

Chapter 40 - Frustration & drunken dialogue

"Seriously, Norah, how long did we date?"

I groaned as Liam pulled me behind him through the chaos. "Too long, apparently."

"Two years," He shot back, ignoring my comment with a scowl. "And after two years, I can guarantee I know when you're crying."

With a roll of my eyes, I pushed past another gross couple on the dance floor until there was a slight opening of the hoards of dancing, sweaty bodies. Liam tugged me into his familiar chest and I threw my arms around his neck, and we began moving the most we could in such a close space.

The only thing I could really think about was how familiar Liam was. From the way one of his hands gripped just below my hip bones, to the way he smelled like his favourite musky aftershave, everything about Liam was comforting.

"Harry's coming towards us," He whispered in my ear, ripping away the comfort with four little words. "If I get punched, I'm suing you."

I hovered a little bit closer to Liam out of nervousness, hoping that some of his happy-go-lucky attitude would maybe rub off on me. "Sue him. You'll get more money."

"Fair point. Have you told him I have a girlfriend yet?"

"No, and neither are you," I hissed. "Now how close is he?"

It wasn't Liam's solid, upbeat voice that answered. Instead, I got Harry's baritone drawl and strong hands slipping around my waist, then pulling me back into him with an annoyed grumble that echoed through me.

"I will dance with Norah," He announced. I could practically feel the anger radiating off of him in hot waves; he was probably clenching his jaw rhythmically and glaring at Liam as if he were he devil himself and not an oversize puppy. "Norah?"

With my pulse pounding in my ears, I turned to find him glowering down at me instead of Liam. Harry stood over me with a scowl on his gorgeous face and his hands tucked into his jean pockets. "Come back and drink with me," He commanded lowly, "At the table. With me."

I pulled the best defiant face I could muster under his gaze. "I'm fine. Thank you though."

"Norah."

Taking a step backwards, I felt my back come in contact with Liam's arm as I shook my head. "I'm going to dance with Liam."

He stared at me with a cold look and reached forward, and for a second I thought he was going to grab me and dance with me like I wanted, but he instead his knuckles against my arm and frowned. Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

A pang of anger shot through me, then disappointment, and then annoyance. I turned back to Liam and grabbed him by the collar of his leather jacket, dragging him towards me and practically forcing him to dance with me. "Well," He mused, "I'm guessing that didn't go very well."

I dropped my head against his chest with a groan. "Fuck off, Li. He's just so frustrating. Like, is it really that hard to dance with me?"

"Considering you keep stepping on my feet, a bit, yeah."

A loud bubble of laughter escaped my lips, and then I was dancing again. Liam bounced around me with one hand in the air, shamelessly doing the horrible dance moves that I remembered from college. He kept poking my sides and trying to get me to smile as usual.

But I could barely focus on him, because my eyes kept flitting back to Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome leaning against the wall with a drink in his hands. Every single flash of blue and red illuminated his green eyes peering at me from across the room and his knuckles white as he clenched the table.