Just keep breathing

Chapter 10

After Harry gives me a tour of his house, we order in and eat some lunch then make ourselves comfortable in the living room, Harry has put a Kings of Leon album on quietly in the background, and I am starting to relax.

As he wanders out of the room to take a phone call, I take stock of my surroundings. I feel like I'm finally getting to know the real Harry and the more we talk, the less nervous I feel around him.

He's easy to spend time with, always cracking jokes and putting me at ease. The stage persona that was all I really knew of him until yesterday is nowhere to be seen as we go about our day.

He's still endearing and charming. However, there's no arrogance in him, he mentions his work when it's appropriate, but got quite embarrassed when he was showing me around, and we went in his music studio, where I spotted the shelves full of awards on the far wall amongst the keyboards and guitars. Whilst he's proud of what he's achieved, he doesn't flaunt it or show it off.

I notice that Harry has disappeared down the hall, and start humming along as Use Somebody starts playing softly on the stereo. I hear a door close in the distance, and a few moments later, Harry reappears carrying a sizeable beige box with a pink ribbon. He walks over to the sofa and presents it to me.

"For you." He says and places the box on my lap.

"Harry..." I stare down at the box, which has 'Christian Louboutin' 'emblazoned on the top.

"What did you do?" I ask incredulously.

"Open it." He prompts me.

I slowly start to remove the ribbon and open the box, to find a pair of stunning black stilettos with a red sole tucked inside. I notice they are the perfect size and look up at him.

"How did you know my shoe size?"

"Just one of my many skills," He says laughing. "I snuck a look at your boots earlier. Do you like them?" He asks nervously

"They're beautiful," I respond dumbstruck.

And they probably cost more than my rent I add to myself.

"But you really shouldn't have."

"I thought you could wear them tonight. I have something planned for us, a surprise. I know you have the dresses you bought yesterday and I am hoping these will go with one of them. I figured black goes with everything" Harry stumbles shyly.

Without thinking, I place the box on the table beside me and launch myself at him. Throwing my arms around his neck and pushing him back down into the sofa in the process.

"Thank you," I say, excitedly into his ear. "I love them."

He laughs happily and returns my enthusiastic embrace. As I de-tangle myself from him and sit back up, I begin to realise what else he has just told me.

"A surprise? For which I need to get dressed up?" I enquire excitedly.

"Yes, but don't ask me what it is! I don't want to ruin it by telling, and I'm crap at keeping secrets. We have a couple of hours before we'll need to leave. So you've got plenty of time to get ready."

"I love surprises," I say shyly. Hoping inwardly that he hasn't gone to too much trouble.

"I'm afraid I have a few more phone calls I have to make, I'm sorry, but duty calls and all that. Do you think you'll be OK on your own for a little while?"

"Hmm," I hum, looking up at him from under my eyelashes, "Are you sure you can't make them wait a little bit longer?" I ask. Slowly I place my hand on his arm and run my fingertips across his tattoos, tracing the outline of a large rose by his elbow.

He watches my hand for a few moments, then suddenly, without warning, he turns and flips me on to my back on the sofa, hovering over me with his knees between my thighs, using his arms to support himself, his muscles bulging against the thin fabric of his T-shirt.

"Did you have something else in mind?" He asks

Gazing down into my eyes, he rubs the tip of his nose across mine gently. Eskimo kisses, I think to myself. I stare back into his eyes and search my brain for the right words, but nothing comes to me.

Just kiss me, Harry, I scream inwardly.

As if he can read my mind, Harry moves his lips towards mine, keeping eye contact with me until the very last moment before our lips touch.

As soon as I feel his lips on mine, a fire ignites within me, and my body comes alive. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me.

We kiss passionately, with abandonment and roll, so we're lying face to face next to one and other on the oversized sofa. Harry's now free left arm slides under the hem of my jumper and comes to rest grasping the soft flesh above my hip, making me groan quietly.

As our kiss deepens, I place my hand on his chest and feel his muscles tightly contracting under my touch, he shudders slightly and moves his lips from mine, kissing lightly down my jaw to my neck. I tilt my head back in pleasure. This is heavenly.

"Oh, Harry..." I whisper into his ear, running my hand through his hair. I am aware that I am panting, my whole body is pressed against him, and I can feel his excitement growing, quite literally as it's pressing against my hip.

Too fast. I think. This is all happening too fast.

As if sensing this, Harry's kisses slow, and he repositions us so that he is lying on his back, and my head is resting on his chest. I can hear his heart beating quickly beneath my cheek.

We lay in silence for several minutes, the CD has finished, and the only sound in the room is that of both of us trying to steady our breaths. I snuggle contently into the crook of Harry's arm as he lightly strokes my hair. Our peaceful moment is interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

"Urgh." He complains, starting to sit up.

"Sorry. Please make yourself at home" He kisses my forehead lightly and pulls his phone from his pocket. "We need to be ready to leave in about an hour, OK?"

"OK. I best get ready then." I smile up at him stupidly as he leaves the room. I am admiring his long legs as he strides out of the door, answering his phone as he goes.

Finally, I sit up and stretch, trying to release some of the built-up tension from my body.

Then retrieving the shoebox from the table and my shopping bags from yesterday from the corner of the room, I make my way up to the bedroom I slept in last night to get ready for my surprise.