Just keep breathing

Chapter 20

As Harry disappears into the bathroom, I roll on to my stomach and pull the duvet across myself to cover my nakedness, suddenly self-conscious, I shake my head in disbelief. Did that really just happen?

I feel the bed depress slightly as Harry returns, he positions himself propped up against the pillows, and I notice that he has pulled his boxers back on, seems I'm not the only one who's a little shy now.

I reach for my inhaler and take a puff, trying to steady my breathing as he strokes his fingers lazily across my shoulder

"Nice tattoo." He says, breaking the silence between us.

Realising he is referring to the rose on my shoulder I move slightly to give him a more unobstructed view.

"Thank you. I always forget that one is there," I say. "Given that, I rarely have reason to look at my own shoulder."

"Do you have any others? I saw there's something written on your ankle.." He says with a questioning look.

"It's the date of when I had the big asthma attack. It's there to remind me what I have survived," I reply.

Then, wanting to change the subject I add, "I also have a tramp stamp on my lower back, although when I got it, they weren't referred to as that hehe " I giggle.

"Can I see?" He requests, a smile dancing at the corners of his lips, as he touches his fingers to the edge of the duvet and awaiting my permission to pull it down my back.

"Sure." I feel the coolness of his fingertips tracing the outlines of the wide tribal design etched above my buttocks and shiver slightly at his touch.

"Sexy! Maybe one day you'll let me tattoo you, add to your collection?"

I can't help the look of horror that breaks out across my face, which in turn makes him burst out laughing.

"As in you with the gun??" I eventually respond.

"Yeah! Why? don't you trust me?" He bats his eyelashes at me

"The butter wouldn't melt look might work better if you weren't half-naked in my bed after ravaging me, Harry. For now, I think I'll stick to the professionals."

I notice him squirming slightly on the bed, looking uncomfortable and wonder if I have offended him, but then he reaches his hand under the duvet to retrieve a mess of balled-up white fabric.

"I wondered what I was sitting on!" He starts to unfold the fabric at the same moment as I realise what it is.

I try to steal it away from him, but he's too fast for me and pulls it out of my reach before I have the chance. I can feel the heat entering my cheeks as he holds up the now unfolded Kiss T-shirt that he gave me after our first night together.

"I've been sleeping in it," I admit shyly lowering my eyes.

"Aww, aren't you just adorable! " He says in a babyish voice, teasing me.

"Hmph. Give it back."

He examines the t-shirt for a minute, seeming to mull over whether or not to return it to me, but relents and tosses it so that it hits me softly on my bare chest. I grab it and pull it over my head.

"It's comfy." I defend myself with a scowl.

"Can I make a little confession?" He asks

"Please do! Especially if it's embarrassing." I giggle back at him.

"The night you, erm, when you didn't come back to my house that night. I slept in the guest bedroom because the pillow smelled like you."

He looks straight into my eyes as he says this, no trace of embarrassment at all.