Forever (h.s.)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9: News of a Lifetime and the Kiss Thereafter

Harry called us a cab to get back to his flat and we stood out in the cold night air, waiting. I wrapped my arms around myself, but I was still shivering. Harry seemed to notice this as he wrinkled his eyebrows in sympathy and opened his jacket. I snuggled into it, taking in the smell of Harry, the warmth radiating off his body, and tried to ignore the fact that I could feel Harry's every muscle beneath his t-shirt, tense from the cold.

When the taxi finally arrived, Harry mentioned his address to the driver then sat back with a sigh. His eyes flickered to me once, then twice. I suppose I only noticed because I was sort of staring at him, but when he glanced at me for the third time, I saw that playful glint in his eye that I knew all too well.

Before I was even sure what was happening, Harry had closed the space between us and was pulling me off the seat into his lap, discreetly nosing his way to my neck. I saw the driver look back, a little disgruntled.

"Harry!" I hissed, trying to squirm away. "The driver's gonna kick us out if we do this!" He laughed, hot breath spiraling down my spine.

"Then we'll walk," he murmured, trailing a line of kisses along my neck. I gulped, trying to push him away, but then I realized that I didn't want to. I wanted to feel his lips on my skin. I wanted that taxi driver to think we were crazy.

"You are the craziest person I know," I moaned, turning to kiss him. I felt him smiling against my mouth, and a faint tickle told me of his eyelashes fluttering against my cheeks. Harry's hand slipped up my side and he laid me gently down on the seat beneath him. I could feel my heart beating all through my body.

Somewhere up front, the driver cleared his throat in irritation, but I was too focused on Harry's lips to care.

I was just starting to get lost in that shivery wonderful place when we went flying over a speed bump and the car jolted Harry practically off the seat.

He laughed, popping up from the floor with a surprised little smirk. The driver cleared his throat again, and this time he seemed to be making a point. Harry snorted as if he was trying to hold back a laugh. "Sorry," he said curtly, but barely concealing his smile.

"See? He hates us now," I whispered to Harry, curling into him to keep my voice as low as possible. He kissed my cheek, then my neck, just once, like he was teasing me. I let out a breath in surprise.

"But I love you," he murmured, "and that's all that matters." I smiled, licking my lips and dropping my gaze to the worn seat beneath me. I had to kiss Harry. Now. That stupid taxi driver was ruining my day.

When we finally arrived home, I was about ready to die. Harry had been teasing me the whole way home with adorable trying-to-be-sexy faces and whispers in my ear.

"Thanks," Harry called to the driver as soon as the taxi pulled to a stop. The man nodded exhaustedly,

accepted the bills from Harry, and right before I shut the door I heard him mutter, "Kids these days." I jumped at the feel of Harry's fingers slipping into mine. I squeezed his hand.

Time seemed to slow down as he unlocked and opened the door, sliding one hand up my waist as he distractedly shut it behind him. Dropping his keys, he backed me into the nearest wall, nosing his lips to mine. He pressed into me so hard, I could feel every curve of his body. He lowered his kisses to my neck, hot, steady breath coursing down my spine. I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling the way his body tensed in appreciation, and kissed him back as deep as he was kissing me. He slipped his hands up my shirt and over my ribs, hot against my skin.