f ✨

In your whole time together, which would be three years total next month, you had never seen Harry so unlike his usual self. Everything had been going so well since he proposed to you five months ago, but that all came crashing down when he took on this new deal. You knew he was a busy man, so you were more than understanding that sometimes his work would take a toll on him, or would cause him to be at work for longer hours, but it had never been this bad before.

Tonight you decided that in order to try and brighten his spirits, you’d make his favorite meal. You had to go to a few different stores today to get all the necessary ingredients, but you didn’t mind if the outcome meant that you’d be making Harry feel better.

Just as you had everything plated, only needing to carry it into the dining room to place it down on the table, you removed the apron you had on and started towards the stairs. You couldn’t help but smile on your way up as you pictured what Harry’s reaction would be to seeing his favorite dish on the table.

“Harry, dinner’s-”

You had raised your fist to knock on the door once you reached it, but you hesitated as you heard his voice carrying through the wooden surface. Lowering your hand, you started to back away - deciding that you’d give him a few more minutes and then try again. As you turned to leave, you could’ve sworn you heard him say your name. You contemplated still walking away, but ultimately you were curious as to what he was talking about if he was mentioning you. Quietly, you pressed your ear to the door, and you tried to focus in on his conversation.

“I’m trying not to bring the stress of work home with me everyday, but I end up getting even more stressed every single time I walk through the damn door. Y/N has been hovering so much lately because she can tell this deal is weighing on me, but she doesn’t even notice that she’s making things so much fucking worse,” he spoke, and you felt moisture burning in your eyes, but you couldn’t stop listening. “It’s getting to be so irritating. It’s to the point where I’m about to look into booking her some type of spa weekend. Then I could have the house to myself and just worry about getting this deal done and finalized. I just need to feel like I can fucking breathe.”

Gasping, you pushed away from the door, and you brought your hand up to your mouth. The tears that had formed started to stream down your face once you blinked - standing there frozen. It took you a few seconds to gather yourself, but once you did, you started down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. You took everything that you had made and scooped it off of the plates and into tupperware, and you placed it in the fridge so nothing would get spoiled by being left out. Even though you knew you wouldn’t be eating with Harry, you had lost the appetite to eat at all.

Once you had the kitchen cleaned up, you quietly made your way upstairs and into the master bedroom where you gathered your pajamas and your toiletries. You wouldn’t be staying in here with him tonight. If he wanted space, then he was going to get what he wanted, and that was because you couldn’t even fathom sleeping in the same bed with him at the moment.

You walked into the guest bedroom ensuite where you showered off your day, and you couldn’t help but cover your mouth once again to muffle the sobs that escaped you while you replayed what Harry had said in your head. He had never spoken about you in such a negative way, at least not that you had known about, and you wondered if this is how he felt about you all the time. 

Was he now regretting the engagement?

Staying in the shower until the water started to run cold, you shut it off and stepped out - drying yourself off and then slipping into your pajamas. You walked into the bedroom, and you pulled back the covers of the bed before snuggling underneath them. Laying on your back, you stared blankly at the ceiling as thoughts of insecurity clouded your mind. You also wondered if Harry had even come out of his office yet. If he had checked in the kitchen to see what was taking dinner so long, or why you hadn’t come to get him. 

Hours went by before you finally fell asleep with the heaviest weight of doubt you had ever felt settling in your stomach.

𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬

The next morning when you opened your eyes, you could immediately tell how swollen they were from all the crying you had done. It was your first reminder of the words Harry had spoken last night. 

The second reminder came in the form of a piece of paper that you saw on the nightstand underneath your phone. Once you sat up in bed, you grabbed the piece of paper, and you blinked a couple of times before you could make out that it was one from Harry’s personalized stationery.

“Y/N,

Last night I didn’t want to wake you when I realized that you were sleeping in this bedroom, but I’d like for you to call me once you wake up so we can talk about why you did. If I didn’t have to be at a meeting so early this morning, I would’ve waited so that we could talk about it in person. I just know that I can’t go all day without hearing why you never came to get me for dinner, and why you chose for us to sleep apart.

Love you,

H.”

It was clear that your feelings of sadness last night had now been replaced by ones of anger and irritation. How dare he leave you a note asking why you hadn’t served him his dinner, and questioning why you had chosen to sleep in another bed. You knew that if he had really tried to think hard enough about it, then he could probably come to the conclusion that you had listened to his conversation without him knowing at the time.

Reaching over, you grabbed your phone and stared down at the device resting in your palm. You were debating whether or not you should actually call him, but ultimately, you decided you’d stick with your decision last night of giving him what he wanted.

Your absence.

𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬

It had been two days since you had been back to the house that you shared with Harry. When you woke up the morning after hearing those horrid words leaving Harry’s mouth, you went to your friend’s for a couple of days. You had left him a note on the desk in his office to let him know that you would be gone, and that you weren’t exactly sure when you’d be coming back.

You thought that maybe it was a bit petty for you to leave without any further explanation, but then you remembered what he said, and you knew it was what you needed. 

The last two days consisted of shopping sprees to try and mask the emptiness you felt of not seeing Harry, but you also were grateful for how confident the clothing made you feel considering you were feeling your lowest. Your friend, Maggie, had let you know that you could stay as long as you needed, and you made sure to tell her just how grateful you were for her. 

Today you had decided to come home, and you made sure that you did it at a time where you knew Harry would be at work. He had tried to contact you a few times since you had been away, and the only one you responded to was the one asking to make sure that you were okay. Although you wanted him to dwell over your reasoning for leaving, you didn’t want him worrying about your safety. 

Standing in your large walk-in closet, you looked over the lingerie set you had bought yourself when you went shopping with Maggie. It hugged perfectly to your breasts, as well as the rounds of your ass, and the scalloped edges made it one of your favorite sets that you had ever owned. 

You didn’t realize how much time you had taken to put away all of your new clothes, except for the set on your body, and soon you heard the front door opening and closing. 

“Y/N! Are you here?” Harry called from downstairs, and you knew he was panicking upon seeing that your car was back in the garage. You figured that he was nervous that you had just come to drop the car off, and get the rest of your stuff before leaving completely.

Ignoring his question, you walked further into the closet so that you could change into some pajamas and exit the room, but you didn’t move fast enough.

“Oh my god,” Harry sighed in relief behind you, and you glanced over your shoulder to see him leaning against the doorway. “You’re here.”

“I am,” you responded before turning back to the drawer you were sorting through.

It was silent between the two of you for a while, and you looked over to Harry again to see his brows narrowing while he eyed your body.

“Is there a problem?” You asked while standing up straight - crossing your arms over your chest.

“I’ve never seen you in that set before.”

“It’s new,” you commented as you turned back to the drawer to pull out a silk nightgown. “I got it when I went shopping yesterday.”

“Have you been wearing that all day or…”

It clicked in your head what Harry was trying to get out, so once again you turned to face him while clutching the silk garment in your hand. “I’d appreciate it if you just flat out asked what you’re trying to hint around, Harry.”

“Did you buy that for someone else?” 

More silence loomed over the two of you as you tried to figure out how to respond to his claim - many different emotions coming to the surface based on a singular question. First off, you were angry that he would ever accuse you of seeing someone else, and second off, it irritated you that buying lingerie just because you felt nice in it didn’t even cross his mind. Why did the set have to be for someone other than yourself?

“Would it even bother you if I did?” You bit back as you felt your pulse rising. “Or would you be relieved? Because then you wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore if I decided I wanted to be with someone other than you.”

“Y/N.” Harry’s eyes widened as he stared at you. “Baby, what are you talking about? Of course I’d be upset if you were having an affair. How could you ever think that I-”

“Really?” A laugh erupted out of your chest as you shook your head. “You’d be upset? That’s a bit shocking considering you’ve been trying to think of ways to have time away from me. Have you booked that spa weekend you so desperately need for me to accept in order to get rid of me for a few days? Or were the couple of nights I spent at Maggie’s enough for you?”

You watched as Harry’s face fell, and you knew he had come to the realization that you were aware of the conversation that had taken place in his office. 

“Look, I understand what you heard, okay? But I promise you that I didn’t mean any of that. I was just under a lot of stress, and all I could think about was just having some quiet time to myself. I never meant to take what I was saying about you that far, and I-”

“Honestly, Harry, I really don’t feel like hearing this right now.” Not even bothering to turn away from him, you stripped out of the lingerie that you had on - folding it and placing it into one of the drawers as you felt his eyes on you the entire time. After pulling on a pair of fresh panties, you slipped the nightgown you had picked out over your head. “You’re in no position to receive my forgiveness this soon after what I had to hear, and I still need a few days to decide what I want to do.”

“What you want to do?” Harry repeated as he stepped forward, but he stopped when you took a very obvious step back from him. “You’re thinking of leaving me?”

“Yes, I am.” You nodded as you crossed your arms over your chest once more - holding your chin high as you stared into his eyes. “And I know right now you’re going to try and beg me to reconsider, but again, I’m not in the mood to hear it. Like I said, the only thing that’s going to help me come to my decision right now is time. If you respect me and love me, you’ll give me that.”

Harry was a man who was rarely ever out of control, so you could see just how hard it was for him to comprehend your request. He cleared his throat after a moment while bringing his hand up to scratch right over one of his brows with his thumb. “I’ll give you time, I promise. However long you need. Are you going to be staying here…or will you be going back to Maggie’s?”

“I think I need to be here. I have a feeling that being away from the house won’t help me at all when it comes to figuring out what I want, but I’ll still be staying in the guestroom.”

“Of course.” The sadness in his eyes was obvious as he stared at you, and you could also see some hints of regret. The only thing was, you weren’t sure if that regret came from the fact he ever spoke against you, or if it came from the fact that he got caught doing so. “I’ll stay out of your way until you’re ready.”

𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬

A week later, your eyes fluttered open, and the sunlight peeking through the blinds warmed your skin. You hummed softly while stretching your arms above your head - giving yourself a couple of seconds before climbing out of bed. Opening the guest bedroom door, you were met with the same sight that had greeted you for the last seven days. A tray sat on the ground filled with fruits, pastries and one of your favorite breakfast foods. An eggs benedict.

Ever since the conversation you had with Harry when you returned home from Maggie’s, this is how your days went. You woke up to a tray of breakfast every morning made by Harry himself, and each day he had switched out the main dish for one of your favorites - not a single one having been repeated yet. After you finished breakfast, you would come downstairs to clean up the dishes, and you’d see a note on the counter letting you know that he had made lunch for you, and that it was prepped and stored inside the fridge. Those notes also told you exactly when to expect Harry to be home, however, you still hadn’t faced him since that day in the closet.

Dinner went a lot like breakfast did. He would leave it outside of the guest bedroom door, but since he knew you were awake, he’d actually knock to let you know it was there. Once you finished dinner, you’d wait until you heard the sound of him going into his office, and you’d sneak downstairs to clean the dishes before hiding yourself away again.

Bending down, you grabbed the tray of breakfast that had been prepared for you, and you climbed back into bed - placing the delicious looking food in the middle of the mattress. As you ate, you wondered exactly how much longer you could live like this. Harry had clearly been trying to get back on your good side after what happened, and his dedication to making you meals every day did prove to you that he wanted to make this work.

The food in front of you soon dwindled down, and your stomach was filled. Sighing to yourself, you left the bed once again with the tray in your hands, and you started downstairs towards the kitchen. As you walked through the dining room, your heart leapt out of your chest as you saw Harry sitting at one of the heads of the table with his laptop in front of him.

“What…what are you doing here?” You asked while trying to slow your adrenaline down.

“I decided to take the day off,” he stated while ceasing the movement of his fingers on the keyboard. “I was just finishing up a couple of emails that I needed to send off this morning.”

Biting down on your bottom lip, all you gave him back was a nod before you continued to make your way into the kitchen. You heard Harry let out a heavy sigh behind you as you set your dishes down in the sink - hands cupping the edge of the countertop as you stared out the window that overlooked your backyard.

You decided that you’d leave the dishes for later as you walked back into the dining room, and you sat yourself down at the other head of the table across from Harry. His head snapped up with a clear look of surprise in his eyes that you had come back and joined him. Lacing your fingers together, you adjusted your posture so that you were sitting up straighter while pressing your palms down against the wooden surface.

“I’m ready to talk now.”

Harry stared at you blankly for a minute before he started bobbing his adamantly - closing his laptop. “Yeah…yes.” He cleared his throat as he pushed the closed device towards the side of the table. “I’m just going to sit back and listen. I’ll only speak if you ask me a question, or once you’re finished.”

It was quiet for a moment as you tried to figure out where you wanted to start. You had thought about this conversation a lot over the past week and half, but now that it was actually happening, you were struggling to remember everything you wanted to say.

“For starters, I would like to tell you exactly what I heard through the door that evening.” You saw Harry flinch, and you knew he probably hadn’t expected you to repeat his words, but it was what you needed. You wanted him to hear the words that he had spoken that hurt you so badly coming from your own mouth. “I heard you tell whoever you were speaking to that I was hovering, and making things worse for you. That I was causing your stress to grow even more when you got home. You told them that I was irritating…”

You paused for a moment as you felt a lump growing in your throat, but you needed to remain strong. Harry was looking away from you - his eyes casting down on the table separating you both.

“And lastly, I heard you tell them that you wanted to send me off for a weekend so that you would be able to breathe.”

Letting the weight of his words hang in the air for a moment, you stayed silent, but then you spoke up again.

“If my presence was so suffocating for you…is so suffocating for you, Harry, then I would hope that you respected me enough to have a conversation about it, instead of complaining to someone when you haven’t even let me know that I’ve done something wrong. I even tried to ask, and you told me it was only work.”

“You didn’t do-” Harry started to respond, but he stopped himself, and he looked at you to let him know whether or not it was his turn to speak. Once you gave him a little tilt down of your chin, he continued. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Y/N, I promise. I’ve taken some time to think over why I could ever say the things that I did, and my conclusion just shows how much of a fool I am.

“Work has been incredibly frustrating, and I can only let that show so much in front of my employees and my investors. The only place I can really let that out is here at home. Deep down I know you were just trying to help me. I should be grateful that I have someone in my life that cares so deeply for me, and that you just want to do everything that you can to make sure I’m okay, but instead, I used your kindness against you. I put all my irritation and frustration on you. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that, and I regret ever letting myself do it. I know me saying I didn’t mean it doesn’t take away the fact that you still have to live with the aftermath of it, but I swear that’s not how I feel about you. Not at all.”

“Well, like you just said, regardless of whether or not you meant the things you said, my feelings are still incredibly hurt. I never thought that you would hurt me like this, and it has me questioning everything,” you whispered, and you blinked - sending the tears that had started pooling in your eyes down your cheeks. “The doubt that has managed to bury itself inside of me is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.”

“Baby.” You could see tears gathering in Harry’s own eyes now. “I will do anything, and I mean anything to make this up to you, and have you see that it’s me who has the problem. It was never you.”

“I’ve appreciated the way you’ve been making my meals for me, and how you’ve been giving me my space like I asked, but I still feel so empty. I don’t know how to make it go away. I’m scared I’ll never feel okay in this relationship again.”

Harry quickly stood from his seat, and he made his way over to you. He turned your chair so that your legs were no longer underneath the table, and he kneeled down in front of you. “Please, Y/N,” he pleaded while burying his face into your stomach. “I don’t want to do this life without you. You are everything to me. I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too,” you sobbed while shaking your head - bringing a hand up to run it through the curls on the top of Harry’s head. “I just don’t know if it can ever feel the same anymore.”

His tears began to soak through the material of the silk camisole you had on, and you heard him gasp out his own sob while clutching to you. “Please. Please don’t leave me. Give me another chance. I’ll never take you for granted again. I swear.”

As Harry lifted up his head, you looked down at him, and you realized this was the closest you had been to him in so long. He lifted one of his hands to cup the back of your neck while resting his forehead against your own.

“Never again,” you whimpered as you clutched to the front of the t-shirt he had on. “Don’t ever hurt me like that again.”

“I won’t. You are the most special thing in my life. Without you, I have nothing, Y/N.”

The next thing you knew, Harry’s lips were clashing against yours, and his hands were against your hips - pulling you towards the edge of the chair. His tongue slipped out to roll against yours, causing you to moan into his mouth while his palms began to graze over your entire body. Before the kiss could get more heated, he separated his lips from yours.

“Harry,” you pouted for only a moment, but then you felt his lips trailing down your neck and over your collarbone - your eyes rolling into the back of your head from how good it felt.

His mouth trailed further and soon you felt him sucking your nipple through your camisole, and you moaned again as you cradled the back of his head in your hand. Harry continued his way down until his face was between your legs. He pressed against the insides of your thighs to spread you further, and he hummed and nuzzled the tip of his nose against your covered mound.

“I can tell you’re not wearing underwear,” he commented before pressing his lips against your clit that was starting to pulsate. “Smell so good, baby. Let me show you how sorry I am. Let me take care of you.”

He licked over you for a moment, but he didn’t let his eyes leave yours as he stared up at you. Giving him a soft nod, he pulled your shorts down your legs - tossing them to the side. Harry reached out with his middle and index fingers to spread your slit apart, and he shook his head.

“Such a pretty cunt. I don’t deserve it.” He spit down against your clit, and you mewled as he spread it around with his thumb while still keeping you open. “Don’t deserve you, but I’m going to show you just how much you mean to me. Show you how much I love you.”

Dipping his head down, Harry pressed an open-mouthed kiss to your pussy while dipping his tongue around your slick entrance. Both your hands flew down to grip to his curls, and you lifted your hips to grind against his face - the bridge of his nose hitting your clit so deliciously.

“Show me,” you moaned. “Prove to me that you’re sorry.”

From there, you could tell Harry was determined to get you off by any means possible. He trailed his mouth up to close his lips down around your aching bud, and then he moved his fingers to have them slipping inside of you now. His digits pulsed in and out of your dripping cunt, and you gasped when the tips of them hit against your sweet spot.

“Oh my god. I already feel like I could come.”

You could feel Harry smirking against you once you said that, and he used his other hand to throw your legs over his shoulders so he could get even closer to you. Holding the pad of tongue against your clit, he licked against you for a while before flicking the tip of it up and down - your thighs beginning to tremble against the sides of his head.

“That’s good,” you praised him while bucking your hips up - as if you yearned for even more. “I missed your fucking mouth, H. Don’t you ever neglect me again.”

“Never.” Harry pulled off your clit as he slipped a third finger inside you. “I’ll satisfy you anytime you need. Any time of day. You need me to come home and get you off? You tell me. I’ll leave right on the spot.”

Spitting against you again, he brought his other hand up to swipe two fingers over your pearl, back and forth, without letting up, and you arched your back against the chair.

“I’m gonna…you’re gonna make me…”

A gush of fluid sprayed against Harry’s fingers - wetting the inside of your thighs and the shirt he had on. You thought maybe he would stop after that, but if anything, he increased his movements even more. A moan that could’ve been mistaken for a scream flooded from your lungs as you felt your actual orgasm take hold while a little more liquid came out.

“That’s it, Y/N.” Harry continued to coax you through your climax. “That’s it, momma. Look so fucking gorgeous like this. I love you so much.”

“L-Love you too,” you panted as you started to come down from your high, and Harry finally ceased the movement of his hands. 

He pulled his fingers from you, and once he cleaned up both sets with his mouth, he lowered your legs while caressing your thighs to soothe you. “I’m gonna let you recuperate a little bit while I start us a nice hot shower, but when I come back and get you, you better be ready for me to take you every which way today.”

Although you had just come out of your earth shattering orgasm, you felt yourself clench down against nothing at his words.

“Oh yeah?” Your chest heaved as you were still trying to catch your breath.  

“Yeah, baby.” Harry nodded while pushing himself up off the ground. “That was just the start of me making it up to you. I’m planning on pulling out all the tricks I know you love once we’re in the bedroom.”

Leaning down, Harry’s mouth found yours and you whined at the taste of yourself on his lips. “If you’re lucky, you’ll have to give me a little break so I can put that new lingerie on.”

The two of you laughed against each other's mouth before he pulled back.

“Let’s hope that I get lucky then.”

𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬 • 𓇬

Shrugging, you glanced around as you contemplated on how answer his question, and your eyes were immediately drawn to a man who was currently taking a seat right across the bar from you. You saw him hold his hand out of the woman he had taken a spot beside - the two of them clearly exchanging names while sharing in a brief handshake. Once he faced forward, you caught the moss color of his irises, and a swirling brewed in your stomach as he made direct eye contact with you.

“Y/N?” Your name sounded muffled as it was spoken, but you shook out of your trance once it was repeated again.

“I’m sorry,” you said breathlessly as you regretfully pulled your eyes away from the intriguing stranger. “What did you ask me again?”

“I asked how you liked your job.”

“Oh, right,” you laughed as you started to swirl the olive layered stick through your drink once again. “I quite enjoy it. Numbers are kind of my thing, and I like a challenge.”

You popped one of the olives into your mouth as Bo nodded at your answer. Looking back over to the area behind the bar, you were trying to track down the bartender so you could order yourself another martini, but you were immediately meeting the gaze of the man across from you once again.

His eyes slowly ran down what he could see of your body before drawing back up to your face, and something that you could only describe as infatuation dug its way into your chest when you saw him lift a hand to toy with his full bottom lip. Just as you were pressing your thighs together to ease the ache that was surprisingly starting to grow, the bartender popped back up and blocked your view. 

“Another one, ma’am?” He asked, and you nodded.

“That would be nice. Thank you.”

As he moved to start making your drink, you turned your attention back to Bo, and it was then you saw he was currently taking some type of phone call right next to you. You hadn’t even realized he had been speaking beside you this whole time.

His phone call ended right as the bartender was setting your new drink down, and you quickly finished the other, but took your skewer of olives to put into the fresh drink beside its counterpart.

“Do you really like olives that much?” Bo asked with a soft chuckle, but a sour look was on his face. “I personally find them disgusting.”

“I love them,” you stated while snagging another off the pick with your teeth. “But to each their own, of course.”

As you and Bo continued your rather bland conversation, you couldn’t help but let your eyes wander back over to the handsome stranger. It was obvious he was engaged in his own conversation with the woman next to him, but he too continued to keep peering over at you. 

Once Bo finished up his beer, you watched as he signaled that he was ready for his tab to the bartender, and he pulled out his wallet. He placed his card down on top of the slip, which the bartender took, before Bo stood and leaned his hip against the bar while he turned to face you.

“Look, Y/N, I’m staying at a hotel that’s just down the street, and I may be overstepping completely, but I was wondering if you’d like to join me back in my room.”

Opening your mouth to answer him, you felt the tip of Bo’s fingers skirt just underneath the hem of your dress, and you quickly uncrossed your legs and moved over on the barstool so you were just out of his reach.

“That’s flattering, but I don’t really like going back to someone’s place, or in this case, a hotel room when I don’t really know someone,” you explained, and you watched as the charming look on Bo’s face morphed into a scowl.

“Let me guess - you’re one of those that just comes out to get free drinks off of someone, and then dips out when the man expects more?”

“Excuse me?” You shook your head at his accusation. “First off, I never asked for you to cover my tab for me, you did that yourself. Second off, no man should just expect for a woman to fall into bed with them all because they buy a couple of drinks. If that’s the way your mind works, then I really want nothing to do with you.”

Standing up, you grabbed your drink and the clutch you had placed beside it, but Bo moved forward - trapping you between him and the bar by shoving his knee between your own.

“Didn’t really take you as a mouthy thing, and that’s not something I’m usually into, but it definitely works for you.” Bo’s hand began to trail up the inside of your thigh. “Are you playing hard to get, doll? Because you don’t-”

“Is there a problem here?”

Both you and Bo looked over in the direction of the voice at the same time, and you saw the man you had been using just your eyes to practically flirting with all night.

“No. There’s no problem, right?” Bo shifted his head back to look at you, but he still hadn’t removed his hand from your leg. “My girlfriend here has just had a little too much to drink, and she likes to act out when she gets like this, and I tell her it’s time to go. Come on now, sugar. You’re making a scene.”

Swallowing harshly, your lips parted to go against everything he was saying, but you grew silent as you watched the stranger’s fingers curl over the top of Bo’s shoulders. Rings adorned each one, and you could also make out some black and chipped nail polish over the tops of his fingernails.

“You see, I would believe you if this young lady here didn’t look perfectly sober.” You could see the man’s eyes drop to the contact Bo had on your thigh. “I suggest you stop touching her right now, and that you finish paying up your tab.”

“Oh yeah?” Bo scoffed, but he thankfully removed all touch from you in order to turn around - clearly trying to size up the man who had stepped in. “Or what?”

“I’m a very important man. All it would take is for me to make a few phone calls, have some guys look over the security footage from this bar tonight, and I’ll have all the information I need on you like this.” The stranger snapped his fingers. “One more phone call after that, and I’ll not only have you fired from your job, but I’ll also make sure to get your wife’s contact information so I can let her know you’re cheating on her.”

Confusion washed over you at the man’s words. You hadn’t noticed a ring on Bo’s finger, and as you looked, you still saw there wasn’t one, however, an indentation right under his knuckle that had slipped past you was now giving him away.

It wasn’t even five seconds later that Bo was turning around to sign his receipt on the bar, and you watched as he exited through the double glass doors. Your body immediately relaxed knowing that he was gone, however, your heart rate didn’t drop. Not when you looked over to find the handsome stranger still standing there.

“You alright, sweetheart? I know an apology from me isn’t what you’re looking for, but I’m sorry for what just happened.”

“I’m okay.” You nodded before chewing on your bottom lip for a moment. “Thank you for stepping in. I felt like I was handling him pretty well there for a second, but he was a bit relentless.”

“Started walking over the minute I saw you stand up because I could see the look on your face. I wish I could’ve gotten over here sooner,” the man stated as he ran his fingers through his long curls.

“That’s alright.” You sent him a soft smile. “Do you mind if I buy you a drink as an additional thank you?”

“I was actually just about to head out myself. Just paid my tab. I’m kind of a one and done type of guy when it comes to drinking at bars.”

For the first time since he walked over, you watched something change in his eyes as he allowed his gaze to take in the rest of your body that he missed seeing while you were seated. You took in a deep breath before quickly downing the rest of your drink, and you walked forward so that your chests were almost touching.

“How about something else then?” You asked, and a surge of confidence washed over you when you watched the stranger’s lips curl up into a smirk. “As attractive as you are, and although you did just rescue me from that creep, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him - I don’t go anywhere with someone when I’ve just met them.”

“Smart girl. You can never be too careful,” he spoke before you saw him looking around the bar. “Follow me.”

He held his hand out for you to take, leaving the choice completely up to you, and once you took it, he started leading you through tables that were lined up behind the bar. A smile pressed against your mouth as the bathroom sign came into your view, and the next thing you knew, you were being pressed up against the door after heading inside.

“Is this okay?” The man breathed as you reached past him to toss your clutch onto the small table against the wall while his hands squeezed your hips.

“More than okay.”

Wrapping your palm around the back of his neck, you brought his head down so you could connect your lips with his, and you both instantly moaned at the taste of your drinks of choice bleeding through. His was tequila, you could tell, and something about that turned you on even more.

For a few minutes, the two you properly made out, and you could feel yourself growing more wet by the second.

“If I do anything you don’t like, you tell me, alright?” He asked as he started to pull your dress up - bunching it around your waist.

“Yes.” You nodded eagerly while he pulled your underwear to the side. “Same goes for you.”

You reached down to undo the buckle of his belt, and you followed it up by popping open the button of his slacks. Just as his fingers made their way through your soaked folds, you slid your hand into his briefs to wrap around his length.

“Oh.” Your eyebrows raised when you felt the girth of his cock, and you watched as that smirk from before made its way back onto his face. 

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m going to properly warm you up before letting you have it.”

Lifting your hand, you spit into your palm before wrapping it back around his member, and you started to stroke him as he began to press precise circles against your throbbing clit. Your eyes rolled back in your head while swiping your thumb over his already leaking tip, and you felt his free hand come up to knead one of your breasts over your dress. The one you had on tonight had a plunging v-line, leaving only strips of material covering up each of your breasts.

“You can move it over,” you panted. “I didn’t tape them in. You can move it.”

“Thank fuck.” The man practically moaned as he did as he was told, and once your nipple was exposed to him, he was immediately sealing his lips down around it.

You gasped at the sensation, your fingers on one hand finding their way into his hair as you continued to work his shaft with the other.

The stranger moved his fingers down to coat them in more of your arousal before he slipped them into your cunt - grunting when he felt just how tight you were around his digits.

“So snug.” He clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth while bringing his thumb up to continue showing attention to your sensitive bud. “You gonna let me stretch you out with my cock?”

“Yes,” you whimpered as you opened your eyes to see he was intently watching you already. “I trust you’ll make it fit.”

“I will, baby.” He bobbed his head up and down to emphasize his statement. He curled his fingers to have the tips of them massaging against the spongy spot inside of you - causing you to clench down around him. “I’m gonna fuck you just right.”

His words caused you to moan before he buried his face in the side of your neck. With his teeth nipping against your jawline, he continued to work his digits in and out of you while you tightened your hand around his cock.

The two of you continued to work each other up, exchanging a few sloppy kisses as well before he slipped his fingers from you. You went to protest, but he already had you turning around so you were facing the mirror behind the sink - your back pressed against his chest. You could see that he was digging in his pocket for his wallet, and when he opened it, he tilted his head back with a groan.

“I don’t have a condom,” he stated with a shake of his head. “I’m sorry.”

“I have an IUD,” you rushed out as the two of you held eyes in your reflections. “And I’m clean, I promise. I don’t care about going without one, but only if you don’t, of course.”

“Are you sure? With you not liking to go anywhere with someone you’ve just met, I figured you wouldn’t-”

“I’m sure. Just…please.”

You watched as he pushed his briefs and his pants down to the middle of his thighs, and you whined as you saw him wrap his hand around himself - giving himself a few fluid strokes while lining himself up with your dripping entrance.

“I meant what I said earlier, sweetheart. If I do anything you don’t like, you tell me, and I’ll stop right away.” He leaned down to press a kiss to the back of your shoulder that was exposed due to your dress before he started to push in.

As your breath caught in the back of your throat, you heard a deep groan rattle in the stranger’s chest, and he stalled once he was in just past his tip. He let only that part of himself sit inside of you for a moment before he drew his hips back. Each time he pushed inside of you again, he would go a little deeper, and he continued to do that until he sank in all the way to the hilt of his cock.

He let himself sit inside of you for just a moment, and when he pulled out again, he pushed right back in as far as he could. The sensation of feeling him so deep had you finding your voice again - a lewd moan leaving you as the head of his prick massaged against your sweetest spot.

“You feel amazing. Like an absolute dream.” The man caressed his hands down your back until he got to your hips, and once he gripped them, he started up his powerful thrusts.

“You…you…” Your voice stammered as you gripped to the edges of the counter you were draped over. “Fuck.”

That earned you a deep chuckle from the stranger’s throat before you felt his palms move down to the rounds of your ass - pulling them apart.

“This is a pretty sight back here, baby. You’re taking my cock so damn well. I knew you would though.”

Humming, you pushed your palms against the surface underneath you to try and get him in even deeper, and he seemed to catch on to what you were doing as he hooked an arm underneath your own - his large hand pressing between your breasts to have your back pressing against his chest once more. This managed to get him deeper than you were expecting, which caused a gasp to pass by your lips.

“That better?” He crooned in your ear before planting a kiss underneath it. Reaching forward, he grabbed one of your hands to press your palm against your lower stomach, and you could feel his tip bulging out just slightly with each deep thrust of his hips. “That’s how deep I am inside of you.”

“I love that,” you confessed as you leaned your head back on his shoulder, and he rested his cheek against your temple. “It feels so good.”

You hadn’t even noticed the lack of attention to your clit until he started to gently pinch it between his thumb and his index finger. That had you clenching down even harder around him.

“Keep squeezing me like that, and you’ll have me coming too fast.”

Giggling, you reached behind you to thread your fingers through the back of his hair as he continued to delve into you.

You were taken by surprise when he pulled out of you suddenly after a couple more minutes, but he was quick to turn you around and lift you up onto the counter. Instead of moving your underwear to the side again, this time he ripped them clean off your body - tossing them into the trash can beside the two of you before pulling you to the edge of the surface.

“I wanted to actually see you when you come,” the stranger stated before sliding back inside of your dripping cunt. “I didn’t want to witness it through a reflection.”

Once he set up his pace again, he slammed one hand against the mirror beside your head as the other dropped down to spread you apart - his fingers creating a ‘v’ shape. You looked down and noticed that he had given you the perfect view to see where he disappeared inside of you, and you bit down on your bottom lip as you brought your hand down to massage your swollen bud.

“That’s it.” The man coaxed you with a nod of his head when he saw what you were doing. “Come on my cock, baby. I want to feel you soak me.”

With just a few more flicks of your fingertips, your walls clamped down around his shaft, and you felt him slipping in and out of you even faster as you slicked him up with your orgasm.

“Look so pretty when you come.” He was practically slurring his words at this point from how drunk he was off of fucking you. “I’m not going to be much longer.”

To help him along, you rested your hands on his shoulders, and you began to lift your hips up to meet his thrusts. The two of you made eye contact, and you watched as his jaw went slack.

“I’m gonna come.” He spoke so quickly that his words blended together, and he quickly pulled out once more - wrapping a hand around himself to jerk off right onto your still quivering cunt.

Both of you moaned at the sight of his come covering you, and you wrapped your hand around his to help him pump every bit of it out of him. He sighed as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against yours, both of your eyes still open before smiles stretched on each of your lips.

“That was so good, Y/N,” he sighed before leaning in to press a tender kiss to your mouth.

You hummed while wrapping your arms around his neck, and you pulled back to brush the tip of your nose against his. “We’re not supposed to know each other's names, Harry.” 

“Oh fuck, I forgot,” Harry chuckled as he squeezed your breasts - earning a small fit of giggles from you. “I didn’t ruin this whole thing by saying that, did I?”

“Not at all.” You shook your head before going in for another quick peck. “This has been perfect.”

You and Harry were no strangers to slipping into roles and acting out different scenarios to spice up your relationship. Tonight you both had agreed on going to the luxury bar you were currently occupying the bathroom of, and the plan was to practically eye-fuck each other from across the bar until one of you couldn’t handle it anymore - all while flirting with someone else.

Of course, when that douchebag, Bo, decided to overstep, that threw a bit of a wrench in your plan, but regardless, tonight was exactly what you had wanted.

Harry pulled you forward a bit more so he could run the sink behind you without getting your dress wet, and he grabbed some paper towels to run under the warm water. He then cleaned up over the insides of your thighs, and your core, before helping you off the counter.

As he cleaned himself up, he peered over his shoulder while you looked yourself over in the full length mirror on the wall. 

“You’re okay though, right?” Harry started to wash his hands in the sink. “I’m tempted to track that fucker down and punch his lights out. Someone getting handsy with you like that was not part of the plan.”

“I’m alright, baby. I promise. Regardless of all of that, this was still so much fun. I especially liked that ‘I’m a very important man’ bit you did.” You nodded with a small smirk before holding your left hand out to him - wiggling your fingers. “I’d like my rings back now, pretty please.”

Harry smiled as tossed the paper towels he had used to dry his hands off, and he reached into his pocket to take out the small, velvet cinched bag he had tucked in there. He pulled it open, and he took both your engagement ring and wedding band out before slipping them onto your ring finger. You hummed happily as you looked down at the jewelry that was now back on your body - having felt so off without it. You watched as Harry slipped on his wedding band as well before stepping forward to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

“How was the woman you were talking to?” You asked curiously while running your palms over his chest.

“Rather nice, actually. She was pretty bummed out when I paid my tab. She tried giving me her number, but I already had looked over to see what was happening with that creep, and I bolted before she could.”

“Well, I don’t blame her for being bummed out. You’re easily the most attractive man most women have ever laid their eyes on,” you complimented him as you leaned up to sponge a kiss to his jawline.

Harry’s eyes shined as he looked down at you, and he cupped the side of your face in his hand - brushing his thumb along your cheekbone before speaking again.

“So, what’s next on our roleplay list?”

🍸 • 🍸 • 🍸 • 🍸

Now she was alone, pressed against the wall, holding a drink she hadn’t even sipped.

She exhaled, glancing toward the front door. Maybe she could just leave. Charlotte wouldn’t mind—she was too caught up in her own night.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted an open door leading to the balcony.

Without thinking, she headed for it, slipping outside and closing the door behind her.

Cool air washed over her, a welcome contrast to the stifling heat inside. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and leaned against the railing, her fingers wrapping around the cold metal. The city stretched out in front of her, distant lights flickering against the night sky. From here, the noise of the party was muffled, just a dull hum beneath the sound of the wind rustling through the trees.

She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the silence settle over her.

And then—

“You don’t look like you’re having fun.”

The voice was smooth, warm. British.

Her eyes snapped open.

Turning slightly, she found herself face to face with someone she recognized immediately.

Harry Styles.

Her breath hitched, just for a second.

She had seen him around before, of course. It was hard not to notice him. He wasn’t the typical loud, overly confident guy that thrived in these kinds of settings, but he had a presence that made people gravitate toward him anyway. Maybe it was the way he carried himself—calm, collected, always with an air of quiet amusement, like he was in on some inside joke no one else knew about.

Now, standing in front of her in the dim balcony light, he looked impossibly at ease.

His dark curls were pushed back messily, a few strands falling over his forehead. A pair of thin-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, framing sharp green eyes that studied her with quiet interest. His loose button-up was unbuttoned at the top, the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal the intricate tattoos winding down his forearms.

He held a drink casually in one hand, the other tucked into his pocket, like he had all the time in the world.

She swallowed.

“I—uh—yeah,” she finally managed. “Parties aren’t really my thing.”

His lips quirked, as if her answer didn’t surprise him at all. “Figured as much.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And how exactly did you figure that?”

He took a slow sip from his drink before answering. “Well, for one, you’ve been out here for at least five minutes and haven’t checked your phone once.” His eyes flickered toward the door. “And two… you look like you’re trying to disappear.”

She huffed out a quiet laugh. “That obvious?”

Harry smirked. “A little.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The city lights flickered in the distance, and the air between them felt charged—not uncomfortable, but something else entirely.

Then, he shifted slightly, turning more toward her.

“I’m Harry, by the way.”

She let out a small breath, amused. As if she didn’t already know.

“I know,” she admitted, then immediately winced. “I mean—everyone knows who you are.”

Harry chuckled, the sound low and warm. “That’s fair.” He tilted his head slightly. “And you are…?”

“Y/N.”

He repeated it, softer this time, like he was testing the way it felt on his tongue. Then, with a small smile, he extended his hand. “Well, Y/N, it’s nice to officially meet you.”

She hesitated for just a second before slipping her hand into his.

His palm was warm, his grip gentle but firm.

“Nice to meet you too, Harry.”

His fingers lingered a second longer than necessary before he let go.

He leaned his elbow against the railing, glancing at her thoughtfully. “So, if parties aren’t your thing… what would you rather be doing right now?”

She bit her lip, thinking. “Watching a movie, probably.”

Harry’s brows lifted slightly. “Anything in particular?”

She hesitated, then decided to be honest. “A romcom.”

His lips curled into a slow smile. “You like romcoms?”

She nodded. “I grew up watching them. Notting Hill, 10 Things I Hate About You, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days… I know they’re cheesy, but I love them.”

He studied her for a second, then let out a soft chuckle. “Cheesy doesn’t mean bad. Those are classics.”

She tilted her head. “Wait… you actually like them too?”

Harry smirked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Course I do. I mean, have you seen When Harry Met Sally? It’s got my name in it. That’s a sign, don’t you think?”

She laughed—really laughed, for the first time that night.

Harry watched her, his expression softer now, like he was pleased to be the reason behind it.

The conversation flowed easier after that. They debated over the best romcom of all time, exchanged favorite scenes, and argued about which movie had the most unrealistic yet satisfying ending. Somewhere in between, Y/N forgot about the party altogether.

But eventually, her phone buzzed in her pocket—Charlotte, probably looking for her.

She sighed, realizing she had to go.

Harry noticed. “Leaving already?”

“Yeah, I think so.” She hesitated, then, feeling unusually bold, added, “But… maybe next time, I’ll skip the party and just watch a romcom instead.”

His smile was slow, almost knowing. “Maybe next time, you won’t have to watch it alone.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

And as she stepped back inside, disappearing into the noise and the crowd, she couldn’t help but hope—just a little—that this was only the beginning.

———

The next morning, Y/N woke up to the sound of Charlotte’s voice.

“Well, well, well,” her roommate drawled, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. “Look who’s finally awake.”

Y/N groaned, burying her face into the pillow. “What time is it?”

“Almost eleven,” Charlotte said, walking over and flopping down onto the bed beside her. “And you have some explaining to do.”

Y/N peeked at her through one eye. “Explaining?”

Charlotte grinned, far too awake for this early in the morning. “Don’t play innocent with me. You disappeared at the party. And when I finally found you again, you looked… different.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “So spill.”

Y/N sighed, rolling onto her back. “There’s nothing to spill.”

Charlotte gasped dramatically. “Lies! I saw you talking to Harry Styles.” She poked Y/N’s side. “You—quiet, book-loving, avoider of all social gatherings—somehow ended up alone on a balcony with the most intriguing guy on campus.”

Y/N felt her face heat up. “It wasn’t like that,” she muttered.

Charlotte smirked. “Then what was it like?”

Y/N hesitated. The truth was, she wasn’t exactly sure.

“It was… nice,” she admitted after a moment. “We just talked.”

Charlotte studied her, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Talked? That’s it?”

Y/N nodded.

Charlotte huffed, flopping back against the bed. “You’re impossible.”

Y/N smiled, sitting up and stretching. “Did you at least have fun?”

Charlotte let out a dreamy sigh. “Oh, absolutely. And I might have secured myself a coffee date with Mason.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Mason?”

“You know, Harry’s friend? Tall, kind of scruffy, ridiculously charming?” Charlotte waggled her fingers. “I think we have a connection.”

Y/N laughed softly. “I’m happy for you.”

Charlotte sat up again, her expression turning devious. “And speaking of coffee dates…”

Y/N’s stomach fluttered. “No.”

Charlotte pouted. “Come on! I think he likes you.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “We talked for, like, twenty minutes.”

Charlotte shrugged. “That’s plenty of time to make an impression. And if he really likes you, you’ll see him again.”

Y/N didn’t answer. Because the thought had already crossed her mind.

Would she see him again?

———

She did.

Three days later.

At the campus café.

Y/N had been curled up in a corner booth, a warm cup of tea beside her as she flipped through a book for class. The café was quiet, filled mostly with students studying or catching up on assignments. The hum of conversation and the occasional clinking of cups created the kind of atmosphere she loved—calm, steady, familiar.

And then, a shadow fell over her table.

“Y/N.”

She looked up.

And there he was.

Harry Styles, standing beside her table, a cup of coffee in one hand and a curious tilt to his head. He wasn’t wearing his glasses today, but she still recognized the quiet amusement in his eyes.

“Hi,” she said, feeling her heart pick up speed.

His lips twitched. “Mind if I sit?”

She hesitated for only a second before shaking her head. “Go ahead.”

Harry slid into the seat across from her, setting his coffee down. “Didn’t think I’d run into you here.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

He smirked, leaning forward slightly. “Alright, I might have hoped I would.”

Her stomach did an embarrassing little flip.

“What are you reading?” he asked, nodding toward the book in her hands.

She glanced down, suddenly self-conscious. “Uh, Wuthering Heights.”

His brows lifted, impressed. “Intense choice.”

She shrugged. “It’s for class, but I like it.”

Harry studied her for a moment, then leaned back in his chair, stretching out comfortably. “So, tell me—are you one of those people who think Heathcliff is romantic, or do you see him for the walking red flag that he is?”

Y/N blinked in surprise. “You’ve read it?”

He smirked. “I have.”

She bit her lip, eyeing him. “And?”

Harry sighed dramatically. “Look, I get the passion, the whole ‘soulmate across time and space’ thing, but let’s be honest—if Heathcliff were around today, he’d be sending late-night ‘u up?’ texts and brooding over his ex’s Instagram posts.”

Y/N let out a surprised laugh. “That is… disturbingly accurate.”

Harry grinned. “And you? Are you a Heathcliff apologist?”

She shook her head. “I think he and Cathy deserved each other—because no one else should have to deal with that level of drama.”

Harry chuckled. “Harsh, but fair.”

There was something about the way he looked at her—curious, amused, like he was genuinely interested in what she had to say. It made her stomach twist in a way she wasn’t used to.

A beat of silence stretched between them.

Then—

“So,” Harry said, breaking the moment, “you never told me your verdict.”

Y/N frowned. “My verdict?”

“The best romcom of all time.”

She smiled, relieved by the lighter topic. “That’s impossible to answer.”

Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Alright. Then let’s make it simpler. What’s your go-to comfort movie?”

She thought for a second. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

His eyes lit up. “Classic.”

She nodded. “It’s just fun, you know? The whole fake dating thing, the ridiculousness of it all. And Kate Hudson? Iconic.”

Harry smirked. “And the ‘You let it die!’ scene? A cinematic masterpiece.”

Y/N laughed. “Exactly.”

Harry studied her for a moment, then said, “I like that.”

Y/N suddenly felt warm under his gaze. She looked down, tracing the rim of her cup. “What about you?”

Harry pretended to think. “Mmm… Notting Hill.”

She grinned. “Oh, come on. You just like it because of the ‘I’m just a girl’ scene.”

He laughed. “Maybe. Or maybe I like the idea that two people from completely different worlds can still find their way to each other.”

Something about the way he said it made her stomach flutter.

The conversation drifted after that—talk of books, movies, little things that made them both feel at home. The more they spoke, the more Y/N felt that strange, unexpected ease settle between them.

And when she finally glanced at the time, she realized an hour had passed without her even noticing.

“I should probably get to class,” she murmured, closing her book.

Harry nodded, but didn’t look particularly eager to leave.

As she stood, sliding her bag over her shoulder, he tapped his fingers against the table. “So…”

She looked at him expectantly.

He smirked. “Movie night?”

Her heart skipped. “Are you asking me out, Harry Styles?”

His expression was all mischief. “Maybe.”

She bit her lip, pretending to consider. Then, feeling unusually bold, she said, “Okay.”

Harry’s smirk turned into something softer.

“Good,” he said.

And as she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her the whole time.

———

The library was quieter than usual.

Y/N liked it that way. She liked the solitude, the way the world seemed to shrink down to just her and the words on the page. It was calming—predictable.

What she didn’t expect, however, was a voice breaking through the silence.

“Didn’t peg you as the type to hide away in a library for fun.”

She looked up, already knowing who she would see.

Harry stood in front of her table, a familiar smirk on his lips, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He had a notebook tucked under his arm and a coffee in hand, looking completely at ease despite the way his presence sent her heart racing.

Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. “And yet, here you are.”

Harry hummed, sliding into the chair across from her. “Touché.”

She watched as he set his coffee down and flipped open his notebook, as if he belonged there—like this was routine.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Are you actually here to study, or are you just bothering me for fun?”

Harry grinned. “Can it be both?”

She huffed, biting back a smile as she returned her gaze to her book. But she could still feel his eyes on her.

A beat passed before he spoke again. “Wuthering Heights, huh? Still brooding over Heathcliff?”

Y/N sighed, looking up. “You do realize I read more than one book, right?”

Harry’s smirk widened. “Do you, now?”

She rolled her eyes and turned the book so he could see the title.

His gaze flickered over the cover before he raised an eyebrow. “White Nights?”

Y/N tilted her head. “Surprised?”

Harry leaned back in his chair, studying her. “A little. Didn’t take you for a Dostoevsky kind of girl.”

“And what kind of girl did you take me for?” she challenged.

He smirked. “Jane Austen, maybe. Brontë sisters, definitely. But Russian literature? That’s a surprise.”

She shrugged. “I like stories about lonely people.”

Something flickered in his expression, but it was gone too fast for her to catch.

“Lonely people,” he repeated. “And here I thought you just liked tragic love stories.”

Y/N hesitated, then said softly, “Aren’t they the same thing?”

Harry studied her for a moment, something unreadable in his gaze. Then, in a voice quieter than before, he said, “I guess they are.”

Silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. If anything, it felt like something had shifted—like she had let him see a part of her she didn’t show to just anyone.

Then, after a moment, Harry’s lips twitched up into a smile. “So, is White Nights a re-read, or am I catching you in the middle of a first-time experience?”

She exhaled, grateful for the change in tone. “Re-read.”

His grin widened. “Interesting. That means you must really like it.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Are you about to judge my taste in books?”

Harry smirked. “Not at all. I was actually going to say… maybe I should let you convince me to read it.”

Y/N studied him. “You’ve never read it?”

“Not yet,” he admitted.

A small smile played on her lips. “Maybe you should.”

Harry’s eyes sparkled. “Maybe I will.”

———

That night, her phone buzzed.

A message from an unknown number.

Unknown [9:07 PM]: So, lonely people, huh? Convince me why I should read White Nights.

Y/N frowned, staring at the screen. Who the hell—?

Y/N [9:08 PM]: Who is this?

A pause. Then—

Unknown [9:08 PM]: Wow. That hurts.

Her heart skipped.

She squinted at the message, then at the number, but it wasn’t saved in her contacts.

Y/N [9:09 PM]: Seriously. Who is this??

A few seconds passed before a reply popped up.

Unknown [9:09 PM]: It’s Harry.

She blinked.

Then—

Y/N [9:10 PM]: …How did you get my number?

Harry [9:11 PM]: Your lovely roommate gave it to me.

Y/N groaned out loud. “Charlotte!”

Across the room, Charlotte barely glanced up from her laptop. “Hmm?”

Y/N waved her phone in the air. “Did you seriously give Harry my number?”

Charlotte smirked. “Oh. So he finally texted you?”

“Charlotte.”

“What?” she said innocently. “He asked, and I figured it would take you forever to do it yourself.”

Y/N let out a long, dramatic sigh, turning her attention back to the screen.

Y/N [9:12 PM]: I hate you.

Harry [9:12 PM]: No, you don’t.

She rolled her eyes.

Y/N [9:13 PM]: Maybe you should read it and see for yourself.

Harry [9:14 PM]: Bold of you to assume I have time for Russian literature.

Y/N [9:15 PM]: Bold of you to assume I’d let you borrow my copy.

Harry [9:16 PM]: So possessive. I like it.

Y/N [9:17 PM]: You’re impossible.

Harry [9:17 PM]: And yet, here you are, still texting me.

She bit her lip, trying not to smile.

Harry [9:18 PM]: You still good for our not-date movie night?

Y/N’s stomach flipped.

Y/N [9:19 PM]: You mean the highly academic film screening of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?

Harry [9:20 PM]: Exactly. For research purposes.

She hesitated, fingers hovering over the screen.

Y/N [9:21 PM]: Yeah. I’m still in.

His reply came almost instantly.

Harry [9:21 PM]: Good.

She stared at the word for a long time, ignoring the way her face felt impossibly warm.

———

“You’ve checked your phone three times in the last minute.”

Y/N shot Charlotte a glare from across the room. “I have not.”

Charlotte smirked, finishing the last touches of her makeup. “You so have.”

Y/N huffed, locking her phone and tossing it onto the bed like that would somehow make her friend drop the topic. “I’m just checking the time.”

“Mm-hmm.” Charlotte turned, arms crossed. “Because, of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that Harry is coming over.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but her face felt warm. “It’s just a movie night.”

Charlotte grinned. “And yet, you’ve changed your sweater twice.”

Y/N groaned, flopping back onto her pillows. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” Charlotte grabbed her bag, checking her reflection in the mirror. “I think it’s cute that you’re all flustered over him.”

“I’m not flustered.”

Charlotte raised a brow. “You are so flustered.”

Y/N groaned again, covering her face with a pillow.

A knock at the door made her sit up way too fast.

Charlotte smirked knowingly. “That’s my cue.”

Y/N watched as Charlotte opened the door, revealing Harry—standing there in his usual effortless way, glasses on, a bag of snacks in one hand.

“Oh, hey, Harry,” Charlotte greeted with a grin, throwing Y/N one last look. “I was just leaving.”

Harry glanced between them, looking mildly amused. “Leaving?”

“Yep.” Charlotte winked at Y/N. “Have fun.”

And before Y/N could even form a reply, she was gone.

Harry stepped inside, brow raised. “Did I just interrupt something?”

Y/N exhaled, shaking her head. “No. She’s just being Charlotte.”

Harry chuckled, setting the snacks down. “That explains a lot.”

Settling onto the couch, Y/N pressed play on 27 Dresses, tucking her legs under her.

Harry sat beside her, stretching his arm along the back of the couch. The space between them was small—too small—and she tried not to focus on the way his knee almost brushed hers.

“Have you seen this before?” he asked.

She scoffed. “Please. At least twenty times.”

Harry smiled. “Figures.”

For the first half hour, they made occasional comments about the movie—Harry teasing her about knowing all the lines, Y/N defending why it was a romcom classic.

But eventually, the room grew quieter. The soft glow of the screen cast shadows across Harry’s face, highlighting the curve of his jaw, the way his glasses slid down his nose.

And Y/N—despite her best efforts to stay focused on the film—felt her eyelids growing heavy.

She shifted slightly, trying to stay awake, but the warmth of the room, the steady sound of the dialogue, and the presence of Harry right beside her made it impossible.

At some point, she leaned just a little too far to the side—

And before she could stop herself, her head landed gently on his shoulder.

For a second, she almost panicked.

But Harry didn’t move. Didn’t pull away.

If anything, he relaxed.

She felt him shift slightly, adjusting so that she fit more comfortably against him.

And just like that, sleep took over.

———

The next morning, the first thing Y/N registered was warmth.

A slow, steady warmth surrounding her, lulling her in a sleepy haze.

Then, she felt movement.

Her eyes fluttered open, and it took her a moment to realize:

She was curled into Harry’s side, his arm draped loosely around her shoulders.

The snack bag was on the floor. The TV screen had long since gone black. The early morning light was filtering through the blinds, casting soft shadows across the room.

And Harry—

Was still asleep.

His head rested against the back of the couch, lips slightly parted, curls falling across his forehead. His glasses were slightly askew, one arm still tucked around her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Y/N barely breathed.

She should move. Should sit up, stretch, do anything to break the moment before he woke up.

But before she could, she felt him shift.

A slow inhale. A stretch.

And then, with a small frown, Harry’s eyes blinked open.

For a second, he looked confused. Disoriented.

Then, his gaze landed on her.

They both froze.

Silence.

Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke.

And then—

Harry’s lips twitched, still laced with sleep. “Morning.”

Y/N swallowed. “Morning.”

Another pause.

Then, realization dawned in Harry’s sleepy eyes. He glanced down at their position—her body still tucked into his side, his arm still loosely wrapped around her.

And yet—he didn’t move away.

Instead, his mouth curved into something softer.

“Didn’t mean to steal your couch,” he murmured.

Y/N huffed out a quiet laugh. “Didn’t mean to steal your shoulder.”

Harry smiled.

And for a moment, they just… sat there.

Close. Warm. Unmoving.

Y/N was still sitting on the couch, trying to process the fact that she’d just spent the night curled up against Harry Styles, when she heard him stretch beside her.

She glanced over. His eyes were still heavy with sleep, one hand running through his curls, the other adjusting his glasses.

And he looked… way too good for someone who had just woken up.

Before she could stop herself, she spoke.

“Do you—” She cleared her throat, trying to sound casual. “Do you want some coffee?”

Harry turned to her, blinking.

Then, the corner of his mouth lifted.

“Are you offering me coffee, Y/N?”

She rolled her eyes, standing up. “I regret it already.”

Harry chuckled, pushing himself up from the couch. “Too late.”

———

They ended up in the small dorm kitchen, Y/N fumbling with the coffee machine while Harry leaned against the counter, watching her with amusement.

“I didn’t peg you as the type to function without caffeine,” he said.

She scoffed. “Who says I function at all?”

Harry smirked. “Fair point.”

Once the coffee was ready, she handed him a mug, grabbing one for herself before hopping up onto the counter.

Harry took a slow sip, humming in approval. “Not bad.”

Y/N raised a brow. “Not bad?”

“Yeah.” He nudged her knee playfully. “Could be better.”

She gasped in mock offense. “You are such a snob.”

Harry grinned. “I have high standards.”

She shook her head, but she was smiling.

They fell into comfortable conversation, talking about everything from classes to 27 Dresses to how Harry apparently had a very strong opinion about the correct way to make tea.

And Y/N—despite the fact that she had woken up to a situation that should have been extremely awkward—found herself relaxing.

That was, of course, until Charlotte walked in.

She stopped in the doorway, taking in the sight before her—Harry standing in the kitchen, hair still tousled from sleep, drinking coffee from their mugs.

Y/N sitting on the counter, wearing the same clothes from last night.

Charlotte’s eyes widened.

Then, a slow smirk spread across her face.

“Oh,” she said, drawing out the word. “Good morning.”

Y/N groaned. “Charlotte—”

Charlotte ignored her, turning to Harry with an exaggerated expression of surprise. “Wow, Harry. You’re still here?”

Harry, to Y/N’s horror, grinned.

“Apparently, I make decent company, and your couch is not too bad” he said, sipping his coffee.

Charlotte gasped dramatically. “Did Y/N let you sleep on the couch? That is so rude.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes. “Charlotte.”

Charlotte pressed a hand to her heart. “I mean, I was gone all night, you totally could’ve used my bed—”

Y/N almost choked on her coffee. “Oh my God, stop.”

Charlotte just smirked, eyes dancing between them. “I’m just saying…”

Y/N glared. “You’re the worst.”

Harry chuckled, setting down his mug. “I should probably get going before Mason starts wondering where I am.”

He turned to Y/N then, a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he murmured.

She swallowed. “Yeah. Anytime.”

Charlotte wiggled her eyebrows.

Y/N shot her a warning look.

Harry—completely amused—grabbed his bag and made his way to the door.

“See you later, Y/N.”

And with that, he was gone.

Y/N barely had time to let out a breath before Charlotte pounced.

“So.”

Y/N sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Don’t.”

Charlotte ignored her, flopping onto the couch with a wicked grin. “You slept together.”

“Oh my God—”

“Not like that,” Charlotte amended. “But still. You slept together.”

Y/N groaned. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

Charlotte scoffed. “Oh, honey. It so was.”

———

Y/N had spent the entire morning convincing herself that nothing had changed.

That waking up next to Harry hadn’t felt different.

That the way he had smiled at her over coffee hadn’t made her stomach flip.

That she wasn’t replaying every second of their time together like some lovesick idiot.

But she was failing—miserably.

And Charlotte wasn’t helping.

“So,” her roommate drawled, flipping through a magazine on her bed, “are we just gonna pretend that last night never happened?”

Y/N, sitting at her desk, sighed. “Nothing happened.”

Charlotte scoffed. “You cuddled on the couch, made him coffee in the morning, and practically gazed at each other the whole time. That’s something.”

Y/N turned to glare at her. “I wasn’t gazing.”

Charlotte smirked. “Oh, honey. You were gazing.”

Y/N groaned, dropping her head onto her desk.

Charlotte laughed, tossing the magazine aside. “Look, all I’m saying is—he’s different, isn’t he?”

Y/N frowned. “What do you mean?”

Charlotte shrugged. “I mean, I’ve never seen you act like this over a guy. You usually keep your distance, but with Harry… I don’t know. You let him in.”

Y/N opened her mouth to protest—but nothing came out.

Because, as much as she hated to admit it, Charlotte wasn’t wrong.

Harry was different.

And that was what scared her the most.

———

That afternoon, she tried to focus on studying.

Tried being the keyword.

She was in the library, sitting at her usual spot by the window, but the words on the page blurred together.

Her phone buzzed.

She glanced at it, already knowing who it was.

Harry [3:27 PM]: You’re not skipping the library today, are you?

Y/N [3:28 PM]: I’m literally here right now.

Harry [3:29 PM]: Good. Would’ve had to question your commitment to academia otherwise.

She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips.

A minute later, she heard a chair scrape against the floor.

She looked up.

Harry slid into the seat across from her, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“Hi,” he said, smiling.

Y/N tried to ignore the way her heartbeat definitely sped up. “Hi.”

He set down his bag and pulled out a book. “What are we studying today?”

Y/N sighed. “I’m trying to get through this reading, but it’s not working.”

Harry leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “Do you want me to quiz you?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You just got here.”

He smirked. “And?”

She shook her head, amused. “Fine.”

And so, they studied. Or at least, they tried.

Every time Harry read a passage aloud, he did it with exaggerated dramatics, making Y/N laugh.

Whenever she got an answer right, he’d tap his fingers against the table like a drumroll.

At some point, he reached for her book, fingers grazing hers—and neither of them pulled away.

The touch was brief, but her skin tingled where it had been.

Harry didn’t say anything, but his gaze flickered to hers, something unspoken lingering between them.

For the first time, Y/N felt like she was on the edge of something.

And she didn’t know whether to step forward—or run.

———

An hour later, Y/N packed up her things.

“I should go,” she murmured.

Harry nodded, but there was something unreadable in his eyes. “Alright.”

She hesitated before speaking. “Thanks for—y’know. Keeping me sane.”

Harry’s lips quirked. “Anytime.”

As she turned to leave, he called after her

“Oh, Y/N?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

Harry reached into his bag, pulling out a book.

She frowned as he held it out to her.

“The Symposium?” she read aloud, eyebrows raised.

Harry smirked. “Figured you might like it.”

She stared at him. “Harry, this is your copy.”

He shrugged. “So?”

“So, I know you annotate all your books.” She flipped through the pages, confirming her suspicions—his familiar, neat handwriting filled the margins. “I can’t take this.”

“You can,” he said simply. “And you will.”

She glanced up at him, confused. “But… why?”

Harry held her gaze for a moment, then leaned in slightly.

“Because I think you’ll understand it,” he murmured.

Y/N’s breath caught.

Because there was weight behind his words—something deeper than just a casual book recommendation.

She swallowed, gripping the book a little tighter.

“…Thank you,” she said softly.

Harry smiled. “See you later, Y/N.”

And as she walked away, The Symposium pressed against her chest, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.

That, maybe, she had just crossed a line she could never go back from.

———

The night wrapped around them like a quiet secret. The streets were nearly empty, the world softened by the golden glow of streetlamps.

Y/N and Harry walked side by side, their steps unhurried, as if neither of them wanted the night to end just yet.

She wasn’t sure how they ended up here—how a simple goodnight after studying turned into do you want to take a walk? But she didn’t regret saying yes.

It had been a week since that night at her apartment, since they’d woken up together on the couch, and things between them had shifted. Not in an obvious way—there were no declarations, no grand confessions—but something had changed.

Harry had always looked at her like he was intrigued. But now?

Now, he looked at her like he knew. Like he was just waiting for her to admit it, too.

“You’re quiet,” Harry murmured beside her.

She glanced at him. “So are you.”

He smiled, a little crooked. “Guess I don’t always have something to say.”

“Impossible.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Harsh.”

They walked a little further before she spoke again, a quiet admission in the stillness of the night.

“I read your notes.”

Harry turned his head slightly. “My notes?”

“In The Symposium.”

Realization flickered in his expression. “Right.”

She hesitated. “There was one part that stuck with me.”

His gaze softened. “Which one?”

Y/N swallowed.

“The part where you wrote that love is about recognizing something familiar in someone else.”

Harry didn’t speak right away.

Then, quietly, he said, “That’s my favorite part.”

Y/N stopped walking.

So did he.

The silence between them stretched, heavy with something.

She could feel her pulse thrumming in her wrists, in her throat, in the space between them that was growing smaller by the second.

Harry took a step closer. Slowly. Like he was giving her time to stop him.

She didn’t.

His gaze flickered to her lips, just for a second, before meeting her eyes again.

His voice was softer when he spoke next. “You realize I like you, don’t you?”

Y/N felt something tighten in her chest.

Because, of course, she did.

But hearing it—feeling it—was different.

She exhaled, barely a whisper. “I think I do now.”

Harry tilted his head slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Good.”

He didn’t move right away.

He just looked at her, taking her in, like he was memorizing the moment.

Then, so softly it was almost imperceptible, his fingers brushed against hers.

Y/N inhaled sharply.

And that was all it took.

Before she could second-guess it, before she could talk herself out of it, she closed the space between them.

She barely had time to process the warmth of his skin, the steady rise and fall of his breath, before his hand came up, fingers grazing her jaw as he leaned in—slow, careful, waiting.

And then—

Then, he kissed her.

It was soft at first. Just a whisper of a touch, a silent question against her lips.

But the moment she kissed him back, the moment her fingers curled into the fabric of his sweater, it changed.

It deepened.

Harry let out a quiet sound—like he had been waiting for this longer than he cared to admit—and then his hands were on her waist, pulling her closer, closer, like the space between them was unbearable.

Her heart was racing.

She could feel the warmth of his palms, the faint scrape of his stubble against her skin, the way he kissed her like he was learning her—like he wanted to know exactly how she fit against him.

And she let him.

By the time they pulled apart, her head was spinning, her breath uneven.

Harry’s forehead rested against hers, and he let out a quiet laugh.

“What?” she asked, still breathless.

He shook his head, smiling. “Nothing. Just… glad I finally did that.”

She bit her lip, trying—and failing—not to smile.

“Me too.”

Harry’s thumb brushed against her waist absentmindedly.

“Can I walk you home?” he asked.

Y/N nodded.

But neither of them moved.

Not right away.

And when they finally started walking again, Harry’s fingers found hers, intertwining them effortlessly—like they had been waiting to do that, too.

———

It had only been a couple of weeks since that night—their first kiss under the dim glow of the streetlights—but things between them had changed so much.

Not in an overwhelming way. Not in a way that made Y/N feel rushed or pressured.

But in a way that made her soften.

In a way that made it impossible to ignore how utterly smitten Harry was.

It was in the way he always found a reason to touch her, even in the smallest ways—fingertips brushing against hers when they walked, absentmindedly tucking her hair behind her ear when she was focused on something, resting his chin on her shoulder just because he could.

It was in the way he remembered things, like how she liked her coffee and how she hated the sound of loud chewing. In the way he always waited for her outside class even when they had different schedules. In the way he looked at her, like he was always choosing to.

Like he couldn’t believe she was real.

Today was no different.

Y/N sat curled up on the library couch, actually trying to get some work done, while Harry sat beside her, flipping through a book he had absolutely no interest in.

At least, that’s what she assumed—because instead of reading, he was staring at her.

She sighed, setting her pen down. “Harry.”

“Hm?” He looked unbothered, too comfortable as he rested his head against the back of the couch.

“You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

She shot him a pointed look.

He smirked, unfazed. “Looking at my girlfriend?”

Her stomach flipped.

Even after two weeks, the word still did something to her.

She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were warm, and Harry knew it.

With a quiet chuckle, he reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers, absentmindedly running his thumb across the back of her palm.

“Should I be studying?” he murmured, lips twitching.

She nodded. “Yes.”

Harry pretended to consider it. Then, with zero hesitation, he squeezed her hand and dragged it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles.

“Too bad,” he murmured against her skin.

Y/N’s breath hitched.

This boy.

She was so doomed.

———

Y/N had tried to keep things subtle.

Not because she wanted to hide it, but because Charlotte was the biggest menace when it came to teasing her, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that just yet.

Too bad Charlotte noticed everything.

Like the way Y/N smiled at her phone when she thought no one was looking. The way she suspiciously left the dorm at night with an “I’ll be back later.” The way she got flustered when Harry’s name came up in conversation.

She had her suspicions, but she didn’t have proof.

Until now.

Because today, as Charlotte was walking toward the dorm, she saw them.

Saw Harry pressing a lingering kiss to Y/N’s forehead. Saw the way she leaned into him, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And that was all she needed.

“I KNEW IT!”

Y/N jumped, turning to find Charlotte standing a few feet away with the biggest, most victorious grin on her face.

“Oh my God,” Y/N muttered.

Harry—who clearly wasn’t fazed at all—simply raised an eyebrow. “Did you, though?”

Charlotte turned to him, still grinning. “YES. I just didn’t have evidence.” She turned back to Y/N, wiggling her eyebrows. “But now I do.”

Y/N groaned, covering her face with her hands. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Charlotte sing-songed.

Harry chuckled, amused, before leaning down and whispering into Y/N’s ear, “I’ll leave you to it, sweetheart.”

She sighed dramatically. “Coward.”

He smirked, kissed the side of her head one last time, and walked away, leaving her to deal with Charlotte’s relentless interrogation.

Y/N was so in trouble.

———

After an hour of being mercilessly teased, Y/N flopped onto her bed, groaning in frustration.

Charlotte smirked from across the room. “Oh, come on, you love me.”

“Debatable,” Y/N muttered, reaching for her phone.

She scrolled through her messages before typing.

Y/N [10:08 PM]: I officially hate you.

Harry [10:09 PM]: That’s unfortunate.

Y/N [10:09 PM]: Charlotte won’t stop teasing me. This is your fault.

Harry [10:10 PM]: Guess I’ll just have to make it up to you, won’t I?

Y/N froze, rereading the message at least three times.

Before she could even think of a response, there was a quiet knock on the door.

Charlotte and Y/N shared a look.

Y/N opened it—and there he was.

Harry stood there, a lazy smirk on his lips, holding a small pastry in a white paper bag.

“Hey,” he murmured.

Y/N blinked.

Charlotte—who was watching the whole thing unfold—snorted. “Oh, my God. You are so whipped.”

Harry didn’t even deny it.

He just shrugged, handed Y/N the bag, and kissed her temple like it was the most normal thing in the world.

When she looked inside, she found her favorite pastry, the one from the café across campus.

She looked back up at him, eyes soft. “You went all the way to—“

Harry simply shrugged. “Felt like it”

Y/N pressed her lips together, trying not to melt right then and there.

Charlotte, however, had no such restraint. “You two are disgusting”, she muttered, rolling her eyes before dramatically throwing a pillow over her head.

Harry chuckled, then leaned down and whispered against Y/N’s skin, “Worth it.”

And just like that, Y/N knew—

Shifting, she tried to blink and look away, but her balance was lost. He quickly reached to steady her, big hands holding her by her bare arms so she didn't fall flat to her ass.

"Are you okay?" His voice was deep and smooth, with a rasp that instantly had her stomach wound in knots. It was evident that he was a man to whom people listened. The kind you didn't say no to.

Blinking, she nodded and finally freed her gaze from his as she looked down at his designer ensemble. All black. The shirt, the tie, the vest, the suit. He looked dangerous. He looked divine.

When he was sure she was steady, he let go of her arms and reached for her things that had fallen from her bag, scooping a handful of items up. She noted he had thick, expensive-looking rings on his fingers and wore a nice watch on his wrist. Pushing her purse toward her, he dropped a few things into it and looked over her school ID before passing it to her.

Taking her purse and ID, they stood simultaneously. He smiled at her as if unaffected while she was reeling inside from the interaction. She mimicked his smile in response, still having not uttered a word to the man yet.

His eyes were hard to look away from. She felt drawn, as if a rope had bound her waist, and he was slowly, imperceptibly pulling it toward himself.

"You sure you're alright?" His sight coasted down over her dress, freeing her eyes once again from his provocative gaze. Her brain lolled back into gear as she licked her lips that had suddenly gone dry.

Nodding, she finally spoke, "I'm fine. Just clumsy."

It was the way he ran his tongue over his lips slowly, or it was the dimple when his smile grew lopsided, or it was his green eyes melding with hers that had her heart skittering and skewing her equilibrium.

Her face heated when he touched her again, the tips of his fingers pressing into the top of her arm, moving her to the side like he owned her. She had the sense that he did, though. That he might own everything and everyone in that room they stood in.

Removing his fingertips from her arm, he held his hand toward her. "I'm Harry."

"Harry…" She watched his pink lips part the slightest as she spoke his name back to him, placing her hand into his, and immediately, sex came to mind. Primal, sheet-gripping, filthy sex. Blinking her thoughts away, she smiled. "I'm Y/n."

She let him guide their handshake before he slid his palm away. "Yes. Y/n who's enrolled in UCL. What's your major?"

"Yeah… How did you know?"

He laughed softly; even his laugh exuded influence and control. "Your school ID."

"Right. Yes. The one you handed to me because it fell out of my purse." She shook her head and let her eyes line up with his again. She felt silly for letting a man reduce her brain to mush like that. She was too intelligent to be acting like that, and yet there she was melting repeatedly at just a glance of his eyes. "I'm working toward getting a barrister's license. Going for my LLB."

He nodded. "Law. Smart girl. And where are you from, Y/n? Clearly, you're not a local."

She puffed out a breathy laugh and blinked her eyes. "I'm from the U.S. Just moved to London a little over a month ago, actually."

"And how's London treating you so far?" He tucked his hands away into his front pockets as he stared down at her. There was something about him that had all her senses stimulated. One part of her was ringing a bell of warning, telling her to run in the opposite direction. But another part of her was too enthralled to break their contact just yet. Besides, she had the feeling that if she had run, he'd chase her down and make her regret that choice.

"It's been pretty good. I haven't seen a whole lot yet. Mostly just getting myself situated, and now that school's in, I'm kind of busy."

"I can only imagine how much work must go into that course of study. It's good you've made time to have a little fun tonight. Fun is important. Who are you here with?"

"My roommate Victoria and her boyfriend, Nicholas. He said that this party was for his boss. I'm just tagging along."

He did it again, licked his lips as he kept his eyes pinned to hers. She swallowed to wet her throat. Maybe it was the air in the room drying everything out so that they had to keep licking their lips. "Are you drinking anything?"

"No. I've got to study tomorrow. Big test on Monday."

A red-headed guy suddenly approached. "Boss, congratulations. I know the circumstances with your dad might be—"

"Consider your audience right now, Ben," Harry cut off the young man before he could finish his sentence, looking at Y/n and then back at the man he'd called Ben.

Realization covered Ben's face as he glanced at Y/n and nodded. "Sorry. You're right. Wasn't thinking. Um…"

"We'll catch up tomorrow afternoon," Harry said.

Ben smiled at Y/n and gave her a brief nod before he walked off, and she turned her attention back to Harry. "So, you're the boss?"

"I am." The satisfied smile on his face shouldn't have been as attractive as it was. Y/n wasn't usually into overly confident men with big egos, but there was something about Harry that told her he could back it all up. He'd earned that ego.

"No wonder you're dressed so fancy." She grinned.

"Everyone here is dressed nicely."

Y/n gestured at him. "But not this nice. You're…" She trailed off, not knowing exactly how to finish her sentence.

"I'm what?" He grinned.

You're gorgeous, and your suit fits like you were standing naked in front of angels as they draped fine fabric over your strong frame and customized every tailored inch.

"Just… you're dressed a lot nicer than everyone here is all. Like, a lot more formal."

And she wouldn't mention it, but she had picked up something between Ben and Harry in their brief exchange. There was a secret, or at least there was something Harry didn't want Y/n to know as he'd cut the guy off from finishing what he was saying. She realized she was an outsider, but it did have her curious. Though with Harry, she wouldn't push. He didn't seem like the type to be an open book or who would appreciate a cross-examination. Which only made him that much more intriguing. A man with secrets. And power. The boss.

"Either you're telling me I have good taste or that I'm too stuffy. Hopefully, the former."

A soft laugh bubbled from her mouth as she blinked and looked down at his shoes again. "I would say you have great taste." She looked back up at him. "You don't seem stuffy."

Not stuffy, no. But dangerous, perhaps.

He nodded as he dragged his irises over her dress again. To her, the dress she had on was quite nice. It hadn't been a cheap thing at all, but standing there next to Harry, she was put to shame by how sharply he was dressed. Then again, he was putting everyone in that room to shame.

"Thank you. I like to think I have good taste. And not just in clothing."

She lifted her brows and felt her pulse thrumming in her throat. He could have been referring to his good taste in cars, art, movies, music… but the way his pupils caressed her skin, she became abundantly aware that this man would be getting whatever he wanted, even if that meant her.

She breathed a laugh out of her nose at her ridiculous internal dialogue. Wishful thinking. There was no way someone like Harry was interested in someone like her. She looked around to disengage and ground herself. She was letting her thoughts get away from her.

Y/n noticed how some of the guests were watching them. Eyes lingered on him and then on her briefly. Where before Harry had approached, no one gave her a second glance, now curious gazes tarried between them and just like that, her existence was being analyzed by strangers.

Even with the unwanted attention, her focus was on the tall, important man next to her. He was so elegant and enticing, but just under the surface, there was something severe… something ruinous. Whatever it was, he wasn't bothered to hide the vicious parts of himself completely. And maybe that was on purpose. A warning to anyone that might cross him that there was more than meets the eye. The way the alpha predator makes it known to other predators that he is not one to be fucked with.

. .

Harry and Y/N broke up three years ago; different aspirations and such. However, since then, she ran into him at least three times a year, and somehow it would always be the exact times she was finally moving on with someone else.

The first time she ended up in his bed when she was really not supposed to, was about two and a half years ago. She'd had a bad date, ran into him, and that was that. A minor slip-up, she figured. Only it didn't stop there.

Any time she ran into him in a bar, she'd somehow always end up in his bed. It was a curse, she concluded about a year and a half ago. It was the universe fucking with her for whatever evil thing she had probably done in the past.

When about four months ago she ran into Harry again, she truly thought it would pan out differently. After all, she'd been dating a very nice guy for about a month at the time, and it was going really well. And still... still she ended up waking up in his goddamn bed the next morning. She broke up with the other guy that same week, feeling absolutely horrible about what she had done. Right then and there, she decided that that was the last time. Harry was making a bad person out of her and she needed to put an end to the madness.

When she saw Harry tonight and decided to approach him, it wasn't at all with the intention to end up with him drilling into her, but the exact opposite. She found him outside, smoking a cigarette, and when he flashed that signature smile of his at her, she couldn't help but march towards her ex.

"I just want you to know that I hate you, and I'm done with you." She grumbled, pointing an accusatory finger at him. His eyebrows raised slightly, the corner of his mouth tugging up. It frustrated her that he clearly didn't seem to take her seriously.

He'd only nodded, muttered an 'alright', and Y/N had found herself stunned. She'd expected him to argue with her; just have at least some sort of reaction. But he didn't, not really, so she walked into the bar and began to drink the embarrassment away.

After her third drink, Y/N excused herself from her friends and went to the bathroom. Upon returning, a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the wall.

"What the fuck was that?" Harry growled at her, and Y/N smiled, glad to finally have an ounce of emotion from his side.

"I told you, I'm done with you and this back and forth bullshit." She said proudly, but Harry didn't look the slightest bit convinced. She swallowed when he leaned in closer, his hand inching up her inner thigh.

"Are you?" He tilted his head, fingers grazing over her increasingly wet panties. She still got soaked easily at the sight of him, even the smell of his perfume could make her go crazy. Y/N didn't dare to move or to speak, hoping he would continue his movements. Unfortunately for her, he backed off.

"I'm going home." He said in a bored tone, and turned around to walk back into the crowd and probably to the exit. Y/N blinked for a couple of seconds before turning on her heels and following Harry. She took a de-tour, saying she was going to smoke a cigarettes with a friend she'd ran into, and headed for the exit.

And now she was in his car, bouncing on his cock and fogging up the windows. Her tits pressing against Harry's face, she moved with a determination to please him. She'd always had that when it came to him. It felt good to make him feel good. She let out a string of moans at each thrust, feeling him deep inside her belly.

"Good girl." He grunted, the vibration running over her chest, and she gasped at the sting on her right ass cheek. Eyes rolling into the back of her head, she savored the burn, and took the brunt of another one.

"I'm gonna cum—" she whined, her eyes fluttering shut as she began to increase her movements. Y/N's fingers moved down to her clit, and she began rubbing on it intensely as she began to chase her orgasm.

"Of course you are." Harry said with such confidence that it could've singlehandedly buckled Y/N's knees. "You always do with me, it's why you keep coming back."

A high pitched moan escaped her throat, trying to handle the physical sensation and the putty that her mind would turn into whenever Harry spoke with those dirty words of his. Another slap hit her cheek.

"You know it's true, you can't get enough of my cock, baby." He said over the sounds of Y/N's approaching orgasm. She swore the car was moving along with them.

"Doesn't matter if you tell me it's the last time, or that you're done with me, you always end up letting me fuck you stupid anyway." He rasped, and it was enough for Y/N to fall apart. She cried out, the high hitting her like a goddamn truck, and she gushed all over his legs. Her breathing was erratic and heavy, and she was not at all prepared for Harry to suddenly start thrusting up into her.

"You always come back to me. Wanna know what I think of that?" He asked, voice surprisingly stoic despite the heavy movements. Y/N felt like she was going cross-eyed. She was so sensitive, but this was typical Harry; always pushing her limit. Gathering every ounce of energy she had left, she muttered out:

"W— what?"

Harry's lips pulled up into a shit eating grin, looking up at her with those irresistible green eyes of his.

"I think that means you're mine, forever."

Looking down at the notepad in front of you, you saw that you had only scribbled down the first couple of comments that had been given by the other board members, but you had definitely been zoning out on Harry for the last thirty minutes or so.

“Uhm…yes,” you nodded while forcing a smile onto your lips. “Sorry for drifting off for a minute there.”

If you hadn’t been paying so close attention to your boyfriend’s every move, you would’ve missed the slight smirk that he quickly disguised as he turned back to the screen behind him. You knew that he was aware of where your mind was based on the reaction he had just given you, and you couldn’t help but wonder how he was going to approach bringing it up later.

It wasn’t your fault that you had found yourself so distracted by him. The two of you had been really good about only spending the night at each other's places over the weekend instead of the work week - deciding that it would just make things easier and keep your minds clear. That obviously went out the window last night when Harry called you into his office right before it was time for you to clock out, and he wrapped his body around yours while murmuring sweet nothings into your ear.

“This new dress you have on today is driving me wild,” he had said while planting a kiss to the hinge of your jaw. “Let me show you how much I like it. Stay with me tonight, please.”

There was a bit of hesitancy from you when he asked his question, and it resulted in the two of you discussing it for about fifteen minutes before you finally gave in. You both had agreed that you would go home and pack a proper bag, and then you’d come to his place where he’d have dinner ready. His only demand was that you didn’t take your new dress off before you arrived at his house.

You knew the fact that you had spent the night with him, combined with the fact that you went to sleep later than usual due to your activities, was the reason you were a bit spacey during this particular meeting. Although Harry seemed to be just fine with flustering you a bit by acknowledging your lack of attention, you hoped that you hadn’t upset him too much by allowing your mind to wander off the way you did.

As the meeting continued on, you did your best to actually focus on what was being said, and you wrote down as many notes as you could keep up with.

“Thank you all for meeting with us today,” Harry smiled at the other members as they started to get up from their seats - shaking hands with a few of them.

Standing up from your own chair, you gathered your notebook and your pen, but as you turned to exit along with the others, Harry spoke your name once again.

“Y/N,” you turned around to face him as he removed his flashdrive from the laptop that was set up in the room for these types of presentations. “Will you join me in my office so we can review the notes you took down?”

“Of course. Do you need me to grab any coffee before or-”

“That won’t be necessary. Follow me,” Harry kept his demeanor casual as he walked out of the boardroom, and you kept up with his pace as the two of you made your way down the hallway and into his office.

Harry closed the door behind the two of you as you sucked in a deep breath. You started to make your way over to the seat in front of his desk so you could sit down, but his arm quickly curled around your waist - pulling your back against his chest in a way that had you reminiscing about last night once again.

“What had you all distracted back there, hm?” He grazed his lips over the side of your neck. “I could tell your mind was elsewhere five minutes into that meeting. I have a feeling that I know what it was, but I want to hear you say it.”

Harry’s large palms traveled over your hips and down your thighs before the tips of his fingers brushed along the hem of the skirt you were wearing. Goosebumps covered your skin as your grip on your notebook loosened, and you heard it as it fell against the floor at your feet.

“Have you gone shy on me, baby? Don’t want to answer me?”

You shuddered as Harry’s fingertips pulled at the seam of your underwear - releasing it so that it snapped back against your skin.

“Y-You,” you stammered as you brought one of your hands behind you to rest against the back of Harry’s head. “I was distracted by you.”

“Me? How come?”

“Your hands,” your breath hitched in the back of your throat as Harry allowed his fingers to press against your seam through the silky material of your underwear. “You were talking with them a lot today, and I couldn’t help but think about how they felt on me last night.”

Harry chuckled as he guided his hand up to your lower stomach, but then down into your thong - starting up circles against your clit immediately. You slouched back against his frame as his teeth scraped over your jawline. “Last night? When I was touching you like this?”

“Mhmm,” you hummed with a nod. “Just like this, Harry.”

“God, you’re already so wet.” He dragged the tips of his fingers through your slit. “I love how you get like this for me every single time.”

The two of you had tried to set more strict rules when it came to indulging in each other while in the office. When you first got together, it had been pretty careless. It wasn’t until the third time almost getting caught, you having just started to lower yourself down onto your knees, that the both of you decided to no longer do anything of the sexual nature while at work. Kissing and touching here and there was fine, but nothing further than that, so the fact that this was happening right now had your head reeling.

“Harry, you have to stop,” your whispering turned into a gasp as he sank his index finger inside of you. “You’re going to get me all worked up, and we said-”

“I know what we said,” Harry cut you off as he easily slipped his middle finger in right beside the other. “But I can’t help but break the rules today. You’re not the only one who can’t stop thinking about last night. And seeing you all distracted and flustered does something to me.” “I was scared for a moment that you’d be disappointed in me for not properly paying attention.”

Harry’s movements ceased, and you blinked your eyes open to peer over your shoulder - seeing him staring down at you. “Never,” he shook his head as he tapped his bottom lip against your top one. “You could never disappoint me, Y/N.”

Your heart stuttered at the tenderness of his words, and you lifted a hand to rest it against his cheek. Tilting your chin up, you connected your lips fully with his as he began to slowly thrust his fingers in and out of clenching cunt. 

Everything soon turned heavy as you panted into each other's mouths, the sound of your arousal and heavy breathing filling the space around you. Once Harry had managed to give you an orgasm with his fingers, he turned the two of you around and draped you over the top of his desk while opening the top drawer of it - lifting the lid on a blacked out container to retrieve a condom.

“Are you okay with this right now?” Harry asked as he unbuckled his belt, and soon you heard the zipper of his pants following. “If not, I can wait until tonight.”

“I’m more than fine with it. Just please…need you.”

Harry groaned at your words as he rolled the rubber down over his length, and you relaxed further against his desk when you felt him move your underwear to the side while running his tip over your already drenched core. It was only a moment later that he sank himself inside of you - causing you to quickly clamp your mouth down on the top of one of your hands that was resting beside your head.

“God, you feel so good, baby,” Harry’s voice was strained as he stilled himself. “I can never get used to it.”

“You too,” you sighed as you rocked your ass back against him. “No one has ever felt as good as you.”

Having leaned down, you felt Harry press his lips against the back of your neck before he rolled his hips away from you, and you choked on a moan when he entered you fully again. Your nails scraped against the top of his desk as he started up a diligent pace - your toes curling inside of your heels. Glancing over at the door, you saw that Harry had left it unlocked, and a tinge of anxiety rattled in your chest.

“H-Harry.” His name came out in a tremble as you reached a hand behind you to grip at one of his hips. “You didn’t lock the door.”

You heard a huff flood from Harry’s lungs at your comment, but he was showing no signs of slowing down. “Makes this a little bit hotter then, yeah? Knowing someone could walk in at any minute, and see you bent over my desk like this.”

His words caused you to clench down around him - resulting in him slapping his palm down against one of the rounds of your ass. You jolted forward for just a moment while dropping your forehead down onto the desk as the moan that escaped your throat almost mocked you while it echoed against the wooden surface.

“You like thinking about that? About someone seeing me fuck your pretty cunt?”

If anyone in the office knew that Harry spoke to you like this in the midst of your lust, their jaws would probably be on the floor. Hell, you were shocked the first time the two of you slept together, but you made it known quickly that you could give it right back to him.

“Yeah,” you nodded. “And I know that you do too. Spanking me like that? You only do that unless you’re really turned on.”

That earned you a grunt from Harry, and another swat against your neglected ass cheek.

“Shit, I’m not gonna last much longer.”

One of Harry’s hands wedged itself between your pelvis and the desk so he could rub the tips of his fingers against your slick and swollen bud. You whimpered as your thighs started to shake - indicating that your climax was right around the corner.

“Just a little faster…a little harder,” you instructed him as his free hand clasped around the top of your shoulder, and he used the leverage to plow into you with even more force while putting more pressure against your clit. “Yes, Harry. Yes.”

White clouded your vision as that feathery euphoric feeling in your lower stomach burst, and Harry was quick to move his hand from your shoulder to clamp over your mouth to muffle your heightened noises of pleasure. The pulsing of your walls around his throbbing cock had him emptying himself into the confines of the condom almost immediately while he dropped his forehead down to rest against the back of your head.

“Oh my god,” he breathed with a heaving chest. “You’re incredible, Y/N. Absolutely incredible.”

“We both are,” you giggled as you finally started to feel like you were coming down from your high. 

Harry took his time to sponge his lips against the side of your neck while massaging his hands down your back - as if he were soothing any aches you could’ve started to feel from the position he had you in. Once he stood up straight, he slowly pulled out, which emitted noises of discontent from the two of you, but he was quick to grab some tissues and clean you up before worrying about himself.

After he finished with you and had moved your underwear back into their proper position, you turned around to see him disposing of the condom and tucking himself back into his pants as you pulled your skirt down to cover your thighs once more. The two of you were flushed, you were sure of it, and the drunken smiles on each of your lips would make it obvious to anyone who saw you as to what exactly had just happened.

“Don’t know how I’m supposed to walk for the rest of the day,” you joked while wrapping your arms around his neck. “Got my legs all shaky.”

Harry chuckled as he pressed his mouth against yours, and you indulged in a few soft kisses before pulling away. “That just means I did my job correctly.”

You rolled your eyes with a shake of your head. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go back to my desk and do my job. My boss is a little strict.”

“Oh, well by all means, please get back to work. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

The smirk that curled onto Harry’s lips had your stomach somersaulting as you patted a hand against his chest. “It’s alright. As far as I’ve heard, he’s been known to break the rules every now and then too.”

ꕤ • ꕤ • ꕤ • ꕤ

Harry looked at it for a few seconds, his eyes squinting in acknowledgment. "Better not," he mumbled. "You know.."

"Right." She whispered, placing the picture frame into a nearby box and standing up, cursing at the way her knee loudly clicked.

Harry chuckled, curling his lips inwards slightly. "You still haven't gotten that checked out?" He laughed.

"Shut up! I'll get around to it!" She giggled, moving her leg slightly.

"Please, you could barely finish our hike when we were last in LA! I heard more whining about your leg than I heard of them actually walking!"

"That doesn't even make sense!" She laughed, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise that he would even mention a memory of them from when they were dating. "And if I recall correctly, I finished that hike faster than you did!"

Harry smiled to himself, his hands twitching to stay by his side as they laughed. "I actually have your hiking boots upstairs, if you still want them."

Her smile dropped slightly, and Harry's heart twinged. Why would he bring that up when they were having such a good time together?

"Right. Well, I'll get round to it. I'm gonna go get my stuff from the kitchen." She smiled weakly, grabbing a slightly smaller box and making her way through the house and to the kitchen.

The living room looked like it had before she had moved in, and Harry didn't like that. He didn't like the way the fireplace no longer had her trinkets on top of it, or how the coffee table was now left empty, bar from the TV remote and a candle she insisted Harry should buy.

"Shit." He whispered, his eyes darting from corner to corner, analysing the loss of her items, the loss of her.

"Harry, was the bee mug yours or mine?" He heard her call out.

"We both had one. Take either." He replied, his eyes never leaving the box on the floor, half full with photos.

"Okay, I grabbed the pink one because I think the purple one was yours. I think all that's left is the bedroom and the bathrooms." Y/N sighed, walking back into the living room and putting the box down next to the others.

Harry stayed silent, his eyes focusing and unfocusing on the boxes that surrounded him.

"Harry?"

"Oh, right. Yeah," He cleared his throat and turned around. "Let's go do that."

The bathrooms were easy. Y/N grabbed a few shower products from the three with showers, and then the remaining skincare products, which she forgot to grab the night they broke up, from the ensuite.

The bedroom, however, was not.

Throughout the four year relationship, Harry and Y/N managed to muddle up just about every single item of clothing they owned. Graphic t-shirts once owned by Harry? Now Y/N wore them too. Hoodies Y/N had accumulated over the years? Harry owned them too. So, as Harry sat on the bed feeling as useless as ever whilst watching Y/N struggle to decipher whose clothing was whose, he felt the ache in his chest come back.

"I think most of the hoodies are yours, anyway." He called out after a good fifteen minutes of silence.

"Yeah?" She mumbled, throwing him a brief look over her shoulder before pulling a few more off of the hangers.

"Yeah," He whispered. "Well, everything on the right side is yours. Maybe some on the left too. I tried to organise them before you got here so it wouldn't be as hard."

That was a lie. He had spent the two hour notice he got from her muddling up as much of their things as possible so that she would spend more time with him.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"I washed a few of them too so you don't have to worry about that, either."

Another lie. In fact, he sprayed a couple with his cologne and put them over to his side of the wardrobe so they'd smell like him for longer.

"You really didn't have to, H."

"I know."

The silence came back, but this time, Harry's chest didn't hurt as much. Sure, his heart felt as heavy as ever, and he felt dizzy from how much pain was circulating his mind and body, but it wasn't as bad as before. That was a win in his eyes.

Y/N knew Harry. She knew him better than, as cliche as it is, she knew herself. She knew he had sprayed her clothes with his cologne, and that she hadn't put her moisturiser in with Harry's, or her favourite perfume under the sink with a significant amount missing. But who was she to judge? She had just broken up with him, and maybe if things had worked out differently, she would be sat on that bed with him, gossiping about some family drama and planning out future holidays together.

"Mum's thinking of adopting a new cat." Harry smiled.

"What- another one?"

"Well, that would be what the 'new cat' means." Harry laughed, crossing his right ankle over his left.

"Oh, piss off. How come?"

"Dunno. She called me this morning and told me about it. She said she couldn't wait for you two to discuss it over lunch."

"Really?" Y/N questioned, dropping the hoodie she was folding and turning around to face Harry. "Did you not tell her?"

Harry's face fell ever so slightly, and for a split second, she felt bad for bringing it up.

"Not yet. I think I'll let the joys of a possible new cat wear off before I tell her. Gemma knows though, and she's so fucking pissed." Harry breathed a laugh, tilting his head to the side slightly as he pictured the angry look on Gemma's face as he snatched her phone off of her to avoid an angry phone call to Y/N.

"Oh, I know. She called me on the drive here telling me I was making a mistake."

"What'd you say?"

"Not a lot, really. She's your family. I'm not going to use this as leverage to get her on my side." Y/N explained, and turned back around to continue folding and packing.

Harry stayed silent for a few more seconds before opening his mouth to speak. "Do you really think she'd even be on your side, even if you had told her it?" His tone was nothing short of bitter, a harsh contrast to the playful tone he was sporting prior.

Y/N didn't speak. Part of her felt like she didn't have the right to, and the other part was telling her to finish packing and leave.

The silence this time was worse. It was heavy, and painful, and now, her fault.

"Do you uhm-" She cleared her throat, "do you want this?" She asked, pulling out one of his t-shirts which she had been sleeping in since the first night she had ever slept over at his house. The collar had been stretched out, and shrunk too many times in the wash for Harry to even comfortably fit his biceps in, but she still felt as though she should ask.

Harry looked at her, taking a mental note at the way her eyebrows were furrowed, and the way her eyes were slightly hazy, and off focus. He felt his expression drop to mirror hers as he flickered between the t-shirt and her face as he tried to think of an answer.

"Harry just keep it, I need to get going." She mumbled, zipping up the duffle bag and standing up.

"Got somewhere to be?" He scoffed. Truth is, he didn't actually know where the anger was coming from. The breakup was civil for the most part, and both him and Y/N walked away happy with what they had left behind.

Y/N continued to stay quiet. The plan she had created in her head on the drive over didn't include even a hint of an argument, so she wasn't sure she'd have an idea of what to say if one did start.

The walk down the stairs was pure torture. It felt as though Harry scoffed with every step she took, and her heart was about to explode with embarrassment over how fast the situation turned on her. 

"I'm gonna put this in the car. I'll be back for the rest." She whispered, barely looking Harry in the eyes before darting out of the door.

Harry's eyes welled up with tears, and no matter how much swallowing and sniffling he did, the ache in his throat didn't seem to budge. "Okay, I- fuck." he whispered, covering his face with his hands and turning around to walk back to the kitchen, taking advantage of the dark kitchen and using it to cover his face.

"Harry?" Y/N called out.

He cleared his throat and pulled open the fridge, putting his head inside and using it to hide the way he was frantically wiping at his eyes.

"In the kitchen."

The patter of her footsteps was soothing, in a way. Harry hated that he found comfort in her being back in their, his, house again for the first time in God knows how long.

"I finished all the boxes." She whispered.

Harry turned around to face her. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the way that her lower lip was slightly quivering made him wish that their situation was different, and that he was still allowed to hug her, and tell her she was okay, and that he was there for her.

He nodded. He wasn't quite sure what to say in this situation. He had had serious relationships before, both of them had, but this was the only one that made Harry feel seen, and understood, and like he had really found the one.

The sun had set fully by now, and the only light in the room was the open fridge and the faint glow from the moon.

"Am I ever going to find out the real reason why you broke up with me? Or are you going to keep it to yourself for a year and then call me up and tell me on a random Tuesday? Because, Y/N, if we really were ‘growing apart’, don't you think I would have felt it too?" Harry spat at her, watching the way her eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth opened slightly to defend herself.

"Oh, please, Harry! Don't act like you're the victim in this!" She yelled back.

"What, and you are?"

"No! Neither of us are! Just because I'm the one who insinuated this doesn't mean the breakup itself wasn't mutual! Harry, how am I supposed to spend the rest of my life with someone when I can't even spend right now with them?"

Harry knew it was coming. Her reason for the breakup was that they were growing apart, arguing all the time, and were no longer the same people they were when they began dating all those years ago. Harry's reasoning for the breakup was, well, nothing. He didn't have a reason. If he had it his way, they'd be cuddled up in bed right now, Y/N showing him a video of someone falling over, and him searching Netflix for a movie for them to watch. But that’s the issue - you can’t force someone to be in a relationship that they so clearly don’t want to be in.

"Why couldn't you have figured this out before I planned out my whole life based on you being in it?" Harry muttered, staring at his feet as his eyes filled up with the tears he previously had tried to shun away.

The fridge began to beep before Y/N could answer, and, as painful as it was, she used that as her cue to leave. 

"Okay, Harry, I really need to go. I'm sorry. I'm really fucking sorry." Y/N said, wrapping her arms around her lower stomach and trying to control her rapid breathing.

She hesitated before leaving, and turned her head over her shoulder to look back at him. His face was emotionless, bar from the tears dripping down his cheeks, and his eyes were unfocused, staring at the kitchen floor. The fridge was still beeping, and Y/N knew that despite it annoying him, Harry only kept it going because it was better than the silence. The silence was the real killer.

There you were on video. Right in his phone... wearing a very short skirt hopping around on stage like that. You were usually more of a jeans and t-shirt or sweater gal. It was clearly you–but it was like watching a doppelganger of you.

He blinked his eyes at his screen. His apartment was quiet as he was just waking up and still sitting in his bed. It was a normal morning routine. Wake up and check social media, emails, his daily schedule…

He had no idea how this had come across his feed. You. Like that. He rubbed his eyes. Was he still dreaming?

You hadn't been dating all that long but you were both already head over heels. It'd happened so fast and there was still so much to learn about one another but he knew you were it just like he hoped you felt the same. He knew you had a band and he'd heard you sing. You had guitars at your place and you wrote poems and lyrics in your notebook all the time. You were talented.

A text popped up on his screen from you.

See you in five minutes!

Scooting himself out of bed so he could at least brush his teeth he clicked on the page that had posted the video and there were more! Of you! Of this band that he'd heard of in passing. He held the phone up and started watching the next video. You were singing for a semi-large crowd. He pressed the button on his electric toothbrush and felt his heart thrumming harder and harder as you started singing another song. A song he'd heard on the radio.

It was surreal to see you like that. Why hadn't you told him? Why was he finding out like this? Did you not want him to know? Did you not see a future with him at all?

The questions in his brain were buzzing as various puzzle pieces began to fall into place. It made so much sense now that he was thinking of everything but it also had him worried that you never told him. Maybe you didn't trust him.

When he was done brushing his teeth he splashed water on his face and pressed his palms over his sink counter. He was going to have to confront you.

He looked down at his phone and clicked on the next video. The most recently uploaded video.

"I'm Y/n! Thank you for being here with us tonight!" The crowd was loud and he could hear some whistles and cheering.

"This next song is about a guy that I'm falling for hard. It wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't think it ever would. I haven't told him yet but I have this song." You began to sway as the guitarist started to play. "This is for love. For anyone who's felt it. This is for Harry."

He blinked at the screen and you began to sing.

"When I was younger, I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind..."

Harry was startled when he heard you knocking at his door. You were there and he was reeling from everything he'd just learned. Pausing the video he made his way to his door and opened it to see your pretty face. You immediately stepped in and wrapped your arms around his middle for a big hug.

He hesitantly placed his arms around you after he closed his door. But you noticed something was off. Harry was still holding his phone in his hand as you looked up at him.

"Everything okay?"

He looked like he was unable to put thoughts into words. Like he was stunned or hadn't expected to see you, even though you'd made plans to come over. Stepping back you clutched your hands over his wrists. "Harry?"

His throat bobbed when he swallowed and he blinked his eyes. "You're famous."

Your heart stopped. You knew he'd find out soon. You'd planned on telling him but it was always tricky telling people. You'd dated people in the past that were just looking for clout or trying to get there own name out there by using you. So it was a precaution. But you didn't need to hide it from Harry anymore.

"Yes. Well... kind of. I mean... a lot of people don't really know who I am. I'm not like at that level of fame but—"

"You don't trust me?"

"I do trust you, Harry. I promise." You slid your palms up his forearms and stepped in closer. "I was going to tell you. I just got a little scared because everything happened so fast between us. It just... I wanted to make sure first. I swear I've been planning to tell you because I... god... I just want to tell you everything."

"I don't understand why you never said anything." He shook his head but he didn't pull away from you.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out before I told you. I wanted to share something really special with you and tell you in this like... really romantic way."

He moved his arm and opened up his phone before you heard your song being playe. The song you wrote for him. His eyes flitted from you to his phone as the lyrics you sang poured out around you.

Because none of it was ever worth the risk... Well, you are the only exception...

Harry looked at you, a sheen of tears in his eyes as he let the song play out. You kept your hand on his forearm and let the lyrics do the talking. You just hoped he understood. You hoped that he could see why it took you a bit to work up to telling him.

Oh, and I'm on way to believing…

He tucked his phone into his sweatpants pocket and looked at you with soft eyes. Taking his hands into yours you smiled up at him.

"I have a lot to tell you."

He puffed out a low laugh. "I think that's an understatement."

"Are you mad at me?"

He shook his head. "Kind of hard to be mad after hearing that song you wrote for me. Is all that true, Y/n?" He pulled his hand out of yours and lifted his warm palm up to your cheek.

"Yes. Every word of it."

"Does that mean you love me?"

Your heartbeat tripped up on itself as you nodded. "I do. I love you."

His eyes were piercing and so deep with emotion, you'd drown in them happily. "I guess it's time for me to confess something to you then, too." He grinned and you felt his hand move back to cradle your nape. "I love you too."

. .

@yousunshineyoutempter @tenaciousperfectionunknown @swiftmendeshoran @tiaamberxx @closureesny

@angelbabyyy99 @malwtilda @love-letters-to-uranus @itjustkindahappenedreally @onlyangellucifer

@harryistheonlyoneforme @butdaddyilovehim-hs @lc-fics @hannahdressedasabanana @babegoalsreads

@harrrrystylesslut @elidoho @gotdrxnkonu @cathy-1997 @imgonnadreamaboutthewayyoutaaaa

@tiredinwinter @angeldavis777 @lillefroe @monicaalexandraaa @hsonlyangelxo

@brittanyzelazno @lemoncrushh @caynonmoondreams @mellamolayla @ladscarlett

@heartateasee @littlenatilda @finelinepie @michellekstyles @harrysredroom

@harrydeary @mrs-anna-styles211994 @devilsqueen722 @bananabk9756 @walkingintheheartbreaksatellite

@idkkkkkkk123lgb @freedomfireflies @fruity-harry @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @mema10

Prompts [short little writings] (all tumblr exclusive & harry x you - please see warnings at the beginning of each one for specific content):

Harry’s sorry

Y/N gets caught reading Harry smut

Harry tries to distract Y/N during a meeting

Y/N has a bad day

Series:

Safe - mafia!harry x you

Short Stories:

Georgia - *COMPLETE*

• A short story - in which Harry Styles meets Georgia, a dancer at a gentlemen's club. Over their time spent together, Georgia reveals how she's no longer happy with what she does, but she's scared of what will happen if she tries to get away. From that moment on, it's Harry's mission to do everything possible to make sure that she can.

Goodnight and Go - *COMPLETE*

• A short story - in which Carter Adams is in love with her best friend, Harry Styles, but she's never let him know. The worst part? He just got engaged to her sister.

In Exchange - *COMPLETE*

• A short story - in which Wynnie Porter makes a deal: the sparing of Harry Styles' life in exchange for his help to find her missing sister.

Full Fics:

Cherry Bomb

• In which two ex-best friends, Harry Styles and Marlowe Finch, reunite after almost 5 years. Harry realizes Marlowe's on her way to living the dream they had always yearned for, and Marlowe comes to the conclusion that Harry's more lost than she ever thought he could be.

Elude - Wattpad only

• Elude (əˈlo͞od): evade or escape from (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skillful or cunning way.

In which Harry Styles finds himself enamored with his boss' fiancée.

"Come here,” he tells her softly. While extending his arm, she grumpily moves and tucks herself under his arm, burying her face in his neck. 

“Better?” He asks before pecking on her head. She hums in response, already drifting off to sleep, cuddling to him, and snoring like a baby. 

Harry holds her close, his hand rubbing small and gentle circles on her back as she snores cutely against him. He knows he couldn’t go back to sleep again, even if he tried. This was always an issue for him—once he’s awake, his body never allows him to go back to sleep. But he doesn’t mind. Watching her like this, so soft and peaceful, is worth losing a little more sleep. 

༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚

It must’ve been an hour or so when she wakes up again, mumbling some incoherent words into his neck; her legs tangle with his as she clings onto him like a baby koala. Harry chuckles softly at his sleepy girl, admiring how cute she looks like this. She lazily rubs the sleep from her eyes while blinking up at him.

"G'morning,” he whispers while pushing a strand of hair away from her face. She hums in response, "Mm... morning,” still half asleep. Her voice was thick with sleep. 

She snuggles closer, presses her face deeper into his neck, and wraps one of her legs on top of his hips.

That’s when it happens, her knees brushing his groin—lightly, but enough to make him suck in a sharp breath. He holds back a groan; he was already semi-hard from waking up with her wrapped around him,  but now? Now, it’s impossible to ignore. 

Y/N then moves more closer, trying to get more comfortable while grinding their hips together. “Baby,” he warns, looking at her, who is giggling at him. She knows exactly what she was doing. 

When Harry makes no move to please her, she takes it to her and whispers, “Please,” meekly like a kitten. While staring up at him and batting her eyelashes, knowing he would fold within a second. She grinds her hips again in a desperate attempt. 

Harry sucks in a deep breath while closing his eyes. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” he mutters before gently guiding his mouth to hers. 

The kiss is soft at first, Harry’s lips moving gently over hers as he savors her taste. She sighs into his mouth, her fingers threading into his messy curls to pull him closer. He deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding against her as she lets out a softest, breathiest moan. 

“Christ,” Harry groans, pulling back just enough to rest his forehead against hers. “You sound so pretty, baby. "Do that again for me, yeah?” 

Y/N’s cheek flush, but she obliges, letting out a whimper when he trails kisses down her jaw to her neck. His hands roaming everywhere—grabbing her jaw, squeezing, and palming her breasts. 

“Harry,” she whispers softly. “Please..”

She was so close to begging. Her panties wet with arousal, pussy clenching and fluttering around nothing. 

“What do you need, baby? Hmm, tell me.” He takes one of her nipples in his mouth while palming the other. Sucking and biting it gently. Y/N arches her back in response, "A-ah." She whimpers when Harry blows on her wet nipple, goosebumps rising on her delicate skin. 

“I.. need you." She breathes out. He makes his way between her legs, trailing kisses down to her stomach, just above the waistband of her panties to her pussy. 

He spreads her legs apart and settles there. His fingers spreading her lips, then he moves forward and licks a long path from her hole to her clit, “God, you taste so good." He groans, “So sweet, my perfect girl.” Moaning at the taste, he takes her nub between his mouth and sucks on it. 

Y/N’s hands fly to his hair, tugging lightly as he works her with his mouth. She lets out a broken moan, “Oh my god,” her back arching off the bed. Harry hums against her, the vibrations sending shivers through her entire body. She wraps both of her legs around his neck. 

He then pushes two of his fingers inside her, curling them at the right spot, while his thumb pushes her clit. His every moment was deliberate and gentle. The combination of everything with his dirty words brings her to the edge. 

“Harry, I’m—oh god, I’m gonna—“ 

“Come for me, love,” he murmurs. “That’s it, my good girl.” 

Her orgasm crashes over her, her thighs trembling as she chants his name. Harry doesn’t stop, his tongue lapping up all the arousal like a starved man. He presses one last kiss on her sensitive cunt while coming back up.

His face is all messed up, lips pink and glistening with her arousal, hair messy, and cheeks flushed. He smiles down at her, brushing his thumb over her cheek. 

“Think you can handle me now, love?” He asks.

Y/N nods, her eyes half-lidded with pleasure as she whispers, "Please, Harry, I need you so bad.”

He wastes no time, discarding his boxers and positioning himself between her legs. He drags his tip up and down her slit, gathering the wetness; she lets out a moan when his tip touches her clit. He takes his time, pressing kisses to her lips, her cheeks, and her forehead as he slowly pushes inside her.

“Fuck,” he grits out, his forehead dropping to hers as he lets her adjust. “You feel so good, baby. So warm, so perfect.” 

She whimpers softly, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer. “You can move, Harry,” she whispers, her voice shaky. "Please." He starts slow, his thrusts gentle and deliberate as he peppers her face with kisses. “You’re doing so good for me, Y/N”

His fingers caressing her jaw, while he pushes his thumb past her lips, Y/N closes her eyes and sucks his thumb, soothing her.  “My good girl,” he whispers in her skin. He leans down, kissing her breasts and sucking them. 

The sweet and gentle words, so loving and worshiping, bringing her to the edge—she loves it when he praises her and calls her his good girl, making her feel all warm and fuzzy from inside. 

She digs her nails to his shoulder when he hits the perfect spot. Her sweet moans fill the air. “That’s it, baby,” he coaxes. “Let go for me. Come with me.” His thrusts becoming sloppy and lazy. 

Y/N closes her eyes as her orgasm crashes over her, screaming when he hits the perfect spot inside her. Her belly tightens, and she squeezes her eyes shut, falling apart beneath him as she creams around his cock. He looks down between them, mesmerized by the sinful sight of her arousal coating around his cock. That view alone is enough to bring him to the edge.

He shuts his eyes, his cheeks red and flushed, as his release hits him like a freight train. "Fuck, fuck, fuck—Y/N," he moans, holding her close as he rides out his orgasm.

Their bodies are tangled and molded together, hearts pounding as they catch their breath. After a few minutes, he gently untangles their limbs and heads to the washroom to grab a wet towel. Returning, he cleans her up with care, whispering soft, soothing words as she drifts back to sleep in his arms.

The deal was that the riders could live on the land for free as long as they continued to ride for Cliff, and if they helped out around the ranch as well. Harry had no problem agreeing to that deal. He had grown up on a ranch for most of his life with his grandparents after his father walked out. Harry didn’t have a single memory of his mother. His father was American. When Harry’s mother left him at only four months old in the middle of the night with no note, his father was forced to come back to America and live with his parents. His father had been living in London, trying to earn his way as a musician, and had traveled overseas for a change of scenery.

The older Harry got, the more his grandparents opened up to him about the struggles his father went through. His father was one who never really felt like he fit in anywhere, and he traveled along the US for some time before he settled on going overseas. As much as Harry’s father did love his parents, it never seemed like it was enough, and he refused to help them on the ranch. He saw the ranch as a deadend with no escape. 

Harry on the other hand loved his grandparents’ ranch. He enjoyed going out and tending to the horses, feeding the few chickens they had and milking the cows. It was never a burden for Harry to take on that role once he was old enough, and when his grandfather got to the point where he could no longer help him, Harry never complained about having to do double the work than he was used to.

When his grandmother passed away, Harry knew that his grandfather wouldn’t be too far behind. The two of them had been in love with each other since they were sixteen years old, and they never knew a life without the other since then. It was only six months later that they were joined together again. 

It was when they were both gone that he realized he never got close to mourning for his parents in the way that he did for his grandparents, and that’s because he knew deep down they were his true parents. Not his father and mother that abandoned him.

It was no problem for Harry to now take complete responsibility for everything once it was just him. He had hired a few hands to help him with certain tasks, but other than that, he was overseeing every part of the ranch.

However, that all changed one night when he woke up to orange and yellow blazing outside of his bedroom window, and he walked outside to see that most of the ranch had gone up in flames. It had been a particularly hot day that day, and Harry asked that all the hands put the bails of hay outside, and not in the barn, due to the chance of hot hay combustion. Unfortunately, one of the new hands didn’t listen, and one of the bails caught inside the barn.

Harry lost everything that night except for the farmhouse.

People in the small town came together to try and raise enough money to help Harry rebuild everything, but he declined. He had gotten some money back from the insurance company, but he didn’t want a new ranch on the same land. He wanted the ranch that he had grown up on with his two favorite people in the entire world. So for the past two years, he had been traveling across the country and engaging in various bull riding competitions throughout the United States.

He hadn’t even thought about joining an actual team until he saw the flyer that Cliff had put up on a bulletin board a few towns over. Harry was in between competitions at the moment, and when he saw the flyer, he figured why not give it a shot? He had been on his own for so long that he figured it might be nice to actually settle somewhere for a while.

When Harry arrived at Cliff’s event, he rode that bull like his life depended on it. The second he was off the animal and back on the sidelines, Cliff approached Harry and offered him a position on the team right on the spot. 

It was a bit intimidating to know that he would be joining a team that was already a bit established, four guys still remaining from the previous one, but there was an excitement that festered in his stomach at the idea of actually making somewhere new home. 

Once Harry reached an open area of the ranch where he saw other cars, he parked his truck and stepped out. His aviator sunglasses were perched on his nose, and the rocks crunched underneath his boots as he walked towards the main area with his hands resting on his hips. He was taking in all as he stood there. He hoped that he was making the right decision by trying to settle down somewhere for the first time since the accident.

“If you’re looking for Cliff, he’s rounding up some of the horses,” he heard someone say, and he looked over to see you.

Your hair was blowing in the breeze with sunglasses of your own covering your eyes as you walked past him - carrying a bucket of chicken feed in each of your hands. As you walked by, you could feel him watching you, and you glanced over your shoulder.

“You one of the new ones?” You asked as you came to a stop, and Harry nodded while tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

“Yeah, I am. I stopped by to get the keys to my place from Cliff,” he tilted his chin down towards one of the buckets you were still holding. “Can I take one of those for you?”

You scoffed softly at him, but you let a smirk linger on your lips. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ve been doing this since I was six years old. I’ve got it, cowboy.”

As you continued to walk away, Harry couldn’t keep his eyes off you. The way your dark colored flare jeans hugged to the rounds of your hips, and the curve of your ass. The way your black crop top clung to your torso. Harry had been here, there and everywhere, but he never saw something that intrigued him so quickly as you.

It was just a moment later that he felt a hand clasp down on his shoulder, and he looked over to see a guy around his age standing next to him.

“Word of advice - stay clear of that one,” the stranger stated. “That’s Cliff’s daughter, and she’s very much off limits. She doesn’t take shit from anyone to begin with though.”

“That’s his daughter?” Harry asked, and he looked back over to see that you were now entering the fenced in area that housed the chickens that were roaming about. 

“Mhmm. That’s Y/N. And I’m Ryker,” the man held out his hand which Harry took - giving it a shake. “Let me go introduce you to Cliff, and then I’ll take you over to your house.”

✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪

It had been a couple of months since Harry started to work on Cliff’s ranch, and he had become one of his best riders. He couldn’t count how many offers he had received from Cliff’s competitors in the hopes of getting him to jump ship. However, Harry didn’t want to be anywhere else but the ranch or the team he was already on. It had felt the most like home since his grandparents had passed.

Cliff was amazing. He treated Harry like one of his own, and Harry got along with all of the guys on the team.

The work on the ranch had come easy to Harry. As if he had never stopped those couple years ago. Although he loved the guys on the team, he was the one that never complained. He took everything in stride - no matter how strenuous. Over time, he was pretty sure that he found his way to this ranch for a reason. He had missed the lifestyle more than he realized.

There was just one thing that Harry wished he could change about the ranch.

He wished he could properly pursue you.

Over the past few weeks, Harry had obeyed the rules of behaving himself around you, but that didn’t stop him from making it known that he was there - that if you needed something, he was available. Shameless flirting had happened back and forth between the two of you, however, it was easy to see what Ryker had meant when he said you didn’t take shit from anyone. 

He had seen you go off on some of the guys at the ranch, as well as some of the competitors that had come through. Most of the time you put people in their place if a joke had gone too far, or if someone had tried to tell you how to do the job you clearly already knew how to do. Harry’s favorite was watching you go off on the competitors though. It wasn’t common to see a girl working closely with riders throughout the rodeo circuit, so whenever new guys came into town for a competition, they would always try to make their move.

Harry could tell that sometimes you fed into a bit, but one wrong move, and you were happy to threaten to break someone’s hand or dump a bucket of ice water over their heads. No matter how much he knew you could handle yourself, Harry was there to check on you every time something like that happened, and although you brushed it off and acted like it was nothing, you really appreciated how he always looked out for you.

As much as you respected your father, and as much as you also knew that Harry respected him too, you couldn’t help but wish that line would be crossed between the two of you. You had never wanted someone like you wanted Harry. It scared you, if you were being honest. You loved your father dearly, but there was that part of you that knew you would cross that boundary, the only boundary he had ever put in place for you, if it meant you could have a taste of Harry Styles.

That’s why tonight, as you were out at the famous hole in the wall bar that all the riders frequented, even the competitors that were coming into town, you were keeping your eyes on exactly what you wanted.

Harry was standing by the bar with Ryker, as well as Vinnie, another one of the riders on your father’s team, and you watched as his ringed fingers wrapped around an ice cold bottle of beer. Your eyes were trained on the way his lips parted to take a sip after lifting it to his mouth, and the way his throat bobbed as the liquid made its way down. If anyone was focused on you, it would’ve been obvious where your sights were, but you were thankful that the friend you were with had slipped off to the bathroom for a moment.

“Something as pretty as you doesn’t deserve to be standing at this bar all by herself,” a voice you didn’t recognize rang in your ear, and you turned to see a taller man standing next to you.

The more you studied him, the more you realized he was one of the riders competing at your father’s rodeo this weekend, and you rolled your shoulders back a bit. You weren’t sure if he was aware of who you were, but the last thing you were going to let him do was try and intimidate you. Of course, you didn’t know if that was his angle, but it wouldn’t be the first time this had happened.

“I’m not by myself,” you shook your head. “My friend’s just in the restroom. She’ll be back any minute.”

You glanced back over to the end of the bar where the boys from the ranch were, and you could see that Harry’s eyes are now glued to you. It wouldn’t be the first time he stepped in when someone didn’t take the hint that you weren’t interested in whatever they had to offer, but for now, you had it handled.

“Well, I’m also here with some friends,” the man continued, and you tore your eyes away from Harry to look back at him. “And I haven’t been able to stop looking at you since I walked in. You care to join us for a bit?”

Just as you opened your mouth to answer, your friend, Kaia, popped up on the other side of you.

“Who’s this?” She asked while taking her beer back that was in front of you for protection, indulging in a long sip.

“Funny, I don’t know his name yet either,” you smirked softly as you raised an eyebrow at the stranger.

“I’m Sterling,” he stated as he rested a hand on his chest before pointing a finger from that same hand over to a couple of guys at a high top table near the jukebox. “That guy over there with the hat on is Maverick, and the other one is Colton.”

“Well, I’m Kaia. And this is Y/N,” your friend swung her arm around your neck as she pulled you into your side. “And we’d be more than happy to join you.”

Sterling smirked softly at the two of you. “Sounds good. Get yourselves another round on my tab, and then meet us over there, yeah?”

You kept your eyes on the man as he walked back over to his table before looking over to Kaia. “Why did you do that?”

“Oh come on, Y/N,” she rolled her eyes at you playfully. “You haven’t allowed yourself to indulge in one of the riders that are just traveling through in a long time. He’s also not bad to look at, and he also has a friend for me. It’s a win for the both of us.”

Sighing, you knew that Kaia was right. You hadn’t hooked up with anyone in months. You honestly couldn’t remember the last time you had ended up in someone’s bed. You never brought anyone back to your house given that you still lived with your father, but you were always careful about who you chose to go home with, and your location was always on for someone to see.

“You’re right,” you gave in as you turned around and flagged the bartender down.

You ordered another round of beers, and another round of tequila shots, on Sterling’s tab after pointing him out to the bartender so it was known that he was taking care of your drinks. Kaia and you tapped the shot glasses together and downed them before heading over to where Sterling and his friends were standing.

It was almost as if you could feel Harry’s gaze burning into you, but you didn’t dare to turn around and look at him. You knew you shouldn’t feel guilty about indulging in flirting with someone else right in front of him, however, it wasn’t like you and him could do anything other than flirting you did here and there. Between you and Harry it would always be just that - flirting. You deserved to allow yourself to take advantage of the opportunity to have something further, even if it wasn’t with who you truly wanted it to be with.

Sterling would be gone after the weekend, and you probably would never see him again. That was more than okay with you. That kept things easy. Simple. Since you were still actively working on the ranch with your father with no intention of leaving soon, that’s exactly what you needed.

As the night continued on, you had a few more shots and a couple more beers, and you were definitely feeling tipsy, but you were smart. You didn’t allow yourself to get full-on drunk, especially if you thought that you might end up going home with someone.

“I want to ride the bull!” You exclaimed as you pointed over to the roped off section with the soft padding around the mechanical bull.

Although Sterling was the one who had been giving you most of his attention, that didn’t stop multiple of the guys from his team from running over - wanting to be the one to get on that bull with you. You giggled at their enthusiasm, and you looked over to see Kaia raising a brow at you with a smirk.

“So many of you,” you shook your head as you rested your elbow on the table in front of you while cradling your chin in your hand. You lazily took a sip of your beer before humming with your brows raised  - an idea hitting you. “I’ve got it! Arm wrestling competition. Whoever wins can get on the bull with me.”

With that you stepped off to the side with Kaia as you watched the game begin, and the two of you had to fight to keep your laughter down.

“Men are really so simple, aren’t they?” She commented as she leaned over to speak into your ear.

“They really are. Climbing all over each other to try and get a round in and compete.”

Although you hadn’t looked at him anymore since joining Sterling’s table, Harry was watching every bit of what was happening around you and Kaia. He wasn’t sure what the reasoning for the arm wrestling was, but he could tell that you were more than amused by the look on your face.

Almost a half hour had passed, and sure enough, Sterling was the one that ended up winning the final round of the competition. You shot him a soft wink as you started to make your way over to the bull, and just like he had been, Harry continued to keep his eyes on you. He could tell that you weren’t aware that Sterling had hung back a bit, but when he watched the man make an obscene gesture right in front of his crotch in front of his friends, as if he were jacking off and blowing his load all over your back, Harry saw red.

Slamming his beer down onto the bartop, Ryker and Vinnie jumped as Harry pushed himself away from the surface and started towards the bull. Since Sterling had decided to be an idiot by lingering back and making an ass of himself, it allowed Harry the opportunity to slip right onto the bull behind you since you had already taken your place.

Like hell he was going to allow that prick to get that close to you after what he had just seen.

“Thought you weren’t going to join me for a second there,” Harry heard your sweet voice as you pushed yourself back against him, but he knew it was that asshole that you were expecting.

Harry didn’t respond as the bull started to move, but he quickly wrapped his arm around your waist - the other reaching forward to grab the knotted rope between your legs. He heard a gasp leave your lips when you looked down and noticed the tattoos inked onto his arms, and soon he was looking into your wide eyes as you stared up at him. 

Your eyes wandered over his face for a moment before the operator of the bull started to up the speed, and Harry wrapped his arm around you even tighter. Biting down on your bottom lip, you grabbed the rope underneath his hand while placing your other forearm over his - lacing your fingers together with your palm pressed against the top of his hand.

As the bull began to gain even more momentum, you couldn’t help but roll your hips back into Harry and you heard a groan rattle in his chest as he leaned down to press his cheek against yours.

“Be careful, Y/N,” he commented, but he knew you could feel the start of his hard-on pressing into the small of your back.

“I should be saying that to you.”

Harry hummed as he tightened his fingers to squeeze your own that were still intertwined with his. “Then stop grinding that perky little ass back against me, and my problem will go away.”

You could’ve moaned at his words as your eyes slipped shut, and you dropped your head back to rest against his shoulder. As the bull continued to move, you began to control Harry’s hand that had been resting on your stomach. You started to drag his palm over the top of your thigh, and then underneath your crop top so he could feel your soft skin against his calloused palm. 

With the two of you being highly distracted, you knew that you weren’t going to be able to remain on the bull much longer as the operator was now really picking up the speed and the movements, but Harry’s grip tightened on you.

“You’re playing dirty,” he huffed as he gave your hip a slight pinch.

“Maybe I want you to play dirty back,” you nuzzled your face into the side of his neck, and although he was hot from the exertion of keeping you both stabilized, you could see the goosebumps cover his skin from your breath hitting against it.

It was only a second later that the operator took a sharp turn that neither of you were expecting, and the two of you flew off the bull - your body landing right on top of Harry’s. His arms wrapped around your waist on instinct, and your chests heaved up and down as you stared into each other's eyes.

“You good? You’re not hurt, are you?” Harry asked as one of his hands started to rub up and down your back - the other moving up to cradle your cheek.

“No, no,” you swallowed harshly. “I’m fine. Are you?”

“I’m fine,” he repeated your same words with a nod before he carefully rolled the two of you over.

You gasped as he was now slotted between your thighs, and you felt an ache flooding into your core from how desperately you wished you were both naked and in his bed upon finding yourselves in this position.

Harry forced you to wrap your legs around his waist after pushing himself up onto his knees - his body still hovering over yours. He securely placed both of his hands on your back before lifting you both off the ground, and your mouth gaped at the way he had chosen to get the two of you up from the mat.

After placing you back down on your feet, his hand remained on your lower back as you started back towards the main bar area, and your eyes widened as you saw Kaia making out with Colton in the corner. Sterling was already off with another girl at the bar, and you knew you shouldn’t be surprised given the circumstances. It didn’t bother you at all to see it.

“You ready to go?” Harry said into your ear so that you could hear him over the music. “I’ve only had a few beers. No shots. I can take you home.”

Your eyes met his once again, and you swallowed harshly when you felt his hand creep up to rest on the back of your neck - giving it a soft squeeze.

“Sure,” you glanced over at Kaia for a moment before looking back to Harry. “Let me just tell her that I’m leaving.”

Harry nodded. “I’ll be over by Ryker and Vinnie.”

The two of you separated, and you tapped Kaia on the back awkwardly as she had her tongue lodged down Colton’s throat. When she turned to look at you, you could see the spit all over her lips and you grimaced. “I’m heading out, I just wanted to let you know. Are you okay getting back by yourself, or do you want to come with? I’m sure Harry wouldn’t mind giving you a ride home too.”

“Oh, you’re going with Harry?” Kaia wiggled her eyebrows at you, and you scoffed.

“It’s not like that. He offered because he hasn’t been drinking like the rest of us, and I trust him to get me home safe. That’s all.”

Kaia hummed as she gave you a skeptical look before shrugging. “You keep telling yourself that, but to answer your question, I’m good. I think I have a ride home. Text me when you get back to yours, and I’ll text you when I get back to mine.”

Nodding, you gave her a quick hug before heading back over to Harry. You could see he was closing out his tab while Ryker was saying something to him - both of them standing. Harry wore an expression you hadn’t seen before, and you saw a glimmer of concern in Ryker’s eyes.

You cleared your throat as you approached the two of them, and forced a tight smile despite how uneasy both of their appearances made you feel. “You ready?”

Ryker glanced over at you before looking back to Harry, as if he were waiting for Harry’s response just as much as you were.

“I…uhm…” Harry trailed off as his eyes remained on the bar in front of him, and you felt your heart sink.

You knew what was going on here. Ryker had told him not to take you home because of your father. You’re sure he didn’t want you or Harry to get in trouble, but you didn’t expect anything further from Harry from just a ride home.

Had he wanted more?

“Right,” you sighed sadly as she rapped your knuckles against the bartop. “Have a good night, Harry. See you boys at the ranch tomorrow.”

Shaking your head, you started towards the entrance of the bar without bothering to look at Harry or Ryker again. You fought the tears that burned in your eyes. You didn’t cry. That wasn’t you, and you especially didn’t cry over boys. 

You thrusted the door to the bar open with your palms, sucking in a deep breath of fresh air in your lungs as you tried not to overthink everything that had just happened. Your mind was reeling - trying to put every little piece together to figure out how your night ended up like this. Right now you would’ve been attached to Sterling’s hip, probably making out with him like Kaia was with Colton had Harry let him up on the bull behind you.

But no, Harry hadn’t let him. You weren’t mad that Harry took his spot, not in the slightest, but now that he had brushed you off, you were definitely frustrated. Had he not done that, you would’ve probably been guaranteed at least a subpar orgasm. 

“Y/N,” you looked over to see Harry walking out the door you had just gone through and you shook your head. “Look, I just-”

“Stop,” Harry did just that, both physically and with his mouth, but he continued to stare at you. “I get it. Just a simple ride home could look like whatever someone wants to make it out to be. If someone wants to try and flip it to make it seem like you took me home for a reason more than just being a gentleman, it could ruin things for you.”

Sighing, Harry ran his hand up and through his long curls as he shook his head. “Ryker was just saying how there’s a lot of snakes around here - guys who have wanted to be on your father’s team, but didn’t make it. He told me that they would do anything in order to try and free up a spot and weasel their way in. By one of them seeing you get into my truck with me, that could be what they use to get me kicked off.”

You knew that he was right. There were several guys that had tried to make it on your father’s team time and time again, but they weren’t good enough. Plain and simple. 

“Again, I get it,” you nodded as you crossed your arms over your chest. “Just go back in, Harry. You’ve probably already got them all talking by just being out here with me. I’ll be fine getting home.”

The bar wasn’t too far from the ranch, and even though it might take you a little under an hour to get home, you weren’t worried. No one messed with anyone out here. Besides, you could use the fresh air and a nice long walk to clear the thoughts rushing through your head. 

Once you turned away from the entrance of the bar and started towards the barely paved road, you could hear that Harry was heading the other way. You knew that you had told him to go, but there was a big part of you that hoped he would give everyone else the middle finger. That he would take whatever would come of it with your father, and explain that nothing had happened, because truly nothing would. 

Although there were people around you when you were both on the bull, it was dark, and you were certain no one saw the way you had been guiding his hand, or the way he was hard against your back. They may have seen what happened once you both landed on the mat when the bull had thrown you off, but that happened without either of you planning it. 

The sound of rocks crackling under tires caught your attention, and you looked over your shoulder to see Harry leaving the bar, but going the opposite direction of the ranch. You found it odd, but at the same time, you couldn’t allow yourself to dwell on it.

Maybe he was going to grab a drink at a bar that didn’t contain so many people that knew him, where he lived, or who he rode for. Maybe he had been seeing someone that you didn’t know about and they lived on the other side of town. Regardless, it wasn’t your business what Harry did, and you had to remind yourself of that.

You walked for a few more minutes as you came to a fork in the road where it continued going straight towards the ranch, and then off towards the right to a backroad. As you approached it, you saw headlights coming, so you stopped before crossing over the fork. Once they got closer, you could see that it was Harry’s truck, and he rolled down his driver’s side window.

“Please get in, Y/N,” he said, and you could see in his eyes that he was practically pleading for you to do so.

Biting down on your bottom lip, you dropped your arms from where they were crossed on your chest, and you walked around the front of his truck to the passenger side. You slipped into the seat and buckled your seatbelt as he started back down the main road.

“You didn’t have to pick me up, you know? I didn’t mind walking.”

“I never intended on you walking to begin with,” he stated as he reached forward to turn down the radio a bit. “Went the opposite way out of the bar so I could cut down the backroad and pick you up without others seeing. That way they couldn’t try and create some narrative between us and go running to your father.”

You pursed your lips to the side as you hummed - staring out the window as fields upon fields passed underneath the moon. It was going to be a full one later this month, and you couldn’t wait. You had mentioned a time or two to Harry how much you enjoyed viewing them in one of the back fields of the ranch to have an unobstructed view.

“Why’d you get on the bull with me?” You asked after a few more moments of silence, and then you turned to look at him.

You could see the way that Harry stiffened slightly at your question, and he glanced over at you for just a second before looking back to the road.

“I had seen you with that guy all night, and I was fine, but then you walked to go get on the bull and he made this vulgar gesture behind you with his hand for his friends to see,” Harry’s hands tightened on the wheel. “I wasn’t going to let him get close to you again.”

With your brows raised, your lips parted when you heard Harry’s explanation. You truly had been oblivious to Sterling making any sort of gesture when it came to you. Part of you wanted to ask what he did, but the other part of you didn’t want to make Harry even more upset by making him tell you.

“Well, thank you,” you reached over to rest your hand on his forearm. “I really appreciate you always looking after me, Harry. I know most of the time you observe since you know I can handle my own, but those times when you do make it a point to check in on me, or step in, it really means a lot.”

No one had ever done that for you except for your father. You had dated a lot of duds in the past that were happy to make you the butt of a joke if they thought it made them seem cooler to their friends. The same friends that would then think they could make fun of you as well because they witnessed your boyfriend doing it, so why wouldn’t they be able to do the same? You learned early on that you had to be your biggest defender if your father wasn’t around.

Harry’s eyes slipped down to take a peek at the skin to skin contact that was happening between the two of you, and you watched his chest swell as he took in a deep breath. “Like you said, I know you can hold your own, but I like looking out for you. I like you knowing that I’m there for you if you need me. I want to be that person for you.”

Soon you were turning into the main driveway of the ranch, and you glanced at the house to see all the lights were off. That meant your father was asleep, so there was no chance of him recognizing Harry’s truck as you knew he wouldn’t be looking out the window. You felt Harry shift the vehicle into park as you looked back over at him - only the light from the night sky making the two of you visible to each other in the cabin.

“Well, thank you for the ride home,” you reached down to unbuckle your seatbelt. “I really appreciate it, and I’m sorry if I acted like a bitch back there in front of Ryker by storming off. I’ve just lived with people watching my every move for a really long time. I know that Ryker means well, but it gets really exhausting. It kind of hurt that you were getting roped into walking on eggshells around me too.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry reached out to stroke his fingertips across the back of your hand that was resting on the bench between the two of you. “The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt your feelings, Y/N. I hope you know that.”

Sucking in a deep breath, you shifted a bit closer to him and you placed your palm over his thigh. “I do.”

With the sides of your arms now pressed together, you realized just how close your faces were to one another. Your eyes followed the same patterns, looking over each other's faces before starting to lean in. Just as Harry’s top lip brushed against yours, you heard him suck in a deep breath and he pulled away.

“I’m sorry, Y/N,” he shook his head as he rested his elbows on the top of the steering with his eyes closed - pinching the bridge of his nose between the pad of his thumb and his index finger. “You know that we can’t.”

The flush of embarrassment radiated all over your body as you quickly moved yourself to the other side of the truck. Your shaking hands fiddled with the door, but you finally managed to get it open before practically flinging yourself out of the vehicle. You knew that you should have said something to him, but you didn’t know what. Your mind was muddled as you raced onto the front porch, and you didn’t even dare to look back to see if Harry was still sitting there watching you, or if he had already started down the way towards his own house.

✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪

It had been a couple of weeks since the events of the night out at the bar with Harry. You were currently avoiding him, and the only time the two of you had spoken was when you had some choice words with Sterling the weekend after he had hit on you. The stakes for the rodeo that weekend were high, and it became obvious that from the time at the bar to the time at the competition, Sterling had found out exactly who you were.

You had been helping some of the guys get ready on the outskirts of the arena when you heard his familiar voice starting to talk about you.

“Lucky for me I didn’t go home with this one the other night. After she had been drooling over me the whole time, I saw her going to leave with some long haired fuck and then someone told me who she was,” you stopped walking upon hearing him. You knew he wanted you to hear him, but his words shocked you. “Couldn’t imagine sleeping with someone who has a hand in my competition.”

Forcing your sunglasses onto your head, you made sure that you made direct eye contact with Sterling. “Funny you say I was the one drooling over you all night when it just so happens that you were the one who approached me. Also, the person you saw me leaving with has more respect for women in his pinky finger than it seems you do in your entire body, and that will always win a woman over. I suggest you try learning from his example.”

When you started to head back in the direction you were originally going, Sterling spoke again. “The girl I ended up going home with was way prettier than you. I only approached you because you seemed easy, and sure enough, you fed right into my charm once I came up to you. Sometimes when you’re scoping out the bar for a while, and you land on a ‘butterface’, you have to do what you have to do.”

That last comment set you off, and you quickly turned on your heels and were charging back towards Sterling with your hands clenched into fists. You didn’t give a fuck how this would reflect on your father, or the riders on his team, if you were to clash your knuckles against one of his cheekbones. No one spoke to you in that nature and got away with it.

“You little fucking-” But as soon as your fist was raised, aiming straight for his face, you felt an arm wrap around your waist and it started to pull you backwards.

“Y/N, don’t do this,” you heard Harry’s voice bleeding into your ear as his other arm then came around to pull you back even further. “He’s not fucking worth it, and I’ll take care of this.”

Although you were fighting against Harry’s hold, he was stronger than you, and he had managed to drag you all the way to the section of the arena that was for your father’s riders specifically before letting you go.

“You should’ve let me hit him!” You exclaimed with a shake of your head. “He may not have been worth it, but he fucking deserved it.”

“And I’m not disagreeing with you there, but you’re better than that, Y/N. Don’t stoop to his level.”

Rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms over your chest. “I really don’t care what you think I am or am not better than anymore. You don’t have to continue following me around and stepping in for me. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”

“Funny you’re saying all this to me now when just a few nights ago you were telling me how much you appreciated me being there for you,” Harry scoffed.

“Yeah, well that was before I realized that you're the person I need to protect myself from the most. Just leave me alone, Harry.”

Since then, you and Harry hadn’t spoken, and you did a good job of making sure that you didn’t cross paths with him. However, now you had started to feel guilty considering the dust on the whole situation had finally settled. Harry didn’t deserve for you to speak to him that way just because he embarrassed you by turning you down. You knew he was right to pull you away from Sterling, and you also knew he was right to make it clear you couldn’t cross the line you both so desperately wanted to. 

Tonight you were standing on the sidelines at the arena, and you could see Harry getting ready to ride - throwing one leg over the antsy bull in the bucking chute. Unlike a lot of the other riders, Harry never wore a hat, he would just pull his long hair back into a bun which caused him to look more delicious than ever. The other riders in this competition had done well, but with Harry’s history, you knew he had the capability to take it all by storm. You wished that he would, and then you would go to congratulate him and apologize.

It was in the blink of an eye that the gate opened, and the bull Harry was riding went flying out. You watched as his thick, toned thighs pressed down against the sides of the animal as he moved his body the best that he could with the erratic movements. You were holding your breath without even realizing it as you tried your best not to focus on the clock keeping Harry’s time. You were only trying to focus on him. Harry was good, there was no doubt about that, but given that the competition today was at your father’s rodeo, it was a big deal that all the riders on the team did well.

It felt like the longest eight seconds of your life before Harry’s ride ended, and it was deemed that he had stayed on the bull for a full eight seconds. It was also determined he only ever used one hand and didn’t touch the bull or the ground with his free arm. His ride was quickly classified as a ‘qualified ride’ and his score ended up being the highest on the board.

Your hands cupped around your mouth and you cheered in celebration of such a successful round. Harry’s eyes flicked over in your direction, and you dropped your arms by your side. It was the first time the two of you had laid eyes on each other since you told him off. Sending him a soft smile, you waited for him to return it, but instead he looked away from you and went in the opposite direction.

As much as that caused your heart to sink, you couldn’t fault Harry. You were more than cruel the last time you spoke to him, and truly, if he never wanted to go back to the way things were, you’d understand.

Sucking in a deep breath, you wiped your sweaty palms onto the denim shorts that covered only half way down your thighs before leaving the sidelines. You knew you needed to talk to Harry, but you knew he was on a high from his almost guaranteed win, so you decided you would give him some time.

After about thirty minutes, you walked towards the back of the arena where the riders hung out after the scores were finalized. You rounded the corner to where you knew Harry’s station was set up, and as you approached, you saw him speaking to a girl with sandy blonde hair. As you studied her, you realized that you recognized her. She was known around the town as the girl who hooked up with just about any bull rider - local or not. You didn’t fault her for that, to each their own, but jealousy began to spread throughout your limbs as you watched the interaction.

Once you knew you couldn’t watch them any longer, you turned around and started to clean up around some of the other stations of the riders who had already left. It wasn’t until you heard a chuckle that you realized you weren’t alone.

“What are you up to, Y/N?” Your father asked, and you looked over to see him leaning against a pole with his arms crossed.

“Just tidying some things up,” you replied as you forced a smile, and you quickly pulled your sunglasses down to cover your eyes.

“I see the way you look at him like a lovesick puppy when you don’t think other people are watching.”

Your father’s words caused you to pause, and you took in a deep breath as you tried to figure out your next move. Should you rebuke his claim? Tell him that he’s wrong? Or do you admit to it?

“What do you…I don’t-”

“You do, Y/N, and I see the way he looks at you too. Like you’re walking on fucking water,” it was quiet for a bit as you avoided looking over at him. “Do you like him?”

You glanced back over to the fence where Harry was standing to see that he was still entertaining the same girl, and you licked over your bottom lip before continuing to busy yourself. “Can’t you see that he clearly has his hands full?”

“Not what I asked. Do you like him?”

Stomping your cowboy boot covered foot, you finally looked over to your father. “Doesn’t matter if I do. You’d never let me near him.”

“Sweetheart, I-”

“No, Dad,” you shook your head. “For years you’ve scared everyone away from me, and that didn’t really bother me until now. And he’s been warned by everyone that I’m unobtainable, and to not even try. For once…”

You could feel the tears burning in your eyes, and you were grateful that you had pulled your sunglasses down now.

“For once what? I need to hear you say it.”

Looking over one more time, you now saw Harry and the girl with their phones out - clearly exchanging numbers. Your shoulders slouched as the repercussions of your actions really took hold, and you completely turned away from the two of them.

“Nothing. Just forget we had this conversation, please.”

You stalked away from the area, wanting to get away from the arena as fast as possible, but little did you know that your father lingered behind.

He continued to observe Harry and the girl that had gotten under your skin, and once Harry slipped his phone in his pocket, and the girl walked away, he stepped forward. 

Cliff almost felt bad as he approached the boy, watching as a large smile spread across his face, and he was sure that Harry thought he was coming over to congratulate him on his win.

“Look, son, I need you to be straight with me,” the smile instantly fell, and Harry changed the position of his body so he was no longer relaxed and leaning his weight on one of the fences. “You know I’ve been good to you since you’ve been here, and I treat you like one of my own considering how respectful you are, so I need you to be honest. Do you have a thing for my daughter?”

Harry’s eyes were darting back and forth between Cliff’s, and he watched as the boy started to flush.

“This isn’t a trap, Harry.”

Clearing his throat, Harry nodded. “Yes, sir, I do. Your daughter…she’s beautiful. Y/N is unlike any girl I’ve ever met.”

“I’ve never seen my girl look at a boy the way she does you,” Cliff said honestly. “She doesn’t get hung up over boys like this.”

It remained silent before Cliff continued to speak. “I’ve done my best to protect her from the boys around here because I remember how I used to be when I was your age, but I have to keep reminding myself that she’s grown. I can’t shelter her forever. I see the way the both of you look at each other.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Harry,” Cliff chuckled as he walked forward, and he placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m saying all this to let you know that if you would like to pursue my daughter, you have my blessing to do so. But I need you to hear me loud and clear when I say this.”

He could see that Harry swallowed harshly. “Yes, sir. Anything.”

“You will not play games with her. Either you’re all in or you leave her alone. Do you understand? That’s my little girl. The only thing I have left outside of this rodeo and the ranch, and I will not allow her to get hurt more than she already is.”

Harry knew a little bit about your mom, and how she had passed when you were younger, but he never pressed about it. He figured that you, or Cliff, would talk about it whenever you felt comfortable enough. And even if the both of you never did, that was also okay with him.

“I truly am only interested in your daughter,” Harry nodded. “Yes, I just gave that girl my number, but…I didn’t know I could have what I really wanted.”

Cliff threw his head back with another laugh. “Like I said, I was your age once, I get it.”

“Now that you’ve told me I have a chance with Y/N, I’ve already forgotten that girl’s name,” Harry blushed while running his hand over the back of his neck.

“Good,” Cliff gave one more good pat to Harry’s shoulder before dropping his hand. “Now, I’m going to head home. You tell my daughter if she doesn’t come home tonight, that she needs to text me. I’m certain you’ll see her.”

With a wink, your father walked away and Harry stood there almost dumbfounded. Never did he think he’d see that day that Cliff finally allowed anyone to date you, let alone him. He knew that he needed to straighten up and find you as soon as possible.

After changing into a pair of fresh black jeans and a plain white shirt, Harry hopped into his truck and started towards the usual bar. His palms were sweating against the steering wheel on the drive over as he tried to figure out what he was going to say. He felt like a right dick earlier when you had cheered him on, and he just looked at you before looking away, but he just wasn’t sure where the two of you stood.

At this point, you both had hurt each other's feelings, and he was going to do everything he could to get the two of you back to where you were before - at the very least. 

With rocks flying out from under the treads of his tires, Harry parked his truck in the parking lot of the bar and walked inside. His eyes raked over the crowd in front of him, and soon his sight landed right on you. 

You were standing at the bar by yourself with a beer and a shot of clear liquor in front of you. The tip of your finger was lazily tracing over the rim of your shot glass as Harry forced his way through the sea of people, and once he got beside you, he turned his body to face your side - leaning against the bar top.

“How much have you had to drink?” He asked, tilting his head to the side.

Your eyebrows narrowed as you assessed him - scoffing slightly with your answer. “This is my second shot. I’m still on my first beer. Why?”

“Come on then.”

“Excuse me?” Now your eyebrows shot up on your forehead as you huffed a laugh. “Where to? And also, don’t you have someone else to entertain?”

“Y/N.”

Harry didn’t say anything else as he held your eyes, and you gulped a bit under his gaze. Taking in a deep breath through your nose, you downed your shot and threw back the rest of your beer as a chaser before allowing him to lead you outside with his hand resting on the small of your back.

Once you got outside, you pulled yourself away from him and took a couple of step backs to create some distance. “What do you want?”

“You,” Harry stated without hesitation.

You stared at him for a second before barking out a laugh. “Okay, very funny.”

“I’m serious. I want you. I talked to Cliff and-”

“Fuck,” you sighed. “He was really making his rounds today, wasn’t he?”

Harry tilted his head to the side, but he didn’t say anything as he stared at you.

“He talked to me earlier,” you cleared your throat. “He talked to me…about you.”

There was more silence as the two of you held each other’s eyes, and Harry slinked just a bit closer to you as he tucked his hands into his pockets. “Funny. He talked to me about you too - obviously.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” you shrugged. “I’m sure you have plans with that girl I saw you with.”

With a sigh, Harry reached out slowly to rest his hand on your hip - the pad of his thumb caressing the bone there. “I got her number, yes. But I don’t have any intention of using it. Not when I know that I can have who I’ve really wanted all along.”

“I don’t know,” you tried to fight the feeling that came with his hand being on you, and the way his touch was tingling your skin. “I’d feel a bit easy if I allowed myself to give in after what I saw.”

“Then I’ll work for it, Y/N. Tell me what I need to do in order to have you.”

Your mind was going a mile a minute as you tried to decipher all of your thoughts. This was what you had wanted for so long. For the two of you to admit that you wanted each other. To throw the rules away in order to have one another.

“I want it to be proper, Harry,” you told him as you stepped forward to close more space between the two of you. “The build-up. The dates. And if we figure out this is really what we both want - I want to be properly asked to be your girlfriend when the time comes.”

“I can do that,” Harry moved an inch closer. “I can do all of that for you.”

Biting down on your bottom lip, you held his eyes as you reached out to place a palm against his stomach. “Okay then,” you whispered. “My first demand is that you kiss me. Just one to hold me over for now.”

Harry smirked as both his hands now moved up to cradle your cheeks. “I think I’m more than capable of managing that.”

Not another second was wasted as he lowered his mouth down to meet yours, and you hummed as you felt the sides of his thumbs caressing your jawline. The kiss started out slow, and sensual - both of you getting the feel for the other. Soon you tilted your head just a bit while allowing the tip of your tongue to sneak out and prod at the seam of his lips. Harry let out a small groan in response before parting them for you, and soon his own tongue was rolling right against yours. You allowed yourself to bask in the moment for just a few more seconds before pulling away.

“My god,” Harry groaned as he dropped his forehead against your temple. “Your mouth is even sweeter than I imagined.”

✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪

“I’ll be back tonight, and I’ve planned the evening for us,” Harry said to you on the phone as you leaned against one of the fences near the horses. “That sound okay?”

Harry had been out on the road with the team on and off for the past few weeks, so the two of you hadn’t been able to see each other much.

The night the two of you finally decided to give things a shot, thanks to the permission from your father, Harry drove you home and you indulged in another kiss before you hopped out quickly. You knew if you hadn’t that you would’ve asked him to take you back to his place instead of having him work for it. Since then, you guys had taken time to have a few minutes alone when he’d be working on the ranch, and you had grabbed a few quick lunches together, but Harry hadn’t been able to take you on the proper date that he wanted.

“Yeah, that sounds good, Harry,” you nodded as you bit down on your bottom lip to keep the wide smile you felt pushing in at bay. “Just make sure that Vinnie drives safe, okay? I need you back here in one piece.”

“Don’t worry about that. He’s already making jokes about how he has Y/N’s precious cargo on board, so he knows to not drive like he stole the damn truck as he usually does,” Harry chuckled, and you could feel the blush rising in your cheeks at the comment.

It wasn’t like you were trying to keep the guys from finding out about the two of you being together - if you could even call it that right now. You both decided that you didn’t really care who knew and who didn’t, but there had been a couple of times where the others had seen the two of you clearly acting differently, and they had put two and two together themselves.

“Well, I’ll see you when you get here. Just text me when you’re about an hour out from coming to get me, yeah?”

“Will do, baby. I’ll see you soon.”

Ending the call, you stared down at the blank screen as your stomach fluttered with excitement. You had been waiting for Harry to finally mention taking you out on a proper date, but you hadn’t faulted him for not doing so yet considering the busy schedule he was dealing with. You also knew that if you were to date him, he’d be gone a lot as well, so it was just all part of choosing to be with someone with his profession. It was something you’d have to get used to.

You finished up your day on the ranch by feeding and grooming the horses, and then you went back into the farmhouse to shower before your date. While you were in the shower, Harry had texted you that they were about thirty minutes out from the ranch, and that once he got home he’d freshen up and then come to get you - giving you the hour notice that you had asked him for.

It didn’t take long to set your hair in some long curls, but it did take you a bit of time to figure out exactly which outfit you wanted to wear. You weren’t sure what he had in mind, so you didn’t want to look too fancy, but you also didn’t want to look too casual.

Staring at yourself in the mirror, you ran your hands over your dress before picking up two pairs of boots to choose from. You decided on the lighter colored ones - slipping them on your feet and heading down the stairs. 

Your father was in the kitchen preparing himself some dinner, so you knew that Harry had to be at his house getting ready by now considering your father had been traveling with all of them.

“You’re home,” you commented as you walked behind him - planting a kiss on his cheek. “How was the trip?”

Cliff looked over at you with a smirk. “I think you probably got a pretty good rundown on how things went down over the past week.”

Shaking your head, you smiled at him as you turned around to press the small of your back against the counter next to the one he was occupying. “I did, but from his perspective - not from yours.”

“It was good,” Cliff nodded as he continued to work on the sandwich he was making. “I think this is one of the best teams that I’ve had in years. They all get along really well. They’re all eager to help out here on the ranch as much as they can, and they all take their riding very seriously. I couldn’t ask for more out of them.”

“I’m glad, Dad,” you crossed your arms over your chest. “I know you had a couple of years there where all the guys wanted to do was give you trouble. I’m happy to hear that’s not the case anymore.”

“Not at all. I can tell each one of them respects me, and because of that, I respect each and every one of them.”

You opened your mouth to say more, but the sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted you. Your pulse quickened when you realized it was probably Harry coming to pick you up for your date. Cliff wiped his hands off on a dishtowel before heading towards the door, and you walked quickly back up into your room to grab your purse.

By the time you came back down, Harry, with his hair pulled back in a bun, was standing in the foyer of the farmhouse talking to your father. He was wearing a pair of dark blue washed skinny jeans with his boots and a black short sleeved button up with thin, white, vertical stripes covering it. You watched as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans - his tattooed bicep flexing as he did so.

“Hi,” you said as you made your way down to the last step, and he turned around to look at you.

“Y/N,” his dimples popped in his cheeks as he looked you over. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you,” you giggled while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “So do you.”

Harry walked forward and placed his hand on your back as the both of you turned to look at your father.

“I’ll have her back by midnight, at the latest, sir,” Harry said while holding his other hand out for Cliff to take.

“You can have her back by then if you’d like, son, but she’s a grown woman. She can choose how long she stays out - if she wants to come home.”

Heat flushed over your neck as you realized what your father was alluding to, but you decided not to comment on it. You watched as the two men shook hands before Harry guided you outside to his truck. Once he opened the passenger door, and when you slipped up onto the bench seat, he remained standing there for a moment. 

“What?” You bit down on your bottom lip as he cupped the top of your knee - rubbing circles against the inside of it with his thumb.

“Just really happy to see you again, is all,” he confessed with a small laugh. “I know we talked and FaceTimed a few times, but seeing your pretty face in person is always better.”

Taking in a deep breath, you took Harry’s face into your palms. “Kiss me, please.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Harry leaned in and planted his mouth against yours in a short, but searing, kiss and you sighed happily through your nose as he pulled away. 

“If I don’t stop right now, I’ll makeout with you, and I’d rather not have your dad witness that,” he smirked, and you shook your head playfully at him.

“Maybe later then.”

Harry hummed as he ran his nose along your jawline before pulling away completely now. “Definitely later.”

He rounded the front of the truck and got into the driver’s seat before heading back down the driveway of the ranch. The radio played lightly as he started down the road, and you could see that the sun was just beginning to set along the lines of trees fencing in the open fields.

“So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing? Or is it going to be a surprise?”

“A surprise,” Harry smiled over at you before taking your hand - locking your fingers together on the seat between the two of you. “But I think you’re going to be really happy about it.”

“Just being able to be with you tonight has made me happy, Harry,” you told him honestly as you gave his hand a squeeze.

Only a few minutes later, Harry was pulling off onto one of the dirt paths that journeyed through the middle of one of the fields. Once he passed the line of trees that blocked the sight of the remaining bit of field from the road, he turned to park his truck right in the middle of the open area.

“I decided tonight we’d enjoy the full moon. I know you’ve mentioned looking at them where nothing is blocking them. I figured this would be perfect,” he announced as he shut the truck off. “I’ve got everything we need in the back.”

You weren’t sure if you had ever felt your cheeks hurt so bad before from smiling, but you didn’t want it to stop. The fact that he had taken something you had casually mentioned, and locked it away in his mind, made your heart beat in a way you couldn’t explain. The words to respond to him escaped you as he got out, and he came around to help you as well before walking the two of you around to the bed of his vehicle.

Once he lowered the tailgate, he grabbed the large quilt he had rolled up and spread it out over the whole back of the truck. He turned around to wrap his hands around your hips before lifting you up and setting you back down in the middle of the bed. When he climbed in beside you, he helped you remove your boots, and then did the same with his own - tossing both sets down onto the ground below.

“I thought I remembered you saying that you didn’t like white wine, only red, so I brought a blend,” Harry stated as he zipped open a tote bag that was beside him. “But just in case, I brought a white as well.”

“You remembered correctly. I like red wine,” you told him as you watched him pull out two stemless wine glasses, and he set them down on the quilt between the two of you. 

Harry uncorked the bottle and poured each of you a glass before putting a stopper into it and setting it off to the side. From there he began to pull other things he had out of the bag, and you saw that he had an assortment of vegetables, fruit and cheeses in different containers. He also brought out some different dips as well, and you looked over his face as he set everything up for the two of you.

“This is so sweet,” you complimented him. “No one has ever put this much thought into a date for me before. This is so…sentimental, Harry. Thank you.”

“Of course, Y/N,” he reached up to run the back of his fingers against your cheek. “I’m so happy that we’re finally doing this.”

“Me too.”

The two of you worked your way through the fruits and veggies, and Harry took note of how you left the cheese for last. Another small blurb of information about you that he tucked away into his brain as he figured you saved it for last because it was your favorite.

Once the two of you were finished, you both laid back and stared up at the stars and the moon - nothing blocking your view of the sky due to where Harry had chosen to park his truck. You were tucked into his side as he ran his fingers through the back of your hair, and you had one of your hands resting on his chest.

“This has been so nice,” you sighed before turning your head - nuzzling your face into the side of his neck.

“It has, hasn’t it?” Harry turned his head to press his lips against your temple.

Bringing your face back up, you moved your hand up from his chest to cup his cheek before pressing your lips against his. He hummed against them as he pulled you even more into his side, and eventually you rolled him onto his back so that you were laying on top of him.

“Y/N,” he whispered against your lips as you positioned yourself to properly straddle his lap.

“Please,” you pleaded, moving your mouths together for a bit longer before speaking again. “I want this with you.”

“Are you sure?” His hands started to run up and down your thighs underneath your dress - the tips of his fingers grazing the waistband of your thong. “I don’t want to rush this. I told you that I wanted to work for it, and you wanted it all to be proper. I want to give you everything I promised.”

“You have, Harry,” you replied without hesitation. “You’ve exceeded any expectations that I had with what you planned tonight. I’m more than sure that I want this. Are you?”

“Yeah,” a crooked smile pressed onto his lips. “I’ve wanted you like this for so long.”

“Then have me.”

Harry’s hand wrapped around the back of your neck, holding you in place so that your chest would be pressed right against his, and he tilted his chin to kiss you once again. It was like the two of you were moving in perfect sync as your lips parted, and your wine-stained tongues glided against one another's. 

You moaned into his mouth when you could feel him hardening underneath you, your panties being the only thing separating you from the bulging denim pressed against your core, and you slowly rocked your hips. Harry whined as you sucked on his tongue all while grinding yourself over his lap.

“Fuck, Y/N.”

The whimpery tone of his voice had a delicious shiver vibrating up your spine as you moved your hands between the two of you so you could start to unbutton his shirt. Once you had it all the way undone, Harry lifted up just a bit so you could shove it off his shoulders, and then he pulled it the rest of the way off - tossing it to the side.

You had seen Harry without his shirt several times on the ranch, but something about now being able to run your hands over his inked, and sunkissed, skin had a hunger you had never felt growing. Smoothing your palms over his chest, you leaned back down to kiss him - all while your fingertips journeyed lower to start undoing the buckle of his belt.

“Trying to get me naked so quickly, baby?” Harry grinned against your lips.

“I just really want to see you,” you panted as you sat up fully. You watched as Harry reached down to his belt with one hand, the other caressing your thigh, and he pulled it through the loops of his jeans before having it join his shirt somewhere on the bed of the truck.

Something about seeing him rid himself of the belt one handed managed to turn you on even more, and you curled your fingers around the hem of your dress. You arched your back as you pulled it over your head - letting it drop down beside the two of you as Harry’s eyes wandered over the expanse of your torso. Your dress had allowed you to go without a bra, so there you were, straddling the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen in nothing but your little lace thong. You could see that his throat bobbed as he took you in, and soon you felt his calloused fingertips dancing along your ribcage.

“I was going to make a comment about how we were a bit uneven when it came to clothing,” he started before looking into your eyes. His large hands enveloped your breasts, giving them a squeeze as you fought to keep your eyes open from how good he already had you feeling when he had just started to really touch you. “But now I’m the one who’s overdressed.”

A laugh left your mouth as you started to undo the button of his jeans - your bottom lip tucking its way between your teeth as you did so. You quickly pulled the zipper down, and then you and Harry shifted around so that he could remove them. You couldn’t help but laugh again as you watched him take a moment to organize your clothing so that he could properly move it out of the way.

“Should we just…” you trailed off as the two of you kneeled in front of each other.

Harry nodded, knowing what you meant without having to acknowledge it fully, and the two of you reached forward to rid the other of your underwear. 

Now, completely naked in front of one another, you each took a moment to allow your hands to indulge in each other’s bodies. It was nothing overtly sexual - just becoming familiar with a body each of you had wanted to know for so long.

“You’re so beautiful, Y/N,” Harry whispered as he looked into your eyes. “I hope you know how much this means to me - how special it is that you’d let me see you like this.”

You felt as if you could cry with Harry’s sweet words, and you shuffled just a bit closer to him to have one of your thighs slotted between the two of his. With your chests pressed together, you held the sides of his neck in your hands while smoothing the pads of your thumbs over his jawline.

“You’re beautiful too, Harry,” you confessed, and you were sure you could feel his own heart beating against your chest. “I’m so happy to be doing this with you.”

As the two of you indulged into another kiss, you gently pressed your palm against one of Harry’s shoulders to have him laying back against the quilt once more, and then you straddled his waist just like you had been earlier.

“Wait,” he pulled away from you with a look that had a bit of panic. “I…I didn’t bring a condom. I didn’t want you think this is what I expected by doing all of this tonight.”

Curling your lips into your mouth, you started to slowly grind yourself over his length, and you watched as Harry’s eyes rolled back into his head. The groan that left him was like music to your ears as you stabilized your hands on his chest.

“I’m on birth control,” you told him as you peeked down to see his tip becoming visible every time you drew your hips back far enough. “But if you don’t feel comfortable, you can pull out.”

“You’d let me have you like that? For the first time?”

“Yeah, I trust you.”

Pressing a kiss to his collarbone, you carefully wiggled your way down to where your mouth hovered over Harry’s cock. You peeked up at him underneath your lashes as you took his shaft into your hand - beginning to work your palm over it. Harry let out another delicious whine as you took his tip into your mouth and swirled your tongue around it, and you hummed as you could taste not only him, but also yourself just from the little bit of grinding you had done.

You kept your eyes on him as you lowered your head, and you gagged just slightly once he hit the back of your mouth. Taking in a deep breath through your nose, you pushed further until you felt him slightly curving down your throat. The slickness between your thighs was growing as you heard Harry gasp while he gathered your hair into his hand to hold it like a makeshift ponytail.

“That feels so good,” he sighed as his eyes fluttered shut again, and you started up the motion of moving your head up and down his prick. 

It had been a while since you had given someone a blowjob, but never did you have someone as vocal as Harry. He was definitely unlocking a turn on that you didn’t even know you had by how responsive he was being, and it made you feel that much more confident. 

You knew that you had to look a bit messy with drool dripping down your chin, and the gurgling sound of when you tried to take him just a little too far, but Harry didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Once he had opened his eyes to look at you again, it caused your stomach to clench in the best way possible. He looked at you as if you were the most gorgeous thing in the world - the most treasured thing. It was both sexual and romantic all in one.

Every now and then Harry’s hips would buck up, especially when you swallowed around him, and he’d murmur out a breathless ‘sorry’, but there was nothing for him to be sorry for. You enjoyed knowing that he was on the border of not being able to properly control himself, and you had never felt that way about giving head to a man before.

“Y/N,” Harry’s voice was strained as he said your name. “If you keep going, ‘m gonna come.”

You pulled off of him with your mouth, but you curled your hand around his slick shaft to continue working him. Licking over your lips, you straddled his waist and you positioned him right at your entrance - holding his eyes as you did so.

Slowly, you began to lower yourself onto his prick, and you moaned as just how much he was filling you when he was barely even inside of you yet. Once you had taken enough of him, you moved both of your hands to rest on his pecs while Harry gripped to your hips.

“Oh my god,” you babbled once he was fully sheathed inside you, and you gave yourself a moment to process all of it.

“You feel so good,” Harry’s voice cut through, bringing you back to reality a bit. “You’re so fucking snug around me, baby.”

Humming, you began to rock your hips back and forth, and you gasped at the feeling of him already hitting against your sweetest spot. Your nails dug into his skin, which caused him to hiss from the pain, and now you were the one to apologize.

“Sorry,” you said while quickly retracting your nails, and going to move your hands away.

“Don’t be,” Harry took your hands and placed them back on his chest. “I like a little bit of pain.”

“Yeah?” You looked into his eyes as you started to lift yourself up and down his shaft - letting out a soft laugh. “Good to know.”

Harry smirked up at you as his grip on your hips tightened even more, and he started to assist you with bouncing up and down on his cock. The jumping in your lower abdomen that would always start when you were on the brink of your orgasm made itself known faster than you were expecting, and you could feel yourself already starting to flutter around him.

“You’re squeezing my cock so good,” Harry commented, and you reached down to wrap your hands around his wrists - using it as extra leverage to ride him even harder. “Gonna have to try so hard not to come once you do. It’s gonna be so tight that I might lose my fucking mind.”

“Keep talking like that,” you pleaded as you tilted your head back, and Harry took a moment to admire the glow of you underneath the light of the full moon.

He had never seen something so beautiful, never had someone so beautiful clashing down against his hips - riding him in such a sultry way. He’d be a liar if he said he had never imagined what it would be like to have you in this very position with him, however, this was way better than he ever expected. Way better than any fantasy his mind had concocted. 

“Yeah?” Harry journeyed a hand down to rub the tips of his index and middle fingers back and forth over your swollen clit. “There’s something about watching the way you take my cock, Y/N. Seeing how I practically split you open. It almost looks like you can barely take it.”

A whimper caught in the back of your throat at that last one. Another thing he was having you learn, you guessed. 

You liked a man who had a size kink.

“Don’t you think so?” He continued. “I told you you’re so tight - squeezing me so nicely. It’s because your cunt’s so small, baby. Never had a real man fuck you before, have you?”

That was it for you. Your knees tightened against Harry’s hips, and your own stuttered as you surrendered and gave him all the power to keep moving you up and down his shaft as your orgasm took over. Even with your ears ringing, you could hear the grunt that fled from Harry’s lungs as he continued to rub over your bud, but he stopped moving you over him. You knew he had to do that to keep himself from coming, however, he still wanted to make sure he rode you through your climax completely.

Collapsing onto his chest, you felt Harry’s arms wrap around you. He held you tight as his fingers stroked your hair, and he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“So good for me,” he whispered into your ear before sponging a kiss underneath it as well. “Fit right against me so perfectly, hm? Always knew we were meant to be together. No one fits together like this if they’re not made for one another.”

Once again he had your heart fluttering in the midst of still being so turned on. You lifted your head to look into his eyes, and he leaned up to have his lips pressing against your own. As you both took some time just to treasure the feeling of each other's lips with Harry still being inside of you, he cradled the back of your head in his palm, and still kept one arm around your torso, as he slowly turned the two of you over so he was now hovering over you.

“I have to tell you,” he whispered before pecking just your bottom lip. “Once I start again, it’s not going to be long before I come.”

“That’s okay,” you assured him as you ran your hands up and down his toned arms. “I think you’ve edged yourself long enough.”

That caused you both to laugh as Harry maneuvered himself around just a bit more so that he was perched on his knees, and your own were hitched up right beneath his ribcage - his hands cupping your abdomen in the same place. Biting down on his bottom lip, he began to roll his hips forward to be inside you fully once again, and you shuddered at the feeling.

You were a bit sensitive given that it had been a while since you had been with someone, and the fact that Harry was quite large, but in a way, it made it all feel even better. As much as you felt the overwhelming urge to close your eyes, you couldn’t bring yourself to miss out on what was happening right above you.

With every roll of Harry’s hips, you watched as the butterfly etched into his torso rippled, and the ferns that framed the delicious cock that was giving you so much pleasure vanished from your sight each time the bottom of your thighs would be flush against his body. 

It was a stunning sight with the stars flickering in the open, dark sky behind him, and the moon just barely illuminating the two of you. This had to be the most beautiful, and romantic, situation you had ever found yourself in. You should have figured that Harry would be the one to make you experience something like this all during your first date together. 

The slapping of your skin echoed just barely in the open field around you, considering the closest line of trees was pretty far back, so most of the sound just drowned out. 

“You look so beautiful underneath me, Y/N,” he leaned down to press a small kiss against the side of your neck, and then the corner of your lips. “I don’t ever want anyone else like this.”

You reached up to loosely wrap your arms around his neck, reaching up to pull his hair out of the bun he had it in all night to let his long curls free. Your fingers ran through them for a moment before you let your nails scrap against his scalp.

“You won’t have to,” you whispered as you lifted your legs up a bit to rest your heels against his lower back. “Because I don’t ever want to be under anyone else. Just you.”

Harry choked out a moan at your words, and you pressed one of your heels down to have him delving into you even further. You could tell he was nearing his end with the way his thighs started to tremble, and the way he was beginning to lose his rhythm.

“Fuck, baby,” he mewled. “I’m about to come.”

You loosened the grip you had on him with your legs so that he could pull out, and you watched as he fisted his shaft - pointing his tip right at your glistening pussy. The way Harry’s eyes rolled as he tilted his head back up towards the sky had you clenching down around nothing. It was then you felt the warmth of the ropes of his come falling onto your cunt, and you couldn’t help but hum at the feeling. Harry gave himself a few more strokes before he lowered himself onto the quilt beside you, and he draped one of his arms over your waist as he pulled you into his side.

“I’ll clean you up in just a moment,” he leaned down to capture your lips briefly. “I just need a minute.”

“I’m in no hurry.”

After a few minutes of allowing your hand to run over his chest, and for his fingers to trail up and down your spine, Harry sat up and grabbed some paper towels from the bag he had packed with all the necessary essentials for tonight. He kneeled between your legs again like he had before, and he carefully lifted one of your legs and moved it to the side while his other hand wiped up his mess.

The two of you pulled your clothes back on, and as Harry helped you down from the back of the truck, he pressed his lips against your ear. “Come home with me.”

You nodded without hesitation and gave him a soft peck before he helped you into the passenger seat of the truck.

The ride back to Harry’s house on the ranch was silent, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. You knew the two of you were just basking in what happened just moments ago, and you knew it was a night you would never forget for as long as you lived.

When Harry pulled up in front of his house, he got out and once again helped you out of the truck as well, but once he closed the door behind you, he pressed you against it.

“Y/N,” he held your eyes as he massaged your hips in his hands. “I want you to be my girl. I want to be able to tell people that you’re my girlfriend. I want to be yours.”

If you already thought you couldn’t smile any harder after everything he had done for you tonight, you were wrong. Your cheeks were already aching as you hooked your arms up underneath his so that your palms were pressed against his shoulder blades. “I want to be yours too, Harry. There’s no one else.”

You were sure that the smile on Harry’s face had to match just how big yours was before he leaned down and locked your lips together in a passionate kiss. 

One thing was for sure, as soon as you got home tomorrow, you needed to thank your father for finally seeing you as the woman you had grown into. He managed to lead you right into something that you knew would probably be the best experience of your life. Though, getting to be with Harry had you feeling certain that maybe your father had kept all the others away because he knew something you didn’t. That he knew none of them were right for you.

None of them until Harry.

✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪ • ✪

“Harry? Hello?” 

Stella catches his attention and he is forced to move his focus back to his colleagues at the table. 

“Huh? Sorry, what did you say?” He clears his throat and keeps his eyes on his half-eaten sandwich in front of him. 

“What’s up with you? You haven’t been your usual self lately.”

“Just… tired. I’m behind with my research and have a bunch of papers to grade before winter break.”

“The joys of being a teacher,” Stella chuckles. “Don’t worry, it’ll get better with time.”

“Really?”

“No,” she smirks at him. “But you’ll care less.”

She soon returns to the conversation at the table and Harry finds himself looking for Y/N again. There’s no trace of her in the line, but he is quick to spot her at a table across the dining hall, sitting beside Dickhead who has an arm around her neck, keeping her close as he wants everyone to know that they are together.

And it irks Harry way more than it probably should. 

It’s been a little over a week since Stella’s Christmas party and also that very heated and very wrong kiss he shared with Y/N. That weekend was like hell, he kept beating himself over and over about it, cursing himself out for being so stupid and reckless. He still has no idea what came over him that let him make out with a student, but he knew one thing for sure: it couldn’t happen again. 

So when Y/N walked into the classroom before his first lecture early on monday he didn’t even let her speak before he got to the point. 

“It shouldn’t have happened. I’m so sorry for it, but I can’t undo it now. I suggest let’s pretend nothing happened, it’s for the absolute best. No one can know about it and it will never happen again.”

She seemed taken aback by his outburst, but after a bit of hesitation she nodded.

“Okay. Nothing happened. It must have been the wine.”

“Yes,” he agreed right away. “We both drank more than we should have and made a mistake.”

She flinched at his last word, but didn’t protest, only nodded, holding her textbooks tighter to her chest. She looked so sad, even disappointed that Harry almost wanted to take back what he just said, but he knew he couldn’t. 

“Are you… okay?” he dared to ask, but when she looked at him again, her eyes told nothing. 

“I’m fine. I’ll see you in class, professor.”

And she was out of the classroom before he could say another word. In class she sat in the back and not even once did she look at him. He knows, because he kept looking at her. 

He’s been trying his best to get her out of his head, but with not much luck. Not when all he can think about is how soft her lips felt against his, how insanely good she tasted mixed with the coldness of the night, how amazingly she fit into his palm, the curve of her neck, back, waist and hips… and how badly he wants to experience it again even though it’s the worst possible idea. 

Harry thinks he is going insane. Genuinely. 

He’s been burying himself into work, but his focus has been all over the place, so it’s been more like a waste of time. He is one of the last ones in the building today as well. Most professors left a long time ago, but the lights in Harry’s tiny office are still on as he is hunched over a stack of papers. When he has to read over the same line for the twentieth time he drops his pen with a tired groan and leans back in his chair. He takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes roughly, until he is practically seeing stars. 

“Fuck,” he huffs, staring at the papers that are still waiting to be graded. Checking the time on his phone he is surprised to see that it’s already past seven.

He stands from his chair and steps to the window. The campus looks quiet at this time, only a few students are walking towards the dorm that’s next to the literature department’s building. It’s a wednesday night, the semester ends next week so some lucky students who have no more exams left in the year have already left for the holidays. Harry will be going home right before Christmas, he plans to use those few days of the break to work on his research in peace. 

From his window he sees part of the parking lot next to the dorm, it’s quite dark there, he almost doesn’t notice the figures sitting in the car closest to him, but a few heartbeats later realization hits him.

It’s Y/N and the dickhead. 

They are pretty far, but Harry can tell that they are in a heated fight, judging from how Y/N is gesticulating. Obviously he can’t hear them, but if he had to guess he would say she is shouting, from what he can see. 

For a moment he tells him to just ignore the scene, it’s none of anyone else’s business, let alone his. But when he sees the asshole slap his hands against the wheel several times, making Y/N jump, Harry is moving before he could second guess his actions. 

He practically sprints down that stairs, already trying to figure out how he’ll interject without appearing like a creep, but he forgets all his plans when he is marching towards the parking lot and sees the scene unfold from up close. 

At some point they must have gotten out of the car, because Harry catches the dickhead getting back into the driving seat, Y/N is crying and tries to stop him from shutting the door, but he swings it with such force that she stumbles forward, holding onto the handle. When Harry sees her almost fall to the asphalt he starts running, just as the car comes to life and he drives away so fast, he almost runs over Y/N’s feet. 

“Fuck you, Charlie! Fuck you!” She screams after the car, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

“Hey, hey, hey!” Harry rushes over to her, grabs her by her shoulders and turns her away from the direction of the car. “Hey, what happened?”

She is gasping for air from the crying as she wraps her arms around her, those beautiful eyes that are usually filled with curiosity are now full of confusion and hurt. 

“Y/N, look at me,” he begs and she hiccups a few times before she finally looks him in the eyes. 

“H-Harry?”

He ignores how good it feels to hear her call him by his first name again and tries to focus on the situation.

“Yeah. Let’s get inside, okay? It’s freezing cold.”

She nods and lets him steer her towards the building and up to his office. By the time she sits in the old armchair in the corner of his office she has stopped sobbing, but her expression looks just as miserable as before. 

“I’ll make you a tea. Do you like tea?” he asks, stepping over to the tiny side table where he keeps his kettle and tiny tea collection with two mugs. She nods and he is quick to turn on the kettle. He grabs a chamomile filter and drops it into one of the mugs and while the water boils he hands her a box of tissues that she accepts with a quietly murmured thank you. 

When the tea is done he hands her the mug and sits in his chair, unsure what to say. He definitely did not plan to have her in his office anytime soon and definitely not like this. 

“Go on, lecture me about being with him,” she says at last, staring into the mug in her hands. 

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“But you’d be right.” She looks up at him, eyes still red from the crying. 

“Why did you go back to him?” he softly asks, not wanting to make her feel even worse. 

“I don’t know,” she shrugs, looking away again. “He could be convincing, I guess.”

“Hope you won’t believe him after this.”

“No,” she chuckles bitterly before taking a sip from the tea, leaning back in the armchair. “Not even the sex will convince me to go back to him.”

Harry’s muscles jump at her words. Not because he is such a prude, but because instantly he is thinking about sex… and her… and his body reacts involuntarily. Clearing his throat he crosses his legs and looks anywhere but at her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” she chuckles softly, but she doesn’t seem sorry at all. 

“No, I… um…” Harry has no idea what to say. This feels like such an impossible situation, he is definitely walking on eggshells here and the fact that he is semi-hard does not help his case. 

While he is looking for the right words she places her mug to his desk and crosses her legs, a curious look playing in her eyes as she is looking at him. She appears calm and confident suddenly, like she wasn’t sobbing ten minutes ago. 

“I lied,” she then speaks up.

“About what?”

“I know why I went back to him.”

“Oh. Okay, why did you?”

She holds his gaze for one… two… three seconds before her lips part, then she hesitates for one more moment before answering. 

“Because I couldn’t go to you.”

A shiver runs down his spine at her words, his body is betraying him already, but he hangs onto the last bit of his rationality.

“Y/N, don’t.”

“Don’t what? Don’t tell the truth?”

“We agreed that we are not talking about it again.”

“I’m not talking about that night. I’m talking about how badly I’ve been wanting you, but knowing I can’t have you I went back to Charlie even though I knew I shouldn’t have.” 

“Y/N…” His mouth is dry and he feels ridiculously hot even though the heating hasn’t been working too well lately in his office. He is clawing at the arms of his chair, trying to keep the remains of his cool, though it feels like he is hanging on a thread.

“I won’t do anything about it, don’t worry. And I won’t bring it up again.” She sounds different this time, the confidence has turned into what feels like disappointment and it lurches something in Harry’s gut. 

Standing she smoothes her clothes before looking at Harry, a tiny sliver of expectancy glistening in her eyes. 

“Thanks for the tea. I better get going.”

She is already moving towards the door when Harry jumps to his feet, entirely lost about what to think, do or say. He strides after her and just when she is about to reach for the knob, he grabs her other hand, stopping her mid action. 

But he has no idea why he just did that. His rationality is screaming at him, but with each passing moment he spends holding her hand, the noise gets farther and farther away until it’s lost somewhere in the back of his mind. 

Slowly, she turns her head, eyes taking in the sight of their touching hands before her gaze meets his. He instantly stumbles back, letting go of her like she was on fire, but she doesn’t seem surprised. Instead, she turns around and just stands there, with a calm, but determined look on her face. 

“Careful professor,” she then speaks up. “I might take your actions as a hint.”

“A hint…” he breathes out, almost mesmerized with her, he is convinced she’s put a spell on him, because he can’t move or think straight, he just keeps staring at her.

“Yes, a hint,” she nods shortly. “That you want me just as much as I want you.”

He swallows down a moan that almost slips through his lips at her words. His whole body is burning for her, palms sweating and itching to touch her and he can almost taste her on his tongue again, desperate to pick up from where they left off not long ago. 

The tiniest smirk tugs on the corners of her mouth when she sees just how much he is struggling and she takes it as her queue to push her luck just a bit further. She takes a step closer to him, but still leaves some space between them, wanting him to close those last inches. 

“You know you can have me.” She cocks her head to the side, blinking up at him innocently. “Right here, on your desk or in that armchair. I want to be your good girl and take whatever you give me.”

“Stop it,” he manages to breathe out, but all his strength is gone, it sounds more like a plea rather than an order. 

“What if I don’t?” she sassily questions. “Will you punish me?”

Harry whimpers. They both know he is close to breaking and she is not stepping down now and she’s determined to push him over the edge. Slowly she reaches up, drags a finger across her lips before moving then down, tugging at her shirt at her chest, revealing more of the exposed skin there, then she starts playing with the top button, all while keeping her eyes focused on him. He sucks on his breath, his gaze keeps switching between her eyes and what her fingers are doing. 

Then it pops open, revealing the delicious swell of her breasts and a bit of the lacy bra as well and he knows he is gone. 

“Close the curtain,” he simply orders and a sudden rush of excitement washes over her as she quickly moves across the room, drawing the curtains on the window and turning around she is expecting him to be in the same spot, but to her surprise he is right there and before she could say a word, his lips crash down on hers with such force she would have fallen back if he didn’t already have an arm around her waist. 

His other hand is quick to find its way to her throat first, then to her jaw, angling her head perfectly so he can devour her. 

He spins them around and she gasps when her ass meets the edge of his desk, still kissing her he pushes forward, blindly tossing everything on the desk aside to make room, something clatters as it falls to the ground but neither of them cares to even look. His hands are on the back of her legs and he helps her up until she is sitting on top of the desk. 

She eagerly opens her thighs and circles her legs around his hips, pulling him closer and when she feels just how hard he already is, pushing against her clothed center, she can’t help but moan at the sensation. 

“It’s a one time thing,” he pants when her fingers start to work on his shirt and his hands find the button of her jeans. 

“Sure,” she breathes out smiling.

“Just to get it out of our system.”

“Of course,” she nods eagerly, and a moment later she is tugging his shirt off his shoulders. 

Buttons come undone, clothes are thrown across the room and soon enough all of his focus is on her naked chest, his hands exploring the tender, heated skin before his head dips down and his mouth meets her hardened nipples. 

“Oh fuck,” she moans, head falling back as she has an arm around his shoulders, the other one planted behind her on the desk. All while his hands are tugging down her jeans, finally giving him the chance to touch her inner thighs, exploring the warmth and softness he’s been fantasizing about for so long. 

He gently bites on one of her nipples, making her back arch, burying his face between her breasts before he leans back to get rid of her jeans. She has a moment to admire his naked torso, all the tattoos he’s been hiding under his clothes, his pants are hanging around his knees and his erection is throbbing through the fabric of his underwear. She can’t help but smile at the sight, it’s surely one she’ll remember forever.

When her jeans are discarded on the floor he plants his hands on her thighs and pushes them wide open, revealing her drenched panties. He brings his thumb over the wet fabric, lazily drags it over her clit, making her tremble under his touch. Then keeping eye contact with her he pulls his chair under him, sits down and rolls closer so his face is perfectly lined up with her. With his eyes still locked on hers, he leans forward, moves her panties to the side and places a sloppy, open mouthed kiss to her throbbing clit, making her moan so loud, he digs his fingers into her thighs pulling back. 

“You need to be quiet,” he warns her and she just eagerly nods, watching him take her underwear off completely and go back to where he was a moment ago. 

Harry drinks up her taste, he licks, kisses and sucks on the right spots, making her see stars as her orgasm is building up. When she feels two of his fingers slip into her she grabs a handful of his hair, tugging on it. 

But right when she is about to tip over the edge he pulls back, leaving her in a heaving mess. Reaching into one of his drawers he grabs a condom and standing up he watches her lying on his desk, chest rapidly rising and falling while he rolls the condom on. 

To his surprise, she gets up and jumps off the desk, taking the initiative by pushing him down back into the chair and straddling his lap. His hands are quick to move to her ass as his cock wedges between her drenched folds. He hisses when she starts rolling her hips, making them both even more feral for what’s about to come. 

She leans forward and kisses him, her hand reaching down between them until it finds his cock. She gives him a few lazy strokes to which he hums lowly into her mouth. Then she stops her kisses, lips still brushing against his, eyes meeting again as she lifts herself up just enough to angle him underneath her and then slowly she eases down, letting him enter her inch by inch until she is filled entirely. She gasps at the feeling of her walls stretching around him and they both stop for a few moments, just savoring how perfectly they fit together. 

She plants both her hands to the base of his neck, kisses him again and starts moving her hips. 

“Fuck, Y/N, you feel so good,” he groans, locking his arms around her, fingers digging into her naked back and side as she starts to slowly pick up her pace, bouncing on him. 

When he starts thrusting upwards, meeting her movements, her head rolls back from how deep she feels him inside her, his tip reaching the perfect spot. 

“Yes, right there!” she gasps as he buries his head in her neck, kissing and sucking on the soft skin while keeping his rhythm. “I’m so close,” she breathes out, her hands raking through his messy hair. 

Wanting even more friction she adjusts herself and then starts moving faster and rougher, aching for the release. She looks down, her eyes meet his gaze and she just knows he is as close as she is. 

“Harry,” she moans and hearing his name fall from her lips is what pushes him over the edge.

Grunting, his thrusts get rougher and fall out of their fast pace, he pushes into her over and over again as he fills the condom and watching him fall apart helps her let go as well. He feels her walls tighten around him while he is still riding out the afterwaves of his own orgasm, her mouth hangs open, nails digging into his shoulders so harshly they surely leave marks. 

Then they both slowly come off their high and she leans forward, capturing his lips in a much softer kiss than the ones they’ve shared just minutes ago. He gladly returns, their lips melt together and his fingers gently roam her naked back while he is still inside her. 

They’re quiet when she moves off him and grabs a few tissues to clean herself up while he discards the condom. The clothes are picked up from the floor one by one and a sense of unsureness settles between them as they both get dressed. 

She was the only thing on his mind just five minutes ago, but now that the sex haze is gone, his thoughts start racing. What did he do? What will happen now? This shouldn’t have happened but still, he wants to do it again and again and again. 

As if she knew he was panicking inside, she steps to him, takes his face in her hands and pulls him into a long, passionate kiss that instantly makes him forget about everything else. 

“Don’t overthink it,” she whispers against his lips. “We’re adults.”

“I’m your teacher,” he hums.

“The semester is almost over. Grade my last paper and we’re done,” she simply says with very little care about his current status. But he is not that sold on it just yet, hesitation and worry is all over his face. “Did you not want it?”

“You know how much I wanted it,” he admits defeatedly. 

“Great. I wanted it too. And I want it again. So I’ll come by tomorrow again. You’ll bend me over that desk after I had your cock in my mouth, then tell me what grade I’m getting for the semester and we do it again after that.”

He is already feeling himself getting hard again. Deep down he knows he should say no, but he has no will left to fight with himself anymore. So all he does is nod and then kiss her. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, professor.” She grabs her coat from the floor and then walks out of his office like nothing happened. 

Harry falls into his chair and assesses the mess on and around his desk, staring at the spot where she was sitting not long ago. He knows he is making his biggest mistake ever, but sinning has never felt this good.

And right now he is willing to take this risk.