Perilous (Harry Styles)

chapter 22

"It was true that the city could still throw shadows filled with mystifying figures from its past, whose grip on the present could be felt on certain strange days, when the streets were dark with rain and harmful ideas."

― Christopher Fowler, Ten Second Staircase

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I stared at Lisa's retreating car until she was out of sight, her words lingering behind.

Not knowing whether I could trust her gut feeling or mine more, I decided to not do anything as long as neither Harry nor Amelie gave me a reason to distrust them. Declaring war would end in a disaster I had no intention to experience.

"Zoey?" Harry called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Lisa was long gone and I just stood in the driveway, as dumbfounded as ever. Upon hearing his voice, I turned around to find him grinning at me from the doorway. "Yeah?"

"Are you daydreaming or talking to dead people like in Ghost Whisperer?" He asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"I'm talking to Jesus and he tells you to stop," I deadpanned, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

Harry bellowed, the sound of his laughter warming my heart. "You're so crazy, I love it."

"That's one of my many qualities." I climbed the few stairs and swung my arms around his neck, holding him close to me. Inhaling his scent, I felt at peace and happy, knowing this moment was mine and for no one else to take.

Just when I wanted to pull away, Harry wrapped his arms around my waist and let his hands wander down my butt to the back of my thighs, squeezing them slightly to tell me to jump. I did as he wished, nearly causing him to fall over.

My laughter broke the silence, not even one single cell in my body feeling sorry for him having to carry my weight.

Somehow, using one of his many talents, Harry closed the door and carried me into the living room, falling backwards on the couch so I was straddling him.

He leaned forward to connect our lips, but I turned my head at the last second, feeling his lips on my cheek. "You know, I really feel like eating a cupcake right now."

Harry groaned, grabbing my butt cheeks and forcing me stay on his lap this way. "You're not going anywhere until I allow you to go there." His voice was raspy and dangerously low.

"Ay, okay daddy," I replied with an innocent look on my face.

Another soft groan escaped from somewhere deep down his throat, only to be muffled in my neck when he hid his face from my view. "Zoey, you're killing me."

"Nah, you'll be fine but I'm really craving a cupcake." Now, that I have actually started thinking about it, I honestly wanted one. My mouth watered just at the thought of the chocolate heaven.

"You can wait five more minutes," Harry half-growled, placing his lips on my neck and lightly sucking on the skin.

I tilted my head back, giving him more space to leave small bruises. "Five minutes?"

"That's all I need."

I slapped his arm, chuckling softly. "Perv."

Not bothered by my attitude, Harry continued his little game, leaving me no other option but to sit still. And I was really craving those cupcakes...

Either he felt me getting a bit fidgety, or he simply wanted to get down to business, but Harry lifted the hem of my shirt, revealing a strip of my stomach. I shuddered when his hand reached down to draw soft patterns on my skin, his fingertips sending a shiver down my spine.