No Control | Holding Me Ransom (Book 2)

60 - Good Champagne And Private Planes

Harry spent around half an hour chatting with Louis' tattoo artist, looking at pictures of eagles and discussing style, angle, depth and tone, and where on his arm it would go. He pulled me over to sit next to him, and asked my opinion on the different images and drawings. "Obviously I'll have it designed especially for me," he explained, "but I'm gathering ideas of how I want it to look." I had no personal experience with tattoos, other than staring at Harry's, so all I could do was tell him what I liked the look of, and what I didn't. He seemed open to my thoughts and took on board everything I said, and arranged to speak with the artist again in a few weeks when his schedule was less hectic.

By this point I was starving, and once they had finished talking we devoured a tray of snacks from room service, packed our bags up and were escorted out of the hotel to the cars, and off to the airport again. As we walked up the steps of the jet, I heard Louis moan behind me, "Fucķ's sake, it's the one with the squeaky seat."

I turned to look at him and saw Liam give him a playful shove between his shoulder blades. "You're always complaining, you, Tommo."

"Well fuckıng hell, I hate this plane," Louis grumbled, and as we stepped inside the door he and Harry wrestled to get to the very back, presumably away from the squeaky seat. Harry won his place and grinned triumphantly as he sat down in a huge leather chair at the end of the aisle, and Louis huffed and sat down across from him, leaving me to take the place next to Harry.

"No funny business," Louis warned pointing first at me and then at Harry.

"Nah, there are no beds on this one," Harry teased.

"Harry!" I squeaked, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

"It's a bit late to be acting demure, Jess," Louis retorted, and I stuck my tongue out at him, causing him to chuckle wickedly.

"You'd be surprised how discreet you can be under a blanket, anyway," Harry murmured in my ear so Louis couldn't hear.

I smacked his leg playfully and he cackled mischievously and squeezed my knee.

"I'm not joking," he added after a moment.

"Oh I know that," I sighed. "I've never met anyone so insatiable in my life."

"Can you blame me?" he whispered. "You're the most beautiful and amazing person I've ever met in my whole life. I can't get close enough to you."

My stomach flipped at his words, and I looked up to see him smiling shyly at me.

"Ugh, you two are so soppy it's disgusting," Louis muttered.

"Danielle not falling for your charms?" Harry teased, and I snapped my head up to look at Louis who was smiling sheepishly.

"It's all in hand," he replied, coyly.

"What's this?" I asked, feeling a smile break on my face as I registered Louis' expression. "Who's Danielle?"

"Louis' latest crush," Harry grinned. "Danielle Campbell. An American actress."

"Really?" I said, wiggling my eyebrows at Louis, whose mouth was twisted into an embarrassed smile.

"Yeah yeah, alright, don't take the piss."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Louis," I grinned, and for once he seemed almost lost for words as he chuckled and looked away out of the window of the jet.

~~~

The next couple of days were hectic. The band had appearances on the Ellen Degeneres show and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and I was allowed to accompany them to both. I hung out with Lou Teasdale and Lottie Tomlinson and drank champagne backstage while the boys were rehearsing, and sat in the audience to watch the interviews and performances. There was a hairy moment when they played Never Have I Ever with Ellen, and Harry was forced to admit to hooking up with a fan. His eyes darted to mine in the crowd for the briefest second after he lifted his paddle to 'I Have' and my stomach somersaulted as the audience screamed and cheered, all without the slightest clue I was sitting among then. I wasn't sure if Harry had hooked up with fans before - I could only assume he probably had, but the secret smile on his face as he looked down at his lap told me he was thinking of me and only me at that moment.