No Control | Holding Me Ransom (Book 2)

83 - Break These Clocks, Forget About Time

I was awake at five a.m. thanks to jet lag, and after a hour of scrolling through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook I pulled on a tshirt and a pair of pyjama bottoms and made my way down to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. I sat at the breakfast bar, my hands curled around my mug, staring out of the window at the slowly lightening sky. At around seven I heard movement from upstairs, and the sound of feet padding along the corridor. I jumped up and filled the kettle, and Anne appeared a few moments later in her dressing gown.

"Oh!" she said in surprise. "I didn't think anyone would be awake yet. Have you been up long?"

"A couple of hours," I said regretfully. "Jet lag's hit me."

"What are you doing today?" Anne asked, while I made her a cup of tea.

"I'm not really sure," I replied. "We didn't get as far as making any plans last night. I just sort of crashed." (I decided it would be inappropriate to tell the full truth, that included earth-moving sex in the shower.)

"I know Louis wants to see you, and show off baby Freddie," she smiled. "He's taken to fatherhood extremely well."

"I'm so pleased for him," I said happily. "I would love to meet Freddie, if Harry doesn't mind going."

"Harry loves babies," Anne said indulgently. "I'm sure he'll be keen to take you."

"What's this about babies?" Harry asked, entering the kitchen in nothing but a pair of black jogging bottoms, rubbing his eye with the heel of his hand sleepily. My stomach did a funny sort of somersault, either at the mention of babies, or at the sight of Harry's bare chest and his hair in a mun; I wasn't sure which.

"Your mum was just saying Louis wants us to call in this week," I supplied, getting up off my stool and walking over to fetch a mug for Harry, who planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek as I passed him. He took my seat at the breakfast bar and yawned, nodding.

"We can pop in today, if you want," he suggested. "I've booked a viewing of that property above the Sunset Strip for tomorrow, I mentioned to Kendall we might be free on Monday to hang out, and then Tuesday is my birthday."

"Your birthday?" I repeated, pretending to be confused. "Tuesday is your birthday?"

He stared at me, completely straight faced. "You're not funny."

"I am though," I argued, grinning, "aren't I? Admit it. You're dying to smirk."

He smirked. "I'm humouring you."

"Fibber," I challenged, setting a fresh cup of tea in front of him while Anne watched us with amusement. 

"So do you want me to ring Louis?" he asked, changing the subject smoothly.

"I'll ring him myself," I boasted cockily, to shut Harry up, and then immediately regretted it when he raised one eyebrow and smirked again.

"Really? Be my guest."

My stomach clenched at the thought of having to ring Louis in front of Harry like this, and hold a casual conversation with him about meeting up. It was one thing calling him in Brussels to ask him to come down to the hotel lobby and get me past a security guard (my stomach lurched painfully at this memory), or sending him sassy texts that could be composed at my leisure. But my inner fangirl was suddenly trembling, especially as I knew Harry would be watching intently, waiting for me to make an arse out of myself.

"My phone's upstairs," I said dismissively.

"Use mine," he grinned, sliding his phone across the breakfast bar to me.

I cleared my throat. "It's too early, he'll still be asleep," I gabbled. "Speaking of which, why are you up at this hour? I'm the one who's jet-lagged. I thought you'd be dead to the world."