Save Your Heart : Chapter Twenty-Six
ANNA’S POV:
“You know I hate you, right?” Molly was watching me through the mirror’s reflection that I was standing in front of, arms crossed.
“I love you more, Molls.” I giggle, putting on my earrings. They were a gift from my parents on my fourteenth birthday. They were gorgeous diamond studs and no matter how much I wanted to, I could never get rid of them.
“It’s the fucking BRIT AWARDS! Do you have any idea how amazingly cool this is?!”
“I think I do, since you keep telling me.”
I was going with the boys to the award show. Harry and I decided after a few weeks of our fun little role-play game, it was about time to slowly make our way back into the real world. We weren’t going as a couple tonight, but people were going to think whatever they wanted to.
“Can you zip me up, bestest friend in the world?” I looked at Molly over my shoulder and laughed when she huffed and then crossed the room. I was wearing a beyond gorgeous Zac Posen dress, it was a light blue-grey color in a mermaid style with a tulle skirt and strapless sweetheart neckline with delicate embelishments scattered across the dress. It wasn’t something I wouldn't normally choose, but I thought tonight deserved something dramatic and exciting. I let Lou do my hair in a loose updo that took an hour but managed to look like it could all fall out by pulling at a single bobby pin. I felt confident in such a special dress, and it was the confidence boost I knew I was going to need to get through a night of being watched and judged.
The main thing that would be helping me through the night was the excitement of going to Harry’s stepdad’s cottage tonight after the show. We had everything packed and it was going to be in the back of the car that would be waiting for us later tonight.
“Aye, Anna, the limo’s here!” Niall knocks on the door loudly.
“One second!”
Molly zips up my dress and smiles brightly.
“Have the best time ever! And you’ll have to tell me all about your sexy weekend in the forest when you get back.” I laugh and shake my head.
Walking out into the living room, all five guys are sitting around in suits, most of them scrolling through their phones.
“Holy hell” Niall says too loudly, clapping and standing up to come over and kiss me on the cheek. “You look hot!”
I can’t help but smile. “Thanks, Niall.”
He moves away when Harry walks up to me, a small smile on his face. He cups my cheek, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “You look lovely. More than that, actually. You’re perfect, I’m kind of afraid to touch you.”
“Don’t be. Ever.” I whisper back, smiling and running my hands down the thin lapels of his jacket. He looks incredible, dressed up but still his casual self with a black suit and navy shirt with small white polka dots that’s unbuttoned and left without a tie. His black belt and shiny shoes are the only parts of his outfit that aren’t slightly rumpled. But I like him like that, comfortable, himself.
“You look hot.” I reached up and ran my fingers through his messy hair. “You’re going to drive those girls crazy.”
“Only one girl I really care about, though. And lucky for me I get to go home with her.”
“Well let’s go then so you can take me away.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gives me that dimpled half-smile and we follow the rest of the group downstairs and into the waiting limo. Harry’s hand went from holding mine, to the small of my back as I stepped into the car while trying to hold up my dress, then to resting on my knee the entire way to the O2 Arena.
I was nervous for whatever may await me when we got out of this car. Would everyone hate me? Would they forget all about me? I kind of hoped to stand in the background and do my best to blend in.
The limo stopped and I could see the flashes of cameras even through the heavily tinted windows.
I willed myself to calm down my breathing and smoothed my hands down the front of me dress.
“You look beautiful. You can do this.” Harry whispered in my ear, giving me the small bit of confidence I needed to at least get out of the car.
Immediately, we were bombarded by people, questions, cameras. It was overwhelming, but all five guys took it in stride, just like the pros they were.
I, on the other hand, was just trying to keep it together. I didn’t know where to look or walk and I’m sure the hundreds of pictures that were already taken were horrible.
But suddenly, I felt an arm wrap around my waist and I was pulled into a warm embrace. Harry kept me close by his side, squeezing my waist, just letting me know he was there. As if I could ever forget.
“Harry, are you and Anna back together?!” Someone yelled.
“Anna, this way!”
“Anna Hollis, look over here!”
“We love you Anna!”
My heart was beating a mile a minute and I couldn’t believe there were people in this massive crowd that actually cared about me for a reason other than throwing things and bashing me on the internet. Did they really like me? It wasn’t something I could fathom after all of the ridicule I’ve gotten over the past year, along with my own deep-rooted insecurities.
“Anna?” I felt Harry’s breath against my cheek and turned to see him bent down, whispering in my ear.
“Hm?” I responded, not able to say anything else with the butterflies that were fluttering around in my stomach. When he looked at me like that, so intense and consuming, I was able to forget that there was a single pair of eyes on us.
“I’m going to kiss you now, if that’s alright?” His voice was raspy and his grip around me tightened.
“Why?” My own words came out breathy. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, but it was all I could think.
“Because I want everyone here, and everyone who will see this picture tomorrow in the papers, to know that you’re mine.” His lips were centimeters from mine now. So, when I nodded, he barely had to move at all before he was kissing me soft and making me loose any coherent thought I may have had just a minute ago.
I heard the cameras go wild, seeing the dozens of flashes go off before I closed my eyes, completely falling into this moment.
“Anna! Harry!”
“Harry! Does this mean it’s official?!”
“Anna! Anna!”
The paparazzi and fans were going insane and if it weren’t for Harry, I’d be embarrassed. But what really brought the moment together was the cheers and clapping coming from the four other guys. When we finally pulled away they were all standing around, laughing and cheering, just like everyone else in the crowd.
The rest of the red carpet went by in a blur. One moment I can pick out from all of the others was during an interview that Harry was supposed to do. I was ready to pull away and go stand with their PR people or something, but he refused to let me get away. He held onto my hand and had to practically drag me over to the pretty blonde woman with the microphone.
“So, what does this mean for the two of you?” She asked, looking at both me and Harry, clearly hoping for the next big headline.
“Um, well, exactly what it looks like, I guess. There’s not really much more to say. Anna is special to me and we’ve been through a lot relating to the public so I think for now, we’d just like to leave it at that. Just wanted to let everyone know that we were happy.” He was beaming and I rubbed his back and squeezed the hand he still held mine in.
“Well, it’s great to see you both looking so lovely tonight. Have a great time inside.” We thanked her and moved on, one interview after another, similar questions being reworded to try and get a different answer. And Harry never missed a beat. He’s a seasoned pro in his own quirky way. He can crack innocent jokes and radiate that charm that draws people to him. It’s incredible to watch from this vantage point, and I’m sure there will be more than a few pictures of him appearing all dapper and perfect, with me looking up at him in awe, potentially even drooling.
Even when we’re settled at our table in the arena the adrenaline doesn’t falter. The host comes over to talk to the boys constantly, people never seem to stop watching us, and I’m eyeing up quite a few celebrities myself. Seeing The 1975 sitting just a few tables away from us was especially exciting.
We're all drinking and talking and laughing and maybe it's the champagne making my head fuzzy, or the anticipation of what we'll be doing later tonight. Either way, I muster up some courage I wasn't aware I had and place my hand on Harry's thigh, rubbing back and forth. I feel him squirm under my touch, see his jaw clench. It's so hot, I can't help but tease him more. I slide my hand up, just a few inches from where we apparently both want me to be.
"You're insane, you know that?" He says, letting out a nervous laugh.
"I can't help it. I want you, I want everyone else to know i'm yours, just as much as you do too."
"Fucking hell, Anna." He lets out a harsh breath, covering my hand with his and turning my palm up, lacing our fingers together. He moves our linked hands over his crotch, allowing me to feel the bulge in his pants.
"Do you feel how much I want you?"
"Yes" I can barely get the single word out. God, he turns me into some wanton flushed girl who can't even handle herself.
"Good" He responds. Then, our linked hands are brought up to his lips, where he kisses the underside of my wrist, never breaking eye contact.
"I love you" he mouths.
"I love you too" I whisper right back.
"Shit, I'm going to need something stronger than this." He mutters, finishing off his glass of champagne and reaching across the table to grab Zayn's scotch and soda, swallowing that in almost one gulp.
"Feeling stressed, Mr. Styles?" I giggle.
"More like unsatisfied. But hopefully that'll be fixed sooner rather than later."
"I can guarantee both of us will be feeling much more relaxed in just a few short hours."
"Well, thank god for that."
About halfway through the show Harry and the rest of the boys won their first award. I knew there would be live cameras on us, and I was still kind of shocked when Harry leaning down and kissed my square on this lips for the world to see.
Later, they left to prepare for their performance, and I was left with a bunch of official-looking people in suits. Lucky for me, I had been born and bred by my family and upbringing for situations just like this. I ended up having a great conversation with one of One Direction’s security guards. He told me all about his new baby girl and how he and his wife were moving in a couple of weeks. When Harry returned to his seat after their amazing performance, we were still chatting.
“Did you know about Mikey’s mom?! She lives just a few blocks away from us! You should all come over some time!”
Harry grinned and just looked at me with something like admiration in his eyes. “Yeah, that would be great mate. How’s Cara doing?” I knew that that was his daughter, and smiled, realizing that Harry really cared about getting to know all of the people surrounding them. All of the boys did, really. They were all sitting around, laughing and talking animatedly with managers and producers and people who’s jobs depended on these five young guys being successful. But somehow in the midst of all that, they were able to make some real friends.
One Direction won three more awards throughout the night, resulting in four trophies for them to hold up and fake drop for the entirety of the show.
But Finally, finally, after a whirlwind of a night that felt more like dream than any kind of reality, Harry and I snuck into a bathroom of the O2 to change into more comfortable clothes and left out the back way before the afterparties even started, where his car was waiting for us.
“You ready?” He asked once we’re both buckled in.
“Hell yes! I might need to keep you in bed for three days straight. I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve been alone, like, really alone.”
“We were pretty alone last night.”
“You mean with your phone going off every two minutes?”
“True,” He laughs, pulling onto the busy London street.
“Maybe we should make a no cell phone rule for the next couple of days?”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“It’s settled then. No phones, no clothes, and nothing but damn good sex and occasional food breaks to regain our energy.”
“Sounds like a dream come true if you ask me.”
“Me too,” I leaned over and kissed his neck, giggling.
* * *
HARRY’S POV:
We’re lucky I didn’t get pulled over on the hour and a half drive from London to the cottage. Anna made it damn near impossible to focus on the road, or anything other than her roaming hands and lips.
So when we finally got there, I didn’t even bother to unpack the car. I just grabbed the keys, rushed to the passenger side, threw the door open, and picked her up with one hand under her knees and the other at the small of her back.
“Harry! What are you doing?”
“Starting this vacation off right, what does it look like I’m doing?”
She just laughed and leaned up to trail kisses along my jawline.
I was able to get the door open and alarm off with one hand, leading us through the foyer, living room, down the hallway, finally kicking open the bedroom door.
“Welcome back, love. I hope we make some better memories than last time.”
“The old memories aren’t too bad, up until the entire world saw my boobs.” She laughed and I loved that she could move on from something like that so easily. I know it was hard for her, but the fact that she could even crack a joke said so much.
“Now, about that no clothes rule. Does that start immediately?”
“I sure as hell hope so.” She said, unzipping my hoodie and pushing it off my shoulders so it falls to the floor. Her hands are under my shirt before I can even think about pulling off her top. But when I pull the soft cotton over her head, I’m met with a pale pink lace strapless bra with tiny sparkles and a little bow between her cleavage.
“You like?”
“I wish I had known you were wearing this all night… but at the same time I wouldn’t have been able to focus on a single other thing.”
“Don’t get too used to it,” Anna said, tilting her full lips into a half grin, before reaching behind her and unhooking her bra in one quick flick of her fingers, letting it fall between us until she dropped it to the floor, along with the rest of our discarded clothes. I stepped forward until I could place her down on top of the dresser, her legs wrapped around my waist. I smoothed my hands from her hips, up her waist, until I covered her breasts, rubbing my thumbs over the hard points of her nipples.
“Fuck, you’re so perfect. Every bit of you…”
“I’m far from perfect, Harry.” She said breathlessly.
“I don’t care. To me, you’ll never be anything less.” I looked up from her chest and met her eyes, which were glassy and bright. “Why are you crying, love?”
“Because. You. Us. I never thought I would have something like this. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
She reached up and took my face in her hands, pulling my down into a kiss that turned me inside out.
We didn’t make it over to the bed for quite a while, instead deciding to christen every other surface we could think of before finally falling onto the matress, winded and sweaty and all tangled up in each other. Anna has ber chest pressed up against my side, making me forget everything but what her breast felt like rubbing against me. I wondered if she was doing it on purpose, or really was oblivious to the insane effect she had on me.
“Hm, ready again already?” She giggled, smoothing the palm of her hand down the sheet that covered my from the waist down, pausing when she reached my bulge, trailing her fingertips over it. She kissed my bare chest, using her tongue to trace one of my tattoos and living out every fantasy I’ve ever had.
“You’re going to wear me out before the first night is even over.”
“Over? I thought we were just getting started.” She smiled as she threw a leg over my waist and straddled me.
“You’re a crazy little thing.” I funnel my fingers through her wild hair, pushing it away from her face and smile when I see her flushed cheeks, smudged makeup, and the big, bright, beautiful smile on her face.
The words I said next were out of my mouth before I could even give them a second thought.
“I’m going to marry you someday.”