No Control (Book 1)

10. Another World

The music inside was loud, and the lights were fairly dim. Harry kept his hand on my waist as he ushered me to the bar and pulled out his wallet. "What would you like to drink?" he asked.

"Um... anything, I don't mind," I said. I was feeling completely overwhelmed. Nobody had really batted an eyelid when we walked in, but there were more than a few faces I recognised. Cara Delevingne was standing over by the DJ with a cocktail glass in her hand. There was some guy whose name I didn't know but I knew he was from TOWIE, who was sitting a few feet away at the bar surrounded by four girls who were hanging on his every word, and I was certain I'd just seen Fearne Cotton walk past and into the bathroom. It was another world.

Harry turned to me and handed me a champagne flute, and indicated to a small booth to the left of the bar. We walked over to it and he slid in bedside me. I realised he also had a champagne flute, and was holding a bottle of Dom Perignon. My eyes widened. "Blimey, you shouldn't have," I said. "I would've been happy with a glass of coke!"

"Couldn't have you thinking I was a cheapskate," he said, expertly pouring the frothy liquid into our glasses.

"I would never think that," I said seriously. He smiled at me and we clinked glasses. I took a sip of the champagne and smiled as the bubbles tickled my nose. I'd never tasted champagne before, and it was absolutely delicious. I'd only ever really been a Prosecco girl.

"So, how long are you home for?" I asked him, shifting in my seat and looking up into his deep green eyes.

"Just a week, and then we're off to Asia," he replied, holding my gaze. A shiver of excitement ran down my spine. "I'm going to stay at my mum's from tomorrow, then I'm flying out of Heathrow next Friday."

"Bet your family are looking forward to seeing you," I said.

"Yeah, my mum's my biggest fan," Harry smiled. "She's great, and my sister is great too. We're a pretty close family. It will be nice to have some time out of the spotlight to just relax and do nothing."

"I can imagine," I nodded. "Do you have any plans?"

"I'd like to take my mum out for a meal," he said, leaning back and playing with the stem of the glass. "Just me and her. I like to show my apprecation for all her support."

"That's really nice," I said, sincerely. Could this guy be any more perfect? He seemed every bit the gentleman that the fans (and pretty much everyone he came into contact with) always claimed he was.

"So what are you doing this weekend?" he asked me.

"Well, probably nursing a terrible hangover tomorrow," I said, and he laughed. "But other than that, nothing. I usually catch up with Callie on Sundays; we go for lunch sometimes. It's sort of an unwritten rule."

"Does she know you're with me now?" Harry asked.

"No, why?" I asked, confused.

"Isn't that what girls do when they hook up with a guy? Text all their friends?"

I laughed. "First of all, we have not 'hooked up'. Second of all, you're not just some random guy. The whole world knows who you are."

Harry turned sideways in the booth to face me and tucked his left leg underneath his right. "So we're not hooked up, huh?"

I shook my head, in mock disbelief. "Not in the way you mean," I said.

He raised his eyebrows at me. "Your kisses say something very different."

"I don't do one night stands," I told him. "It's tacky."

"I won't deny you're classy," he said.

I stared at him, unsure if he was being sarcastic. "I mean it," he said. "You're really discreet, and a lot of the time you seem really innocent."

"What do you mean, 'a lot of the time'?" I asked, half laughing.

"I mean, when we're talking you come across all sweet and innocent. Then you kiss me and it's a different story," he said, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Well that's your fault," I told him. "I am all sweet and innocent, but then you give me that look.." he looked into my eyes, "Yes THAT look, and I can't control myself."

He smiled smugly. "I don't know what you mean."

"You damn well do, Harry Styles, you know exactly what effect you have on me, and millions of other women," I declared bluntly.

He laughed. "I'm not doing it on purpose."

"Don't give me that," I mock-scolded him. "You could quite easily turn off that charm if you wanted to. But the fact is, you like the attention."

"Sometimes," he admitted. "From the right person. Now are you going to stop telling me off and let me kiss you again?"

I took the last sip from my glass and set it down on the table. "OK," I said. "But we're not in a deserted kitchen, or the backseat of your car now. Don't expect a full on PDA like before."

"That's just a challenge now," he breathed as he pulled me towards him and gently brushed his lips on mine. He slid his arm around my waist and began softly kissing my lips, so gently, but over and over again. I put both my hands up to his neck, and he pulled my body against his, crushing me against his chest but continuing to brush my lips lightly, teasing me. I could taste the champagne he'd drunk, and I was beginning to let my body rule my mind. Would it really be so bad if I let him take me home? I'd always promised myself I would never sleep with a stranger but surely this didn't count? I knew I was just a conquest, in the right place at the right time, but at that moment I didn't care. He was massively turning me on and I wanted nothing more than to get him alone in a room and prove him right, that I was far from sweet and innocent.

"Oi oiiiii!"

We broke apart quickly as someone slid into our booth opposite us. My heart skipped several beats as I realised with a tremble of excitement who it was: James Corden.

"You little rascal, Mr Styles, what are getting up to, hiding away in the corner?" James teased Harry. He stuck his hand out to me and I shook it nervously. "Alright, I'm James," he said beaming at us both.

"Jess," I replied, trying to act nonchalant. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," he said, "What are you doing, cosying up to this loser? Is he trying to tell you he's from that poncey boyband? Don't listen to him, he's just a really good lookalike."

Harry and I both laughed. "Get lost, James," Harry said goodnaturedly.

"All good with you?" James asked.

"Great thanks," Harry replied.

"Well listen I'm not going to keep you as I can see you're busy here, but I just wanted to say hi, and we'll have to meet up properly next time you're home." He extended his hand to Harry and they did some sort of weird guy handshake thing.

"Catch you later, James," Harry said as James slid out of the booth and shimmied his way across the dancefloor. Harry and I both laughed at his ridiculous moves.

"I shouldn't laugh really, it's better than I could do," Harry mused.

"Really?" I said. "Now I'm curious."

Harry groaned. "Honestly, don't be, it's embarrassing."

"Oh please," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "After the way I have blushed every time you've looked at me tonight? I think it's time for you to be the embarrassed one." I grabbed his hand and got to my feet.

Harry tried to protest but I wouldn't listen, so he gulped down the rest of his champagne and reluctantly followed me onto the dancefloor.