LOVE AT THE FORUM

Chapter 15: Those Eyes

Harry's POV

I woke the next morning to soft rattling coming from her kitchen. I sat up on the couch and rubbed my eyes. I turned over to peek into the kitchen, and saw Maggie at the stove. She was dancing around as she cooked and I realized then she had AirPods in.

I stretched out my body as I stood, not bothering to slip my shirt back on and walked over to the kitchen, leaning against the breakfast nook. I watched as she danced around and reached up to grab seasonings from the cupboard above her.

I analyzed the big white T-shirt that was obviously not hers, wondering if it was Charles' shirt and if it was, why she still wore it.

Because it's a comfy shirt, Harry.

I heard her voice in my head and pictured the immediate eye roll that would follow. Then the immediate warmth that would fill my body when she rolled her eyes. Her little sarcastic, bossy self and that eye roll combined did something to me that I couldn't explain; but especially that eye roll.

My thoughts are quickly broken when she spins around in her own little dance party and jumps at the sight of me dropping her cooking utensil.

I can't help but laugh at her cute face as she narrows her eyes at me. She pops out an airpod and raises an eyebrow at me, "Didn't anybody teach you to announce yourself or something." She pops the other one out placing them in their case, picks up the cooking utensil and walks over to the sink to wash it.

"I didn't want to interrupt your dance party. You were having too much fun."

I laugh and she rolls her eyes, and the warmth spreads through my chest, "What are you cooking this early anyways?"

"Asparagus for my mom's birthday barbecue today. I usually grill it a little here first, and we pop it in the oven at her house later. It's my specialty." She says as she removes some from the pan into a baking dish, adding more fresh asparagus in after to cook.

"Pretty smart, it'll be ready quickly."

"Mhm," she nodded while she smiled.

I smiled, and mimicked her cute mannerism, "Mhm."

She shook her head and chuckled softly, "Do you want coffee?"

"Yes, please." I nod at her.

"See that machine there? You just gotta pop an espresso pod in and press the button on top, and it'll start."

I nodded, getting up and walking over, "Where are the pods?"

"In the drawer right under it." She said reaching up into a cupboard, getting me a glass, "All the flavors are good, so just take your pick."

Maggie's POV

I watched as he searched through the pods, reading the flavors as he went. I found myself concentrating hard on his hands so that I wouldn't stare at his bare back. So that I wouldn't watch the way his muscles moved as he went through the simple motions of breathing and going through the pods.

"And I just push up on this?" I jumped a little as he broke me from trance.

"Yes, and add a little milk in the cup before you brew the espresso."

He nodded and followed suit. When the espresso was made, he added more milk and some vanilla syrup, mixing it with a straw, "Mmm, this is good. Have you had one already?"

I shake my head, "No I was waiting for you. I'll make mine right now." She smiled while moving the cooking vegetables.

"I got it. Does it matter what flavor?" He smiled at me.