Something Great

Chapter 4

"...I see the smile as it starts to creep in. It was there, I saw it in your eyes." - Home, by One Direction

Now, I'm waiting for a response. His lips turn up just slightly. We both know at this point that it was a pretty transparent attempt, on my part, at diverting attention from myself.  Thankfully, he chooses not to call me out on it. 

"Yeah, I spend a majority of my time in LA, but I wanted to venture out I guess." He squats down on his haunches, and then drops into a sitting position, his knees bent up by his chest. "I actually came out here with Niall - he has a good friend of his from back home that owns a pub out here.  But, I'm open to the idea of buying a house in the desert sun. Vegas seems to be...growing on me."

I catch the subtle glance he throws my way at that point, his double meaning evident, but I let it go. Really because I'm nosy and hoping to fish for more information.  "Really? Vegas? I picture you as more the type to go backpacking in South America, or meditate with monks in Nepal. Maybe some song-writing on an isolated beach in Thailand. I didn't picture you here, putting it all on red...or getting stuck in a shopping mall elevator with me. You seem too sophisticated for that."

My smile is mischevious, and gradually the grin on his face grows, until it's taking my breath away.

"Are you saying I'm odd?" He queries imperiously, feigning offense.

"I was going for 'eccentric' - YOU chose 'odd.'" I retort.

"Natalie, are you flirting with me?" Oh, c'mon Styles. You're not gonna get me that easily.

"Tell me, Harry, does that charm always work?" I fire back. Who am I kidding, I AM flirting.  And the aforementioned charm has me practically sitting up and begging.

However, I guess Harry isn't picking up all of my signals. He looks a bit chagrined, and that devastating dimple is slightly less pronounced for a moment. "Well, apparently not when I really want it to," he admits, glancing casually down at his feet, before meeting my eyes again.  I meet him, stare for stare, and I once again feel my temperature rising.  Mentally, I'm castigating myself. I can feel the almost visceral reaction I'm having to him, and it's becoming readily apparent that for me, it's not just flirty banter. Yes, there's the part of me that's an avid 1D fan, but instinctually, I know there's more. Figuring him out, just in the time we've been in this elevator, has become an itch I need to scratch.  

I must have been staring, for Harry suddenly throws in a flippant, cheeky remark, the look on his face devilish, "Well, if you're really bored, I can think of plenty of things we could do to keep ourselves occupied..." I react to this exactly the way I'm sure he was hoping - I flush crimson and bite my lip.  My razor-sharp wit has momentarily abandoned me. I can't even keep my eyes from lazily dropping to a not-so-subtle position below his belt.  In a hurry, I snap back to reality, roll my eyes, and say, "Ha! That's some confidence. Something tells me that's not the first time you've suggested that, but I bet this is the first time your offer has been declined."

We seemed to have reached an impasse. "You've cut me to the quick, my lady" he remarks, graciously accepting his apparent defeat. Regardless, the sensual tension is still so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles, he folds his hands in his lap, and tilts his head to the side.  He bites his bottom lip briefly and then asks, "so, anything you want to know about me, you could type into Google. Tell me about you. What's an attractive...single mom (I immediately noticed the way he discreetly clocked my left ring finger, looking for a wedding band) doing in Vegas? And yes, before you ask, I'm not just bored, and really do want to know!"