Intent [Wattys 2017]

Chapter 17

My eyes flutter open to the soft sound of his breathing.

In and out, in and out.

It's funny how the slight movement of his chest going up and down beneath me can feel so comforting, so much like home.

In fact, waking up in Harry's arms was by far one of the most comforting and incredible feelings in the world. Honestly, I am so at ease with the feeling of his firm chest underneath me all I can do is just look at him.

He must have shifted us sometime last night so that he was laying on the couch with me flush on top of him. Probably to get himself more comfortable and nothing more. Don't read too much into this Emma, don't go there just yet. Don't ruin this moment.

It's early when I realize that I have been staring at him for a little bit too long uninterrupted. I need to wake him up, I might be comfortable but I'm beginning to feel what I think is his tightness and I need to get off. I start pushing my fingers through his hair trying to sooth him out of his slumber but did that wake him up? Of course not. When I started poking his face playfully with my fingers he didn't wake up either.

Jesus this man can sleep through anything.

Like a bolt of lightning coursing through me I am reminded of the morning a few weeks ago when I had my nightmare. Of course he would be there for that. The one night the dreams come back he's next to me and sees just how bad things can get.

Suddenly our positioning is too much. I have to get out of this, it's too intimate. It feels so good laying here on the couch with him but I can't let it continue. No I won't hurt him.

Slowly pressing my palms against the couch on either side of his torso. As I try to push myself up off of him my arm slip off the edge of the couch causing me to land, rather hard I might add, on his chest squeezing my eyes shut taking a moment willing him, rather begging him not to wake up at my sudden assault on his body. When I reopen my eyes the shock I just felt is blown away by the view I am welcomed with.

As I peer up at the boys face beneath me I can't believe my eyes. His are wide open with the biggest smile plastered across his face. Oh god, I need to get out of this.

I scramble ungracefully to get off of him. It is right this second that I finally realize that his arms are wrapped around my back, hugging me to him. My movements aren't the most ladylike, or at the very least graceful, I can muster but I am too flustered to think about anything else other than getting off of this perfect specimen beneath me.

Actually, it is the most unbelievably ungraceful exit in all of my life.

I am on the floor before I knew what was happening. I landing flat on my back with a big thud between the couch and the table. It's like something out of a ridiculous movie when the girl is so taken aback by the guy she would make herself look like an utter fool to try and keep the secret from him. I rub the back of my head wincing at the slight pain.

Maybe two full bottles of wine last night wasn't the best idea.

When I opened my eyes again all I can see is the same smiling face looking down at me. Curls hanging down on either side of his face, dimples piercing his cheeks.

"Morning Em" rather amused by my position.

"Morning Haz." I say standing up and then walking across the room to my draws to get a change of clothes. When I look in my mirror back at Harry he was still smiling at me with a new look in his eye, the glimmer of hope in those big emerald eyes of his. What on earth is he up to?

"Thanks for last night. Best birthday ever" I said spinning on my heel to face him and leaned back on the dresser crossing my arms over my chest. If he could seem overly confident than so can I.