More Than You Know [l.s.] ✓

Chapter 11

"Move your queen to the top," Harry says, pointing his finger over Louis' shoulder to the computer screen where Louis is playing solitaire again. "There you go. I think we're going to win this one."

They hadn't won a single game for the hour they'd been playing. Harry had came in around ten, and instead of going up to his apartment, he stayed down in the lobby trying to help Louis with his card skills.

Obviously, they both suck. After Louis moves the queen, he realizes they are stuck again.

"Think you spoke too soon, H. That's okay. I appreciated you trying to help," Louis praises him. He reaches his hand backwards to gently pat Harry's cheek. Harry grins against his palm before he brings his hand back down to his computer. "You helped me kill time, too. It's time for me to go."

"Already?" Harry pouts and Louis chuckles.

"What do you mean already?" He snorts. "I've been here since seven. Feels like longer than that."

They haven't found the time to honor that promise of a second date yet. With Harry working so much, and Louis' being on the night shift, their schedules just haven't meshed together. But when Harry does come home late some nights from work, he stops to chat with Louis in the lobby until he can't hold his eyes open any longer, tired from his long days and afternoons of doing whatever it is he does.

Louis tries not to think about it and the details too much, instead, he smiles and laughs at Harry's corny pun jokes and is simply happy to get his own slice of the gorgeous man's time.

When Louis stands and turns around, Harry does the same. His eyes move from Louis' shoes up to Louis face and he smirks, making that dimple come out enough to entice Louis into doing anything and everything Harry could dream of asking for.

"Do you want to come up? With me?" he tilts his head to the side and Louis is sure he's about to start salivating.

Fuck, Harry is hot. He thought he would get used to it by now, but he hasn't. He'll probably never get used to Harry's pretty face.

"Yes," he says without thinking, then it hits him. "I mean, yes I want to, but I can't. I promised Liam I'd meet him at Topsy Tavern for drinks when I got off."

"Oh," Harry responds with an undeniable trace of disappointment in his voice. "Have a good time. I'll see you tomorrow perhaps?" He walks around to the other side of the front desk, preparing to head back up for the night.

"Why don't you come with me?" Louis blurts out before he can really think any better of it. "It'll be fun. You'll like Liam. I like him about half of the time."

A bright smile takes over Harry's face. "Really? You want me to come and meet your friend?"

"Sure, the more the merrier and all that," Louis says as he slips his coat on. As he's zipping it up, he has a slight moment of panic. Is it too soon for Harry to be meeting his best friend? They just went on their first date last week. Maybe Louis is overthinking it, but it seems like a semi serious step. Are they moving too fast?

He doesn't get to dwell on it for much longer as Harry is rounding the counter again to grab ahold of Louis' hand.

"Lead the way. I've never heard of Topsy Tavern before," Harry says as they step out into the night air.