fight for control ↠ harry styles [b1] ✓

CHAPTER 39

Harry Styles

The next time I woke up, I was not alone in bed. I was definitely confused but also very cosy and warm and felt safe. There was a whole body pressed up behind me and arms held me with legs between mine. A steady heart beat and breathing, too. And a very well-known perfume.

Renleigh Kensington.

I stirred around a little and moved my mouth as I swallowed. My eyes felt really small and they kind of hurt, too.

"Well, good morning at night," I heard the low voice from behind me and I smiled with my eyes closed. Gosh, this was so fucking nice. I have wanted this for so long. A lovely voice to wake up to, a warm cuddle... just someone who loved me and cared for me.

"You stayed," I muttered. My voice sounded very deep and I cleared my throat and licked my lips.

"Did I?" she asked back.

"Yeah," I chuckled under my breath. I detached my body from hers and turned around, my back cracked as I did so until I faced my stunning woman. Fuck. She was so pretty. From her eyebrows to her nose and lips and cheeks and chin and forehead and eyes... all of her. She was beautiful.

"I know my makeup is like... shit, it's been on for hours, so quit judging me," she scrunched up her nose and I smiled as my right hand snuck on her hip and pulled her closer to me. I tucked my face in the crook of her neck and enjoyed the way she ran her hand up my arm to my neck until her fingers got lost in my hair.

"You're pretty," I mumbled the compliment which she probably pretended like she didn't hear. A soft sigh left my lips as I sniffled, my head began to ache a lot more than I initially noticed.

"Pretty damn tired, yeah."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that," I let her know as I pulled away and pushed myself up on the bed. The cover slipped off of my upper body and the cool air licked up my exposed arms. I had the tendency of forgetting I had air-conditioning and although it was set on a timer, it did usually make the whole house feel like a damn fridge at the most inconvenient times.

"I meant more mentally than physically," she said. "I just feel like the week off I have had kind of slowed me down and now that I'm back at the office I feel... overwhelmed. In a good way, of course."

"Have you thought of... you know. Cutting back on what you do? Like, look. I understand you are really invested in your company and so am I. But people are looking for jobs all the time... maybe employees you already have would love to take up some more responsibilities... I don't know. It's just-, you always say how stressed you are and after this little incident... I don't know. It worries me that it'll happen again but maybe worse. I think you should think about it and don't fight me on it."

"I appreciate what you are trying to do, really. But I know why I felt overwhelmed and I controlled it perfectly. Please, don't worry about it," she said quickly as she laid on her back. "Plus, you have other things on your plate to deal with, I really shouldn't pile my shit on it."

"I told you I'm here for you and that means dealing with whatever you give me," she sat up next to me and placed her chin on my shoulder, her hands held onto my arm as she linked hers over mine and sighed. I never thought I would see the day she becomes somewhat clingy but I absolutely adored it.

"Maybe. But you are sad now and I want you to be sad until you are not sad anymore," she mumbled. With each word, her jaw deepened into my shoulder and it felt a bit weird as she spoke. "Are you sad?"

"Deep down, yeah," I nodded. "I need things to distract me, though. I really don't want to cry over him anymore."

"It's okay if you do. You told me it is," she reminded me. "I don't mind you crying. I actually think it's pretty damn cool of you, you know... like, I could never break down like this and rely on someone so much."