SHE (bk 1)

THIRTY FOUR

Harry was breathing a little lighter after they had left the Children's Hospital. His eyes were a lighter shade of green and the smile that covered his lips was genuine. Clementine had noticed he stopped fidgeting with the bottom of his shirt and even quit biting his finger nails as they walked.

She had no idea that her presence was such a mood changer for him, just the fact that she was walking beside him was causing his heart to do somersaults. Harry peered over at the small blonde as she licked the ice cream off of her plump lips, giggling as she got some on her nose.

Using the back of her hand she wiped it off and continued to lick the mint chocolate chip cone. Her long blonde hair was flowing in the frigid wind, the maroon jacket she had on being pulled closer to her body. He had told her getting ice cream when it was cold out was not a good idea but she just rolled her eyes.

Harry looked at her right hand as it dangled at her side, his fingers itching to reach out and touch her even if it was just her hand. He looked around the streets that held very few people, most of which were not paying the slightest bit of attention to him. Taking a deep breath in he reaches out and caresses her small hand with his, lacing his long fingers in between hers.

Her gray eyes darted up to him as a light pink dusted over the bridge of her nose and onto her cheeks. If asked she would have told him it was the cold air making her face that cherry color...not that he'd believe her anyway. She offered him an encouraging smile to ease the nervous air lingering around him, Clementine knew just by the look on his face.

Squeezing his hand with hers she turned back to her ice cream cone as they swung their interlocked fists through the air. Harry bit his lip to keep the grin threatening the corner of his lips at bay, it was amazing how it all felt so natural.

He was so used to the weird feelings and what ifs as he started relationships but with Clementine he knew exactly what he wanted. Harry simply wanted her and nothing else, he wanted every flaw and imperfection no matter the cost.

"Finally I'm freezing," Clementine muttered sheepishly as the apartment building cane into view, avoiding the look that Harry was giving her.

He opened the door for her, "It's almost like I told you not to get ice cream when it was so cold," Harry reluctantly let go of her hand as they shuffled into the elevator and looked down at the blonde as she stuck her tongue out. What a child he thought.

As they got closer to his floor Harry felt himself getting nervous, afraid his family would be angry with him. Biting down on his nail Clementine looked up suspiciously as the habit began once again.

"It'll be okay, just sit down and talk with them and then you can enjoy the rest of the visit," Clementine spoke as they walked into the empty living room, they must have gone out to dinner.

She looked up at his worried expression before she gave him a soft smile, "Harry...they're your family they will love you no matter what," he knew she was right but he couldn't help the anxiety sitting in his chest as he thought of their last encounter. He had acted like an entitled brat when he should have comforted his step-father who was going through a hard time. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Looking down at the small blonde she peered at his lip when he bit down onto it, her body jolting as she felt the need to kiss him again. All day she had been avoiding those looks but here in this empty apartment she felt the magnet getting stronger between them. Stepping up slightly she used one hand to place it on his shoulder and got onto her toes to reach his face.

Her gray eyes fluttered from his vision as shock settled in, Clementine had connected her lips with his before he could even register it. The soft smile he felt threatening to make him explode, moving his hands so one was gripping the side of her face and the other tightly on her waist. His tongue daring to brush against her bottom lip in desperation.

She turned her head slightly to let him and battled with his tongue as he kisses her slowly. The kiss was slow and alluring as he made her stomach heat with a longing fire, her skin tingling as she dropped her ice cream cone on the ground.

"Harry!," Clementine squeaked out as he lifted her into the air and onto his waist. Her legs wrapping around him to keep from falling, "My ice cream," her words were a forgotten whisper as he reattached his lips to hers. His tongue shutting her up with a quick hum in her chest.

"I don't care about the ice cream," he pants as his lips begin to ghost over spots on her neck. Clementine felt her face light up as his tongue jolted across the newly exposed skin, her stomach twisting even more. She was going to explode if he kept kissing her like that...and looking at her with those eyes.

A bell dinging causes panic to rise in Clementine's chest as she pushed him off of her. Harry fell backwards off of the sofa as she hurried to get paper towels to clean up the mess of ice cream. She had just dropped onto her knees when the three other Styles' piled out into the living room. All eyes on her as she peered up at them, a newly heated face now on display.

"What were you two up to?," Gemma had a smirk forming on her face as Harry ran a hand through his hair. Clementine heating up even more as she pushed the sleeves of her jacket up, "Clem?"

Clementine smiled innocently, "I dropped my ice cream cone, we just got back from our day out," she deadpanned before looking back at Harry. He was also a cherry color as he scratched the back of his head, he missed living alone.