Tamed By You (Always & Forever #2)

21. Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Ali

A light tapping rouses me and there is something firm and warm behind me. A familiar spicy scent causes my eyes to snap open. I crane my neck to look behind me.

Harry.

The tapping gets louder along with a muffled voice. “Ali, babe, you up? I need some pads.”

“Shit,” I whisper.

Harry stirs and I wriggle free from his hold and begin to shake him. “Wake up. Why are you still here.”

He half opens his eyes and grumbles, “Good morning to you too, baby.”

“Gabby needs to come in. Get up,” I hiss.

“So, let her in,” he says, rolling over and dragging the comforter over his head.

“Ali, are you in there? Why is the door locked?”

Huh? My doors locked?

“Coming, one sec…” I shout.

“Get up, you lazy piece of shit.” I tug at his arm.

“We really need to work on your bedside manner.” He yawns, getting up off the bed he stretches, in only a pair of black boxer briefs, his morning wood straining against the material.

I eye him “Really?”

“What? It’s not my fault. I can’t control him.” He adjusts himself before he swipes a hand over his face.

“Why is my door locked?” I ask narrowing my eyes.

“After you fell asleep during the movie I went to pee, and I figured you wouldn’t want Gabby walking in and seeing us, so I flicked the lock.” Weirdly thankful for his quick thinking but also wanting to question why he didn’t leave but not having the time, I scoop up his clothes and throw them at him. “Get in the closet.”

His face contorts. “What the fuck? No.”

“Ali, come on.” The door handle rattles, and I panic, my heart hammering. Gabby can't find Harry here.

“I am begging you, please, get in the closet,” I whisper, pushing him towards my small walk-in closet.

“If this is how you greet people in the morning, I understand why you don't do sleepovers.”

“Ha, funny, now isn't the time for pleasantries and for me to stroke your ego.” I shove his chest, backing him towards the closet.

“My dick would disagree.” He eyes his morning wood.

“Well, if you ever want it stroked again, you'll get in the closet.”

He steps in and turns. “You owe m—” I cut him off with the slam of the door, smooth out my hair and open the bedroom door.

“Hey, you’re back early,” I say with more enthusiasm than needed.

“Yeah, you know my parents. I needed to get out of there. Why was the door locked?” She looks at me suspiciously.

“Oh, erm, I sometimes lock it when I’m here on my own. You know, safety first.”

She nods thankfully not questioning me further.

“So, I got my period and I have run out of pads and tampons. I’m guessing you got yours too. Can I borrow?”

“Sure, let me get them.” I hurry to my bathroom, taking a handful of both and passing them to her.

“What happened in here?” she asks, her big brown eyes scanning the room.

I look, food wrappers, the empty cheesecake box, and cans of pop scatter my floor. My eyes bug out when I notice Harry's tennis shoes. I step forward kicking them under the bed, praying she didn't see.

“Oh, I had a movie night, ate my body weight in snacks. You know what I’m like when Aunt Flo visits.”

She laughs. “I do. Well, I’m gonna head to the grocery store. I’ll stock up. You want anything?”

“No, I'm good.” I smile, my anxiety levels rising. I need her to leave.

“Okay, I won't be long.” I follow behind her and I shut the door, waiting for the sounds of the front door opening and closing knowing the coast is clear I rush to open the closet door.

Harry stands there still clutching his clothes to his chest looking at me deadpan. “Don't ever shove me in a closet again.”

“Well, I wouldn't have to if you had left like you were supposed to. You know the rules. No sleepovers.”

He brushes past me and begins to get dressed. “Excuse me, you fell asleep on me.”

I scoff. “No, I didn't.”

He scoffs back, mocking me. “Ugh, yeah you did, and the drool stains on my shirt will back me up. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. You clung to me like a koala.”

Ignoring his comment, I continue to question him. “And your clothes? What they just melted off you did they? Because you were fully dressed if I remember.”

“No one sleeps fully clothed in their day clothes, Alice, that's disgusting,” he says matter-of-factly while searching for his shoes. “And tell me you didn't sleep well. You were purring like a kitten all night.”

“I was not,” I protest defiantly, folding my arms across my chest.

“Oh yes, you were.” He steps towards me and surprises me by pressing a kiss to my lips. “Thanks for the sleepover. Can't wait for the next one.”

“There won't be a next one,” I bite back.

“We’ll see.” He winks and then he's gone in a flash. I crawl back into bed and pull the comforter over my head, inhaling his scent that he's left behind, finding comfort in it and at the same time feeling an ache in my stomach at the loss of his body against mine.

I did enjoy feeling him against me. I’ve never slept with anyone in bed other than Gabby and Ria. Too terrified my nightmares will plague me. But this morning, I've woken up feeling more relaxed than I have in a while. I stretch out and feel something under the pillow. I pull it and bring it to my face and inhale.

His t-shirt.

It smells just like him. Spice and a hint of shea butter.

I hold it close to my chest, not letting myself focus on why I am clutching it like a comfort blanket or questioning why I have no intentions of returning it or washing it.

I am in way over my head here—this wasn't part of the plan—but he was never the plan. I'm letting him break all my rules, but I'm holding on to one, because no one gets to break that one, not even him.