In My Arms

The “Young Hollywood” party was maddeningly dull.Harry Styles stretched out his legs under the table, taking another drink of his rum and coke.Taylor was somewhere in the crowd—he was going to avoid that disaster—and he heard Kendall and her sisters had their own reserved territory upstairs.Whatever.The sooner he could get out of here, the better.
Niall sat to his right, idly scrolling through his Twitter feed.“Do’you think the other guys just left?”
Harry shrugged and pulled out his phone, firing off a quick text to Louis.If you left me here, fucker, I’m gonna pound your face.
“This party is lame.”Niall shoved his phone back in his pocket.“Actually, you’re the lame one.The party wouldn’t be bad but I’m stuck here babysitting you.”
“I’m avoiding them.”
“There’s a million people here.You’re not going to run into them.”
“Especially not if I stay here.”Harry threw back the rest of the rum and coke.“Whose fucking idea was it to drive in together?”
Niall said something in response, but Harry wasn’t listening.His attention had turned to a pair of gorgeous legs at the bar in front of him.She was wearing bright pink heels and, from the way she was standing, he could see the tangle of cherry blossom tattoos covering the tops of her feet and weaving up her ankles, as well as dark red rose tattoos visible on her upper leg and thigh.He let his eyes travel up a little further: tight little black dress, low cut enough to hint at her fantastic figure, and jet black hair nearly reaching her waist; the ends were dyed deep red.She was talking to another familiar woman with short, blonde hair and was, at that moment, holding a drink and laughing hysterically at what the blonde had said to her.
She was stunning.
Niall obviously followed his line of sight.“Yeah, think again Styles.”
“Says who?”
“I think she’s dating someone.”
“She looks alone to me.”
“She’s at the bar, dumb ass.”
The blonde turned her head enough to see them staring and elbowed her sharply.Harry turned away, fumbling with his phone to look busy.It was as if he had no idea how to turn on the damn thing; he flicked on the flashlight and pulled up his email, but was probably succeeding only in looking like a fool.Awesome.
Niall kicked him under the table.
He looked up into her large blue eyes, framed by thick dark lashes and loads of black mascara.His breath caught in his throat.
The blonde was talking for them both.“What’s up?We can’t help but notice you have some empty seats here.One Direction, right?”
“Two of the five anyway.”Harry was answering the blonde, but looking at the black haired beauty.“I’m Harry.”
Niall squawked something, possibly his name.It was hard to tell.
“Jen.”The blonde sat down across from him.“So, you don’t mind two American bitches hanging out with you?”
The gorgeous girl sat next to him, setting her drink on the table.“My dad is British, thank you very much.”
“You’re American, Liz, stop flattering yourself.”
She laughed and stuck her hand out to him.“Elizabeth Richards.”
He took her hand in his and shook it, then changed his mind and brought it to his lips.Gently brushing them against her knuckles, he said, “I’m Harry Styles.”
“I know.”
He chuckled.Her eyes were intoxicating, a deep blue with flecks of brown; he didn’t want to stop looking into them.Keep it together, Styles.“Not having fun tonight, pretty lady?”
She laughed.“Jenny and I aren’t hip enough to hang with the cool kids, so we’ve been trolling for free food and drinks.”
“And we stole lotion from the women’s room.”
“You stole lotion from the women’s room.”Elizabeth laughed, letting her smile linger on him for a beat.He knew exactly who she was: Elizabeth Richards, twenty-two year old Hollywood goddess.She’d won a million awards in the past few years, most notably an Oscar and four Golden Globes, and had even won a Grammy for her breakout role, a musical comedy.He’d seen it.He’d see a ton of her movies.If her achievements weren’t impressive enough, her father was Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.And, evidently, one of her close friends was Jennifer Lawrence.“I was creatively causing a distraction in the hallway.”
Jen ran her hand through her hair and giggled.“No, false, you spilled a drink and then slipped trying to run away.”
Elizabeth laughed and took another sip of her drink.“So, Harry Styles, why aren’t you having fun tonight?”
“I’m having fun.”He blushed.“I am now, anyway.”
“Where’s the rest of you?”Jen tapped her hands on the table.“You guys could sing to us.I, for one, would find that highly entertaining.Liz.Liz, they should sing to us.”
“Go home, Jen, you’re drunk.”Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and flipped her hair over her shoulder.“Truth be told, I’m hiding out from my ex-boyfriend because it’s awkward.I’m awkward enough as it is, but I have no interest in pretending to be polite during a conversation with him.I want to punch him in the mouth.”
“I know the feeling.”
“It’s shitty.”Elizabeth glanced at him, smiling coyly.“It’s shitty to play it out in the public eye.”
“Hide from the public eye, deal with the gossip and shit and then all the rumors.”Harry smiled back.It was always nice to talk with someone who understood.“Have songs written about you.”
She laughed.“You’ve got me on that one.”
I’d like to get you anywhere.His gaze was steady on hers.There was something about her, something that made him feel like he was in high school talking to a girl for the first time.She took his breath away.
“Speaking of the devils themselves.”Niall glanced down into his drink.“Here she comes.”
It was Kendall and her sister Kim, headed towards the bar.He was on friendly enough terms with her, but not enough that he relished the thought of having to talk to her.Especially now; especially with Elizabeth at his side.
“Whoa.”Jen reached across the table at Elizabeth’s hands.“Down girl.”
Elizabeth burst out laughing.“I’m behaving.Look, I’m sitting here with my beverage and my shoes are on my feet and we’re just chilling with cute dudes.”
“No love lost for them?”Harry cocked his eyebrow upward.He wanted to know more about the lovely Miss Elizabeth.What she liked and didn’t.What made her laugh.What she was wearing under that short black dress….
“I don’t really know them, except Kim.Kim, I don’t like.”
“As I recall she doesn’t like you either.”Jen leaned forward and cupped her hands around her mouth.“Want me to trip her?”
Elizabeth ignored her and pulled a cell phone out of a slim black purse she’d slung over her chair.“Take a selfie with me Harry.We can commemorate meeting each other and me passing the milestone of not throwing a shoe at that skank’s head.”
“Sounds good to me, love.”He pushed his chair back away from the table and patted his hands on his lap.“Let’s do it properly, shall we?”
“Cheeky boy.”She winked at him and slid from her chair to his lap, resting her head against his.Harry slid his arm around her slim waist and squeezed her gently.Christ, she smelled good.Vanilla and peppermint and the faint scent of alcohol on her lips.
She held her phone out and leveled it in front of them.“Say cheese.”
“Cheese.”He smiled at the camera.It was less of actually smiling for the picture, but smiling instead at how fantastic they’d looked together.She fit in his arms perfectly.
Elizabeth pulled the phone back and studied the picture.“You’re adorbs, Styles.I seriously want to kiss those adorable dimples.”
He tilted his head toward hers.“I’ll let you.”
She smiled coyly at him and then slid her finger across the face of her cell phone, not moving from her perch on his lap.“I’m putting this on Twitter.Are you cool with that?”
“Only if you text it to me too.”
“Deal.”She tapped the screen a few times and then read her tweet out loud as she typed.“Just met Harry Styles!Not too cool to fangirl.#bestnightever #lovehisdimples”
He chuckled.“You’re a laid back fan girl, love.”
“I’m flailing inside, I assure you.”She handed him her phone.“Put in your number so I can text you.”
He took the phone and wrapped his other arm around her to key in his number.“You should do more than text me.You should call me.”
“Oh?You gonna answer?”
“Anytime you call me, baby.”
Once his number was entered, she took the phone back and sent the picture.His phone buzzed on the table.“Same goes for you.”
There was a comfortable silence between them for a moment and then Harry heard Niall speak.Shit, he’d almost forgotten the bloke was there.“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”
“How did we go from tripping people to you sitting on his lap?”Jen shook her head and then stopped talking.She glared at the curvy woman who’d stopped beside the table.“Hi Kim.Is there something you want?”
“Just to say hello.”She narrowed her eyes at Harry and Elizabeth, no doubt a message from her sister.Kendall had retreated back into the crowd.Oh well.“I thought you were dating someone, Elizabeth.”
“I didn’t know you were an expert in my private life, Kim.”
“Isn’t he a little young for you?”
Harry felt heat rise in his cheeks.The fat bitch.
Elizabeth took it in stride.“I’m only two years older than him.You act like I’m 34 or something.Wait…aren’t you 34, Kim?Sorry, I totally didn’t mean to make you sound old or something.Just stating fact.”
“You’re a bitch, Elizabeth.”
“My Oscar says otherwise.” She paused.“And my movies are shown in theaters, not online.”
Harry snorted, pressing his face to her shoulder to keep from bursting out laughing.
Kim pursed her lips together and huffed away from the table.As soon as she was out of earshot Jen lifted her hand as a high five.“Burn!”
“I’m not moving just to give you a high five, loser.”
Jen shrugged and clapped her hands together.“Got no friends, high five myself.”
Harry touched his chin to Elizabeth’s shoulder, and traced his fingertip under the hem of her skirt, over the rose tattoo.“That’s nice ink.”
“You’ve got a nice collection too.”She nodded her head to his arm, lightly running her fingers over his tattoos.“And, pardon my looking down your shirt like a pervert, but the ones on your chest are nice too.”
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
“Tease.”
“I think you’re the tease.Did you come over here just to turn me on?”
“Is it working?”
“Maybe.”
She pursed her lips together and again smiled coyly.“I should try harder.”
“Something’s pretty hard enough, love.”
She laughed and casually leaned against him, holding her phone up and checking a text.“Jen, Kelly just texted that Kim’s up there in their makeshift VIP room talking shit on me.”
“Define talking shit.”
“Talentless whore.”
“I’d define that as talking shit.”Niall spoke up quietly.“Coming from her, an actual talentless whore.”
“I like you, Ireland.”Elizabeth tossed her phone back in her purse.“You look too innocent to say the word shit.I’m concerned Harry’s going to make you put a quarter in the swear jar later.”
Harry pouted.“Don’t I look innocent?”
“No.”She touched her forehead to his.“You don’t.”
Before Harry had time to respond, he heard a voice at the end of the table.“Uh, hello ladies at our table.”
Louis and Zayn had come back; Liam obviously still had found better things to do.Louis was staring at him, his mouth agape.Harry smiled broadly.
“Ew, you say that like this is totally boys only.”Jen wrinkled up her nose.“I didn’t see a sign or anything here, did you Liz?Reserved for boys only?”
Elizabeth waved.“I’m Elizabeth.You’ve already met Jen.”
Louis casually sat down next to her and Harry, while Zayne slumped down next to Jen.“I’m Louis.I see you’ve met Harry.”
“And Ireland over there.”Elizabeth cocked her head towards Niall.“Ireland’s pretty quiet.Sassy, but quiet.”
Zayn studied her closely.“You don’t look much like Keith Richards.”
“Thank you, Jesus.”Elizabeth pumped her fist in the air.“If you look at pictures of him from like, 1964 we have similar features.He’s a prime example, gentlemen, of why you don’t do drugs.”
“You’re a walking public service announcement, Liz.”Jen rolled her eyes.“Look, you boys are cute, but if I’m going to sit somewhere, I’m going to sit at home.Let’s rock this party or split.”
“Dance with me, Hazza?” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows.“Please?”
He nodded.He hated the thought of dancing with the other guys around—too many late 90s boyband comparisons—but she was so gorgeous.He was fairly sure there was nothing she could ask him that he’d decline.
Louis caught his eye and mouthed the words, “Lucky bastard.”
Harry widened his eyes dramatically and made a face, then slid his hands to Elizabeth’s.“You lead the way, pretty lady.”
She slid off his lap without letting go of his hands and grabbed her purse from her chair.“Care to join us, gentlemen?Ireland, I know you’re game.”
The makeshift ballroom rocked with blasting DJ music, the centermost dance floor writhing with the “young Hollywood” crowd.No paparazzi was allowed in the building and, for once, everyone was laid back and chill.He saw a handful of people he knew, but he had tunnel vision on Elizabeth.Her hand was still safely tucked in his and she kept glancing shyly at him.Fate, destiny, whatever it was—he didn’t want the moment to stop.
He let go of her hand only to move it to her waist, pulling her against him.She was laughing and dancing, her body rubbing against hers as they danced.The room seemed empty to him; she was the only person in his focus.He ran his hands down her hips and her waist, keeping her close to him.The more he danced, the more he wanted her.And the more he wanted her….the more he couldn’t stop the dirty thoughts from popping into his head.
Though, he had to wonder if she felt the same way.
The strains of Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” blasted through the room and Elizabeth leaned foreward, burying her face against his shoulder.“Fuck, this song?Seriously?”
Jen danced over, her hand holding onto Niall’s shoulder.“They want you to dance, Liz, just like in the movie.”
Elizabeth shook her head.“Doubtful.Nobody wants to see that.”
Harry pressed his head close to hers.“I do.”
“I’ll show you later, Hazza.”
Louis nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.“Can I cut in?”
Harry shook his head, keeping his eyes on Elizabeth’s.She laughed, her tongue poking through her teeth when she smiled.“You can dance with us, buddy, but he’s mine.You’re not dancing off into the sunset with him.”
Louis laughed—obviously, that wasn’t what he’d meant—and he stepped behind her, dancing close to her body.Harry lifted his hand from her waist and shoved him back.“Hands to yourself, man.”
It was dizzying; the lights and the percussion of the music.She was so close to him; laughing and wrapping her arms around his neck.Sometimes she’d turn around and face Louis, but she never got quite as close as she did with him.It’d been ages since he’d felt like this.
Jen was next to them again, tugging on Elizabeth’s arm.“Look who’s here.”
She looked over his shoulder and her grip tightened on his arm.Harry pulled her closer.“What’s wrong?”
She wrinkled up her nose.“Just my past mistakes sauntering in to irritate me.”
Harry glanced over his shoulder.A blond haired man, muscular and tall, was leaning against the far wall, staring them down.He vaguely recognized him, probably from some movie, but he couldn’t quite put a name with the face.
He turned back to her and leaned close to her, raising his voice enough so she could hear him over the music.“Want to get out of here?”

Notes