whiplash

The worst thing about boring days is that they take freaking forever to be over. I spent most of my day staring at the clock and wondering if it had somehow managed to go backwards instead of forwards because that’s exactly how it felt. Time was standing still and the universe just wanted me to stay at the office for much longer than was necessary.

Now, as I am turning the key in my lock and walking through my front door, I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m thankful the day ended.

Finally.

I’m home.

I set my things down and think to myself that the only thing that saved me today from dying of absolute boredom was the fact that I’m still living on cloud nine. All from a silly, stupid little note. I know that I shouldn’t be so excited about a thing as small as that, but it is just something he has never done before and it gives me this tiny little shred of hope that things are going to start moving in a different direction and when you’re starving for hope you’ll will take anything you can get your hands on. When I told Lily, she was not as impressed. She essentially rolled her eyes at me and shook her head. Lily really doesn’t like Niall. At all. Though she claims that she doesn’t necessarily dislike him it’s more that he’s just not her most favorite person in the world.

Not that I can blame her. If the situations were reversed I would be exactly like her. Angry that some douchey guy was using my friend pretty much like a walking sex toy. But as everything stands right now I’m not…unhappy.

That thought makes me snort as I walk back to my bedroom and start stripping off my work clothes.

Not unhappy.

I laugh to myself. Just what every little girl dreams of…being in a relationship that keeps her not unhappy. Forget Prince Charming or the Knight in shining armor. Forget every princess fairytale or romantic love story. Who needs those? I get to have the cocky popstar who thinks he hung the moon.

Insert a long dramatic sigh here.

But it’s true. I’m not exactly doing somersaults from joy, but I’m also not crying all the time because some guy is wrecking my emotions. At least not every day. This thing between Niall and me, it is what it is.

I let those thoughts go as I pull on a pair of low hanging sweats and a loose tank, my typical go to outfit for after work lounging. I don’t need to start over thinking things for the billionth time.

When I walk back out I hear my phone buzzing from the table by the door. I walk over and I smile when I see Niall’s name on the screen. I say hello, my voice sounds ridiculously cheery, but I can’t help it. This is what he does to me. He turns me into this happy, giddy girl who can’t stop smiling.

My smile grows even wider when I hear his voice. “Hello, sunshine, what are you up to?”

I’m all giggly like my grade school crush just called me and I’m grinning ear to ear as I settle down onto the couch. I try as hard as I can not to let it show through in my voice, but I’m sure I fail. “Not too much. I just got home from a very long day. What about you?”

“Oh good! I was just about to ask you that. I’m gonna come over for a bit, alright?”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “I thought you had work stuff all day today?”

He chuckles. “I did, I mean, I do. But I’ve got a surprise for ya and I thought you’d like to have it sooner rather than later.”

My face lights up again. “A surprise! What is it?”

This time he full out laughs into the phone. “It’s not much of a surprise if I tell you over the phone.”

My voice turns a tad whiny. “Aw! Come on! Tell me! Please!”

He laughs again and it’s like I can see him shaking his head at me. “No. I won’t. You’ll just have to wait til I get there.” I scoff impatiently into the phone in response. “I’m almost there. Keep your pants on.” He pauses and I can hear the cocky smile in his voice. “On second thought, you can lose those if you want. I mean, you could just answer the door naked. I wouldn’t have a problem with that at all.”

“Mmmhmm. I’m sure you wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, let’s go with that. I think naked is the perfect way to greet me at the door.”

My voice flat when I say, “Bye, Niall.” I hang up the phone to the sound of his laughter in my ear.

Despite that last little bit I excitedly bounce on my couch wondering what could possibly be the surprise. This is definitely a first and I hope it’s not the last. I decide to text Lily but as I pick up my phone I change my mind. I’ll wait until after I find out what it is that way if I’m disappointed I don’t have to hear her say, ‘I told you so.’

It’s only ten minutes before my door buzzes and I rush over to open it. Niall winks at me the moment he sees me, but proceeds to stride right past me and straight into the kitchen. I frown confused and a little miffed with the lack greeting. I close the door and turn following his footsteps. I enter the kitchen and find him bent over with half of his body stuck in the open door of my fridge. When he finally emerges he’s got a beer in his hand and a frown on his face.

I let out an astonished chuckle as I gesture to the drink in his hand. “Please, help yourself.”

He opens it with a shrug and takes a long swig. “Not much in the form of food in your fridge, Harps.”

I nod, “I know. I’ve got to go do some shopping. I didn’t know I was feeding the never ending stomach of Mullingar tonight or I would’ve been better prepared.” I pause and wait for him to tell me about the surprise he mentioned on the phone but he says nothing and just drinks my beer with a smug smile on his face. One that says he knows a secret that I don’t which is exactly the case. I’m determined to wait him out, but I’ve got the patience of a toddler waiting for sweets when it comes to surprises and presents so I end up whining. “Niall! Are you going to tell me or not?”

“Tell you what?”

My jaw drops open incredulously. “Tell me what! The surprise! That’s what!”

“Oh yeah. That.” He leans back against my fridge and crosses his arms over his chest, his beer still in one hand. “What about it?”

He’s playing dumb with me on purpose and it’s infuriating. “Are you gonna tell me what it is or not?”

He looks at me with one eyebrow cocked up and takes another long drag off the bottle. “Or not.”
I sound indignant as I question him. “Why not?”

He ignores me completely. “You want dinner?” He crosses over to the draw where I keep all the takeout menus. “Let’s order food. I’m thinking Thai.”

I walk over to him and whack lightly him on the shoulder in frustration. “NIALL!”

He shrugs, not even the least be bothered by my sudden attack. “What? I’m hungry.” I smack him again and this time he laughs. “Someone’s impatient. Makes me think I should make you work for it a bit. Could be fun.”

He wants me to work for it, huh? Well, let’s try a little female persuasion then. I take a step closer to him and I pout my bottom lip. I make my voice sweet and soft with the tiniest hint of neediness. “Niall….please…” I set my hands on his waist and press my body against his lean form, looking up at him through my eyelashes. “Pretty please…”

He licks his lips, his eyes darting down to my mouth and then back up to my eyes. “I do so like to hear you beg, Harper.

I start to employ all the tactics I know that make Niall a little weak in the knees. I nuzzle into his neck and kiss a soft spot just below his jawline. He tilts his chin up, better angling himself to receive my attentions. Meanwhile, my fingers play with the low slung collar of his white shirt and I ruffle his chest hair a bit with the back of my knuckles. I slide my other hand across his belly and dip my fingers down into the waistband of his pants, grazing over his coarse hair and my fingertips dusting over the smooth velvety skin of him. I feel him take a deep breath and I raise my head so that our mouths are closer than before. "Please Niall…tell me the surprise…”
He dips his head down to further meet my mouth and his lips ghost over mine, not quite touching them. His breath drifts over me in hot waves. “Oh, Harps…” He kisses me softly and so thoroughly that my legs get weak. When he pulls back, I’m in a sort of haze. He pecks me once more. “…not until after we eat.”

I yank my hand away and let out a scream deep in my throat while stomping my foot in frustration. “You hateful man.”

He steps back up to me and wraps his arms around my waist. “I may be that, but I’m also the one that knows the surprise so you should probably be nice me.” I pout more. “My poor little sunshine, I’m gonna tell ya, but I am gonna eat first.” I finally let out a resigned huff and it makes Niall laugh. He kisses the tip of my nose before letting me go and continuing his search through my menus.

I pull myself up onto the counter top and he pulls out one particular one and holds it up with a triumphant look on his face. I grumble, “Thai food sounds fine.”

If I thought that my day at work went slowly it is nothing compared to what I am experiencing now. I watched impatiently as Niall ordered food. I nodded politely when he asked if I wanted my usual. I waited testily for it to arrive. When it got here I was even nice enough to put it on plates. I ate quickly, entirely too quickly probably. And to my complete and utter surprise Niall ate slower than he has ever eaten in his lifetime. I would bet money on that in a heartbeat. The man must have savored every last bite just to rankle my feathers even more.

Now I’m sitting beside him, my foot bouncing up and down, my lips clamped between my teeth to stop myself from bursting out. He’s watching telly and taking one slow bite after another, a stupid self-satisfied smile on his face. I finally lose my patience and growl from beside him, sinking lower into the couch and folding my arms over my chest crossly. “I hate you,” I grumble under my breath.

“No you don’t,” He contradicts me and then takes another comically slow bite.

I huff, “I didn’t know we were eating in slow motion today.”

He just laughs and scoops up the last of his food, taking this bite the slowest of all. While he chews I sit up and take his plate from his lap. I carry both of our dishes to the sink and then rush back, crashing down on the couch hard enough to jostle him a little. I grab his shoulder shaking him like a little kid trying to wake up their mom on Christmas morning. My body bounces with each word, “Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!”

To my dismay, he leans back and relaxes himself into the couch. “I was thinking maybe a little something before I tell you. A blow job maybe? I could use one and yours are lovely.”

I put my hand to my head and I can’t help but laugh. I sit there shaking my head. This fucking man. When I finally look back up at him, he’s grinning. “You’re such an asshole, you know that, right?”

“Is that a no then?”

I lean over and place my hand directly on his inner thigh. “If you tell me what my surprise is I’m sure I can work something out for you.”

His eyebrows shoot up and he smiles. “Damn! I am a lucky guy. I didn’t think you’d actually go for it!” He reaches up and puts a hand to my cheek, kissing me softly. "Harper, you are an enigma.“

To my wonderment, he takes my hand off his thigh and stands up. He holds out a hand to me and I gently place my own inside his warm palm. "As much as I do love your work I was only joking.” He throws a wink in my direction. “This time that is…”

He pulls me to my feet and without a word starts to drag me back to my bedroom. He says he’s joking, but leading me to the bedroom seems like it’s not such a joke after all. Again he catches me off guard. He stops at my closet, opens the door, and directs me inside. My expression reads with enormous confusion, I’m sure and he only grins and turns on the light.

“I want you to find your nicest dress.”

I look at him with my head cocked to the side just like a puppy puzzled by its master’s commands.

“A dress, Harper. I want you to show me the best dress you’ve got in here.”

I put my hand on my hip still not moving. “Does this have anything to do with your surprise or are you just stalling for more time. Maybe there isn’t a surprise at all. Maybe this is all…”

He interrupts me. “Just a ruse to what? Make you try on dresses.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me to his chest. My breath huffs out of my lungs as I land against him. His lips brush over mine once, twice, and then he kisses me. A slow, soft kiss, tasting my tongue, caressing my mouth with his. He pulls back and I am left in a daze, again, and I think to myself that this is happening a lot today. "I’m not playing with you Harper.“ His eyes search mine for a moment as he looks at me seriously. "I promise I’m not.”

I sigh audibly, not composed enough to even hide the effect he has on me and he chuckles, letting me go and patting my ass as I head into my small walk-in closet. I sift through the dresses hanging near the back until I finally come to the one I’m looking for. A small black zip up garment bag containing the most expensive piece of clothing I have ever owned. I walk back out to him holding it in my hand. “Do you want me to try it on or do you just want to see it.”

Niall looks at me as if I’ve asked him the dumbest question on earth. “I want you to try it on. Then I’ll give you your surprise.”

The excitement is starting to build in my belly and I can’t even imagine what this dress is for but I rush to my bathroom to put it on. I strip off all of my clothes hurriedly and then unzip the bag slowly revealing a beautiful black satin dress. I pull the tiny spaghetti straps from the hanger and hold it up to my body. It has the deepest v of any dress I’ve ever owned and it’s so short it only to comes maybe my mid thigh, but it looks phenomenal on me. Lily made me buy it. We only went in the designer store for shits and giggles in the first place and then we found this dress hanging on a rack. The price tag, even on sale, reading for more than a month’s worth of paychecks. I tried it on anyway, against my better judgement. It fit like it was made for me. I didn’t want to take it off. I just wanted to walk around in this Dior dress for the rest of my life. As I slip it on my body the same feeling comes over me again. A perfect fitting dress can do that to a girl. It can make her feel like she’s worth more than a million bucks and that’s how I feel right now.

I take a deep breath and open the bathroom door. Niall, who had been sitting on my bed, leaned back on his elbows, waiting, sits straight up the moment his eyes fall on me. He stands up as if his legs are carrying him on their own fruition. His mouth drops open slightly as his eyes take me in, scanning me from head to toe. He stops right in front of me, his eyes still drinking me in, and then he smiles.

“You look fucking incredible.” He takes a deep shuddering breath. “Jesus, Harper…”

The effect of his words is instantaneous. My skin flushes with pride and I smile broadly. “You think so? You like it?”

His hands start to rub up and down my arms, then flutter over the dress almost as is he’s afraid to touch it. “I love it. You will look perfect.”

I bite my lip nervously. “Perfect for what?”

He locks eyes with mine and grins mischievously as he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small envelope. He hands it to me and I hesitate, nerves overriding my excitement. “Go on, open it.” He encourages.

I slide my finger under the lip of paper and pull out two tickets. It takes me a moment to focus on the small words written across them, but when I finally comprehend what I’m holding my whole face lights up. “Holy shit,” I exclaim.

Niall chuckles in front of me. “I hope that’s a good holy shit and not a bad one.”

I look up at him, giggles starting to bubble out of me from excitement and happiness. “Are you for real right now? You got me tickets to the Brit Awards?”

He shrugs his shoulders, appearing nonchalant, but his boyish grin gives him away. “I thought maybe you could take Lily. It would be nice having you there, even if I may not be able to be with you during the actual show. I still like the idea that you’re in the crowd watching me. What do you think? You want to go?”

I don’t even answer him. Instead I wrap my arms around him and kiss him with everything I’ve got inside me. He actually staggers back from the force, but catches himself, his own hands wrapping around my waist after balance is restored. I touch my tongue to his lips and his mouth opens for me. I sweep inside, enjoying the taste of him, something that I will never get over. He has his own very distinct taste and it drives me crazy. His hands slide up the soft silky fabric of my dress and he pulls back from my kiss, just slightly, to whisper against my lips.

“I’ll take that’s a yes, then?”

I peck his lips once more and murmur a soft yes assent into his mouth before his kisses swallow my words. My body arches into his own as his hands find the low open back and his warm palms press into my skin. He toys with the zipper, seemingly weighing something in his mind. He finally pulls back, breaking our kiss and presses his forehead to mine.

“As much as I’d like to practice taking this dress off of ya, I can’t stay.” I start to pout a little and his smiles, shaking his head. “You know I’d much rather throw you on that bed than leave, but I snuck out of a meeting to come over here and I’ve already missed another since then. My ass is gonna get chewed out if I don’t get back soon.”

The thought of him sneaking out of work stuff to come and see me makes my heart rejoice. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him once more. It is soft and sweet, but slowly it builds and Niall’s hands tighten on my back, pulling me closer to him. His chest is pressed against mine and I can feel his breathing getting faster. His hips press forward, trying to find solace and pleasure with my body. His hand drops down to the hem of my dress and quickly finds its way underneath it, long thick fingers discovering my complete lack of panties. He growls low in his throat as he strokes over my core. My hands fist into his hair as he pushes to fingers inside me. My body’s reaction is all its own and my walls clench around him trying to drag him further inside. He pumps them a few times, his thumb pressed to that tiny bundle of nerves, drawing slow circles. I pull away, resting my forehead on his shoulder while his fingers work magic. His lips press to my shoulder, his teeth nipping the skin and it makes my breath catch in my throat and my body contract around his fingers.

“Fuck, I really don’t have time to do this.” He mumbles into my shoulder. “You’re so fucking wet, sunshine. The way I can feel you around me…God…and the way you look in that dress…it makes me want to stay here and fuck you in every room.” He stops moving inside me and slowly pulls his fingers out and sighs against my skin. “But I can’t. I’ve got to go.”

“I know you do.” I take a deep breath and stand up straight, adjusting the skirt of my dress. I don’t want him to go. At all. But I know he can’t stay. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make it harder to leave me. I wrap my fingers around his wrist and lift his hand to my lips. His fingers are still wet and shining from being inside me so I lock eyes with him and slowly lick them clean, tasting the tang of my own juices as my tongue glides across the callused tips of his fingers. He blows out a slow deep breathe, his cheeks puffed out and his lips a perfect circle, sexual frustration written on every feature. I drop his hand and lick my lips, making a loud smacking sound when I’m done. I look up into his face, a cute little grin on mine and he scowls at me.

“Ya just had to do that didn’t ya? Like I needed any more dirty thoughts in me head when I go back into that meeting, which I’m gonna be scolded for missin’ half of anyway.” He reaches down and adjusts himself in his tight blue jeans and I just smile. He scoffs when his eyes reach mine. “Gonna have a fuckin’ hard on all day because of that damn mouth of yours.”

I take his hand and start walking him to the door and it’s almost like I can feel his eyes boring holes into me. I wonder what he’s thinking about so hard back there. Probably just checking out my ass in this dress. I turn around and put my hands to his chest when we reach the door and I press a kiss to his stubble covered jaw.

“If you come back tonight I promise that I will make it all better.”

He tucks his fingers under my chin, pecks my lips, then looks me in the eyes, his mouth set in serious pout and a tone to match it. “When I get here tonight you had better be on your bed, on all fours, with that ass up in the air waiting for me and if that isn’t how I find you, there will be hell to pay.” He cocks an eyebrow up. “Got it?”

I nod, my lips clamped between my teeth in excitement.

He opens the door while kissing me once more. “Good girl. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”

I watch him as he walks away down the hall, his stride cocky and self assured. I shake my head and close the door. I am so looking forward to tonight, but right now I need to call Lily. I grab my phone and dial her number as I walk back to my bedroom to look at the dress again in the mirror. When Lily picks up I don’t even give her time to finish her hello. “Get your ass over here right now!”

“Why?” She asks even as I hear her keys jingling in the background.

“Just do it, loser.” I hang up before she can argue any further.

Ten minutes later, she’s walking through my front door talking loudly. “This had better be damn good. I was in the middle of a Netflix marathon and I don’t even know what hap…” I walk out of the bedroom in my dress and newly adorned heels and lean into the door frame making her stop mid sentence. “Why the hell do you have on that? Aren’t you a little dressed up for a Thursday night?” Her eyes turn suspicious. “What’s the deal?”

I twirl in front of her, my excitement starting to build even more. “Niall brought me a surprise today.”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh geez, I should’ve known that Irish twat was somehow involved in this.”

“Hey now! You’re part of the surprise too, so stop all that twat business.” I give her an even glare and wait.

She rearranges her face trying to hide the surprise of being included. “Fine. Tell me what he did.”

I run back in my bedroom and grab the two tickets from my dresser. I yell back over my shoulder. “We are gonna need to go shopping. You’re gonna need a dress!”

“Oh, God, where are we going? What did he do? No wait! Let me guess! This is blondie so I say he hired a helicopter to fly us the French Riviera for a private concert where we sip Cristal and men in leopard print speedos fan us and hand feed us grapes. Am I right?” I give her a look that screams are-you-done-yet and sigh. She just laughs and give me her beautiful smile. “Spit it out. I know you’re dying inside.” I bounce on the balls of my feet and hand her the tickets. She reads over them and her jaw drops slightly. “The Brits? He got you tickets to for the Brit Awards?”

“Us. He got us tickets. He specifically told me to bring you.”

She looks up at me the tickets still in her hand. “Well, if he thinks rubbing elbows with celebrities is going to make me like him, he’s got another thing coming.” Her tone is serious but I can tell she’s secretly as excited as I am. “I mean, I guess I’ll go though.”

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze her. “We are going to have so much fun!”

I change out of my dress and we get comfy on the couch. We end up spending the rest of the evening sharing a bottle of wine and wondering what exactly our trip to our first awards show will be like. I’m laughing at Lily’s impression of people taking pictures on the red carpet. Tears are actually running down my face when my phone buzzes. I grab it, checking the new message.

“Oh shit.” My stomach drops as I read it. I’ve lost track of time and Niall is almost here. “Lily! You have to go! Now!”

She reels back as if I’ve slapped her in the face. “Go? Why?”

I stand up and try to drag her to the door. “Niall is coming over.”

“So? I’ve been here before, when he’s shown up. It’s not that big of a big deal.”
“I know you have but I was supposed to… God, how can I explain this without sounding like a complete tosser? Let’s just say I’m going to be in trouble because I’m not where I’m supposed to be and I’m slightly over dressed.”

She wrinkles her nose and holds up a hand. “Stop.” Laughing, she grabs her coat. “I don’t want to know.” She opens the door and then lets out a loud giggle when she sees Niall striding down the hallway. “Good luck with that…”

She waves as she passes him. He gives her a chummy smile and a quick wink before turning his attention to me. His eyes darken when he sees me standing in the doorway. He walks in silently and closes my front door. The expression on his face is a mixture of lust and anger and I can feel my center start to throb and fill with heat at the very sight of it. He takes a step towards me and I instinctively step back.

“Scared? Good. You should be.”

I swallow hard, my belly filling with anticipation.

“I believe when I left you this afternoon I gave you very specific instructions. Didn’t I tell you exactly what I wanted?” He takes another slow, deliberate step towards me and I again step backwards. My retreat makes his mouth quirk up in a sly smile. “Didn’t I make my instructions very clear?”

I nod, my eyes wide and my panties soaking through at the sound of his voice.

“Are you doing what I asked you to do?” His voice is low and rough, his accent getting thicker and thicker with every new question.

I shake my head no and start to bite my lower lip. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on in my life.

“Yer right, sunshine, ya aren’t.”

His last step has me pinned against the back of the couch. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. His left hand comes up and fists in my hair. He pulls my head backwards, making my chin jut up and exposing my throat to the explorations of his right hand. His fingers stroke over the soft, delicate skin. I swallow thickly and a quiet whine falls out of my mouth. He licks his lips, looking down on me, his pupils almost completely blown with only a hint blue still visible. He leans down, hot breath dances over the skin of my neck. His lips make wet trails along my jaw before stopping directly over my mouth. His voice is filled with a promise he intends to keep.

“Now I think I’m going to make you pay for not listening…”

Notes