Fool's Gold

I sat down in the chair, far from the boys. I was furious with them. I didn't want them to be introduced to Enola yet. The holiday was supposed to be about her and me. I quickly pulled a pillow into my lap when the boys noticed the hard on I was still rockin’.
"So, Harry, she seems nice." Liam stammered. I glared at him. "What? I'm trying to break the ice here. It's not like we knew that you two would stumble in the house like that." Liam defended himself.
"We took a holiday half the world away from our lives, what did you think you were going to find, Liam?" I snapped at him.
"Harry." I heard Enola's scolding voice from the kitchen. I groaned and dropped my head back onto the chair. Damn girl; always had to be the little angel on my shoulder. Although, I wanted her above my shoulders. I smirked at the thought.
"Harry, we are sorry but we just...we wanted to know what was happening. You've never been like this before. We were getting a little worried." Niall said trying to ease the tensions in the room.
I turned my eyes to him, "That’s what happens when you're in love, fool." I knew I had a light in my eyes and a smile on my face as I said it, but I didn't care. I loved Enola. And even though I wasn't too happy to see the boys at the moment, I wanted them to love her too. Liam, Niall and Zayn all smiled back at me.
"Harry, she is gorgeous. She is. But don't you think it's a little soon to be calling it love. I mean, we don't even know how or when you met her." Louis stated.
"We met in Ireland six months ago." I informed him.
Zayn laughed, "That’s where you were on our days off there? You were with Enola?"
I beamed, "Yep. Best three days I've ever had on tour." Zayn shook his head as he laughed more.
Niall chuckled, "Irish girls are amazing."
"She doesn't sound Irish, Niall." Liam corrected him.
I laughed, "She lives in the states, has for most of her life. Her dad is Irish though. So, technically, she is an Irish girl." Enola then walked into the room with a tray in her hands. She bent forward and set it on the table. I smirked as I peeked down her dress. She had bent the way she did intentionally. I got just enough of a glimpse that I stiffened in my trousers again. Enola carefully sat down on the armrest of the chair. Her body language said that she was completely at ease but I could see in her eyes that she was nervous and embarrassed. I put my arm around her hips as she handed me a cup.
"I'm sorry I didn't fix yours. I don't know how you like it. I think that Harry is a little weird with his." She said shyly.
Louis smiled warmly at her, "That’s quite alright. Thank you for making it."
"Yes, thanks very much." Liam grinned. Zayn and Niall also thanked her. She relaxed against my arm a bit.
"So you're an Irish girl?" Niall asked her with a big smile.
"You were talking about me?" Enola asked looking down at me. I nodded slowly. She bit the inside of her cheek nervously. "Great." She muttered.
"Just that you're Irish and live in the States and met Harry in Ireland. That's all that was said." Zayn said trying to ease her discomfort.
She nodded, "WE met in an art gallery." She gazed at the boys for a moment, "You were there actually. Not too far away." The boys all tilted their heads.
I laughed, "You were. You were looking at Impressionist style paintings and I was looking at her." Enola blushed and rested her hand on my shoulder.
"I don't remember that." Louis stated as he tried to think back.
"I do. She was the one that you were talking to by the photography wing?" Niall inquired.
I smiled brightly, "Yeah. An angel in jeans and a t-shirt." I turned my eyes up to hers. She shook her head.
"Speaking of jeans and a t-shirt. I am going to go change. I feel a little over dressed for this." Enola stood and made her way to the hall. I got a little brave so I swatted her rear again, making her blush and move out of the room quicker. I turned my head to see the boys looking at me with strange expressions.
"What?" I asked. "What have I done?"
"Since when did you get so cheeky?" Louis inquired with a laugh.
I shrugged, "It's just the way it is with her."
Liam glanced into the hall then turned to me, "She is amazingly beautiful. I can't believe it."
"Thank you." I replied quietly.

Enola reentered the room. She sat down on the arm rest of the chair again. I was completely amazed by her coolness. She leaned back a bit and draped her arm over my shoulders. The boys all stayed quiet for a bit longer. They were embarrassed about the conversation we’d been having before she returned. They just had to know about the sex.
Enola laughed and decided that she was going to break the ice, "So, did you boys look around Italy before coming here?"
Niall shook his head, "Not a lot of it. WE saw the little things we drove passed on our way out here."
Enola frowned, "That's a shame. Venice is a beautiful city. So many things to see."
"You've been here before?" Louis asked of her.
She shook her head, "No. Not before this week. I've been to Rome and Tuscany and a few other cities, but never Venice. I've always wanted to. Harry was so lovely as to give me a reason." She smiled and twined her fingers in my hair then tugged gently. I pursed my lips and tried not to smile. "Harry took me around the city two days ago and obviously that's where we were earlier." She explained.
"That's a wonderful thing for Harry to do." Louis sounded a bit rude.
"Yeah, who would've thought that bringing an artist to Venice would make her easy?" I choked on my tea as the statement flew out of her mouth. "Are you okay, baby?" She asked concerned as she rubbed my back.
"You're getting sassy. Stop it." I murmured to her.
She held her hand up, "That was crude. I apologize." I shook my head and laughed a bit. I gripped her hip tighter. Enola gazed back at the boys with a mischievous look in her eye. I knew things could get out of hand and quickly.
"How did you boys know where we were anyway? I only told Paul and my mother." I asked trying to get the tension to disappear.
Liam smirked, "We made Paul tell us. We locked him in the bathroom after Niall went to the toilet. Then we made as much noise as we possibly could while he was sleeping on the sofa."I rolled my eyes and tapped the side of my tea cup nervously.
"Are you boys hungry? You must've come straight here from the airport." Enola asked like she was genuinely concerned for them.
"I could always eat." Niall laughed.
Enola giggled quietly, "It must be an Irish thing because I am the same way." She looked to Zayn, Louis and Liam, "What about you three? Are you hungry?" Liam nodded and smiled at her.
Zayn thought for a moment, "Now that you mention it, I really am." Zayn placed his hand over his stomach like he was checking himself.
"Mr. Tomlinson?" Enola questioned him politely.
Louis smiled warmly, "I kind of am, yes."
Enola stood from the arm of the chair, "I'll go make you boys something." She gazed down at me, "Do you want anything, love?"
I shook my head, "I'm fine, baby. Thanks." She nodded then bounced out of the living room to the kitchen. I heard her begin to open cupboards and get out pans. I sighed a bit. I wanted her by my side. I wanted her next to me while I faced my friends. I needed her to be my courage. Louis looked at me with what appeared to be anger in his eyes. "What's your problem?" I asked sourly.
"There's something off about that girl." Louis answered. I glared at him. "I'm just saying when we came in she was shy about being with you and now she's making comments that are far from shy?"
"First of all, when you came in, my hand was up her dress and we were...my hand was up her dress. And now, you're speaking to her in a very rude tone, Louis. She's doing it to get back at you. She's a good woman and I love her. Trust me on this, okay." I snapped at him.
Zayn sighed, "We know you love her, Harry. And she seems taken with you, but, does she love you?"
I rubbed my forehead aggressively, "She hasn't said it but I feel it. I know she does. I will give her the time she needs to say it."
"So, you've said it to her?" Niall asked. I just nodded staring into his blue eyes so he knew that I meant the words I told her.
"You told her and she hasn't said it back? And you're okay with that?" Liam seemed astounded.
I ran my hand through my hair, "Yes. She needs to have more time with it. She's been through quite a lot and I understand her apprehension. I love her so I will be patient with her. Remember the proverb, Love is patient?" Liam smiled brightly at me.
Louis sighed, "Harry, I am not doubting you one bit. I believe that you love her. I'm happy you have fallen in love but what have you fallen in love with. A week? You've spent so little time together that I wonder how you can know what you love." I smiled before opening my mouth. I gave him the same long speech I gave my mother. Zayn, Niall and Liam had smiles on their faces in seconds. Louis listened carefully to every word that came out of my mouth.
"I love her inside and out. Yeah, I don't know everything about her yet but I've got the rest of my life to learn." I said firmly. Enola walked out of the kitchen with a slight sparkle in her eyes.
"Your meal is ready boys." She smiled, her voice breaking a little. Liam and Zayn kissed Enola's cheek on their way into the kitchen. I smiled at the gesture to ease whatever discomfort she felt. Niall took her wrist in his hand and murmured something to her in Irish. She smiled and touched his cheek lightly. Louis went to her next. He peered into her eyes then sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry I've been such an arse." Louis apologized genuinely to her.
Enola squeezed his hand lightly, "I accept your apology. Now, go eat, honey. You've had a long day." Louis kissed her cheek then sauntered into the kitchen with the rest of the boys. I quickly pulled her into my arms. She rested her forehead against my chest and drew in a shaky breath.
"What’s the matter, Noli?" I asked in a whisper.
She glowed as she spoke, "You love me in a way that I never thought I'd be loved. No one has ever said the things about me that you just did to your friends. I'm not upset. Not in the slightest." I lifted her head then took her face in my hands. I stared into her deep blue eyes. I saw love there. I really did. I wanted so badly for her to say it or prove it. But I could also see that she just couldn't at that moment. I pressed my lips to her gently. The kiss quickly turned passionate. She gripped my shirt in an attempt to stay in control. She broke the kiss and murmured to me breathlessly, "Please, don't let me go." It was her version of "I love you" for the night and I was on cloud nine because of it.
"Let's go upstairs." I suggested with a bit of a smirk. Enola gazed into my eyes, biting her lip and nodding. I turned her body toward the kitchen the draped my arm over her shoulders.

Notes