Realms of Desire

Caitlin sat at the bar with one of her friends. It had been a long Friday, longer than any Friday should ever be. But then again, that's why they made Friday nights. Caitlin and her friend, Natalie, giggled as they discussed her horrible day.
"Cait. Look to your left." Natalie smiled. Caitlin looked over like her friend had instructed. "That man right there, in the silk shirt, he keeps looking at you."
"He's probably looking at you." Caitlin giggled, rolling her eyes at Natalie.
"No. I swear, he does." Natalie laughed. "So does his friend." Natalie pointed to a man with blue eyes. He was a bit shorter and a little more fragile looking that the one in the silk shirt that had been looking at her. Caitlin bit her lip gently; she had tossed out Natalie's statement quickly enough but she knew her friends was right. She could feel both sets of eyes on her. Caitlin shifted her seat when the smaller man's eyes focused on her even more. Caitlin quickly turned her attention back to Natalie. She didn't want to think about either man any longer. Tonight, she was going to be the ice queen. At least that's what she intended.

"Hey Louis. Louis." Harry hit his friend in the arm gently. Louis looked at Harry slightly annoyed. Sometimes Harry didn't know his own strength. "Look at that girl at the bar. The one in the dress." Harry pointed her out discreetly. Louis moved his eyes to the beautiful girl Harry was talking about. Louis smiled seeing her bright smile and happy but tired eyes.
"Yes. She's quite attractive." Louis agreed with his friend. "Why are you pointing her out to me?" Louis was a little troubled by the smirk on Harry's face.
"Who do you think could get her number first?" Harry laughed. Louis groaned; he didn't want to play this game with his friend once again. Harry always won. Louis didn't need to have it rubbed in yet again. "Come on. This will be the only one. I swear." Harry pleaded. Louis agreed only because he knew Harry liked the challenge. "Sweet. You go first." Harry nearly shoved Louis to the floor. Louis glared at Harry for a moment then walked over to the bar casually.

Caitlin felt her heart start to race as one of the men watching her leaned against the bar next to her. She glanced over to see the smaller of the two men. Caitlin smiled politely at him as he glanced at her. She noticed that his eyes were the prettiest shade of blue. She also noticed that he had a dazzling smile as he spoke to the girl behind the bar. She tried to pull her eyes from his face before he could look at her but she failed. The small failure made Natalie giggle beside her.
"Hi." Louis smiled at her shyly.
"Hello." Caitlin responded sweetly.
"Okay, so I'm really bad at this." Louis sighed quietly. He wasn't but he thought playing the shy guy like Harry did would be better for him. Caitlin watched him with curious eyes. "So, I am going to just start this with honesty." Louis announced. "I think you're beautiful. Genuinely gorgeous." He informed her. She blushed and lowered her eyes for a moment.
"Thank you. You're very sweet." She replied with a shy giggle.
"My friend over there." Louis motioned to Harry inconspicuously. Caitlin flicked her eyes over to his face for a moment. "He thinks so too. Sooo..." Louis became nervous. "He proposed that we see who could get your number, like a bet. I really don't like this game but I thought I should at least tell you that you look amazing. You don't have to give me your number or anything. I just want to make Harry think that I'm trying."
"Maybe, if you asked me after you told me your name and asked for mine, you'd be surprised." Caitlin snickered. Louis cheeks turned pink. "Start over." She grinned. She thought he was a good guy to give her the truth before even asking for her name. He didn't want to get her number on a lie and she liked that about him.
Louis held his hand out to her, "Hi." She placed his hand in his with a smile. "I'm Louis." Caitlin gave a single nod, still smiling brightly. "What's your name, love?"
"Caitlin." She responded quietly.
"Caitlin, I think you're absolutely beautiful. Do you think I could get your number?" He asked as politely as he could.
Caitlin giggled and answered, "I think I'd like to hear what your friend has to say first. But I find you very sweet and that is working so very well for you, Louis." Louis tried to keep a smile but it wasn't working. "Oh don't worry. I am going to make it very difficult for him." Caitlin whispered. Louis chuckled and nodded. He released Caitlin's hand then went back to Harry's side.
"Please tell me that you're going to give him your number?" Natalie whined. Caitlin gave her a look that told her to close her mouth.

"How did it go?" Harry asked Louis with a smirk, guessing his friend hadn't gotten her number. Louis just shrugged. "Louis." Harry whined a little.
"Go talk to her and find out, you twit." Louis laughed. Harry huffed and tried to think of how he would approach her since Louis had done the classic "order a drink" move. Harry grumbled when he couldn't come up with anything and he refused to do the jerk thing and spill his drink on her to get her attention. He lifted his eyebrow as he thought, he could just bump into her. He inhaled deeply and decided to go for it. He set his drink down then headed toward the bar. Harry made sure her wine glass was on the bar-top before, bumping into her gently.
"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry." Harry looked into her eyes as he said it. Caitlin was impressed by his "accidental" blunder.
"It's okay. Accidents happen." She smiled warmly at him. Harry apologized once more before scooting off toward the restroom.
Natalie looked at Caitlin with surprise, "He's good." Caitlin nodded and watched Harry walk away.

After a few moments, Caitlin and Natalie were pleasantly surprised to see Harry standing beside Caitlin again.
"I'm Harry." He held his hand out to Caitlin. She laid her hand in his gently.
"Caitlin." She told him dryly.
"Listen, I feel really bad about crashing into such a beautiful woman. Can I buy you a drink to make up for it?" He asked with a sweet tone. Caitlin nodded slowly, thinking of how she was going to decide between giving Harry or Louis her number. They both were doing very well with their sweetness and politeness. They weren't using horrible pick up lines or being disgusting toward her like most men would. Another glass of red wine was placed in front of Caitlin at Harry's request. "I really am sorry about bumping into you." Harry smiled at Caitlin with a genuine looked of sympathy. Caitlin wilted inside just a bit. Harry was charming even though he wasn't really being completely honest. His child-like smile and emerald green eyes were making her melt almost like Louis had done with his sweet words and honesty.
"Accidents happen. Thank you for the wine." She replied with a tiny smile. "You know, I thought you were going to be a jerk." Caitlin stated quietly. Harry lifted his eyebrow at her. "See, your friend over there." She pointed to Louis. "He told me about your little bet of who could get my number first." Caitlin leaned away from the bar a little and motioned Louis over. Louis was a little shocked but went over to Harry and Caitlin and her friend anyway. Once he reached Harry's side, Harry punched him gently, where Caitlin wouldn't see. "And I kind of expected you to be a jerk since Louis was so sweet. But that's not the case. You were both really sweet. And that's refreshing so..." Caitlin began. Harry and Louis both looked hopeful. "I feel like there is only one way to settle this." Caitlin grinned at the fact she was going to have her cake and eat it too...just a bit.
"And how's that?" Harry inquired with a bit of a smirk.
"I think that both of you are going to have to kiss me." She responded curtly."Is there any other way?" She was still looking smug. Harry and Louis were both a bit shocked and Natalie tried to hold in her giggles as much as she could. "I'm waiting." Caitlin smirked at them.
"Well, we can't just both go for it." Harry spoke nervously.
Caitlin looked back, "Nat, who goes first?"
"Harry." She stated firmly. Caitlin turned back to Harry and motioned him closer with one finger. He took a step closer and inhaled deeply, as though he was nervous. Gently, Harry placed his lips over Caitlin's. She sighed softly at the feel of how smooth and tender Harry's full lips were. Slowly, he opened her mouth with his own a bit. It was just enough that he could pull her bottom lip between his, to make their kiss deeper. Louis cleared his throat like he was uncomfortable as Harry and Caitlin parted. Caitlin exhaled heavily and wiped her mouth just a bit. "Ten." Natalie giggled in her friends ear so the boys wouldn't hear. Caitlin shoved her friend away gently.
"Louis." Caitlin smiled warmly at him. She was hoping that his sweetness would show once again. Louis cleared his throat again, this time from being nervous. Louis leaned in a bit. He smiled at how nervous Caitlin looked. Softly, he placed his lips on the corner of her mouth. Letting his soft, sweet kiss linger for just a moment. He pulled away with a bashful smile and shoved his hands in his pocket. Caitlin turned to the bar and grabbed a pen from the cup behind the bar. She scribbled her phone number on the small paper Natalie had given her. "Ready to go Nat?" Caitlin asked. Natalie nodded, her eyes filled with excitement. Caitlin held up the paper with her number on it and smirked widely. She slid off the bar-stool, dangerously close to Harry. "Here honey." She handed her number to Louis. Harry's jaw dropped instantly. Caitlin smiled as she leaned toward Louis. Her smirk turned to a smile as she placed her lips on Louis'. It was a delicate kiss, one that made both Caitlin and Louis want more. "I really hope you call." Caitlin whispered as she backed out of the kiss. Louis nodded, still in disbelief. Caitlin took Natalie's hand in her own as they walked out of the bar giggling.

Notes

I'm SO sorry this took so long. We're not going to talk about how long but here it is! I hope you enjoy it!