Beating Heart

//show me your everything, and I'll promise to cherish it//


//Julianne//

A shiver runs up my spine as I feel Harry's firey palm touch my exposed waist, guiding me back to his body - like a flame pulling me into the glowing fire. He pulls all of my hair together and tosses it over onto my left shoulder, revealing the right side, where the barely healing wound still sits. I have gotten rather used to it, it only stings if I directly touch it with my fingers - that I don't do often and try not to at all. "It's getting better." Harry mumbles, his hot breath igniting flames over my bare skin. I know he's referring to the mark he left behind. His other hand drops to my waist and he quickly twirls me around.

At first I hesitate to raise my arm to cover my chest, but I decide on not doing it because I just know he would either tell me not to or pull it down himself. "Still hurts." I murmur back, keeping my eyes from catching his gaze. He sighs to me, probably not too pleased about my remark, but it was the truth. It either burns or it stings, there's no inbetween. "Should stop hurting in a few more weeks." Harry says before those large hands grasp my waist again, pulling me back to him, our skin making contact now - we've never been face to face while fully naked, but there is a first time for all things, even these kind.

His soft lips suddenly wrap around the wound and I gasp sharply, not expecting him to do that and also not knowing that it wouldn't hurt me - in fact, he's making it better. My fingers get lost in the tiny strands of hair at the nape of his neck, I pull and tug hard with my other hand, my fingers tangled in his soft curls. "Harry." I moan accidently at the pleasurable feeling. His fingertips dig deep into my skin as another moan belonging to me fills the air. His mouth continues to nurse the painfully horrible mark, waves of incredible, undying pleasure roll through my body - my eyes squeezing shut and my lips falling apart. "It'll help it, baby." He breathes onto my skin as he releases the area from his tight hold. I sigh out in relief, despite it being pleasing there was still pain laced throughout the feelings. "I promise it will be better soon." Harry assures me with a kiss to the soft spot behind my ear. His rough touch falls to my hips, guiding me to him - my nipples pressing into his warm skin, and frankly I like the sensation it's giving to me.

"Shower or bath?" Harry hums against my forehead, his arms securing a tight hold on me. I anxiously chew on my bottom lip, debating in my head on which I should chose. I really want to push away the barriers and all those limits, I know I can trust Harry. Even though the messages I saw suggested other things, I know that Harry would never act upon those intentions - he told me he wouldn't force anything on me and I believe him one hundred percent. Now I really want this to happen, I have a desire, a great need, for these walls to be knocked down and rebuilt - but this time with Harry inside of them with me and my scarred heart. "Shower." I murmur back to his, my hand gliding down his warm side, right over the healing slash - it doesn't seem to hurt him, so I know it's okay that I'm doing this.

"Well then, let's go." Harry smiles against my forehead before pecking it and stepping back a few inches, reaching for my hand on his waist. He tangles our fingers together and pulls me along with him as he heads towards the glass shower. My teeth release my swollen lip as Harry opens the door and gestures for me to step in first. I take the kind offer and carelly walk onto the cold tiles. Harry mumbles something about a towel and before I could fully understand what he said, he's walking away towards a thin door on the opposite wall. I watch him with furrowed brows as he opens the door and reaches into it, bringing out two towels and a washcloth in his hands. He shuts the door and sits the items on the sink's counter. I turn away from him now that I can see all that God has blessed him with, there's something about the thought of seeing his extermities that makes me nervous and scared - probably just because I've never seen one before and up until these past few months I hadn't planned on seeing one either. It's just Harry, though, I need to compose my insanely beating heart.

"Everything alright, darling?" Harry asks - concern deep in his raspy tone. I hear the door close to and seconds later, warm palms grab my hips - easing the freezing pain my body is receiving through the touch of my feet on the flooring. "We don't have to do this." He mutters against my shoulder. I close my eyes and calmy exhale as his lips plant an overflowering garden of kisses on my right shoulder, avoiding the mark though. I still don't reply to him and I honestly don't know why I'm not. I want this to happen, and I'm up for it entirely - yet I'm terrified on the inside, and my hands are shaking. "C'mon, we'll just get in the tub." Harry insists, his fingertips trail down my arm until they reach my palm where he carefully slots his fingers with mine. "No.. I.." I blurt out as he goes to pull me behind him, I don't want to leave - this is what I desire to do. He keeps telling me 'anything you want' and this is what I want.

"You're heart is racing, darling. You're shaking and shivering. We can get in the bath-" "No, Harry." My voice is slightly raised as I yank my hand free of his, I love the touch but I just don't want to be drug out of this because he thinks I can't handle it. Harry stays silent behind me. If it weren't for the burning warmth I can feel thanks to the heat radiating from his body I might think he has left me here alone. "I just.. don't." My words just come to a halt - like my mind has frozen up or something. "What is it, baby? You can tell me anything." He whispers to me, his hot breath heating up the side of my neck. "I'm.. scared." I admit honestly to him, he has the right to know the truth from me.

"What is it that you're scared of?" He asks with a smooth tone, trying to prevent this from escleating to a screaming match I'm sure. My throat is stopped up with all these words I want to say but just can't seem to find the courage to do so. I press my hand against the tiled wall, my forehead falling onto it seconds later. A warmth touches my side, immediately I know it's Harry's hand. The other is still clutching mine. His heated lips press against the space just below my ear lobe, a spot he has favored for a while now. "I would never hurt you." He breathes out, causing my brows to ease up and my lips to slightly part, my breathing partially steading up now. I hold this heavy feeling about what he's referring to, and I know he's aware of my fears at the moment. It's like he can just read my mind, if only it were that simple.

"B-but I.. I.. I tr-trust you, Ha-harry." I stutter out, shaking my head lightly in disapproval of where he's leading this to. I'm not afraid of him and I'm not worried about the negative things he could do - I'm simply just scared to have that experience, not that I don't want it to be with Harry because obviously I do. This is hard for me, I've never trusted anyone else in my life apart from my mother. Yet again, it's not about the trust it's purely involving my literal fear of seeing this man fully naked in front of me. I don't know why I'm so anxious about it and why I can't stop my hands from shaking, it's just scary.

"I know, baby. You have nothing to worry about it. I know that you are just a bit skitish and I don't blame you. Just remember, doll, I won't hurt you." Harry's words are melting into my heart and I get this thought that maybe he's completely right - I'm just being a bit nervous about it and that's all. There's nothing to it, I don't have to directly stare at it. Without further hesitation, I release Harry's hand from mine and carefully rotate my self on the slick floor of the shower, depsite the lack of water it's still quite slippery. My eyelids lift up to reveal Harry's toned, inked chest. I can feel his stare on me, but I don't mind it anymore. There isn't anything I have left to hide from him, he's seen my scars and he's seen my body - I trust him with my everything. I push aside any insecurities and just simply appreciate the fact I have someone as kind and as wondrous as Harry truly is.

"See.." Harry's smoky voice mumbles out to me, "there's nothing to be afraid of." This is the first time that we have been facing each other while both completely naked - and to be really frank about it, there's nothing different about it, it's similar to when we are both clothed. That large pair of hands finds my waist, as they normally do, and he guides me just a tad closer. My gaze doesn't drop below his chest, just to keep my sanity safe. I lift a hand up and press it against his hot, yet soft skinned, chest - right over his heart. "I think we ought to turn on the water, yeah?" Harry releases a chuckle within his words, making a smile shape onto my lips. I nod back as he releases me from his loose hold and steps over to the knobs. My eyes stay stuck to his shoulder blades, not really wanting to be adventerous and trail down this behind at the moment - I'll save that for another time. He turns the knobs and holds his hand under the falling water, checking the temperature.

"Warm or hot?" He asks me, glancing over his shoulder for a split second. I take a deep breath, he'll do anything for me - or so he claims - so this sacrifice will be fairly easy for him to make I believe. "Cold." I mumble, my lips curving upward as he laughs lightly to me and adjusts the water to my liking. "Is this cold enough?" He questions me, his eyes darting to the water before they land back on me. I reach my hand out and place it in the pouring water. "Just a bit colder." I say, focusing on my palm where the water is crashing down. He turns the knob just slightly and I swear the water has reached perfection. "Right there." I quickly blurt so that he won't mess this good thing up. He steps past the water, trying his best to avoid the cold liquid but he'll have to face it eventually.

I step underneath the falling water and my lips part in pure pleasure, a sigh escaping my mouth. "Perfect." I whisper to myself as my eyes fall shut and my hands lift up to my hair. I run them through the soaking strands, just trying to get the water the quickly spread. Harry is really quiet and I find it hard to believe actually, perhaps he's just enjoying the silence or maybe he's liking the fact we're doing this and is just loving the moment. I open my eyes to find that his are glued on my face instead of any other part of my body - not that I thought he would be staring at my chest, or my crotch. I cup my hands together and collect a little pond of the icy water in my palms. I throw it at him and he gasps at the cold temperature, bringing his arms up to protect his chest.

"Chicken." I grin at him as he shakes his head, slightly damp curls sitting on his shoulders. "No, you're just insane." Harry retorts, shaking his head at me in disbelief. I shrug my shoulders at him as I turn around, my back to him as I tilt my head, letting the water run over my face a few times before I step back. The cold water splashes on my collarbones and then glides down my body, making my skin tingle in a good way. My lips form a satisfited smile as Harry's hands slide around me, both resting on my stomach - the left one sitting below my navel, while the right is just above it. "The things I do to make you happy.." His husky voice makes my heart flutter, the butterflies in my stomach are taking flight.

I fall back into his embrace, his hot chest against my back. My hair is stuck between our bodies but I don't mind it at all. His chin sits on the top of my head, reminding me just how short my height is compared to his towering body. I swear I could burn in his arms all day if he'd allow it.

-

Harry's fingers grab the chain of the lamp, about to turn it off, when I suddenly get this odd feeling. "Harry." I say, leaning up on the bed with my hands pressing in the mattress to hold me up. "What is it, babe?" He asks, brows furrowed and eyes trained on me as he sits on the edge of the bed. "Something's off." I murmur lightly, not really sure how else to explain it to him.

"Yeah, most of our clothes." He winks cheekily at me, giving me a devious smirk. I slap his hard bicep with my hand, "No!" I groan with blushing, burning cheeks. "Baby, there's nothing.. wrong." His lips part after his sentence ends, his head turning away from me. I knew it! I was right, there is something wrong around here. "What.. is that?" He says mainly to himself as he stands from the bed, his touch leaving my thigh and his attention focusing on something else. I'm going to lie, frankly I am quite jealous of whatever it is because now that has his entire attention and I only claim a small piece.

"Will it hurt me?" I gasp as fear starts to sink into my nerves. He glances over his shoulder at me, eyebrows still drawn together along with the confused expression on his face. The lines in his forehead are very pronounced as he stares blankly at the wall - trying to put all these damn puzzle pieces together, I'm sure. "No." He shakes his head lightly as he goes over to where our suitcase sits in the corner by the dresser - he claimed it wouldn't be necessary to put our clothes in there, this time at least. I watch closely as he kneels down and throws the bag open, rummaging through it and gathering up clothes,making me wonder what exactly is going on. Just as quick as he started, he's finished with the bag and he zips it back up.

"Put these on." He mumbles as he passes me the clothes. I ignore the fact I'm still partially bare on my chest, the only item shielding my boobs is a sports bra that I usually sleep in, as I throw the shirt over my head and slide my arms in. He does the same, but a lot faster and swifter than I do. "Harry, what's going on?" I ask nervously as I stand from the bed, trying to hurry to pull the shorts up my legs. "Just.. I'll explain in a minute." He shakes me off as he hurries towards the staircase, but not before grabbing the fluffly white throw blanket from the end of the bed. I follow after him like a lost puppy - which is exactly what I am at the moment - as he descends down the staircase, barely touching the steps. "Harry, slow down." I whine out as I'm only half way down the stairs and he's already making his way through the living room. "C'mon, babe." He says with a light smile as he turns to face me while keeping his hand on the door knob.

I quicken my pace and reach for his extended hand as I get closer. "Is everything okay?" I ask after pushing down the nervous lump forming in my throat. "I'm not going to lie to you.." He starts with a deep exhale. "This is going to change things. But trust me.. I've been waiting for this to happen, I just didn't expect it to so soon." Harry leans forward and pushes his lips against mine for a few seconds before pulling back, his forehead pressing against mine. "No matter what happens.. you come first in my life. Understand me?" He mumbles with that deep, smooth tone.

"You're scaring me Harry.. are.. are you leaving?" I question, tightly holding onto his hand. "No baby, I'm not leaving. I just want you to remember that you're my girl.. no matter what. I love you, you come first. But this.. this will be hard to handle." He pecks my cheek one final time before turning away from me, turning the door knob. A strike of lighting lights the sky, the rain pouring down from the sky, flooding the ground. Harry flicks on the porch light and my heart jumps in my chest. Harry steps over the treshold, forgetting about me entirely. I can hear him take a deep breath and breathe out his words, "Ruth."

Notes

//another shower/bath scene.... :) these will be fairly common and get more detailed as the story goes on, if ya know what I mean...//

//also, just to mention this, I had someone inform me over the weekend that a piece of this story had been stolen.. It really hurt my feelings that someone who is subscribed to my story and knows how much I love this damn story and how much work I have put into it would just take credit for it. WELL The situation has been resolved, I just wanted to throw it out there!//

EXCUSE THOSE LOVELY ERRORS I SEEM TO ALWAYS MAKE!!! Love you guys so much xx Updates soon!! Feedback on this epic CLIFFHANGER!!!! xx