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Follow Your Heart

T E N

Harry looked to the back seat, smiling at Nichole, who was fast asleep and snoring softly.

“Did she sleep at all last night?”

“She might have slept an hour, maybe two. It may take her awhile to adjust.” Gemma said, looking towards the back seat as well. Harry turned his attention back to the road. “Should we wake her up?”

“Let her sleep. Mum’s not going to let us rest when we get home. She’ll get sorted soon enough.”

“You make her happy, little brother.” He looked over at Gemma and she was just grinning at him.

“Good.”

“She makes you happy too, right?”

“You could say that there has been a change in my mood lately.” he said cheekily, keeping his eye on the road. “It’s all pretty new yet. But yes, I like her, a lot.”

They didn’t say much to each other for a short while. Gemma was looking out the window and Harry was concentrating on driving. Nichole let out a little grunt and shuffled a bit on the seat, settling down and going right back to sleep causing them both to giggle.

“Tell me about her boyfriend in school. The one that wanted to marry her,” Harry asked Gemma. He knew that there had been a couple of boyfriends in her past but neither seemed to work out for her. He was curious why.

“Shouldn’t you ask her that?” Gemma said softly. “I’m surely breaking some friend code by telling you anything.”

“What about the brother/sister code? Hmm? I am just curious, Gem. She’s a beautiful, intelligent woman. Hard to believe she isn’t with someone.”

Gemma sighed and looked at him harshly. She was debating what to say, if anything. Finally she said,

“It’s not that, Harry. She could be married now, it that’s what she wanted. She dated Tommy all through school. She knew what she wanted to do very early on. She considered nursing, but not to come back and work in a doctor’s surgery or hospital. She wanted to be able to use that skill in hospitals in places like Africa. Tommy studied agriculture and business management. So he’d be ready to take over his family’s ranching business, much like Dylan will with their family’s place. Tommy never took her career aspirations seriously. He expected her to do what so many of her friends did.”

“And what was that?”

“Finish school and come back to the ranch. Get married, and be like his mother, and like Carolyn. He proposed the day she graduated university. She turned him down and he didn’t take it well. From what her mum told me, there were some problems that the authorities had to get involved with.”

“Jesus. It’s all ok now though?”

“Yeah, I think Dylan ‘handled’ it eventually. He’s since gotten married to another girl they went to school with. That’s not the life Nichole wanted. Tommy didn’t understand that.”

“But she loves her home so much.”

“She does, but…she’s different. She sees the world outside the boundaries of the ranch and the town she grew up in. Her family is different.They know that her path is outside that that town. Even Dylan has finally accepted it. Ask her about her Nanna Charlotte sometimes. Her spirit comes from her.” Gemma reached over and touched his hand, “You both see the world the same way, Harry. You are good for each other. I think I knew it the moment I met her.”

“I know she’s definitely good for me, but I’m worried the press and the fans are going to eat her alive.”

“She’s tougher than you think and, for right now, she is a family friend that you are consulting with on some charity projects. That’s all anyone will know.”

~*~*~*~

“Nichole? Hey beautiful, wake up. We’re here.” Nichole heard Harry’s voice before she saw his face.She opened her eyes slowly and saw Harry and Gemma both looking at her from the front of the car, smiling. She sat up quickly and looked around. They were parked in front of a house, that Nichole assumed was their mom and step-dad’s house.

“Oh Jesus, did I sleep the whole trip?”

“Pretty much. Lovely snore, by the way.” Harry teased.

As soon as they got to the door, it opened and Harry and Gemma were both crushed in hugs from their mom, Anne. Nichole had been lucky enough to meet Anne once when she came along with Gemma to meet up in Seattle where Nichole was at a conference/working holiday and Gemma had decided she needed a holiday as well.

“Nicky, darling! So good to see you again,” Anne said hugging her. “Are you getting settled in?”
“I’m getting there. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course, you are not staying alone in London with no one.”

“I told you, beautiful.” Then Harry kissed Nichole’s cheek, took her bags and helped Robin take them upstairs.Anne was just standing there wide eyed looking up the stairs as he walked up and then back at Nichole. She felt her face turning red and then Gemma took her hand, dragging her towards the kitchen,

“Tea. You need tea to stay awake, come on.”

~*~*~*~

Harry dropped Nichole’s bags in the guestroom and went to take his bags to his room, running into Anne in the hall.

“So Nicky is the ‘person’ you met? Harry, she’s your sister’s friend. She works for you. Is this a good idea?” He stepped into his room and she followed.

“Mum…is anything ever a good idea?” She closed the door and leaned against it.

“I like her, a lot. Don’t think I don’t. And Gemma thinks highly of her. I just want you to be sure what you are doing, love.”

“I’m not sure, she’s not sure, but you know what? I like her, and she likes me. I can talk to her for hours about the things that are important to me, because they are same things that are important to her. She understands so much. She’s so clever, and compassionate, and so strong. And so beautiful. I feel like she is the first woman in my life, besides you and Gemma, that just ‘gets’ me.” She stood there a moment, smiled and walked across the room and brushed his hair out of his face and hugged him.

“Harry, I love you and I worry. But, as long as you are happy, and she’s the one that makes your eyes light up like that, then I’m happy. Just please be careful. For both of your sakes.”

*~*~*~*

While dinner was not the usual Southern Comfort foods Nichole was accustomed to, she understood why Harry and Gemma were so happy to be home, sitting down to the huge roast dinner Anne had been cooking all day for them. It was delicious. She enjoyed getting to meet Robin and getting to share the projects she and Harry had talked about in just a week. And of course, she and Gemma had to embarrass him by telling them about his first riding lesson.
After dinner, Gemma and Nichole did the clean up while Harry stayed with Anne and Robin in the lounge, talking about what his plans were for the next couple of weeks before finishing the tour.

It wasn’t long before everyone started making their way upstairs to bed, leaving Harry and Nichole alone, sitting on the sofa.

“Alone at last.” Harry teased, draping his arm behind her shoulders and pulling her close, her head resting on his shoulder.

“I like being here. Nice to see where you grew up. Nice to finally meet Robin, too.” Harry kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo...oranges and vanilla. A scent so perfectly Nichole.

“It’s beyond me how Gem has met your family, you’ve met my mum, and yet in all that time, we never met. Bizarre.”

“Not really, you are a busy guy, you were probably on the other side of the planet when all that was going on.” Her hand settled on his leg and she started tracing random patterns on his thigh.
“Though, I wish I had met you sooner,” she sighed. The sat there quietly for a few minutes, just enjoying the peaceful quiet before Harry kissed her temple softly and said,

“I’ll show you around tomorrow if you want. Take you to the bakery where I used to work.” She looked up at him,

“No way. You worked in a bakery?” The look of shock on her face was priceless, and he couldn’t help but smile at her.

“Yeah, I did. On weekends. Me and a bunch of old ladies. I always pop in to see them when I am home.”

“That’s sweet. I worked at the Sonic in my town. Ran the fountain and was a carhop on the weekends. Not nearly as cool as a bakery. But I can still make a milkshake like nobody’s business.”

“That you will have to prove to me, beautiful. I make a pretty good milkshake myself.”

“Oh really?” She snorted, “Those healthy smoothies you make do not count. Bet you can’t roller skate carrying a tray of food.” Now it was Harry’s turn to look at her in shock.

“No Way! You will definitely have to prove that one to me.”

“I’m not scared. I’ll do it.” Harry laughed at the look on her face. She was so serious, but so cute, and her eyes were shining with mischievousness. He couldn’t stop himself, he just leaned down the few inches that separated them and kissed her. Their lips meshed together perfectly, and neither of them could seem to get enough. Soft little whines escaped her mouth when his tongue moved across her lower lip. Her arms wound around her neck and her lips parted and gingerly she moved her tongue over his. He tasted like the chocolate cake they’d eaten for desert and the wine they’d both just finished, and Nichole wanted more. He pulled her into his lap and she straddled his legs as her hands went straight into his hair. His hands rested on her perfect backside, squeezing a little, as their tongues and lips continued to move against each other. She pulled back a little, ending the kiss, and resting her forehead on his, and whispering,

“What are we doing, Harry?” He chuckled a bit and said,

“Kissing.” She opened her eyes and looked into his,

“I am getting used to kissing you, you know?”

“Well, I hope so. I’m getting rather used to kissing you, too.” He slid his hands slowly from her backside, down her thighs and he whispered against her lips, “Sleep with me, beautiful girl.”

“Harry…” she started to protest, but he placed a finger over her mouth, shushing her.

“Nichole, I am not ready to stop kissing you, and I just want to hold you. It doesn’t have to be anything more than that.” She smiled, kissed him quickly and nodded.

“I’m not ready to stop kissing you either.”

~*~*~*~

After Nichole finished getting ready for bed, she opened the guest room door and just as she started to step across the hall, Gemma’s bedroom door opened. She looked at Nichole, raising her eyebrow.

“And just what are you up to, miss?” She whispered, teasingly.

“Umm…just…umm...hells bells, Gem, it’s not what you think, I swear.”

“Oh really? Looks pretty suspect if you ask me.”

This was priceless and Gemma loved the panicked look on Nichole’s face.

“Really, Gem. I would never…in your mother’s house? Lord have mercy.”

Just then, Harry’s door opened and he looked out and saw both of them standing there, Nichole red faced, and Gemma leaning up against the wall, grinning smugly at the pair of them. He reached out and took Nichole’s hand and pulled her into the room.

“We’re just sleeping.” He said quietly, so not to disturb Anne and Robin. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“I don’t care what you do,” she whispered back, “just remember your room is next to Mum and Robin’s.”

He shut the door and turned to Nichole, releasing a deep exhale. She couldn’t help herself, she started to giggle, which made him start to giggle, too.He walked over to her reading, reading her loose t-shirt. It said ‘just give me coffee, and no one will get hurt’

“Nice, I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

“It’s lifesaving advice, I promise.”

Harry was standing in front of her in sweats and no shirt. She’d never seen his tattoos this close. Without thinking, she reached out and touched the butterfly, tracing her fingers over the wings. His skin was so smooth and warm. He moved a bit closer and just watched her for a moment.

“Do you like it?” he asked quietly. She looked up at him and nodded.

“It’s beautiful.” Nichole whispered, and then closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed kissing him slowly. He let her take the lead but he couldn’t help thinking that her lips felt like they were made for his. As cheesy as it sounds, in that moment, he swore couldn’t remember what a kiss was like before Nichole, and couldn’t imagine ever kissing anyone else again. His hands slid down to her waist as he gently moved them towards the bed.

~*~*~*~

“I watched you get this one,” Nichole said tracing the ‘Late, Late’ tattoo on his forearm. “I was holding my breath for Niall. Bless his heart, I thought he was going to faint.” She was a lying on the bed sideways, her head resting on Harry’s stomach, as she examined the tattoos on his arm; asking questions about them, giving her opinions of them.

“So, Miss Davies, do you have any tattoos?” he asked her. She tensed up a bit and got very quiet. “You do, don’t you?”

“I do,” She said quietly.

“Let’s see it then.”

“Sorry, no…you can’t. They are nothing spectacular anyway.”

“Oh, more than one…Come on, you’ve seen all of mine…even my big toe.”

“And I still say you are the biggest dork I have ever met. Big? Really, Styles?”

Harry pushed her over on her back and leaned over her body. Her eyes stared into his, challenging him.

“Are you going to make me look for them? Or shall I just tickle you until you show me?” He ran his fingertips up her sides, tickling her ribs, making her giggle.

“Haarrrry…stop...”

“Then show me, Nichole.”She pushed him off of her so she could sit up.

“It’s a good damn thing I kind of like you, Styles.”

“Aww, I was looking forward to searching for them.” She stuck her tongue out at him and lifted her t-shirt up a bit, then pulled the waistband of her shorts down. Right below her left hip bone was a small butterfly. Not much bigger than an inch, but very pretty and colorful.

“I like it. Any story behind it?”

“It’s very s cliché…got it on spring break in South Padre on a dare from a guy.”

“Oh…a boyfriend?” Her eyes twinkled as she pulled her shorts back up and dropped her t-shirt. She rolled over on her tummy, facing him,

“No, just a guy I met on the beach.” He leaned over and kissed her softly and whispered,

“Where is the other one, then?” She went pink and she dropped her face to the pillow, shaking her head.

“No, I can’t show you, it’s embarrassing.”

“Nichole, I have ‘Big’ tattooed on my big toe. Can’t be that bad.”

She giggled into the pillow and without looking at him, she reached behind her and pulled her shorts down about half way, taking her panties with them. And on her left cheek, there it was…a set of lips and the phrase, ‘Kiss This’ right under it. Harry chuckled and asked,

“I have to know…what is the story?” She turned her face him.

“The result of a bad breakup and too much Patrón. It was supposed to be a kiss off to the last boyfriend. I woke up the next day with a hangover, a sore butt, and regret. Gemma laughed at me for weeks after I told her. Someday I will have to get it removed, or covered up.”

Harry reached over and touched the tattoo, his fingers tracing it, like she had done with his. Her skin was so soft and it took every ounce of self-control he had to not kiss her right where his fingertips were touching. Nichole tensed up a little bit, but she didn’t stop him, she just watched him. He grinned and leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead as he pulled her shorts up, covering her backside again.

“We should probably get some sleep.”

She just nodded and pulled the duvet over the two of them as Harry switched off the bedside lamp. She turned to her side, and he curled his body around hers, the big spoon to her little spoon. He pushed her hair away from her neck and placed a few kisses down her neck and across her shoulder.His hand slid down her side and stopped on her butt, right over where the tattoo was. She could feel him grinning against her skin as he whispered in her ear,

“You should leave it like it is. I like it.” She giggled
,
“Go to sleep, Harry.”

~*~*~*~

Nichole woke up to Harry lightly kissing the back of her neck as his hands moved over her body. The sun was coming up and it was filtering in through the window. She turned her head slightly and Harry swiftly covered her mouth with his. The kiss was intense. He pushed his tongue in her mouth roughly and Nichole mewled softly into his mouth. She felt on fire, heat pooling in her core quickly. This could get out of hand really fast, but she wasn’t so sure that would be a bad thing. She turned her body completely to him and with a slight shift his body was on top of hers. Their eyes locked together and she whispered,

“Hi there.”

“Hi yourself, beautiful.” His voice was even deeper than usual, and she could hear the desire in his voice. Their bodies seemed to be moving of their own accord, creating the friction they both desperately craved. Nichole could feel how aroused he was. She placed her hands behind his head and pulled him to her, their lips colliding in another deep, probing kiss. She lightly bit his bottom lip and he growled softly,

“Christ, woman…you are killing me.” He trailed kisses up her jawline and to her ear, lightly biting her earlobe. They’d been here many times in the past week and it was frustrating them both. It felt delicious, but at the same time, it wasn’t enough, for either of them. Nichole finally gently pushed his shoulders up and whispered,

“Baby, we have to stop…” Harry just looked at her. He knew she was right but it was killing him. He leaned down and gently kissed her again and then moved over next to her. He lay on his back staring at the ceiling, thinking of anything to settle himself down. Nichole propped herself up on her elbow and reached out, touching his face. He turned to her, smiled and said,

“It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

Nichole placed her finger over his mouth, “Shh…” The she leaned down and kissed him again. “It’s not no, Harry…just not here, not now.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. She laid her head on his chest and let her arm fall across his waist. He kissed the top of her head and sighed,

“This could possibly be the longest week of my life

~*~*~*~

The next few days were spent just relaxing around Harry and Gemma’s childhood home and the village. She got to meet their cousins, and friends from school. Harry took her to visit the bakery and the ladies he worked with. Who oo’ed and aahh’ed over the both of them for well over an hour, spoiling them with scones and tea. Apparently he rarely brought girls home with him and even less rarely brought them to the bakery. And every one of them made a point of telling her that along with many stories of young Harry and his time working there, much to his embarrassment.

Holmes Chapel was a nice quiet little place that was definitely his home. Like her ranch, and her little country town, this was his place to recharge, to just be Harry.

Nichole also started earning her paycheck there. They spent an entire day at the dining room table, with many cups of tea, planning out a fund raising strategy. She had to convince Harry that he could not fund it all himself. It was too much, and to risky. They also needed to narrow the focus of what we wanted to do down, not just take on any and every thing. Nichole had always worked with international charities, sending money and aide to other countries. But that was working with established charities and foundations. They brainstormed for hours until settling on starting with charities that directly involved children.

“Okay, Harold…”

“Oi! Don’t call me Harold!” she rolled her eyes at him and said,

“Fine…Harrrrry...,”dragging out his name, “we have these three.” She pulled up the different websites on her laptop, and had the faxes shed received from each one.“This one is provides extra funding for education for high risk children….and this one I think you have worked with before, fulfilling wishes for terminally ill children as well as hospice care and support for their families…and this one…Africa…I don’t have to tell you about this, you know; helping fund the aide being sent to a hospital, and supporting this school that educate girls. And Job training for these girls and women, so they can support themselves and their children.” He rubbed his hands over his face, then carefully started reading the websites and looking over the papers she’d given him. She grabbed his hoodie and walked outside to let him read the information alone. She stood on the back terrace, looking over the back yard. Gemma came out a bit later, handing her a cup of tea.

“Is it always this cold here?” Nichole asked pulling her hands out of the sleeves.

“It’s England, Nicky…yeah, bit colder than you are used to, I imagine.”

“This Texas Girl is never going to get used to this weather.”

“You will, or you will just wear lots of jumpers.”

“I’m betting on the jumpers. Or stealing his.”

“You’ve been so busy today, coming to some decisions?” Gemma asked, as they both got comfy in the chairs. Nichole moved hers into the sun to take advantage of the bit of heat.

“He’s looking over some faxes from different places I found that could use his help. I narrowed it down, he has to decide.”

“But you know what you want to do, don’t you?” Nichole just nodded, sipping her tea. “Did you tell him?” She shook her head and said,

“His decision, not mine. I am here to help him, but he has to decide, not me.”

“He’d want your input. That’s why he hired you. Because I told him you wouldn’t constantly agree with him, Nicky.”

“Oh, I’ll give him no bullshit, you know me, Gem. But this is his name and his money; it has to be his choice. He is my boss, and I will consult but I will not influence him on this.”

“He’s more than your boss, Nicky. And you are more than his employee.”

“Exactly, Gem. We are getting very close, and you have no idea how happy…and scared, that makes me. And I know he’s feeling the same way…”

“But…”

“But the ONLY reason I am here is our professional relationship. When we are working, then lines have to be drawn.”

“I should’ve forced you to come with me back in San Antonio. I could be an auntie by now…” They both started giggling.

“What, where you going to have Mike pick me up and carry me across the street?”

“He would’ve done it if I asked.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I’ve regretted that decision a few times in the last few months.”

Notes

Got another one up before I got back to work for a week...I'm dying for some feedback. Are you enjoying the changes? I hope so! Let me know!

Feedback is Love, ya'll!

Comments

@Kammy.
I just think it’s hilarious that like everyone rips on him.

morrison_hotel morrison_hotel
12/30/18

@morrison_hotel
I’m sure he’s really a nice guy...I heard an interview where he said he was honored to represent H and that he took it very seriously and that H was an amazing human being... but someone has to be the bad guy

Kammy. Kammy.
12/30/18

@Kammy.
I do!
I’m sorry but I honestly love the digs at Jeff. Idk why I’m such a cunt about it. They make me laugh.

morrison_hotel morrison_hotel
12/29/18

@morrison_hotel
You like?

Kammy. Kammy.
12/29/18

❤️

morrison_hotel morrison_hotel
12/29/18