Who'd You Rather?

Tegan’s publicist and manager were absolutely floored after what happened between her and Harry Styles on-screen on the Ellen show. They knew Harry’s celebrity status could take her places and insisted she go on a date with him and make it very, very public. Tegan’s stomach turned. It wasn’t how she wanted to date him – or go on a date with him. She didn’t want the paparazzi around. She wanted to be able to focus on him without a mess of flashing lights and a story on TMZ in the morning. She wanted every opportunity with Harry, but she didn’t want it in some crooked, deceitful way. She didn’t want to make it a spectacle and she said as much to her publicist and manager.

“I won’t do it,” she said, metaphorically and literally putting her foot down as she stood on her feet in her publicist’s office.

“Tegan,” her manager, Will said in a warning tone.

“No. I won’t do it,” she insisted, looking between the two of them.

“It will further your career, honey,” her publicist, Penny said as she stood up from her desk, steepling her fingers down atop it as they held up the weight of her upper body. She looked like she meant business, but Tegan wasn’t having it.

“I don’t care,” Tegan said, shaking her head.

“We’re working with a very small window here, Tegan. You’re flying high off the success of Kaleidoscope right now. But what if your next part doesn’t do anything for you? What then, huh? You need some positive publicity to keep your name fresh in the mind of your fans and casting directors,” Penny explained as Tegan clenched her jaw from annoyance.

“I won a Golden Globe! I was nominated for an Academy Award! That means something. That’s enough right now,” Tegan argued.

“It’s not enough, sweetheart. We have to keep this momentum rolling,” Penny countered, sending her a sympathetic look.

“Well, I don’t care. I don’t care,” Tegan said, throwing her hands up as she shook her head in disbelief.

She never imagined fame to be this… this annoying. Sure, she knew the paparazzi would be annoying, but she didn’t think her team would try to pressure her into doing something she didn’t want to do. Maybe she was naïve, maybe she had a lot to learn, but she definitely didn’t want to – wouldn’t go about it this way.

“You need to sit down and think about this long and hard, Tegan. We’re only looking out for you in the long run. This will further your career,” Will told her.

“By piggyback off of someone else’s success? No. That’s not why I became an actress,” Tegan said, shaking her head.

“You would be surprised how many people piggyback off of other people’s success in Hollywood, Tegan. It’s what Hollywood was built on. All those celebrity relationships that start out hot and fizzle out after a few months – more than likely those were publicity stunts. That’s how it works around here,” Penny explained.

“I don’t want that,” Tegan snapped, refusing to give into anything they were trying to convince her of.

“You think Harry went on Ellen just to surprise a fan? No, he went on there because of publicity. Because you are the next big thing, my dear,” Will told her and his words instantly cut her like a knife.

“No. Harry’s not like that,” Tegan said quietly and Penny let out a boisterous laugh.

“You’re acting as if you know him, Tegan. You sound delusional,” Will retorted.

“You seem to forget that I’ve followed this man’s life since I was fourteen-years-old. He was sixteen. I’m pretty sure I’ve figured out his character by now. Harry isn’t like that,” she said, standing by her original statement.

“You’ve seen what the media wants you to see,” Penny shot at her.

“No. The media wants me to see him as some sort of womanizing lothario and he’s not. He absolutely is not. Do not underestimate what kind of knowledge I’ve dug up about him on the internet. I know what kind of person he is. And – ugh. I don’t even know why I am defending him to you. This is ridiculous. If I go on a date with Harry Styles, it will be on my terms – no paparazzi, no stunts. And I swear to god, if either of you fuck this up for me, I will fire you myself,” she threatened, pointing her finger at the two of them before she swiftly stalked out of the office.

…

Tegan received two day’s worth of ‘good morning’ and ‘good night’ texts from Harry before he finally mentioned the date he asked her on. Her world was absolutely spinning thinking about being in his ethereal presence again. Her mind hadn’t shut off about what it would be like to go on a date with him. Where would he take her? What would they do? Would he kiss her at the end of the night? If he did, would she completely lose her mind? She knew she was already losing her mind over him, so it was a possibility.

Harry: I was thinking we could have dinner together.

Tegan: Okay. I would like that.

Harry: Would tonight work for you? Either that or sometime next month.

Harry: I apologize. I am scheduled to fly out to New York the day after tomorrow.

Tegan bit at her lip. Tonight? Holy shit. It was short notice, but she knew it was coming – she’d been waiting on bated breath for two days – so she’d already picked out a dress to wear. She could easily make tonight work.

Tegan: Tonight sounds amazing.

Harry: Tonight it is.

Harry: I can send a car to get you. Around 8?

Tegan: Perfect.

Tegan quickly typed out her address for Harry to give to the driver and he immediately questioned whether or not she would be comfortable having dinner with him at his home. He then went on to tell her he wasn’t expecting anything but a meal and her company. She let out a squeal and quickly typed a reply that she would be okay with it. And then spent the next handful of minutes screaming wildly into her pillow and daydreaming about what his house might be like and how the night was going to go. She literally had to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming. What a fucking fantasy come true. She was absolutely floored.

She quickly pulled herself out of bed, knowing she needed to get a lot of stuff done if she intended to go on a date with Harry Styles that evening. She had less than twelve hours to prep and she knew she would put every single second to good use. She spent the morning and part of the afternoon getting waxed, getting a mani/pedi, getting a facial, and getting her hair highlighted. She almost felt like she was going to a movie premiere or something. That afternoon, she found herself at a high-end lingerie store, perusing through bra and panty sets, even though she knew she wasn’t the type of girl to ever give it up on the first date. She just liked the idea of wearing something sexy under her dress, knowing it was for him.

When she got home, she showered before blowing out her hair and doing her makeup. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror naked, analyzing herself. Her team forced her to get a spray tan before she went on Ellen, so her skin almost looked flawless. She couldn’t see any of her scars from childhood – where she scrapped her knees falling off her bike or cut up her elbows climbing trees in the backyard. She looked airbrushed, which was probably the whole point of a spray tan – beside, you know, being tan. She pinched at the excess skin around her midriff and vowed to keep at her daily yoga and exercise routine. She knew she wasn’t fat, but sometimes her brain didn’t see it that way. Tegan’s hands came up to cup her breasts, bouncing them a bit before she let out a sigh. Sometimes she wished she was maybe just a half cup-size bigger. But then thought about how she could easily go without wearing a bra, where most of her friends didn’t have that luxury because their breasts were just too big.

With another sigh, she stepped away from the mirror and walked into her bedroom where the new bra and panty set lay across her bed, next to the midnight black scoop-neck dress she chose for the night. She wanted to look good, but she also didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard.

She quickly slipped on the black lace panties and looked at her backside in the floor length mirror on the other side of her room. They fit like a glove, making her ass almost pop. She bit back a smile as she grabbed for the matching bra and slipped it on her arms, fastening it in the back. She pulled at her breasts, perking them up inside the cups of the bra before she again looked at herself in the mirror. She spent a while at the lingerie store admiring the two garments on her body. She knew if any man were to see her in it, they’d have a tough time keeping their hands to themselves. She blushed at the thought. She couldn’t imagine being in a position where Harry’s hands were on her – and then she thought about it again, realizing yes she could. She’d thought about it many times during her teenage years – even into adulthood. It was almost embarrassing how many times. But Harry was just so amazing. He was honestly everything she’d ever looked for in a man. But somehow no one ever lived up to it.

She sighed, thinking about how even now, Harry might not even live up to the man she knew him to be – or thought him to be at least. She knew she put him high up on a pedestal. But she honestly never thought she’d ever meet him. Not after completely missing out at the Academy Awards when they walked the same red carpet, talked to the same reporters and watched the same award show in the same room, but never crossed paths.

But here they were.

She was about to go on a freaking date with him and it was all because Ellen decided to play match-maker. She would be eternally grateful to her for the rest of her life. Tegan’s mind then took a spiraling turn, thinking about what Penny told her about how Harry more than likely went on Ellen for the publicity. She couldn’t believe that could be something he would do. Not the boy who preached Treat People With Kindness. Not the boy who shook everyone’s hand in the room, whether it be a television exec or the person who gets people coffee. She saw it first-hand. He was just so lovely. He had such a big heart and she knew it, no matter who tried to defame his character.

When she finally slipped on the tight-fitting black dress and matching high heels, Tegan stepped in front of the floor length mirror again. She smoothed out the fabric across her abdomen and hoped she looked okay. She hoped she wasn’t over-dressed. How embarrassing would that be? She couldn’t imagine going over to his place, finding him in something casual, like jeans and t-shirt. Though she obviously wouldn’t complain. She loved how he looked in his signature black ultra-skinny jeans and whatever t-shirt he decided to throw on. But she was hoping this date would be so much more than that – that he’d take it as seriously as she was.

By the time she made it downstairs and grabbed her clutch purse, there was a knock at her front door. She found the driver Harry sent to retrieve her for their date and butterflies erupted in her stomach. It was really happening. The driver held the door of the sleek black town car open for her as she quietly slipped inside onto the plush leather seat.

The sun was low in the sky as they drove down Sunset Avenue, into a neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills with winding streets and multi-million dollar homes. Tegan felt a bit overwhelmed. It was almost surreal. She was on her way to Harry Styles’ house… for a date.

Tegan’s entire body flushed as the car pulled into a gated driveway. As it drove further up a winding path, she could see a very modern looking multi-story house – could she really even call it a house? It was more than that. It could most definitely be considered a mansion – something out of movie or something. It was gorgeous and certainly overshadowed the modest little bungalow she lived in. But then again, she knew Harry worked hard for what he had. He’d been working non-stop since he was sixteen-years-old and deserved all the luxuries in life.

When the car parked in front of the house, Tegan watched through the window as Harry opened the front door, stepping onto the front stoop with a smile on his face. She couldn’t help but smile too, especially when he took the front steps down and walked toward the car, opening her door even before the driver could. He looked undeniably handsome in a well-tailored black suit and a crisp white dress shirt. She felt relief knowing he dressed up for the occasion too.

“Tegan,” Harry cooed, reaching his hand out to help her out of the car.

“Hello,” she said, trying to be as graceful as she could getting out of the vehicle, hoping like hell she wasn’t exposing too much flesh as she did.

“It’s very nice to see you again,” Harry told her as she stepped out onto the pavement.

“You… you too,” she stammered, feeling so incredibly nervous to be in his presence again. She felt like she was dreaming. But even in her dreams, she never felt this good.

Harry leaned in hugging her before he left a sweet kiss on her cheek.

“I’m so happy to be here,” she told him, looking up into his bright green eyes.

“I’m happy to have you,” he replied, smiling bashfully back at her.

“Come in. I’m in the process of making dinner,” he told her, waving his hand out to motion for her to take the stairs up.

Harry quickly shook the drivers hand before following Tegan up the stairs and into the foyer of his home.

“Wow. This place is amazing,” Tegan gushed, looking around the lavishly decorated space.

“Thank you. It obviously wasn’t me who decorated it. If it was, it’d probably just be a sofa and maybe a few chairs around the countertop in the kitchen,” he quipped.

“Well, whoever decorated it, knew what they were doing,” she said, smiling over at him.

“Her name is Marissa,” Harry said, smiling back.

“Oh. Does she work for you?” Tegan asked curiously.

“No. She just furnished the home,” Harry said with a smile. Tegan couldn’t help the wide smile that turned up her lips.

“Do you know everyone’s names who have worked for you or with you?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I try to,” Harry said with a nod.

“That’s what I like about you,” Tegan told him honestly.

“What?” He questioned.

“You care. No matter who it is, you care. You introduced yourself to each and every person you came in contact with at Ellen. And you did the same when we went to Starbucks. And I know you’ve done it in the past,” she explained. Harry smirked over at her.

“I like to make an impression,” he told her.

“No. You like to make everyone feel welcome and important,” she countered and Harry’s smirk turned into a bashful smile as he looked down at his feet and then back up at her.

“It’s just the man you are,” she added.

“I try,” Harry said quietly.

“You succeed,” she said, smiling brightly at him and he smiled back.

Harry quickly cleared his throat as he held out his hand to lead her into the kitchen.

“I’ve got to check on the food,” Harry told her as he immediately went for the oven and looked inside.

“It smells amazing,” she told him honestly. She could smell something akin to baking bread and the hint of spices. It made her mouth water.

“I hope it tastes as good,” he said, closing the oven door.

“What did you make?” She asked curiously.

“Uh, I wanted to kind of cook something that uh, will kind of show you where I come from,” he said with a sideways smile as he walked toward her by the table.

“Oh, yeah?” She asked, heightening her eyebrows in intrigue.

“Yes,” he said, smiling from ear-to-ear.

“And?” She questioned, waiting for him to enlighten her.

“I’ve made Beef Wellington with baked asparagus spears and Yorkshire pudding,” he told her and she couldn’t help but find anything but pleasure in the way he said ‘asparagus’ with his deep British accent. It made her want to squeal with delight.

“Sounds amazing. I’ve never actually had Beef Wellington… or Yorkshire pudding for that matter,” she said with a light laugh.

“I was hoping as much. It’s quite good,” Harry told her as he casually slipped off his blazer and carefully laid it across one of the dining room chairs before rolling up the sleeves on his shirt.

“Well, I am intrigued,” she said, smiling over at him.

“Would you like a glass of wine?” Harry offered, walking over to his wine fridge, pulling it open.

“I would love one,” she told him, following him over.

“I have a red to go with the meal,” he told her, pulling it out and she nodded her head.

“If you don’t like red wine, I have some Dom Pérignon or this Chardonnay I picked up in Napa Valley,” Harry offered, setting the bottle of red on the countertop as he pulled two more bottles out.

She didn’t know what the bottle of Chardonnay was, but she could be sure it was expensive because she knew the bottle of Dom Pérignon was expensive.

“Red’s fine,” she said, smiling at him politely. He nodded and slipped the two others back in the fridge.

“This is a two-thousand-nine Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a full-bodied dry red that pairs quite nicely with Beef Wellington. I’ve been told that two-thousand-nine was a very good year for this wine. The weather that year was exceptional in regards to the harvest,” he explained, the words rolling smoothly off his tongue as he peeled away the top layer of wrapping to get to the cork.

“You sound like a Sommelier,” she giggled lightly.

“Yeah, not quite. I actually did a lot of research into it though,” Harry said, smiling slyly at her as he leaned up, removing two wine glasses out of the cabinet.

“You did?” She asked, her eyes looking admiringly up into his. She wondered if he did it in preparation for tonight. Even if he didn’t, it was pretty amazing.

Harry materialized a corkscrew out of a drawer and immediately went to uncorking the wine. Everything he did seemed to be smooth, like he’d done it all so many times before. And he might have. He was probably well-versed in wine and culture and anything else a multi-millionaire could dream off. Even so, his attitude never showed it. He was humble and kind and so down-to-earth. If she didn’t know any better, she would be shocked at how he carried himself, how he behaved.

Harry handed her one of the two glasses and she watched as he smelt it.

“Now you honestly look like a Sommelier,” she giggled, smelling her wine as well, realizing she didn’t really have the nose for it, because it just smelt fruity and slightly alcoholic to her. Harry gave her one of those sideways smirky-smiles as he watched her, highlighting his crater of a dimple and it took everything she had in her not to squeal with delight.

“So, uh, first we’ll have the Yorkshire pudding. Um, it’s usually eaten before the meal with a spot of gravy on it,” Harry told her.

“I’m learning so much,” she cooed.

Harry walked her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her before he went back over to get the Yorkshire pudding.

The table was set beautifully and it made her feel good that he went to all the trouble to make the night as close to perfect as he could. And it was, in her eyes. She had yet to feel anything but welcome, which she knew would not change throughout the evening.

“Would you like some gravy on yours? I mean, do you like gravy?” Harry inquired.

“I am open to all things, Mr. Styles,” she said, smiling over at him and he quirked a playful eyebrow at her. Her heart pounded hard in her chest when she realized how suggestive it sounded.

“You know what I mean,” she retorted, letting out a little laugh. Harry chuckled to himself as he drizzled the gravy on before bringing them over to the table.

“Wow, this is… this is Yorkshire pudding, huh?” Tegan asked, looking down at the puff pastry in front of her.

“It is,” Harry said with a smile.

“This definitely doesn’t look like the pudding I’m used to,” she quipped, smirking up at him.

“No. Not like a Snack Pack?” Harry asked, smirking playfully at her.

“No, definitely not,” she laughed.

“Yeah. This is quite European,” he explained.

“I’m eager to try it,” she told him as she picked up her fork, hoping it was the proper etiquette in eating Yorkshire pudding. When Harry did the same, she felt a bit better.

She quickly took a bite and nodded her head in acknowledgement.

“I’ve never had anything quite like that,” Tegan told him honestly.

“You hate it?” He asked.

“No. Absolutely not. I’m just saying, it’s different,” she explained, taking another bite.

Once their Yorkshire pudding was done and dinner was ready, Harry expertly plated the food and brought it to the table for the two of them. She watched as he moved fluidly, placing each plate at it’s proper setting and refilling both of their wine glasses before sitting down next to her at the table – one of them on each side of a corner so they were sitting close, but not close enough where they couldn’t look at each other while they talked.

“I hope you like it,” Harry told her as the two of them began to eat.

The first bite of the Beef Wellington burst flavorfully into her mouth and she let out a satisfied moan, which of course caused her cheeks to blush immediately.

“You like it?” He questioned, smiling over at her.

“Mm,” she hummed, chewing up the bite and swallowing before she even thought of replying.

“Oh my god, Harry. That is phenomenal,” she gushed.

“I took a few culinary classes,” he said, his cheeks pinking as she watched him.

“Did you?” She asked, intrigued.

“I did. In France,” he told her.

“Shut up! Are you kidding?” She asked excitedly.

“I did. It was a lot of fun,” Harry said with a wide smile.

“Man, your life… wow,” she said, shaking her head in awe.

“I’d actually like you to tell me more about you,” Harry told her as he looked up into her eyes.

When they spent time talking at Starbucks two day before, they mainly talked about how she’d been a fan for so long. How her cousin who lived in London, got her and her sisters into watching One Direction’s season of the X-Factor through live streams over the internet while it was on and how her love for them snowballed from there. Harry talked a bit about what it was like living through all the mania and it was her dream come true to be having such a conversation with him.

“Oh, uh. What do you want to know?” She asked him, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

“Everything,” he said with a soft smile.

“Oh, wow. Do we have enough time?” She joked, looking down at her wrist like she was checking the time on an imaginary watch. Harry let out a laugh and it made her laugh too.

“No, but honestly. You said you grew up in Big Bear Lake, California – where my cardboard cut-out is still watching over your childhood bedroom…” Harry quipped, quirking an eyebrow at her.

“Oh, man. I am never going to live that one down, am I?” She laughed, shaking her head.

“It’s cute,” he said, smiling widely at her.

“I think I was like fifteen when I got that. The mall had a pop-up One Direction store and I begged and begged my mom to buy it for me. Well, she didn’t. Not then anyway. But one day I came home and it was just there, in my bedroom and of course, I lost my mind,” Tegan explained, laughing and blushing as she told the story.

“Wow,” Harry acknowledged.

“Yeah. You watched over me until I was eighteen,” she said, smiling bashfully over at him.

“Well, that’s quite nice to know. I brought you peace, I hope,” he said with a sideways smirk.

“All kinds of peace,” she laughed out loud.

“Good to hear,” Harry chuckled.

“Yeah,” she said as her laughter died off and she took another bite of food.

“Do you have any siblings?” He asked as he pulled another bite into his mouth.

“Mm, yes,” she said, trying to finish her mouthful to answer him properly.

“I have two older sisters – Peyton and Harley. And an older brother named Colton,” she told him.

“Wow. You’re the youngest?” He asked, heightening his eyebrows.

“Yeah.”

“So am I. I have an older sister – Gemma. And an older step-brother – Mike,” he said with a smile and she nodded, because of course she knew that already.

“Are your parents still together?” He inquired.

“Yes. Twenty-eight years,” she told him.

“Wow. Amazing for them,” he said, looking impressed.

“Yeah. We’re very fortunate,” she said, taking a drink of her wine.

“Have you lived in Big Bear Lake all your life – well, except for now?” Harry asked.

“I have. Yes. But we travelled a lot as a family. We’d take vacations all around the west coast. Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Vegas, the Grand Canyon…” She went on to explain.

“Have you been anywhere on the east coast?” He asked curiously.

“Uh, we took a family vacation to Disneyworld once,” she said as a blush crept up her face.

“Have you been able to leave the United States?” He asked.

“Uh, I went to Mexico for spring break during my senior year in high school,” she said, letting out a laugh.

“So not Europe?” He asked.

“I’ve always wanted to go. I’d love to go to Greece and Spain and oh my god, Italy,” she gushed, thinking of all the places on her bucket list.

“I hope you get to go someday,” he told her, sounding honest and sincere.

“So do I,” she said, taking another sip of her wine before going back to her food.

“So what would you be doing if you hadn’t been in Kaleidoscope?” Harry asked, keeping the conversation going.

“More than likely, I’d been in school full-time,” she told him.

“Are you in school now?” He asked curiously.

“I am – taking online classes,” she explained.

“Oh, what for?”

“Film studies,” she revealed.

“Oh, so you’ve really actually put a lot of thought into becoming an actor?” He asked, heightening his eyebrows.

“I have. I uh, I kind of always knew it was the right path for me. I just never knew it would take off so quickly. Kaleidoscope was a dream. I still can’t believe I got the part. And then to win a Golden Globe and to be nominated for an Oscar. An Oscar, uhh. It was absolutely amazing. A dream come true, honestly,” she gushed about her whirlwind life since her name was thrust into the spotlight. Sometimes she felt like she was living somebody else’s destiny, but she had to keep reminding herself that she worked hard to get where she was.

“You were absolutely amazing in that movie. Honestly,” Harry told her sincerely.

“Thank you,” she breathed, feeling the heat slide up her cheeks.

“You’re bashful,” he pointed out, causing her to let out a laugh.

“So are you, I’ve noticed,” she countered, quirking an eyebrow at him.

“At times,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows at her once.

“You’re humble and I like that about you,” she went on to say, doing her best to take the attention off herself.

“I try,” he said again with a nod.

“No. I think it come naturally to you, to be honest,” she challenged. Harry looked up at her and let out a small chuckle.

“My ego thanks you,” he joked, his smile wide on his face.

“Mm. No. I think your ego has nothing to do with it. You’re a genuinely good person. I don’t think your ego sees the light of day very much,” she explained. Harry let out another laugh.

“Honestly, stop. You’re making me blush,” he laughed, making his voice sound a bit silly as he put his hand over his face. Tegan couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m sorry. I’ve just… I’ve always wondered what I would say to you if we ever met and it’s kind of nice to tell you how I really think of you, ya know?” She told him honestly.

“It’s nice,” he said as his massive blush seemed to subside.

“You’re honestly the type of person I strive to be,” she explained.

“Wow,” he said, heightening his eyebrows.

“I’m serious. I may sound crazy, I may sound like a complete lunatic, but I’ve watched you over the years and I’ve seen the impact you’ve had on so many people. You might not even realize to what extent. But I’ve talked to girls who have contemplated suicide or hurting themselves in other ways and your influence has kept them from going through with it. I’ve talked to people who were so scared of coming out until you started preaching ‘love is love’ and ‘treat people with kindness’. You are a massive influencer and I hope you know that,” Tegan explained.

The smile on Harry’s face was everything she’d ever dreamed of. His entire aura lit up from the inside out as he looked at her. He was like a beam of pure sunshine and she could have sworn she saw a tear or two welling in his eyes.

“Thank you… thank you for telling me that,” he said quietly, taking a deep breath.

“Anytime,” she said, grabbing her glass to take the last sip of her wine.

“Would you like some more?” Harry asked, grabbing the bottle from off the table.

“I’d love some,” she told him, holding out her glass as he poured some in. He quickly filled his own as well before putting the bottle back down.

“Well…” Harry said as he blew out a breath.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to get so heavy with the conversation,” Tegan said, biting at her lip.

“No, no. I like it. I like that you are comfortable enough to speak so freely. It honestly refreshing,” Harry told her with a smile.

“Okay,” she said quietly.

“So we’ve covered your hometown, your parents, your siblings, travel… uh, your schooling, your career… what about… what about a love life?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Is that your sneaky way of asking if I have a boyfriend?” She asked, letting out a laugh.

“Maybe,” he said slyly and she let out another laugh.

“No. No, I don’t have a boyfriend. I haven’t had a boyfriend for about two years now,” she told him.

“Now I don’t believe that. Someone as sweet and funny as you?” Harry asked, looking at her unusually.

“It’s true. I swear,” she laughed.

“There must be men knocking down your door,” he pointed out.

“Not as many as you’d think,” she laughed.

“Hmm,” he said, taking a sip of his wine.

Staying single for the past two years was honestly a choice she made. She spent a long time filming Kaleidoscope and going to college. She just didn’t have the time or energy to put into a relationship.

“What about you, Mr. Styles? Are you dating anyone?” She asked as her stomach tied into knots. She kind of figured the answer was no, because he was not the type who would ask another woman on a date when he had a girlfriend.

“I don’t. No,” he told her.

“Hmm,” she said with a nod.

“I don’t make it a habit of asking other women out when I am in a relationship,” he said, smirking at her playfully.

“I had to ask, you know. Since you asked,” she laughed, shaking her head.

“I know, I know,” he teased.

“You know, I’ve never actually been wined and dined,” she said, bring her wine glass up to her lips to take a sip.

“No? Is it okay? Am I doing a proper job?” Harry asked, looking almost bashful.

“It’s amazing. You’re doing everything right,” she said, biting at her lip to stifle the wide smile as she started to feel the effects of the alcohol.

“Glad to hear it,” he said, trying to conceal his smile, but his dimple gave him away.

“This wine is amazing, by the way,” she told him.

“Isn’t it?” He said, smiling widely as he took another sip.

“Mm,” she breathed, nodding her head. He smiled over at her and she smiled back, feeling so much chemistry between the two of them.

“Thank you for this amazing meal,” she acknowledged.

“It was entirely my pleasure, Tegan,” he cooed and the sound of her name on his tongue again did things to her.

When they were done, Harry cleared their plates as Tegan offered to help clean up the kitchen, but Harry refused. He just quickly put the leftover food away and scraped the excess off the plates into the garbage before putting all the dishes into the sink.

“Well, we’ve knocked off an entire bottle,” Harry said as he grabbed the empty wine bottle from the table and brought it to the recycling. Tegan snickered to herself because she could feel the alcohol dancing in her veins.

“Should we try something else?” Harry asked, pointing back to the wine fridge.

“Mm,” Tegan hummed as she tipped back the final sip of the wine in her glass.

“Yes, please,” she said with an eager smile.

“Brilliant,” Harry said, pulling open the fridge.

“Brilliant,” she murmured under her breath, loving on his British accent.

Harry pulled out the Dom Pérignon and Tegan gapped at him.

“What?” He asked as he peeled off the foil around the top.

“Do you know how expensive that is?” Tegan announced.

“This?” Harry asked, looking down at the label.

“Yes, that,” Tegan maintained.

“I suppose a bit, innit?” He asked with a smile just for her.

“Like hundreds of dollars, if not more,” Tegan told him.

“See, this one… this one is a ninety-eight Rosé…” Harry went on to explain.

“I was two when it was bottled,” Tegan interjected.

“I was four,” Harry added with a sideways smirk.

“So, yeah. This bottle costs about a thousand dollars depending on the retailer,” Harry told her.

“Holy fuck,” she gasped, slapping her hand over her mouth because of the outburst. Harry let out a laugh, watching her as she slowly calmed down from her freak out.

“A thousand dollars, Harry? That’s like a third of my rent,” she admitted, looking up at him wide-eyed.

“It’s about point zero three percent of what I pay on this mortgage,” Harry added.

“Oh my god,” Tegan sighed. Her mind was not even able to comprehend the amount of money he paid a month just for a house – and she knew he had at least three. Los Angeles, New York and of course London.

Harry uncorked the bottle and it let out steam as he opened it. It was fascinating. As he poured the champagne into new glasses, Tegan continued to contemplate the complexities of paying for a house like his.

“Wait… you pay over thirty-thousand dollars a month for this house?” She gasped when she finally did the math. She knew it was the alcohol having an effect on her, causing her to say things without thinking. It spewed out like verbal diarrhea and she quickly bit at her lip. Harry let out a laugh, looking over at her.

“I’m sorry. It’s none of my business,” she said, gulping down a sip of the champagne, realizing she probably just drank ten dollars-worth of it without even tasting it properly.

“’s alright,” he said, smiling contently at her. His cheeks were flush and she knew it was the wine effecting him too.

“Would you like to sit with me on the couch so we can continue our conversation?” Harry asked her.

“I’d love to,” she said with a nod, turning on her toes to walk into the living room.

“This house is amazing, by the way,” she offered, still a bit embarrassed over her outburst about how much he pays for it.

“Would you like a tour?” He asked, setting the bottle of wine and his glass on the table in front of the couch.

“Very much,” she said, setting her glass down next to his.

“But, uh, would you mind if I take my shoes off first?” She asked quickly before he got started.

“By all means,” he said, looking down at the black heels on her feet.

“Although the do make your legs look amazing,” he said, smiling over at her. Her stomach knotted and she felt something akin to an electrical current going up her spine from his words. Holy shit.

“Unfortunately the do not make my feet feel amazing,” she said, snickering to herself as she pulled them off and carefully set them next to the couch.

“Shall we?” Harry asked and she nodded her head at him, trying not to think too hard about getting the opportunity to see his bedroom. She didn’t quite know how she would handle herself.

Notes