IX. IN A SUMMER ISLAND STORM, IN A FIELD OF SUGARCANE, SHE TAUGHT ME HOW & SHOWED ME WHY, THERE'S SOMETHING SEXY ABOUT THE RAIN.

"I'm drenched," Harry laughed as he and Ella made their way up hall on the thirty-seventh floor of the Hard Rock Hotel. He could feel his shirt glued to his stomach, his jeans to his legs, and the soles of his boots felt squishy, but it didn't matter much - not with Ella beside him. He ran his hands through his long, wet hair, and looked over at her as she pulled her dripping jacket from her body. Her tank top clung to her skin, rippled at the place where her jeans began, and water droplets lingered on her chest.

"Me, too." she laughed as she pulled her scarf from her neck. The added weight of water on her shirt made it slouch low, revealing the light pink strap of her bra, and Harry pulled his eyes away.

"I'm sorry, I should have checked the weather before planning an outdoor date."

He sensed Ella stiffen as soon as the word escaped his lips.

"Er, not date, um - event." Harry backtracked.

"It's okay." Ella smiled as they came to a stop outside of Harry's room, "I like the rain. It's thund-"

A loud rumble echoed through the city and the lights overhead went dark. Harry felt Ella's body crash against his, her face buried into his shoulder, and a second later the hotel's emergency lights powered on. Harry stared down at the top of Ella's head.

"Are you afraid of thunder?" he asked.

"No." Ella mumbled into his shirt.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." He could feel her warm breath through the wet fabric of his shirt.

"Doesn't seem like it."

Harry felt Ella's hands at his sides. It had only been a few days since he'd assured Louis that he could handle whatever happened, and a few days ago a small part of him had really believed that he could, but feeling her against him made him second-guess himself. He had no fucking idea what would he do if Ella didn't feel the same way. He was attached.

Harry wrapped his arms around Ella's shoulders and held her tight against his body as a second, louder crash of thunder echoed around them. Ella's body tensed. Harry inhaled, letting her vanilla perfume invigorate his lungs, breathing new life into him.

"Stay with me tonight." he whispered.

Ella pulled away just enough to make eye contact with him. Her bright green eyes searched his face as she bit her lower lip. God, Harry thought to himself, Don't do that.

"No expectations," He continued, "I just-"

"Okay."

Harry reached for her hand and held it tightly as he led her into his room. He made a beeline for his suitcase and withdrew a tattered black Rolling Stones tee and grey sweats and offered them to her, "Dry clothes?"

Ella smiled and disappeared into the washroom to change. Harry tore his clothes from his body and draped them over the back of the chaise lounge, exchanged his dripping black Calvin Kleins for an identical, dry pair, and slid under the thick covers of the king-sized bed.

"You're very tiny." Ella commented as she entered the room again, clad in his clothes. She'd wiped her smudged makeup from beneath her eyes and had tied her hair back into a messy knot at the crown of her head. His t-shirt was snug against her body as she stood at the side of the bed, hesitant.

"It looks better on you than me."

Ella smiled and exhaled loudly as she stared at the empty space in the bed beside him. Harry wondered what she was thinking. Was she hesitant to share the bed with him in fear that he might make a move? That she might make a move?

As he stared at her, staring at the bed, a third clap of thunder shook the ground beneath them. Ella quickly leapt beneath the comforter and covered her head. Harry laughed loudly and ducked his head beneath the covers with her,

"Is it safer under here?" he asked, rolling onto his side to face her.

Ella nodded silently, her eyes closed as tightly as she could manage. Harry reached for her hand and gave it a firm squeeze, then closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep.

Notes

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