Between The Lines

Niall knocked swiftly on the door to Harper’s apartment, counting the seconds until it opened revealing Harper. He felt the strings of his heart being tugged as he took in her fragile appearance; he’d never seen her look so broken. She didn’t look like her usual self. Her porcelain cheeks were stained with tears and the colour was drained from her face.

Closing the door behind him, Niall immediately brought Harper closer to him in a tight embrace. Her tears fell from eyes whilst Niall gently ran his hand up and down her back to comfort her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, no words spoken between the pair until Niall broke the silence.

“What’s wrong?” He whispered into her ear soothingly. She looked up into his eyes, hers looked so lifeless with their usual sparkle gone. A sigh escaped her lips as she let go of Niall and curled up on the couch, gesturing for him to do the same.

“A lot happened” She told him, her voice small and no longer powerful. “I don’t know where to begin”

“Take your time, I’m not going anywhere”

The last thing Harper wanted to do was detailed everything that she had just heard when she barely believed it herself. All she wanted was to pretend it was all a terrible dream or a cruel joke, she’d wake up and it’d be all over.

Harper gave Niall a weak smile before taking a deep breath. “Alright”

Trying to hold back her tears, Harper told Niall the details of the very short dinner with her mother, but by doing so she had to bring up the painful memories from her past.

It was a cold January night in 2005 when the uniformed police knocked on the door of the Quinn residence. Eleanor answered the door without hesitation whilst Harper stared out the window, watching the snowflakes glide down the wall as she waited for her father to come home. They were supposed to have a night in, order Chinese and watch their favourite movies. It was when Eleanor broke down in tears did the then eleven year old Harper knew something was wrong. That is why it hurt so much to hear that her mother had been having an affair with her father’s closest friend and now they were engaged. Anthony and Marcus were like brothers, but brothers don’t go after each other’s girl.

The whole time Harper explained why she was so upset, Niall listened closely not interrupting her. He took her hand in his when a few tears slipped down her cheek and gently wiped them away with his thumb.

“I’m sorry for unloading this all on you” Harper bowed her head slightly, not wanting to look the blonde boy in the eye.

“Don’t be”

Niall gently lifted her chin and tucked a few stray hairs behind Harper’s ear, his fingers lingering for a moment at her cheeks. Harper looked up into Niall’s eyes that were intently focused on her. His teeth pulling at his bottom lip before suddenly they were crashing against hers. Before Harper had the chance to react, he pulled away.

“I shouldn’t have done” He instantly felt guilt wash over him.

“I’m not complaining”

Harper pulled on the collar of Niall’s shirt, crashing her lips to his again. Every worry she was feeling suddenly disappeared. All she wanted was Niall. She tangled her fingers in his blonde hair whilst his body hovered over hers. A gasp escaped her lips as he nibbled on her neck, his breath hot on her collarbone. Harper was drowning in Niall, his touch was like fire and every kiss seemed to incite the want for him even more.

“Let’s take this upstairs” Harper mumbled against Niall’s lips.

Niall didn’t need to be told twice as he gently picked Harper up, her legs wrapping around his lean torso as he carried her up the stairs, slamming into the walls while still viciously kissing, too focused on one another to let it deter them, bodies bucking and twisting against each other, hands locked on faces as mouths met, clashed and devoured.

The moment they reached Harper’s bedroom, hands went wild - pulling at coats, at shirts, until they littered the floor. There was barely any light in the room, only a small amount filtering in from the world outside, but none of that mattered. Everything Niall wanted was in front of him; he didn’t need light to appreciate it. Harper’s sweet mouth, her soft skin, her warm body. He didn’t need anything but the feel of the woman in front of him and the way her lips met and matched his, the way her hands, so small and slender, raced over him, over cloth, over skin.

Neither broke contact as they fell against the soft surface of the mattress. Harper was left only in her lace bra and panties that matched and Niall couldn’t keep his eyes off her, the little light catching the beauty of her body against the darkness. He reached forward, nudging one bra strap down off one milky shoulder. His lips followed the trail of his calloused fingers, moving to her other shoulder do the same. An electrifying shiver was sent up Harper’s spine as she felt his hand sliding up the taper of her back to find the hook of her bra. Connecting their lips again, he gently undid the garment and slid it down her pale arms.

“You’re beautiful” Niall whispered into her ear.

He settled himself in-between her legs while she wrapped her legs pulled him closer, grinding her hips against his. Hands hot on backs, thighs, hips. Breathy sighs. Subdued moans. The feelings, the euphoria, the high.

All Harper wanted was Niall; she needed him.