"Are you sure you don't want me to pick you up?" Harry asked into the phone, which was pressed up against Carmen's ear and between her shoulder. She barely registered his words as she shoved her Gucci bag in the back seat of the cab and told the driver the address of Harry's apartment.

"Yes. I'm already in the taxi," she responded after a few moments, sitting down and not bothering to buckle her seat belt. She let out a breath, digging into her purse and pulling out her cosmetic mirror. Her makeup had been rushed, unfortunately, since Harry had called her relentlessly for the past hour. She wanted to fit a nice nap in before they went out shopping, but it seemed Harry didn't understand the concept of beauty sleep.

"Hello? You still there, babe?" his voice rang through the speaker as she one-handedly applied some powder to her face.

"Yes, I'm here. I'm doing my makeup now since you were being so impatient," she mumbled, finally pleased with her reflection in the compact mirror. Her look was simple, casual; a trip to the fashion district was going to be something out of her comfort zone, since she preferred to dress up and go all out with her hair and makeup. Instead, she had tugged on a slim, navy blue skirt that stopped about mid-thigh, along with a cream blouse that accentuated her already large bust. It was classy yet alluring, and very much her.

"I wasn't being impatient. Most of the stores close at eight and it's already six," he spoke informatively. She rolled her eyes, knowing very well he wasn't able to see her, and held her hand out in front of her as she examined her nails. The black polish on them was starting to chip off. She made a mental note to complain about this in front of Harry; he would surely pay for her to get them redone.

"You're annoying," she smiled against the phone, looking out the window as they passed through the streets. The sky was tinted orange from the setting sun, a dull glow filling the city. The shops were still open and bustling with people, dressed in their designer clothes and smiling too wide for her comfort. It was all so familiar too her; she cringed in boredom.

"I'm not annoying," he snapped in response, his voice notching down an octave or two. Carmen bit her lip and rubbed her thighs together; she loved when he got angry, which seemed to be often. She could just picture the way his brows were knitted together in offense, that one bulging vein in his neck ticking with every breath he took.

"Yes you are," she sang teasingly, taking one of her long strands of hair and twirling it between her fingers. "I don't know why I even gave you my number. You're probably going to pester me all the time now, hm?"

"Pester you?" Harry gaped. "If you think I'm pestering you, then why are you still on the phone with me, princess?" His anger seemed to have been replaced with playfulness. He was hard to keep up with at times.

"Hmm, I like the sound of your voice," she practically purred. It was true, his deep gravelly voice was very attractive to her, making her blood thicken and her heart beat just the slightest bit faster. It reminded her of Stephan's, only slower and more drawled out, adding to Mr. Styles's seductive aura.

"Really?" She could hear the smug smile in his voice. "What else do you like about me?"

Your money.

"Well," she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "I suppose I like when you smile really wide and your dimples pop out," she giggled faintly to herself at the thought of how much younger he looked when he smiled like that. "And I like the way you tuck your hair behind your ear when it starts to get in your face and irritate you. It's cute."

It was cute. She could admit that. She had noticed these small things about him over the short period of their relationship, things that she liked to take note of. Stephan was similar; he had cute little habits that made him entertaining to be around. Carmen was always very observant of her surroundings and of the people she allowed herself to be around. She found that noticing the small details of life made everything a tad more interesting.

"So let me get this striaght," Harry spoke after a moment, amusement lacing his voice. "You like my voice, my dimples- which I'm pretty sure are nonexistent- and you like when I tuck my hair behind my ear?"

"Yes, Mr. Styles," she giggled softly. "Those are the few things I actually find remotely enjoyable about you."

She was teasing him, he could tell. It was the first time he got to see such a playful, innocent side of her. How desperately he wished he could see her beautiful face right now, instead of hearing her voice clouded through the speaker of his phone.

"Hopefully we can make that list a little longer, yeah?" It warmed him to know she even had a list of things she liked about him, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"We'll see, Harry."

She hung up her phone and put the device back in her purse. It amazed even her sometimes how charming she could be, flipping the switch between sensual and endearing with the snap of her manicured fingers. You had to have a balance between the two, she had learned over the years, in order to make men wither in your hold.

"Stop here," she ordered the cab driver a few minutes later. The car pulled up in front of the oppulent apartment building that she had left just this morning; it appeared even more lavish in the regal light of dusk rather than the early morning hours.

Her hands smoothed out the fabric of her skirt before she opened the door and stepped out, the warm London air tugging at her long curls. Her purse was hooked over her shoulder as she leaned against the taxi car and pressed her lips to the cheek of the driver, smiling when she felt his face tense in surprise under her touch.

"That was your tip," she winked, pecking his temple once more before turning away and sashaying into the lobby of the building, her low heels clicking against the ground. She wasn't the least bit surprised to see Harry waiting for her there, his back leaning against the marble wall, and his legs crossed casually as he played with a small velvet box in his hand. He looked handsome as usual, but she was surprised, and a bit amused, to see his long mane of hair pulled back into a bun just above the nape of his neck.

"That's a new look," she mused as she approached him. His head snapped up, a wide smile spreading onto his lips as his eyes raked over her body. Beautiful.

"It's a bit warm this evening," he shrugged, stepping closer to her and wrapping a thick arm around her waist. "Why did you leave this morning?" he asked, wasting no time to ease the angst that had been bothering him all day. It was odd to him that she chose to flee his bed at such an early hour, after they had been up all night. And how did she get back home? It angered him to think of her waking up that early just so she could spend time with her roommate.

Harry knew he had to get rid of that prick somehow.

"I had something I needed to check on," Carmen replied vaguely, averting her attention to the small box in his hand. "What's this?"

Harry's eyes lit up nervously and he flipped the box open, the tiny hinges giving a quiet creak before the contents were revealed to her. "It's for you, my love."

She gasped quietly, bringing her hand to her lips. The look on her face was mocking humbleness as she took in the sight of the diamond encrusted earrings, the little bits of gold gleaming at her.

"Harry..." she let out a breath and shook her head slowly, reaching out and closing the velvet box, reluctantly of course. She watched apathetically as Harry's face fell, his lips parting in dissappointment. "This is too much. You hardly know me," she explained softly, giving him a smile and keeping her hand over the box as it laid in his hand. The velvety surface felt soft against her skin. If only he knew it pained her more than him to deny such a gift.

"I know, but I thought you would like them..." He tried to seem indifferent by her dismissal, shrugging his broad shoulders and lowering his eyebrows to keep his expression unreadable. He failed to hide under her knowing gaze, though; she easily sensed his hurt.

"I do, I really do," Carmen assured him.

I love them a lot.

"But I can't except this sort of gift from you." She placed her fingers gently under his chin and pecked his lips lightly, smiling against them. "Not now, at least."

He nodded slowly, his lean fingers feeling over the velvet box before he slid it in back pocket of his jeans. The heated sting of her rejection was still coursing through him, like sly poison, slowly eating at his ego. A small smile formed on his rosy lips to mask it, and he tugged her body snug against his side.

"I at least get to take you shopping," he chimed, lowering his arm possessively around her waist, his hand resting right on the wide curve of her hip as he guided her out of the building. Already, he was sensitively aware of the multitude of gazes on the woman beside him, greedy eyes raking over her body just as his had. He made sure to shoot them a threatening glare as they passed by, wishing he could bare his teeth at them until they cowered away like frightened prey. He was the king, the lion of the jungle-like streets of London; he straightened his shoulders and puffed out his chest to make sure everyone around them was aware of his regal status.

"Yes. I'm quite excited, actually." Her sweet voice brought him out of his envy, his gaze directing down at her. "I haven't been shopping in awhile."

"I can take you whenever you'd like," Styles assured her, almost too eagerly. He was so new to all of this, impressing women and taking them out places and treating them to whatever they'd like. Harry's money had always been there for him to spend on himself, whether on lavish clothing or furnishing. He had bought drinks for women a few times when he was trying to hook up with them at his club, but that was as much as anyone ever got him to spend on them.

"Are you trying to buy my affection, Mr. Styles?"

Not that I mind one bit, she thought to herself. Her eyes were peering up at him as they walked, glistening with amusement.

"What- no! Of course not," he shook his head defensively. "I am simply trying to treat you like the princess that you are." Harry smiled at her nervously, hoping he was saying the right thing.

Her eyebrow arched. "You mean queen, right?" She pursed her lips.

"Yes," Harry breathed out and batted his eyelashes in admiration. She was so feisty and hard-headed, it only drew him in more. "I am trying to treat you like the queen that you are."

---------

"How long does it take to try on a goddamn dress?" Styles groaned impatiently, banging his forehead against the door to the changing room. He was rewarded with a soft giggle coming from the other side.

"I don't know how I feel about this one... It's a bit tight."

Harry wasn't angry or anything, he was just hoping their shopping trip would mean more time to get to know her, and kiss on her, and touch her... It turned out Carmen was more focused on her dress-hunting. They had been to three stores already, and the majority of the time she had spent locked up in the changing room trying things on. He begged for her to model the dresses for him, but she refused, saying it would ruin the surprise.

"Fine," he huffed, slipping his hands into his pockets and staring down at his feet in boredom.

"How about you go do some shopping for yourself?" she called through the door, her voice muffled slightly as she was struggling with the zipper. "There's a mens store just across the street. Get a nice suit to wear. You'd look so sexy, babe," she coaxed, knowing flattery was the only way to convince men into doing anything.

"Babe?" he smirked to himself, loving the simple pet name.

"Yes, babe." He could practically hear her rolling her eyes. "Now shoo. You're pestering me."

Harry reluctantly left the store. Instantly, he missed having her by his side as he walked across the street, wishing he could feel the fabric of her blouse under his hand as he held her against him.

He didn't pay much mind to the racks of suits and slacks and blazers, his eyes trailing over them as he walked around casually; his mind was elsewhere. He had yet to comprehend how only a few days spent with this girl, and already he felt like an abandoned puppy when she gave anything but him attention. Carmen's eyes would gleam excitedly whenever she found a dress she deemed worthy of her standards, and Styles found himself wanting to tear it to shreds.

He was jealous of a piece of clothing. That was definitely a red flag.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" he grumbled aloud.

"Absolutely nothing," a voice purred from behind him. His eyebrows furrowed as he turned to see a busty blonde, dressed in a fitted gold dress, her finger wrapped around a strand of her hair as she twirled it. Her eyes trailed over him shamelessly, drinking in the sight of his broad yet lean body.

"Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Styles," she grinned. Again? He narrowed his eyes at her, finally catching the familiar scent of her perfume as he took a whiff.

"Becca," he smiled back at her in recognition. She was hot, he would give her that much, with the deep plunge of her neckline allowing him a nice view, which he instinctively peered at. He could clearly remember her now, the night they had spent together about a month ago replaying in his mind. 

"Did you lose my number or something?" she asked, still playing with her hair as she tried to hide the hurt in her voice, but failed, her words coming out as a pathetic whine. He cringed in annoyance, finding himself comparing it to the melodic voice of his vixen. Everything about Becca that might've been appealing to him before, was completely diminsihed by the experiences he had with his vixen; Carmen made every other woman pale in comparison.

"I didn't lose it, per say," Harry said slowly with a shrug of his shoulders. "I threw it away."

Becca's eyes widened at his blunt admission. There was no sign of guilt on his face, only honesty.

"Why-why would you do that? I thought...I thought you had a good time-"

She was cut off but someone coughing behind them. Both of their heads turned to see his beautiful girl wearing a smirk, along with a new dress.

Harry completely forgot about his reunion with his 'old friend' as his eyes widened at the sight of Carmen in a white lace dress. She looked stunning and innocent and angelic, and it made his heart race. The neckline reached barely under her collarbones, her chest modestly concealed, but still accentuated by the slim fabric that hugged her body in the most purely sensual way.

"He doesn't do repeats, doll," Carmen smiled sweetly at the blonde before looking to Harry. "Here's your credit card-" She handed it to him, completely ignoring the wide-eyed girl staring at her. "Do you like the dress I picked out?" She batted her lashes and twirled around, her small hands grasping the fabric of the dress.

"You look gorgeous," Harry breathed, his mouth agape as his eyes continued to revel in the sight of her. He failed to notice when Becca huffed out an annoyed breath and stormed off, leaving Carmen with a smug grin.

She took a step closer to Styles until their chests were pressed against each other, their heart beats pulsing in unison. Her arms wrapped loosely around his neck and she forced his head to dip down so her lips were level with his ear, brushing against the shell of it, her hot breath fanning over his skin.

He swallowed hard.

"I don't share," she whispered into his ear, kissing the skin just beneath it. 

His arms wrapped around her, his hands pressed against the small of her back. He took a moment to register her words, his thin shirt and jeans suddenly feeling like a second layer of skin as his body radiated with heat.

"I don't share either, Carmen," he murmured with a smile. "Especially not you."

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ha ! told you i would update again :-)

hope you enjoyed this

btw bun harry is very special to me so i put a pic with this chapter. its very pretty. your welcome xx