Cheating By The Rules | Harry Styles AU (ongoing)

chapter 20

The sound of somebody taking a shower, woke me up. After blinking twice, I was reminded of my whereabouts. Hidden away in a hotel room somewhere far from home, I was with another man.

Knowing Harry was underneath the streaming water, I reached out to my phone to see what time it was. Almost 7:30 am.

It was pretty early in the morning, but I wasn't exhausted after what we had done the majority of the night. Instead of being tired, I found myself feeling full-filled.

As I remind myself of last night's endeavors, I also realized what I had done. Out of nowhere I was grappled with conflicting emotions, because there was a bitter taste of guilt mingled with a feeling of liberation.

I hadn't expected to feel guilty right now, seeing I wanted to cross boundaries by giving in to what I deserved. But knowing I betrayed my husband, did give me a feeling of discomfort. It didn't hurt me to do this to Jace, but the thought I was capable of cheating did unveil a complex web of emotions.

Having those thoughts and emotions controlling my brain, I quickly unlocked my phone to see if I had received anything from Jace.

Of course, there were no unread messages or missed calls. Something I could have known, but was still scared of. If he had texted or called me, it would've been suspicious to be distant for hours on end. Despite not wanting to be in touch with him, he knew I'd get back to him as fast as I could.

Since Jace hadn't reached out, a bit of worry exited my body. Putting my phone back on my nightstand, I found myself staring at the ceiling. The sound of the shower running was very calming, but it also reminded me I had to take a shower myself.

After getting out of bed, I wrapped one of the sheets around my naked body, and I walked over to the bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, making it possible for me to look inside.

There I saw the contour of Harry's body as the steam gradually left the bathroom. Admiring him from afar, I saw how the water droplets clung to his skin, creating a beautiful view that heightened my senses.

Turning away, I faced the mirror that hung above the sink. Being confronted with my reflection, I was also met with the choices I had made. The feelings I had experienced when I laid in bed, were now etched across my features; mirroring the turmoil in my soul.

My marriage had been a complete lie, and in the arms of another man, the woman who had been suppressed for a long time, she finally got to let go.

Then Harry emerged, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror. For a second, the acknowledgement of our shared night hung heavily in the air. But it washed away when he started speaking to me.

"Did I wake you up?" he asked.

"No, you didn't," I assured him right away.

"How did you sleep?"

I rested my body against the threshold. "Not bad, what about you?" I questioned him, my eyes focused on his body. It was hard not to admire his exposed torso.

"Like an angel," he mentioned, and then he came closer to press a kiss on my forehead. At the same time, he reached for the towel behind me. "Good morning, by the way." Harry said.

"Morning," I replied nicely. It was difficult to keep myself steady whilst he was completely naked in front of me. The air was damp, and his body freshly showered, making my head spin. "It's a shame you're already done showering." I pointed out.

A subtle smirk played on his lips. "Did you want to join me then?" he questioned me without a filter, a towel tightly wrapped around him.

"The thought crossed my mind, but I was too late to make it happen. Maybe next time I will join you in there."