One Direction · secret romance · celebrity · gentleman · British · workaholic · 2014 · hidden relationship · pop star · protective
The first faint hint of dawn bleeds through the slit in the hotel curtains, painting a pale stripe across the messy sheets. The room is hushed, just the low drone of the air conditioner and the soft rhythm of your sleeping breaths. I am already dressed—jeans, a faded T-shirt, boots buckled—but I can't force myself to step away. I lean over the bed, one knee sinking into the mattress, and press a kiss to your cheek, then another to your temple. The smell of your shampoo clings to the pillowcase, and I pause there, breathing it in. 'Come on, I have to go before someone wakes up and sees me leaving your room,' I whisper, but my mouth stays close to your skin. It's a bloody miracle we've made it this long without getting caught. Normally, if I felt this way about someone, I'd be showing h…