Sipping beer, kissing, taking turns sitting in each other's laps and talking comfortably together, time was forgotten.

Louis suddenly sat up straight." Oh my God, I've gotta call Liam now!" he cried. "It's two-they should be touching down any time, if they haven't already."

"Okay," docile Harry, his eyes following Louis' movement to collect his phone and call Liam, was trembling just a little. Anxiety again—he didn't want Louis stressing out over this. Harry's bolting had only served to complicate things, specifically facing Simon. Louis didn't need the added worry. He shouldn't have to conquer this thing alone. It ate at Harry.

Even after Louis' Superman saving the day comment in his effort to reassure Harry, Harry was feeling that he should be more accountable and less of a weakling coward. Leaving things solely in Louis' hands was a cop-out. Harry needed to step up and be a man.

"Want another beer, sexy?" he attempted to flirt as Louis scrolled to Liam's name and hit the "call" button.

Louis smiled and jerked his thumb toward the refrigerator. This did wonders for Harry's nerves as he fetched a beer for each of them, determined to provide the support Louis needed from now on. Louis was looking relaxed, and Harry suspected it was because the two of them had made a decision that would free them. Harry returned to Louis' side right as Liam answered.

"Good timing. We just got here. We're in a limo, and our baggage is being picked up. No word from anyone as of yet, but I know they have to call Simon soon," said Liam.

"Okay, well ring me when you know anything."

"I will. And I'm guessing you found Harry?"

"How'd you know?" Louis asked, puzzled.

"I know you, Tommo. I can hear the relief in your voice. I hope everything is okay now?"

"Yes, things will be fine. I know we have a show coming up in three days. We'll either talk to Simon on the phone or when we get back to L.A."

Liam still didn't know about Louis and Harry's plans to give Simon the ultimatum, and Louis decided to wait until they were with the other lads personally. It would be shocking for both Liam and Niall, to say the least.

When Louis had said his goodbye to Liam, Harry went ferreting around and found his missing phone in his shirt pocket.

"Wanted to call you, but didn't have this," he said sheepishly." I was here, in the room earlier. Did you know that?"

"No, not until the front desk guy called and asked why the key hadn't been returned."

Harry's face went red.

"Shit. I've gotta go give it back to him now. I almost forgot again!"

"Just don't take off on me again, Styles," mock warned Louis.

Harry smiled and rushed to the elevator, eager to get back to Louis again. He'd check out of the other hotel room tomorrow morning. But tonight, he wanted to be nowhere but with Louis.

"Weird, that," mumbled Harry to himself as he returned from handing the key off to the very disapproving night clerk. Apparently, the daytime guy had told him of the irresponsible guys upstairs that couldn't be trusted to simply return a key. Harry didn't know that the guy also thought his hair looked a little like Janis Joplin's, making the moment all the more cumbersome.

"What's weird?" asked Louis, lounging on the couch, and happier to see Harry than he was going to admit.

"How hotel desk guys, clerks, or whatever they are, can be so condescending. What tossers." Then Harry's eyebrows raised in realization.."Hell, no wonder! I forgot how me hair looks!" Harry looked thoroughly humiliated. "I've gotta go wash me hair."

But before he went, he dropped to his knees in front of Louis on the couch, took his face in his big hands and kissed him rather sensually.

"Missed it, missed your lips," Harry whispered. "Just in the time I was gone to the front desk."

"Why kiss me now? Why not wait until after you wash your hair?" asked Louis in a teasing tone, trying to conceal his desire. "We've been kissin' all night."

"I have to kiss you now, else I'll become irrational, a crazy man."

Harry? A crazy man? The thought made Louis grin. It was hard to picture.

"Oh, and by the way, I cuddled one of your slippers when I came by and you weren't here," admitted Harry shyly.

"You did?" Louis knew this made Harry feel vulnerable, and he loved that Harry had confessed something so private and sappy.

"Also, I can smell the beer in here. I don't know why, but for some reason, it's makin' me horny."

Louis let loose and doubled over in laughter. "You say some of the damndest things, Haz. Why would the smell of beer make you horny?"

"Lowers inhibitions, it's sexy, making public sex more likely," Harry waggled his eyebrows and then began to stroll toward the bathroom to wash his hair, giving Louis a chance to ponder it. Lord knew, Harry didn't need public sex for Louis to turn him on until he was blue in the face (and the balls) but the idea was enticing nonetheless.

They didn't have to get back to the states for two more days. The third day, Friday, they'd be on the stage again. And by then, they would have talked to Simon. It was all happening so fast.

"Wait a minute. Wanna hit the streets tonight?" asked Louis before Harry could make it to the bathroom.

"Hit the streets?"

"Yeah, public sex. I'm losin' me tight hold on meself. That incident on the balcony kinda made me a junkie."

Harry had to laugh at that.

"Oh, so now you're gonna be addicted to public sex?"

"Not required, not required at all. You're all I need. Just you. But if it turns you on, I'll do it. And I might just enjoy it meself."

"We can give it a go, but if you get uncomfortable at all, we won't continue. And I need your promise you'll be honest about it," insisted Harry.

"Promise."

Louis was his medicine. The anxiety was melting right off of him, making Harry feel like the most blessed human being in the world. His boyfriend wanted to please him by acting out his fantasy, even after he'd let Louis down earlier.

"Were you even aware that we'd miss the plane when you were runnin'"? asked Louis.

"Yeah, I think so. Subconsciously at first, then the longer I was gone the more I just plain didn't wanna get on the plane. I'm not ashamed to say I wanted more time alone with you, Louis, even though I did it in the wrong way. Did you look for me?"

"Look for you! I wish I knew how many miles I logged. All the streets around here, and asked at every business I passed as well."

"Oh Louis. I caused you so much grief," Harry looked pained.

"Forget about it, Curly. It's over. Just stick with me now—let's squeeze all we can get out of these last two days."

"You gotta deal." Harry then vanished into the bathroom, collecting the shampoo and conditioner bottles Louis had thrown on the floor in there and handling them as if they were gold. Shampoo! Conditioner! Soft, shiny, tangle-free hair would be his again.

Emerging from the steam-filled bathroom and toweling his hair, Harry was naked. Louis never got tired of looking at him. In any state of dress or undress. With clothes or without clothes, he blinded Louis with his beauty.

Louis stood up. "Give me fingertips an orgasm, baby." Louis' voice had lowered in the midst of his passionate thoughts.

"What?"

"Let me run me fingers through your now silky, clean, slippery locks."

Harry was elated to have Louis thread his fingers in the hair at his temples, and then around to the back of his neck, running them all the way to the ends of the damp hair that was already starting to curl.

Harry closed his eyes to savor the feeling. Louis could be boisterous, but he was also the most tender lover Harry had ever had. And Harry was the only one of the lads who could control him. That made Harry's heart swell with pride. He had the wild beast in Louis under his thumb. But he never let Louis know how much influence he really had, because he doubted Louis even admitted it to himself.

A little later, they nipped out into the night, hoodies in place, and walking with a certain authority that Harry copied from Louis' example. The scruff on Louis' face made him look a little dangerous, a little seedy. And Harry put on his scowl. No one bothered them after one glance.

After looking up and down a street that seemed promising, Harry took Louis' face in his hands and kissed him as he'd done in the hotel room. Long, slow, far from superficial. Right there in the middle of the street. Louis' heart hammered against his ribs with excitement and the sense of the danger of getting caught.

"This . . . this is how much I love you," Harry murmured into his lover's ear.

"Come 'ere," Louis pulled Harry to the side of a building, pushing his body up against Harry's. A knowing smile was elicited from Harry. Louis whispered into his ear. "Gotta suck your cock, baby."

Harry almost choked out loud when he heard the comment, the tone sounding so deceptively innocent, pure and virtuous. He thought Louis had to be playing with him, looking for a reaction.

But one look into Louis' blue eyes told him the lad was as earnest as he could possibly be. When Harry smiled, Louis' mischievous look predominated.

Harry had been planning to do the same to Louis, but this was too tempting to turn down. They were able to find a hedge at the front of a business building where all the lights were out and the blinds closed, indicating it was closed, like most places at this time of night. The hedge was about four feet high, and perfect for Louis' intended purpose. Louis dragged Harry behind it and wasted no time going to his knees, fumbling at the front of Harry's pants, making Harry lose his senses completely when a moment later, his cock was enveloped to the hilt in Louis' eager, moist mouth, deep-throating him in a greedy frenzy.

Harry closed his eyes and gave himself up to the magic that Louis' mouth delivered. The things Louis was doing to his cock—fucking Heaven and back! Tongue, lips, throat, Louis' saliva overflowing. When Harry opened his eyes into a squint—with a great effort, his vision was so blurry he could hardly see a thing. The outline of Louis' head buried in his crotch was enough all by itself. All he could feel was Louis' tongue and his lips feeding on him, hear him sucking ravenously, hear his moans as Louis immersed himself in Harry's pleasure, making it his own.

The possibility of someone passing by and discovering their actions was tucked away somewhere in the back of Harry's mind, but his thinking was fuzzy, his passion for Louis was paramount. Louis continued to deep throat him, something no one else had ever been able to do, because of Harry's length and girth.

Momentarily, Louis would pull off, and the cool air would surround Harry's wet cock, making him even more sensitive when Louis' warm mouth would return. Soon, Harry could not tamp down his overpowering urge to roll his hips, at least slightly. He didn't want to choke Louis, but Louis remained just as voracious, showing no signs of letting up, and Harry's control was quickly vanishing.

The orgasm hit Harry sooner than he expected. It flashed through him, causing his entire lower body to tingle. He strangled his cries with one hand over his mouth, the other on the back of Louis' head. His hips were moving unpredictably, his panting breaths making him dizzy. His climax was a long, hard, grueling one that nearly knocked him to his knees. At least Louis was down there to catch him . . .

And as he had feared, his legs did give out after his last spurt that Louis was hungrily swallowing. He fell almost on top of Louis, who eased him down, then wrapped both arms around him.

"Are you okay, Carlito?" he asked, the twinkle in his eyes prominent. He knew what had happened, because he remembered how Harry had made him collapse once, two years ago. When you were standing, enjoying that level of stimulation with nothing to hold onto, you tended to topple over easily. Harry had accomplished that feat backstage at a concert.

"I think so," panted Harry. "You give a damn good blowjob, Pepito."

Louis threw his head back and let out a cackle that only happened when something was really, really funny.

"I'm a terrible influence," he said, as if to remind himself to stop encouraging Harry to use such appalling language. Actually, it was kind of cute. Baby-faced Harry, looking younger than his twenty-two years, polite, sweet and proper as the day was long, cussing like a sailor! What had he done? Louis threw his head back and laughed again.

"I never knew semen could taste so sweet," said Louis conversationally as they walked back to the hotel. "I could suck you all day and all night without even stopping for a breath. You're like a sticky, delectable dessert, yeah?"

Harry's cheeks felt a little too warm. "I love it when you get graphic like that," he said. "Well, not when on the rare occasion that you get really mad and call someone a cocksucker," he added thoughtfully.

"Why?" asked Louis.

"Well . . . because . . . it reminds me . . . of . . . well, meself."

Louis doubled over again in stomach clenching laughter. When recovered, he wiped his eyes that were running like a faucet from his hysterics.

"Harold, I swear you're gonna make me collapse a lung! And yes, you are a cocksucker. Literally." Louis went into a final bout of raucous laughter, hanging onto an amused Harry to keep from falling over. They quieted before they reached the hotel office. The clerks already thought they were off their trolleys.

"I see you've got a biggie there," Harry indicated the bulge in Louis' crotch as they went up the elevator.

Louis shrugged. "You blame me?"

Harry shook his head. "I reckon we'll take care of that when we get in the room." He was so happy to see Louis acting like himself again, and vowed he'd never leave him again in panic, anger, or any other emotion. They could overcome anything, the two of them.

Later, Louis sat on Harry's chest as Harry ravished his boner with an avid mouth, also running his fingertips up and down Louis' spine, making Louis quiver and quake. Sucking Harry off in the street had Louis already so aroused that Harry had barely gotten a good start when Louis erupted with a copious amount of come, grabbing at Harry's hair and sputtering feeble "Oh fuck, I love yous" as he shuddered, strained and savored until he was completely sated, finally dismounting Harry's chest and slamming his body down on the mattress next to the love of his life.

"I'm right knackered," sighed Louis, nestling his head on Harry's chest.

How blessed could one person be? Harry thought.

To have a boyfriend who loves you enough to put up with you dashing away without any explanation while acting totally mental, looks fruitlessly for you for hours, and then welcomes you back with open arms. Tough, capable, enduring Louis Tomlinson had a heart so full of love. For him. Harry Styles, who didn't deserve any of it.

They knew it was just a matter of time before they heard from someone. Exactly who, they didn't know, but when the phone rang the next morning at nine as they slumbered tangled together in bed, Louis knew before he even looked at the display on his phone. He just knew it.

Simon.

Sweden being nine hours ahead meant it was midnight in California. Simon must be steaming. And why wouldn't he be? Harry, his pride and joy, and Louis, another very valuable member of the band had run off together. And had not come back with the others.

Louis took a deep, stabilizing breath, nodding to Harry in acknowledgment as Harry came instantly awake and fully alert when he saw the name on the phone's display.

They hadn't discussed it. Fucking shit. How could Louis talk to Simon without having come to an agreement with Harry about what exactly would be said? Well, he could always let it go to voice mail and call Simon back later.

"Let it go to voice mail, discuss it, and call him back?" asked Louis quickly.

"No. We both want the same thing," said Harry with conviction. "I'm with you all the way."

Feeling the power of Harry's sober words thrumming through him, Louis swiped his phone and answered. "'ello?"

"Louis . . . " Simon's voice, which Louis flicked onto speaker, seemed to reverberate through the room. Louis saw Harry give a slight, involuntary shudder. Simon gave the impression he was fully in control and calm. But there was also that undercurrent of threat that Louis had grown to hate the sound of. You didn't hear it often, but when you did, you knew it would leave you with a bitter taste.

Simon didn't waste any time with niceties. "It's all over the place. Everyone knows you and Harry didn't get off that plane," he said, his voice fixed and taut, unyielding.

"Alright," said Louis simply, waiting for the bomb to drop. Whatever bomb that might be.

"Louis, what is your position? Are you coming back?" Simon's voice was increasing slightly in volume, and Louis knew he was fighting for control.

Yup, right to the point, no tiptoeing or dancing around the issue or trying to butter anybody up. Simon didn't work that way.

"We're both here, on speaker," Louis began. "And we have to have certain conditions met if we're to come back, and only under those conditions will we come back." He was very relieved that his voice sounded rigid yet calm. He wanted Simon to know how deadly serious he was.

"You do realize you have a contract, right?" Simon's condescending tone rasped at Louis' nerves, made him want to shout into the phone that he was no fool, and shouldn't be spoken to as one. But he bit his tongue.

"Yes, and I've been in touch with me attorney about just that," he answered in a clipped tone.

Simon laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. It was ugly, in fact. It had a forced, patronizing flavor to it.

"And what conditions are you referring to?"

"Very specific ones," Louis pushed himself forward because this had to be said, and now. "I'll give it to you straight because I'm shooting from the hip with this one. I won't pull punches. Harry and I are in love. We want to be together. And you aren't making that possible. No more tight leashes. We want to come out, to the world," he emphasized.

Harry was smiling.

Simon was silent.

"And I feel the same, two hundred percent," Harry stated in his low, hypnotic voice that sounded, to Louis' delight, staunchly firm.

Simon let go of another humorless laugh. "Not possible," he growled. "You do as I say."

Obviously, Simon already knew they were in love. At least, his response didn't belie any surprise. At that moment, Louis wondered if the entire world knew. Yeah, they must have been that obvious.

Louis felt his face heating up, but he knew he had to remain as professional and as masterful as he possibly could –he couldn't afford to lose his cool.

"Nothing in the contract we signed states you can control how we conduct ourselves around each other."

Silence. Apparently the cat had Simon's tongue—but not for long.

"I got you where you are today, Louis and Harry. I made you rich. I call the shots, as all managers in show business do."

"Not if it's not in writing," Louis spat back. "The fans love us, and the majority want us to be together. The band won't lose anything in popularity if we were to come out."

Harry touched Louis' back tenderly, just enough to attempt to reassure him because he could feel the older lad's temper flaring.

"I'll have to take a look at the fine print," said Simon smugly, his air of superiority really grating on Louis' last nerve.

"Me attorney has already done that. More than once."

"You can't leave if I don't agree to your conditions. You still have two years on your contract," Simon sounded a bit like a ten year old, sticking his tongue out. Louis expected him to say, "So there!" at any moment.

"We can afford to buy ourselves out of the contract if need be," Harry's voice intervened. Louis' head swiveled sharply, and he beamed a huge smile at his boyfriend, also giving him a thumbs-up. His pride in Harry was huge right now.

Silence on Simon's end again. Louis wondered what the mogul was thinking. Was he weighing his options?

"We'll talk when you guys get back to L.A. You will be here for Friday's concert?" Simon's voice was still even and sounded strong as steel, but Louis could see through it. After five years, he had never heard Simon sound tentative—at least not toward 1D, but now, Louis thought he heard the tiniest trace of it in the older man's voice.

"We'll be back on Friday, in time for the concert," confirmed Louis, throwing Harry a glance to be sure Harry was still on the same page. Harry immediately nodded his agreement.

"You'll need to get here early to allow us time for a meeting. You, me and Harry," Simon directed.

"We'll be there in time for a meeting, don't worry," Louis' voice was cold and carefully governed.

"Concert is at eight, so, around five, in my office?"

"We'll call you," Louis said, refusing to make a solid commitment, knowing it would annoy the hell out of Simon.

It did. Simon was shook up. Louis knew that without a single doubt. So Louis rang off without so much as a goodbye. When the connection had been broken, Harry grabbed him.

"You were brilliant, baby!" Harry enthused. "You sounded so . . . so, in control."

"Thanks Harry. But don't forget, this is just the beginning. The meeting with Simon is not gonna be a cakewalk. We'll have to be on our toes like we've never been before."