#the fan has been going crazy and heating up. so I’ve been doing storage control ;)

[gigglecoffin]

Wish my pc didn’t explode 🥰

[kindahoping4forever]

Hot N Cold // Ashton Irwin

Both @cal-puddies and I had to endure disgusting heatwaves last week (it was literally 99 degrees before noon for me) and were laughing that we co-wrote a hot weather trope fic and it turns out, being this warm is not sexy. I took it a step further and declared that I was so uncomfortable I wouldn’t let Ashton near me and Cass was like bitch please and instantly proved me a liar by suggesting a scenario that I eventually spun into this entirely self-indulgent fic. (Exposing screenshots available upon request 😂🤡)

Warnings: Boyfriend!Ash, slight soft!dom Ash, female receiving oral sex/rimming, ice play, unprotected sex within established relationship, gratuitous mentions of Ash with a beard and in basketball shorts because I am a 🤡, I truly cannot express how self-indulgent this is.

Word Count: 4.9k exactly! (And I can never thank Cass enough for being a problem solving, editing queen because otherwise this legit could’ve easily been 10k, I was out of control and have officially been dubbed “the Stephen King of smut”)

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————-

You tap on the thermostat display, hoping that the numbers you’re reading are a mistake.

“Babe, it’s digital, that’s not gonna do anything,” Ashton calls from across the room.

You make a face and continue staring in disbelief. Last week when you invited your boyfriend to stay with you while his home underwent plumbing repairs, you had no idea there would be a heatwave sweeping the city. And as if the heat wasn’t bad enough, a thunderstorm was also predicted so it’s not just hot but humid, which drives you absolutely crazy.

You usually find it cozy when Ash stays at yours, your modest apartment a quaint contrast to his luxurious house. But waking up next to him in your full size bed (a far cry from the king size at his place), with you both already drenched in sweat put you in a sour mood and as the day progresses, along with the temperature, your mood has only gotten worse.

“How could the outside temperature and the inside temperature be that similar, what the fuck,” you grumble.

“It only feels that bad because now you know how hot it actually is, babe,” he suggests, coming up and wrapping his arms around you, kissing your neck, lightly scraping at it with his beard.

You roll your eyes. “No, it feels that bad because it is that bad, babe,” you huff, shrugging his arms off of you. In quick succession, he smirks and then pouts at your brush-off. “Ash, I swear to god, why does it seem like the second it gets above a certain temperature, you get super affectionate just to spite me?”

He grins and reaches for you, pulling you into an embrace once more. “Aww, baby, it’s not out of spite,” he laughs. “I just think you’re cute when you’re irritated.”

Ash squeezes you tight, swaying softly as he kisses the top of your head. Normally you would find yourself melting into his touch but today you just feel like you’re literally melting. 

“You’re about to think I’m really fucking adorable then because I’m gonna flip out if you don’t get away from me,” you gripe, wriggling out of his grasp. 

You decide to take a cool shower but you’re not surprised to find that it’s so hot outside, the water doesn't get any cooler than lukewarm. You let your frustrated mind wander as it runs over your sweat-covered skin. Of course the heatwave would have to be this weekend. Of course it was unexpected so all your fans are still in storage and of course all the stores in the area are sold out of their stock. Of course you live in an apartment that only has a small air conditioner that’s basically useless. Of course Ashton is annoyingly unaffected by the heat and of course you know it’s unreasonable of you to direct your hostility toward him but… seriously, it’s so annoying. Despite your agitated thoughts and the tepid water, by shower’s end, you have to admit you feel relieved. 

Ash’s back is turned when you approach the kitchen. Now that both your body and your temper have had a chance to cool, you’re much more appreciative of his presence. You stand in the doorway, admiring his considerable build: how broad his back looks even as he hunches over, digging through a drawer, how the narrow cut of his tank top makes his shoulders look even larger than usual, how his favorite basketball shorts cling to his ass. By the time his arms start flexing as he stirs what looks like a pitcher of sweet tea, you’re padding over to him and wrapping your arms around his torso.

“Heyyy,” he chuckles, slinging an arm around you and bringing you to his side. “You seem to be feeling better.”

“Better, cooler and nicer,” you declare, pecking at his chest to prove your point. “Sorry I was being a mega bitch.”

He snorts. “No offense but when I saw the heat advisory on my phone last night, I kind of knew what I was gonna be up against.”

You pinch his arm, half offended. “No, my love, I could never think of you as a mega bitch,” you offer the reply you would’ve preferred, in a mocking voice. 

He shakes his head with a smile. “Would I have gone to this much trouble if I really thought that of you?” He gestures towards the living room where he’s spread your spare comforter on the floor in front of the AC; two cold cut sandwiches, a tub of leftover macaroni salad from yesterday’s dinner and a fresh bag of your favorite chips sit on the coffee table. 

You enjoy your “picnic” and continue lounging in front of the AC long after you’re finished eating. Ashton returns from clearing your dishes to discover you sprawled out on your stomach, complaining that you sat on the floor too long and your entire body feels numb. 

He cocks an eyebrow as he lays down next to you and lands a hard smack across your ass. You yelp but honestly, you should’ve seen it coming. You glare at him, unimpressed.

“Just trying to help,” he shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Mmm hmm, sure,” you giggle, turning to face him. “Quick question, why are you like this?” 

He pulls you closer. “Don’t act like it’s just me, I felt you ogling me in the kitchen,” he teases. “I know you’re turned on, look how hard your nipples are.” He grabs a handful of your breast and pinches to emphasize his point.

You snort laugh, “I’ve been sitting in front of an air conditioner, you dummy.” 

He makes a sheepish face and you both crack up. Your joint giggle fit easily transitions into a comfortable, lazy makeout session. You’re about to finally reach your hand inside his shorts when you both pull away after hearing a noise. It takes only a few seconds of humid air on your skin for you to realize that the AC has stopped. “The power’s gone out,” you announce, gently pushing his body off of you so that you can go flip the circuit breakers. “Maybe we had the air on for too long?”

A few minutes later, Ash joins you in the kitchen, where you’re fiddling with the breaker box. “Nothing,” you tell him, frowning at the panel.

“Seems like it’s the whole complex, all your neighbors are out wandering around,” he reports. “Maybe a rolling blackout from the heat? Or I guess it could be the storm? Looked like the signal at the end of the street was out.”

“Fantastic,” you seethe.

Ash reaches for your hand, pressing a kiss to your clenched fist. “It’ll be fine, baby, this is just a good excuse for us to order dinner. And the sun will be going down soon, so it’ll have to cool off!"

You nod slowly, not believing him but appreciating the effort. "You just don't want me to be mean to you again," you tease.

You start looking for your lanterns and candles in case the power doesn't come back before nightfall. Which of course, it doesn’t. And despite Ashton's optimism, it doesn't cool off much either. You know the heat must actually be extreme when even he starts commenting on it.

He spots your cooler in the closet and offers to run down to the corner gas station and grab some ice to fill it with so you could at least have cold drinks. It doesn’t make much of a difference to you but you know he’s trying to do anything he can to make you more comfortable, so you tell him it’s a great idea. 

He returns quickly, triumphantly lifting up a comically large party bag of ice with one hand. "This was the only size they had," he explains. You smile softly and kiss his shoulder in silent thanks as you pass by on your way to gather the drinks.

The rest of the evening is uneventful. You attempt a candlelit dinner, but you both quickly agree it’s more impractical than romantic and replace the candles with your bright ass camping lantern. 

You make it an early night, not because you're tired but because you need the day to end. You thought fresh sheets sounded cooling but when Ash enters the bedroom, he finds you sitting defeatedly in the middle of the half-made bed and in the dim candlelight, he can’t tell if it’s sweat or frustrated tears he spies falling down your face. “OK, that’s enough,” he announces, reaching for your arm to drag you up from the bed. “You’re getting in the shower, I’m dealing with this.”

You’re pleased to find the water has cooled and the candles you have illuminating the bathroom makes for a much more relaxing environment than your previous shower. You haven’t been in long when you feel Ash’s beard scratching your back as he presses small kisses to your shoulders. You smile to yourself and face him, wrapping your arms around him. “You had to put up with a lot from me today,” you start. You peck along his neck and jaw, landing at his lips, which you kiss softly. “I just want you to know I appreciate it.” 

He holds you against him. “It was a long, shit day,” he shrugs. “I was just sorry to see you having such a bad time. Wanted to do what I could."

You lean in and you make out sweetly, enjoying the feel of each other's lips and the cool water. You feel him start to dip his hands in between your legs but you gently push them away. "I'm good, baby, just wanted to thank you." You peck his lips and leave him to finish showering.

You’re in the middle of putting lotion on when you feel Ashton’s hands on you again; he hasn’t even bothered with a towel, as if he couldn’t waste a second moving from the shower back to your body.

"Ashhhh,” you giggle. “I promise I’m fine… and where’s your towel? You’re dripping everywhere.”

His hand has found its way between your legs again and he swipes a finger through your folds. “Well, I’m not the only one,” he quips. "I knew you were getting riled up over there." He sucks and nibbles at your neck, causing you to groan. "Baby, you've been stressed all day. Let me get you off, it's the least I can do."

You sigh and nod, unable to deny the way you’re throbbing for his attention; he lifts you onto the bathroom counter and you find yourself almost involuntarily spreading your legs for him. “That’s my good girl,” he coos, kissing your inner thighs, running his beard along them the way he knows you like. He uses the tip of his tongue to flick at your clit, chuckling to himself as you instantly shudder and tangle your fingers in his wet hair.  

You pant heavily while he flattens his wide tongue and laps at your pussy. By the time his lips wrap around your clit, you’re bucking up onto his face, begging him for more.

You’re puzzled when he suddenly draws you down from the counter and pushes you over it, remaining on his knees. He spreads your legs again and swirls his tongue around your clit; he then licks all the way from your clit to your asshole, fluttering his tongue over it several times. A guttural whine rips through your throat.

“That a good noise, baby?” Ash asks, kneading your ass in his hands. “Want me to keep going?” 

All you can manage is a pitifully whimpered “Uh-huh” and he smirks to himself as he dives back in, spreading your cheeks with his thumbs and rolling his tongue over your tight ring. You can’t remember the last time you were this turned on and it’s overwhelming, the added sensation of his beard making it even more stimulating. You nearly shriek when his hand starts working your clit.

“Please Ash... yeah… oh FUCK...” Nonsense spills from your lips as he licks you and you can’t help but roll your hips against his hand. His mouth pauses for a second and you’re about to complain when suddenly he’s pressing his tongue inside your hole. “Jesus Christ, Ash!” You cry out, white knuckling the edge of the counter.

He groans in response to your outburst and you can feel the vibrations of it as he pushes his tongue in further. You reach back and grab at his hair, desperate for something to hold onto, desperate to pull him even closer. His tongue darts in and out of your ass while his fingers rub tight, relentless circles around your clit. 

Your orgasm hits you without warning and for a second, you’re not sure if you’re going to live through it; your entire body shakes, your legs feel like jelly and your eyes are squeezed shut so tight you’re seeing stars. He reaches his free hand up to support you and continues to lick and rub you as it goes on, even as your fingers viciously yank at his hair.

You let yourself slump over the counter, enjoying the cool feeling of the marbling on your heated skin. You feel Ash’s lips softly kissing up your back and his hand stroking your hair. “You did so good, baby, thank you,” he praises, rubbing your back. “Thought you deserved a treat after the day you've had.”

“That was… wow?” You rasp, surprised at your voice’s scratchiness; you didn’t realize you were screaming but you must have been judging from how wrecked you sound. “ ‘M all sweaty though, gonna need to rinse off again,” you laugh.

“Oops,” his giggle echoes through the bathroom. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He helps you stand upright and presses a kiss to your head. You note that he’s fairly hard but he leaves the room before either of you mention it.

You enter the bedroom a few minutes later and discover it empty; you’ve just pulled on a cotton slip nightgown when your shirtless boyfriend appears, carrying two bottles of water and two cups filled with ice. He sits yours on the nightstand and wanders over to where you’re towel drying your hair. You lovingly roll your eyes as he immediately wraps his arms around you; he’s changed back into his shorts and they’re doing nothing to disguise the erection you noticed in the bathroom. 

“Always love this nightgown on you,” he breathes, mouth biting at your earlobe, hands running up and down your sides. “Do you remember you wore it the first time you stayed over at mine?”

You smile at the memory. “And I thought you only liked it because it’s see-through in the light,” you tease, spinning out of his hold. You love him like this so you don’t want to outright reject him but you also can’t imagine having sex in this sweltering bedroom and aren’t about to take your fourth shower of the day.

You prop your pillows up so you can drink your ice water and check your phone while you still have some battery left. Ash sits next to you and you can already feel the heat radiating off of him. He absentmindedly places his hand on your thigh, squeezing every so often as it creeps higher. You slide your hand into his, bring it to your lips and kiss his knuckles briefly before setting it back on his own leg.

“I really should’ve let you buy me that bigger bed like you offered when you first started sleeping over,” you joke, hoping he’ll understand your meaning.

He chuckles and searches your face sympathetically, “Am I making you warm, baby? I’m sorry,” he pouts. “It’s getting better though, I opened the window before our shower and the storm’s bringing a breeze in.” He snakes an arm around you and leans you closer, pecking your cheek.

“It’s still pretty bad in here… and you’re still kind of a radiator, Ash,” you gently complain.

He frowns, then pauses and his face suddenly changes expression. “I know something we can do to take your mind off that…” 

You make a face. “Baby… I know you're hard but it has been such a ridiculous day," you gently explain. "I'll kiss you while you jerk off if you want? I just cannot fathom having you on me right now.”

“First of all, I never said I wanted to be on you,” he notes. “Second, I just feel bad you’re already so tense again, babe, we gotta get you to relax.” He massages your neck as he talks and you didn’t realize how stiff your muscles were until that moment. “I know it’s not gonna be an easy night sleeping in here and I was just thinking you always sleep so much better right after you cum...”

Despite the heat, your body is buzzing at his touch. “Goddammit, that’s a fair point,” you concede and he laughs under his breath. “Feel like whatever you have in mind is only gonna make me feel even warmer though.”

His eyes shine with playful desire. “Not necessarily…” he replies mysteriously. “Trust me?”

You hate how curious you are and how much his vagueness is turning you on. “You get five minutes to prove this is worth it… or until I start sweating, whichever is first.”

Ash chuckles, “I think we both know you’ll be begging for my cock long before then.”

You shake your head at him and then he's kissing you and laying you down. "Close your eyes," he requests. You look at him skeptically. "I'm assuming you think it's too warm for the blindfold," he points out and you nod in agreement.

He hovers over you and brushes his lips lightly against yours. "So gorgeous laying there, just waiting for me," he whispers low, knowing the praise will make you swoon. "Can you get your tits out for me, baby?"

You slip your thin straps off your shoulders and tug your nightgown down your torso, exposing your chest. Your breath is already heavy with anticipation when you feel Ashton's hands run up your thighs on his way to knead your breasts. His touch feels warmer than you'd like but his firm, calloused grip is always welcome.

His hands disappear for a second and you hear some generic rustling; you assume you'll be feeling his mouth next but what you don't expect is the intense cold of the ice cube he has in between his teeth. A squeal escapes your throat and your eyes shoot open at the sensation of him dragging the ice down your neck and in between your tits; the combined heat of your skin and his mouth starts melting it instantly and freezing water drips down your body. 

“Ash, what the fuck?!” You cry out with a shocked laugh. He tugs your nightgown lower and continues his travels, bringing the cube down over your stomach, water dissolving all over your midsection.

You whine as he pulls back and grins. “OH, did... did you want me to continue?” He taunts, chewing what was left in his mouth. “Didn’t take long for you to decide this was ‘worth it,’ huh, baby?”

He reaches for the cup on your nightstand and drops another cube in his mouth before lowering himself to your chest. His cold fingers play with one of your nipples while he sucks the other between his lips; his tongue swirls the ice around your pointed bud and the dueling feelings of the frozen cube and his warm tongue is unlike anything you’ve felt before.

You hold his head to your chest, running your fingers through his damp, curling hair. “Ash, babyyyyyy,” you breathe dreamily as he moves his attention to your other nipple. “This was a good idea, you were right.” Even with his mouth around you, he manages to grin at your concession and you arch your back into him.

“Love it when you talk dirty,” he smugly responds. He brings the remaining portion of his cube to the front of his lips and traces it over yours before slipping it back in his mouth and kissing you deeply. You whimper as he slowly transfers the cube into your mouth with his tongue. He tugs your lip between his teeth as he pulls away and you moan loudly at the realization that you can’t feel it because your lips are numb from the ice. 

Ashton sits back on his knees and you reach for him, immediately missing his attention. "Want you," you admit, stretching your arm until your hand lands on his bulging crotch. “Need you. Need this.”

He takes a page out of your book and pulls your hand up to his lips, kissing it and sitting it away from him. “Oh I know you need it, baby,” he teases, slipping his hand inside your panties to feel your wetness. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it... but first… can’t let my last ice cube go to waste.”

He smiles at your annoyed sigh as he snatches the cup from the table and moves down your body. You know that look in his eye and for once tonight, you know what he’s thinking. He starts to raise the cup to his lips as you whine, “Oh my god, Ash, don’t,” pushing him away with your feet.

He cocks his head and rubs his hands up and down your legs. “You know your word,” he replies and looks at you expectantly. You hold each other’s gaze for several beats and then his hands yank your panties off. Your nightgown is still bunched around your waist and you finally pull it all the way off, making yourself bare for him. 

Ash raises the cup in your direction in mock cheers and finally slides the ice into his mouth. In the time it takes you to blink he’s already between your legs, running the tip of the cube up and down your lips. You shift your hips to meet his touch and he lightly slaps your thigh to get you to settle. 

He moves through your folds, nudging at your entrance for just a second before moving on; you brace yourself as he reaches your clit. He teases around it first with only his tongue and your heart pounds as you wait for the cold to shock you. After what feels like half a lifetime, a burst of piercing iciness shoots through your entire body, starting at your core. You let out a long, low moan as he alternates flicking the frozen cube over your clit and then running his warm tongue against you in raging contrast. 

He sucks at your clit softly before moving to kiss up your inner thighs as he sits up. You didn’t see it happen but he apparently slipped the ice into his hand because now he’s pressing it directly on your clit, letting it melt, causing you to moan and writhe. 

"ASH PLEASE… oh my godddd…” you cry, grabbing his wrist. You’re not quite sure if you want him to stop or to keep going until you cum so you just hold onto his arm, begging. “Fuck me, please, need you to fuck me, Ash!”

Smiling, he firmly grinds the last of the cube against your clit and you thrash as it melts within seconds. He slips two fingers inside you and you shudder at how cold they are. “Knew I could get you begging for me, baby” he growls, smirking as he kisses up your body. “You sure it’s 'worth it'? Maybe you’re right, maybe it is too warm? This pussy feels pretty warm to me.” He skillfully juts his fingers in and out of you as he taunts you.

You whimper pathetically in response and he chuckles. “Alright, baby, you’ve been so good for me tonight, I’ll let you have my cock,” he declares. “Hands and knees for me, gorgeous.” 

Ashton pulls his shorts off while you do your best to get into position, unsteady from all the stimulation. You can’t help yourself and as soon as you get up on your knees you lunge for him, capturing his mouth in a filthy kiss and your hand tugs at his cock, easily coaxing out a trickle of precum.

He murmurs into your kiss, letting you have your moment and then in one swift move, he swats your hand away and pulls you off his lips by wrapping his hand around your throat. “I said hands and knees, baby,” he reminds you, squeezing lightly.

You can’t quite find your voice to moan but if you had, it would’ve been the loudest yet. You get into position and for the first time tonight, you notice the curtains billowing as the long-promised stormy breeze fills the room. You’re about to point it out but you decide to bite your lip instead because the head of Ash’s cock is pushing up against your entrance. 

You sigh restlessly and slowly push back on him, eager to have him inside you but he promptly halts your hips and roughly smacks your ass for trying. “Don’t be desperate,” he reprimands sternly. 

You mumble a pitiful “Sorry” and he rubs over the stinging redness of his handprint in acknowledgment. He slides his cock over your pussy a couple times, slicking it with your arousal, enjoying how your legs shake every time he juuuust misses running his tip over your clit. Then he starts pushing in for real, at an agonizingly slow rate; he knows you’re already on the verge of overstimulation and he knows you’re aching to cum but he loves teasing you, loves making you feel every inch of him as he enters you.

You hang your head, breathing his name so softly you almost don’t even hear it yourself. The thrill of finally having him inside you combined with the sublime stretch as his thickness gradually fills you is overwhelming; if you wanted to, you honestly think you might be able to cum from this alone. For a moment it crosses your mind to tell him this but in the next, you realize he already knows.

“Love watching you take me,” Ash praises you, finally bottoming out. “You’ve really gotta see it sometime, baby, there’s nothing like it.” 

You whine at his words and your sounds increase as he thrusts into you, wasting no time setting a punishing rhythm, you’ve both waited long enough for this. “Feels… so… good… babe…” you pant, voice quivering as his hips hit forcefully against yours. Your hands are cramping from how tightly you’re gripping the sheets in front of you but you don’t know how else to handle the intensity of what you’re feeling.

Ashton grunts, slapping your ass once on each cheek. He fucks into you rapidly and it's not long before his fingers dig into where he’s holding your hips; this means he’s getting close. You slide your hand to your clit and start rubbing, burying your face in the bed as you let out a choked sigh. He speeds up the pace when he notices. “I’m almost there too, baby,” he puffs. “Go ahead and cum, baby. Fuck, you deserve it.”

The soft howling of the wind, the vigorous slapping of Ash’s skin on yours and your muffled moans are all that can be heard for the next minute or so. Your sounds gain volume as your pussy begins to throb and you finally feel your walls tensing around him. He fucks you through it, murmuring about what a good girl you are, how beautiful you look. 

As your orgasm reaches its end, you hear Ash continuing to mumble but you realize it’s mostly nonsense; seconds later you feel his cock pulsing as he empties his load inside you. He groans loudly, running his thumbs over the fresh marks he’s left on your hips and slowly pumping into you a few more times before sighing and pulling out.

He pecks a kiss on the small of your back and then he grabs the tissues on your vanity to clean you up. You lay on your stomach, sleepy but satisfied; when he’s done, he lays beside you. “How are we feeling?” He asks, running his hand through your hair.

You smile dreamily at him. “Like I’m gonna sleep real good tonight,” you joke. You scoot closer to him and lightly kiss his bearded chin. “Like I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through today without you. Like I love you a lot.”

Ashton’s eyes shine fondly at you through the darkness. "I'm happy to hear that, there were a few times today I wasn't sure if you still liked me," he cracks. You poke him and he kisses your pouted lips. "I love you too, by the way."

You finish getting ready for bed and as you blow out the candles around the room, Ash instinctively moves closer to the edge of the bed; he's sure you'll want to sleep as far apart as possible. "Is it supposed to be this hot again tomorrow?" He asks.

"Yup," you answer, surprisingly unbothered, getting back in bed.

He frowns. "What do you think we should do?"

You surprise him again by curling into him, tangling your legs with his. "We've got all day and half a bag of ice left," you grin mischievously. "I think we'll be fine."

—-

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[niall-is-my-dream]

Light of my Life - Part Nine

2500 words

On Friday morning you headed to the supermarket to stock up on groceries. WIth Harry being back late the next night you knew he's be jetlagged and tired on Sunday. You picked up all his favourite things and had planned a few meals for the week ahead. It was when you were in the fruit aisle selecting some apples that you heard the whispers.

"That's definitely her."

"You think?"

"Yeah and she's got a baby boy in the carrier. See his blue hat."

You had been spotted.

After laying low for so long, the pictures had reignited your presence in Harry's life. You had always pretty much kept yourself to yourself, never going on the red carpet together. With such a big fan base, you didn't feel it was appropriate to flaunt the fact that you and Harry were in a relationship. Harry also liked to keep his professional and private life separate.

The plan in a situation like this was to pretend you didn't hear them, however if they approached you then you would always make time for them.

"Excuse me?" One of the girls asked. She looked to be maybe a few years younger than you, but not by much. "Are you Fliss Matthews?"

"Um, yeah that's me." You replied, trying to determine if they were nice fans or weird larries, who for the last almost four years had said your relationship was a cover for his and Louis'.

You saw them exchange glances with one another.

"You look amazing after just having had a baby!"

"Ha! Thanks! It's important to keep fit and active in pregnancy and eat right, so that's helped. Plus a good bit on concealer for the dark circles under my eyes from getting up in the night to feed him."

They laughed and then looked down at Jacob in his carrier attached to your front.

"He's a beautiful baby."

"Thankyou."

"No, thank you for talking to us and letting us see him. You've always been so nice to fans and stuff and are so supportive of Harry. He's lucky to have you. "

"Well, he thinks he's lucky to have such nice supportive fans like you, I'll let him know later that I met you guys and the kind things you have said."

"Really?! " they squealed, and you nodded.

"What are your names?"

"I'm Jessica and this is Lucy."

"I'll let him know, and Thank you for being so nice. Would you mind not letting your social media know I was here until later. I need to get back home safely with this little one once I've finished shopping."

"Oh god of course! And thanks again for talking to us."

"No problem girls." You replied, as you moved along the aisle towards the bananas.

You spent the rest of the day doing jobs at home, sorting out some washing and packing away Jacobs newborn clothes. At 7 weeks old, the smallest size things were definitely too small. You'd been to Ikea and picked up some storage boxes on your way back this morning. With Jacob sleeping, you started to fold the tiny vests and babygros and pack them away before labelling the box. You never know, you might need them again one day.

Harry facetimed you just after 3pm that afternoon, his heavy hooded eyes showing he had clearly just woken up.

"Morning Love."

"Afternoon Babe" you replied smiling.

"You ok? How's my boy?"

"We are fine, been busy today. Food shopping, got some storage boxes for some of Jacobs smaller clothes so have packed them away. Jacob has fed and slept. It's been an exciting one!" You joked.

"I wish I was with you."

"I know you do. Not long now babe."

"I'll be back about midnight tomorrow, maybe early hours of Sunday depending on the flight."

"I can't wait."

"Me neither. I knew this would be hard being away from you both, but I didn't realise it would be this hard."

 You could see him run his hand down his face and then up through his hair. His eyes showed you how sad he was. It made your heart break at how much he was missing you both. It wasn't like you weren't missing him, it's just being in your now shared home, keeping busy with jobs and Jacob had kept your mind off of it. However when night time came you had felt lonely knowing he was so far away. The second night he was away you'd moved Jacob's moses basket and stand into Harrys room and slept in there. Cuddling yourself up to his pillow, inhaling his scent.

"Its been hard for us to."

"I know love, I know. Has he been smiling a lot?" He asked, clearly worried he was missing out on things.

"Yeah he has, been doing a little smirk to, he looks just like you with your dimples."

"Is he asleep?"

"No, he's in his little baby chair, watching me bake." You replied, and turned the phone around to show him Jacob, who was happily watching your every move.

"There's my boy. Are you missing Daddy?" You heard him ask, as you knelt down and got closer to Jacob.

Jacob's beautiful green eyes focussed on the phone, recognising Harry's face and voice.

"Jacob, Daddy loooovvveessss yoooooouuuu."

A big smile spread across his face at Harry's words.

"You being a good boy for Mummy? Daddy will be back soon. Hopefully Mummy is making Daddy something nice."

You laughed and turned the phone back to face you. "Well I'm trying out a new recipe, these chocolate brownies have grated courgette in them. Suppose to nice, Lisa gave me the recipe."

"Sounds interesting!" He replied smiling.

You joked a bit more with each other before Harry asked you to get your iPad and open up your email.

"I've sent you some links of houses that I want you to look at."

"Houses?"

"Well, you know my house here was up for sale, well that's sold and all finalised now, so I want to get us another one for when we are here. I've done a short list of three that are a good buy, but I want you to tell me which one you like."

"Um........ok. " You replied getting all flustered.

"Fliss......."

"Yeah?"

"I want to buy us a proper family home ok? I want us all to be comfortable when we are here, especially for long periods of time."

"Holy shit!" You said, thankful that Jacob was a baby and didn't understand your bad language. "Ten million dollars." You said as you opened up one of the links he'd sent you.

"That's L.A. prices love. Look, don't worry about what it costs, just look at the information and pictures."

"I can't be given the responsibility of picking one at that price. Harry it's your money just choose which one you like."

"Fliss, it's our money and I want us to pick one together."

You stared at him on the small iPhone screen, unsure of what to say next.

"You're it for me Fliss, I don't want to be here again without you both.......I...... I miss you both so much, it hurts. I want you to help me pick our new home together, please?"

"I hate when you spend money on me." You said scowling like a child.

"Speaking of that, your car is arriving next Thursday."

You shook your head and smiled at him.

Almost an hour later and you both finally decided on a house. It was a four bed, five bath property tucked away in the Hollywood hills in a gated community. It was all on one one level with a beautiful garden and pool, perfect for Jacob to play in.

With a quick good bye and lots of I love you's, you both reluctantly ended the call.

*******

You heard him come in about 12:30am, dumping his bag in the corner of the room and quietly heading to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Harry climbed into bed and instantly moved to wrap his arms around you.

"Hey." He whispered, as he stroked your hair. "You're suppose to be asleep."

His body was still warm from the shower, his scent overwhelming your senses.

"I fed Jacob about an hour ago and couldn't get back to sleep." You whispered back.

He smiled as he snuggled closer to you, moving your hair from your face and kissing you gently on the lips.

"I love that you've moved into our bed." He mumbled against your lips. "I missed you both so much."

"We missed you to, and your bed smells like you, been helping us sleep."

You gently stroked your hand up and down his back, pulling him closer, desperate to feel his skin against yours. You kissed him again, this time your lips moved frantically against each other, your tongue dipping into his mouth to reach his.

He effortlessly rolled you onto your back, parting your thighs so his body could nestle between them. Your bodies flush against each other, the kiss becoming heated. With one hand in his hair you moved the other one down between your bodies, finding him incredibly hard already. He gasped against your lips as you stroked him over his boxers, pulling away from you breathless. Both of you panting, his beautiful green eyes, scanning yours.

"You don't.....um.....we..........don't.........I can't control it......sorry." He mumbled quietly to you, leaning his forehead against yours and closing his eyes, you slowly moved your hand away.

"I need you Harry.......I'm ready if ......... you're ready?" You replied wrapping your arms around him.

He opened his eyes as you spoke. "Are you sure?" He whispered. "I wasn't expecting anything........I just wanted to kiss you.......don't feel you have to......"

"I want to.  Make love to me Harry."

He paused for a moment, your words sinking in, before nudging his nose with yours and kissing you softly.

"I love you so much Fliss, I'll go gentle ok?"

You nodded as you gently stroked your fingers through his damp hair.

He hesitated before leaning down and kissing you again, his lips moving to kiss your jaw, your neck and then that sweet spot behind your ear that he knew would drive you crazy.

Your body came alive at his touch, it had been too long since you'd been together, neither had been with anyone else inbetween either.  His lips paused at the top of your v neck t-shirt, the realisation that you had your very unattractive nursing bra on underneath made you cringe. Harry seemed to realised that your breasts were out of bounds, as he peppered kisses down as far as the v neck before bringing his lips up to yours.

His hand moved down and across your centre, rubbing you gently over your knickers. They were already damp, your body confirming how turned on you were already and how badly you needed him.

"Mmmm love, you're soaked." He mumbled against your lips.

He dipped his fingers into your knickers, running them gently across your clit. You sighed against his lips at the relief you felt as he began to rub you just the right way. 

Underwear was quickly discarded but you kept on your bra, with breasts full of milk they were definitely out of bounds. Laying beneath him again felt so good. Your body loving the feel of his weight on top of you. His mouth roamed across your neck and chest, nipping and sucking at your skin.

"Fuck." You whispered. "Do you have any condoms? My birth control won't have kicked in yet?"

"Yeah, I brought some the other day." He confessed. "Just in case."

You both hadn't used any other form of protection other than your birth control pill since you'd been together. That had only failed due to some antibiotics you had taken for a chest infection, the result has been Jacob. However you'd agreed that Jacob had been the best thing that has ever happened to you both.

Reaching over to his bedside cabinet, he quietly opened the box and pulled out the foil packet. Rolling it on, he winced at the coldness of the rubber against his length, before moving back to hover above you.

"Just tell me to stop, if it hurts. Ok?"

You nodded. Both of you were aware that it can feel uncomfortable when you first have sex after a baby, the last thing he wanted was for you to be in pain.

Rubbing his tip through your folds, gathering up the sleek wetness of your arousal he pushed himself slowly into you. The discomfort you expected didn't come and the moans you found yourself omitting were that of pleasure. With his length completely inside, he leant down to kiss you, allowing you to adjust.

"Are you ok?" He mumbled against your lips.

"Yes......... God I've missed you so much."

The relief was evident on his face as he looked down at you and kissed you again. Wrapping your legs around his waist, you pulled him in closer and he growled against your neck.

"Love......I need to take it slow." His voice sounded pained slightly. "Feels so good."

He began rocking his hips back and forth at a slow pace, filling you completely. With one arm bent supporting his weight, he moved his other arm to your hip and hitched it up towards his, pushing himself in deeper. Your back arched involuntary at how good it felt, and he buried his face in your neck.

His low whispers in your ear about how good you felt, how much he needed you and loved you, made you tremble with pleasure. He pulled your hip up tighter against his body, burying himself deeper and harder with each thrust as he made love to you. A slight tip of your hips and he began hitting that spot that made the heat rise up from deep inside you.

His thrusts were getting determined and you knew he was close, holding back until you reached your high. Moving his head from the crook of your neck, he rested his forehead against yours. The lust in his eyes was evident, the want and desire that you'd always seen in them still there.

Your orgasm took you by surprise, and you gasped as your body began to shudder, total euphoria taking over. Harry's lips came crashing into yours,  and he moaned against your mouth as he spilled his seed into the condom.

The only noise in the room was the racing of your hearts and your low pants as you both tried to catch your breath. Moving your fingers up to brush his damp brown locks from his face, his eyes once again searched yours for any sign of discomfort.

"Are you ok?" He whispered.

"More than ok."

He pulled out slowly, before getting out of bed and discarding the condom in the bathroom.

Climbing back into bed, you both snuggled down under the covers together, holding each other close. His fingers trailing up and down your back.

"Hated being away from you both. Don't want to do it again." He whispered softly.

"We will always be with you, if it's possible. We can show Jacob the world together." You whispered back, stroking his face.

"You know I realised when I was away, that I was nothing without you. You're the light of my life. I love you Fliss."

"Love you to H."

[adrenalineguide]

2019 Kia Sorento SXL V6

Text and photos by Michael Hozjan

A few years back while perusing all the latest offerings from the automotive world at the Montreal International Car Show I asked one of the manufacturer’s reps if the wood on the dash was real or plastic. I had seen imitation wood dashes that looked better than the real stuff and the grain structure and color of this one was so perfect it could’ve been plastic. With his chest pushed out like a peacock, the rep responded with “Oh no it’s real  genuine Zebra hardwood (or something like that) from western Africa.”

I asked him in all innocence, “With major deforestation of all the tropical forests, and plastics  looking more and more like real wood, do you think it’s an environmentally responsible move?” I’m pretty sure I almost got black listed from that car maker. 

With that said, now look at the fabulous dash pictured below.  When I finally looked up at the dash after adjusting my seats, mirrors, steering wheel, and after setting my radio stations, connecting my cell phone and setting the trip odometer to zero, I had to check twice to see what I was sitting in. Was it a corporate limo? An overpriced mini-van? A luxury barge? The quality of the materials, the fit and finish, the layout of the overall design just knocked me out and honestly the pictures do not do it justice. The Sorento’s dash immediately indicates two things; 1) There’s no need for wood – plastic or real to have a quality, rich looking dash 2) Just how far Kia’s build quality has grown over the years.

Many look at Kia as the lower end alternative to the Hyundai line, but personally speaking I’ve always found Kias to deliver more for your dollar and the Sorento is proof of that when you go head to head with its Hyundai counterpart - the Santa Fe.

For 2019, Kia’s most popular people mover has received a mild makeover. Sorento fans will notice a new front end including a new bumper, grille and lights. There’s now  a trio of LED lamps for the hi and lo beams with four tiny rectangular fog lights set in the bumper. The headlights now steer with the front wheels, lighting your way around bends – thank you. The bumper also contains the radar sensor for the Advanced Smart Cruise Control and autonomous braking system and Front Collision- Avoidance (FCA) warning. My SXL model also came with the 360 degree camera monitoring system whose front camera resides just below the Kia logo in the grille.

Sticking with Kia’s active safety features the SXL also came with lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring and driver attention alert. Out back LEDs make up the taillights  and there’s a rear cross traffic alert.

In keeping with clichés, there’s a Sorento for every budget and every taste from five passenger variants in front drive to seven passenger configurations and all-wheel-drive.

Prices start at a paltry $29, 895 for the front-wheel-drive LX FWD powered by a 2.4L 4 cylinder that puts out 185 horses with 178 lb-ft of torque and is connected to a 6-speed automatic. There’s also an LX, LX V6 which as you may have surmised adds V6 power and third row seating to the equation ($36,695) followed by the EX 2.4L, EX, EX Premium, SX and finally this week’s feature, the SXL. The SX line is easily distinguished by its chrome grilles from the other trim lines’ black grilles.

The 2.0L turbo four cylinder has been pulled from the line up but there is talk of Kia adding a diesel unit.

All four cylinder powered versions get the 6-speed tranny, no matter the trim level while the 3.3L V6 (290 hp/252lb-ft) models come with an all new 8-speed and are configured for seven passengers. From a safety aspect, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert become available with the EX,  the EX Premium adds front and rear parking sensors. Step up to the SX and you get the Dynamic headlights that steer with the front wheels. The SXL as you can imagine comes with all the bells and whistles that I mentioned earlier.

Being pampered

As with all the Kias, even the base model comes equipped with heated seats and steering wheel. Take that Detroit. Other preferred goodies that you may want to consider in your selection include panoramic sunroof and power liftgate that start with the EX Premium. The SX adds Napa leather and air-cooled front seats, and with our summers getting hotter and hotter…

While I’m on the topic of seats, the SXL came with a slew of adjustments to make you comfy. Kia also seems to offer more front legroom than anybody out there and the Sorento is no exception. Yet even with the front buckets pushed all the way back, rear seat passengers still get a good amount of head and legroom. Rear seat passengers also get heated seats and rear window shades as well as reclining back rests. The twin seats in the third row may be hard to get to but once you’re settled in there’s a surprising amount of legroom.  As is with most three row seating arrangements, tall third row passengers will be hitting the back of their heads against the truck. Incidentally the cargo blind has a storage spot under the cargo bay – something I discovered after my interior photo shoot.

Kia has one upped the competition in the cargo bay as well with levers to flip the second row seats down from the hatch and while there’s a separate a/c  switch for the third row, the same can be used to keep your groceries cool during summer’s heat. 

The A/C control knob can be seen above the third row cup holder. Now your ice cream can stay cooler on the drive home from the grocery store.

  The center console is stacked with features from twin 12 volt power ports, an auxiliary port and a USB port. There’s a charging pad if your phone supports it and if not, there’s a USB charging port inside the center console’s armrest. You’ll find a drive mode select that allows you to adjust your transmission’s shift points and steering feedback so that you can opt for eco, sport , luxury and something called smart mode at the touch of a button. Unlike some of its pricier competitors, the Soreneto also has a lock button for the center diff so you can actually lock the power delivery to both axles at low speed. The center console also contains the switch for the 360 degree camera which you can select the view on the 8” infotainment screen. I also came to appreciate its ability to let me choose my points of view, including front/side or rear/side views. Living in the country I’ve seen more than my fair share of people plant a wheel in the ditch while trying to get out of someone’s driveway, and it’s just the ticket when you’re crawling over boulders- something I doubt many Sorento owners will do but maybe some 4x4 manufacturers should take note.

On the road

This mid-size crossover feels lighter and smaller than it actually is thanks to the responsiveness of the electric power steering unit.  Moreover the truck feels solidly planted on any road surface and while the response in the driving modes was mostly negligible, sport mode did prove to enhance the driving experience, even if ever so slightly. Body roll is at a minimum no matter the setting.  The8-speed trans is perfectly mated to the power curve of the V6 providing seamless shifts. The 19” tires, standard on the SX models, helped in traversing our third world pot holes. 

The Sorento’s smooth ride is second to none in the category and feels less bulky and as a result easier to drive than Honda’s Pilot. You also don’t need to fight with the Sorento’s infotainment system like you do with the Honda. As is the case with most vehicles these days the Kia is Apple CarPlay/Android compatible. The one upmanship is their UVO telematics which allows you to start/stop the truck, and set the climate remotely with your Smartphone. It also sends out a 911 call if you’re involved in an accident. Controls fall intuitively into your fingertips place and are easily read.  

The Sorento had an impressive diet of 10.5L/100kms of the good stuff with mostly highway driving. Kia’s figures show a 9.7 highway and 12.5 city so there figures aren’t that far off from real world consumption. Maximum towing capacity for my SXL is 5,000 lbs. Front drive V6 powered models are rated for 3,500 lbs while the four cylinder versions can tow up to 2,000 lbs.

Our Graphite colored Sorento got a $200 surcharge for the paint choice, a practice I’ve seen more and more as of late. It seems that Henry Ford’s old credo of “You can have any colour you want as long as it’s black” has a whole new meaning in today’s automotive world. 

The Sorento offers iyems that you’d normally associate in a much pricier vehicle. There’s a lot to like about this crossover and not much not to like, the cargo room with the third row seat is at a minimum and I’m not too crazy about the spare mounted under the bumper, and while I’m nit picking maybe the shiny plastic panels could be replaced with something that doesn’t show finger smudges. So if you’re in the market to replace your current ride, a trip to the Kia showroom should be on your list.

 Price as tested: $50,965*

*Includes dealer prep and destination charges