Chapter 11

"How do you not have a pet? This place is perfect for one." Henry was still walking around, admiring the condo. It wasn't too big, but spacious enough for Ella and I to exist comfortably. Only it became much smaller than what it normally was with Henry standing in the middle of the den, his hands in his back pockets and his booted feet gently walking the hardwood floors.

Speaking of his boots, when I saw them, I wanted to scream. There was something about guys in black, ankle high combat boots with the laces carelessly undone. That was my kryptonite, so much i I nearly started crying he looked so good in them, it hurt. He'd cleaned them on the welcome matt and to be honest even if he hadn't I'd still let him walk around with mud all on his soles because he did those boots justice, damn near making me purr at the nice visual, and I never wanted him to take them off.

The sweet torture of his appearance didn't stop there. His black jeans formed comfortably around his lengthy legs. They weren't skinny jeans or anything, but they fit and he looked wonderful in them especially the way they bunched up at his boots. Those fucking boots.

He had on a loose white shirt with energetic, stocky black text, with a wide 'v' collar that showcased his tattoos and his pendant.

The garment that gave his boots a run for their money in making me want to drop to my knees, was the black, biker leather jacket highlighted by the silver zippers  all over it.

Oh, Henry fucking Walker. For why?

I wanted to do him then and there but had to get a hold of myself. Notably braless with nipples that hardened as I stealthily ogled him, I tightened the grip of my blanket around my body. Fuck him for doing this to me. All I could do with my legs was clump them together, not fold them like I'd been doing earlier. Looking at him was making me too wet too easily.

He looked like that dream bad boy in high school you'd hoped would whisk you away on his motorbike and ride with you into the sunset as you kissed your future goodbye because you finally sacked the town rebel. Instead of the dark scowl those boys were normally known for, Henry was wearing a smile as sweet as a cupcake.

I didn't get how someone so adorable could be so damagingly sexy. His smile and bright eyes didn't match his sooty, dangerous attire.

His hair was a bit damp from the rain, which made it darker than its usual chestnut brown. It looked black. The usual stray strands were fallen over his forehead, r with the end of the curls sharpened by the rain.

Fuck I was horny.

As my mind screamed curse words to his parents and their parents for creating him to be this visually perfect, Henry spun around to me and lifted an inquiring brow.

I remembered to respond to his question. "I hate animals."

His stunned reaction only brought attention to how green his eyes looked against that day's otherwise dark fashion choice. It wasn't so much the color of his eyes that were stunning but more the shape. They were big but not freakishly so, just very magnetic when he looked at you attentively. He had the type of eyes that were hard to look away from once they settled on you.

Why was I acting like I hadn't seen him before? Damn! Was I going to react like this every time I saw him? It's just he seemed to look better and better each time.

"How can a fuzzy thing like you hate animals." he was really eying me like that was the most absurd thing.

"Fuzzy? So I'm hairy?!" I squawked, trying to bring humor into the rather heavy environment brewing around me. I had never been so horny in my life. An easy smile broke through his face as he plopped on the couch across from me and stretched arms that seemed endless along the back of the couch. 

"Well, I do feel the occasional mustache when we kiss."

He was reminding me how easily we bounced off of each other when it came to conversation. Sometimes, like last night and in Peter's kitchen, it got so intense when we were together we couldn't speak. I missed our playful banter.

I laughed at his jab, unable to come up with a witty come back and Henry smiled as he slouched further down the couch, stretching his arms above him and linking his fingers behind his head. Well screw him for that. It was totally necessary for him to stretch his body out like that so that I could catch a glimpse of his defined torso…and yes, he had the 'deep v' right above his pelvic area. I wondered, if I pulled the shirt further up, what would I see…

My breathing escalated and I thought I was having hot flashes.

Oh fuck me and fuck him too.

"You give me a fuzzy feeling inside is what I truly meant." He smiled sweetly, and for some reason I found it completely endearing that he hadn't even noticed I was salivating cause of him. 

Trying to stay on task, I rolled my eyes, which only made him grin wider.

"I find your eye rolls sexy. Not offensive in the least," he said.

"I find your corniness sexy too."

Henry grinned that open mouth smile that made him look like a little kid. "Thank you!!!"

"I got bit by a dog once when I was little and had to get a rabies shot," I explained, then shook my head. "So nope, not my thing."

"Whoa! How old were you?" Henry sobered and I found it cute how he looked so worried even though that happened eons ago.

"Nine."

"That sounds horrific." He was trying not to frown and I shrugged.

"I survived so I guess it wasn't that bad."

"Either Negative Nancy is changing or you are."

I stood up, suddenly really thirsty. I needed a drink. I felt that thick brick wall I'd built around myself tumbling down to its demise all because of him. How could one person make me become undone so easily and all we were doing was talking about dogs and rabies shots. ugh.

"I think you guys hate on Negative Nancy too much. Care for a drink?"

"I'm good, thanks."

In a matter of minutes I was sitting back down with a new mug of decaffeinated green tea.

"So tell me why you are just sitting at home on your birthday? I was going to have the flowers delivered but when you told me you were home I figured I'd stop by. Unless I'm annoying you…"

"You are annoying me," I said over my steaming mug.

His eyes widened and he looked mortified. "I am?" His features became crestfallen as his eyes drifted away. How much cuter could this guy get? "Oh…sorry…" He sat at the edge of the couch and was about to stand up. "I guess I'll go--"

I set the mug on the table beside me.

"Your looks annoy me. How does it feel to be good looking in everything you do? 'Oh I'm just little tall Henry Walker and uh, I can pull off denim on denim and still look ravishing. I'll wear a random orange beanie and it will make your panties drop. Or how about how dapper I can be in a deep blue blazer and a casual white shirt? Oh don't get me started on my rocker biker bad boy look. I will have you going crazy."

"Am I having you going crazy?" he'd relaxed back into the couch now and was wearing his comfortable smile again.

"Yes you annoyingly sexy beast." I curved my fingers at him in a clawing motion

"Rawr!" He roared comically in his deep voice, bearing all his teeth and not looking threatening at all but extremely adorable.

I fell on the chair laughing my heart out, covering my face against the cushiony surface. "You always do that!!!"

"Do what?" he accused and I sat up, wiping tears of laughter.

"You never just laugh at me if I try to be funny or corny or lame, you just have to keep the joke going. It's like nothing surprises you! You always just go with the flow damn it!"

"You surprise me."

"Well I can never tell! You just have a good poker face, huh?"

He shook his head slowly, his eyes narrowing distrustingly, "Oh no you don't." He wagged a finger at me. "I see what you're doing here. I got to say, you're becoming better at that whole 'let's divert the conversation from me and take it elsewhere'. It was real smooth how you did it Miss MchChugging. "

"Ohhh my god I forgot you called me that at Seaburger. You have a good memory. Is that how you knew what today was or did Ella tell you?"

"I remembered it only cause you sounded so bloody sad when you talked about it that day on the beach. Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday last night? I was really waiting for you to say something, and to add insult to injury I made your night worse on your birthday."

"Oh god, will you stop blaming yourself? I'm over it and it wasn't your fault. I don't really care for birthdays. I mean aren't we supposed to stop caring when we turn 25? And isn't celebrating the day you were born the most presumptuous thing in the world? Like oh my god I'm so special to this world please celebrate me. It's cocky to demand a celebration because you were born."

"Every time I think I have you figured out you just hit me with one of your theories and i'm lost in nirvana or something."

I shrugged with a saccharine smile and Henry sat forward at the edge of the couch.

"So because of this insightful conclusion about how celebrating makes you cocky, you aren't going to do anything for turning the good, special 27?"

I scowled. "Say my age again and I'll make you watch the Keeping Up with Kardashians marathon that's on now. We have a big screen too."

"That would be well good." He sat back, shifting his behind comfortably in the seat and placing his folded arms with his hands hanging beneath them. "I love that show. 27"

"I'll make you watch Jersey Shore," I admonished and he sighed with even more bliss as he lay his head on the back of the couch with his eyes closed. 

"One of my favorites. 27."

"Me too! I have it on DVD!"

"Ha!" Henry's opened mouthed smile and amused eyes met my excitement. 'Jesus' he murmured, rubbing the bridge of his nose while he reposed his head on the back of the couch again.

"I guess I'll just have to illegally download every song you ever created."

This got his attention and he lifted his head.

"Oh?" He sat forward and with his elbows on his knees, held out one hand with all fingers outstretched. "How about I just leak to you five unheard of songs from Prince's new album."

"Oh shit!!! You have them???"

"Yep."

"How do you know I basically live for Prince?"

"I know a Prince woman when I see one. You reek him."

"Oh no you don't. You're not going to play me at my own game." I lifted my chin, sizing him up. "Who's your favorite artist?"

"Right now? Of course Adele."

"I'll download all her music if you ever utter that word 27 in reference to me again!!"

"Not only will I never speak to you again but I will hand you over to the authorities myself…" his eyes turned dark. "27."

I laughed, having never had this much chemistry with someone else. He just completely got me and my lame humor.

"You're awesome Apples." I said with a smiling nod. "I like you a lot."

"I like you too, Peaches. A great deal," he said instantly like it was fact and our eyes held.

I bit my bottom lip and glanced down.

"Queue in the awkward silence," Henry said and I looked up to find him looking about the apartment.

"I know cause, did we mean that in an 'I like you as a friend way'? Or were we talking…anyway so I'm mad you never told me how you made the bangers and mash. Queen Peaches demands a verbal recital of the recipe, thank you."

He began giving me a detailed run down on how to make the delicacy.

To be honest I hadn't really cared about how it was made. I just wanted to hear him talk for a long time and knew now for sure I'd never tired of it. Even though he could put the average person to sleep with how slow he spoke, that was what was so gripping about his voice to me. His unhurried pace commanded attention, but not as much as the actual sound. His gravelly tone came from deep within, but it wasn't so much that he sounded like he had a sore throat. And the huskiness of his voice was just enough to make you want to close your eyes and slip into bliss.

It certainly didn't help that he lips speaking those words were wonderful to look at, as well as how his jaw worked when he spoke. I was mesmerized, listening, until he suddenly motioned success with his hands while saying, "And Bob's your uncle."

My features scrunched up. "Who the fuck is Bob and why is he my uncle and what does he have to do with my food?"

Henry's head dropped as he laughed, his shoulders shaking.

"What? What's so funny I don't get it?!?! What'd I miss? what'd I miss?"

He threw his head back laughing some more and that only reminded me what a nice neck he had. My womanhood twitched as I remembered kissing and sucking him there. Oh god.

"You're fucking amazing Valerie. You are unbelievable." he was shaking his head in disbelief. It felt really good to hear him laugh like that and I felt very good inside, just knowing I was the reason he seemed happy in the moment.

"Who the hell is Bob??"

"Sorry I don't do it to be annoying. I always forget that you don't understand these things when we talk, I guess that means I'm comfortable around you, but it's a British saying kind of like, 'and there you go'--Holy fucking shit Valerie." he stopped suddenly.

"What?"

"You hoodwinked me. You managed to divert the conversation from what you'd be doing for your birthday…again. You are so good at this I Am Number 27." He smiled sweetly as he jeered me.

I returned his smile with a sweet one of my own. "Rolling in the Deep dipped in Illegal Download Sauce sounds so good right now."

Henry's eyes narrowed and he murmured, "Got a few friends in the LAPD." Then he said through grated teeth. "Now spill."

I to narrowed my eyes and sat forward challengingly and unafraid, "Never. Bring it on, Mr. Bean."

Henry winked while making two clicking sounds with his tongue and smirked. "That was so fucking hot.” He curved his bottom lip under his tongue and bit it, his eyes turning smoldering and his voice lowered to a rumble. “Do it again."

I damn near hollered, as laughter cannoned out my throat and covered my mouth, shocked by how loud and hard I was laughing at his silliness. I wondered, how could one person make me feel like the world with the simplest gestures.

It's just like he said earlier about getting lost in nirvana whenever we hang out. It was the same thing to me. I forgot about the pain my birthday normally brought me. Everything that was drab about my birthday was turning into a favorite, including the rain that had further soured my mood. The soft lighting of the condo suddenly seemed like the best thing in the world to me. My couch was the most comfortable and of course Henry was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen across from me.

When I finally came down from my laugh, I saw Henry eying me with a pleased smile on his face. Apparently he liked making me laugh too.

We looked at each other across the room, and something I'd been trying to ignore dawned on me. We were sitting as far away from each other as possible. At this point we both knew the damage caused whenever we were too close to one another.

To be honest, I preferred it this way, but my hormones were raging like I'd just hit puberty and discovered what the word sexy meant. I wanted to rip that shirt off of him, damn.

There was a silent energy floating through the room like a ghost trying to haunt us both. I had never felt so alive just sitting in the same room with another person. It was a bit scary the electricity I felt sparking between us.

"But to finally answer your question. Ella is making me go to a birthday dinner," I said.

"You say that with so much enthusiasm."

"I'm grateful for her doing it. Like I said I think birthdays are attention-whorish kind of. I don't know."

"Free food, mate. I say you go." 

"Yeah I guess." I puffed a heavy sigh and surged to my feet.

"What time is the dinner?"

"Seven."

Henry eyed his watch. "You'd better get ready. It's 6:15."

A huge slab of disappointment struck me when he started to get up.

"What time does your flight leave?" I asked haltingly.

"Real late, like twelve or something."

"Wanna come?"

A devilish grin stretched his lips. "Of course I'd love to."

I started walking away then something hit me. I turned to glower at Henry, who wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, knowing I finally got the double entrende.

"You have a very dirty mind. Or shall I say, a very rude one."

"Not a sweet angel like me," the innocuous smile was back.

Picking up my scented candle from the dinner table where I'd also placed the roses in water with the balloons huddled in the upper corner of the room, I started for my bedroom. "Okay I'm going to get ready. Sit your sexy beastly butt back down and make yourself at home."

"Yes, my Queen Peach."

I was showered in fifteen minutes, walking around my room with a towel wrapped around my body, enjoying the heady aroma of the peach cilantro scented candle. I naturally never cared for peaches and had only randomly bought a cheap brand body wash without even checking what scent it was. Never did I think peaches would be a staple aspect of my life, with me thoroughly enjoying the soft, alluring fragrance.

I searched high and low for something appropriate to wear but wasn't satisfied with anything I picked. Honestly I wanted to wear something that would blow Henry away the way he always did whenever I saw him, especially after how basic I looked the previous night. I hadn’t worn anything cute in a while and was reminded how rarely I shopped for clothes. Fashion was never something of importance growing up and I recalled Ella giving me an intervention in college telling me I needed to step it up a little. I was the stereotype nerd in every sense of the word and had only in recent years started to care about fashion so I was still very rough around the edges.

I didn’t know how long I’d been poring over what to wear when there was a knock on my door.

"You okay in there? You're gonna get there late," Henry said.

Because I despised my arms, shoulders, and legs, I yanked my robe from my bathroom door. Flipping the uncomfortable, still-wet curly strands from under the thick collar of the robe, I went to open my bedroom door, scowling because of how frustrated I was.

"You have like maybe fifteen minutes or so to get there," Henry had been looking down his phone, his weight heaved on one side of his leg, and one hand in his pocket.

"And the traffic is insanity so…" His voice tapered off when he casually looked up and froze.

"I can't figure out what to wear," I huffed in frustration.

"Uh-um I'm sure whatever you pick will be fine," he muttered as his eyes quickly sought his phone again and he started to walk away but I grabbed his arm, dragging him back.

"Wait! Could you help me pick something?" I left the door open, walking back to the dimly lit room.

"Oh that candle you got me is awesome by the way," I said, inhaling once more. I flicked through the hangers in my closet and pulled out a black dress and eyed it. The distant thunder rolling outside reminded me that it was still raining and wearing a dress wouldn't be too enjoyable, but I liked the dress. Sighing, I threw it on the bed when I realized Henry hadn't moved from the door, looking a bit unsure.

"I don't have any monsters in my room," I told him wryly, wondering if it was his 'gentlemanly ways' that kept him from entering. I wrung my hands impatiently. "Ugh! This is so annoying. Help please."

"I'm not really good at…you know, clothes and stuff."

I looked over my shoulder and sized up his very swanky attire. It wasn't a surprise that Henry had a keen fashion sense, what with being linked to Hollywood and all. Hell, he dressed better than my plain self and we both knew it.

Henry's eyes followed the trail of my gaze from his shoes up and then looked up at me, shrugging blamelessly, his shoulders remaining high.

"Personal stylist?"

"You're also a bad liar. Fine, I'll figure it out. I was thinking jeans but then I have a feeling Ella will be going out later and I don't want to look a mess." I stomped my feet agitatedly. "Damn, damn, damn!!!"

"You act like a comedian," Henry said and I looked back to see that he was finally traipsed into the room, but with great caution, lhis hands in his pockets as he trained his eyes to the clothes I'd tossed onto the bed.

"Okay, since it's raining I'm thinking of something kind of casual. But I kind of wanted to wear a dress."

"You got any like, sleeveless, tube dress thingies?" Henry asked while sitting at the corner edge of my bed. He seemed a bit rigid and unrelaxed, unlike usual. I would have focused on it if we weren't working against time.

"Nope," I pulled out another longer dress from my closet, then went over to the bed to sit next to him and show it to him.

"Well, I was thinking of this too…" My voice tapered off because Henry practically jumped off the bed as soon as I sat down next to him.

The room that he couldn't look up at earlier had all his attention now, playing off the fact that he'd just leaped away from me. He was being weird. I tried not to focus on it. Maybe he was realizing this was a mistake and that he wasn't attracted to me? What had I done to make him act so indifferent?

It was like he had his guard up and I don't think he'd ever really done that with me. It made me feel horrible.

"You like video games a lot," I heard Henry saying discerningly while I looked over the dresses on my bed, trying to pick the best one. I hadn't even thought about the poster I had on one side of my room, along with the wide shelf of video games on that side of the room as well. I hadn't felt the need to hide that form Henry like I did most other adults because he didn't seem the type to judge what anyone else was doing as long as no one got hurt. When I once told some guy at the club videogames were my hobby, he basically poofed into thin air when I briefly turned my back on him to get my drink.

Although I was a bit put off and confused with him, I couldn't shroud my love of video games. I rarely got asked by anyone, so I always indulged whoever made the mistake of asking me.

"Yeah. It's embarrassing though. Please keep it a secret."

"Why?"

"It's childish."

"Childish?"

"Yeah. When's the last time you played a video game?"

Henry's dimple deepened as he chewed his tongue, looking heavenward as he searched his brain. "Uhhh…let me see…"

"See?!"

"That doesn't mean they're childish. Everyone has different hobbies. I mean I enjoy the game graphics, but playing?" He shrugged. "It depends. I'll play a good Fifa game but for the most part, I'm not too crazy about video games. But you are! Which is still amazing."

I smiled. "Yeah. Since I was a loner as a child that's pretty much what kept me company."

"What was your favorite game?"

I lowered my chin suspiciously, "You care about my favorite game?"

"Yeah I care about your favorite game."

"well, for starters Super Mario is my all time favorite."

"That's a good one. I love a good Yoshi and mushroom. Luigi was a good wingman."

I don't think I could ever get enough of the way he talked. I don't think I could ever get enough of him.

I listed all my favorite video games, going down a long list, then when I remembered how much I was rambling, I shortened the list. Henry never looked away once, nor did he appear disinterested, although there was something behind his eyes. There always was.

"Ah, I see." he nodded attentively.

"Yeah. That's honestly my biggest passion. Video games. Video consoles." I pointed at the glass case in the corner of the room. "I have all the Nintendo variations and Playstations, XBox, SEGA, but I think my heart will always be with Nintendo. I remember when my parents got me my first Nintendo, the Entertainment System version." I tried not to smile too hard as I reminisced. "My parents got it for me one Christmas because they got great reports from my teacher that I did great, even though it was a tough year with some kids cause of my weight, so I think they were proud that I still forged on and worked hard and did well.

"My mom insisted on it, and at first my father thought it was dumb but I think he gets excited with new technology. One day he actually sat down with me and tried to play it because no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he enjoyed it. I was eight years old. It was so amazing. Then I remember one night I couldn't sleep and I saw the light in the basement on and he'd actually taken apart the game, and just as I was about to start crying, he calmed me down by showing me how he was able to put it back together. That's the only time I can remember him sitting me on his lap, and I watched him do it from start to finish, just completely amazed. That's when dad told me to always try to figure out how things work, not just take them at face value. That's why when a new game console comes out, I'm interested in the motherboard, or if it's a new game, I'm interested in how they achieved certain coding to make the gameplay. My dad taught me so much about that, it was so fucking cool that day with him I'll never forget. He's a genius."

"You sound real proud of him." Henry said softly and I suddenly remembered he was there. I was suddenly gripped with a huge level of fear when I remembered there was only one person other than Ella who I'd shared this memory with--and that was George Simmons.

I didn't want to regress and refused to allow those memories to dictate how I dealt with Henry, but it was all too close for comfort.

"I think this is pretty amazing actually," He said next when I said nothing.

"What?"

"You haven't given up on something you truly love. I respect people like that," he said seriously.

"I gave up on video games the moment I didn't take the plunge and do game programming like I wanted to. Ah well," I finally decided on a dress and was smoothing it out on my lap. "Things happen for a reason, don't they--"

"You're beautiful."

I laughed, still focusing on my dress. "What? Is that your new song or a song lyric you just came up wi--"

"I think you're beautiful."

At the seriousness in his tone, I lifted my head to look at Henry in surprise. He was facing me now, although he was still a good distance away from me. He started to walk towards me slowly, the heaviness I'd felt when sitting across from him in the living room back in full effect, a lot stronger.

I laughed nervously and looked down at the dress. "Madison, now that's beautiful. I'm alright."

Henry hunkered down in front of me, tilting his head back to look into my eyes.

"Do you even know what beautiful actually means?" he asked me and my throat couldn't work. All my senses sparked to life with Henry so close to me. The inebriating incense, coupled with his alluring cologne nearly dizzied me.

"Yes you have the prettiest brown eyes, the most adorable freckles and a smile that lights up the whole room. But I think, beauty, true beauty, doesn't fade. Some people are born with it and for others, it just grows. It comes from a place not too many people get to see because they don't know how to find it. You have to have a skilled eye to spot it. It's this beautiful light, but here's the thing about this beauty. Once it's unearthed, it's so beautiful, so bright that it's blinding. It catches you, almost imprisoning, so unforgivingly binding that your life for this moment in time when you've discovered this light, becomes almost worthless. This light becomes your focal point. and you…almost start to fear it because it's so beautiful."

My shaky breaths came through my mouth as our eyes held his intensely sparkling ones all while the rain gently tapped at the windows.

"I think true beauty comes from a truly good person. And you, I feel it deep within, are a good person. You are beautiful. You are beauty. And that's only from me seeing just a glimmer of you. If i see it all, I'll get lost."

My fingers curled tightly around the dress as I tried to level my breathing.

"I'm an all or nothing kind of guy but you're the first person that makes me want you in doses. I would lose my mind if I had all of you." 

I bit my bottom lip and just as I looked away, Henry touched my chin to return my gaze back to him.

"Yet I can't get enough of you. What have you done to me, Valerie?" it was the ams frustration he had when he asked me why I was so cute to him when we finally had some alone time in the club.

What was I supposed to say? How do you respond to something like that? Something you've never heard before that's so sweeping and possessing and beautiful in itself? I was doing my best not to cry. Most of my life I was told different and then Henry shows up and tells me all these things that I'm sure many women want to hear, even the ones that deny it.

Yes I was a 'hopeless', but after being jaded so long I refused to believe that another human being could make you change, but I felt myself changing. No matter how the insecurities and fear tried to keep this change from happening, the feeling was so strong I knew I would never be the same after today.

"Sorry." He smiled bashfully, looking down almost in an attempt to conceal his red cheeks as his hand fell away from me. "I told you, you shouldn't let me talk too long. Get kind of carried away sometimes and just talk rubbish and…"

I grabbed his face and kissed him. As I closed my eyes to kiss him, my tears fell onto his face. I didn't like people seeing me cry and I'm not sure he'd understand why but I didn't even care about him seeing or feeling my tears. I just wanted to kiss those lips that had told me the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard about myself.

Unlike usual Henry didn't kiss me back or melt when our lips met. He remained unmoving while I lightly plucked his lips within my own. All the self-control I relied on earlier became undone once Henry said those words to me and I couldn't stop myself. I was raging inside with need and want and my tongue reached to taste those very lips that made me feel the most beautiful I'd ever felt in my life.

Henry finally reacted, sucking in a breath, which allowed me to slip my tongue into the warm mouth that had blessed me with those words.

"Valerie, don't…" he pleaded, though the resolve in his voice was waning with each press of my lips.

I didn't listen. I couldn't.

His hands were now lightly skimming up my calves and squeezing. I let out a moan because that wasn't a place I normally got touched and the new feeling excited me.

At my moan, Henry pulled back from me, his eyes closed while he still grappled at whatever was left of his willpower. His hands were up to my knees now, under the robe.

"When you kiss me it only makes me want to taste more of you," he said roughly and heat tore within me. If his intention was to dissuade me, he failed horribly. I reached for him again, wiping my tears from his face and started to kiss him with the hungriness that had been churning within me ever since the day I met him.

"Valerie…" he murmured roughly against my lips.

This time I pulled him with me as I scooted further up the bed. It was ingrained inside of me that I would never let another guy see me naked again after my past experiences, but that didn't mean I couldn't make out with a guy. I really had no plans for what would happen, all I could think about was how he felt, and it wouldn't leave me mind that the lips kissing me back had said very sweet words to me. So the kiss meant more than just feeling skin against skin.

Once our tongues began to roll around each other, Henry's legs straightened but he bent. He stopped briefly and roughly dragged all the clothes I'd thrown on my bed onto the floor and the kissing continued. Though it was cumbersome, we both moved up the bed, me using the heels of my feet to propel me upward, and Henry crawling, making me sink each time his palms or knees depressed the bed. Still, our lips never left each other. He would turn his head to find my lips every time I moved waveringly on the bed and I would search for his, my fingers lost in his curls as I tried to keep him on me. At some point, mid way, I began trying to get his jacket off of him. It was too noisy but most importantly I wanted to feel his arms. Henry stopped, kneeling above me, and roughly discarded the jacket with his eyes never leaving mine, throwing it to a forgotten place on the floor. The fire in his eyes made me heart jump, and it also made me extremely wet.

The chains around him were broken. He was no longer guarding himself from me.

His lips reunited with mine in record time and we continued our unsteady trip up my bed.

The back of my head met with a pillow and Henry settled above me, levering his weight on his elbows. His neck was craned low as he kissed. His lips parted from mine soundly and he knelt to take his necklace off, draping it carefully on my nightstand. When I reached for him, Henry grabbed one hand of mine, kissing the knuckles.

"Wait. Wait."

Interlacing our hands, he placed them above my head. My free hand settled on his shoulder and I watched his gorgeously contracting neck as he deeply breathed, his eyes trailing down my features, further to my neck. I felt nervous because this never happened with my last boyfriend.

Henry's eyes darkened the more they lowered to my cleavage, his now dry curls was shaggy and looping low over his forehead. He licked his lips before suddenly blowing and making my eyes flutter close in bliss at the coolness, emphasized by the dewiness that still lingered from my shower.

When his eyes trailed up, he smirked and a naughty glint hit his eyes.

"So did they know you were mine at work? When they saw you with this?" he asked, his voice rougher than usual, as he pressed a kiss on my neck and when he started to suck, I remembered that it's where the hickey was.

I squirmed underneath him. "Henry…"

"I will give you a thousand more just so everyone will know," he said and I moaned because I felt his voice rumbling through his chest, vibrating against my breasts. Instinct made me press myself more against him. Oh god. I was feeling the voice that had told me how beautiful I was and that I was a good person.

I never knew something like that could make me wetter than before.

Henry's kisses made a wet path down the upward curve of my breasts, and I moaned when I felt one large hand cup my left breast and squeeze.

I was surprised by how effortlessly I moaned around Henry. I'd never admitted to anyone that I'd faked it a lot with my last boyfriend. This time I couldn't help it, moaning uncontrollably as he pumped my breast in his hand. My body jerked when his thumb whisked by my hard nipple, the light friction from the robe making me even more sensitive.

Attentive to my needs, Henry picked up my reaction to his touch and began steadily rubbing my nipple in his thumbs, having taken my other breast in his hand too to mimick the movements. I thrashed under him, my hands on his wrists now.

"Valerie," he said huskily and before long his tongue was on the robe over my left nipple. I didn't feel the wetness immediately, just the feel of his tongue probing at me until I could feel him. The warm wetness of the robe added another sensation that made me scream out and spear my fingers into his hair.

Henry moaned and gave the other nipple the same action, and I was so lost in him, I didn't stop him like I normally would have when he peeled my robe further down to reveal my breasts.

When I felt the cool air though, it hit me, and I went rigid, clamoring for the robe to conceal me from him.

"Wait…no!"

The lightning outside might as well struck between us two because the heated moment was rudely interrupted by me. Henry blinked out of a daze, lifting his gaze up to me. My eyes flittered away in shame and this time I couldn't hide the onslaught of tears that rushed to me. I shrunk below him, hating the vivid proof that I possibly might never get over the insecurities of my body. I was so angry with myself at that moment.

What had I expected to happen though? People didn't just kiss forever, but I'd do that at the risk of turning him away once he saw all of me. This is why I couldn't give him everything. I didn't want to scare him away

"Sorry," Henry said gruffly above me, still trying to labor his breaths.

"No. I'm sorry, it's just…it's ugly," I whispered and clutched my eyes in defeat, letting the fat tears roll.

"Valerie…" Henry muttered softly.

"You'll hate it. You'll hate it." My eyes were clutched tight as my past clawed at me with as much mercy as a beast from hell had. I held the robe so tight to me my hands shook and my nails were biting into my palms. I waited for Henry to just get up in a huff and I would never blame him for it.

When I felt him shift I was ready for the feeling of bereavement when all I felt were light kisses on the closed fists that were my hands. The kisses were unhurried, taking one knuckle after the other. 

"You don't have to hide from me," he murmured and continued to kiss my palms. I chancily opened my eyes to find his shaggy haired head bobbing up and down, his eyes closed as he began lightly nipping on the back of my hand.

"Don't hide from me," he encouraged and before I knew it my fists were relaxing under his delicate kisses. Once they were relaxed, Henry uncurled the now loose fingers and turned one hand over, kissing the center of my palm. When he reached for the other one, I willfully opened the palm without needing his help, and he moaned low in appreciation as he nipped the plump portion of my palm, before pressing his lips against it.

I watched him in awe through wet eyes when he finally lifted his gaze, looking at me through his enviable eleshases. His eyes were approachable but I knew he was trying his best to control his lust.

"I'm so hopeless with this, i'm sorry," I croaked out embarrassedly and Henry shook his head, pressing my palm up to his mouth.

"You are not hopeless. Don't say that."

My eyes stung again and I looked to my side, as that was my only solace from not seeing him witnessing me blush.

"Let me see you, love."

I gulped hard at Henry's gentle plea as he took both hands and placed them on either side of my head. When I closed my eyes and didn't resist his placement of my hands, he knelt in between my legs. 

He undid the belt and I was gripped painfully by anxiety, doubt, fear, and a bit of sorrow that this was probably going to be it with Henry and I.

My eyes remained clutched shut, painfully so. I was preparing myself not to see what I was sure would come: the look of horror and disgust one he saw my disfiguring scars.

I'd had to have surgery for excess skin from losing weight too fast and while Ella promised me it looked natural I still felt self-cautious about it. What bothered me the most about my physical appearance though, was my stretch marks. My stretch marks weren't just the regular, faintly tinted kind most people had. They were long, some very thick, and with my bright skin, they were jarringly visible. Cause I couldn't afford the laser surgery removal and was saving up for it, I'd been using all these special creams for months and they were taking forever to go away. 

Something happened six months ago, a thing I brought up when we were leaving Seaburger and I was panicking. Even though Ella had told me it had only happened that while ago, it didn't mean I wasn't still suffering the brunt of it.

About six months ago I was determined to prove to myself that I was over my past. I also wanted to test and prove that men did prefer smaller women. Of course I'd been nervous about my stretch marks, but they were a natural part of women so I thought any other mature man would understand why I had them.

The man I'd gone home with had been so ready to bed me until he got me naked. I could never erase the look on his face ever since then. It was like he'd seen the most ghastly thing in his life, and had uttered 'what the fuck is this?'.

I had felt repulsive many times in my life, but never like then. It made me wonder if that's how George always wanted to look at me.

He told me his dick had softened and he had to go. He had nothing to lose with being brutally honest with me. I'd given him a fake name and I was sure he'd either given me his first name or a fake name. We didn't know each other and had met on the dance floor. It further proved that I just couldn't do that one night stand thing.

On one hand I was glad because I truthfully, deep, down inside wasn't comfortable with having a one night stand. On the other, I felt undesirable, reminded of many other moments in my life only this time the pain was magnified.

I really really liked Henry. I didn't care for that guy. I just couldn't stand the thought of a guy that I'd grown to like, and maybe even started to care for, might just hold that same expression that had deepened scars, reopened older ones, and created newer ones.

I was just about to push him off when I twitched to his feather light touch on my stomach. along with a wondrous whisper of my name.

"Valerie…"

My eyes batted open, spilling withheld tears. For many moments my vision was blurred and when a few more tears fell, I glanced down to find Henry knelt over me. His facial expression made me catch my breath.

I listened to my hushed breaths against the light drumming of rain. The room was still dark, but I could make out his features i the soft candlelight. His gentle eyes, flickering in the dark, looked over me with great concentration. And dare I say, admiration.

For a while I lay there like a lifeless log, I wasn't even sure I was breathing.

No one had ever looked at me like this. As with most things that we're unaware of, I began to get scared and the fear soon turned into panic.

No one could ever find my stretch marks attractive. No one.

Yet, I never thought I'd get on a plane on a work night and club in Hollywood. I never thought I could show anyone other than Ella and some distant friends my passion for games without being ridiculed. I never thought I'd have an impromptu prom night by the ocean. Never thought I'd have bangers and mash. I never thought my favorite time of the day would constantly change because things kept getting better and better…

Until I met Henry Walker.

It was in that moment that my thoughts the night we met at The Tavern came crashing to me.

My gut had been right. Henry Walker was indeed changing my life.

I tried to move away, but Henry's hands moved to my hips to stop me.

"Be still, love. Relax."

Henry's soothing voice surprisingly calmed me down, although the gentleness of it made my eyes well up more. He'd asked me what a fantasy of mine was last night, and this was one of them. I'd always hoped I'd find a guy who truthfully and genuinely was in awe of my body, a body I'd been taught to hate for as long as I could remember.

He held my waist firmly, squeezing with his palms pressing against those very stretch marks I hated with a passion.

"This is not ugly. You are not," he whispered to me and my eyes stung once again as I felt pain within my body. It's like Henry was trying to breach the last protective lock I had over my soul to release all the pain. I turned away, unable to hold his sincere gaze.

"You are like nothing else I have seen before, Valerie. Beautiful."

I whimpered and closed my eyes this time because I felt him peering into my dark soul as his eyes roved over my body. He obviously knew something was wrong and was telling me what I wanted, maybe even needed, but feared to hear. His words were very healing, but they were also scary. There was a familiarity to them that made me anxious and restless. Something kept telling me to leave while I still had the chance. I scooted back and Henry's throaty laughter filled up my quiet room.

He held my waist and stopped me from moving further and moved up till his lips aligned with mine.

"Valerie, Valerie, valerie. Are you trying to run away from me."

"I-I think we should go," I whispered feebly and his eyes lit up.

"Are you afraid?" he asked and I nodded. And then I shook my head. I was obviously confused.

He kissed me gently for several moments and spoke in hushed tones. "Don't be. Just relax. Let me take care of you."

I peered at him through my wet, clamped eye lashes, feeling so embarrassed that I simply couldn't get through this entire ordeal like a normal human being. I was still an emotional mess from him kissing the scars of my past, caressing them like they were wondrous pieces of art.

When I felt Henry on the light curve of my stomach, Henry held me tighter, almost painfully, because my automatic reaction was to flee. But he continued to kiss me unabated, sliding his tongue against the markings of my fluctuating weight, the markings which society taught us to believe were disfiguring and unnatural.

Henry savored my skin, no matter that it wasn't perfectly smooth, and took his time as though he wanted me to know he appreciated each and every stretch mark. He even held the small curve of my stomach in his teeth, nipping his way all across, skating his tongue over my skin. I never thought my waist would be such an erogenous zone. My fingers were now getting lost in Henry's hair as he loved my stomach. Then he shocked me when he pulled my hands away and turned me over until I was on my stomach. I was too surprised to even comprehend what was going on but didn't have to wait long.

"Henry--" I gasped when I felt him kissing the inner curve of my lower back. He grabbed handfuls of my derriere, squeezing as he began to hungrily nip across my back where more of my stretch marks were.

"I'm going to kiss and bite all of these marks until you learn to love the fact that they're there." His muffled, hungered words made tears sting my eyes when I felt his lips all over me. He made me shifty and restless underneath, I had to clutch onto the wrinkled robe that lay on my bed like shed skin. He made me feel so good I never wanted to wear it again.

"Henry," I whimpered, my sliding legs only reminding me how sticky I was in between them as Henry run a wet stripe up my spine, sending endless shivers through me.

Henry turned me around again and surprised me when he impatiently nuzzled the trimmed delta of my private part.

I sighed shakily and looked down at him in surprise when he pulled back, parting my thighs.

He was quiet for several moments while my face burned fiercely. Not even my last boyfriend had been face to face with my pussy like that. His eyes were enraptured, burning with an intensity that only made my womanhood twitch and wetter. The action made Henry close his eyes as he breathed deeply with a shake of his head as though trying to contain himself. He literally looked like he would lose it any moment.

He licked his bottom lip, bit it and stared at my wetness in consternation, like he was really trying hard to keep from the temptation staring right at him. I was about to ask him what was wrong, I couldn't stop squirming in front of him and this time Henry hadn't stilled my hips like usual. His eyes seemed to dilate with each movement I made.

"Look at those pretty little lips," Henry muttered quietly, his voice husky with want. My hands squeezed the sheet beside my thigh. I bit my lip nervously and tried to close my legs but Henry wasn't having that. He kept me open for his viewing pleasure.

"And they're all mine..." he murmured more to himself. I don't even think I was meant to hear those words.

I didn't know what to say. I was still embarrassed and nervous.  Dear god, what was I going to do. I didn't think I could handle any of this.  I was still an emotional wreck over him seeing the one thing that shamed me horribly. My mind was still trying to process all of this, how a good guy who came from nowhere could suddenly befall me and do all of this. There had to be an ulterior motive

"You look so sweet…" He whispered against me, his cool breath rushing against my sensitive skin.

A small cry shot up my throat as my hips agitated restlessly.

"Fuck, Valerie…" he groaned as though it pained him to just watch. I blushed something fierce at the thought of him staring at me so intently in a place that was so private, a place no one had seen before.

The thought made me fearful and I didn't realize I was a bit too shifty until Henry spoke.

"Relax, Valerie."

I wanted to tell him that I was trying, but I couldn't. I think I was on the brink of having a panic attack but I couldn't stop.

"It's okay baby," He promised in a heavy voice as he parted my knees again and started pressing firm kisses down my inner thigh. The sensation of his curls, curls that I'd admired so many times, tickling my skin as he lowered down onto me excited me with shocking strength.

I tried as hard as I could to to remain calm, but the closer Henry got to my soaking center, the harder it became.

"It's okay," he whispered against the delicate skin next to my throbbing center.

My body jolted when he touched my soaking lips with his fingers.

"Fuck…" he rasped as he used the ball of his fingers to explore my slippery, sensitive folds. He had no choice but to still my hips with his one hand as he touched me.

I gasped when he trailed his finger up and down my labia. Then he used one finger one lip and another finger to rub the other.

"Henry…" I moaned, knowing I was basically drenching his fingers now. His gentle touch was giving me a buzz throughout my entire body. My worries began to drift away and without much control I slipped into the feeling of him touching me, welcoming it more and more with each explorative touch. I'd be okay with him doing this the entire night because it felt so good.

He was being careful with me, like I was a prize he didn't want to break. It almost made my heart ache.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, he touched my clit, and my body jerked violently.

"Henry!"

Henry's hard fingers pressed into my soft flesh as he kept me still and groaned as he continued to rub his finger in circular motions around my clit. The pad of what I guessed was his thumb sent shivers spiraling all through me.

"You feel so good baby…" he muttered in a daze as he kept rubbing me. A foreign feeling began to overtake my body, an onslaught of tingles, which suddenly stopped when Henry stopped rubbing my clit and began probing at my center.

My eyes opened and I stiffened as he rubbed the unyielding entrance of my body.

"Fuck. So tight…" he strained.

I gasped when he breached me and slid some of his finger into my slippery walls. A long moan escaped me and I arched when he slid his finger out slowly, clearly enjoying every moment, and sliding back in just as slow as though he never wanted this moment to end. I was being savored.

I could hear his labored breaths now over my own, as I tried to control my breathing.

"You get more and more beautiful by the second, Valerie. So wet…"

He began to steadily thrust his finger in and out of me, taking his time. It's like he wanted to relish feeling me out like this would be his one and only time to do so. Being treated as something so rare and precious, like an amazing comet that you'd only get to witness once in your lifetime, filled me with a plethora of feelings that I couldn't put into words.

My body couldn't stay still and it wasn't long before I was shamelessly lifting my hips to meet his thrusts. Whatever he was doing just felt too good and I forgot about being inexperienced or having a dodgy past.

"Yes baby," he hissed encouragingly, his voice roughened with tempered excitement over my movements. He slid in a second finger, the added girth stretching me wonderfully. "Just like that…"

My neck arched at the altered feeling.

"He…H…" I couldn't even get his whole name out. I was out of breath. He worked me with two fingers for a while, with me enjoying every moment of it and wanting more.

He must have read my mind because he did give me more.

I choked out a sob when he started rubbing my hyper sensitive clit while still gently finger fucking me.

The added caress of his thumb re-invited those foreign tingles that had come to me previously. Just as that heavenly feeling permeated through my body, Henry began a 'hooking' motion with his fingers, curling upward, and brushing against a spot I'd never known of before that made me cry out loudly. I didn't think I could feel better but he proved me wrong.

I felt him shifting above me and could feel his body heat looming above my body.

Worrying my bottom lip with my teeth, my hands gripped his arms and I creamed more at the flexing muscles beneath my palms. I kept my eyes closed, very aware that he was watching me, especially with his next words proving that.

"So beautiful," he murmured when I'm sure he felt more hot wetness coating his fingers. 

He continued to rub against this special spot inside me and the tingling sensation around my body became stronger. My hips were undulating uncontrollably and and legs shifted restlessly while my hands run up and down his arms as though they would give me some kind of control. I didn't know what to do with the pervasive pleasure that took control of my body. The sheets and robe beneath me were warm from all my moving around, I knew my hair was a mess, I knew I looked shameless my legs open with a man's fingers in between but whatever he was doing with his hand made all those things irrelevant as the tingling intensified.

Then out of nowhere I was struck hard with an inexplicable feeling. I lost total control like never before, screaming out loud as pleasure and some weightless feeling took over me. It's like I was possessed, even the way my body stiffened as the waves crushed through me.

Somewhere in the distance I heard Henry moaning my name but I wasn't sure. When I finally came down from my high, I felt wetter in between my legs where Henry's hands still went to work.

My body convulsed from the potency of the feeling that just rocked me as well as the shock of it all. I couldn't linger in shock for too long, because Henry wasn't done. I could only wonder what could be better than this. He hadn't even penetrated me and I felt satisfied, but I strangely still craved for more.

I suddenly realized that this was an orgasm. This is why Savannah eyed me like I was crazy when I said I hadn't had one. Now I see why.

Moaning my name, Henry moved back down till he was face to face with my wetness, this time so close that his breathing tickled me. He wasted no time, closing the distance between us and taking a languid swipe of my soppy folds, my gasp sharp as well as the arch of my back. An elongated groan grated Henry's throat and he held my agitating hips firmly, taking another hungry lick of me.

I panted, grabbing his head and trying to push him away, but I was already weakened by his touch, so my push wasn't effective.

"You taste so fucking good…my god…" his voice shook as if the shock of it all hit him harder than he'd ever expected. His genuine shock surprised me. Weren't all women the same? Why was he sounding like this was a new, out of body experience that he'd never gone through before? My entire body, which was already floating, soared higher just from his words. I know these were just physical acts, but to be treated as though I was so special to another human being, that something about me was so mind-blowing to someone else that they couldn't speak, it shook me to my very soul.

He pulled me by my hips back to him, sliding me across the creased sheets. My back arched sharply when his warm tongue dipped into me. The tip of his tongue moved about, sending several sensations throughout my body.

"Henry please," I panted as I tried to make some sense of what was occurring. No sense could be made.

Henry pried my legs further apart, and I was far too crazed by then to even care. With my legs far enough for Henry's liking, a steady thrusting of his tongue, in, out, in, out, commenced. That's when I fully surrendered. The chain that locked me in a cage broke free and I screamed out, clamping handfuls of his strands. He went from straight thrusts to swirling his tongue when he was in me, searching and tasting. And when he slid his tongue out he swirled it around the tight opening before pushing his way back in, the unyielding walls making him groan in deep appreciation. He was determined to drive me mad from pleasure, and that only turned me on more.

Just when I thought I'd reached the highest form of pleasure, his tongue leisurely snaked up to my clit. One delicate swipe against the sensitive nerves of flesh sent my body jerking violently.

"Henry…" I whimpered shakily, astounded, shocked and a bit frightened because I'd never felt anything like it.  The pleasure was so mind boggling I knew for a fact I couldn't handle it if he did it again.

"Mmm…" Henry moaned, vibrating against my delicate flesh. I gasped and looked down to find the wicked gleam that had hibernated in his green eyes the few times I'd met him, bright and in full effect.

There was no hiding the dark side in him now.

I felt scared yet excited and oh so overwhelmed I began to scoot backwards.

"That's eno--"

He grabbed my hips again, keeping me still, and flicked his tongue over my throbbing clit again. I screamed out, fisting the rumpled bedsheets beneath me, my head flinging to one side and then the other.

He did it again, quicker this time whisking only the tip of his tongue back and forth against on the most sensitive part of my clit, where the feeling of being touched was so strong I felt it throughout my entire body. The feathery touch sent powerful charges of pleasure throughout my body and I cried out, writhing like never before.

Oh god. So this is what it was supposed to be like. This is why women ranted and raved about someone going down on them. I prayed Henry wouldn't let me come out of this a crazed woman.

Henry's closed his full, puckered lips around my clit and began gentle pulls, his jaw muscles flexing as he did so. My back arched off the bed yet again and I bit my lip so hard I was sure it would be bruised later.

He then began carefully, curiously circling my clit with his eager tongue as he sucked at an unhurried pace that caused tears to eke out of my eyes, the sensation was so dominant. My hands thrashed along the disheveled bed restlessly because I couldn't move away. Somehow one hand held my head when I felt it was explode from the mind blowing pleasure and the other gripped the back of his head, twisting his ringlets in my hands for lack of any other way to handle the pleasure. 

Henry continued on, sucking and curling his tongue over me. I eventually began to feel the familiar, delicious pull in my womb, my body starting to tingle all over yet again, making me weak. Fuck. It was happening again.

Henry moaned deeply again. It was the fact that it was that deep voice I enjoyed so much was on my most intimate body part, the vibrations buzzing along my clit coupled with the never-ending sucking of his lips made me come undone.  My body went taut as endless tingling waves of pleasure swept through me all over again. The orgasm hit me so hard my mind blacked out for a couple of seconds and I forgot everything else other than what my body was experiencing and who was creating that experience for me.

As black specks disappeared from my eyes when I opened them, I weakly tried to catch respite, but it seemed the beast inside of Henry he'd been trying to guard up the moment he walked in my room was out and raging.

"More. I need more," he breathed roughly, desperately, a man far gone from his desire. I began to wonder if all this hunger flushing out of him was something he'd been dying to keep inside of himself. He was unapologetic in his level of want and it turned me on so much.

His large hands pressed flat on either side of my inner thighs as he kept me open for him. He was on me once again this time to give my aching womanhood a languid kiss. What the hell was happening? I didn't complain though. I knew we'd be running late, but I too wanted more.

I had never felt more amazing in my life.

"Henry," I whimpered weakly, unable to fight it anymore. I just took this unmitigated bliss as it came. The languid kisses, with him pressing his lips firmly against my labia, became short, sucking kisses as he sampled each of my lips.

"Mmm. Most beautiful lips ever," he said, his lips rubbing against me before he continued kissing me, this time with his tongue unhurriedly tasting each lip. My breaths gushed in short puffs, my body and mind reeling. Using two fingers he parted the folds and nudged my entrance with the ball of his tongue but never entered me, making me lose it again. Then he tore his mouth from me, and teased my entrance with the ball of two fingers before slipping in with a groan.

"Valerie," He gasped when my walls closed tight over him. He slurred a curse word as he began steadily thrusting in and out of me slickly and pickied up the pace. I began to lift my hips to meet his thrusts, making Henry swear under his breath. I could feel my desire dribbling onto his fingers. He began to rub my clit again, making me cinch the bedsheets. But he stopped and replaced his finger on my clit with his mouth, all the while thrusting in and out of me.

When Henry began curling his finger, rubbing my spot, along with flicking his tongue over my clit while sucking me into his mouth, I began to lose control. Again. I'd never been in a situation where something that was so good made me want to stop. I think I didn't like the feeling of not having any control, similar to the feeling I got whenever Henry was in close proximity of me.

This orgasm thing was the same exact feeling. I felt helpless with no reign over my life. This was the one thing I was always warned against, not having control over my emotions or my life.

This orgasm hit me hardest. A string of them seemed to strike me one after the other because Henry wouldn't stop savoring my clit like it was his last feast and boy was he enjoying it. He was shameless in his devouring, uncaring of the sound sucking and groaning. As the back to back orgasms tunneled through me, my body shook, Henry gripping me until he had every last drop, until he licked me clean.

My body was wrought and tired but I also felt pretty heavenly. I experienced an elation I could only compare to the one I felt after I saw Henry aiding that homeless guy, meaning my feelings weren't just purely physical but very emotional.

I didn't know if i was shaking because of the emotional impact I was feeling or the physical. Henry and I had already blurred those lines a long time ago.

I lay there in a panting heap, convulsing as the last remnants of the powerful orgasm slowly left me.

Several quiet moments passed while the real world resurrected back to life. The soft roll of thunder reminded me that it was still raining outside, and I acknowledged the rain softly pelting against the rooftop. Henry finally shifted, catching his breath with his lips pressed against my inner thigh, his breaths rushing against my sensitive skin.  I bit the satisfied smile that claimed my lip. As I wiped the new tears that had rolled down my temple, I felt how dewy my face was as a small sheen of perspiration had formed on my skin.

Wanting to know if this was real, my hands trailed down till I felt Henry's satiny curls and I shuddered.

This was real. This had just happened.

Henry lifted his damp lips from my thigh and lightly trapped some skin in his teeth, worrying it a bit to get a reaction out of me. He chuckled when I shifted and a small sound issued up my throat. Shifting reminded me that his fingers were still deeply embedded in me. As if remembering the same thing, Henry extracted his fingers and went really quiet. Curiously I looked down to find him sucking on the two fingers, his dark lashes cresting over his flushed cheeks. My face went warm and I looked up as another warmth rushed to my vagina, making my clit twitch with want. I couldn't do this again without going insane.

To my fortune, he crawled back up my trembling body instead of giving me more than I could handle for now. He made lingering pit stops to kiss right around the belly that used to shame me so much. I cried out when he kissed the valley in between my breasts. He groaned when he took one beady nipple into his mouth and pulled vigorously in his mouth. I cried out and he relaxed, his suctioning gentler. I began to shift, wetness pulling at my center again.

I sighed a bereft sigh when Henry smoothed his lips away from my nipple as he pulled back and landed on my collarbone. Then my neck. Then my cheek.

"See how wonderful you taste," he rasped before finding my lips and shoving his tongue into my mouth, rubbing it provocatively and shamelessly against my tongue. I moaned into him, my hands finding his shoulders and digging, reminding me he still had his clothes on. I wanted them off and started bunching up his t-shirt but got distracted by the smooth, rippled muscles of his defined stomach. The feeling alone made me wetter and I reached further down till I could feel the 'v' that had gotten me hot and bothered earlier.

Henry's breathing increased the more I touched him. Kneeling, he took my he took my hands into his and interlaced his fingers with mine, lifting them till they were on either side of my head. He wasn't letting me touch him as much as I wanted to and I had a feeling it was his way to exert some kind of control over himself.

"Better than I imagined," he whispered, our hands still locked right above my head, as he lowered and kissed me.

He finally pulled back and said in a low delicate voice in my ear, "Happy Birthday," then I heard the teasing smirk in his voice as he whispered, "27."