Chapter 13




"Trust me, they're not as bad as people say they are," Ella told me as we crossed the busy street to a large black building where we would be watching a fighting match. We had to drive a long ways from our town into the next. Peter had invited her to a Mixed Martial Arts fighting match. I hadn't been out much, focused mostly on work at the expense of everything else--even my weight. That's why at first I'd been real apprehensive to go but an earlier chat I had with my therapist persuaded me to do different. She wanted me to have confidence no matter what weight I was at and asked me to try something different--so I did. I cut my hair into a dirty blond curly hair afro that I ended up liking a lot.

Plus, I was wearing a skirt and even heels--something I rarely did in the daytime without any stockings. I was tickled by the surprise on Ella's face when she picked me up and saw my outfit and new hair. I decided hey, why not. I'd been working so hard I needed a break anyway.

We showed the security guard our tickets and I was met with an unexpected atmosphere when we first stepped into the building. It was extremely chill, and all the people there were reminiscent of those we saw at the club Henry took me to last time. I rolled my eyes to myself when he crossed my mind.

After one whole month of not hearing from him I was kind of over it. I had tried calling him three times but no luck. He was actively ignoring me so I got the message. Thankfully, Ella knew not to ask after I made her believe I wasn't really interested in him. Without my asking she'd told me Peter said Henry was kind of hard to reach when he went into 'work mode' and I made sure my response was disinterested but without any attitude that would give away that I may have felt something about his lack of communication.

Which, I told myself, I felt nothing about. I focused on work and my life as much as I could so that I wouldn't think about him…until I once opened the front page of Yahoo! to look at a particular incident that happened a few weeks ago. His brother's band was on the front of Yahoo!'s news page and my heart had leaped because of the striking resemblance he and his brother shared. I'd been tempted to Google Henry to see if I could find anything but told myself not to waste my time like that. What good would that do me? I would just leave it all alone and take his time with me as something that was fun while it lasted.

Ella and I went up the steps that led to a floor filled to capacity.

People were in small groups, standing about chatting. After Ella got her beer and I got a water, we moved into the spacious stadium and occupied the seats closest to the boxing ring. I looked about in awe of it all. I never really took in the 'entertainment' factor of fighting matches. There was an indescribable energy floating throughout the room so strong I could feel it in my veins.

The nudging on my arm made me look at Ella, who pointed to the busy, blue floor circling the boxing ring for those who had front row floor seats. I followed her finger and my heart shot to my throat. My entire body froze when I saw the signature dark brown curls, the beaming smile, and the deep dimples.

Henry Walker.

Seeing him filled me with an emotion I'd never felt in my whole life and it's one I couldn't describe accurately or adequately. I went from elated, to dread, to fear, to confusion, and then, to sadness, and nervousness. All these feelings combined and I felt them all at once which left me exhausted but also holding my breath in a matter of seconds.

His curls were pushed away from his face as he regarded the boxing ring. As I clamped my thighs together another feeling that bombarded me was arousal. He was wearing the serious expression that usually made me weak, dark eyebrows pinched. He was bobbing his head to the heavily thumbing rap song. His act of chewing gum brought attention to his sharp jaw, making me aroused. His gum chewing also brought attention to his muscular neck.  Which only brought more attention to his broad, squared shoulders. That only brought more attention to his tattooed arms, muscles more pronounced due to his folded arms. And from what I could see in the constant-changing lighting of the stadium, he wore a dark teal colored shirt that made me weak.

He wore dark jeans ripped at the knees and I couldn't see his shoes, but from what I could see, Henry Walker looked damn good.

Crazy good. Sinfully good.

Unfairly good.

Fuck him.

My eyes flew back to his expression, and the serious glint in his eyes as he watched the stage. When a manicured small hand touched his left arm, he leaned that way, lowering his head till a woman's face came up to his ear.

My chin dropped disapprovingly when I took in the female that was vying for his attention. Well she didn't have to vie long.

Henry's eyes fell on her and he looked at her like she was the only person in a room that was filling to capacity. I'd think she was getting preferential treatment if he didn't do this to everyone--literally you'd think you were the most important person in his life once you got his attention.

I hated that about him because I liked it very much but seeing him look at someone else the way he looked at me reminded me that I wasn't special to him in any kind of way. And why would I be? We hadn't known each other that long. I convinced myself he wasn't that important to me either.

The woman had long, ruler straight, honey brown hair down to her arms. She was very toned, most notably her extremely defined stomach, which was revealed from the small top she wore and the red hot pants that had her behind hanging out. Her legs were just as enviably muscled, with defined calves, which were emphasized by the six inch red heels she wore.

Henry threw his head back laughing at what she said, making his pearly whites gleam and showcasing just how lovely his neck was. I bit my bottom lip thinking I could have licked and sucked on that neck when I had him on my bed. Miss Tiny Shorts shyly curled her hair behind her ear and smiled, thoroughly pleased at garnering that reaction from him.

I took note of how her hand had never left his arm, feeling irrationally jealous and possessive. 

I tried not to roll my eyes, and remembering that I wasn't alone, I smiled at Ella.

"I guess he's back in town?" I said casually and pleasantly even though I wanted to march up to him and ask him where the fuck he'd been.

"What's going on with you two? You don’t talk about him much."

I waved her off as I sat back with my arms folded and watched the empty boxing ring.

"Nothing. He's a fun dude, but not my cup of tea though."

I had to save face. My face was hot but I trained my features to be as complacent as possible without looking too forced. I was feeling too hurt for someone who'd only met the guy about four times. I needed to get a grip.

"What do you mean?!" Ella tried to take issue with me but when I didn't elaborate thankfully she left the situation alone because she got a call on her phone. I knew she didn't want to tire herself out trying to figure out what was going on with Henry and I. Hell, I didn't even know. I guess nothing really was going on.

I covertly slid my eyes in his direction again and tensed when I saw him leaning down to speak with his lips close to her ear. The very lips that had…

I shook the thoughts away and tried to focus on something else, but my eyes kept drifting back to them.

Suddenly Henry got in a fighter's stance with feet apart, and so did the woman. They playfully shot jabs at each other, with Henry ducking and dodging her blocks, bouncing on his feet like a pro. He then playfully uppercut her stomach, though his fists never actually making contact with her.

The muscles in his sinewy arms bulged, and my mouth watered wondering if that's what they did when he yanked me to him and put his mouth on my--

"Do you come to fights often?"

Distractedly I turned to the person that was sitting next to me, a handsome guy with brown skin and low cropped hair with amazing dark brown eyes. I tried not to be surprised that he was talking to me, and normally I'd have shied away from the attention, but for some reason that day I had the confidence of a lion.

"No. I'm new to this. Will you be my guide or are you new to this too?"

I had never been so forward but there was this burning feeling in me that was just pushing me like never before. He looked a bit taken aback but he smiled, revealing a row of straight white teeth.

"I wouldn't mind at all. Phillip." He held out his hand to me and I put mine in his with a smile.

"Valerie."

We talked a bit about MMA fighting matches, the stars that would be playing tonight, and the bets that were going around on certain players. I hadn't even realized Ella was gone until she came back moments later, chatting on her phone.
 
The lights in the stadium dimmed and the crowd roared as the spotlight fell on the boxing ring. Occasional starry flashes from people's cameras blinked from the darkened crowd and the energy swelled to greater proportions. Even as someone who didn't care for fights I found myself getting excited.

The fights were more entertaining than I thought they'd be, although I couldn't watch it all without covering my face at the gruesome parts. I tried my best not to look at Henry but to no avail. By now he was standing with three other guys, Peter included. They were all either laughing, joking or watching intently, howling and cheering along with the rest of the crowd whenever an expert punch or kick was executed. I forced myself to ignore them and focused on the fight. After two sets of fighters had a few rows they stopped for a break, the stadium lighting up again. Phillip and I were making small talk and I found that I really liked him. He seemed genuinely interested in me and was approaching in in a very subtle way that I appreciated way more than being pounced on. My feelings and thoughts weren't haywire around him and I liked that better than how my nerves and senses came crushing down like how it was from the first time I met Henry. Phillip was like a calm summer day and Henry was like those surprise storms that come and ruin your life on that one day you were bored wondering if there was more to life.

He didn't seem too nice or force any kind of charm and just his friendly nature made me so at ease I could talk to him easily. I was actually hoping he would ask for my number and if he didn't I would take charge and ask him myself.

"So what's your friend's name?" Phillip asked after Ella had gone to get us some lightweight drinks.

"Ella, my cousin. She's the best," I said, grinning.

"She is. She's gorgeous. Can you hook me up? I mean damn, she's beautiful."

The smile that I was wearing wavered and I saw he was still staring at the door Ella had exited from. My heart plummeted as history repeated itself from a long time ago. I'd had this happen many times, guys befriending me just so that they could get closer to Ella. And I always fell for it thinking they were interested in me. Reality fucking check, huh? I was already in a bad mood, so this certainly didn't help. I shouldn't have been so let down and should have been used to it. It just hadn't happened in a while since Ella got into a relationship with Peter.

"She is. She has a boyfriend too," I tried to keep any bitterness from my voice because being jealous was never cute and this was my best friend in the whole world but that didn't mean I didn't feel jilted deep down inside. Phillip looked at me, slight disappointment written on his handsome face, but there was more expectation.

"Oh…not surprised."

I sighed. "Don't worry, I know how it feels when you find out someone attractive has someone."

He smiled, a bit embarrassed but taking it all in stride. "He's a lucky guy. She must get hit on a lot, right?"

"You have no idea."

"And where's your man at?"

This is what normally happened when people found out Ella was taken, since they'd already spent time warming up to me they had no qualms making me their second choice just because I was what was available at the time.

Kind of what Henry did--making me the girl of the moment while he was visiting the states. Not that it was wrong because he hadn't made me any promises…

Something made me look over where Henry was standing and when I saw him surrounded by three females all speaking to him, I became more irritated.

"I don't have one," I said and Phillip lowered his suggestive eyes to my lips.

"You want one for the night?"

The blank expression I gave him made him laugh with a shake of his head.

"Okay, how about this, singles unite?" he held up his beer can to me. I could be pissed at him but I was so over everything I didn't even have the energy to be, so I picked up my empty plastic cup and tapped it against his can.

"And by unite I hope you meant sit next to each other and watch a fighting match, no other form of uniting," I said blandly and Phillip nodded, swallowing his beer.

"Yes ma'am."

The break was elongated and Phillip and I talked a lot more, with me less excited about the prospects of where the conversation would lead, but still glad I had someone to talk to that could distract me from sneaking glances at Henry. I was fucking over him too.

That is until I heard a deep British voice from behind me saying hello. Phillip's eyes lit up as he stood up and before I know it, he was giving Henry a dab and a one armed hug.

"Hey man how are you? Didn't know you were in town!" Phillip said and I couldn't understand why it annoyed me so much that Henry knew him. This whole fucking town loved him, huh.

"Hey Henry!!!" We heard from behind us and turned to see a group of women probably in their early twenties waving at him. He beamed at them and returned their wave; what a people person.

"Yeah I just came in a few days ago. How are both of you?"

Henry's eyes hadn't locked with mine with any awkwardness or guilt. He averted his gaze casually between the both of us. His body language was relaxed and confident, with not one guilty bone in his body. So he clearly didn't think not calling me back was wrong. That only incensed me, but two could play this game. I kept my expression pleasant with a happy smile on my face. I kept telling myself I was not bothered. I was not bothered at all.

"Good. You two know each other?" Phillip asked us both.

"Not really," I quickly responded and grabbed Phillip's wrist, forcing him to sit back down. "I know him through a friend. Henry Walker, right?"

Henry's smile widened and he laughed lightly. "I'm surprised you remember my name Valerie. Yes, you are correct."

"It's actually Valheroine." I smiled big and Henry's shook his head and sighed.

"I really do apologize for that. Speaking of which, he was supposed to send you some flowers--"

"I got the flowers," I said. The only thing I heard in relation to Henry were a bouquet of roses and an apology from his brother Ben for calling me Valheroine. I was sure he only did it because Henry made him to, the note said he couldn't even remember calling me that and told me to please not tell Henry he couldn't remember calling me that.

"Speaking of which, I wasn't able to tell you that I got them. They were beautiful. I'm being so rude, Henry, this is my date, Phillip, Phillip well you know who he is."

"Huh?" Phillip asked confusedly and I continued to grin, linking my hand with Phillip's and squeezing painfully tight as I smiled at Henry.

"So what have you been up to?" I asked Henry.

"So you guys are dating?" he asked instead of answering me. "Good deal, good deal. You guys make a lovely couple."

I searched for any sign of jealousy. Nothing. Nothing. There was not one iota of envy or anything on his face. It angered me more but made me play this silly game even further, one would be shocked to believe I just turned 27 a month ago.

"Thanks Henry. So do you and that prostitut--I mean that referee girl."

Henry's dimple deepened as he smiled with his head down and a shake of his head when I referred to that woman all over him as a prostitute. That was uncalled for, but so what.

"She's a very nice girl but we're not dating."

"It looks like you're dating her. And that other girl you were talking to later. And the other one with the yellow shirt. I'm sorry it's so hard to tell with you." I said with an innocent, joking laugh that Phillip joined in on. I knew then I had to reel it in because my biting remarks were becoming obvious.

"You know I do remember you being funny but your sense of humor has changed." The laid back grin never left Henry's face as he said those words.

"No it hasn't changed. We just didn't know each other that long for you to make that judgment. So how do you two know each other?" I changed the subject quickly.

"Through friends." Henry said.

"That's cool."

"So how long have you two been dating,Phillip?" his eyes swung to Phillip and I knew he was being deliberate in questioning Phillip and not me.

"Uh, 6 months," Phillip said.

"6 months?!" I wailed. Shit!

"6 months," Henry said with a knowing smile and a slow nod. "Good, good."

He knew damn well that wasn't good when I'd made it perfectly clear I hadn't dated the last time I spoke to him.

"You are so whack you can't even remember, it's been about three weeks. How did you get 6 months?"

"W-Well okay what I meant was we were talking on and off for 6 months and didn't start officially dating till three weeks ago," Phillip thankfully rectified.

"It's fine, you don't have to explain yourselves to me. Are you all enjoying the fight?" Henry asked next.

"Man did you see how Teko swung at him in the last round?" Phillip began.

"Teko is a beast…"

The two delved into an in depth discussion about the fighters, one which I couldn't join in on. How could I? The wheels in my mind wouldn't stop turning.

I couldn't believe this shit. So he was really going to talk to me like nothing happened? I was feeling so much pain inside. What the hell had I been thinking those few times we hang out? That something would come of it? Had he led me on? Technically no because he'd never promised me anything. But why…I don't know…

Eventually Ella returned with Peter and we all sat together. Henry to my left and Phillip to my right.

I was too distracted, trying to make sure my knees or arms didn't bump with Henry's. Trying not to allow his voice and scent pierce into my mind or seep into my pores. I'd mentally threatened to leave so many times, but the fucked up thing was...I wanted to sit next to him because i'd missed the warmth that I normally felt from him even when we didn't touch. I missed the deep, confident sound of his voice. I'd missed just being able to look at him, even though right now I did everything in my power not to look his way.

Thankfully they were so engrossed in the fight I wasn't paid much any mind until Henry threw in a few remarks here and there. Once when I got too quiet, he had the nerve to ask me if I was okay. If that wasn't an insult I don't know what was, but we were around others and I still had my dignity. I wouldn't let anyone know that he was geting to me.

When the fight was over I was relieved, only to find out that there was an after party that Ella so desperately wanted to go to.

The ambiance of the party was pretty cool and had the same kind of vibe the fighting match did--with all kinds of people just vibing off of each other. The music was great and so were the little appetizers served by barely clothed waitresses.

While our small group milled about, I grabbed Phillip's hand and escaped the rest of them. When I looked over my shoulder I saw that Henry was looking at us but with an inscrutable expression that turned into a smile when we caught him looking. He held up his plastic cup to us. I felt like I was being mocked but at that moment I was getting tired trying to figure him out.

I didn't drink either like I was tempted to do. I wasn't going to let some man make me act a fool just cause I was pissed at him. If I was going to drink it's because I wanted to drink. I danced with Phillip and actually kind of had fun…until I kept spotting Henry with his group of friends. Some who happened to be female. He hadn't paid me any attention the entire time and I could no longer lie to myself--it was hurting me.

A girl offered him a beer but he declined. Though she had all his interest. His hand was on her waist. He let her flirt with him.

And then she kissed him. While he didn't kiss her back, he didn't stop her and neither did he act surprised when she pulled back. I was officially done and pretended he wasn't there. If I acknowledged how much this was all hurting me I'd wear my heart on my sleeve and let him know I didn't like it, and I didn't want to make that mistake with him: someone who obviously didn't care.

I was grinding on Phillip slowly, running my fingers through my hair with one hand and holding a cup of juice up with the other. All the while my eyes were closed as I tried to imagine that I was desirable to someone. Hell, just trying to enjoy myself period.

"Are you having fun?" Phillip asked me, interrupting my dance and my thoughts. I leaned into his shoulder as I turned my face ot his neck to answer back while still dancing on him.

"Hell yeah!"

"But you need to stop using me to make him jealous Valerie."

His words made me pause and I turned to face him. Before I spoke, Phillip cut me off.

"It's obvious that there's something going on between you and him. You need to fix that instead of wasting your time here with me."

I was irritated and pissed and had a lot to say but didn't say it.

"Okay," I finally said in a clipped response and Phillip smiled gently..

"Goodluck."

"No more singles uniting?" I asked him, deciding not to be mad at him or correct him over information I told myself was misguided. I think I was just tired of trying to make sense of this whole situation. Phillip grinned with a shake of his head.

"I don't think you're single."

I broke eye contact and looked down at the plastic cup of juice in my hand. "It's one sided."

"Have you told him how you feel?"

When Phillip's question made me realize what I'd said, I backtracked. "Wait it's not one sided. I don't like him like that. We're just friends."

"Too late to retract that right now. Tell him how you feel Valerie--"

"I feel nothing. Thanks but no thanks. I'm good. It was nice meeting you Phillip. You can go talk to that girl you really wanted to talk to. Sorry for keeping you."

I blindingly left the party, not looking back at anyone around me. I had the car keys and since Ella was with Peter I knew she'd be more than happy to go home with him. All I'd have to do is text her that I was going home.

I went to the bathroom for some kind of solace, blinking unstoppably so that I wouldn't start crying. Hell, I didn't know why I felt the urge to cry. I freshened up, reapplying my lipstick and primping my hair. I had to try and make mysel feel at least a bit better about myself.

I stepped out of the bathroom and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the tall figure standing on the opposite wall. I saw the worn brown boots first, trailed up the dark jeans and the teal shirt, tattooed arms, broad shoulders, and when I got to those green eyes, my heart jumped. I knew I was introuble.

Unthinkingly, I started back to the bathroom but was no match for his agility. Henry closed the distance between us in record speed and his hands grabbed my turning hips, turned them towards him and yanked me to him. I stumbled into his body and felt his lips on mine before I could take any kind of action.

As usual all my thoughts scuttled away the moment his lips settled on me and I was slumping against his hard, protective body. His hands had shifted to my lower back as his tongue pierced my lips and swept through my mouth. Possessively. He groaned as he stroaked my tongue and I moaned into his mouth. My fingers reflexively curled into his shirt and I was kissing him back instead of doing what a wise girl should have done and walked away.

"Woooo!!! You go girl!!!!"

It was that voice piercing into this world Henry and I always fell into that brought me back into reality. I pushed him away as hard as I could and Henry stumbled back, blinking out his daze and eying in me surprise over how roughly I pushed. His shoulders rose and fell as he caught respite, running his hand through his hair. 

I couldn't do this with him. My mind was cluttered and I was confused. Why was he kissing me? He hadn't even been paying me any mind so how did he even know I'd left. Not wanting to make any sense of this right now, I turned from him and started to walk away when he got a hold of my wrist and stopped me.

"Wait--"

"Henry Walker?!" we heard and turned to see two blonds approaching, holding their cameras ready.

"Oh god," I murmured and when I tried to leave, Henry tightened his hold on me.

"Hello," Henry said as he pulled me to his side, his fingers now interlacing with mine. The girls didn't miss this and I looked at them and Henry in dread.

The girls asked for hugs and I knew this would be my clean break, but Henry was two steps ahead of me.

"Im sorry I can't let go of her now. She's pissed and I'm afraid she'll fall if I do."

I shot darts at him with my eyes but said nothing. Huffing defeatedly, I looked the other way. At first I wondered what he meant by pissed and what that had to do with falling, then I recalled he'd used the term once to refer to someone drunk. He knew I wasn't drunk and probably tasted it on my lips. I was so irritated with him.

"Well can we take a picture of you then? We can take it with her in it."

"Sorted," he said satisfactorily and his hold tightened around me when I started to struggle against him.

"No! I'm fine! I'm not pissed!" I tried to exonerate myself but to no avail. I was surprised then by how strong Henry was. I couldn't get away from him for nothing.

"Is it okay?" The girl asked as she bounced her unsure gaze between Henry and I when she saw just how frantic I was about having my picture taken.

"Yes it's fine," he said pleasantly, with all the calm in the world. I nearly scratched him that's how desperate I was to get away.

"Let go, Henry!" I huffed impatiently.

"Say cheese, Peaches," he murmured into my ear and I quickly put my hands over my eyes and rebelliously stuck out my tongue, hoping I fucked the picture up so that the girl would regret ever agreeing to have me in it.

When she looked at the picture, she burst into laughter and her friend hopped to her and mirrored her reaction.

"This is fucking awesome!"

"Let me see it," Henry said from behind me, his muscular arm stretching out for the phone.

I looked down at the bright screen, only for my eyes to widen.

"Hey!" I looked at Henry accusingly as he laughed heartily. In the picture, just as I covered my eyes, my mouth was open probably when I was spewing profanities. Henry's profile was animated  with his mouth wide open as he pretended he was about to take a huge bite of me. It looked like I was closing my eyes and screaming in fear of his attack.

"This is amazing!" One of the girls said.

"Thank you both! Is this your girlfriend?"

"NO!!!" I said immediately. "No i'm not his girlfriend and will never be. We're just friends, I mean, barely.  Friends don't ignore friends. Hell, he's only been to my place once."

Henry said with a cool smile. "And what a tasty visit that was."

"What did ya'll have to eat?" one of them asked conversationally and Henry had the nerve to start talking.

"Well I--"

"DID YOU KNOW THAT PHILOPHOBIA IS THE FEAR OF FALLING IN LOVE?" I ignored the concerned and awkward expressions I was met with but that was the only random fact I could think of that day because I'd just learned about it that day. I gulped hard to try and swallow the embarrassment that was cloaking me, laughing nervously, "That's a general fact. I just learned about it today. I didn't know there was an actual name for it. Not that many people know that."

"You're weird but I like it," One of the girls finally said and I managed a painful smile.

"Okay ladies," Henry took position behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist like it was the most natural thing to do so. "Nice meeting you. Have a good night."

We had to be the ones to walk away because they were just standing there like they wanted to talk to us more. As we exited the building, Henry kept his hold around my midriff and every time I tried to escape his hold he tightened it, all with a huge smile as his popularity forced him to say goodbye to a lot of people as we left.

Once we were out on the busy streets, I pried his hands away from me and spun around, facing him indignantly. 

"If you ever try to pull something like that again I'll kill you before you speak again. Don't come for me…like that..ever…in your life…time..."

My voice began to taper off because I had to start walking backwards as Henry began a slow predatory walk to me, his eyes filled with determination and lust as he took me all in. Like I was the most desirable thing he'd seen on the face of the earth.

This is what I'd wished for earlier right? Be careful what you wish for had never been so appropriate.

Holy shit, did this guy have super powers or what? All he was doing was looking at me...

"You look beautiful," he finally said quietly, his eyes latched onto my exposed legs. I suddenly wished I hadn't worn the skirt because my entire body reacted to that voice, those lips, those eyes, and how fucking good he looked in a teal shirt, I somehow managed to catch myself when he'd gotten too close and turned away from him.

I continued to walk but my mind was so disoriented I wasn't even for sure where I was going.

"Are you upset with me, Valerie?" I finally heard and my suspicions that he was following me were true.

"No. In order for something to upset me I have to care really hard about it." Henry had fallen into step with me and I smiled sweetly at him. "So no you're not upsetting me at all."

He nodded slowly, walking with his hands pushed in his back pockets. "Ah, I see."

I continued to walk and Henry continued to walk with me. He was purposely pestering me. I hastened my steps. I was so over all of this.

"You're in an awful hurry…" Henry finally said from behind me and the laughing tone in his voice was aggravating.

"Yeah."

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Good," I said.

"What about your date?" he asked the question so pleasantly you'd have thought he was the one who hooked Phillip and I up. No hint of jealousy there. That infuriated me.

"He knows I don't want to be here," I said cooly even though it was getting hard keeping my calm.

"So suddenly?" Henry prodded and I tried not to cut my eyes at him.

"Yes. Well, I can walk the rest of the way on my own. Nice seeing you."

"I'll walk you to your car."

He was getting on my last nerves and my patience was thinning. I said with forced calm, "No it's fine."

"I insist."

"Yeah. That wasn't creepy at all."

"We're deep in the city. It's not safe to walk here alone. Especially at this time."

"I've been walking alone before I met you and after so I don't need any help."

"I know you don't. I'm walking you for my own conscience."

I sighed tiredly. "Do whatever you want Henry."

We walked and walked and it got darker and darker. It got to a point where I didn't even know where I was going. I nearly screamed when we came across a man asking money for drugs and luckily Henry was there to protect me. I felt like such a punk. My parents sure didn't do a good job teaching me about being out on my own in the real world. I was very sheltered. Henry walked the streets like he was a part of them and had no worries. The thing about Henry was while he wasn't macho in the stereotypical sense, he did have those protective paternal and even caveman qualities about him. He was very overprotective and maybe he wasn't an alpha male outwardly but he carried with him a quiet strength.

I found that I liked that he didn't have to scream out his masculinity or whatever the world thought that was supposed to be. He moved in silence but with a pleasant smile on his face.

Fuck him for adding another quality about him that I liked, all without even really trying.

"Are you sure you know where you're goi--"

"Yes! Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I don't have any sense of direction!" I snapped, randomly turning a corner. In truth I was lost and had I been alone I'd have been very scared. Ella and I had to park far away from the building because parking in the city and actually finding that parking was just a big fat joy. Because Ella had run away a few times in her teens, she knew the streets more than I did. This whole situation reminding me of my parents aggravated me more, but reminded me that I needed to stop blaming them for everything at 27. I had to take responsibility. I was sheltered and right now, it was my fault.

"Whoa, I said nothing about your gender. I just asked if you knew where you were going."

I ignored him. We came to a deserted basketball field with graffiti on a building close to it. The sun was still setting behind the horizon, so we still had some light, with the help of a few distant street lights nearby.

"Did someone steal your car? Cause if you parked here, I don't see any--"

"You know I called you!" I finally let it out, whipping around with my hands balled to fists at my side.

Henry seemed surprised by my outburst. As the wind made some curls block my view, I noticed Henry pausing momentarily as if suddenly amazed by something. He blinked and shook whatever stole his mind and took a step to me.

"I know."

I took a safe step back until my back was against the fence.

"You know? And you just let it fucking ring?" I sqwuaked.

"Yes." He looked me directly in the eye, placing one hand on the fence with his head looming over me. I felt so small underneath him.

"Okay…"

My breathing was becoming shallow and I stared at his neck. His scent once again was getting to me. I gulped hard because my throat felt tight. I cleared it and tried to speak, my voice sounding heavy. "Why?"

"I didn't really want to talk to anyone really." 

He said this to me in a straight face and I was appalled, hurt even, but I didn't want to show that I cared, so I nodded. 

"Oh. Okay," I said neutrally.

Henry and I stared at each other for a few seconds and I couldn't read what was on his mind. Then his eyes dropped to my lips and turned hungry and he placed his hands on either side of my head on the fence. I shifted as the look in his eyes got me hot and attempted to sidestep him when Henry nuzzled me against my noze. I froze, sucking in my breath. His lips barely touched mine but the impact of his warm breath set me on fire. He gently touched my bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, a miniature movement so erotic I shivered.

He said in a voice that was close to a groan, "Do you know how much I missed these lips?"

"Henry don't…"

"Why, is it because of guy you're with? Your date?" the mocking tone in his voice made me irate.

"And if it is…" I challenged, though weakly.

He wouldn't ask the question because he didn't want to broach the subject and honestly I was okay with that. I didn't want to be needy. I didn't want him to know I liked him so fucking much too fucking fast.

I looked about me hoping the consternation I was feeling didn't show. I'd never been through this in my life. I'd never had someone who had me so open wanting to be so guarded all at the same time.

I trusted him but I didn't. What the fuck had I gotten myself into? I told myself I hadn't gotten myself into anything. After all, there were absolutely no strings attached so I shouldn't have been feeling confused or guarded. Hell, did he even remember my last name? Probably not.

The smart thing to do would have been to walk away. I convinced myself that after a long time of no contact or no seeing him I was forgetting about him.

Yeah fucking right. I made the mistake of looking up to meet his green gaze and my cheeks became warm. I dropped my eyes away only to visually collide with his lips and I bit my lip to keep me from whimpering at what those lips had done to me three weeks ago.

There is no way that I would ever forget the guy who'd told me I was beautiful so poetically in addition to giving me physical pleasures I'd never known. Why couldn't he have just given me one or the other like other sane people do?

All these rioting thoughts that were about to give me a headache were overpowered by the butterflies only Henry could create when he leaned in and tried to kiss me. I'd missed him so much I nearly took the kiss, but thank god I had some willpower that made me turn away.

"No…" I murmured in a small voice with my face averted from his.

Henry paused and I saw his arm muscles straining as he inhaled, but he finally just pulled back and said, "Okay."

I shifted, getting turned on for some reason and it dawned on me it's because even in these dire situations where our body heat was nearly burning off our clothes he still managed to be respectful. I mean I would have still found it hot if he grabbed me and kissed me anyway but I found that I liked him like this better and got a little bit vexed that even when he was pissing me off I liked him and wanted him.

My nipples were aching and I was already wet for him. Fuck.

Without allowing myself to think any longer I grabbed his face and kissed the lips that I'd been missing for only four very long weeks. When Henry sighed my name as I devoured his lips I leaned onto the fence, making it rattle. I'd missed the way he said my name too.

I was frustrated with him and I was frustrated with myself, but I infused it all in the kiss for lack of any other way to express it. We both weren't going to say what we felt so we might as well find a way to release all the pent up frustrations.

I knew I wasn't alone with how Henry made the fence rattle more when he pressed his hard body against mine, pressing me into the fence, trying to get as close to me as possible as he returned my kiss.

Helplessly, I moaned, allowing his tongue more access into my mouth. I sighed when I felt his warm, hard chest pressing against my already aching nipples. My squirming body only made the sensation of him hardness against my sensitive nipples stronger. I gasped and Henry groaned as he let go of the fence and held my waist, squeezing as if wanting to reaffirm to himself that I was real.

It astounded me how my sanity went haywire whenever we touched one another. I thought these things were just folktales and maybe even hype but now as I desperately ran my hands all over his chest, shoulders, neck, hair, and arms, I knew the madness of sexual frustration to be true.

Something deep down told me it wasn't just a physical thing but I ignored it. I didn't have much time to ponder anyway because Henry pulled back briefly and when I impatiently reached for him he pulled back again.

"What?" I all but ground out, subsequently embarrassed by how vexed I could be just from him stopping a kiss.

"What about your date?" he asked, and then began to put more distance between us as his jealous features became gloomy with guilt. "I don't wanna break another--"

"What date?" I asked impatiently wondering why the hell he was wasting time.

He stared at me as a slow, knowing smirk lifted his lips.

"I thought you were on a date. You lied." His smirk faded as he added. "I don't like liars, Valerie."

I stubbornly shut him up, claiming his lips once again and to my fortune he fell right into the kiss. 

"I can't stop--" I'd never been so thankful for the man upstairs than in that moment. If I'd finished telling him that I couldn't stop thinking about him, how fucking catastrophic would that have been? It would have meant he mattered and I was still training myself to believe that it was only his tongue and mouth that mattered right now. And maybe his hands. And the arms that I was feeling right now. I was screwed.

"You can't stop what," Henry rasped as he nibbled my neck like he hadn't eaten all day. I moaned, trying to wiggle away when he started sucking on the spot he'd left a hickey on last time, afraid the act alone would be enough to make me come.

"N-N-No…thing…." I miraculously got out and winced when Henry pulled his lips hard enough from me to make me sting.

My chest lifted and fell as I breathed hard and I bit my bottom lip when I spotted the wicked glint in his eyes.

"Lying again, are we?"

Even though I opened my mouth I had no ready response and Henry suddenly clasped my hips tight in his hands and lifted me up against the fence.

"I told you, no lies allowed."

I gasped at the pleasurable pain from his teeth as his tongue shot out and soothed the pain, making me moan and close my legs tighter over his waist. Somehow my mind was still morally intact and I tried to stop him, grabbing at the soft material of his shirt at his shoulders.

"N-No Henry. Someone might…someone…ah…" My cautious warning came to a halt, turning into a surprised gasp when I felt him, big and hard against my throbbing womanhood through the threadbare material of my panties.

Henry groaned deep as he bit right under my jaw trying to contain himself, his fingers pressing hard into the skin of my waist.

"What were you saying love, you can't what?" Henry asked huskily, playing the unfair game of kissing his way over to the other end of my jaw, my head rotating on its own to give him more access. He seemed to know how  to make my body do things at his whims. I had no control when he touched me. 

"No…." I moaned helplessly, biting my lip a bit too hard in regret because of how obviously I wanted him.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, his hot breath rushing against me as his tongue danced along my skin. The delicious ache between my thighs made it so hard for me to speak.

"N-No…Please…don't...stop…" I begged feebly, the sound of his voice making me high. My fingers dug hard into his shoulders not only with pressing need but also retaliation, but it turned back into need and want.

Henry hissed at the sharp impact of my nails and retaliated with a bite of my neck, making me moan and shift restlessly up and down against the fence. The action made me brush against his sizable hardness, making both of us moan.

"You can't stop what, Valerie…" he grated as he ground in a painfully slow, upward motion into me as if that was his payback for my mistake of brushing against him. My reaction was electric, making me arch into him and grab, probably living four marks from his shoulder places up to his shoulder.

"Yesss…" Henry hissed and I imagined it was him welcoming the pain of the skin I'm sure my newly manicured nails were leaving. His reaction made me moan and I clutched my eyes tight, sure that I would come just from his sounds alone.

Oh god this man. What was it about this man's every move.

The fence rattled when Henry thrust his bulge into my soft mound again. Somehow I found the mind to let go of his shoulders before I did more damage and reached for the fence. My fingers slipped through the wire and curled inward, holding on for dear life.

"Are you lying to me?" He asked as he gently set me on my feet and started bunching up my skirt, his insatiable eyes latched onto my lips.

I couldn't respond. I was stuck between feeling all the pleasure he was giving me and trying not to feel it. Henry picked up on my apprehensiveness and added with a reassuring kiss. 

"It will be fine. No one can see us cause of that building." Slipping his fingers through the band of my panties, he looked me directly in the eye as he pulled them down in a painfully slow motion. As I felt the wet trail my panties left on my inner thighs, I blushed and closed my eyes. I felt his gaze leaving my face and looked down to find him kneeling before me as he brought the panties down, watching every movement unapologetically. I blushed again when they were around my ankles and Henry looked up expectantly. After gnawing my lip for what seemed like an eternity, I finally climbed out of them and watched in trepidation as he smirked while stashing them in his front pocket.

"But if they do, we could always give them the best show ever, right?"

There was no room for answering as it appeared Henry's patience wore thin fast like fire on newspaper and I was immediately his. He'd buried his face between my legs and his mouth was on me without missing another beat. I was sold. My entire body was shaking as all my nerves whirred to life. Henry moaned into me as he ran his tongue over my wet folds and I bit another scream from flying out at me.

"Henry…" I breathed in confusion and a bit of ambivalence when he started lifting my leg. I ended up arching off of the fence, my fingers curling around the mesh as my lifted leg gave him more access to me and he pushed his tongue in. The fence rattled when my head met with it as I arched my neck, my fingers clamping onto his hair as he moved his explorative tongue in me while groaning.

"Henry please…"

Only god knew what I was begging for.

Henry groaned as he suddenly put my leg over his shoulder, much to my bemusement. I opened my mouth to protest because, well, I'd never done anything like this no matter how hot it was, and the very provocative move made me think of the fact that we were outside all of a sudden.

He must have known my protests were soon to follow because he was on me yet again, silencing those very protests and making the fence jangle from the impact of the back of my head slamming into it. He then just held my leg up and gave me small kisses and that's when the tears of pleasure squeezed from my clutched eyes and slid down my cheeks.

"Henry!"

He grabbed my other leg, throwing it over his other shoulder. This forced my other hand back to loop through the wire, my only way of holding me steady without falling over. As he knelt in between my legs and hefted my thighs over his shoulders, I was lifted a bit higher. His hands gripped my hips to keep me steady. Henry commenced to feast on me like I was his last morsel, lashing his tongue at my soaking lips, thrusting energetically into me and swirling hungrily inside me, then he'd occasionally suck on my clit restlessly.

My eyes were clenched tightly shut, tears streaming down from pleasure. I was a heavy breathing mess. The last time I'd heard a fence rattle this much was at some protest that happened outside my school.

And dare I say I was also turned on by the unorthodox position. I mean these were the kind of things a woman could only dream about.

When Henry's hand fished under my shirt and smoothed up my back. Who knew such a touch could arouse me further, even with his mouth already on me. Henry's other hand was clamped hard over my ass to keep me in place, while his other hand rose to fiddle with my bra strap.

His hand slid back down to the base of my back and he began to rub, surprising me by finding yet another sensuous zone.

He did this while flicking his tongue over my clit, making that familiar buzz seep into me. I began to shake all over and my thighs began to tighten around his face and neck. Then out of nowhere, just as I was getting there, Henry suddenly pulled away from me and my eyes flew open in fury.

"Henry?!?!" I damn near shrieked. The only time I got this aggravated was when a program I was working on didn't work out.

"You can't stop what?" he demanded and I didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

"I can't stop what, what?!?"

"You were saying earlier how you can't stop what?"

I was sure my eyes were wild with madness. "Oh my god Henry just get on with it."

"Not until you tell me what you were going to say--"

"I can't stop thinking about you alright?!?!?" I damn near bellowed.

Henry paused in surprise, then a slow, devilishly pleased smirk quirked his lips. Irritation filled me for he had won this battle and got me to vulnerably say something that no longer kept me a safe distance away from him. But before I could loathe over that, he'd realigned his lips with my throbbing wetness and I could no longer focus.
 
I'd given him the power of knowing how I'd truly felt but I was so selfish for the pleasure of his mouth that in that moment I didn't care about the consequences. Very stupid of me.

He gave me what I wanted in a matter of a minute and I was shaking as the orgasm shook through me. I knew then part of my frustration with his absence was I'd been craving this feeling again that only he seemed to know how to give me. My fingers furled painfully around the warm metal and my back arched off of it as my body wound tight.

When it was finally all over and Henry came up for air, he let my legs down. I overestimated myself because I stumbled once he let go of me and he quickly held my hips, laughing throatily at how weak he got me.

"Shut up," I murmured before being shut up myself by Henry's lips. His tongue lingered against mine and we separated soundly. Now that the chaos was over and I was more aware of what was around me, I felt uneasy and for the first time, I didn't feel so safe around Henry.

"You couldn't stop thinking about me," he said with a smug smirk down at me as he held my hips. Now that I'd come down to planet earth, I pushed him off a bit too roughly.

"Whatever." My cheeks burned as I tried to straighten my skirt in the 'after the fact' moment of shame. I worrisomely darted my eyes around us wondering if anyone had seen.

"Oh god, this was so stupid! What if someone saw this?!" A foreboding feeling overcame me and suddenly all the fun and games were no longer there. What a great front page news this would make. The famous Mr. Jones' daughter had public sex on a fence with a guy who ignored whenever she'd call. How flipping great.

"Then we just gave them the best show ever, like I'd said," Henry joked but I found nothing amusing about what he was saying. I didn't respond to him. I had nothing to say to him. When I didn't, Henry's playful smirk drifted away and a worrying frown began to show on his face.

"Are you okay? I'm sure we're fine. This is a pretty deserted place…"

I remained mute. With my arms folded, I just stared ahead of me at his chest.

"Valerie," Henry called out to me, his voice laced with concern but I didn't budge.

"What's wrong?" Henry pressed but I was inconsolable.

"Did I upset you?" he prodded.

The blazing setting sun highlighted his eyes than with the wind blowing some curls over his forehead as he looked down at me. I didn't give a fuck how etheral or good he looked. It was guys like him that were the worst just like I'd expected. I was going to take responsibility for my own carelessness and vanity wanting to feel pleasure but that didn't mean Henry was innocent in this. Technically, he wasn't wrong, I had to keep reminding myself so that I wouldn't get hurt. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt...

"Come on love, talk to me. Please."

I said nothing. My heart felt like it was made of steel and I was regretting how stupidly I'd let him pleasure me sexually again after not even receiving an explanation. I was even more frustrated with myself because I didn't know whether I deserved an explanation.

I stopped responding because I didn't know how to react. If I got angry I'd feel crazy because we just met yet if I didn't get angry I felt like I'd be fake. I'd just gone from wanting to be near him to hoping he'd turn around and walk away.

Sighing heavily, Henry placed both hands right above my head on the fence. His eyes fell on me while I kept my eyes on his chest.

"I want you to trust me enough to tell me anything, anything you're feeling. I don't want you to hold anything back from me," he surprised me by saying that and I lifted my gaze up to him. An amazing feeling swept through me when I saw how serious he was, so much that my eyes flittered away. My fingers nervously fiddled with the wire of the fence behind me and I began to chew on my bottom lip.

I can't believe he had the audacity to ask me to trust him after he'd blatantly ignored me. Not only that, the last time someone asked me to trust them...

"Look at me," he pleaded gently, his head lowered as he searched my face, attempting to kiss me again but I looked the other way just as a surprising tear fell from my eye. Before I closed my eyes to wipe them I caught Henry's alerted expression over my tears and I felt even more of a freak for crying. Damn it. I bet I looked like the biggest punk in the universe. I waited for him to stand there and awkwardly apologize for me thinking that this 'thing' we had going on was anything. Even if in reality I knew it wasn't that didn't stop my feelings from feeling like they'd been jerked back and forth and lashed and petted then tossed away all at once.

I think another reason I was reacting very badly to all of this was because I'd been through things like this with George and it was making me very uncomfortable. My young mind thought this was what relationships were meant to be when I was with George. I thought they were meant to be imperfect and people were meant to fight just so the kissing and making up could be epic but I had grown and knew now that those self-destructive kind of relationships weren't all that great to begin with. The thoughts of George making me cry then apologizing all flashed through my mind and it made the silent tears fall even more as I grimaced at all of it. I couldn't control the tears now and I didn't feel like explaining it all to Henry because it was too much to tell even though admittedly part of my crying was his fault.

I never wanted to speak about my relationship with George to anyone, much less a guy who would ignore me after we spent the most amazing days together.

The dam had broken and the tears were endless. At least I wasn't sobbiing but occassionally I let out wheezing breaths as I tried to control my tears, pitiably wiping at my eyes with my head bowed in front of him.

"Fuck, Val…don't…please..." Henry's voice surprised me by how pained it was.

When he tried to reach out and wipe my tears I flinched and pressed my back further into the fence, wanting as much distance from us as possible. Henry sighed heavily and lowered his head low between his shoulders. His hands were back on either side of my head on the fence and I briefly saw his arm muscles flexing, the veins pronounced as I assumed he curled his fingers into the fence as though guilt was swimming through him. I could feel it from his body language but I no loner cared.

I was mentally and emotionally exhausted from this game he was playing with me. Yes. It was a game. The nice guy charmer was playing with my emotions and there was no other way of going about it. This is a reality I'd been trying to avoid all night but I couldn't now.

Don't tell me you're happy when I'm on the phone with you then not contact me or answer my calls for an entire month. Don't smile at me like we're long lost friends and tell me I look cute with the guy I'm dating then grab me and kiss me when we're alone. Don't act like I'm not in the room and party it up with some barely clothed women and follow me out of the same party claiming you wanted to make sure I made it safely into my car. Don't tell me you didn't answer my calls because you didn't want to talk to me and then go down on me, only to torture me because you know you're so good. Torturing me ino wearing my fucking heart on my sleeve again and telling you that I couldn't stop thinking about you when clearly I hadn't even crossed your mind.

I wanted to tell Henry all this, but I was officially on lock down. I was on guard and had to protect whatever was left of myself. What was the point of saying anything now? I was afraid of being the one who eventually stopped treading lightly in this little dance on thin ice we were doing, and now I'd let him know that I'd wanted to know him more than he did me. It shouldn't have hurt but him saying he didn't want to talk to me hurt a lot because I enjoyed that in conjunction with the physical pleasure. He'd probably tagged along with the conversation just so that he could get to make me orgasm, a stroking of his ego that would add me as another one of many to his list that he'd managed to break down sexually when no one else could.

I felt cheap and it was my fault for allowing myself to be cheapened.

I always thought women who put up with these situations were stupid, and they were, but that didn't stop nature from taking its course and it happening to some of the smartest most well respected and strongest women. Why did we put up with these games? Did we like to be yoyo'd around? Or were we just all confused. Was it cause we all just wanted to be desired sometimes, especially those of us who didn't usually experience this from the kinds of guys we wanted this from? Maybe this was our karma for going for being shallow and going for the guy who looked good and felt good verses the guy who just did good in silence. It wasn't always our fault we got hurt, but sometimes it was because we just wanted to feel wanted at the expense of common sense and smart choices.

"Please move. I want to go," I said as I wiped my face and tried to sidestep him under his arm. I was too disgusted by my wanton behavior, shamelessly trading any pride and dignity just so I could get some physical release. I was also angry that after guarding the vault of my emotion expertly since George, I'd let my guard down and let another human know that I valued them emotionally, and I was even more frustrated because it's not like I knew Henry that much.

I guess I was getting to know him. But one of my assumptions about him had been true: Nice guys really weren't shit underneath it all.

Henry put his hands on my waist to stop me. "Wait."

I quickly pushed his hand away from me and Henry bit his bottom lip, visibly insulted by my caustic reaction but that's what he got. I was reacting like a wounded animal. I was tired. When I tried to leave again, he held my wrist.

"Please, Valerie, just hear me out."

I was going to hear him out but I was already officially done with him. He could say whatever he wanted to say but I was done. The last time I allowed myself to be uninhibited I played a very high price.

I wrung my wrist from his hold and refolded may arms as I stayed by the fence.

He cupped my face and his attempts to thumb my tears away were futile because the tears continued to silently roll and I was also trying to avert my face from him.

"Please stop crying," he beseeched, his lips rubbing against my cheek when I'd turned my head. I winced at how good his lips felt against me, how reassuring and soothing his voice was. Henry tilted his head further till his lips were on mine. I gave up fighting him now as he gently turned my head up to his, all the while dropping small kisses on my lips, each kiss making me weaker. My hands were now behind me on the fence, clinging, trying to hold on.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he said next and my entire body tensed while I sucked in a breath with my eyes closed. Vast memories flashed through my mind.  These were the words George used on that fateful night that changed me. Henry paused and lifted his and I felt his eyes on me, probably wondering why my reaction was different than most women who I'm sure loved to hear those words. Once upon a time, I liked to hear them too until the after math. As I finally expelled my breath slowly, I breathed deeply and slowly opened my eyes onto to be met with his neck.

I lifted my eyes only to his lips which he was biting the corner of pensively. How was I supposed to explain everything to him and why I was feeling this way. There were just so many things going on at once.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you. I was confused," he finally explained and I was a bit surprised. I now looked him in the eye through my wet, clamped lashes. His eyes were focused on his hand as he tinkered with the fence behind me.

"It was all happening too fast Valerie, too fast for me to comprehend. You were meaning a whole lot to me too soon and I wasn't ready to get close to anyone because of this very reason; the fact that I can be a jackass because of what happened in the past."

I peered at him inquiringly and wiped the remainder of my tears. We stood quietly for a moment before curiousity killed the cat and I asked, "What happened?" 

Thankfully by then the tears had stopped rolling unchecked. The fact that he was willing to open up to me made me a bit receptive to him and not as cold. I fiddled with the hem of his shirt as I spoke shyly.

"I want you to learn to trust me too," I finally said, looking him directly in the eye. "Maybe I can understand what's going on better."

I could feel him closing up and added haltingly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable talking about it."

Henry stalled for a while as he continued to eye his hand fiddling with the fence.

"She cheated on me with my best friend at the time," he finally said with no emotion behind his tone and I frowned.

"That stupid bitch."

A small smile flickered on his lips and his eyes warmed just a little. Even despite how dejected he'd made me feel earlier, it still made me all fuzzy and warm inside to see him at least a little bit happy.

"I wasn't giving her the attention she needed. I get that way when I dive into work," he said seriously and a part of me felt it was some kind of warning. I lowered my gaze to where I was touching his shirt.

"I'm the same way, but that gave her no right to hurt you like that."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged. "I'm over it."

"Mhmm," I rolled my eyes and found that he was smirking at me knowingly.

"I had no right to mess with you like that and I'm sorry." He kissed me lightly."Forgive me?"

The sound I made was unintelligible as he played with my lips a little.

Henry suddenly stopped and muttered a curse under his breath. "Sorry. I can't keep my hands off of you."
I blushed and tried so hard not to squeal. Wow, I had it so bad.

"It's okay," I said, wishing he'd never stopped kissing me and Henry looked at me like I was crazy, then shook his head.

"No. It's not okay. We can start over and do this the right way, the slow way. As friends. And with that, I'd like to break the ice with a little game."

I couldn't help the big smile that stretched my lips as I recalled it was these games that helped us get to know each other in the beginning when we were at Seaburger and on the beach.

"What game would you like to play Henry Walker?" I asked.

"Two lies and a truth."

"Two lies and a truth?"

"I'm going to make three statements. You're going to tell me which one is the truth."

"Okay."

"I've seen a tortoise fly. Rihanna is my god. And I really, really, really like a lady called Valerie Jones."

I smiled at the last statement so hard I had to lower my face so he wouldn't see just how excited his words made me. I finally responded to him. "That one's easy! Rihanna is your god."

"Wrong." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I shyly held onto the fence, laughing as I tried to get away from him nuzzling me. "I've seen a tortoise fly."

"Oh really," I said with a laugh, knowing he was being deliberately stubborn.

"Yep. Super Mario. Stage one. Those red tortoises with wings--what?!?!"

I was laughing halfway through what he said.

"You are so wrong! What do you know about Super Mario anyway?"

"I bought the game while I was away."

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other as my knees buckled. "Why?"

"Because I really, really, really, really like a lady called Valerie Jones."

I guess that was his way of saying he thought about me too when we were away.

"Is that the truth?" I was referring to the Two Lies and a Truth game, but also just in general.

"That's the only truth," he told me somberly.

I blushed heavily and nearly turned into the fence. I couldn't believe how I allowed him to make me behave sometimes.

"I really, really, really like Henry Walker too…" I finally admitted.

"But we're going to be friends first, right?" he asked, then bit his lip as he eyed my lips, sparking a fire in me. I could only give a jerky nod as I tried to stand up right. I shouldn't have looked at his lips either. I shook away all the lewd thoughts clouding my mind.

"Well, I'm sorry for keeping you. You can go back to your party," I told him.

"No way I'm leaving you after I just got on your good side. What do you say we just get out of here?"

I was a bit apprehensive but I smiled at him and nodded and put my hand in his.

He enveloped it and squeezed. With eyes blazing invitingly, he tugged me off of the fence to follow him wherever he'd take me.

While we had taken a step forward, we were still moving through murky waters.

We were still playing a dangerous game because both our hearts weren't ready.

But our minds and bodies were fighting to have all the control.

At least that's what I thought.