Chapter 6

I was just leaving my car, walking to Earldet building when Henry popped in my mind. I went to sleep with a smile on my face and woke up feeling less heavy hearted and stressed than usual.

It was there an hour earlier than my reporting time because I wanted to show my father that I was capable of doing a good job. I wanted to look over the research I'd compiled for the project, which I'd discuss with my team later on in the day.

When I was at my cubicle I focused on my work for about thirty minutes with Henry racking my brain the entire time. I finally gave in and sent him a spontaneous text, though I regretted it soon after cause it was really early.

Valerie: Good morning

I was surprised when the response came instantly.

Henry: Lol morning

Valerie: Wth??

Henry: I bet you didn't think I'd be awake, did yah ;-)

Valerie: Why are you awake so early?

Henry: Kickboxing

Valerie: Nice ;-)

Henry: Did I get a cheeky wink?

Valerie: ;-) ;-)

Henry: Is there something in your eye miss?

Valerie: Lmao :-(

Henry: Aww i'm sorry. Here, let me make it better…

He sent me another funny picture of a cat, this time the one of the grumpy cat meme with the caption 'NO'. I smiled.

Valerie: :-|. I was waiting for the kiss smiley and you send me that!! thanks though i loved it :-D

Henry: Ah ha, so you can't wait to kiss me again either…;-) ;-) ;-)

Valerie: :-D

I was grinning like such a fool and jumped when one of my earlybird coworkers said hello. I had to set my phone down to talk to her for what I thought would be a minute but ended up thirty entire minutes. I couldn't get her to leave fast enough but she brought up something integral to the project so I entertained the conversation until we were done. Just when I wanted to get back on the phone, a work load came up that had me focused on work for the next two hours.

I finally had time to be on my phone when everyone had shown up and was working.

Valerie: Work is kicking my ass I texted him, unable to stop myself from talking to him.

Henry: I would ask what you're doing, but I'm a complete bimbo in anything to do with software development.

Valerie: LOL, it's cool. So how long have you done kickboxing?

Henry: 9 years.

Valerie: wow! ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Henry: You should come with me one day...

Henry: ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

At that moment, the phone I was grinning so foolishly at in my hands got snatched away from me.

"In my office, now!" My father roared throughout the relatively quiet room. I stared at my empty hands in surprise, my emotions doing a complete one eighty and the huge smile on my face dropping. When I looked up I found that Dad didn't wait for me to react and was already heading to the elevator. What self respecting CEO snooped on his children at work? Was he really that bored with his life?

Twisting my mouth in irritation, I got up and followed him rigidly, already. I wasn't even that embarrassed. He'd done this so many times I was accustomed to being publicly shamed by him.

The elevator doors parted open to reveal relaxed employees who tensed once Don Jones appeared. They were all suddenly attentive, standing upright. A number of hellos swept through the elevator as he stepped in. Dad acknowledged them all in his usual way: with respect but also distance. My father wasn't the loving, friendly CEO type. Though his company had a great reputation in the industry with the greatest benefits one could ask for. He was competing with companies run by younger people who reportedly gave their employees nap time and allowed them to dress casually Monday through Thursday. While he couldn't be the hip young CEO that came up with a social network that let his employees take naps, the good benefits were something that set him apart from the rest.

When we were in the elevator, Dad looked through my phone and my jaw went slack as I stared at him. An incensed, unintelligible sound shot up my throat but I bit my lip and said nothing, folding my arms to keep me from snatching it from him. We gained a few curious stares but they were all wise enough to stay mute.

When we finally got my father's quiet floor, my father asked in a curious  yet furious voice that outraged me.

"Who the hell is Henry?" Dad asked in bewilderment. The question made it seem like it was so absurd that I would be talking to a guy outside of the workforce in the first place. "And what the hell does he mean co…" He obviously couldn't say the word. "What is this?!?"

"Are you fucking kidding me dad?! That's a violation of my privacy and I don't care if you're my father or not. What do you care anyway?" I asked angrily and started for his office, hands balled in tight fists. "You're the one who told me no one would ever want to marry me any way if I didn't change."

"Don't you raise your voice at me," he warned from behind me and I rolled my eyes and made a face.

"Don't you raise your voice at me," I mimicked in a whiney tone and walked faster cause I could feel him shooting daggers at me. If I were younger I'd have been popped in the head by now.

"Young lady, don't cross me."

"Hey Valerie," his soft spoken, elderly secretary Heather greeted but her smile dropped as did her eyes to her desk when she saw me and my father's expression.

When in his office, he closed the door, pointing my phone at me. "How many chances do I have to keep giving you before I let you go?"

"Don't ever look through my phone again! That's a violation of my privacy! I don't care if your my father or not!" I repeated my earlier words combatively.

"I only saw it because you were openly texting at work which as I've told you many times before is a violation of our policy. You don't like our rules, get out--" He cut himself off when the phone sounded that another text had been received.

He held it out of my reach when I tried to grab it.

"No texting while on the job. You haven't even gotten anything done today and you're sitting there texting.What impression does that leave my other workers? That I don't respect them and give my dear daughter special treatment-"

"HEY EVERYBODY!!! DADDY DOESN'T GIVE VALERIE SPECIAL TREATMENT!! DO YOU HEAR ME??!!?!?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, making my father bug eyed.

"Are you mental?!?!" Dad asked in disbelief. Another text was received on my phone.

"Give me my phone!"

"Sit your butt down in that chair right now!"

Another text came and the warning look in my father's eyes told me I had no choice.

I huffed and stomped to the lounge area in his expansive office. As I sat down heavily, another text came and my father looked at my phone.

"DADDY STOP!!"

"Lower your voice!" he ordered as he surprised me, turning the device off without further reading my texts.

As I sat fuming, my father sat on the sofa across from me.

"How many chances do I have to keep giving you before I kick you out?"

"I think you're dying to kick me out. Why can't you just write me up like you do everyone else? Why are you so fucking uptight?"

"Language." His eyes were narrowed drably.

"Why Daddy? Why can't you just chill--"

"You children. Like chilling is what got me to where I am. Do you realize how lucky you are to have the life you have? Do you know how much sacrifice…"

The next ten minutes were filled with lectures of what an ungrateful brat I was and basically how I should be kissing the ground my father walks on. A few threats here and there were thrown in of my imminent termination.

"Are you done?" I asked impatiently when he was done talking.

"Yes. But you can only get your phone back at lunch."

"Dad!!!"

"Mr. Jones."

I sighed sharply and stood up with a roll for my eyes, fretfully going to the door.

"Wait!"

"What?!" I asked aggravatedly at the door.  

"Make sure he is treating you right. You don't want a man who sends you suggestive innuendos, especially in a text. That means he has no respect for you." My father struggled to say, awkwardly forcing the words out of his mouth and finding it hard to look at me.

"Also…" He stood up, pocketing his hands and avoiding eye contact before going on. "Be careful."

I blinked at my father in surprise. He'd only given me this advice once before and that's when I thought I was invited to prom.

My gaping mouth widened and morphed into a surprised smile.

"You care about me!" I accused in surprise, slowly advancing back to the room. He cleared his throat uncomfortably as he walked to his desk.

"I want you back on that floor and back to work. Do I make myself clear? You need to stop talking to this boy! He is distracting you from your successful future. Now go work and write him off from your life this instant!"

This was all so comical to me, how he was grasping at straws to be militant as usual. He'd already let his usually hidden concern slip through the cracks. I followed him and stood across from his desk, where he occupied his beloved leather CEO chair.

"You love me, dad." I couldn't hide my teasing smile.

"It's Mr. Jones at work," he said tightly, never once looking at me, flipping indignantly through some books. I wanted to hear what he'd say. Strange enough, my father had never said those words to me. I mean my mother told me he said it once when I was a baby, but obviously I couldn't remember.

"Admit it. You actually care about me," I taunted.

"If you keep up with the games, Valerie, I'm cutting your salary down less than half."

I was out of that office so fast my had was spinning.

Right before lunch, Heather brought my cell phone to me and I turned it on urgently. I was pleased to find that Dad really hadn't read anymore messages of mine. For all his ways, he was truly a man of his word.  As I read Henry's texts, I broke into a fit of laughter, all the while feeling bad.

Henry: …

Henry: …Valerie….

Henry: …Valerie?

Henry: Wait…did I upset you?

Henry: I just reread the message and I see how it looks…

Henry: Trust me, It's not what it looks like. I promise you, that was not meant to be a rude joke…..

Henry: and by 'rude' I mean suggestive. it's how we say 'dirty' in Britain, just in case you were wondering.

Henry: Valerie?! Talk to meee

Henry: PLEEEASE?!?!?!

Henry: I don't think you're cheap or a whore I swear.

Henry: You know if anything this is all your fault. Your silence turned it into a dirty joke. I didn't even think of it being rude until you didn't say anything.

Henry: Okay I guess I did upset you. I'm sorry…

With my back against the elevator wall, I was looking up at the ceiling laughing with my hand over my mouth. I felt horrible. I began punching the keys to text him back, wearing the biggest grin on my face.

Valerie: omg you'll never believe what just happened! I'm so sorry! My dad took my phone from me cause I was paying too much attention to my texts. then guess what he sees?! 'you should come with me some time ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)' lmao.

Henry: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. …

Valerie: rotflmao henry stop

Henry:  :-( so I'm basically a dead man
 
Valerie: LOL he isn't about to do shit. you are not making him lose money so he isn't going to do shit

Henry: Was he mad?

Valerie: nah and who cares if he's mad i'm freaking 26.

Henry: Bloody hell. Do you know what you put me through this morning?! I know we just met but I couldn't stand the thought of you being upset with me

This tugged at my heart strings and made me smile.

Valerie: I think you are the type who it would be very hard to get mad at.

Henry: why does everyone say that lol

Valerie: because you are such a sweet person. You wouldn't even hurt a fly. Okay, got to go. My team mates and I are having a discussion about our project over lunch. I hope you had a good kickboxing session ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Henry: Okay. Lol. Take care.

***

Henry answered the door and instantly took my breath away. His tousled hair was pushed back with a few strands fallen over his forehead. He had on a loosely tucked in, denim shirt, unbuttoned till his diaphragm and rolled up to his elbows. Darker colored jeans concealed his long legs down to worn brown boots. As beautiful as he was,  the one thing that caught my eye was the peach colored apron ruffled at the edges, with an assortment of brightly colored flowers across the front.

Here was this tall glass of man with a flowery material around his waist.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

A hand suddenly pointed at it and I looked up to find Peter sticking his head into the door frame.

"This is his, not mine," Peter warned urgently and Ella let out a sigh of relief that made us all laugh.

"Hey!"Henry pretend to be offended but with a smile on his face that made my heart flutter.

"You're lucky you're good looking," She said as she pinched his dimpled cheek and gave him a hug.

"You like it?" Henry asked me with a goofy open mouth smile and his arms outward while he stepped back to let me in. This tidbit once again showed me how Henry didn't take himself too seriously. Sometimes men were too stiff in their roles of being men.

"I love it," I assured him as I gave him a hug. And wow, he gave the best hugs. I didn't want to let go.

"Good. That's all that matters." He said as he squeezed me in the hug.

"Eww!!" I pulled back and he laughed.

"Come on, that wasn't that bad," he tried to reason.

Once in the house I was immediately wrapped up by a heavenly aroma that heightened my hunger. I even got a bit lightheaded because I hadn't really eaten that much that day and I was bone tired from an extra hour of cardio in the gym.

So in addition to being a successful producer, Henry could cook too. His bangers and mash were amazing. Why did he have to make me fall for him more? He could cook way more than I could. I'd learned from Ella, and that wasn't much.

I was brought up to focus more on having straight A's, coding my ass out, and planning for a successful career path rather than how to be the domestic caretaker.

"That's it?" Henry asked when I got up to put my plate in the sink. Everyone else got seconds.

"I want to carry my seconds home," I evaded his question and cleared my plate in the sink. 

"Mhmm," Peter murmured when my back was to him and I soon heard an 'ow!'. I looked over my shoulder to see that Ella had probably kicked him under the table cause he was hunched down, returning her scowl.

She saw me looking and quickly smiled, then turned to Henry. I found her behavior weird, but I just turned back around and finished washing my dish.

"Henry, you need to teach this lazy bum how to cook. He can't do anything," I heard Ella complaining.

"Look, most men don't cook," Peter defended himself.

I was back at the table with them now.

"That's a good stereotype," Henry said blandly. Even the way he said that was sexy. Everything this guy did in my opinion was sexy. He was making me lose my mind.

"Well, some stereotypes are true," I pointed out, trying to stay on track. "I've not met that many men that can cook. My father and my brother never cooked."

"Amen, Val," Peter said, holding up his bottled water to me.

"You have a brother," Henry said as he analyzed me, and I tried hard not to become fixated on his lips. I wanted to suck on the fuller bottom lip like I had last time. Suddenly I felt hot and bothered and tried to stay focused.

"Don't worry, he's harmless," Peter interjected before I could respond. "You can still get your mack on. Ow!!"

Ella kicked him under the table again. Henry only shook his head at him but didn't respond. I knew my cheeks were bright pink and my fingers tingled. I'd never been in a situation like this before.

"I guess it depends," Henry sat back, rubbing his hands over his jean-clad thighs while looking at us. I unhurriedly trailed my eyes down his body. I noticed a new tattoo I hadn't seen before in cursive writing on the left side of his strong, virile neck. I normally didn't like men who were over marked with tattoos but they just worked for him. My mouth watered as I lowered my gaze to his exposed collarbone and down his chest, where his silver pendant lay. Staring at the little I could see of his chest, I concluded it was no doubt he took working out seriously. Was it the kickboxing?

He made a motion with his hands and I looked at them, captivated by their size. I was intrigued by the black bracelette he had on one wrist, wondering what was inscribed on it. What got me more was th network of veins protruding up his forearm. The sight began to build a pool between my thighs. What the fuck was happening to me around this guy?

Curiously I continued down till my eyes met with his groin. My cheeks become warm, and I quickly flittered my eyes down to his long legs. I took a much needed gulp of wine as plenty thoughts raided my mind. I wanted to climb on top of him at that moment just to see what he felt like. Thankfully when he spoke he dragged me back to reality.

"I had no choice but to learn how to cook," Henry continued. "I had to take care of my younger siblings cause Mom was always working."

It's no secret that his loyalty to his mother was a huge portion of his life.

"How many siblings do you have?" I asked him.

"Two. A little sister and brother. You?"

I set my wine glass down. "A geriatric older brother and a younger sister. And…yeah." My heart was thumping in my chest. Ella and I shared a passing glance but tried not to make it obvious. She looked a bit surprised. It's just talking to Henry always made me conflicted because I didn't like lying to him. I felt this way even though I'd just met him, but I truly felt so comfortable around him like I'd known him for years, I wanted to tell him things I never told most people.

"The middle child," he said with a small smile and I tried not to remember his kisses.

"Was it pressure being the first born?" I asked, praying my mind would stop wandering.

"I liked the pressure," he said immediately in his usual easygoing nature as he sat forward. It's like nothing ever phased him. I stared at his hands as he linked them together on the table, remembering how protectively they'd held my waist the first night we met at Chasers. 

"So did you guys see that article about how sex may actually help in prolonging life?" Ella suddenly asked.

"I can see that," Peter said.

"Uh oh. Think I saw an eye roll," Henry said to me with a teasing smile and I knew then I'd been caught. He'd been observing me.

"Well I just think sex is overrated," I said and he lifted a surprised brow with an an intrigued nod.

"Really…" he murmured as he watched me with a blanketed expression. It was always hard to know what was running through his mind.

"Oh god here we go," Ella sighed and sat back in exhaustion, but I could tell she was joking.

"I'm serious," I told her.

"Come on. You're just saying that because you don't get any," Peter said smugly.

"Peter!" Ella exclaimed.

"Not that you're not capable." Peter quickly reassured me. "You just choose not to. I bet if you found a guy who did it right you wouldn't be saying that."

"I don't think it's right to dissect what someone else's sex life is like. If she thinks sex is overrated, then it's overrated. It isn't everything, you know," Henry said and for the first time I saw him actually look a bit irritated with Peter but he was trying his hardest not to show it.

I was beaming on the inside because of Henry's gentlemanly ways. Now I knew why he loved his mother so much. She taught him well. Peter could learn a thing or a thousand from him.

"Dude don't even try to bring that media training you have from when you were in that boy band for a short time."

"What?" Ella asked in surprise.

"You were in a boy band?" I asked in shock too, trying not to smile. Henry could have killed Peter with the glare he gave him. His gaze softened when he looked my way and he only shook his head..

"Don't remind me," he pleaded gruffly and I laughed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his head bowed in shame, making a few dark brown strands fall over his forehead as a light pink crept up his cheeks.

My interest in him was piqued again. I tried to imagine him in a boy band and nearly laughed but it also made me wonder how much work ethic he had to have tried that too at some point in his life. He did say he had to take care of his siblings.

"This guy has got chics lined up to the heavens and hell so he shouldn't be talking about sex not being everything."

"Not true." This time Henry didn't hide his annoyance, cutting his eyes at Peter. His brows knotted in the way that normally got me excited. Okay maybe I thought sex was overrated but that didn't stop me from finding him extremely sexy.

"I just feel people let it govern their lives," I moved the topic back on track when I saw how vexed Henry was becoming. He looked relieved and even surprised that I didn't let Peter continue harping on him, but I could tell he was trying to study my reaction from that point on. I tried not to give anything away as I didn't know what to make of what Peter had said. I had to remind myself that while I felt like I'd known Henry for years, I'd just met him and there was till a lot to learn.

So he was probably a notorious flirt, not really surprising. It made me feel like one of many, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was. Those girls at Margaret's weren't flocking to him for nothing.

"Well when you meet a guy who finally rocks your world, let's see if you'll say the same thing," Ella said with a suggestive wriggle of her eyebrows and I just laughed with an eye roll.

We all talked for a while and soon I started clearing out the table, deciding that I would do the dishes. I was offered help but insisted on doing it alone. I was too used to doing things on my own especially with how my father trained me to be.

All three were in the living room while I focused on washing the dishes, trying not to daydream about how much I wanted to kiss those tattoos under Henry's collar. Or how I wanted so much to run my hands up and down his tattooed arms, tracing the veins that raced from his wrists.

And his hands…his strong hands…

My eyes fluttered closed without much of my control and I bit a moan that threatened to escape my lips, continuing to rub the sponge against the porcelain plate. 

"Hi."

I jumped, my eyes flying open. I soon felt a warm body behind me, then his scent, which made my nerves flurry to life. Henry was taller enough than me to where he could comfortably rest his chin on the crown of my head if he bent a little.

Arms bracketed my waist. Then I saw his hands joining mine as I sought for the dishes in the bubbly sink. I sucked my breath and stepped back, my initial reflex to get away. Only when I tried to step back, I couldn't because his firm body was there, my behind bumping against his hard thighs.

Every wall that I normally walked around with began to crumble like it always did in his presence. I felt nervous and weak. My mind was like fallen leaves scattered by the wind and I didn't know what to say or do.

"Shall I help you?" he asked me, the low whisper of his voice and the nuzzling that followed making me tremble.

Now I understood why those women were acting up. Henry was lethal in how he approached women. I should have tried hard to get but I'd never played that game and right now I was just too nervous to do anything. His presence was overpowering for some reason.

"Um, n-no it's fine. I think…I think…I got it." It was a miracle that I was able to get those words out.

"Do you clean to avoid people?" I felt his voice through his chest, vibrating against my back. My entire body tensed as a fuzzy feeling cascaded through me. Every time he got close its like my feelings became chaotic.

"I…no…" I said in a small voice. I couldn't believe how pitiful I sounded around him. But how could I not be reduced to just blushes and speechlessness when I now had a very close view of the flexing muscles in his arms as he too fished for things to wash.

"No? You know you did this last time."He gently pilfered the sponge from me and began washing some forks. He handed them to me to rinse and I'd place them on the dish rack.

"At Margaret's. You cleaned to avoid talking to people," he continued.

Then I felt him nuzzling right behind my ear, making a sharp electrical charge go through me.

I shrugged helplessly, my mind short-fused. We continued to wash quietly, and even as nervous as he made me, I liked all this very much.

"You smell nice." he said quietly, his voice gravelly. "Like peaches."

My nipples ached as they tightened and I inhaled deeply as I shivered.

"You smell nice too," I took a stab at flirting with him too, my cheeks burning when I did so.

"Oh really…" he drawled into my hair.

"Yes. Your hair smells like apples," I said with as much boldness as I could muster.

"Apples?" he asked laughingly, sounding amused. I'd never get over the feeling of him smiling. It was almost better than looking at him smile.

I wanted to explain to him that this was all new to me, then again, wasn't. It was new but it was making me panic. I really hated myself at that moment, but didn't have much time to think.

"Henry?"

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

"What?" he asked laughingly and I knew he was trying hard not to laugh harder. I smiled, tilting my head back to look at him with a smile that told him he could laugh his merry heart out. When I looked at him, he gently whisked his lips across my cheek.

"Am I afraid of you?" he asked, looking down at me.

I nodded, watching his hands again as he washed a plate.

"I normally don't believe in fear but the one thing that does always get to me is snakes. And maybe earthquakes, but you are asking me if I'm afraid of a harmless thing like you?"

"I have issues. They should make you afraid…" Even I didn't particularly like the sound of my voice. It was very cryptic and I didn't sound like a safe person at all, but in my mind, I was trying to help him.

"The thing about songwriting, it's just like storytelling. I love stories. I think people are the way they are cause we all have different stories. I'm interested in people's stories. Everyone has a reason. People are only scared of things they don't understand, that's why you help them understand you."

I had never heard anyone say anything like that, and it drew me to him even more. I wasn't even as tense as I was before. I was leaning against him now. He leaned down, his face now close to mine.

"Does that silence mean I was painfully corny?" he asked and I could feel his smile against my cheek.

"No. It means I'm amazed by you."

He smiled into my hair before moving his warm mouth over my ear, sending chills down my spine. His feather-light touch contacted a spot so sensitive I flinched away from him. Feeling foolish and blushing furiously, I rinsed some dishes.

"Do I make you nervous?' he asked in a low murmur that hypnotized me.  He'd then let go of the sponge and interlocked his fingers with mine. The sudsy water made his touch extra delicate. I bit my lip as I blushed.

"A little bit," I finally admitted with a frustrated frown aimed at myself.

"Don't be. I'm no one special."

"I'm not used to men being like this with me," I finally admitted after a moment's silence. My insecurities and doubts were simmering down the more I was around him.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Not with you. I like it when you do it. I just…" my voice tapered off when I couldn't find the words.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he reassured soothingly.

"I'll tell you…"

I extricated my hand from his and run them over the colorful, black-outlined tattooes on his right forearm. Henry's breath hitched the moment my fingers made contact with his skin.It was roughened slightly by the fine hairs that straightened once I applied water to them.

"Valerie…" Henry sighed roughly into my ear and a strangled voice escaped my throat at the sound of his deep voice.

"You are so beautiful Henry," I murmured as I marveled over his arms, taking free rein and exploring the rifts and valleys that shifted as his muscles reacted to my touch. Each exploration of his skin, trading the tattoos, leaving small mountains of foam on his skin, got me excited and made my breath shallow. I completely forgot we were in someone else's kitchen. I forgot where I was when I was around him.

 I gasped when he trapped my earlobe lightly in his teeth and tagged gently.

"Henry…" I whimpered and my hands closed around his forearms arms, right before his elbows, and I was met with the steely surface of his hard muscles. My knees buckled and I bit my lip to keep me from moaning.

His teeth nipped down to my jaw, which I didn't even know was a sensitive spot. Electricity zapped through me and I pressed my back into him, wanting to feel more of him.

I tilted my head sideways without much thought, giving him more access as he lowered his soft bites to the base of my neck. He started sucking hungrily on the sensitive portion of skin.

This time I couldn't stop the small moan that escaped my lips, which Henry groaned in appreciation to as he continued to suck on me.

My neck arched back and the back of my head dug into his flexing shoulder as he sucked strongly but my feeling of bliss stopped when his wet hand came to over my womb, damping my shirt. He began to bunch it up and lift it.

I froze and luckily at the same time Peter called out to Henry from the living room.

"Yo Henry?!"

Henry suddenly stopped as if being snatched out of a trance, his lips leaving my skin in a strong sucking that stung a little, making me jump.

"Henry?!" Peter called out again and as my heart caused a racket within me, my mind spinning over what I'd just allowed to happen, Henry dropped his forehead onto my shoulder, muttering a curse under his breath. 

"The sound of his voice grinds my fucking gears!" he whispered through clenched teeth. I only realized he was clutching onto my shirt when he let go, his hand joining his other at the edge of the sink where he gripped so tight his knuckles turned white. 

"Just go! Go before he comes in here. I'll meet you there when I finish up." I tried not to let my voice sound as shaky as I was feeling. I'd let go of his arms and hid my shaky hands in the water, searching for something to wash.

He made a noncommittal sound that I found adorable. He wanted to stay with me and while that made me happy it began to terrify me now that he wasn't kissing me anymore. Reality was settling in.

"Can we talk outside when we're done? I.." I asked haltingly, with as much boldness as I could muster when I felt him moving away from me. I'd become too used to the feeling of him. When I realized how urgent I came off, I became embarrassed.

"You what…" he said hotly into my neck, licking lightly before pressing a small kiss there that made me shiver. I hesitated, now wringing the sponge like a shy little girl. Gosh, the things Henry Walker did to me!

"Tell me. Tell me, Valerie," he muttered and I bit another moan when his hot tongue danced around the portion on my neck he'd made throb.

"I'd like to be alone with you." I found myself saying, all my restraint drifting again.

"Of course. I love talking to you," He said in a raspy voice. My shoulders hiked when his lips tickled the outer shell of my ear before he pressed another firm kiss and peeled himself away from me. I heard him wiping his hands with the kitchen towel and was shocked when he gave me a peck on my cheek and disappeared out of the kitchen.

Once I was alone, I blinked my life into focus and took deep breaths, wondering if I was still in a dream state of some sort.

My hands convulsed fervently as I struggled to finish the dishes. My mind was jumping all over the place along with my heart. My face was a furnace as all this energy coursed through my veins. It was a miracle I could still stand.

I completed washing and found them in the living room, having a heated discussion about politics.

"Why is your shirt so wet?" Ella asked and I suddenly remembered Henry gripping it, trying to lift it.

I shot a mortified glance his way, but Henry didn't even look up, continuing his conversation with Peter.

"Uh, just washing dishes," I laughed nervously and sat on the arm of the chair, listening to their opinions about politics.

A few moments later, Henry got a phone call and excused himself from us. Peter stepped into the kitchen for a beer and that's when Ella linked her arm with mine and pulled, making me slide from the arm of the chair where to the cushiony couch next to her.

"What the fuck is this?!" Ella whispered, her eyes alit with amusement. I inched back when she touched my neck and winced a bit at how sensitive the skin was.

"What are you talking about?" I asked panicky and wide eyed with my and over my neck. I could still feel his lips.

"He gave you a hickey didn't he?!"

"What?!" I asked in surprise. Ella reached for her purse, which was by her on the couch, and handed me her compact mirror.

I became goggle eyed when I saw bruising where Henry's lips had been. I'd never gotten a hickey before…

"He so wants to fuck you!!" Ella continued whispering in delight, bouncing in her seat while looking in the hallway where Henry had disappeared.

"Will you stop!! That's vulgar as hell!"

"I saw you guys in the kitchen bumpin' and grindin'!" She said while rolling her hips as she sat and I swatted her. She looked so excited she could jump through the roof. "I didn't know you started kissing??"

"You were spying on us??" I knew my face was extremely red now. I felt so embarrassed because of how I behaved: so openly, fearlessly, and shamelessly. For a long time I accepted that I didn't deserve to be that way and now Ella had seen me in one of my most vulnerable moments ever. I was about to crawl under the coffee table at the center of the living room. Ugh.

"No I wasn't!" She tried to defend herself. "I wanted more wine but you and him were all over each other. I've never seen you let a guy stand next to you for that long ever since--"

"Not true." I broke eye contact as I continued to rub my neck.

"Remember how you push guys away from you in the club? You didn't push Henry away! Oh god it was so cute you guys were washing the dishes together! Val, seriously, you need to hop on this one. Listen to what Josephine said and hop on that British d!!!"

"British d? What's that?" Henry asked with a surreptitious smile as he rejoined us in the living room, his hands behind him as he adjusted his pants.

Somewhere along the way, Ella's voice changed into a normal speaking volume. It would do that when she says that stupid phrase her and Josephine came up with.

I opened my mouth and tried to think of a way out of this but Ella interrupted.

"It's a new dance." Her devilish smile left nothing to be desired.

"Really? Haven't heard of it." Henry;s innocuousness didn't fool me. He sat on the couch next to mine. I could barely look at him.

"Yeah, you do the bunny hop and then ride like a cowgirl. Yeehaw!" She really had the nerve to demonstrate. Henry's eyes danced amusedly as he watched and nodded slowly; even his mocking was polite. I embarrassedly lowered Ella's arms.

"You are just so stupid it hurts!" I chastised her.

"Hey man where's the other beers?" Peter asked at the doorway to the kitchen and Henry excused himself to go show him where they were.

"Don't ever do that again!" I hissed at Ella, smacking her arm as she doubled over on the couch, gripping her stomach as she laughed her heart out. It didn't take long for a smile to begin breaking through my irritated frown.

"Shut up," I mumbled, twisting my lips so I wouldn't smile foolishly along with her.

Minutes later the guys emerged from the kitchen, Henry with two sweating bottles of beer in his hands.

"Alright Peaches, I got our beers. Let's go sit on the porch," He said to me. At first I didn't know what he was talking about, then I remembered him saying I smelled like peaches. The smile on my face couldn't be erased.

I shot up to my feet. "Okay Apples!"

His grinned his sweet grin when he knew I was on the same page. Effortlessly he wrapped his fingers around two bottles in the same hand, using the other to open the door.

I heard Ella whispering as I followed him out the door.

"Girl…ya'll got nicknames already??"

When I looked over at her I was relieved to find that Peter was focused on the game and hadn't heard her.

"Shh! Leave me to be alone with my Apples. Bye!" I stuck my tongue out at her smiling face before going out and closing the door behind me.