Without You.

I was up before the sun and with a groan, I stretched my arms over my head, kicked off the blankets and got out of bed. Not much sense just lying around, I thought. My stomach was filled with butterflies. I was nervous, yet excited for my day of fishing with Henry. Part of me felt guilty and I tried to shake it off, telling myself that there was no harm in what I was doing. We were just friends, nothing more.
I showered, dressed and packed a beach bag with a towel, sun tan lotion and a few odd things I thought I might need.
I decided that since I still had plenty of time, I'd bake some cinnamon rolls and went into the kitchen. I loved baking, it was so relaxing. My grandmother was an amazing baker and every Saturday I spent at their house growing up, we would make all sorts of goodies.
By the time I finished and had cleaned up, it was quarter to seven. I opened the front door, letting in the morning breeze and went back to the kitchen to start breakfast.
Henry peaked his head in the door at exactly seven o'clock.
"Good morning." He said in a cheery voice, a grin across his face.
"Morning." I smiled, looking up at him as I took the bacon from the frying pan.
"Smells good in here." Henry commented as he stepped inside and made his way to the table.
"I'm making breakfast."
"I can see that," he laughed. "I was going to take you out, but this is way better!"
"There are cinnamon rolls if you want one." I pointed to the plate in the middle of the table.
"You really went all out," Henry looked impressed. "What time were you up this morning?"
"Sometime before five."
"Jeez, why that early?" He asked and I shrugged.
"I don't sleep very well."
I focused my attention back to breakfast and grabbed the eggs from the fridge.
"How do you like your eggs?"
"Over-easy please."
I cracked three eggs into the frying pan and washed my hands. I started some toast and turned my attention back to the eggs.
"Fuck, these are amazing." Henry groaned. I turned sideways to look at him and he grinned at me before taking another bite.
"Thanks." I laughed awkwardly.
"You should sell these, I'd buy them all."
"They aren't that good." I could feel the blush creeping on to my cheeks. Accepting compliments wasn't my strong suit.
"I'm serious, you should open a bakery or something."
I let out another laugh, but didn't say anything. I scraped the eggs from the pan and placed two on a plate for Henry and one on another for me. I stacked the toast on a seperate plate, took the jam, a bowl of cut up fruit and the jug of orange juice out of the fridge and set them all on the table.
"Dig in." I told Henry as I sat down at the head of the table.
"You're amazing." He grinned at me as he filled his plate.
"I know." I gave him a cheeky grin and we began eating.

"God," Henry groaned after he'd cleaned off his plate. "I'm so full I don't think I can move."
"So no fishing then?" I teased with a grin as I stood and began clearing the table.
"Oh you're not getting off the hook that easily!" Henry laughed and began helping me.
"It was worth a try."
Henry helped me clean the dishes and put everything away.
"Are you all set to go?" He asked once the kitchen was back in order.
"As ready as I'll ever be." I replied and Henry laughed.
I grabbed the bag from the chair and we left the cottage. Henry took my bag from me as I locked the door. His mustang had been replaced with a big black shiny truck.
"How many vehicles do you own?" I teased as we walked down the short gravel driveway.
"Three." He replied and opened the passenger door so I could get in.
"What's the third?" I asked.
"A motorcycle." Henry grinned at me and shut the door. I watched him walk around the vehicle and get in the driver's side.
"You have to take me for a drive, I love motorcycles!" I exclaimed and he laughed.
Henry turned on the engine and backed out of the driveway.
"So where are we going?" I questioned turning my head sideways to look at him.
"Lost lake."
"I've never heard of it."
"Of course you haven't." Henry teased, glancing quickly at me before bringing his attention back to the road, a big grin spread across his face. "It's my secret spot."
"Of course it is." I laughed.
We grew silent and I turned my head to look out the passenger window, watching the passing scenery. The longer I was home, the more I realized how much I missed the simplicity and beauty of the small country town. I felt at ease here, away from the busy city.

I felt a hand brush against the side of my face gently and then fingers run through my hair. I let out a light groan and tried to bury my face deeper into the firm pillow. I was confused, I didn't bring a pillow. Frowning, I slowly opened my eyes and realized I was staring at the underside of a steering wheel and Henry's long legs. I must have fallen asleep. Somehow I found myself lying sideways across the seat with my head on Henry's thigh. I could feel my face flush with embarrassment.
"Have a good nap?" He asked with a chuckle as he grinned down at me.
I quickly sat up and rubbed my eyes.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Don't worry about it sweetheart. You were up so early, you needed a rest." Henry replied.
"This lake is beautiful!" I exclaimed as I looked out the front window.
It seemed as though the road we took to get here was the only access point. The border of the entire lake was surrounded by forest. There was a little old red motorboat anchored near the shore and in the middle of the lake there were two oddly shaped islands a few feet apart. The water was such a dark clear blue and stood perfectly still.
"Come on, let's get out and get set up." Henry shut the engine off and climbed out of the truck.
I followed his lead and slinging my bag over my shoulder, slammed the truck door shut behind me as I got out. I walked to the edge of the lake and Henry joined me a few minutes later with a book bag, a bait box, two fishing rods and a cooler.
"I have to go and get the boat." He said as he set everything down.
"Is the water good for swimming?" I asked.
"Please tell me you brought a bathing suit!" Henry pleaded, his eyes round as saucers. "I knew I was forgetting to tell you something." He scowled.
"Don't worry," I laughed. "I have my bathing suit on under my clothes."
"Oh good," he sighed with relief, a smile spreading across his face.
Henry pulled his shirt over his head and tossed in beside the rest of his things. My eyes couldn't help but wander as he stood in front of me in nothing but a pair of black board shorts. Henry's shoulders were wide, his chest and arms big and muscular. He had a bit of dark chest hair and a small trail led down passed his belly button to the edge of his shorts.
"Like what you see?" He chuckled.
I snapped from my gaze and saw Henry smirking at me. I felt so embarrassed.
"Maybe." I replied shyly, my face burning.
Winking at me, he turned and headed into the lake. When he reached the boat, the water was at his belly button. Henry pulled the anchor from the water and placing it in the boat, used the rest of the rope to drag the it to shore.
"I hope you don't mind getting your feet a little wet." He dropped the anchor and walked the couple steps to shore in knee high water.
"Of course not." I grinned and took off my sandals, then bent over to pick them up. I loved the water.
Henry gathered up all his things and I followed him into the lake. It was a bit chilly, but felt refreshing in the heat of the sun. It was going to be such a nice day, I thought smiling to myself.
"Hop in." He told me as we reached it.
Henry placed his stuff in the boat, then took my bag from me and set it in as well. He reached for my hand, I held it and stepped out of the water and into the boat. Once I was safely seated near the front, Henry got in causing it to rock gently back and forth. He sat near the motor, pulled up the anchor and started it up. With a grin, we began to glide smoothly along the water leaving a wake in our path. Henry steered us around the bigger of the two islands and shut off the motor in what seemed to be the middle of the lake. Once again he dropped the anchor.
"Ready to do some fishing?"
"I guess so." I grinned back at him.
Henry carefully stood and sat on the bench in the middle of the boat, closer to me. I watched him as he opened up his bait box and grabbed the fishing poles from the floor. He then showed me how to bait the hook and throw the line. In all honesty, fishing alone was pretty boring, but Henry made it fun. If it wasn't for his constant chatter, I would have been bored out of my mind. Of course, I wasn't about to tell him that.
"I give up." I groaned after Henry had caught four fish and I had none.
"How about we go swimming?" He laughed, reeling in his line.
"That sounds amazing." I told him and pulled my shirt over my head. As Henry watched me, I carefully stood and unbuttoned my jean shorts. As I was pulling them down, the boat rocked and I stumbled. Henry quickly reach out and gripped my waist, steading me.
"Thanks." I blushed at the feeling of his big warm hands on my skin. I quickly took my shorts off and sat back down.
I watched as his eyes scanned over my body.
"Like what you see?" I teased.
"A lot!" He nodded vigorously and then smirked at me.
"So who's jumping in first?" I asked.
"I will." Henry replied. "I'll make sure the lake monster isn't around."
"There'd better be no lake monster!" I laughed swatting at him playfully.
"We'll just have to wait and see." He grinned and swiftly stood, diving into the water.
"How's the water?" I asked as he resurfaced and shook the water from his hair.
"Devine, you have to come in!"
"Alright, I'm coming." I couldn't wait to get in.
"Jump, jump, jump!" Henry cheered me on. I laughed and did a cannonball into the water.
"Hey!" Henry protested as I wiped the water from my eyes. "You got me wet!"
"Aww I'm sorry." I laughed and swam towards him. "Do you think you'll survive?" I asked.
"I don't know," he pouted. "I might need some mouth to mouth."
"In your dreams!" I teased and splashed him.
"Hey, be nice Eva!"
I tried to splash him again, but he grinned mischievously and ducked under water. Suddenly I felt arms wrap around my legs, I was lifted out of the water and thrown back in. When I came back to the surface I saw Henry a few feet away, his grin even wider now.
"You're mean." I told him with a pout.
"Not as mean as you though." He stated and swam towards me.
"Time for a truce?" I asked.
"I think so." Henry nodded. We were treading water so close to each other that every so often our legs would brush together.
"Thanks for bringing me with you today."
"Of course, I'd do anything for a beautiful girl like you."
"Don't say things like that." I blushed.
"Why not?" Henry frowned.
"I don't know." I shrugged, looking down into the water. Henry lifted my chin with his fingers and stared at me.
"Are you blushing?" He was grinning again. "Do I make you blush Eva?"
"I'm not blushing." I grumbled.
"Just admit it," Henry teashed. "It's not a bad thing."
"I'm not blushing." I argued, my cheeks burning.
"You are just the cutest thing." He laughed and leaned over in the water to kiss my cheek.
"Oh stop!" I exclaimed making him laugh again.
"Are you getting hungry?"
"A bit." I nodded.
"Let's go eat then." Henry suggested and we swam back to the boat.
I watched as he pulled himself out of the water using the edge of the boat and swung his body over the side. Once the boat had settled he reached down and grabbed both of my hands, pulling me from the water. I smiled at him in thanks and took my place on the bench. Henry started up the motor and brought us close to the island.
"We'll have to get out here, but it's only knee high water." He told me as he dropped the anchor.
"I think we'll manage."
"I hope you like sandwhiches." Henry said as he stepped from the boat and into the water. He took my hand and helped me out, then grabbed his bookbag and cooler from the boat.
"I could eat anything right now."
I followed him ashore and through a little clearing in the trees. It was beautiful. There was a little grassy hill and it seemed as though the trees only grew along the border of the water. Henry stopped at the top and set his things down on a huge rock. He dug through his bag, pulled out a blanket and spread it on the ground.
"Have a seat" He told me.
"Thanks." I smiled at him and sat down.
"Do you want some water?" Henry asked.
"That'd be great." I told him and watched as he opened the cooler. He reached in and took out two bottles of water. He handed them to me and then grabbed a plastic bag from his book bag. He sat down, opened the bag and gave me a sandwhich.
We ate mostly in silence, I was enjoying the peace and quiet and the feeling of the sun's heat on my cool skin. Once we were finished eating, we packed up our things and stood staring at each other.
"What should we do now?"
"Want to go and check out the other island?" Henry suggested.
"That sounds like fun." I replied with a smile.
Henry led me down the other side of the hill and to the shore. The islands were maybe ten feet apart and there were big rocks poking out of the water. We waded across, Henry holding my hand tightly to keep me from slipping of the rocky bottom, the water to just above our knees. On the farther side of the smaller island, there was a small sandy beach and we spent most of the afternoon relaxing and swimming as we got to know one another better.

"Want to come back to my house and I'll cook us some fish for supper?" Henry asked as we headed back into town later that evening.
The truck windows were rolled down, Henry had his left arm on the window ledge and his right hand on the wheel. The cool breeze blowing through the cab made the heat of the truck bearable.
"Sure," I agreed glancing sideways at him to smile. "Sounds great."
"You aren't sick of me yet?" He teased.
"Well I think I'll be able to deal with you for a couple more hours if it means I get food out of it."
A dimple appeared on Henry's cheek as he laughed and I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. The wind was tousling his auburn streaked hair and his skin, golden brown from countless hours spent in the sun.
Henry lifted his arm from the window and took the wheel. He reached across the cab with his right arm and gently took my hand in his. His slightly calloused hand was twice the size of mine, his fingers long and thick. He began rubbing his thumb in circles on the top of my hand and I was starting to tingle. Henry's touch felt foreign and new. I was so unsure, a nervous fluttering in my stomach and my heart beat quickened. All it took was his hand touching mine.
"Alright, here we are." Henry stated as we turned down a long driveway surrounded by trees and pulled up to a log home.
The front was triangular shaped and had floor to ceiling windows. There was a patio the entire length of the window, supported by stilts.
"I love your home!"
` "Thanks, I do too!" He grinned at me as we both stepped out of the truck.
I helped him gather up all his gear and we walked towards the house. Henry let out a loud whistle and a massive shaggy brown dog came barreling out of the woods. He could have easily been mistaken for a bear. The dog ran straight to Henry, his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out the side of his month.
"Hey Chewy, you been a good boy today?" Henry petted the top of his head and the dog barked.
"Hi puppy," I cooed as he came over to sniff me. I bent over slightly patting his head and out of nowhere his tongue shot out and he licked the entire side of my face.
"Chewbacca!" Henry said sternly.
"Oh it's fine." I laughed standing as I wiped the slobber from my face. "You named your dog Chewbacca?"
"Well looks like him, doesn't he?" Henry defended, grinning at me.
"I guess he kinda does." I agreed. "But seriously, how high were you?"
"Very high." Henry gave me a knowing look, a grin spread across his face.
I laughed and followed him into the house.
"Make yourself comfortable and I'll start cooking." Henry said.
He led me from the entryway and out into a big living area, the kitchen and living room seperated only by a small wooden spiral staircase in the middle. Chewy followed close by as I sat on a bar stool facing the kitchen, my back towards the giant glass window. He leanead against me, his head on my thigh and I continued to pat the top of his furry head.
"I hope you were looking for a best friend." Henry told me as he began pulling pots and pans from the cupboards.
"What do you mean?" I asked, watching his every move.
"Chewy's never going to leave you alone now."
"That's okay, isn't it boy?" The dog looked up at me, hearing his name and I ruffled his ears.

"You know what the perfect end of this day would be?" Henry questioned after we had finished supper.
"No." I didn't know what could possibly make this day any better.
"Having a couple beers and a fire down at the beach."
"That would be nice." I nodded.
"I'm out of beer." Henry groaned as he peered into the fridge.
"It's not too late to go and get some." I pointed.
"True." He shut the door and swung around to face me with a grin.
"I'm sure there's a beer store close."
"Well I don't want to make it a hassle for you." His grin faltering.
"I could stay here." I suggested. "Poor Chewy's been here by himself all day and I haven't been on the internet in a very long time."
"You're the best, I'll go get you my laptop." Henry agreed immediately and crossed the room; entering the only door along the entire left side of the wall from the kitchen to the living room. He appeared a moment later and placed a Mac computer on the table in front of me.
"No porn." He said firmly, but when I looked at his stern face he couldn't help but crack a smile.
"That's what private browsing is for." I explained.
"I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this plan of yours." Henry told me.
"I promise no porn." I said laughing.
"Do you want anything." Henry asked changing the subject.
"Key lime cherry Palm Bays please."
"What is that? Sounds like a chick drink." He scruntched up his nose.
"That's exactly what it is. It's a vodka cooler, they're delicious." I explained.
"Sounds awful."
"It's not like you have to drink them." I told him.
"You got me there." Henry agreed and bent down, kissing my cheek. "Chewy you be a good boy for Eva and I'll be back soon." He said pointing at his dog that was still sitting by my feet. The dog barked in response.
He grabbed his keys from the counter and was gone. It felt strange being in his house alone.
Standing, I picked up the computer and walked the short distance to the couch. Chewy got up and followed; he plopped down beside me and laid his warm furry head on my feet. I checked my email first and seeing a few emails from the girls at work, decided to write them back. Once I finished I signed off and logged onto Facebook. On account of the fact that I didn't use my real name and kept a very minimal profile, I had few friends. So as I scrolled through my newsfeed, all I found picture after picture was Jacob with his arms wrapped around one girl, two is some and a drink always in hand.
My heart sank. He had forgotten all about me, I thought bitterly. Jacob didn't even care that I was gone, he was too busy partying every weekend and apparently meeting lots of women. I stopped scrolling when a picture caught my eye. I knew that woman, she was the one I saw Jacob kissing. Posted yesterday. A tear escaped the corner of my eye and rolled down my cheek. Why was he doing this? Why was he out flaunting the fact that he was fine without me? I was filled with hurt and my chest weighed down with sadness. I couldn't look anymore, I logged off and shut the laptop.
"Oh Chewy," I cried. "How could he?"
The dog instantly stood and sat facing me. He nuzzled his face into mine and then laid his head on my lap. A few more tears fell as I focused my attention on Chewbacca and ran my fingers through his fur.
I didn't know what to think or do. Part of me felt guilty for being angry with Jacob because here I was, spending the entire day with another man and enjoying it a little too much. I hadn't done anything wrong. Yet. The word crept into my mind and I shook my head. Henry was just a friend and nothing more. The other part of me was sad, sad because most of what had happened in the last two years could have easily been prevented. I could have tried to talk to Jacob about his problem a long time ago and we could have worked on our issues. I let out a sigh. Somehow things just spiraled out of control and this is where we had ended up. Now all that really mattered was finding out where to go from here.
"I'm back." Henry called as he walked into the house. I hadn't heard him come in and Chewy hadn't moved a muscle. A moment later Henry was stading in front of me.
"Woah, are you okay?" He questioned, peering down at me.
"Yeah sorry," I replied with a nod. "I'm alright."
"No need to apologize Eva."
Henry didn't press any further. I lifted my head to look up at him and he was standing arms by his side smiling gently at me. I stood from the couch. Henry reached out and held my cheeks in his big hands; swiping the tears away with his thumbs and then wrapping his arms around me, pulled me into his warmth. I copied his movements and hugged him tight, my head buried in his chest. We stood there for a couple minutes in silence and then pulled apart.
"Are you still up for a few drinks and a fire?" Henry asked.
"I could use a drink." I nodded and followed him back into the kitchen area.
"Good," he grinned at me. "I just have to grab a few things and then we can go."
I stood by the island and watched as he crossed to the left side of the room and down the short hallway.
"Do you mind if Chewy tags along?" Henry asked, reappearing with a plastic tote bag.
"Of course not, I was actually going to ask you the same thing."
"I think you're starting to like my dog more than you like me." He laughed, now beside me. He took the beer and coolers from the counter and set them in the bag.
"Maybe," I teased. "But I like you both in different ways."
"Different ways, huh?" Henry advanced towards me, trapping me in place as he placed his hands on the counter on either side of me.
"Well Chewy is so cute and cuddly," I explained with a smirk. "And you're just so sweet."
"I think you're lying." His face now close to mine and his hot breath on my neck.
"You-You do?" I stammered. We were standing so close, almost touching and I shifted uncomfortably as a shiver of nerves and pleasure ran through my body.
"I think you find me irresistably cute and want to cuddle me all the time."
"How did you know?" I groaned teasingly.
"Cause I feel the same way." Henry's voice was deep as he spoke softly into my ear, sending more shivers down my spine and my knees weakened as his lips brushed my earlobe.
"Please stop." I stammered.
"Why?"
"Because..." I trailed off.
Because I couldn't stop thinking of Jacob. Because what was about to happen was wrong. But then the image of Jacob with all those girls flashed in my mind and no matter how hard I tried, wouldn't leave. I didn't know what to think. I was hurt and angry; I couldn't shake the sense of betrayal I felt. I was all flustered and warm. My hands were on Henry's chest trying to push him away as I shifted uncomfortably and glanced away from him.
"I'm sorry." Henry said softly and took a step back.
He reached out and cupping my chin in his hand, tilted my head up so I was forced to look at him.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Are you ready to go?"
"I'm all set." Henry looked regretful, his eyes searching my face as if he were trying to read my thoughts.
When I didn't answer, he picked up the bag and I followed him out of the kitchen to the entryway. We put on our shoes and left the house.
I was quiet while I followed behind Henry as he led me down a small trail in the forest, Chewy running off ahead of us. I was so confused. I didn't know where Jacob and I stood. What did he want? Was he missing me? Did he think we were over? My frown deepened, a sharp pain piercing my chest. And then there was Henry. Gorgeous, sweet, kind Henry. The growing attraction I felt for him was becoming hard to ignore and it terrified me. Did I want to throw everything I had worked so hard for all these years, for someone I once knew and barely know.
"Eva are you okay?" Henry asked breaking the silence as we stepped through a clearing and arrived at the beach.
"I am." I replied.
"You're being so quiet," he told me. "I'm sorry if I crossed a line."
"No don't worry about it, everything's fine." I said, pulling my lips into a small tight smile, trying to reassure him that there was no harm done.
"Are you sure?" Henry was hesitant, running his fingers through his hair nervously.
"I'm positive." I reached out and touched his arm. "Now are you going to build me a fire or what?"
"Right this way my lady." He laughed lightly, his beautiful dimpled smile reappearing.
I walked beside him down the sandy beach to where there was a fire pit and a wooden bench just above the high tide line.
"Now make yourself comfortable and I'll get started." Henry told me, motioning for me to sit down.
I took his suggestion and sat on the bench, letting out a deep sigh. There was a slight cool breeze and I folded my arms across my chest trying to keep the chill out. I watched Chewy saunter around the beach, stopping to investigate something on the ground, then dug in the sand for a moment before moving on. I turned my gaze to the setting sun and tried to relax myself.
Maybe a drink would help, the thought crossed my mind. It seemed to help Jacob. It seemed to help him with a lot of things, I thought bitterly. If he could go out, forget about us and have fun every weekend, well then so could I. It didn't have to be a one way street. I could have fun too, at least for a night. I reached into the bag Henry had placed beside me and hauled out my six pack. I opened my first can of Palm Bay and chugged it, taking a deep breath after I'd swallowed the last bit. My throat burned slightly and my stomach flipped.
Henry had managed to start a nice sized fire as I opened another can and he came to sit beside me.
"Are you cold?" He asked taking his beer from the bag.
"A little." I answered.
"I brought you one of my sweaters, do you want it?"
"That would be great." I couldn't help but smile at him. He was such a sweetheart, so thoughtful. Henry dug through the bag and handed me a grey hoodie. I yanked it over my head and Henry chuckled as I pulled my arms through the sleeves. I was swimming in his sweater, I had to roll up the sleeves for my hands to reach the opening and the hoodie hung almost to my knees.
"Comfy?" Henry questioned, letting out another deep chuckle.
"Very," I nodded. "And warm. You're the sweetest."
"I'm glad you think so." He smiled at me and scooted closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
We were silent and Henry took a sip of his beer as I gulped down the remainder of my Palm Bay, this time embracing the burning feeling in the back of my throat. It felt so wrong being here, yet so right at the same time. Henry was so attractive and I'd never known a nicer person. I loved Jacob though, and we had been through so much together.
"Did you have fun today?" He asked breaking the silence.
"I did, thank you. It was exactly what I needed."
"And what was that?"
"A nice relaxing day away from everything." I explained and opened a third can.
"Maybe you'd better slow down a bit Eva," Henry suggested. "You're lapping me."
"Don't worry about it." I shrugged it off.
"Do you have any big plans while you're home?" He asked, changing the subject.
"No not really." I told him and we fell silent.
I finished my drink and opened another, watching as Chewy wandered towards us and plopped down at our feet with a stick. Henry quietly cleared his throat.
"I don't mean to pry, but can I ask why you're here?" He asked after a few moments.
"Because you asked me to come." I replied with a frown.
"No," he smiled lightly. "I mean why did you finally come home after all these years?"
There was a pause and we both took a drink.
"Everything in my life was falling apart," I told him, my voice cracking. "I didn't know what to do so I came running home."
"What happened?"
I swallowed the rest of my fourth drink and stared intently at the fire.
"You don't have to answer that." Henry's hand was on my knee. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." I could feel the buzz coming on strong now, my body vibrating slightly, my head feeling light and dizzy. My words felt slow and slurred. I wasn't a big drinker and could barely remember the last time I had had a drink.
"My boyfriend's an alcoholic and doesn't know it. All he does is drink and he leaves me at home to go party with other women. We were going to have a baby and I couldn't handle it anymore. He promised to be better and just got worse. I thought he would change and then I caught him making out with another woman and-" I ranted, letting it all out as tears streamed down my face. Henry held me close, my head resting on his chest.
"What about the baby?" He questioned ever so delicately.
"I-I lost the baby. Our baby is gone. Nothing will ever be the same. I don't know what to do, I can't handle any more." I cried out, my body shaking with sobs.
"I'm so sorry Eva." Henry whispered softly, scooping me into his big warm arms.
He held me close as I cried into his chest. It felt good to let everything out.
"I told him I wasn't coming back." I stammered. "I said not until he quit and he thinks I'm overreacting. He doesn't even seem to realize how much he's hurting me, I don't think he cares at all. Posting pictures to Facebook with all those girls."
"Don't worry sweet Eva, he'll realize soon enough what he's about to give up and come running right back." Henry told me, pressing his lips to the top of my head.
"Don't be so nice to me Henry." I hiccuped, calming down a bit.
"It's true Eva, any man would be lucky to have you."
"I like you Henry, you're sexy." The alcohol was starting to talk.
"And you're drunk." He retorted with a laugh.
"I don't feel so good." I mumbled becoming serious again as I scrambled from Henry's grasp.
"Are you alright?" He asked as I leaned over on the bench, my head between my knees.
"I think I drank too much."
"I think so too."
"I'm sorry." I cried, a few tears running down my face.
"Let's get you back to the house, okay?" Henry told me, his hand on my back.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" I asked.
"I wasn't even thinking of bringing you home Eva."
Henry lifted me into his arms, I wrapped my arms and legs around him and he began walking back to the house.
"I like how this feels." I murmured against his neck.
"How what feels?"
"The way you're carrying me." I told him, pressing my hips into his.
"Don't do that." Henry groaned, his voice deep and gruff. His hands grabbed ahold of my ass and he squeezed.
"I liked that too." I commented brushing my lips against the exposed skin above his collar and Henry came to a standstill in the dark woods.
"Eva, stop it." He warned. "You're drunk and I don't want to scare you off."
"I know," I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. "You're just hard to resist."
"Just wait until the morning." Henry laughed.
"I-I'm gonna throw up." I stated feeling a wave of nausea pass through me.
Henry quickly set me on my feet, holding my hips to keep my steady as I leaned over and emptied my stomach. Once I was finished, he carefully picked me up bridal style and carried me the rest of the way back in silence.
When we arrived back at the house, he brought me inside and into one of the room in the small hallway off the living room. He set me on the bed and knelt in front of me. I watched as he untied my shoes. We didn't say a word as he took my sneaker and socks off.
"Do you need help with anything else or are you okay?" Henry asked staring down at me. I clumsily unbuttoned my shorts and hauled them to my knees. The sweater Henry had lent me hid my underwear from view. My skin tingled underneath the touch of Henry's fingertips as he grabbed my shorts and pulled them the rest of the way off.
"Help me under the blankets." I mumbled.
He obliged and once I was tucked in, he leaned down and pressed his lips to my cheek.
"I'm just across on the other side of the living room, come get me if you need anything, okay?"
I nodded and he left the room, shutting the light off and leaving the door open a crack. I stared up at the ceiling, feeling worn out and nauseous. A faint light was shining through the door and I could hear Henry rummaging around. My head was beginning to hurt and I closed my eyes. I heard the door creek open and the sound of paws on the hard wood floor. There was a big thud as Chewy jumped on to the bed and crawled up beside me, laying down. I was glad he decided to come and sleep with me. He was so warm and comforting. I rolled over and cuddled into his side.