Page 44 of Far From Sherwood Forest (Far From #3)

Six months later.

John is getting married in two weeks, and I just had to go and get fucking sick. Well, I’m getting over it now, but I’ve missed a lot this past week.

Some best man I am.

Fortunately, whatever it was I had this time wasn’t as bad as it usually is. While Ivy’s magic can’t keep me from getting sick completely, she was able to create some kind of potion that at least reduces the severity and helps me get over it a little faster.

Henry pretty much demanded she do something.

Just like he’s demanded I do nothing but lie in bed this entire week and rest. In our cabin. Thinking that still puts a smile on my face.

He’s been even more clingy this week than he normally is.

Yes, the former Sheriff of Nottingham is clingy as hell.

Okay, so I secretly like it.

He’s been stopping by to check on me even while he’s working, swinging by the cabin during his patrols.

He’s given me several sponge baths. They don’t last long because, even though I’ve been sick, I get hard way too easily when he touches me like that, and he’ll storm away grumbling because he doesn’t want me getting worked up.

Then he cooks dinner frustrated because I know he wants it as much as I do.

He’s still a grumpy asshole, but I love him more and more every day.

I’m feeling much better today and was actually feeling up to going to work at the ranch, but Henry wanted me to take one more day off.

I thought about cooking him dinner for a change before he gets home, but I know he actually likes doing it.

And I might be hoping to get lucky tonight, so it’s best not to risk accidentally poisoning him.

It’s best if I stay out of the kitchen all together, to be honest.

I’m lying on the couch with a book when the door to the cabin opens and Henry walks in. I’m surprised to see Spencer come in behind him.

“Hey, Spence,” I say, sitting up and setting my book on the coffee table. “What are you doing here?”

“He’s staying for dinner.” Henry says it like it’s non-negotiable as he crosses the living area and leans down to kiss me on the forehead. But then he adds, “If it’s alright with you.”

“Of course.”

I peer up at him curiously, but he doesn’t answer my unspoken question.

Instead, he asks, “How are you feeling?”

I roll my eyes. “I told you this morning I’m all better.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he says gruffly before he walks away into the kitchen to start cooking.

After watching him go with a grin on my face, I turn to Spencer and scoot down on the couch to give him space to sit. He does, and I notice he’s uncomfortable, eyes cast down as he fidgets with his hands in his lap.

“You okay?”

He nods before glancing toward the kitchen. “Henry found me after the wildlife tour I did with John today and practically demanded I come over for dinner.”

“Can’t exactly argue with him, can you?”

He shakes his head, his eyes a little wide like he agrees with me all too well.

I peer over at Henry who has something sizzling in a skillet that’s already filling the cabin with a mouthwatering aroma.

I’m not sure why he invited Spencer over.

The only reason I can think of is because he knows Brian left to go out of town today.

Spencer still usually goes to stay at the bunkhouse, but there’s not going to be anyone else there tonight since Will also left to go with Lucas to pick up supplies a few towns over.

It took several weeks for Will to recover from that arrow, and Lucas was kind enough to let him stay with us during that time.

After he was healed, Lucas gave him a job on the ranch, and Will’s been staying at the bunkhouse even after John and I both moved out.

It took some time for Will to adapt to this world, and I think he’s still getting used to things.

“Speaking of John, how’s he doing?” I ask, turning back to Spencer. “Any pre-wedding jitters yet?”

He laughs and shakes his head again. “Not at all. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as excited as he is to tie the knot.”

I smile. “Sounds like him.”

I always knew John deserved his happily ever after, and I’m glad he’s getting it. We both are. And I think we’re both happy that we found that here, even if we did choose to leave our old lives behind for good.

“I’ve never been a groomsman before,” Spencer says. “I’m kind of looking forward to it. Brian is too.”

I’m John’s best man, and Spencer, Brian, Will, and Henry are all groomsmen. The look on Henry’s face when John asked him was priceless. I think he thought he was joking.

About twenty minutes later, Henry sets the table with plates filled with pork chops, roasted potatoes, and green beans. Going from Sherwood Forest to this world was a massive shock, but going from canned soup for dinner to eating these kinds of meals every night was nearly as much of one.

While the three of us start eating together, I try not to be too weirded out, not wanting to make Spencer more uncomfortable than he already is.

I don’t blame him. This is…different. We talk a bit about the wedding and how Brian’s been doing.

Henry stays pretty quiet, but Spencer and I are more than capable of carrying a conversation.

After we finish eating, Henry stands to take away the empty dishes.

“Do you want me to help clean up?” Spencer asks.

“Why the fuck would you do that?” Henry gives him a look that’s a cross between a glare and one of bemusement. “You’re a guest. I was just going to stick these in the sink and then get us all a beer.”

“Oh.” Spencer clears his throat and squirms in his seat. “I mean, I can always head out if you two want some time together.”

“You’re just going to eat and run?” I ask in an attempt to lighten the mood.

However, it appears to have the opposite effect, his cheeks turning pink and his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

“Spencer.”

His mouth snaps closed, and his head jerks up to meet Henry’s hard gaze as he swallows.

“You don’t have to rush out. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.” Henry presses his mouth in a thin line, and his eyes flick down like he’s not sure if he should say what he wants to next. Then he looks back at Spencer and says, “I know what it feels like to be alone.”

Without waiting for a response, he turns and walks into the kitchen with the empty plates, leaving me and Spencer staring at each other with our jaws slack.

I suspected that him inviting Spencer over had something to do with that, but I never would’ve expected him to come right out and say it.

Henry has never exactly been friendly with Spencer.

Or Brian. Or Will. Or John. He often comes home complaining about something annoying that Brian did in the office that day.

Whenever John or Will are around, he spends most of the time brooding.

However, he tends to do that even when Ivy visits to bring me those potions.

I’ve realized he’s like that around people he’s starting to care about.

It’s an odd love language, but…it’s very Henry.

Part of him stays guarded, but then he does little things like this that aren’t at all little for him . The fact that he’s found something to relate to Spencer about is proof enough that he cares, even if he’d never admit it.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Spencer mutters as he glances over at Henry in the kitchen with a crease between his brows. “Is he okay?”

I follow his gaze and nod as a slow smile stretches my lips. “He is now.”

Spencer leans back in his chair, seeming a little more relaxed. “You two are surprisingly good together.”

“I know.” I look back at him with a grin. “We’ve come a long way since the day I stole his truck.”

He laughs. “I never would’ve expected to see you both so domesticated.”

Me neither. It’s a life I never thought I could have back where we came from, but it’s the kind of life I always wanted. Simple. Easy. Spending the rest of my days with someone I love. Henry certainly wasn’t what I expected, but I wouldn’t trade the life we have for anything.

Henry comes back with three beers, setting two of them down in front of me and Spencer. He walks over to a shelf in the living room and grabs an old board game before bringing that back to the table too, setting it down in the middle.

It’s an old Nine Men’s Morris board that I saw in a thrift store a couple months ago.

After I got all excited from seeing it and told Henry how my Merry Men and I would play it in taverns—often carving the board pattern directly into the tables—he bought it for me.

He’s not a big board game player, but he plays this with me anytime I ask him to.

Since it’s only a two-player game, the three of us take turns playing against each other while sipping on our beers and talking for nearly two more hours. Henry doesn’t let Spencer leave until enough time has passed since he finished his drink.

Fucking hell, I love this man.

After I walk Spencer to his truck and tell him I’ll see him next week at the ranch, I head back inside the cabin.

Closing the door, I lean against the wood, my eyes on Henry’s back where he stands at the sink doing dishes.

For an entire minute, I just stay there and watch him, my heart so fucking full.

Pushing off the door, I cross the cabin and press my front against his back, wrapping my arms around his middle. He shuts off the water, dries his hands on a towel, and then leans into me.

“What’s this for?”

“Because you’re fucking amazing.”

He grabs onto my arms, loosening them enough for him to turn around. As he faces me, his brows are furrowed deep like he truly has no idea what I mean. “Why do you say that?”

“Really, Henry?” I tighten my arms around him again. “You didn’t have to share that part of yourself, but you did. You saw someone who always avoided being alone whenever he could and let him know that you understand. That you care.”

His nose wrinkles as his upper lip curls. “It’s Spencer . I don’t care.”

“Am I supposed to pretend to believe that?”

His face falls, and his jaw ticks beneath his beard. “Yes.”

Laughing, I move my hands to the front of his park shirt and start slowly undoing the buttons. “I’ll do that for you if you do something for me.”

Henry catches my wrists, holding my hands to his chest. “Are you sure you’re feeling better?” he asks as he places the back of his other hand against my forehead, checking my temperature.

I let myself lean into his touch as I stare into his eyes. I swear the gold in them gets brighter every day.

“You know, I guess I could use one more sponge bath.”

His eyes darken as his hand moves from my forehead to the side of my neck. He arches a brow, and his voice drops to a deep rumble that goes right to my cock. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” I whisper on a breath as his mouth moves closer to mine. “But, this time, don’t stop.”

A growl touches my lips a second before his mouth follows, kissing me hard as he forces me backward to our bedroom.