Page 34

Thirty-Four

Jade

I step into the hotel Henry gave me the address to and see that it’s fancy. Like giant chandeliers, marble floors, doormen, and a reception staff that’s poised and polished kind of fancy.

I read his text again to make sure I go to the right room, heading to the elevators and feeling like an impostor. This isn’t the kind of life I’m accustomed to.

With my nerves rattling like ice cubes in a glass, I step off the elevator on the top floor and follow the signs to the room number he texted me. I knock before I second-guess my decision.

Henry opens the door, and my nerves instantly calm. He’s in jeans and a sweater, no shoes and only his socks. “Hey.”

“The hotel room is a little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

He steps out of the way, and I walk through the doorway, seeing he’s booked a suite. “We’re here so no one sees us and outs us.”

“So, I’m your dirty little secret,” I joke, but his smile falls.

“You don’t think that, do you?”

I shrug off my coat, and he takes it. “Of course not, but I don’t love the hiding if I’m honest.” He opens his mouth, but I put my hand over it. “But I agree it’s necessary.”

He hangs my coat on the back of a chair and breaks the distance between us. Leaning forward, he places his lips on mine, gentle and light, but then his hand cradles my head and his lips press firmer, his tongue sliding into my mouth. It’s not frenzied, but I feel his hunger for me, how he doesn’t want to stop. And I don’t want him to, either.

He doesn’t breach the last few inches to make our bodies flush. Nor does he nudge me against the wall. He just kisses me, and I kiss him back. I love that he’s not looking to strip me down and take me since there’s nothing stopping us right now. Instead, he kisses me as if he needs it to live, as if he’s been waiting all day for this moment, and he’s going to savor the simple act of kissing me. My knees weaken the longer I sink into the kiss. Henry Hensley is one damn good kisser.

“Sorry,” he whispers, his calloused palm running down my neck. “I love your lips.”

I almost say I love you, but that could put a big damper on the evening. “You don’t have to apologize. That was a helluva good welcome.”

He chuckles, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Me too.”

I’m not sure how we’re going to take this slow—physically or emotionally for that matter.

“Come eat before the food gets cold.” His hand grazes down my arm until he locks my hand with his.

He leads me over to the table where two boxes are set next to one another in front of the giant window looking out over the Chicago skyline. “So, I know you’ve already had the hot dogs, but I took it upon myself to assume you hadn’t had any deep-dish pizza yet?” He cringes. I shake my head, and he blows out a breath. “Good. Spinach garlic still your favorite?”

“Yeah. I mean, I haven’t had it for a long time, but yeah…” I’m not surprised he remembers, that’s Henry, but it’s a really nice feeling that he thought of me.

“And I got you mozz sticks and a salad.” He signals with his hand to the table. “Just wait until dessert.” He walks behind me and slides out my chair.

I sit, and he tucks the chair in before folding himself into his chair across from me. “This is all very thoughtful.”

“Don’t thank me. It’s my form of bribery. Making you love this city again.” He opens his box, and it’s comforting to know he probably has the same pizza he always does—pepperoni. If only I could see under the tomato and cheese to know for certain.

“I already told you I’m staying.” I’m still surprised by the decision I made, but I know it’s the right decision.

“I know, but I want to remind you of everything you love here.”

I laugh and open my box, inhaling the smell of the pizza twice and closing my eyes to always remember this exact moment. “I love the food in Chicago, but I’m not staying here for the cuisine, Henry.”

“You know I want to ask what you are staying for.” He waits to eat his pizza until I do. Something Reed’s always been big on.

“My mom, Reed, my brothers, Eloise…”

He smirks.

“I mean, Bodhi obviously,” I say, making him sweat.

“And?” He arches an eyebrow.

“I never thought you were insecure.”

“When it comes to you, I am. Right now, I am.”

“And you, Henry. I want to stay here because of you.”

He scoots out his chair and leans over the table, pressing his lips to mine in a chaste kiss that I wish he’d deepen. But he sits down way too quickly for me.

He must see something on my face because he says, “I have to sit, otherwise I’m going to take you to the bed I promised myself we won’t be using tonight.”

“That’s a disappointment.” I frown, picking up a piece of pizza.

“That’s one area where we never miss. I really want to spend tonight finding out who the new Jade is.” He finally bites down on his pizza.

I’m not sure I’ve changed. Everything that’s important, Henry knows. He’s the one who has become a father and changed his entire life, but even with that, I feel as if I still know him.

We eat and talk about his traveling season and how hard it is for him with Bodhi. How he feels like by the end of the season, he’s running on fumes.

“But I signed up for it, you know?” he says.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t complain about it.”

He shrugs and looks down at his pizza. He wants to say something but is scared.

“What is it?” I ask.

He pushes away his pizza box and grabs his beer. “I’m not looking for Bodhi’s mom.”

“Well, I hope not since we’re dating,” I say, and he tilts his head. Wrong time for humor, I guess.

“I mean, I don’t want you to feel like I’m looking to fill that role, but we are a package deal. If you want me, you have to want him too.”

I wipe my mouth and try to tamp down my anger at what he’s implying. “Do you think I don’t know that? I’m not venturing into this lightly.”

I push away from the table and walk over to the window, staring at the city I’ve always loved but for some reason felt I needed to stay away from for so long.

I hear him get out of his chair. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it? Did I give you the impression that I didn’t know Bodhi is the most important thing in your life? Or are you just making sure I don’t flake out on you? That I realize the importance that Bodhi’s heart not get broken? Because?—”

His hands lightly grip my arms. “That’s not it.” He shakes his head and stares at me. “But it was a test. I see that now. I’m just scared. But that’s not on you.”

“It is a little.” I cross my arms and turn back to the skyline.

Henry wraps his arms around my stomach, and I lean into his chest. “I’m already invested, Jade. I’ve never not been invested in us. Even over the last eight years, you’re still the one I think about all the time. Day or night, it’s always you.”

Kyleigh’s words flow back through my mind. He’s been waiting.

I cover his hands with mine, unsure how I can convince him that I’m here and I’m not going to leave.

“I’m scared I’m not enough,” I whisper.

He sighs and kisses my temple. “You are. Of course you are.”

I wish I had the confidence his tone conveys I should have. We stay there for a few minutes, just holding one another.

“I love you, Henry, but how are we going to get past these fears and just be with one another without feeling the threat of it ending?”

His arms tighten, his fingers weaving through mine. “I think we just need time. Eventually the scars will heal as long as we stop picking at them.”

I nod, unsure if we can get over the wall to another life, one where we’re secure with each other. Turning in his arms, I wrap my arms around his neck. “What else do you have planned?”

The corners of his lips tip up, and he kisses my forehead again. “Movie time.”

He leads me by the hand to the couch, and as I wait for him to turn off the lights and click on the movie, I realize he’s right. We have to stop harping on the past and just enjoy this. Let our wounds heal. We aren’t going to have a typical courtship like two strangers. We have a lot of moving parts in our relationship, and we have to be okay with that.

Henry pats the spot next to him, and I slide over, nuzzling his chest. I can’t deny how right it feels to be with him.

Midway through the movie, my hand slides under the hem of his sweater, feeling his muscled chest, and his hand runs under the hem of my sweater along my side, running up and down my ribcage. Tension builds in my core, and my breasts grow heavy against the confines of my bra.

His breath hitches when I hook my fingers into the waistband of his jeans. “You’re playing with fire,” he says.

I draw back and lift one leg over his lap, straddling him. “I know. Do you want me to stop?”

He shakes his head, and his hands fall to my hips, his thumbs sliding through the belt loops of my jeans, tugging me closer to him. I gasp when I feel the hard ridge of him between my thighs, then I rub my core along the bulge in his jeans.

“I promised myself no sex tonight.” His voice is strained.

I laugh, trailing my finger down his chest. “We don’t have to have sex.”

“True,” he says, his fingers slipping under my sweater again, and he drags his knuckles along my ribs. “You’re so soft.”

I do the same as him, running my fingers down his abs. “You’re so hard.”

He teases me when his finger grazes over my breast. I suck in a breath, and he takes that as permission to dip his fingers under the cup of my bra until he secures it under my breast. Then he palms me, his thumb running over my nipple.

“You’re hard places too.” With his free hand, he weaves his fingers through my hair and brings my mouth to his. We’re both breathing hard when he pulls away. “You’re testing my willpower.”

“I’ll make sure there’s no sex.”

He gets me on my back, guiding my legs—one over the couch and the other on the floor. “So that’s the deal then? You stop us?”

“Sure.” Hopefully I have the willpower.

He falls on me, his lips crashing to mine, and I inwardly rejoice at having his weight over me again. All the doubts of whether we’ll we make it vanish.

Yeah, I shouldn’t have volunteered for the role of buzzkill because he feels really good. Too good.