Everything She Never Wanted

Chapter 16

16

Henry took a bite of his BLT and stifled a groan. Cynthia swiped a fry through ketchup and slowly pushed it into her mouth. She was f*****g torturing him.

And had no clue she was doing it.

Henry enjoyed seeing the grin on her face when she ate her food. He’d been so careful about everything for so long that he lost the joy in eating. Sure, he loved Zach’s cooking, and his mother’s, but he was constantly estimating calories and portion sizes and how much more exercise he needed to do to work off whatever extra food he ate. Watching Cynthia eat reminded him how much he loved food growing up.

And how miserable he’d been j*********f alone to thoughts of her instead of being with her.

He hated that she wanted him with his new body, but she wasn’t going to be there forever. When she left, he’d forget about her and find a woman who didn’t remember him as the fat kid in high school.

Yeah, like he could ever forget about her.

“What are you smiling at?” Cynthia asked, stuffing another fry in her mouth.

“You’re loving those fries.”

She groaned, a sound that went straight to his d**k. “I know. I should stop, but I can’t. They’re so good.”

“Yes, they are,” he said, turning his plate so she could reach the rest of his fries. He rarely ate them, and with Cynthia grabbing for them, he would hand over every fry he ever bought for the rest of his life if it meant keeping her that happy.

“Why aren’t you eating them?”

Henry shrugged. He didn’t want the pity of being the fat kid who had to lose weight. He didn’t want to remind her what he looked like before. Last time she lived in Bereton. He wanted to keep his current physique front and center in her mind.

“I thought you liked fries.”

“I do. But I’m not walking the vineyard every day. I’m not burning as many calories as normal. I try to watch what I eat.”

She snorted. “I do, too. Right until it disappears into my mouth.”

That was it. He was a horny teenager around her. Everything she said made him think about getting her n***d and sticking his d**k into one of her holes. The image of her sucking his c**k flashed into his head, and he had to shift in his seat to avoid embarrassing himself when he stood.

“You have a dirty mind,” Cynthia said sternly.

Henry shook his head. “You can’t prove it.”

She shot him a look but couldn’t hold it. She grinned and dipped another fry.

Jesus, he was going to die.

When she finally finished her fries, and his, he paid the bill, against her protest, and led her out of the diner. Instead of walking back to his Jeep, they turned down the street.

“It’s so pretty out here.”

Henry looked at her. “Yes, you are.”

She swatted at him, but he caught her hand. He brought her gloved palm to his lips and kissed it before sliding it under his arm.

“Philadelphia was never this pretty.”

“Too big,” Henry supplied. “Any time I’ve been to a city, the snow ends up pushed to the side as a nuisance instead of something to appreciate. Around here, we accept that we can’t change it and do what we can to make the most of it.”

“I think that’s fair. Everyone there would get so annoyed if it snowed. Like it was a personal insult.”

Henry laughed. “Well, we all know the city stops for no one. I guess Mother Nature counts.”

Cynthia laughed with him. He loved seeing her happy. Seeing her smile. He could tell by the frown lines between her eyebrows that she hadn’t spent many of the years they’d been apart happy. He wanted to make sure she had good memories to call on when she was gone again.

“Are you trying to sell me on the virtues of small town life?”

Henry shook his head. “No. I won’t try that again. I want you to be happy, and I know that means leaving town when you find a job.”

She turned to look at him, her smile fading with his words. He didn’t know what she wanted him to say, but clearly what he said was wrong. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, Henry waiting for her to tell him what he said that was wrong.

“You know,” she finally said, “small town life isn’t wrong. It’s perfect for some people. My mom. You. Your family. I’d never say that people who want to live in a small town are wrong.”

“I didn’t say you did. You love being in the city. I don’t see it, but I’m not going to try to convince you that you’re wrong. That’s suicide.”

“I wouldn’t get mad at you.”

Henry nodded, grinning. “Oh, yes you would. And you know it. No one can tell Cynthia Hill that her opinion is wrong.”

“Well, it’s an opinion. By definition-”

“It can’t be wrong. Because it’s what I think and feel and it might be different than yours, but it’s not wrong,” Henry finished with her.

Cynthia tried to show that she was angry at him, but they both started laughing. She’d given the same speech in high school so many times that Henry memorized it.

Of course, he memorized a lot of things about her.

“Okay, fine,” she huffed. “But it’s true.”

“It is true,” Henry agreed. “That’s why I’d never try to tell you that your opinion is wrong. It’s not. It’s just different from mine. And that’s okay.”

Cynthia was quiet as they turned and headed back to his Jeep. It was getting colder without the sun to warm them. Stores were closing and the street was getting darker. Streetlights dotted the road, but the sidewalk was cast in barely enough light to ensure they didn’t turn an ankle.

“There are things I like about being here, you know,” Cynthia said, surprising him.

“Oh, yeah?”

She nodded.

“Like what?”

She shrugged. “Being with you.”

“Yeah, well, that’s not exactly a virtue, is that what you said? Of small town living.”

“It is to me. I didn’t have a lot of people I was close to in Philadelphia.”

“Friends? Boyfriends?” Henry asked, hating to hear the answer.

“A few friends. Most got married and had kids and moved to the suburbs years ago. The people I work with now are getting younger and younger. I mean, worked with.”

“Boyfriends?” Henry asked again, a glutton for punishment if he ever was one.

She nodded but didn’t give him more than that.

“Anyone serious?”

“No. Well, one that was more definitely heading that way. I thought it was serious, but… it ended.”

Henry hated that he asked. Hated that she still sounded hurt by whatever guy she had a relationship with. He didn’t really want to know. He would have been happier thinking she’d been single and pining for him for fifteen years. Even though he knew that would never have been true. Cynthia was gorgeous and smart and everything a man with half a brain would want in a woman. Whoever walked away from her was an i***t.

“Well, I guess I’ll take your compliment then. Thank you.”

She nudged him with her hip. “It really is nice seeing you again.”

“It’s nice seeing you, too.”

“Even with your cousins wanting to keep us apart?” she asked softly.

Henry stopped on the street, turning her to face him. He wanted to make sure she understood how much he meant his next words. When she met his eyes, he spoke. “My cousins have no say in who I spend my time with. I told Andie, I don’t get involved in their relationships, they have no right to be in mine. And I’m not going to stop seeing you because Zach has a chip on his shoulder.”

“He’s right though. I hurt you before.”

Henry shrugged, hoping she bought the indifferent stance. “It’s in the past. Yeah, it hurt, but I was young and foolish to think buying you a diamond necklace and saying I loved you was going to convince you to stay here. I know now that you can’t force people to do what they don’t want to do. You never wanted to love me. We were better as friends. That’s why this works. We can hang out, fool around, and we both know it’ll be over when you find a job and leave town again. No messy emotions. No falling in love.”

Henry held his breath, hoping she bought the line. Of course he wanted her to stay. He wanted her to fall for him. He wanted her to never leave his side, or his bed, but he knew loving someone meant letting them go. He knew she wouldn’t come back again, but if she was happy, it was worth it to watch her walk away.

He hoped.

Cynthia didn’t say anything as they walked to the Jeep. When they reached her door, she pulled him down to her for a kiss that chased away the chill. Henry’s hands immediately went to her hips, dragging her body flush to his. His tongue tangled with hers, his lips moving against hers. He spun them and pressed her to the side of the Jeep, grinding into her.

She broke their kiss with a moan, then clawed his lips back to hers. They stood there, in the darkened parking lot, kissing like teenagers for what could have been a minute or a lifetime. Henry didn’t care. He didn’t feel the cold with Cynthia’s hot body warming him. He didn’t notice the snow in his hair when her fingers dove through the strands. He didn’t think about the people who could walk by and see them.

Until he needed more from her.

“I need to touch you.”

She shook her head. “It’s too cold.”

“Not here. My place. Zach said he was going out tonight.”

“Please, yes.”

Henry leaned back in for a punishing kiss, one that made his head fuzzy and his c**k even harder. He wasn’t sure he would make it home, but dammit, he was not going to f**k her in his damn Jeep.

He was thankful no cops were out as he sped home. When he pulled onto Amavita Estates property, he slowed down, but not as much as he normally would. With one hand on Cynthia’s thigh and one hand on the steering wheel, he was ready to go.

As soon as he parked in front of his house, they were both jumping from the Jeep and racing for the house. He pressed her against the door, kissing her again. They fumbled their way inside, kicking off their boots, but not bothering to take off anything else. He kissed her, bouncing off the island, one of the stools, and the doorframe leading to the hallway, until they reached his room. He broke away from her only to kick his door shut and make sure it was locked.

He wasn’t sharing Cynthia with anyone.

Once they were in his room, everything slowed. The urgency he felt mere seconds before slipped away, replaced by a desire to savor every second he had Cynthia in his bed. He shrugged out of his jacket and helped her out of hers. They kissed again, slower, softer. He rubbed his hands together to get rid of the chill, then reached for her waist, easing her sweater up to touch her bare skin.

She leapt at the feel of his hands on her, still too cold. They both laughed, then came back together for another kiss.

Piece by piece, their clothes found a spot on the floor. When he had Cynthia n***d, he kissed her, guiding her to the edge of his bed. She laid down, her legs bent over the edge of the bed, and he kneeled before her.

“You’re so beautiful,” Henry whispered. He knew he pushed one of his lines when he was alone with her, especially when she was n***d and splayed out for him, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was already a goner. He had no intention of ever telling her that, but if he was going to keep it to himself, he needed to rein in the compliments.

“I can’t wait to feel you inside me,” she said, her voice shaky with need.

“Soon,” he promised, then lowered his mouth to her center.

He always enjoyed o******x. Both giving and receiving. Making a woman dizzy with pleasure was one of his favorite pastimes. Having that woman be the one he’d loved for most of his life was a whole different experience altogether.

He inhaled deeply, his head spinning with the scent of her need. He loved that she was so turned on before he even touched her that he could smell her. When he exhaled, reluctantly letting her scent leave his body, she shivered. He blew on her sensitive skin, watching as it puckered. When she released the tension, he was right there, ready to taste her.

He reached the edge of his tongue out to her center, drawing a line from her opening to her c**t. She moaned at the contact, hardening his c**k. He wanted to reach down and stroke himself, but he knew the wait would be worthwhile. Especially if she was serious when she said she wanted him inside her.

Fuck yeah.

Henry teased Cynthia, his tongue barely touching her, until she begged him to let her come. He pressed his tongue flat against her c**t, then flicked it, alternating the movements until she went rigid, then let out a scream. He thrust a finger into her channel as she screamed, extending her o****m and making her scream louder. When she started to come down from the first, Henry flicked her c**t again, curling his fingers inside to stimulate her that way. She moaned and jerked against him, her movements uncontrolled and driven by the desire to come again.

He knew what she really wanted when she slid her a*s to the edge of the bed. He brushed his other hand over her and she moaned even louder. Oh, his woman liked it in her a*s.

Henry made sure his finger was good and wet before he teased her tight hole. She resisted at first, just like the last time, but he kept caressing her until every part of her relaxed. He circled her hole, easing his other fingers in and out of her channel, feeling her soak him even more. When her breathing shortened and she panted, then moaned long and loud, he thrust his finger into her a*s.

She screamed. She bucked. She squirted him. And he drank up every last bit of it. If he could, he’d record her screams for his ringtone. Her hips threatening to knock out his teeth would be the best money he ever spent at the dentist. And her come… He’d never felt anything better in his life.

When she was still coming down, he sheathed himself and positioned at her entrance. The enormity of what he was about to do hit him. He stared at her. Cynthia. The woman he hoped to lose his virginity to. The woman he jerked off to more times than he could count. He was about to slide into her, to feel her grip his c**k and come inside her.

He wanted to remember every second of their first time together. The look on her face when his body met hers. The sounds she made when she came again, and he was going to make sure she did. Everything. He needed to remember it.

Because Cynthia was the most beautiful woman in the world to him. She was trusting him, letting him in, and he was going to remember their time together for the rest of his life.

Before he thrust inside, Henry made sure she was fully aware of what he was doing. “Are you ready for me?” he asked.

“God, yes. I need you inside me, Henry. Please.”

She was killing him with the begging. That lusty, needy sound of her voice went straight to his d**k and made him want to plunge in hard and deep.

But he needed to feel as much of her as possible.

Inch by inch, Henry eased into her. One inch in, half an inch out. She spread her thighs wide, giving him the opportunity to watch himself disappear into her.

When he was fully enveloped inside her, they both groaned. Henry paused, needing to wait a minute so he didn’t come right then. She hooked her ankles together and he was lost.

A smooth draw out, a hard thrust in. One hand on her n****e, one on his abs. A kiss. A tilt of her hips. A little more of his heart getting involved.

They didn’t speak as they made love. Henry wanted to say it was f*****g, just s*x, but he knew it wasn’t. He knew he’d die when he had to let her go again. With each stroke inside her, she was claiming one more piece of his heart. A piece he thought he’d taken back over the last fifteen years. A piece she always held control of.

He brushed the hair from her forehead and watched her. Her lips fell apart whenever he thrust in. He hoped she was close, that she would come soon. He wouldn’t last much longer and had to know she was more than satisfied before he came.

Henry thrust a little harder. Her eyes widened. He did it again. She groaned. One more time. Her eyes fell shut.

He moved harder into her, his balls smacking her a*s with each thrust. She moaned and panted. Her breath was shallow, like she was struggling to breathe. Hell, he was too. He was inching closer with each second he was inside her. He didn’t want it to end, but he knew it would and that he’d never be the same again.

Another thrust.

A moan.

Harder.

Gasp.

Harder.

Something animalistic.

Oh, yeah. That’s what he wanted to hear.

His hands went to her perfect breasts, bouncing with each plunge he took into her. He grabbed one in each hand, pinching her n*****s. She yelled. He lowered and brought one into his mouth.

“Oh, yes. Henry. Please. I need to come. Touch me. Please.”

He straightened and slid a hand between them. His fingers brushed where he entered her, her skin stretched wide to accommodate him. He found her c**t with his thumb, and circled it.

“Yes! More,” she groaned.

He circled her c**t then pressed onto it. She tightened around him, but not enough. She needed more. He did it again. And again. She screamed and tightened her legs around him, drawing him in even deeper. He lost it, feeling her channel clamping down on him, milking him, drawing him in, and demanding he come.

She shouted. “Henry! Yes! Oh, God yes! f**k!”

He thrust harder, plunging deeper. His balls ricocheted off her tight a*s, bouncing around. He needed to come. He was so close, he could taste it. Like he was right there, standing on the edge, and needed that push to get over it.

Cynthia kept coming, her screams echoing in his head. He thrust harder and deeper into her, until his balls tightened. His vision faded. His head spun.

And he came.

Hard.

“Cynthia!” he roared, hoping that was all he said. His whole body jerked with the power of his o****m, rocking him all the way to his toes. He twitched, every ounce of come squirting from him until he felt wrung dry.

His arms gave out, and he collapsed onto Cynthia. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck and hair as he struggled to breathe. He couldn’t move, but he didn’t want to.

Slowly, his heart stopped pounding. His breath calmed. His skin cooled. As everything returned to normal, Henry couldn’t stop thinking about the one thing that would never be normal again. The one thing that was forever changed because he let Cynthia into his bed. The one thing that he couldn’t do anything about. Because it was hers.

His heart.