Against All Odds

Chapter Thirteen

My fingers curl around a wrist, gently as my eyes adjust to the warm light entering the room. As I open my eyes and my body finally allows me to see clearly, I find Henry above me, his weight rested against mine. His fingers are holding my hair back and his thumb is gently grazing the scar along my hairline. His eyes fall to mine and he smiles, softly, gliding his hand through the rest of my hair.

He looks like an angel to me, intimate and glowing in the new light filling the room. I feel a swarm of warmth fill my veins as I stare at him, unable to think of any reasons that could actually tear me apart from him.

"Good morning," he whispers, nuzzling his nose against mine. I close my eyes, surprised when it's hard to breathe. I feel him tantalizing every possible sense I possess, just by being near me. I'm trembling, having never felt this dependent on someone, ever.

He pulls back, smirking in confusion when I don't answer. I make a noise, stupidly trying to get over my awe.

"What?" he asks, amusedly, hand on the mattress beside my head.

"I-I love you too," I whisper, finally finding my speech, finally saying what was too hard to yesterday. I watch the shock drift across his features, then recognition, understanding, and then lastly, exhilaration. His smile widens as he bends his head down, kissing me gently. We're both straight out of sleep but desperate passion takes over quickly and within moments, we're tearing off the barriers between us.

...

Laying flat on my stomach, my face against the mattress and a head against my back, I close my eyes, still recovering from the reoccurring pleasure Henry's offered in the last hour. His arm is extended over my back, clasping my hand beside my body. I shiver as his presses his mouth to my spine, drifting lower slowly.

"We are fucking crazy," I whisper, amused. I hear a laugh from him.

"You are right about that."

"I've never... felt this before."

It's quiet for a moment. "You loved him," he says, observingly.

"I did. But it wasn't this. It didn't happen like this. I feel- like... I don't even know what I feel like."

"It feels good," he whispers, sighing. "Too good."

I hum, nodding, completely content.

"I've never loved anyone," he murmurs, out of the blue. "Never had this with anybody."

"What about girlfriends?"

He chuckles. "My last real relationship was when I was sixteen, Mia. I'm extremely new at this... you couldn't tell?" he asks, wryly. I roll my eyes.

"You don't do too bad."

"Thanks."

I sigh, contentedly, relishing in how good this feels, how good being with him feels.

"... When did you meet your ex? John?"

I immediately feel the pit in my stomach feeling I always get whenever John's name is brought up in conversation. "Five years ago. I was twenty-one when we met."

"Did you begin seeing one another immediately? Dating, I mean."

I nod, biting my inner lip. "Yes. I met him at a party one of my friends in college took me to. He was the host, well, his father was."

"Thomas Robinson, the mayor of New York?"

I close my eyes, hating that he already knows my life. "I really shouldn't even be talking about this," I murmur.