Chapter 6 #3
Tonka was constantly amazed at the joy this woman found in the simplest things. He’d struggled for years just to get out of bed, and she was extolling the virtues of green beans. This was why he’d been drawn to her almost since they’d met. And why he couldn’t stay away from her now.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Henley asked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear self-consciously.
“You’re amazing,” he blurted.
A blush turned her cheeks pink, making her even prettier in his eyes.
“You are,” he insisted. “You’ve raised a wonderful daughter by yourself. You’re an incredible therapist. And when I’m around you, I remember what it’s like to laugh and be happy.”
Stepping into his personal space, Henley put her hand on his chest. “There’s a guy who writes parenting books I really like.
I’m not going to get this quote exactly right, but hopefully it’ll be close enough.
He said that life is awesome. Then it’s awful.
Then it’s great again. Between the awesome and the awful, it’s ordinary and boring.
We should enjoy the awesome, hold on through the awful, relax and breathe through the ordinary, and rejoice when it’s great again.
“I’ve been through the awesome, and the horrible, and the ordinary.
What I know is that I wouldn’t give up the great to make the horrible disappear.
We’re shaped by the things we go through…
and I’d go through everything I’ve experienced all over again if it meant I’d be where I am today.
With a daughter who gives me a purpose, a job I love, and the friends I’ve made here at The Refuge. ”
Tonka couldn’t stop himself from wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against him. “I’m going to kiss you,” he informed her gruffly.
“It’s about time,” she said with a smile as she linked her fingers together at the small of his back.
A part of Tonka had been waiting for her to tell him it was too soon, or that she wasn’t comfortable with moving their relationship to that level yet, but at her words, pressure in his chest that he wasn’t even aware was there melted.
Moving slowly, determined to draw this moment out, Tonka lowered his head. His fingers pressed slightly into her back as he held her close. She went up on her tiptoes and lifted her chin.
His lips brushed against hers once. Twice. And on the third pass, he nibbled on her lower lip. Henley let out a small moan and leaned against him fully, giving him her body weight as she opened for him.
Tonka didn’t hesitate, sweeping his tongue inside her eager mouth.
She tasted of wintergreen, the mints she liked to suck on.
He’d kissed his fair share of women in his life, but nothing affected him like kissing Henley.
If pressed, he wouldn’t be able to explain what it was about this kiss, about her, that was so different. It just was.
She didn’t passively let him kiss her. She gave as good as she got. Their heads moved from side to side slowly as they learned each other’s taste, what made each of them moan.
When he finally pulled back, Tonka felt as if his entire life had changed in the few minutes they’d been kissing. He stared down at her, at a loss for words.
“Wow,” she said after a moment, licking her lips.
“Yeah, wow,” Tonka repeated in a semi-daze.
Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Tonka moved without thought, spinning and pushing Henley behind him.
At seeing Alaska and Brick standing there, he relaxed.
Alaska giggled. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to, um…interrupt, but I wanted to know if Henley might be interested in staying the night Saturday. We had a cancelation, and I thought it would be fun if Jasna and Henley got to participate in the bonfire we’re planning.”
Tonka turned to look at Henley, whose eyes were wide as she glanced back.
“Is that okay?” she asked. “I mean, it wouldn’t be an imposition? I wouldn’t want to put extra work on Carly, Jess, or Ryan.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Brick answered before Tonka could.
“I’ve been thinking for a while about letting our employees stay in the empty cabins when they’re available.
As both a thank you, and as a way to try to instill more pride in what we’re doing up here.
We all know how much the land heals us, and I figure it would be the same for just about anyone.
You’re more than welcome to stay. I should warn you though.
While Al said we’re having a bonfire, in reality, it’s just a normal-sized campfire.
We don’t want to light anything too big and risk it getting out of control,” he finished with a grin.
“I can’t remember the last time I sat around a fire and relaxed,” Henley said.
“There will be marshmallows too. Can’t have a fire without s’mores!” Alaska told her. “Please say yes. As much as I adore Drake and his friends, I’d love to hang out with a woman.”
“I’d like that too,” Henley said with a shy smile.
“Yay! Now…you two go back to what you were doing when we interrupted,” Alaska said with a sly grin. “Just pretend we were never here. Although you should know, I saw a group of guests headed this way. I think they just got done with a hike and are probably looking for a snack.”
Brick gave Tonka a chin lift as he led Alaska back toward the front door.
Hoping Henley wasn’t embarrassed about being caught kissing, he turned back to her. He didn’t see any discomfort on her face. Instead, she was smiling up at him. Her lips were a little plumper than they’d been before, and Tonka couldn’t help but feel possessive about how they’d gotten that way.
“You okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked with a small tilt of her head.
“I didn’t really mean to do that here. Where someone could see us.”
“I’m not embarrassed to be with you, Finn. It’s probably no shock to Alaska or the rest of the guys that I’m attracted to you, and have been for a while. You’re all super observant. And I have to say…that kiss?”
When she didn’t continue, Tonka prompted, “Yeah?”
“Anytime you want to kiss me like that, no matter where we are or who’s around, feel free. Okay, maybe not around Jasna just yet. She probably needs to get a little more used to the fact that her mom is dating.”
Tonka had no idea how he’d gotten so lucky. This woman was made for him. He knew it down to his bones. He just hoped he was worthy enough to deserve her.
“Speaking of which, I should probably go and check on her,” he said after a moment, doing his best to control his urge to pull Henley back into his arms and continue kissing her. “Not that I think anything is wrong, but you know, it’s her first day.”
“Care for some company?” Henley asked.
“Your company, yes,” he reassured her.
But before they could sneak out a side door, the lodge was suddenly full of half a dozen guests, and when they saw Tonka, they decided seeing the new calf was more important than getting a snack.
Tonka did his best not to resent their intrusion on his time with Henley, instead reassuring himself that he’d have plenty of time to spend with her in the future.
She was going to be around all summer, and she’d be there that weekend as well.
He’d have a chance to hang out with her all night, not just in the stolen moments they found between work.