Chapter 7 – Henry
Inever contemplated that a simple hike could be so life changing.
But that’s what this is. A day that I will never forget. With a woman who I never saw coming.
It was funny, really, to think that when we met she was a fake princess, thinking I was her prince. Because in reality, it was the reverse. I had been a royal, faking his way through the day-to-day until she charged into my life. Saving me.
When I came up with this plan to have her lead me on a private hike, my hope was that we would get to know each other and see if what I was feeling was real. If there was a possibility of more with her.
I never expected that minutes into the hike I would know she was it for me. The one. Whatever you wanted to call it. She just made me feel…more. Feel everything.
Like the rain that was gently misting around us, this knowledge didn’t wash over me all at once. It was a gradual buildup. With every step we took up this mountain, with every word and thought and feeling we shared, the sentiment grew. Until it burst and I realized I was in deep.
Head-over-heels in love with this woman.
The scariest part was that I wasn’t afraid of my feelings at all. It was like every step I had ever taken, every decision and move I’d ever made was to lead me to her.
And the first moment I saw her, ridiculous wig and all, it clicked into place.
Squeezing her tighter into my side, I let out a long exhale. The view is miraculous. Every shade of green and the bright blooms that signalled the start of spring. But it was nothing to the beauty that I held in my arms.
I turn her so that she’s facing me, and my eyes meet Ellie’s. Her moss-green orbs shine back at me, her lashes dark and wet from the mist. They told me everything I needed, and yet, I had to make sure.
“Ellie,” I whisper, my voice low and husky. “I’m going to kiss you. I’m going to kiss you and never stop unless you tell me no right now.”
Her eyes flare with surprise at my words. I told her my intentions yesterday, but even I had no idea that I would take this step so soon.
Instead of answering me, Ellie takes matters into her own hands, revving up my desire for her. Grabbing the edges of my open vest, she fists the material and pulls me down at the same time she rises on her tiptoes.
Our lips crash together.
She pushes her tongue into my mouth, kissing me like a starved woman. The thought has me growing hard, thinking about her needing me so desperately. Only me.
My touch turns possessive. I grip her neck a little tighter, pulling her deeper into me so that I can feel all her curves, then I drag my hand down her back.
Ellie’s leg lifts, wrapping around me. When she starts to grind on me, I almost lose all reason. I want her, need her with a fierceness I’ve never experienced before, but I didn’t want our first time to be out in the open. Exposed to the elements.
Reluctantly, and with more willpower than I thought myself capable of, I slow our kiss until it turns into gentle pecks.
“We—” She clears her throat, a charming blush reddening her cheeks. “We should keep going. We still have a couple more hours until we hit our destination.”
Both my hands come up, each tucking her hair behind her ears before trailing down to cup her neck. With a gentle squeeze, I silently demand her eyes come back to me. She swallows and I know the emotions she’s fighting. I’m fighting them too.
“Okay,” I tell her, hoping she understands my hidden meaning. If she needs a little more time to get used to the idea of us, I’ll give it to her. But I won’t back down. When the time was right, I’d show her that our heated kiss was just the beginning.
Releasing her, I take a step back but offer her my bent arm. “M’lady,” I joke with her, giving her a slight bow. Her nervous energy instantly vanishes, and she loosens up again. With an exaggerated eye roll and a small smile, she loops her arm in mine.
“M’lord. Shall we?”
“We shall! Lead on.”
We both chuckle at our absurd back-and-forth.
Our arms stay linked for only a couple minutes until the trail path grows thinner. Ellie takes the lead, telling me this is the most challenging part of the hike but that the end view will be worth it. From where I’m standing behind her, I already agree the view is spectacular.
My legs begin to burn as we ascend the rocky path and my heart rate kicks up. Splashes of mud begin to cake my shins, and I have to catch myself a few times when I lose my footing. My attention darts back and forth between watching Ellie in front of me and down to where I’m stepping. It might not have rained hard where Ellie and I were resting only minutes ago, but I had the feeling the same couldn’t be said for higher up the mountain.
Concerned that this might be getting too dangerous, I open my mouth to ask Ellie if we should stop and consider our options, when I see her teeter to one side. The scene that plays out before me happens in slow motion.
Ellie’s upper body sways to the right the exact moment her foot slips off a wet rock. She catches herself, but not before her ankle rolls unnaturally in the opposite direction. There’s a ringing in my ears. I don’t hear her cry of pain, but I watch helplessly as her face contorts and her body falls to the muddy ground.
“Ellie!” I shout, fumbling toward her as fast as I can. The mud is thick and causes me to slip as I try to get to her. Ellie’s hands are clutching her left ankle, her face pale as what’s just happened dawns on her. “It’s okay. You’re okay,” I repeat to her, praying my words are true.
I’ve never felt more helpless in my life. What the hell do I do in a situation like this? I’m unprepared. A pampered fool who has never had to deal with any sickness or injury other than my own. Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Still holding her ankle, Ellie tips her head back to the sky and lets out a long hissing breath. She’s trying to fight through the pain. Hiding it from me. And that’s the last thing I want.
“Sunshine, let it out. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll help, however you tell me to.”
Her face keeps that smooshed grimace of pain for a second longer before it breaks and she cries out.
“Oh fuck. Fuck me that hurts. Ohhh my God.”
“That’s it. Let it all out.”
Tears begin to fall down her face. She starts to rock back and forth.
And I start to really panic.
Trying to play the part of a calm and collected partner, I continue to mutter nonsensical words to her, keeping a reassuring tone. But I can feel bile rising in my throat. What else am I supposed to do here?
“Henry? Henry!” She has to repeat my name in increasing volume before I snap out of my thoughts. Shit, I’m being selfish. Worrying about how to take care of her. “Why do you look like that?”
“Like what?” I try to joke. “Devilishly handsome?”
“No, like I have bone sticking out of my body and you’re about to barf.”
“THERE’S A BONE—”
“No, you idiot. It’s probably a bad sprain. But you look like you’ve just discovered a dismembered body in a serial killer’s kill room. I’m okay, just a bit hurt.”
Her words are said with humor, but I know I’m letting her down. I’m the one who should be comforting her, not the other way around.
Fisting my hands and mentally getting myself together, I duck my head. Okay, I could do this. There was no blood, no critical damage other than my pride. I could help.
“Sorry,” I tell her softly, shifting closer to her in the mud. “I—I’m not good in situations like this.”
“It’s okay,” she grits out through her teeth.
“It’s not, but tell me how I can help you. I’m here for you.”
Her pain-filled eyes dart over to mine. I hope she sees my sincerity. I do want to help her. No, I need to. Seeing her hurt and hurting is killing me.
Finally, with her teeth imprinting on her bottom lip, she nods.
“Yeah, okay.”
Pushing a strand of wet hair out of her face, I smile, feeling the fist around my heart unclench. “Okay,” I repeat. “Tell me what to do.”
“Umm, we need to radio for help. There’s no way I’m walking back to base headquarters.”
Right. We need to end our hike, obviously. My mood takes another dip before I remind myself that this doesn’t mean our time together would end.
Awkwardly pulling my backpack off, I start searching the pockets for my cell phone. “Give me the number.”
Her giggle catches my attention. “Use this.” A moment later a hard, square object is placed in my hand. A radio.
“Wow. I can’t believe how horrendous I am at taking care of you,” I say, more to myself than Ellie.
Still laughing she agrees with a smirk on her face. “It’s cute though, the way you’re fumbling. I would have expected you to be an expert when it comes to damsels in distress.”
I snort, surprised by the sound but also by how at ease she’s making me as I try to help. “Damsels are for princes, sunshine. I prefer woodsy warriors.”
Her face softens at my words. The shine of pain leaves her eyes for a minute and is replaced with a sparkle of joy. Holding her gaze for a little longer, I then focus back on the radio. Something pricks my hand.
The small antenna is cracked near the base, making the thick stick wobble. Gently, I finger the area and hear Ellie gasp when the antenna falls to the ground.
“That’s not supposed to happen.” Her voice is low; she’s shocked at what just happened. “Press the button and see if the radio still works.”
I do as instructed, but all that comes through is static.
Dropping her head into her hands, Ellie curses. Unsure what to do now that our only way of communicating with her colleagues is lost, I fall to the side and sit next to her. I place a hand gently on her good leg and give her knee a reassuring squeeze.
I grab my cell phone again and see that I have no signal. I try to send a message through to Jonas, but I repeatedly get an error message. Well, there goes that idea.
Running her hands over her hair and down to the base of her neck, Ellie looks up to the sky. A crack of thunder rumbles overhead.
“I can carry you back,” I hear myself saying, trying to offer up solutions.
“I have no doubt you can carry me, Henry, but not for over four hours safely. And not with a storm coming.”
“Rain wasn’t in the forecast,” I say dumbly.
“Mother Nature is a wily and unexpected bitch sometimes. Looks like she’s not going easy on us today,” she says, pointing up to the darkening sky.
“So what’s our next best option? Stay here and wait out the storm?”
Ellie looks around, taking in our surroundings. Her body goes stiff when she spots something. I try to follow her line of sight, and the only thing that looks out of place to me is a green ribbon around one of the far trees.
“Grab the map in my backpack.” Her voice shakes me out of my perusal. I do as she asks, not questioning the demand.
When the map is in her hands, she opens it up and starts tracing a line across the paper.
“Fuck,” she whispers. “It’s far but it may be our best option.”
“What is?” I interject into her thoughts.
“There’s a ranger’s cabin about three miles from here. Which will take about an hour to get to with me on your back.” She looks to the sky again. “And if the rain holds.”
“Shouldn’t we wrap your ankle or something?”
Shaking her head, she responds, “There’s no time. We can tend to my ankle when we’re safe in the cabin. But we need to go now.”
“Then let’s go.” I wasn’t going to question her again. With each second that passed, the sky seemed to grow more ominous.
Standing, I swung my backpack to the front of my chest and put it on backward. After tightening the straps, I extended both arms down to Ellie.
Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she reaches for my hands and I lift her up slowly, making sure she’s putting weight on only one leg. She wobbles when she’s at a full stand, but I’m right beside her and I won’t let her fall.
With a steadying hand on my shoulder, I give her a nod and turn my back to her.
“Do you think you can jump on?” I ask, adjusting my backpack one more time.
She doesn’t answer me. Instead she jumps without any warning. I think that’s her subtle way of telling me to shut up.
I stagger forward with the abrupt movement and weight. Panic flares in my stomach at the thought of dropping her. With that in mind, I focus on getting my feet stable.
“Jesus,” I grunt, finally steady. “A little warning next time, sunshine.” Her legs squeeze me tight around the middle.
“We need to go, Henry,” she grunts back, her voice filled with urgency.
Doing a little jump so that I can move her up my back a little more for balance and adjusting her legs so they’re not poking into my ribs, I take a tentative step forward. All right, everything feels…okay.
I’m not going to say that this will be a walk in the park—because it definitely won’t be. It’ll be a walk up a mountain during a rainstorm with precious cargo on my back.
But I couldn’t think about the journey right now. It was the destination that was important. I needed to get Ellie to safety.
“Point the way,” I grunt out at the same moment her legs squeeze me again. It’s the sweetest kind of torture, honestly. Having her wrapped around me so tightly and yet not being able to enjoy it. To run my fingers down her strong legs and feel her softness.
“Follow the trail for a little longer. We should come to a fork in the path.”
With that instruction, I start out.
Ten minutes later, the sky opens up and everything goes to Hell from there.