Chapter 11 – Ellie
It’s not the chirping of birds that stirs me from sleep. No, it’s an unnatural sound. A hum but with no melody.
Squinting an eye open, I instantly regret my decision. The room is too bright, beams of sunlight coming in through every uncovered window. Groaning, I turn away from the offending light.
And hit a wall of warmth.
An arm snakes its way around my waist, pulling me in closer until I’m pressed against a hard, hot chest. Lips skim along my hairline, peppering kisses. A grin spreads across my face as I snuggle just an inch closer.
What a way to wake up.
Henry continues to kiss down my face and neck, causing shivers of delight and a low laugh from me. Then the low hum sounds again.
We both freeze. I angle my head back so I can meet his eyes, and we listen, both confused and trying to make out the sound.
“Shit. That’s my cell,” Henry huffs as he tries to untangle himself from the sheets.
I’m no help at all, too stunned to move as I process his words. My eyes follow a naked Henry as he rushes across the room to his discarded backpack. It takes only a second of searching before he has his cell in his hand and answers.
As he speaks quietly to whoever, his eyes never leave me. I glow under his admiration but there’s a sick feeling building in my stomach. Our time together is coming to an end. It’s time to get back to reality.
Sitting up, I fix the sheets around me and force myself to keep the happy smile on my face. Even though my mind is whirling with what this call means. Realistically, I knew our time here in this cabin would be short.
Even if the storm had continued today, I had no doubt Henry’s team and my boss would have called in more help to retrieve us. And I knew that the private time Henry and I were able to enjoy as we got to really know one another was finite too.
Yet, knowing and hoping we could steal another day were two very different things.
I wasn’t ready to go back. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Henry or lose this connection we’d forged. But the real world was calling.
The real world where an earl and a wilderness guide couldn’t be together.
Right?
“That was the head of my security,” Henry says, stopping my thoughts from catastrophizing any further. “Your boss and the local ranger will be here with my guys within the hour.”
I know not to question how they’ll get here or if the area is safe. If Henry’s team says they’re coming, they’re coming by any means necessary.
“Okay,” I reply on autopilot. What else is there to say? “Can you check to see if our clothes are dry?”
Henry doesn’t acknowledge my question, instead coming to the side of the bed and sitting so he can easily reach me. With a firm grip to the back of my neck, he crashes his lips against mine.
I’m so stunned it takes me a moment to kiss him back. The kiss is hard, possessive. I can feel his claim all over my body and give him the same passion back.
The kiss slows, then ends with a series of small pecks before he rests his forehead against mine.
“Stay with me,” he whispers to the air between us. “Don’t leave me yet.”
His words are full with so much meaning, my heart breaks a little. He saw the look of unease in my eyes, he must have. He knew I was starting to pull back. Yet he’s asking for more time.
And I’ll gladly give it to him.
Because I love him.
This may be the last time we’ll ever have alone. And this may be the last time we’ll ever see each other. But even so, I won’t let this moment slip away. I’ll show him how much I love him and how much our time together meant to me.
And then I’ll let him go.
As he slips back into bed, his hard, gorgeous body sliding over mine, I catalogue every feeling, every emotion, every touch to memory. We make love slowly, but the sensations are stronger than ever before.
When we come together, I know I’ve been changed for the better. Gripping his hands tight, I hold his stare as my orgasm crashes over me.
We linger in bed as long as we can but with only a handful of minutes left before the others arrive, we reluctantly begin to get dressed. Our clothes are damp but they’ll be good enough to get us down the mountain. Plus, I don’t mind at all how Henry’s shirt clings to his chest.
My ankle is still tender, but the swelling has gone down and there doesn’t seem to be more bruising. That’s a good sign at least. I still can’t put a lot of weight on it, but at least no one else will have to piggyback me around.
When we’ve both finished dressing and packing our things, we silently move toward each other. My arms go around him and I take a deep breath.
Then, before I’m ready, our time is up. Half a dozen people enter the cabin in a flurry of movement and questions. We’re swarmed by medical professionals, men in dark suits and ranger uniforms.
I try to protest as I’m being helped out of the cabin and toward a large vehicle with tires that are almost as big as me. Turning my head side to side, I search out Henry. When our eyes meet, I can see he’s surrounded by people too but being led in the opposite direction.
He calls my name.
I smile at him, giving the last piece of my heart to him as we say our silent goodbyes. My smile is genuine. I’m sure he can see everything I’m directing at him. My eyes pool with tears and my smile turns shaky but I incline my head by the tiniest degree.
I can’t read Henry’s expression as I’m led away. There’s no time to figure it out either. In the next second, I’m being hoisted into the vehicle, buckled in and driven away.
I stare at Henry through the tinted glass for as long as I can before he disappears from sight.
And, most definitely, from my life.