The second Henry and I were back in his truck, I was fighting a severe urge to jump on his lap and fuck him while he drove us to God only knows where. Neither of us said much as the truck took the road. There was no way I could with how wound I was. The sexual tension was hotter than a hooker’s doorknob on payday.

Henry pulls up to his place just as the rain starts pouring down from the sky.

“We should run for it,” Henry declares, looking out the window. “It’ll only get harder and faster.”

His last sentence is my last straw and that’s when I pounce on him, tearing off his shirt as I straddle his lap. My mouth crashes down on his, and it’s only when we take a quick breather to remove my shirt when I say, “That’s what she said.”

Henry chuckles as he stares at my breasts before licking them.

“Fuck,” I groan, needing him already inside me. I’ve been wet all day from our games.

“Firefly,” he hums as he takes one of my nipples in between his teeth.

I cry out from the rush, needing to feel more of his body on mine. As if reading my thoughts, Henry hoists me up, and lays me down on the passenger side and starts yanking my boots and shorts off. As soon as I’m left with just a pair of silk panties, I hear a low grumble sound from his chest. One of his hands pushes the fabric to the side as his face buries between my legs.

Henry delivers, as promised earlier, making me cry out his name when he gets me to orgasm a second time with just his tongue. I beg him to be inside me, but all he grants me are a few of his fingers as his mouth continues on my highly sensitive nub. My hands dart out, searching for something solid and immovable to hold onto just before my third climax crashes through me.

“Please,” I beg as my body trembles.

Henry smiles wickedly as he sucks his fingers dry. “I told ya,” he boasts.

“If you don’t fuck me right now, Henry Lee Rein, I will find the closest man in this town and fuck him until I’m good and satisfied,” I warn heatedly.

He pounces on me, making sure I can’t escape. “Such a naughty mouth on such a pretty lady,” he teases, dragging his tongue down my neck.

My body shivers at his boldness. Henry never talked dirty to me before. Actually, he did try once when we were teenagers, but it didn’t come out right. This new Henry is exciting. He’s making me wetter than a slip-n-slide on a hot Georgian summer day.

“It sucks cock good too,” I return confidently.

“Fuck, Firefly,” he groans as he positions his dick at my entrance. “You keep that up and I won’t be able to fuck you nice and slow.”

“I want it hard and fast,” I quip. “Just like the rain.”

“The rain outside or the Rein right here who’s about to go inside you?” he asks with a cocky grin.

“Both,” I admit with desperation. Not giving him a chance to respond, I yank his hips forward, causing his cock to bury inside me deep and hard.

Henry hisses through his teeth as soon as he’s all the way in. “Fuck, Ivy,” he moans.

“Fuck me,” I demand in his ear before nipping it with my teeth.

“You sure?” he checks, staying lodged inside me.

“Yes,” I confirm.

“Says the woman who said she wanted to take things slow?” he goads, pulling out slowly before pressing back in.

“I meant us, not sex,” I groan, needing more stimulation.

“Firefly, there’s only one speed with us. You know that,” he reminds.

I nod. “Our speed.”

“That’s right,” he agrees. “No more rules.” Henry pulls out and thrusts back in a little more quickly this time. “No one else.” He pulses in again. “Just you and me.”

I nod, wanting it all and unable to verbalize it while needing to squash my thoughts of the secret that he can’t know—not yet.

“Yes,” I moan when he pushes inside again, this time harder and faster.

“I’m not letting you go,” Henry declares as he continues to fuck me. “I was stupid enough to do it once…and, I won’t be foolish a second time.”

“Okay, “ I barely eek out as I feel the rush rising inside me. “Okay.”

“You’re mine,” Henry claims. “Only mine.”

“Yes,” I agree, wanting him to know he has me. “Always yours.”

“Say it again,” he commands, thrusting harder.

“Always yours,” I repeat with a whimper.

“Say it again,” he commands unrelentingly.

“Always yours,” I whimper as the orgasm splashes through my body.

“Mine,” he growls as his release arrives.

It takes us about ten minutes before we’re able to sit up in the truck and about another five to actually get fully dressed. We try to wait out the rain, but it’s pointless, so we make a run for it straight to the barn. Henry tries to tell me to wait in the truck until he gets the door lock undone, but I don’t listen and get out about two seconds after he jumps out.

The slight chill in the barn is refreshing against my damp skin as I walk over to his collection of statues. My eyes fall upon the one I know is me, but is still unfinished. It looks a bit different than it did last night, so I’m guessing that he worked on it this morning.

“It’s you,” Henry confirms, coming up behind me.

“When did you start it?” I ask, unable to pull my eyes from it.

“The night of the wake,” he shares.

“That quick?” I gulp.

“That’s us, isn’t it?” he asks with a grin when I look up at him.

I nod.

“There are others,” he announces.

“I see,” gesturing to all of the ones nearby.

“I mean of you,” he explains.

“None of Julianna?” I ask reluctantly.

“She never had my heart,” he reminds.

I nod, taking a few steps closer to another one. “This one?” I inspect.

“A work in progress,” Henry explains.

“The rest?” I ask, noticing the different animals in each one.

“Us,” he answers, confirming my suspicions when I noticed that three of them are of a pair of animals.

I nod, not surprised by his admittance. “They’re beautiful,” I commend.

“They don’t do you justice,” he claims.

I smile warmly. “I think this one might,” I suggest, round back to the newer one of me. “It’s just not finished yet.”

“I don’t want to finish it,” Henry admits.

“Why not?” I ask, confused by his words.

He shrugs.

“Tell me,” I request.

“I started it the night you came back to me,” Henry reveals. “If I finish it, then it might mean that we’re….”

I kiss him when I realize what he left off of his statement. “Always yours,” I soothe.

“Always?” he checks.

“Always,” I confirm.

“Until the end of time?” he asks.

“Yes,” I agree.

Henry pulls me close, kissing me as if it’s our last second together. “I love you,” he says. Our kiss deepens. “I’m so sorry I made you think that I didn’t.”

I shake my head in opposition, unable to find words.

I never expected that the rush of emotions I’m feeling for him would be so intense. It’s like I can’t breathe and can at the same time if that even makes sense. I feel like my soul is whole again for the first time in a long time.

“I’m so sorry I let you think that I let you go,” he adds.

“No more,” I request. “Just now.”

Henry nods. “Just now. Just us.”

“Just us,” I confirm, wincing the second that I hear my phone buzz in my pocket. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he chuckles. “I know that it can’t always be us. Do you need to get it?”

“No,” I lie.

“Go head,” he insists. “It could be your Momma calling. I don’t want her thinking you’ve been kidnapped and to send out the search party for ya.”

“Okay,” I reply, knowing that Momma and Papa would. I take a step back and notice who’s calling. I silence the ring and slip the phone back into my pocket.

“Not them?” Henry checks.

“No one important,” I lie.

“Work, wasn’t it?” he pushes.

“Yeah,” I fib.

“Take it. No biggy,” he offers.

“It’s okay,” I say, trying to deflect the topic.

“Ivy Lynn,” Henry scolds. “Don’t make me threaten you again.”

“Henry Lee,” I giggle. “You forget girl likes those kinds of threats.”

“Answer the phone,” he insists. “They’ll just keep calling.”

“Okay,” I agree, knowing that it’s true. I punch a few buttons and call the number back. “Hey, Cece,” I greet when she answers the phone.

“Girl, I was starting to worry about you,” she laughs. “I was believing that that yummy man that you’ve been avoiding had you naked and tied up.”

I giggle nervously, unsure of how to answer her with Henry so close.

“No! Oh, my God, girl! Spill,” she demands. “I want all of the juicy details. Did you orgasm? How many times?”

“I don’t think that’s appropriate language at work, Cece,” I return, needing her to catch my hint while also not sure if I like the idea of her saying all she did with my son close by.

“Appropriate?” she asks. “Wait! Hold up! You’re with him right now, aren’t you?”

“Mm-hm,” I confirm.

“Goddamn it! I fucking knew it,” Cece shouts.

“Language, Cece,” I chide.

‘The television is on,” she states. “He can’t hear me.”

“Wanna bet?” I push.

“When you finally climb out from underneath of that sexy man, you will call me immediately and tell me all about it,” Cece insists.

“Sure,” I reply calmly. “I can do that.”

“Go fuck him one time around for me, okay?” she requests.

“Sure,” I lie.

“Love ya. Now, go tap that fine ass,” Cece directs.

“Love you too,” I reply and hang up the phone. When I turn around, I find Henry watching me. “It was Cece,” I explain. “My best friend and work colleague…we’re close.”

Henry nods and offers me a beer.

“I should get home,” I suggest, refusing the drink. “I know that Momma will want me back for dinner.”

“I’ll drive you,” Henry offers.

“No, I can walk,” I say as I head toward the door. I stop the second I see how the rain hasn’t let up.

“Still need that ride?” Henry asks with a smug tone.

“Yes,” I confirm.