Page 53 of When We Were More
Ruthie overhears and winks at me. I shoot her a dirty look.
I’m dumbfounded, but I follow Henry anyway. When we get to the stairs, he gestures for me to go first, and I narrow my eyes at him.
Now he’s the one to roll his eyes. “It’s because the steps are steep, and if you fall, I’ll be behind you to catch you.”
I’m not sure why, but something about those words and the way that he says them turns me on a little. Jesus, I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me except that suddenly, after five years, my hormones are standing up and paying attention.
“It’s not to look at your ass.”
I walk up the steps, and he follows behind me.
“I guess I should clarify,” he says. “I’m behind you in case you fall, but I am also going to stare at your ass the whole way.In fact, I’m looking at your ass now, and it’s fucking fantastic, Matilda.”
I keep walking up the steps because I’m slightly stunned and don’t know what else to do or say.
When we’re both at the top, he grabs my hand and walks me to the first room on the right, opening the door. When we’re inside, he closes and locks the door, then he turns and faces me.
“Henry, what the hell is this? You’re mad because Jake is too familiar with me, yet you tell me you’re looking at my ass and acting like…like… like this.” I flail my hands in his direction.
He stares at me for several long seconds, and then he grabs fistfuls of his hair with both hands.
“I don’t know, Matilda. I’m aware we’re only friends. But I think I’m a bit jealous, and I don’t know what to do about that because I’ve never experienced that before. Ever. I don’t understand why I feel it over a friend. But there’s this chemistry between us, and you’re gorgeous with a killer body. The idea of you with Jake makes me a bit crazed.”
“Why are you saying those things? Yes, my looks are okay, but I’m fully aware that I don’t have the kind of body men like. I’ve got curves and soft spots, Henry. My ass isn’t tiny. I have hips.”
“Now you’re the one acting crazy. Look at my eyes.” I peer up at him, and I exaggerate the eye contact, bulging my eyes out and staring. “You can pretend like this is a joke if you want, but I’m telling you that there is nothing wrong with your body. In fact, it’s hot. Whoever made you think otherwise is a fucking idiot. I don’t know what you think men want, but I’ll tell you what I like in a woman. What I think a lot of men do. That’s what friends do for each other, right?”
I’m not sure how it happened, but I find myself with my back against the wall, and Henry very close to me. Like, less than a foot away.
I nod, knowing this is probably a bad idea.
“We’re exclusively gonna talk physical here, and I’m going to be very direct, so tell me if that’s not okay.” I say nothing, so he continues. “There are a lot of things that make up a woman. But you obviously have no idea how sexy you are. I like a woman with curves. With hips I can put my hands on, grip, while I’m fucking her.”
Holy hell, did he just say that? And why did I like hearing it so much?
I like when I touch a woman’s waist and it’s a little soft.” He holds eye contact as he speaks, no faltering in his voice, but there’s a panty-melting confidence to it that’s killing me. “I love tits like yours. Voluptuous, but not obnoxious. I’d kill to bury my face in that flesh while I’m sucking on your nipple.”
My eyes widen.
“You just took it from general to very specific. About you and me,” I whisper.
“I did. With you, I could grab a handful of your tits when we’re being rough. Or caress the soft flesh as my thumb traces patterns on your skin. Your ass, a woman with an ass like yours, men love that, Matilda. I want to touch it. You have the kind of ass where I could lift you up, and have you wrap your legs around my waist, holding you with my hands splayed out across those gorgeous cheeks.”
He pauses for a few seconds, searching my face. I suspect he’s making sure I’m okay.
“The last thing, the thing that really turns me on, is when a woman has that soft spot at the bottom of their belly, the one that you all hate, but I love. If you have that, I’d love to kiss it, suck on your flesh as I’m working my way down your body to eat your sweet pussy.”
“Jesus, Henry.”
We’re both breathing heavily, I can tell by the obvious erection when I glance down that he’s turned on. Christ. I’m wet already simply from his words. I can only imagine what this man can do with his body.
“So, just know, when I hear you talking shit about your body, I’m always going to correct you. Because you have every damn thing I love about a woman’s body, and I’ve never seen someone who had it all before you.”
“We’re standing very close to each other.”
“We are,” he says, never taking his eyes off me. His voice is rough.
“Can I be truthful with you?”
