Page 25 of Unpacking Secrets

I was still unsettled by the transformation, even if I had to admit that I enjoyed his smiles far more than his scowls.

As we walked, I focused so hard on not collapsing into him that I couldn’t manage small talk. Henry didn’t seem to mind the silence, though. He simply took as much of my weight as possible, given that I was determined to keep myself from relying too heavily on him, and kept quiet.

Blue started out padding along beside us, as though she needed to make sure I was okay, but eventually, Henry told her to go ahead and the dog took off. Every few minutes, she would retrace her steps to cock her head at us, then trot away again.

“She likes you,” Henry told me after the fourth or fifth time.

“Or she thinks I’m a clumsy idiot who can’t keep up,” I joked, a bit weakly. “Which, unfortunately, seems to be true.”

He shook his head, patiently helping me to hobble over a fallen branch. “She must’ve known you were up ahead. She took off like a bat out of hell. It’s lucky she didn’t obey my commands to come back or I never would've found you.”

The thought sent another shiver down my spine and, though I might have imagined it, it felt like his arm tightened around me ever so slightly. My sense of time was distorted, like the fall had jumbled my brain a bit, but maybe it was just that the sun was barely visible beyond the thick canopy of green leaves above us.

Every step sent sharp pain radiating outward from my kneecap. I didn’t want Henry to think I was any more helpless than he already must, but before long, the pain started making me dizzy. I swayed suddenly and Henry swore under his breath. When I tried to apologize, my mouth couldn’t quite form the words.

It didn’t matter anyway, because his next move shocked me into silence.

He swept an arm under my knees and lifted me easily against his chest before I could even consider a protest. The world spun like a kaleidoscope before my eyes, so I squeezed them shut, breathing in the fresh scent of him.

“I’m too heavy. You don’t have to . . ." I trailed off, realizing he probably did, in fact, have to. Otherwise, we’d be out there until nightfall.

“Relax,” he said, his voice low and gentle again. “I’ve got you. I grew up in these woods, but even I don’t want to be out here after the sun goes down. We’re almost there, anyway.”

My eyes were closed tight against the waves of dizziness crashing over me, so I could only hope he was right.

Good lord, he was even stronger than he looked, though I'd noticed his impressive biceps when I grabbed onto him before. Carrying me didn’t seem to slow him down one bit—in fact, when I cracked an eye open to see if the forest had stopped spinning, it was obvious he was moving faster while holding me than he had while helping me limp onward.

Before long, we were at the edge of the trees with Blue running in excited circles around us. This was not the paved parking lot where I'd left my car, but a narrow gravel pull-off along the road. Henry's white truck was the only vehicle in sight.

“You can put me down,” I croaked.

Henry merely snorted in response. I wanted to argue, but I was drained, both physically and emotionally. He set me carefully to my feet only once we reached the passenger side of his truck, but he kept his arm around my waist to hold me upright while he opened the door. Blue jumped in and wagged her tail at us.

“Move over,” he told her, and she promptly got behind the wheel.

I laughed but looked at the pristine interior of the truck’s cab, then down at the dirt and blood adorning my outfit.

“I’m going to get your seat all dirty,” I warned him.

Henry nodded, his hazel eyes creasing at the corners as he smiled. They were a deep, mossy jade today, thanks to the green t-shirt that showed off every muscle in his arms, and that earlier softness still lingered.

“Yes, that does seem likely. Can you get in by yourself or do you need me to lift you?”

Very carefully, I hoisted myself onto the seat, trying to ignore the sudden heat of his hand on my hip as he helped me up.

“Thank you, Henry,” I said quietly, feeling like there was a whole lot more I needed to convey. The rest of it caught in my chest and my mouth snapped shut.

“You’re welcome, Juliet.”

The sound of my name from his lips hung in the air for a heartbeat before he closed the door and strode to the driver’s side. Blue wagged her tail and happily scooted into the narrow space between us when he got in. Henry ruffled the fur between her ears before shifting the truck into gear.

“First stop, medical attention.”

“I really don’t need medical attention,” I argued. “I’m fine.”

I frowned at his skeptical look, then flinched at the movement, and I could practically hear his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Look, I appreciate your hardy constitution, but I found you wandering in the woods, bleeding from the head. My ex is a doctor. She’ll meet us at the clinic in town and check you over before I take you home.”

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