Hank's heart sank as he saw his beloved this shattered. He softly asked. ''Chelsy. Have you been drinking?''
Chelsy gave another drunk cackle and replied in a shaky, cracked voice. ''Does it matter if I am drunk or not? Why don't you go over to your beloved Clarissa? I believe she is waiting for you inside Mister Fitzwilliam.''
Chelsy tried standing up. She was unsteady on her feet as she staggered. Her body swayed left and right like a leaf on a windy day. She stumbled and almost fell to the ground.
But lucky enough, Hank was so swift and caught her before she could hit the ground.
''Chelsy. Be careful. You might hurt yourself.''
Chelsy was now close in Hank's arms. She spoke slowly, and her words were slurred. She tried pushing Hank off her as she spoke between sobs and tears now flowing from her eyes.
''Hank, please leave me alone. I get it. You and I are not of the same class and social circle. I wish I had listened to Clarissa from day one. She told me you were out of my league, but I decided to believe in my delusional mind that you and I could make it work. But you know what, I was wrong again. I believed it when you said you loved me. Just like Ken, I believed you. But now, I have ended up holding my bleeding heart in my hand.''
As she spoke, she held her hand out.
''Hank, why did I have to go through this all over again? It hurts so much. And you know what, just when I had fallen deeply in love with you, you decided to let go of my hand.''
Her sobs became louder as she spoke. ''Why am I so unlucky? Why did you have to hurt me this much Hank?''
As Chelsy spoke, Hank's heart was torn into pieces. He couldn't believe he had hurt Chelsy this much. Her words pierced his heart like a double-edged sword. All he could do was let her pour her heart out. He held Chelsy close to his chest as she spoke.
Then suddenly, Chelsy said the one thing that crumbled Hank's world. ''Hank. I wish I hadn't met you. I wish I hadn't fallen in love with you. I wish I would never see you again.''
As she spoke, she slumped down and passed out.
All Hank could do was mutter the words, ''I am sorry Chelsy. I am so sorry. I will make things right.''
He carried Chelsy in his arms, and took her home.
When Chelsy fluttered her eyes, bright lights shone from the large floor to ceiling pane windows. The white curtains swished from left to right like fluttering fairy wings.
Chelsy rubbed her eyes and realized she wasn't in her room. She jolted from the bed and gasped. ''Oh my gosh. This isn't my room. Where am I? And what is this I am wearing?''
She bent down and saw that she was wearing only a white T-shirt and her panties. ''What happened yesterday? And why am I only wearing a t-shirt?''
Her eyes were wide with fear. ''Oh my gosh. I hope I didn't go home with a total stranger last night.''
As she sat down trying to figure out what happened, the door was slowly pushed open. Hank walked in holding a mug of tea in his hands.
He spoke softly and with a warm smile on his face.
''Good morning beautiful. I can see you are awake.''
Chelsy was shocked to see Hank walking in, with shorts and no shirt on. Gosh. He was breathtakingly handsome. Chelsy could not help but stare at his perfectly sculpted body.
When Hank realized Chelsy gawking at him, he said teasingly. ''Enjoying the view?''
Chelsy snapped out of her head and couldn't help but feel embarrassed after being caught gawking like a hawk gawking at a little chick.
She cleared her throat and asked sternly. ''Hank, what am I doing here? And how did I end up in your house?''
The previous night, after Chelsy had passed out, Hank didn't want to leave her alone. He decided to take her to his penthouse in order to take proper care of her.
As he carried her into his penthouse, she threw up all over him.
Both their clothes were covered in vomit.
Hank took her into the bathroom and placed her in the bathtub.
He couldn't leave her like that in those dirty clothes. This was one of the most difficult things Hank had to do.
When he removed the blue party dress she was wearing, her beautifully curved body was exposed. She was in her panties and bra only.
Her porcelain skin was glowing in the water, and her sleepy, tired face and pink-wet lips were driving Hank insane.
It felt as if he should pounce on her and ravage her like a dog on heat.
Hank could feel the heat emanating from within. He could feel droplets of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
He gently cussed himself inside. ''Hank, you idiot. Better calm down.''
He struggled and cleaned Chelsy's wet body, and wrapped her in a robe.
He carried her to bed, and unclasped her bra in order to make her feel more comfortable.
He then picked up one of his shirts and slid her into it without looking at her chest. Once he was done, he tugged her into bed and rushed out of the room at the speed of light.
It was a tough night for Hank. He couldn't sleep. His desire for Chelsy was growing at a fast rate. Even though it was winter, the heat within him was unbearable. He went into the bathroom and took a cold shower. He wished the water could be colder.
After spending more than twenty minutes in the bath, he came out feeling much better and calm. He went straight to the guest room, and slept.
''Hank, answer me. How did I end up in your house, and on your bed? Wait a minute. Did we?''
Chelsy asked with her eyes wide open, and pointing at Hank's groin area.''
Hank just scoffed and said, ''Chelsy, necrophilia is not something that I do, okay? I like that when you and I do it, you are very awake and looking at me.''
Chelsy's face grew red with embarrassment. She looked at him from head to toe and muttered, ''You are so shameless. And how did I get into these clothes?'' She asked.
Hank was enjoying the question and answer session. He also enjoyed how his tease was making her face turn red.
He cleared his throat and said, ''Well, I have been trained to fight with my eyes blindfolded. So I could easily put you in that t-shirt without looking. But it doesn't mean I didn't look.''
Chelsy's face grew even redder. ''Hank, I didn't know you were this shameless and such a prick.''
Hank couldn't help but enjoy teasing her. ''Well, my dear fairy, as long as I am shameless with you, I don't mind. Anyway, I made this chamomile tea to help with your hangover. Have it and I will make us some breakfast.''
Chelsy snorted and stood up. ''I don't need your tea. I want to go home.''
She didn't realize that pushing the blanket off her would knock off the tray in Hank's hand. The hot tea spilled all over Hank's chest.
Hank gave a loud cry as the hot liquid poured all over his chest.
Chelsy was shaken. She quickly rushed to Hank, who was standing in a corner, with his chest starting to look red.
She screamed in fear as she realized what had happened. ''Oh my God. Hank. Are you okay?'' She rushed by and held his hands and pulled him into the bathroom. She quickly splashed cold water on the burnt area and asked.
''Where is the first aid kit?''
Hank pointed and muttered softly. ''In the cabinet under the sink.''
Hank wasn't in pain as he made it seem. He just loved the attention and care Chelsy was giving him. He had to keep up with the act just to have her stay closer to him.
Shortly after, Chelsy returned with the first aid kit and pulled out a burnt ointment, and gently applied it to Hank's red skin.
Chelsy started tearing up, as she applied the ointment. ''Hank, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you with the tea. It was a mistake.''
As Hank saw that Chelsy was sad, he held her hand away from his chest and said softly, ''Hey. It doesn't hurt. I don't feel pain, okay? It's just a little bruise, and it will get better by tomorrow. So you don't have to cry.''
He sent his hand and cleaned the tears that were falling from Chelsy's eyes.
Chelsy stood up and said.
''I have to go now.''
As she turned and was about to leave, Hank held her hand and said, ''Chelsy, please wait. Please can we talk?''
Chelsy shook her head and said, ''No Hank. I don't think we have anything to tell each other. Please, let's not hurt each other again.''
Hank held her hand and said with pleading eyes. ''Please Chelsy, just ten minutes please.''
Chelsy took a deep breath and said, ''Okay. Ten minutes.''
They both walked into the room and sat down on the couch. Hank looked at Chelsy and started talking.
''Chelsy, I know for the past weeks, I have been a complete jerk and disappointed you in so many ways. I want you to believe me. Clarissa and I have nothing in common. I have never fancied her, and will never. The only woman I am in love with is you. And I am a hundred percent sure of that. The kiss at the arena came as a shock. I didn't know she was going to do that. And as for yesterday, I had no idea she was going to be there. Two weeks ago, I had her transferred to our Luton branch because I didn't want her anywhere near me.''
Chelsy looked at Hank and asked. Then why did you stand me up the day we were to meet at The Gus coffee shop?''
Hank took a deep breath, looked at Chelsy and answered honestly. ''Chelsy, I want to be honest with you. I want us to start on a clean slate. So I will tell you everything that happened.''
He cleared his throat and spoke. ''Chelsy, the night before our meeting, I saw you hugging a man in the middle of the street. I grew so jealous, and went out to have a couple of drinks. Then I got drunk and Clarissa walked into my suite. I was completely wasted, and didn't know what I was doing. So thank God Daniel came on time, and prevented me from making the worst mistake of my life.''
Chelsy was shocked as she listened to Hank's explanation. ''What? That was Ruben, my coworker. I wasn't hugging him. I was only trying to put him in a taxi.''
Hank looked at Chelsy and said solemnly, ''I know Chelsy. I know you were only trying to help him.''
He went on. ''Chelsy, I used to love a lady called Alexandra. She was my first love, and we were inseparable. When my father filed for bankruptcy, she left me a few weeks before our wedding and vanished into thin air. A few months later, I realized that she was married to a wealthy man in the United States. Since then, I vowed never to fall in love again until I met you. You thawed my frozen heart and made me happy again.''
He sent his hand and held Chelsy's.
''Chelsy, I know I have been a total jerk and a prick towards you. I know what your ex did to you. I promise never to hurt you again. I know I might not be your first love, your first kiss, nor your first anything. But one thing I am certain of, is that I will be your first strong feeling. I am not promising that everything with me will be a smooth ride because we will always have bumps on the way. But one thing I am certain of, is the fact that you will always have me to support you in your every decision. You will always turn and see me right beside you. You will not walk this journey called life alone, because I will be by your side in both good and bad times. Chelsy, I love you with every fiber in me, and I am not ashamed to say it.''
Chelsy could not hold the tears in anymore. They started streaming down like a torrential downpour. This was the first time anyone had ever confessed their feelings this deep. She knew she was in love with this man, and would not throw in the towel. She was ready to fight for him and with him.
''So Chelsy, will you please give me another chance to make things right?''
Hank sat down anxiously waiting like a puppy waiting for a treat.
Chelsy raised her hand and placed it on Hank's cheek. She looked at him tenderly and spoke with the most sincere voice ever. ''Hank, I love you.''
That was all she said.
Hank's face, which was tense, relaxed into a warm smile, as he hugged Chelsy so tightly.
''Thank you Chelsy. This means the world to me. I love you so much.''
They disengaged from the hug and he asked. ''Chelsy, please can I kiss you?''
Chelsy's cheeks turned red. ''How can this man ask such an embarrassing question? Could he not just kiss me without asking? She thought to herself.
Before Chelsy could answer, Hank moved closer to her, and gently kissed her on the lips. It was soft, slow and passionate. This could be considered their first kiss as an official couple.
After kissing for what looked like forever, they were out of breath. Hank pulled away and stared into Chelsy's eyes and said affectionately. ''Now you are officially mine, Miss Powers.''