Chapter Two

H enry Boulder rolled over on his side and winced. His ass hurt in a good way, but then he remembered. The bastard who made him feel amazing hadn’t gloved up, and he had to get tested. “Fucker.”

Getting out of bed, he rolled his head and winced a second time. Running his fingers over the spot where his neck hurt, Henry walked into the bathroom and checked his neck in the mirror. There was nothing there, but the area was tender when he touched it.

“Great.”

He turned the shower on, and while he waited for the water to heat up, he brushed his teeth and went over the plans he had for the day. In the shower, he quickly scrubbed his body and washed his hair, then got out and dried. Once dressed, he checked his phone, seeing a message from his friend Birch asking what time they were meeting up.

Responding, Henry put his sneakers on, grabbed his wallet and coat, and left his apartment. It was Saturday and no work, so he could meet his friends for lunch and discuss their plans for that evening. After a quick visit to the clinic. Probably what they always did which was go out and get drunk.

It didn’t take him long in the clinic—thankfully—so he walked on to the café, and when he entered, his friends were already there. As soon as he sat, the teasing started. “So who was he and how good was he?” Birch asked.

Henry chuckled. “Said his name was Gray, and he was good, but I didn’t get a number.” Taller than his own six foot, with intense dark blue eyes, and short blond hair, Gray had been good. Very good. However…

“Just a blowjob, then?” Dusty murmured in between sips of his coffee.

“More than that.”

Dusty arched an eyebrow and put his cup on the table. “Who has a certain rule about not fucking in the restrooms?”

“That would be me, and with good reason. Dude didn’t wear a condom, and I didn’t bother to check.”

Leaning back in his chair, Henry closed his eyes as Birch muttered, “He did what?”

“I know.” He opened his eyes and glanced between Birch, Dusty, and Kofi. “I should have made sure, but…fuck. I’ve been to the clinic already, so I should know soon.”

“Then you have to wait for the more serious results to come in.” Kofi’s dark eyes stared into Henry’s own green ones. “It isn’t like you to not notice the lack of a condom.”

“I know. Maybe I was more drunk than I thought.” Henry ran his hands over his face. “I have a few tense days of waiting before I know for sure. The rapid test came back negative, but I want to make sure.”

“Shit, Henry.”

“I know. Shame, cause the guy can fuck.” Henry rubbed his stomach when it rolled. Maybe he shouldn’t have had that extra bottle last night. “Hungry?”

“I could eat.” Kofi picked up the menu even though they all knew it by heart. They ate at the cafe every week, but he liked to check in case anything new had been added. “Full English for me.” The same thing he always ordered and what Henry usually ordered as well, but today his stomach rolled at the thought of eating all that food.

Birch took their orders, arching an eyebrow when Henry asked for egg on toast, then went up to the counter to order. It was his turn to pay this week, and Henry sat back in his chair, waiting for his stomach to settle. Yeah, he’d had too many beers, and he was now feeling it.

Kofi saw him rubbing his stomach. “You good?”

“Too many beers?” He shook his head when the other three laughed at him. You’d think he’d know what his limit was now that he’d hit thirty but no, he hadn’t.

“Told you last night to stop, but would you listen?” Dusty chuckled. “Now your stomach hates you.”

“It’ll settle once I’ve eaten.” Henry was certain his stomach would. It always had before, but even as he thought that, his stomach grumbled.

“Not sure it agrees.” Birch sat next to him and stared. “Sure an alien isn’t about to burst free?”

“Fuck off.” They all laughed and once their food was delivered, Henry tucked in, but almost immediately struggled to eat it. His stomach was definitely protesting, but he ignored it. He needed food to soak up all the beer from the night before.

He ate his food, but it was a struggle. Copious amounts of coffee helped, but after he’d finished eating, Henry sat rubbing his stomach, grimacing as it cramped in pain. Maybe he should have stuck with the coffee instead and not had the food. Too late now, and Henry was hoping it didn’t make a return visit.

They talked about their week and Birch suddenly spoke up. “I’m doing it.”

All three of them turned to look at Birch. “You’re going to ask her?” Kofi asked. “You’ve got the ring?”

“I have. Something simple. You know she doesn’t like those rings with huge rocks, so it’s a platinum band with a single diamond.” Henry was genuinely happy for Birch. He’d been with his partner, Isla, since high school, and he’d never once been tempted to leave her.

“Do you have it all planned out?” Kofi grinned as he moved out of Birch’s way. “Come on. We all know you have this night planned. Ring? Restaurant? Do you have something romantic for later? Hotel?”

Birch glared at Kofi and muttered, “All of it.”

They all laughed and talked some more before they all left. Henry went back to his apartment and immediately went to bed. His churning stomach had him in bed, curled up on his side. Maybe a couple of hours' sleep would settle his stomach.

After an hour of trying to sleep, Henry gave up and just lay in the bed curled up and cradling his stomach. A cold sweat broke out, and he groaned as his stomach rolled. He was never drinking again. He was done. He was going sober and would be a teetotaller from now on. Never again would a drop of alcohol pass his lips.

His phone beeped, and he reached over to pick it up, moaning as a fresh wave of pain hit him. Seeing it was from Birch, Henry read it.

How you feeling lol

Like death.

Awww poor baby. Feel better soon.

Thanks. Going back to sleep.

Henry dropped the phone on the floor and pulled the covers up to his ears, shivering. “Shit,” he mumbled. He felt like absolute crap and couldn’t wait to sleep it off, but sleep was off being elusive and Henry was tempted to take a sleeping pill he had in the bathroom. He’d been prescribed them a while ago when he’d had a bout of insomnia, and he still had a handful left. The thought of getting up to go to the bathroom though… yeah, he wasn’t looking forward to that.

Shoving the covers down, Henry sat up and wrapped an arm over his stomach as it protested him moving. He was so not going out again until he felt better. Fuck, he hoped the guy from the night before hadn’t given him anything. Bastard, not wearing a condom. At least his test had come back negative, but shit. Who did that today, knowing what could be transmitted?

Henry stood and staggered to the bathroom. He did what he had to do, then checked the bathroom cabinet and found the pills he needed. Taking one, Henry went back to bed. Hopefully tomorrow he would feel better.

***

Henry did not feel better when he woke up Sunday morning, but he didn’t feel any worse, which was something. He puttered around his apartment, doing some odd jobs and catching up on laundry. He met his sister, Ariel, for lunch, and caught up with the family drama.

“Now Alan is threatening to make him a eunuch. Apparently.”

“Hmm. Sounds pleasant.” Henry was one of three siblings, and the youngest was Hick, who was in college and messing around. That meant having sex, doing drugs, and drinking to excess. Hick was the first in the family to go to college, even though Ariel wanted to go. Their father, Alan, had refused, stating women didn’t need to go to college as they were the homemakers, intended to marry a good man and support him, raising the children while he provided for the family.

It had been several years since Ariel had spoken to Alan and was now taking night classes to earn her degree in business. She was married to Tisha, a gorgeous dark-skinned woman who Ariel loved and adored. They also had a little girl, Macy, who was the center of their world.

While they were having lunch, Tisha and Macy were baking cupcakes for their afternoon tea party with Macy’s friends. Something Henry had been told he couldn’t attend. At the time he’d pouted, earning a laugh and a kiss from Macy, but given the way he was feeling, he was actually relieved now.

“I need to go soon.” Ariel checked her watch. “I don’t want Tish to do too much right now.”

“How long has she got left to go?” Tisha was pregnant and Henry knew the due date was fast approaching.

“A month, but as you know, she was early with Macy, so we’re keeping an eye on her.” Ariel reached across the table and clenched Henry’s hand. “I can never say thank you enough.”

Henry rolled his eyes, earning a slap on his hand. “It was nothing. Well, a few minutes of work and that was it.”

“Not every brother would do what you did.”

“Ariel. I went in a cubicle and did what had to be done and now you have two gorgeous kids. Almost. Seeing you guys happy makes me happy and you know I don’t want kids. You do.”

“And biology had a way of saying no, didn’t it?” Henry went to say something, but Ariel shook her head. “I accepted it a long time ago and this way a bit of me is in our children because of you.” Ariel pushed a lock of her auburn hair over her shoulder. “I love you.”

“Love you too, sis. Now finish your cake, then you can go and see to your wife and daughter.”

“I’m looking forward to our afternoon tea party.”

“Girls only tea party.”

“It’s what Macy wants, but she promised next time Uncle Henry can come.”

“And I’ll be there. I might even bring some of the blueberry muffins Macy loves so much.”

“And you’d be her favorite uncle, too.” Ariel stood and grabbed her bag. Henry stood as well and gave her a hug. “My turn to pay, so eat up and I’ll see you next week.”

“Tell Tish and Mary I love them.”

Ariel smiled and left the table to pay the bill. Henry sat and stared at his half-eaten food, then sighed heavily. He wasn’t hungry and all he wanted to do was go back to bed. Tired. All he felt was tired. His body was sagging under it, his limbs heavy to move.

Pushing the plate away, Henry exhaled softly and stared out of the window as his stomach rumbled, but not in a good way. Sipping his coffee, he waited until it settled, then stood and left. He would be home soon and he could go back to bed and sleep it off.

The last thing he wanted was to feel like this when he had a twelve-hour shift ahead of him.

Twelve long hours. He was so looking forward to that.