"A keychain? A snowglobe? A t-shirt?"
"Oh, no, it's none of those things," he said. "I probably should have actually thought of getting you one of those."
"I don't need any of them. It was just what I thought of when you said souvenir."
We rounded the corner, and he took hold of my hand as we walked inside the side door of the barn. He put his finger over his mouth and pulled me near him with a hand on my back as we walked inside. I turned and stared into those impossibly dark eyes.
"Why are we being quiet? Is somebody here?"
"No humans," he whispered.
"Then why are we being quiet?" I asked, still whispering.
He smiled, then he kissed me.
This one was different than the ones in my trailer. This was something faster, deeper. Henry opened his mouth, covering me with his kiss, and my whole body ached in that same needy way that I was already feeling in my chest. I let out an unintentional little moaning sound, and that encouraged him.
We kissed deeply for several heart-pounding seconds, and somehow, a barn was the most magical place on earth. It felt like we were one. We were both breathing heavy when he finally pulled back.
"Wow, Henry," I said, putting a hand to my chest and feeling it rise and fall as I continued to catch my breath.
I spoke at full volume because that kiss had knocked me silly and I forgot we had been whispering.
There was a bark that happened after I spoke, and I wasn't used to hearing a bark in the… wait.
A bark?
I stared at Henry with a look of confusion, and he smiled.
I heard another bark, and my head snapped a centimeter to the side in a small gesture that indicated I was listening intently.
"Who is that?" I said.
But I knew that bark, and my heart was already pounding. I felt like all the blood left my head as I waited for him to answer.
"It's your buddy," Henry said, smiling.
"PJ?" I asked, projecting my voice and calling through the barn.
A sharp, excited bark came from the back.
It was Percy. I knew it.
"Go get him," Henry said, smiling at me.
"Is it really him?" I asked, already running, heading that way.
"He's in the supply stall," Henry called from behind me.
And once I knew where I was going and who was waiting there, I wasted no time. I jogged quickly through the long barn to the door of the supply stall. The top part of the door was open,and I could see him as I approached. I opened the latch at record speed. PJ was jumping and barking, and he busted through the door as soon as it was cracked. He jumped into my arms, and I laughed and caught him in mid-air. It was a move we had practiced with his disc, but I wasn't expecting it, and I had to quickly brace myself to catch him.
"Whoa, you got him?" Henry exclaimed. "What was that?"
I settled my dog in my arms. "I got him," I said, trying not to sound like I was straining.
He was licking my jaw over and over, and he was too heavy for me to hold for very long, especially with all the wiggling and licking, which made me laugh. I set him down and stooped to my knees to be next to him.
"What are you doing here?" I said straight to Percy, rubbing him. I looked up at Henry. "What's he doing here? What's going on? Heyyy, baby. I love you too," I said, looking at PJ again and petting him when he would not stop kissing me. He stretched up, propping his front legs on my shoulders, and I scratched his back in long, light strokes, just the way he liked it.
