Hey everyone
I promised two chapters this week so here it is, I will get another one up on Sunday.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to let me know you are still reading - I really do appreciate it
XoMariaXo
CHAPTER TWENTY
As Friday rolled around, both Elizabeth and Henry were excited for their trip to the farm. By lunch time, Elizabeth was counting down the hours until she could get away. She had kept herself very busy the rest of the week so she could get work out of the way and give Henry as much of her undivided attention as possible.
"Blake, can you bring me in the latest water initiative report please……oh" Blake was already halfway into her office with the report by the time she had finished and looked up " How did you know I would be looking for that? It's not even up for discussion until next week," she eyed him questioningly.
Blake rolled his eyes at her. "Seriously I should take offence when you ask stupid questions like that. You have the farm this weekend with lover boy and the horses – which is your idea of heaven, you little weirdo. You have been here since the break of dawn in order to get as much done as possible in the hopes that I don't have to annoy you with work all weekend. I will still annoy you for everything else as you know but am I right on all accounts so far?"
"You know its creepy when you are so far into my head."
"So you say but you haven't fired me yet," he quipped as he walked back out of the door.
Henry was wrapping up a one-on-one meeting with the president when Conrad asked "Have you got anything nice planned for the weekend, Henry?"
Henry was a little thrown by the question. Sure, Conrad had always been more than pleasant with him and they had a good rapport, but he had never directly asked about his social life.
"Ahh, yes I do, in fact. Elizabeth and I are heading to her farm for the weekend, I think it will be nice to see where she grew up," Henry was secretly pleased he was able to tell someone of his plans. He understood why things had to be kept private but he also wanted to share his joy at finding her
"The farm? Really?" Conrad exclaimed, sounding surprised and instantly making Henry fear something, though he wasn't certain what he was scared of.
"Yes? Why? is that a problem or is there something I should know?"
Conrad walked over to him and gave him a friendly tap on the back. "Absolutely no problem; in fact it makes me very happy,"
Even more confused, Henry simply raised his eyebrows at Conrad. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but as far as I know, Elizabeth's only ever invited very close friends to the farm, and even then it takes a while. It is her safe haven, always has been, so the fact that you are going there and so soon gives me a good feeling."
"Thank you, Mr President. I am really looking forward to it. Maybe not the horse part, I will admit."
"Henry, it's Conrad when we aren't working, please. And a word of advice – bring treats for Buttercup because if that horse does not like you, you are in big trouble."
"Noted, Sir. Have a nice weekend," Henry grinned as he exited the Oval Office, revelling in the newest snippet of information on Elizabeth's character that he had just been gifted with, by the president no less.
Just after 5pm, Henry strode into the State Department, having left the White House early. He was eager to get the weekend started. He had missed her since he saw her last on Thursday morning; it felt as if a little part of him was missing when he wasn't with her and that feeling was getting stronger by the day.
"Evening Blake, is the secretary in? I wanted a quick word if possible," he was wary of stragglers still in the office, so he had planned out their exit with Blake and Matt.
"She is just heading home for the evening, but she could possibly give you 15 minutes if you are happy to ride downtown with her?"
"Perfect, thanks, Blake. I will just wait here until she is ready," he gestured to the seat in front of Blake's desk. "No problem, I will just let her know you are here."
He walked into her office, closing the door and grabbing her coat and briefcase "Right, Adams, time to go. Loverboy is waiting at my desk and our little ruse is under way"
She took her coat from him, "So when are you going to stop with the loverboy tag?"
"When it doesn't annoy you anymore, so I would say I have a while left in it yet."
"You are a pain the ass, Moran."
"True, but you love me for it really. Now will you please get out of this office and enjoy your weekend? Keep your fingers crossed that Russia and China play nice all weekend, I wouldn't mind a day or two to see to my own love life."
Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks, her hand still on the handle and turned her head back towards him."Whattttt? Is there something I need to know? I swear to God Blake if you are holding out on me, so help me god."
"Ok, chill out, don't get your panties in a twist please. It's very, very new and we have only been on a couple of dates, but, yes, there is someone new and, yes, I may like him a little, ok."
"You" she said pointing her finger at him "are so lucky that I don't have the time to grill you more on this. How did I miss this?" she suddenly felt guilty she hadn't been paying her friend much attention over the past few weeks. "Blake, I'm sorry I've been a little preoccupied lately. I should have picked up on it, God knows I have every other time."
Blake smiled back at her "Yes, you have. But, for once, you are thinking about yourself so please don't feel guilty about that. We will grab dinner and drinks next week, but for now please just enjoy your weekend, ok?"
"Ok, thanks, Blake, but I will be waiting for all the details."
She made her way out into the outer office and spotted Henry, "Good evening Dr McCord. I hear I have a guest on my journey home, what can I help you with?"
"Yes, Madam Secretary, I hope that is ok. I am sorry to be bothering you, but I wanted to go over the amendments we made the other day, if possible"
They made their way through the office and got into the elevator, alongside a few other people who were leaving for the day. Positioned at the back of the elevator and out of sight of the people facing forward, Henry reached across and cupped a feel of Elizabeth's bum; she let out a small yelp at the contact that she tried to cover up with a cough. Even a simple touch from Henry had the ability to set her body on fire. She looked at him and caught the smile that had spread across his face and couldn't help but mirror it.
As the others vacated the elevator on the ground floor and they were left alone on the way to the basement, she leaned in and whispered into his ear, "You will pay for that, McCord."
Taking her pinkie finger in his, "Oh, I am hoping for that, Adams, I really am."
They got into the waiting SUVs and started to make their way out of the city as they held hands, keeping it very PC until Henry put the divider up. He turned around to face her and pulled her in for a long slow and sensual kiss as they sought out their connection, finally feeling whole again.
Resting his forehead against hers, an intimate action they had come to do quite a lot, he whispered "I've been wanting to do that all day, I missed you baby." Nodding in agreement, she settled her head against his shoulder and tucked herself into him, yawning, "I missed you too."
Henry knew Elizabeth was tired and that she had probably pulled extra hours at night so she could wrap up as much work as she could, "Sleep, babe, I'll wake you up when we get there."
"No, I don't want to waste our time together by sleeping," she yawned again, trying her hardest to fight the sleep that was taking over her body.
He curled his arms around her a little tighter, "We have all weekend and I want you to be able to enjoy it. I'll sleep too so we can both have some energy for later."
"Ok, but if you wake up before me, wake me up, ok?"
"I promise. Now, sleep." They settled against another and drifted off.
Elizabeth woke as they pulled into the lane that led to the farm house; she had memorised every bump in the road over the years. "Baby we're here, wake up," she whispered into Henry's ear to rouse him from his slumber.
Opening his eyes, he saw a spark in Elizabeth that he hadn't seen before. He couldn't quite place it but he loved how it looked on her.
As they walked though the door, Henry sensed Elizabeth's demeanour shift. She instantly seemed more at ease and he could tell this was the place she considered home. As she showed Henry the home she grew up in, she surprised herself by willingly offering up stories of her and Will's childhood. She found that she wanted Henry to know all of her and didn't feel the need to hold back like she had done in so many relationships throughout her life, romantic or not.
She poured them some wine as Henry got to work in the kitchen, familiarising himself with the layout very quickly. Thankfully, Blake had ordered ahead and they had enough supplies to get them through until Monday so they had no need to venture out if the didn't want too.
As they sat eating the meal Henry prepared, Elizabeth groaned in appreciation of his culinary skills,
"I am going to get so fat if you continue to cook for me, Henry, but, you know what, I don't think I even care because this is so good."
Henry loved watching her enjoy her food and her wine. He loved anything that brought her joy and loved how her eyes light up as she expressed it.
Settling down on the sofa with a fire roaring, they talked for hours about everything and anything as they got to know more about each other's lives and their aspirations for the future. As she lay across Henry's chest, rubbing circles on his torso Elizabeth began to think out loud, "Everything has changed so much in the past few weeks."
"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Henry asked, pulling her out of her own brain.
"Sorry, I didn't realise I said that out loud" Elizabeth responded, embarrassed her mind had gotten past her filters. Henry waited for her to answer his question and was about to ask it again when her mind caught up. "And, yes, it's an amazing thing. I'm so happy, Henry, I can see a real future with you and I hope you see it, too?"
Shifting his body and sitting them both upright, wanting her to see his face, he took hold of her hands, "Elizabeth, I have never met anyone like you, I've never felt like this about anyone before, I am stupidly happy. I don't feel whole unless I am with you; when I'm not, I'm thinking about you, so please believe me when I say that my future looks brighter and more beautiful because it revolves around you. I want everything with you; I want the marriage, the babies, the growing old together. I will take whatever you give me and if any of those things are not on the table then I will take you as you are because you are everything to me."
Elizabeth felt tears starting to pool in her eyes at Henry's words, "Thank you, Henry, I feel the same way and it is all on the table."
She kissed him softly before getting up and reaching her hand down to him, "Let's go to bed."