I Don't Want You to Get Hurt

After their close contact in the living room, Helena's heart still raced with conflicting emotions. As Arthur's fingers grazed her skin, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Her heart raced, and the air in the room grew thick with an unspoken desire. It reminded her of how Israel used to touch her, but this was different. This scared her in a thrilling, exhilarating way, making her pulse race even faster. She couldn't stop thinking about Arthur and what could happen if they let go of their inhibitions.

She changed into her pajamas, settled on her working chair and table, and opened her laptop to continue working on her new novel. Yet, she didn't have a better writing atmosphere. She kept staring at the cursor moving on her laptop screen as she only wrote a few words, and then her head went blank.

She rested, sat on her bed at 10 in the evening, she thought about Arthur's invitation to go camping with him. Helena took her backpack and started stuffing all the things she might need in camping for the next day. She decided it would be a good idea to get away for a while and explore the wild with Arthur, and it would eventually help her focus on her novel when they got back.

Helena tossed and turned on her bed and had difficulty sleeping at 11 in the evening. She hoped to sleep early so she could wake up earlier the next day to catch Arthur for his trip to the forest.

She couldn't help but think about Arthur again and how he made her feel. It was confusing for her, as Arthur was not even her boyfriend, but she couldn't deny her attraction towards him. With Arthur in mind, she was able to sleep.

Helena jolted to the sound of the alarm clock she set at 5 in the morning. Feeling lazy, she turned the alarm off until she remembered getting to the forest with Arthur. She must wake up before him to catch the man before he leaves.

She grabbed herself out of bed, fixed it, and then went outside; she was relieved seeing the lights were off; she thought Arthur was still asleep. She went to the bathroom, gargled mouthwash, and then started cooking for breakfast. The time was on her side as she had finished cooking while the guest room hadn't opened yet. Arthur was still asleep when Helena took a shower.

After taking a shower, Helena wrapped herself in the bath towel when she heard a voice behind her.

"Good morning!"

The greeting from a very familiar voice stopped Helena. She froze while holding her towel as if someone would rip it off. At that moment, she thanked all the angels and saints she had already wrapped herself in her towel. In her peripheral vision, she saw Arthur standing at the door.

"You should have knocked on the door first. That's common manners," Helena spit.

"I'm sorry," Arthur was fast to apologize. "I wasn't expecting you'd wake up this early," Arthur was sincere the whole time.

Helena heaved a heavy sigh. "I want to come to explore San Antonio. We can talk later; I'll have to change," she went outside the bathroom, passing by Arthur, who was in shock.

Arthur was left wondering if he heard Helena right. He was sure he wasn't dreaming, so he went to the bathroom and showered. When he left the bathroom, Helena was at the dining table having breakfast.

"I already cooked breakfast. Join me so we can drive to the forest early," she said, not even looking at Arthur, who was only wearing a bath towel wrapped in her midsection.

"I'll change first, and we'll join you for breakfast. I'm sure you won't like me having breakfast with you with only a towel wrapped around my waist."

Helena rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. She doesn't even glance at Arthur as she knows the man is teasing her again.

Helena was sipping her coffee when Arthur joined her for breakfast. "Have you packed a few things you might need?" Arthur asked, getting his omelet and bread for breakfast.

"I already did. We can also bring bread, eggs, and other food for lunch and snacks."

"No need. I already have food supplies I bought from the town center."

"That's cool. You are well prepared for your camping."

"Of course, I told you I learned a lot of things early on in life." He winked at Helena when she glanced at him. She ignored him.

Arthur offered to drive, "I'm in a better mood when my vehicle is full," he said with a small smile. Helena felt her heart flutter as she watched him scatter around like a puppy, eager to please and make her happy. She was nervous at first, not knowing what to expect. But Arthur put her at ease with his care and attention. Before starting the engine, he tugged on her seatbelt five times and fussed briefly to ensure she was safe.

"You're really paying attention to detail," Helena murmured as Arthur relaxed in the driver's seat.

"I want you to be safe," Arthur replied with a gentle look.

Their tension dissolved after that, and they fell into easy conversation. Helena warmed up more and more as Arthur listened intently to her stories about her childhood dreams and aspirations, their favorite books and movies, and the places they wanted to travel to.

When they arrived at the campsite, Arthur proudly showed off the tents he had made for them both. "I thought you might need one, too," he said bashfully.

Helena took in the beautiful trees around them and birds and butterflies singing all around them - she could feel herself relax even more in this isolated place. She turned towards him with a smile, "That was very thoughtful of you."

"Anything for you."

Helena smiled shyly and rested on the foldable chair after a long trip. "We should take a rest first."

"Of course," Arthur couldn't help but keep staring at Helena as they sat under the trees. The way her hair glinted in the sun, the curve of her neck, and the way her skin looked against the green of the trees were breathtaking. He had never felt this way, but he knew he wanted her.

As they sat there, Helena suddenly stood up and stretched, her eyes closed and her arms lifted above her head. Arthur couldn't help but stare, mesmerized by how her body moved. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urge to touch her.

Without thinking, he reached out and placed his hand on her waist. Helena's eyes shot open, and she turned to face him with a questioning look.

Arthur leaned in and said, "There was dirt I removed from your shirt," he was relieved seeing anger disappear from Helena's face.

He grabbed a picnic blanket from his tent at lunchtime and set it on the ground. He then proceeded to pull out food from his small pantry. He lets Helena choose what food to have for lunch, and they eat it together.

Helena got her small backpack full of snacks before leaving the campsite and wandering in the forest with Arthur. She made sure to have snacks if she wanted something to eat while walking more profoundly in the woods.

As they ventured further into the forest, Helena noticed their tension dissipating. She looked around in awe at the grandeur of nature surrounding them while Arthur's eyes lit up with child-like enthusiasm. The trees seemed to tower high above them, reaching upwards into the heavens as if hoping to find something out of reach.

As they were walking on a rocky path, Helena slipped and fell, but Arthur was fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground. He held her tightly, his arms wrapped around her waist, and she could feel his chest against her back. She blushed at the sudden closeness but couldn't deny the thrill that ran through her body.

"Careful, Helena," Arthur whispered into her ear. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Thanks, Arthur," Helena replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're always looking out for me."

Arthur's grip on her waist tightened, and Helena could feel his breath. They both had the strong will to fight the urge to be deeply intimate.