When the Curtains Close

Chapter 13

Y/N

No one is more surprised than I am when I plant a soft kiss in Henry's hair. I smile before quickly running from the room and jogging up the stairs to my own. I lay back on my bed as the wind from the ocean blows into the room. I can still feel the warmth of Henry's arms around me and head on my abdomen. 'We can talk tomorrow,' I had said to him. Talk about what? About how this version of me he's always known is nothing more than a smoke screen to distract from the mess behind it?

Thankfully, I had showered as soon as I unpacked. Now I can just lay in the bed and toss and turn until the sun comes up. Lucky me. I do, eventually, settle into a restless sleep. It, strangely, isn't plagued my nightmares as usual. Instead, it is filled with all of the ways Henry may break my heart when the sun rises.

I am awakened by soft grunts just as the sun is beginning to rise. I'm so thankful the weather has cooled since I slept with the window open. Sitting up, I rub my face and glance at my watch—6:43 am. My body is still an hour behind. It's only 5:43 in London. I swing my legs over the bed and throw on a light robe. The grunts seem to be coming from outside on the lower level. Quickly, I jog down the stairs when the delicious scent of coffee almost renders me useless. Everything else fades until I am wrapping my fingers around the steaming cup. I take a sip when another grunt resounds from just outside the front window. It is then that I notice Henry's door is open and his bed is empty. When I stick my head out the window, I am greeted with one of the most delectable sights to ever grace my eyes. Henry Cavill is doing pushups beside the pool. I watch as every muscle in his back contracts and relaxes with his movements. I bite my lips into my mouth and let my eyes rake over his shirtless back and strong legs hidden only by his shorts. I'm not quite sure how long I've stood here ogling him until he starts to stand. I desperately don't want him catching me creeping when he turns around. I quickly turn away from the window and trip over the rug, landing with a thud. Thank goodness I had finished my coffee! I look up in time to see Henry brush off his hands and grin. He must know I am embarrassed because he simply grabs hold of a bar and begins his pull-ups. Gritting my teeth, I roll over and dart up to my room to change.

Around an hour later, I am seated on my private balcony with a book facing the clear blue ocean. Every few moments, sounds from the slowly awakening villa and city nearby drift into my ears. When the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs pulls my attention, I glance over my book just in time to see a full head of dark black hair coming into view. It is soon followed by those piercing blue eyes and a full smile.

"Good morning, dear," Henry says, bending down and kissing my forehead. "You didn't happen to see a wild woman running around the villa this morning?" When I give him a confused look, he continues, "She was quite beautiful... I spotted her watching me do my morning exercises from the kitchen window. Then she, quite literally, vanished."

I roll my eyes and give him a gentle shove, "I guess it would be too much for you to have just forgotten the entire thing."

He grins again, "On the contrary, I think I rather enjoy the feeling of her captured attention." He sits on the end of the Chaise Lounge almost on my feet and rests his arm on my kneecaps. "Are you about ready to talk or were you hoping I would forget about that, as well?"

Taking a deep breath, I sit my book to the side. "What do you want to know, Henry?"

"What happened when you went back to the States with your father?" He leans closer to me as if he can sense this is a sensitive subject.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I want to be there for you but I don't know how to help if I don't know the demons I'm fighting." His words are soft but carry the weight of years of heartache.