Black Temptation

Chapter 55

The air is chilly when we arrive back to CherryBrooke in early 5am Monday time. Harry unlocks the door and that new house smell radiates my pores. Like I just opened a new bag of chips. Nothing's different. The magazines are all stacked and face up, the remote is perpendicular to the cup holders on the seats and the carpet is still white. Everything is the same as it was when we left, and that's exactly the problem.

"You want something to eat or drink?" Harry calls.

He'd been so gracious as to stay silent the entire plane ride here so maybe I could recuperate. But I couldn't handle my thoughts. The more I wanted to talk to him, the less I wanted to babied and the more I wanted someone to hold me, the less I actually wanted to admit it.

"No, I'm just going to call it a night." I reply, throwing myself up the stairs one step at a time. Falling into the sheets, my arms wrap around a pillow. Expecting police cars and news reporters in the morning, I opt for a good nights sleep when kisses flick over my arm.

He lays his head on my sideways spine, breathing in my wounded energy. Just lying there, nothing to say, nothing to do, but exist in each other's arms.

***

"Morning Princess!" He screams, reaffirming himself on the placement of his fruit on the table.

"Morning," I yawn, rubbing my eyes. "What's this for?"

"Just...because." He smiles, shadily.

"Because what?" I pinch again.

"Why can't anything be just because with you?"

"Do you see the life we live, the dangerous stuff we get ourselves into and not always out of sometimes? Nothing is a coincidence . Nothing is 'just because' - anymore."

Dropping the forks on the table, he ruffles his longer hair, not really knowing what to say.

"I hate for you to live that way."

"What way?"

"That everything has to be an effect of something. Nobody can be spontaneous around you because it always comes with something. There's always a story to follow. It's never because someone loves you enough to wake up earlier then the farm rooster, make your favorite breakfast, stress about the position of some stupid fruit just to make you happy. No, that never happens and that never will mean anything to you!"

My face falls. I approach him, stroking his arm.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I shouldn't have been so self-centered."

His eyes shape around me and he suddenly pulls me into a hug.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have yelled because you're right. I did do this to make you forget the recent events," he lies his hands on my cheeks, holding my face up, "but that's what I've always done and will always do for you."

I grab his hands and hold them tightly.

"Harry. That moment was scary and traumatizing, but it taught me a very important lesson. I can't rely on anyone else to understand us. I can't be so naïve about the people I choose to disclose things to. We're in this thing together, just us and everyone else can take a number. I don't wanna talk about this anymore okay? It's in the past, I'm over it, let's move forward shall we?"

Smiling, he grazes his lips against mine.

"Well I'm glad you said that because I have something to tell you. Now remember positive thinking..."

Indecently confused, I wait for the rest of his speech.

"I lied. When we were in Greece, I wasn't talking to the hotel manager, I was taking to Harley. He...He gave me an offer of a lifetime."