Closer (Completed) Dark Romance

Chapter 17

 "What is it, Henry?"

"Can I come in?" he asked. His eyes stared deep into mine, and it was only now that I noticed how sullen he looked.

I took a moment to answer, a moment too long as his hand landed gently on my cheek.

"I don't want to be alone," he whispered as he looked down to the ground. "Of course, we don't have to do anything you don't want to."

That phrase ... I had heard him say it before. The roller coaster. Before we flew off to Colorado.

Henry was so thoughtful and considerate of me and my feelings.

"That's not what I'm worried about," I assured him. Mustering a smile, I leaned into the palm of his hand. I softly placed my hand over his on my cheek and removed it, lacing our fingers together as I led him into the room. With the bedroom door closed, I couldn't ignore the loud pounding in my chest again.

But halfway to the bed, Henry pulled me into him. His arms firmly embraced me. He nuzzled his cheek into the side of my neck. His slow breaths tickled against the skin of my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried hard to focus on something other than that.

"Ally ..." he whispered again.

"Yes?" I answered, too shakily.

"Don't you ever leave me," he mumbled under his breath.

"What's wrong, Henry?" I wanted to see his face. I wanted to know what the root of this strange behavior was. As I moved to pull away, his arms tightened around me and he refused to let me go.

"Promise me," he pressed assertively and desperately.

"I promise," I said, sighing into his chest. "I'll never leave. I'll be by your side as long as you need me."

He held me in silence for a moment longer before loosening his arms around me.

"Why are you suddenly like this?" I asked out of concern. "Did something happen?"

He shook his head side to side, but I knew he was lying. He was definitely lying. He held me with such urgency and unequivocal fear like I was going to leave him.

This beautiful man was flawed.

He was real ... real in a sense that he was human after all.

Fragile. Pitiful. Lonely.

Henry was all of these things — elements that I never could imagine him having.

The more I got to know Henry, the more I realized how much of a mystery he was.

A dark, but beautiful mystery.

"Did you want to stay ... in my room tonight?" I asked, trying to sound natural. I think I pulled it off because Henry didn't give me any sort of face.

"If I may," he said.

I nodded.

I shouldn't be worried about sleeping in the same bed as Henry. Sure, he was a man, and he would be the first man I'd ever do this with. There was a first for everything. And I wouldn't want to do it with any other man. Plus, I trusted Henry wholeheartedly. He had always been a gentleman. He would never push me to do anything I was uncomfortable with.

After we had turned off the lights, Henry occupied the right side of the bed while I took the left. I consciously kept myself close to the edge as I slipped under the sheets, but also not too close.

Just keep to the middle of your side and don't move too much, I told myself.

An awkward silence fell over the room as I stared blankly above me, the darkness swallowing my unsaid thoughts.