Page 94 of Love Beneath the Guillotine
“Of course, I’m sure.” Henry closed a hand on his hip, the other curling over the top of his breeches.
Léon kissed Henry, sinking into the giddy thrill of being out in the open, hidden as they were. How it felt like home already, being back in his embrace, leaning against the trail that moved from his lips, up his cheek, where Henry whispered. “How do you want to manage this?”
Léon turned to catch another kiss. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…” Henry, breathing a little harder, moulding a hand into the small of Léon’s back, “I know you’re not sold on this Paris thing yet.”
“Oh.” Léon’s head tilted down.
But Henry lowered his to keep eye contact. “You can’t walk out on me. Not yet. Not until I’ve shown you everything.”
“I don’t like it here, Henri?—”
“You haven’t seen it here. Not really. Not with me.” Henry slipped a strand of Léon’s hair behind his ear, then kissed his cheek. “Give me a week. One week just to show you. And then, if you hate it, maybe we can make a plan.”
It surprised Léon that his cool heart could leap so violently. Would Henry really consider that? Walking away from Paris? For Léon?
Henry said, “I don't know how your brother would feel about us?—”
“We can’t tell him,” Léon replied sharply.
“Okay,” Henry agreed. “We won’t. But your barmaid?—”
“And not Souveraine, either.” Henry nodded, but as he did, Léon noticed the twitch of his lips. The touch of vulnerability made Léon’s hand shoot out and close around Henry’s cheek. “Not because I don’t want it. That’s not why. I don’t want things to change between us. I need you to know that. If it were up to me…”
Piercing eyes searched his. “If it was just us, and you didn’t have to think of their safety, would you stay?”
“You know I would,” Léon whispered.
Henry’s final kiss was all tenderness. Long, sweet, with hands that held Léon close, that cracked every flinty part of him that tried to defend itself from Henry’s love. “Let’s go back.”
Henry passed across a smile as he led Léon back into the daylight. “Just so you know, Catherine wouldn't mind. I think she knows I like you.”
Léon, astounded, asked, “Really?”
“I think it was a little obvious. Um. She did imply that we should kill you after the pit. But I was very firm that we should let you live.”
“Huh. Way back then.”
“I told you.” He banged at the gate. “If we’d met under better circumstances?—”
“We never would have met under other circumstances,” Léon said softly.
“Perhaps not.” Henry gave the wood a kick, then let out a sigh. He turned side on to look at Léon. “I won’t stop being sorry for what I put you through, but Ange…” Léon’s sad eyes met his. “I’m so happy I found you. You’re not like anyone else I’ve ever met. If you want to keep us a secret, then I’ll do it. But you should know, that’s your choice. I’m proud you would even look at me, that you would ever consider me worth your time. I wouldlike to tell Catherine, and I would tell all the world. But above all, I’ll respect your wishes.”
A grin spread slowly across Léon’s beautiful face. “Stop it.”
Henry threw back a perfectly cheeky grin. “Am I charming you?”
“Yes.”
“Are you blushing?”
“Yes!”
“Good.” Henry kissed his cheek brazenly. “You’re lovely. And I’m just getting started. I promise you won’t want to leave at the end of this week.”
Henry raised a fist to smash into the gate, but an enormous ripping sound came from the other side, and the entire edifice shook.
