Page 101 of Love Beneath the Guillotine
Henry’s room was oddly warm when Léon stepped in. Like a hot day after rain on scorching cobblestones. Only it didn’t smell like rain. It smelled like flowers. It was violet and jasmine essences, to be precise, swirling in a mist in Henry’s bathtub, which glistened copper orange in the dim room, lit only by firelight. He’d drawn thick curtains over the rough mess of boards on the windows, and the room was incredibly peaceful. Incredibly intimate.
Léon heard the click of the door behind him, turned his head, and felt the press of Henry’s chest against his back. “What are we doing?”
Henry wrapped hands around him, pulling at the thread on his vest. “You’re undressing.”
He shook his head, catching Henry’s fingers. “We can’t. Not in here. They’re all just downstairs.”
Henry turned him around. “We’re not doing anything. Not unless you want to. And in case you do…” He stepped away, sliding a small bolt across the door.
“Henry, no. We can’t.”
“Then we don’t. But you’re still having a bath.” Henry came around behind him again, placing hands on his hips to push himacross the room until he could see the light mist of steam rising up.
Deeply doubtful, Léon asked, “In there?”
“That’s right.” Henry dropped his vest to the floor and took his shirt over his head, ignoring every half-hearted protest that was mostly offset by Léon’s curiosity.
But he stilled again at the water’s edge, searching Henry’s eyes as if trying to detect a joke. “You just… You get in it?”
“All of you.” Henry gave an encouraging nod. “Trust me. It’s wonderful.”
“And…” He tried to ignore the fact that Henry was undoing the string of his breeches. “This is something you all do?”
“No. It’s one of… Well, it was one of five bathtubs in Paris, last I checked.” He ran fingers around the waistband of Léon’s pants. “It’s a ridiculous luxury, and you won’t find them in England. But I heard about it, and it sounded delightful, so… See what you think.”
Fingers sent a thrill over Léon’s hips as Henry dropped his breeches. “Okay.”
“In a moment.”
“What?”
Henry had him stripped naked, the light of the fire licking his magnificent body. “Nothing. I just…” He held onto Léon’s hand and moved a step away. “I want to remember you like this. These small fragments. Just in case.” Two pairs of melancholy eyes met in the dark.
How strange it was to be naked before him. To have those warm and adoring eyes on him. To feel beautiful and wanted. To want someone so beautiful. So unobtainable.
Léon pulled him close, the press of Henry’s clothes against his bare skin melting him. He kissed him once, then Henry moved away, determined that Léon should have this experience.“Be careful you don’t slip. And it’s hot. If I’ve made it too hot… Just try a toe first.”
With a shy smile, Léon dipped the toe. His smile deepened, then he sank it a little further, submerging a foot. “Itisnice.”
“Excellent. In.” Henry would have shoved him if he could, eager as he was to see Léon happily ensconced. But it only took a few more seconds for Léon to settle down, holding the sides of the tub as he went. Eyes wide, still cautious, his lovely lips popped open as the water rose up his back. He let out a small moan, and Henry dropped to his knees. “Good, isn’t it?”
“It’s amazing. It smells…” He took a breath in. “It smells so good. Is this why you smell so good?”
Henry laughed. “I haven’t had a bath for about three years.”
“Oh.” Léon chuckled. “Well… Don’t you want this?”
“Not as much as I want to see you in it. And look, it has this plank.” Henry grabbed a piece of wood and slapped it across the top, locking it into a cavity on one side. “Now it’s a table. Which means…” He walked to his desk and grabbed a bottle of brandy, pouring it into a crystal glass. It shone like diamonds in Léon’s eyes. Just like Henry did. “Now you sit there.”
Léon frowned up at him. “And what?”
“And nothing. You sit there. For hours if you like. And if it gets cool, you tell me, and I’ll boil more water. And I’ll be right here.”
With a perplexed twist of his lips, “We just sit here?”
“We just sit here.”
“Ah.” Léon looked around, bemused. “So this is Paris?”
