Page 58 of The Heartbreak Hotel
Henry laughs, a soft sound. He’s still embarrassed; I can seeit in the set of his shoulders, the creases at the corners of his eyes. “Louisa, last night—”
He steps closer. Stops a foot away, near enough that either one of us could reach out.
“I put a lot on you.” He swallows again, his eyes flickering from me to the wall next to me—like he can’t quite hold himself steady. “I told you this really heavy thing, and you were just trying to comfort me, and I worry that I made you feel obligated to—” He breaks off, eyes tracking over mine. “To do more.”
Henry looms over me, all dark brows and thick lashes and eyes creased in concern. He’s so, so beautiful. I want to reach forward and touch every single part of him.
“Obligated,” I repeat.
He nods, both hands sliding into the pockets of his white coat.
“Sort of like how you felt obligated to stay when the power came back on, that night.” I lean forward off the wall, inching into his space. I hear his breath catch, nearly soundless. “Or how you felt obligated to come hiking with us.” I tip my chin upward, making our eyes as level as I can get them. “Obligated to lie and say you like ice cream.”
Henry’s lips press together, fighting a smile. “I take your point,” he says quietly.
“Good.” I brush one hand over the buttons of his coat, curling my fingers into his lapel. His lungs expand, rising to meet them. “Thank you for telling me about Molly.”
One of Henry’s hands pulls out of his pocket to hold my waist.
“You didn’tmakeme feel anything,” I tell him, angling my chin upward. “Except—”
“Except?” he urges softly.
“Except,” I repeat, and then I pull him into me. His mouth opens under mine, wet heat and soft lips and the bite of his fingertips at my hip to hold me steady. Henry’s other hand comes to my throat, his thumb tracking the line of my jaw and tipping it upward to deepen the kiss. He presses me against the door, one leg sliding between my own. I take his bottom lip between my teeth and he groans.
My head tips back, thunking against the door, and I wince.
“Ow,” Henry breathes. He lifts a hand to cradle my skull, putting his fingers between me and the door. His eyes track back and forth over mine. “Louisa.”
“Henry.” I have my hands under his coat, wrapped around his ribs over the thin fabric of his dress shirt.
“I know it hasn’t been that long.” His thumb is hooked under my sweatshirt, brushing the sensitive skin above my hip bone. “Since Nate.”
I press my eyes shut. Nate is the last thing I want to think about right now—especially after that conversation with Bea and Kim this morning. When I open them again, Henry hasn’t looked away—he’s still watching me, patient and close. “Are you sure this is okay?”
It’s more than okay, I could tell him.I want every part of you that you’re willing to give me.
“Are you?” I say instead. “You mentioned an ex-wife last night.”
Henry’s eyes move over mine. “Years ago,” he says. “It ended right after Molly. She’s long gone.”
I want to know more—I want to know everything—but I don’t press him. “Things with Nate were over for a long timebefore they ended.” I reach up and draw a thumb between Henry’s eyebrows, smoothing the line that’s formed there. “Please don’t think about him.”
“I don’t think about him,” Henry says, dipping his chin. He pushes his lips to mine, soft and sweet and lasting. “I can hardly think about anything, anymore, that isn’t you.”
Twenty-Four
Mei opens the front doorbefore we’ve even gotten out of the car—Shani and Alfie, Nan, me carrying a sleeping Quinn.
“There you are!” she calls. She’s in sweats and a cropped T-shirt, wet hair brushing her shoulders. “I’ve been texting—I came home and everyone was just gone.”
“It’s been quite the afternoon,” Nan says, patting Mei’s arm as she passes her in the doorframe. “I think our young friend Quinn has the right idea—I’m headed up for a nap.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, hefting Quinn up the front steps. His head lolls against my shoulder. “Shani’s dog got bit by a spider and we had to take him to see Henry, and Quinn’s been on my phone the whole time.” I gesture back at Shani, who’s carrying Alfie. “This is Shani, who’s checking in today and already got way more than she bargained for. Shani, Mei—my best friend.”
“Hey,” Mei says, reaching out to pet Alfie’s head. “So sorry you went through that.”
“Thanks,” Shani says. She still looks a little shaky. “I’m just so glad Louisa was here—she knew exactly what to do.”
