Moving Day (Henry)

Henry whistled as he walked down the palace halls, taking his time and enjoying the temporary piece of mind that followed his sexual adventures. His thoughts were oddly calm and he didn't have to try as hard to block the unwanted memories of recent events. His mind was still on Lillian, the official courtesan. That simple statement caused his thoughts to darken slightly. Being engaged was seriously depleting the women he had at his disposal. Lillian, however, had been very eager, even going so far as to offer him options to end his engagement. Henry wasn't fooled by her talk. Most of her plans had been idiotic at best and suicidal at worst. He'd been informed of her motives and had seen her display them firsthand. The day Henry did something that Lillian suggested was the day someone should fill him full of silver. Of course, his dismissal of her ideas didn't stop her from spreading her legs.

A bit further along the hall after turning the corner, Henry caught a faint whiff of Elina's scent and he stopped whistling. His brow dropped down as he scowled. Her scent was all over the place now, and he could hardly escape it. Just like that, his happy bubble was popped and his thoughts started chasing each other around inside his mind once more. He was engaged to be married to a woman who set his teeth on edge and set his blood on fire. If that wasn't bad enough, she was unwilling to sleep with him. Oh, and she hated him. The real kicker was that he was falling for her. Henry growled at the thought. He was not falling in love. He wasn't.

Elina's scent grew stronger the closer he got to his rooms and he frowned. Surely they wouldn't expect... Henry's hand tested the doorknob and found it unlocked and he groaned. This wasn't happening. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside and looked around. Elina's scent mixed with his own and the soft smell of orchids. All of his things were still there, but now flowers dotted the room among other female-looking nick knacks. There were exotic colors that he'd never seen before and he was a bit ashamed that he liked them. It was as if they completed the room that he'd previously thought of as already complete.

With only a moment's hesitation, Henry headed to the bedroom and stopped cold. The shower was running. Instantly, his blood heated and his heart pounded. He wanted to march in there with her, strip off his clothes, and ravage her body. Of course, wanting something and getting it were two different things. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Her scent was still assaulting him as his eyes found the trail of clothes she'd left in her wake. In moments like this one, it was hard for him to remember that he was supposed to be making her hate him. He even started moving toward the clothes, intending to pick them up and set them aside, before he came to his senses.

He shook his head at himself in frustration and went back to flop on the bed. Breathing slower but uneven, he started taking stock of the room itself. The maid had been in, but there were other differences as well. There were orchids on the bedside table. Elina scent was strong around the closet and dresser which told him her clothes had been moved. There was no way she'd been the one to do it. Elina very nearly hated him. She wouldn't be moving her stuff into his room unless it was out of her control, which meant Henry couldn't kick her out. Well, it looked like he was going to have some very long and very sleepless nights ahead of him.

Rolling over onto his side, he thought about his current situation. His thoughts swirled as he tried to find the best course of action. What would make Elina the most angry with him? Well, knowing her, probably coming out of the bathroom to find him with another woman, but he was still spent from his time with Lillian. The next best course of action would be to intrude on her shower. Now, if only he could pull some self control out of thin air. Just the thought of... Henry gritted his teeth. He could do this. Standing, he slowly stripped down to his boxers and tossed his clothes on the floor with Elina's. That would probably irk her too. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before easing open the bathroom door. Instead of jumping in the shower like he wanted to, he stood just inside the doorway and waited.

Steam saturated Henry's entire body and his muscles went stiff. He didn't think there was a trace of his own scent left in the bathroom. There was, of course, but it was so faint he almost didn't catch it. The shower had glass doors that distorted the image, but Henry's eyes couldn't have been pulled away from Elina's form with a crowbar. Condensation immediately formed on his skin and the moist air gave everything a hazy glow. She had to know he was there, and so he waited, his body thrumming with awareness. After a moment, he didn't know whether the moisture on his skin was from the steam or from the strain he was putting on himself to stay put.

Just when Henry thought she wouldn't respond to his presence, Elina wiped a hand across the glass, giving him a view of her face, but no lower than her collar bone. His eye twitched and it took all his willpower not to go to her. Somehow, he held himself back. "Yes, I noticed." He wouldn't admit that he liked the flowers. He needed to sound angry about it. He needed to make her mad, but the words wouldn't come. Henry shifted his weight to keep the door frame from digging into his back as he stood there, watching her rinse her hair out. He wanted to go to her and run his fingers through the silky strands. He wanted to make a fist in her locks, pull her head back, and ravage her neck with his mouth.

Henry closed his eyes, the scent of cherries filling his nose and his body on fire. Idly, he wondered what she would do if he actually got in the shower with her. He couldn't, though. He didn't trust himself quite that far... not with her. Had it been anyone else on the other side of that fragile glass, he would have been in there in a heartbeat. As much as he tried to deny it, Elina was different. He was still deciding what to do when Elina's voice floated to him once again. Care to join me? Henry froze. She had to be kidding. Desire raged within him, not caring if she was serious or not. He met her gaze, breathing through his mouth because his nose could no longer handle the large quantities of air he was inhaling. "Wouldn't want people smelling Lillian all over you now that they know you're to be married." He snapped his mouth shut as she turned away from him, and before he knew what he was doing, he was out of his boxers and completely, unashamedly naked. In truth, he'd completely forgotten about the courtesan.

Henry hesitated only a moment before he made his decision. As cool as she acted, he knew that he effected her too. That, combined with the fact that she hated him, would work in his favor. In three long strides, he was at the shower door and he paused with his fingers on the handle. Why was he nervous? He shouldn't be nervous. She's just a woman. He repeated that inside his head a couple times and pulled open the door.

His breath left him in a rush, and he just stood there, speechless, his mouth hanging open like he'd never seen a naked woman before. Henry's eyes followed the graceful line of her spine, the athletic curve of her leg, the smooth contours of her hips. It took him a moment to remember how to breathe. He needed to get himself under control, and he needed to do it fast. It was just that he'd never, in his one hundred and fifty years, ever wanted a woman like he wanted the one in front of him. Henry's mouth went dry as he took a deep breath and forced his body into motion, stepping into the shower. Multiple shower heads sprayed him from every angle and his skin tingled at the contact. "I..." Ah, hell. Might as well give up talking. In this situation, it was no use. All the blood in his body was focused elsewhere, depriving his brain of crucial oxygen. Instead, he just stared at her, a touch more nervous than he was his first time in a woman's bed.

In stark contrast to his nervousness, Henry's thoughts were oddly calm. He didn't move, hardly daring to breathe as he looked at Elina. He thought his heart might pound out of his chest. He should be acting aloof, pretending she didn't effect him. Maybe reach around her to grab the soap and wash himself as if he was alone. As it was, he just stood there. Perhaps if he'd done something, the outcome would have been different. It was his fault, of course. He'd let his emotions and desire get the better of him, and it gave Elina the upper hand. He clenched his teeth together tightly as she looked him up and down. If the fact that he was acting like a fool wasn't enough, she simply slid past him and walked out of the shower. Well, fled was more accurate. He hoped that was a good sign.

Henry let out a pent up breath as the shower door clicked shut behind her. The water was entirely too hot, and he stomped over to turn the hot faucet completely off. Icy water hit him like a kick in the gut, but he didn't move, standing with his head hanging and his arms braced on the wall above his head. It had been a mistake to doubt her restraint if she'd been able to walk away when he hadn't. "I hope you realize that you're sleeping on the couch." He wanted to clench his teeth again, but his jaw was already starting to hurt. There was that cold detachment that he'd failed at so miserably. At the moment, he was far from angry, but he had to find it within himself somewhere. In his mind, he went over his childhood lessons, hoping to find some information or technique that he could use in this situation.

He closed his eyes and stood up straight, forcing himself into rigid control. Turning to the section of glass that Elina had wiped the steam away from, he peeked out and his control fled once again before could even get a word out. That... that couldn't be called underwear. There was no way. She pulled the skimpy fabric on with an excruciating slowness and on the inside, part of him was begging her to stop. The other part was threatening to dress her in a parka. The more he watched, the more desire he felt, and the more angry he got at himself. Good, that was good. Anger he could use, he just had to point it in the right direction. It was a shame he couldn't stop staring, though. If he was going to do something, he'd have to stop staring.

Henry had a long time to wait before she was dressed, if that's what she called it. She was barely wearing anything, and what she was wearing accented her best features. Unbidden, he let out a low growl as she looked at him before she slipped out of the bathroom. His head thumped against the glass and he let out a breath. At least the water didn't feel cold anymore. As he took a moment to wash, he thought that perhaps he could bribe Richard into knocking some sense into him. He could use a few bruises for awhile. Henry shook his head. He needed a more productive plan.

Turning off the water and stepping out of the shower, Henry looked around for his clothes before he remembered that he'd taken most of them off in the bedroom. Well, two could play her game. Grabbing a towel, he dried himself and threw the towel on the floor. His anger at himself was curbing his desire a bit, and he was grateful. Perhaps he could do what he intended without it backfiring. Naked, Henry strode out into the bedroom, doing his best to ignore Elina as he rummaged around for clothes. He didn't try to be tempting as he dressed as she had done. His plan was well beyond that. Dressing in quick efficiency, he turned to face her, arms crossed over his chest, his heart still hammering away. "My rooms, my bed. I intend to sleep in it. If you don't like that, you can take the couch, or sleep next to me. It's your choice." His expression was unyielding, just like Vaan had taught him.

Henry didn't know which option he'd really wanted Elina to take. On one hand, he wanted to sleep in the same bed with her, even if nothing happened. He wanted to be able to smell her next to him, and to hear her heart beat as she slept. That line of thinking just deepened his scowl. He much preferred the other part of him that wanted her in a different room. A different building. Off the island completely. She was too dangerous to him and his peace of mind. Having her there in front of him, in his bed... it looked too right. He liked it too much. It nearly undid his resolve to make her sleep on the couch, but he remembered that he was supposed to be making her hate him. He had to remember that.

He broke his posture for a moment to glance at what she was reading. Wedding magazines. Great. Just perfect. He suppressed a growl and resumed the posture he'd been in as she casually turned a page. He nearly confirmed that yes, he did intend to sleep in his own bed, but she continued. "I hate to break it to you, Henry, but now, it's our rooms and our bed." He opened his mouth to tell her that indicated that they should both be sleeping in it, but she rode over him. "And I'm not sleeping in the same bed with you. Not as long as you continue to whore around with other women." Then she looked up at him, and he forgot what he had been about to say. He stared into her chocolate brown eyes and lost another little piece of himself to her.

She saved him from near death by shoving a pillow into his chest before threatening him with a fatherly intervention. He ground his teeth at her and seriously contemplated just jumping into the bed with her, despite her protests. However, he didn't want a repeat of the shower scene. A Prince could only make a fool out of himself so many times in one day before he had to just give up. Instead, he carefully sat the pillow aside and sat on the edge of the bed. "Our bed, Elina. I gave you the option of sharing it. I think that's more than fair." Of course, sharing the bed would mean that he'd have to knock himself out cold with a blunt object to get any sleep, but it would be worth it. He leaned toward her, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Keep in mind, that if I leave this room, I'm going to keep going until I find another bed, with another woman in it. Ask yourself how much my fidelity is worth to you." He raised an eyebrow at her, half hoping she'd kick him out.

Henry's words caused Elina to sit back on her heels, which was quite a satisfying reaction. So she did value his fidelity. He'd been pretty sure, but her reaction was confirmation. She'd already succumbed to the idea of marriage, and now she was doing her best to change him and make it work. No doubt that had been his father's plan all along. Well, that plan was going to fail. Henry would make sure of it. Her next words only confirmed it. So that was her condition. He could always lie to her. He could tell her that he'd be faithful and still do whatever he wanted. It wouldn't be the first time he'd done so. Something stopped him, though. He didn't want to lie to her, and she probably wouldn't believe him at any rate, no matter how convincing he was. She knew him too well for that tactic to work. That was why he didn't lie. It most certainly wasn't because he wanted to be honest with her.

He started to turn away from her, making it as far as sitting straight up before she continued, giving him the option of leaving. That was surprising. She was tenacious, and had more faith in him that he thought he deserved. Misplaced faith in his opinion. He didn't owe her anything... and yet... and yet, he wanted to give her everything. It was a dangerous line of thought. It wasn't even as if the other women mattered. Just the one in front of him. She was the epicenter of his problem. He wanted her, but he couldn't have her without falling for her. Add in the fact that he was basically being forced to spend the rest of his life with her. The woman was infuriating... and beautiful, and challenging, and intelligent, and caring... And apparently doing her best to keep women away from him. Interesting.

Henry stood, stretching his tall form completely as he picked up the pillow where he'd set it down. It already had her scent on it and he didn't know whether he wanted to bury his face in it, or throw it out a window. He decided he'd at least try sleeping on it and he turned to leave. "Just keep in mind that you're not the only one who can go looking for someone else to share a bed with." Henry froze. She wouldn't dare. Would she? Without turning, his brow furrowed in thought. Nothing was stopping her. She was gorgeous and he knew plenty of males would be willing. What he needed right now was a compromise. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, in this area Elina was a formidable opponent. The thought of her sleeping with someone else... Jealousy rose within him, and he struggled to suppress it.

Making his decision, he watched her march over and open the bedroom door, inviting him out. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Instead, he marched straight to her, pillow still in hand. For a moment, he just looked at her, savoring the deep, fiery burn that his desire stirred within him. "I'll make you a deal." Taking a step closer, he was careful not to touch her. Now he just had to propose this deal without letting her know it was prompted out of possessive jealousy. "I'll stay here and sleep on the couch. I won't leave the suite, and no female will enter it. But there is a price." He waited a moment, giving her time to think about the idea. He also gave himself time to seriously contemplate what he was going to ask of her. One sleepless night was worth the risk. "It's a small thing, considering." Just say it, Henry. "Kiss me." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he dropped all pretense. Something inside him demanded that he claim her in some way. He wanted his scent on her. He wanted to mark her as his.

Henry didn't move as Elina flinched at his request. He stayed perfectly still, save the pounding of his heart. Idly, he wondered if heart would ever slow down in her presence. The notion didn't seem likely. She was silent for a very long time as he stared at her, waiting. He couldn't read her and had no idea what she would choose. Elina was stubborn like that, and she might kick him out of the bedroom simply on principle, but he wanted to see just how far he could push her. He wanted to see if it was possible for her to give in to temptation, of if he was the only one who was that weak. He looked into her eyes and saw fear and indecision, but beneath that, perhaps a touch of desire. The sight gave him hope.

He thought time would drag on... that they would spend the entire night standing by the open bedroom door staring at each other. Henry still didn't move. This was Elina's choice, and he wasn't going to push her. Henry saw the change in her eyes a split second before she grabbed his shirt and pulled. His eyes closed instinctively as their lips met, and he thought his heart might have stopped. There was no thought, only sensation. His hands came up to cup her face, his fingers hidden in her hair. The scent of her assaulted him, wrapping around him. Her lips were so soft. Still, he didn't press her... not yet. He let the kiss start out slow and soft. He kissed her with tenderness and caution, despite the desire raging inside him.

He let the heat build between them, the thumping of his heart the only audible companion to his ragged breath. He could feel her body heat as if it were reaching out for him, and he could smell the cherry blossoms in her hair. Gently, he moved one hand to trail his fingers down her ribcage. Slowly, so very slowly, he deepened the kiss, giving her just a little more of himself. Perhaps he was trying to warn her in a way. Perhaps he was merely savoring the moment. In either case, she was perfection. Her touch did more than he thought it would. It was as if he was walking along a cliff edge. On one side, he had the pain of walking away from her in this moment, here, when she was so soft in his arms. On the other side, the endless drop. On that side, there was love and the potential for destruction.

Henry was lost. So completely was he lost in Elina. His entire body hummed with it, with the energy between them. A deep, resonating growl escaped him when she reached her hand up behind his neck, pulling him closer. He knew he was losing his grip. He was losing himself in her, and it terrified him. Never before had he been this way with a woman. He was always the one in control. With Elina, everything he knew flew out the window. She tempted him and coaxed more out of him than he knew he had. The problem was he didn't know if what he wanted from her was entirely physical, and that scared him more than anything. He was never going to fall in love. If it was up to him, he wouldn't feel anything for her.

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the hand on his chest twitched. It was the only warning he had before Elina shoved. He didn't resist her or try to hold on, no matter how much he wanted to. Somewhere inside of himself, he was glad that she had ended it. He could feel himself drowning in her, and he couldn't have stopped himself. He was only glad she had the strength that he didn't. He stayed standing where he was, her hand still over his heart. He liked the feel of it there a little too much. It was a bit poetic, like that's exactly what she was reaching for. Well, he wasn't going to let her have it. His heart was his own, and his alone. He wouldn't give someone the power to crush it.

Henry took a shaky breath, and he knew Elina could feel him trembling. Try as he might, he couldn't stop. He closed his eyes and tried to regain a measure of control. It was difficult, given the desire that was now raging like an inferno inside him. He recalled a saying he'd once heard, but not where he'd picked it up. True love isn't a spark or even a fire, it's an inferno. Why did he have to think of that now? Especially now when he could practically feel the flames licking away at him, devouring who he was. Was he trembling out of desire... or fear? It was like the ground was giving way beneath him, and he longed to be on a stable surface once again.

Looking Elina in the eye for one endless minute, he raised her hand to his lips to kiss the back of her hand, not even caring if she saw how shaken he was. "Thank you." He felt like an omega, begging for any scraps of affection that she might throw him, and he hated it. He needed to be away from her. He needed some air. He tried gulping a lungful then, but it didn't help much as it was filled with her scent. "I'll keep my end of the bargain." And he would, even if it killed him. Besides, it was only for a night. How hard could that be? He released her hand and took a step back, nearly tripping over the pillow that he hadn't realized he'd dropped. He bent to pick it up and headed out the door without another word. How was he supposed to marry her? It was an impossible feat at this rate.

Somewhat angrily, Henry threw the pillow onto the couch. He didn't lay down, though. Instead he paced. His body was on fire and his muscles were tensed. Why had he made a deal that would be torture for him? Just for a taste of her? Was he that desperate? Yes, he decided. Yes, he was. For her. Only for her. He resisted the urge to panic at that thought. He calmly went over what he knew as he paced. He had feelings for her. He could admit that much at least. He wanted her. That was a given. He admired her. Therein lie the danger. Shaking his head in frustration, he sat on the edge of the couch cushion and rested his head in his hands. She was going to destroy him. He just had to find a way to keep that from happening.

Unable to sit still, he walked to the door of his suite, intending to let in a little fresh air... hoping that the air didn't smell like Elina. He was surprised at what he found. Lieutenant Angel Fraisure could be silent as a mouse when he wanted to be which was surprising given his stature. Henry sighed and looked up at the man. "Lieutenant, I assume you're here to keep me in?" He raised his eyebrows as he asked the question, knowing what the answer would be. So... he wouldn't have gotten out of the suite anyway. Part of him did a little dance for joy that he'd at least gotten a kiss out of the deal.