Just as Henry gathered his portfolio to leave, Lawrence stepped closer with a charming smile.
"Henry, are you in a rush? Can I take you out for lunch to celebrate?"
Elisha, standing only a few feet away, heard the invitation clearly. His hands clenched at his sides as his eyes immediately shifted to Henry, waiting for his answer.
Henry glanced at Lawrence, maintaining a polite distance. "Maybe another time, Lawrence. I still have work waiting back at my company."
"Ah, fair enough," Lawrence chuckled, taking it in stride. "It’s fine."
Moments later, the boardroom emptied. Elisha and Henry walked out into the private executive corridor, heading toward the secluded set of private elevators. The hallway was completely deserted, the quiet hum of the air-conditioning system was the only sound around them."
Unable to hold it in any longer, Elisha closed the distance between them.
"Why are you ignoring me, Henry?" he asked softly. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No," Henry replied coldly, not slowing his pace.
Elisha softened his voice as his eyes briefly fell over Henry’s outfit. "Your outfit... it really looks sexy on you."
Henry finally stopped and turned to him with a dry, unimpressed expression. "Thank you. But next time, try saying it in front of everyone instead of keeping it to yourself."
"Okay," Elisha murmured, taking a step closer as they reached the elevator doors.
The elevator chimed, and the polished steel doors slid open. They stepped inside, standing side by side as the doors closed behind them. As the elevator began its smooth descent, Elisha glanced at Henry, his eyes lingering on the exposed skin at his throat and chest.
"I don’t like you wearing revealing clothes," Elisha said, his voice low and firm. "The outfit is fine, but your body isn’t meant for the public to gawk at, Henry."
Henry raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk appearing on his lips. "Oh? Then who is it meant for?"
Elisha’s lips curved into a soft smile, his gaze lingering on him. "It’s meant for me alone, pretty boy. Button yourself up, or do you want me to do it for you?"
Henry’s smirk widened as he tilted his chin up playfully. "If you want me buttoned up so badly, Your CEO-ness... come do it yourself."
Elisha didn’t move. He knew Henry far too well; the challenge was laced with an invitation, a subtle test to see if he would lose his composure and cross the line. But Elisha refused to take the bait. He held his ground, his gaze softening as he looked at him.
"I’m sorry," Elisha said quietly, his voice carrying a sudden, unexpected weight. "Your body is special, and it deserves to be treated with respect. I won’t cross that line just because you dared me. Do it yourself."
Henry blinked, caught entirely off guard by his restraint. The playful defiance melted from his eyes, replaced by a deep, searching curiosity. He stared at Elisha for a long moment before letting out a soft breath.
"There’s something about you that has really changed, Eli."
"I’m trying to change," Elisha replied, his voice steady and sincere. "For you."
Henry offered a faint smile, the last of his walls slipping just a fraction.
Before either of them could speak again, the elevator dinged softly, and the polished doors slid open, revealing the bustling ground-floor lobby. Their respective assistants rushed over the moment they stepped out, quickly taking the briefcases from their hands.
As they walked side by side toward the glass exit doors where their cars were waiting, Elisha seized the moment.
"Are you free tonight? I want to take you out for dinner."
Henry stopped and turned to look at him with a critical eye. He considered the offer for a moment before nodding.
"Send me the time and location. I’ll meet you there."
"Please," Elisha urged, stepping closer, his voice dropping into a soft plea. "I want to be the one to pick you up. Allow me."
Henry hesitated, looking into Elisha’s earnest eyes. Seeing no games or hidden motives, he finally relented.
"Fine. Pick me up at home. I’ll be leaving the office early."
A bright, triumphant smile broke across Elisha’s face. "Alright. I’ll be there."
They reached the front entrance, where their vehicles were waiting at the curb. Henry’s driver hurried forward and opened the rear door for him. Henry slid into the back seat while his assistant, Cyrus, took the passenger seat up front.
As the luxury sedan pulled away from the curb, a small, involuntary smile lingered on Henry’s lips.
A few spaces down, Elisha climbed into the back of his own car, his assistant taking the front passenger seat. His driver smoothly pulled away and joined the afternoon traffic.
Both men returned to their respective companies, each carrying a quiet anticipation for the evening ahead.
********
As evening cast a soft, golden glow over the city, Elisha’s car came to a stop outside Henry’s estate. He had decided to drive himself, wanting to spend the evening alone with Henry without anyone else around. Dressed in a sharply tailored suit, he looked every bit the part of a man determined to make tonight special. In the back seat were the gifts and other little arrangements he had prepared with Vanessa’s help, all carefully chosen for Henry.
Once he parked by the curb, Elisha picked up his phone and sent a quick text.
I’m outside.
Okay, you’ll see me soon, Henry replied.
Alone in the quiet car, Elisha took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
Don’t fuck this up, Elisha. This is your chance.
He pushed the door open and stepped out, waiting by the passenger side.
A moment later, the front doors of the mansion opened, and Henry walked out. He was dressed down from his usual corporate attire, wearing a striking red silk shirt with a delicate necktie casually draped around his collar. The top buttons were left open, revealing the smooth sweep of his throat and collarbone, paired effortlessly with sleek black trousers.
Elisha swallowed hard, his breath catching in his throat. Henry looked devastatingly beautiful.
As Henry approached the car, Elisha found his voice.
"You look stunning."
Henry offered a faint, guarded smile. "Thank you."
Elisha stepped forward and opened the passenger door for him. Henry paused, glancing past him into the empty driver’s seat before looking back at him.
"Did you drive here all by yourself?"
Elisha gave a quiet nod. "I did."
Henry didn’t say anything more. He slipped gracefully into the leather seat.
Elisha closed the door softly, then hurried around to the driver’s side and slid behind the steering wheel. Henry settled back into the passenger seat, expecting Elisha to start the car. But Elisha left the ignition off.
Henry turned his head, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to start the car, or what are we waiting for?"
Instead of answering, Elisha reached into the back seat and brought out a large, carefully wrapped bouquet of crimson camellias. He turned toward Henry and held the beautiful arrangement out to him.
Henry blinked in surprise, staring at the flowers before taking them into his arms. He looked up at Elisha, his expression a mixture of suspicion and confusion.
"What is this for?"
"Please, Henry," Elisha said softly, looking directly into his eyes. "Listen to me first before you say anything."
Henry’s expression changed slightly. There was something different in Elisha’s voice this time. He wasn’t teasing him or trying to charm his way out of anything. He looked genuinely nervous, almost as if he had been rehearsing these words in his head but was still struggling to say them.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Elisha looked down at his hands, then back at Henry. He took a slow, shaky breath, gathering the courage to finally say everything he had been keeping inside.
"For the past few months, almost four months since everything between us fell apart, I’ve been thinking about everything I did wrong. I didn’t just make mistakes, Henry. I hurt you. I made you feel like you were someone I had to hide, like you didn’t matter to me, when the truth is, you mean everything to me."
He lowered his gaze for a moment before looking back at him.
"I was scared. I was afraid of what my family would say, what people would think, and what I could lose if I admitted how I really felt about you. But instead of facing those fears, I let them control me. And you were the one who paid the price for my cowardice."
Elisha swallowed, his voice becoming quieter.
"I’m especially sorry for the way I spoke to you that morning after we first crossed that line. You trusted me...