For the first time, he felt like he had finally found the courage to take a step toward Henry.
And as he drove home, he couldn’t help but hope that things would get better from here.
A few minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of his estate, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car. He walked straight through the front doors and headed upstairs to his bedroom. Without even taking off his suit jacket, he pulled out his phone and dialed Henry’s number.
The phone rang twice before Henry answered.
"Hello?"
"I’m home," Elisha said, his voice soft.
"Good."
"Are you about to sleep?"
"Not yet."
"Have you showered?"
"I literally just walked out of the bathroom," Henry murmured.
A warm feeling stirred in Elisha’s chest. "Can I get a picture of you after your shower?"
There was a brief pause before Henry replied teasingly, "I’m wearing nothing, Eli."
Elisha chuckled softly. "I’m not asking for a nude, you idiot. I just want to see your pretty face after your shower."
"Alright. Give me a second," Henry said with a playful sigh.
Henry tossed his towel aside and hurried over to the vanity mirror. He quickly combed his damp hair back into place, then draped a small towel around his neck as he checked his reflection. He took a couple of mirror selfies, trying a few different angles before choosing two he liked and sending them to Elisha.
Within seconds, Elisha’s phone buzzed. He opened the notification, and his breath caught.
The first picture showed Henry fresh from the shower, his damp, slightly tousled hair falling naturally around his clean-shaven face. The small towel rested around his neck as he looked into the mirror with a soft, captivating gaze.
In the second picture, Henry had tilted his head slightly, giving the mirror selfie a different angle while his damp hair framed his face.
"You’re devastatingly beautiful," Elisha whispered, his thumb brushing lightly over the screen. "I’m going to stare at this picture all night."
On the other end, Henry bit his lower lip, a pleased warmth spreading through him. He stayed quiet for a moment, suddenly wanting to turn the tables. He wanted to ask Elisha for a picture of himself after his shower too, but the words caught in his throat. He swallowed them back, feeling unexpectedly shy.
Elisha noticed the sudden silence. "Do you want to see my face after my shower?"
Henry blinked, caught off guard. He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "Only if you feel like sending one. It’s... up to you."
"I asked you a question, Henry. Yes or no?" Elisha said quietly.
Henry fell silent, his cheeks warming as he fidgeted with the edge of his towel. Finally, he whispered, "...Yes."
"Alright," Elisha said, clearly pleased. "Let me get settled, and I’ll send it to you soon."
"I’ll be waiting," Henry murmured.
"Alright, pretty boy. Be good."
"You too, Eli."
The call ended.
Henry tossed his phone onto the mattress and sat on the edge of the bed, lazily drying his damp hair with the towel. A wide smile spread across his face as he thought about the promise of tomorrow.
He slipped under the duvet and pulled the covers up to his chest. As the minutes passed and sleep began to take over, he started to think Elisha had gotten distracted and forgotten about the picture. But just as he was drifting off, his phone buzzed sharply on the nightstand.
Henry blinked at the sudden glow of the screen and reached for his phone. When he unlocked it, he found a new message from Elisha.
It was a post-shower picture.
Elisha’s hair was still damp, falling naturally across his forehead, with a white towel draped around his neck. Even fresh from the shower, he looked devastatingly handsome.
Henry’s heart skipped a beat. With a sleepy, affectionate smile, he typed a quick reply.
So hot and handsome. Sweet dreams, Eli.
He hit send, placed the phone against his chest, and let out a soft sigh as sleep finally claimed him.
Meanwhile, Elisha’s phone lit up on the nightstand. He picked it up and read Henry’s message. A soft, breathless laugh escaped him. He brushed his thumb over the screen once before locking his phone and settling back against his pillows. For a while, he simply stared at Henry’s earlier picture until exhaustion finally pulled him to sleep.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, but it was the ringing of Henry’s phone that finally pulled him from sleep.
He groaned softly and reached for it without opening his eyes. The moment he answered, Elisha’s slightly husky morning voice came through the speaker.
"Good morning, pretty boy."
Henry smiled sleepily. "Good morning, Eli."
They stayed on the phone for a few quiet minutes, exchanging soft, lazy conversation before Henry finally forced himself out of bed to start his day.
After ending the call, Henry showered and got dressed for work. He checked his appearance in the mirror, grabbed his things, and headed downstairs before leaving for the office.
By the time Henry arrived at work, the morning was already underway. He settled into his usual routine, moving from one meeting to another and handling his usual workload.
By midday, an elegant lunch from Henry’s favorite private restaurant arrived at his office, courtesy of Elisha. Elisha hadn’t mentioned it during their morning call, making the gesture all the more thoughtful. Henry looked at the meal with a small smile, appreciating the fact that Elisha had thought of him.
Throughout the day, Elisha kept checking in on Henry through text messages. He asked if Henry had eaten and reminded him to take a break when he got too busy with work. The messages were simple, but Henry could tell Elisha was genuinely making an effort.
By the time evening arrived, Elisha’s car was already waiting outside Henry’s office building.
Elisha stood beside the car, dressed in a sharp blazer over a casual black shirt. In his hand was a single, flawless white orchid, Henry’s favorite.
"Ready?" Elisha asked, handing him the flower with a gentle smile.
Henry took the orchid, a pleased flush touching his cheeks. "You’re full of surprises lately, Elisha Edmund."
"Anything for my pretty boy," Elisha replied.
Henry gave him an unimpressed look. "I’m a man."
"You’re still my pretty boy," Elisha said with a teasing smile.
He opened the rear passenger door for Henry, who slid inside. Elisha followed and settled beside him.
"Good evening, Mr. Griffin," the driver greeted him.
"Good evening," Henry replied politely.
The driver started the car and pulled away from the building.
Instead of taking them to a standard restaurant, he drove toward the edge of the city, where a private glass-enclosed botanical conservatory overlooked a glittering lake. Inside, fairy lights wound through the greenery, casting a soft glow over the exotic plants and blooming flowers. A small table had been set in the center, while a private violinist played quietly nearby.
As they sat beneath the glass ceiling, surrounded by greenery and the evening sky, Elisha leaned across the table, his eyes fixed on Henry.
"I wanted somewhere quiet. Just you and me, away from the whole world."
Henry looked across the candlelit table, a small smile playing on his lips. He raised his glass and gently clinked it against Elisha’s. "You’re doing remarkably well at this wooing thing, Eli."
"I told you," Elisha murmured, holding his gaze. "I’ll spend every single day proving it to you."
Meanwhile, back with Raphael and Frank, two days earlier...
The morning after Raphael spent the night with Frank, an urgent call from the royal court came in, requiring his immediate attention. Raphael had to leave Frank earlier than planned, but before he left, he promised to return once he finished handling the matter. They planned to spend one more day together before Frank returned to Central City.
Frank sat beside the window, looking out at the city below. He was already done with the work that had brought him to Northway City, and his bag was packed. There was nothing left for him to do except wait for Raphael to come for him or tell him to come over. That was the plan they had made, so Frank simply waited for the morning when they would finally see each other again.
Then, a knock sounded at the door.
Frank looked toward the door, surprised. He wasn’t expecting anyone at this hour. He got up from the window and walked over, assuming it was room service.
The moment he opened the door, his eyes widened.
It wasn’t room service.
Raphael stood on the other side.
For a moment, Frank simply stared at him, too surprised to speak. Then his face lit up.
"Your Highness..." A delighted smile spread across his lips. "What are you doing here? I thought we weren’t seeing each other until tomorrow."
Raphael chuckled, his eyes fixed on him. "I couldn’t wait until tomorrow."
A smile immediately spread across Frank’s face. He immediately threw his arms around Raphael’s neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Raphael let out a soft groan, wrapping his strong arms securely around Frank’s waist as he lifted him against his chest. Carrying him, Raphael stepped through the doorway and into the room.
Once they were inside, Raphael gently lowered Frank back onto his feet.
Frank turned around to close the door behind them. As he turned back toward Raphael, Raphael didn’t hesitate. He stepped closer, cupped the back of Frank’s neck, and pulled him into a kiss...
AUTHOR’S MESSAGE
Thank you so much for reading and supporting this book.❤️
I know my updates have been a little slow and, honestly, not very regular, and I truly appreciate everyone who has continued reading despite that. Every single reader means so much to me.
I’m happy to announce that starting tomorrow, I’ll be posting two new Chapters every day at a fixed time — 5:10 PM Nigeria time. ❤️
Here are the corresponding times for some of the countries where my readers are from:
🇳🇬 Nigeria — 5:10 PM
🇬🇭 Ghana — 4:10 PM
🇬🇧 UK — 5:10 PM
🇩🇪 Germany — 6:10 PM
🇫🇷 France — 6:10 PM
🇰🇪 Kenya — 7:10 PM
🇮🇳 India — 9:40 PM
🇺🇸 USA — 12:10 PM ET
🇨🇦 Canada — 12:10 PM ET
Thank you for staying with me and continuing this journey with my characters.
See you tomorrow at update time.❤️