I considered walking up to the main house to check, but I didn’t want him to think I was eager to see him.Or that I was willing to forgive him for everything so quickly.
And yet, I’d been looking forward to seeing him again.Especially since I hadn’t seen him since yesterday morning.I’d even gone up to the main house and snuck into his library to borrow a book.He must have known I was there.I saw the red light from the cameras.
But he didn’t leave his office.
I shouldn’t have been surprised.
He’d barely left his office in Maine.Spent every waking moment locked in that dark room, surrounded only by computers and monitors.
But his absence was more profound than I expected it to be.
The sharp sound of barking cut through, and my heart leapt as a blur of brown and white fur came barreling down the dirt path.
And when Henry came into view seconds later, my stomach did little backflips.
His hands were tucked into the pockets of a gray hoodie with NAVY emblazoned on it, the fabric stretched across his broad chest.His jeans hung low on his hips, and his hair was a disheveled mess that should’ve looked careless, but it only made him look more breathtakingly human.
Cato circled him, barking impatiently, as if urging him to move faster.
I walked down the porch steps and met him halfway, holding out one of the travel coffee mugs I’d prepared earlier.
“Black.Just the way you like it.”
“Thanks.”He took the mug, his voice low and a little rough.
It reminded me of waking up beside him in Maine, his body curved against mine, his voice tired and raspy first thing in the morning.
Before that day, I’d always woken up alone.It was safer that way.Or so I thought.
Until I woke up in Henry’s arms.Even now, even with the lies between us, I still found myself craving the comfort I felt when wrapped in his embrace.
“Ready?”he asked.
“Of course.”
We fell into step together, our shoes crunching over the gravel path as he led me toward the open pastures.Henry pulled a faded tennis ball from his hoodie and threw it across the field.Cato took off after it, kicking up dust in his wake.
“How did yesterday go?”I asked, trying to sound casual.“Any news about Victor?”My throat tightened around his name.“Where he might be?”
He exhaled, long and tired.I could feel the frustration radiating off him.“Nothing yet.Blake has eyes on his hotels and clubs, but as you know, there are a lot of them.”
“I wish I could be more help,” I offered.“I learned early on it was safer to only speak when spoken to.To not ask questions.Otherwise?—”
He turned to me so abruptly I nearly ran into him.His hand came up to cradle my cheek, his palm warm, his thumb brushing my skin.
“It’s okay,” he assured me softly.“I’ll find him.”
“But—”
“I.Will.Find.Him,” he repeated, emphasizing each word, his determined green eyes unwavering as they bored into mine.Then, as if realizing the intensity of his touch, he let go.
Cato approached, dropping the ball at Henry’s feet.He threw it again, his motion easy and fluid.
“Tell me more about landscape architecture,” he said, the abrupt change in subject taking me by surprise.
I blinked.“What?”
“What about it interested you?”
