Chapter 32 — Thank You

“You should have been in your office at this time,” I said to Henry while taking a seat across from him.

“I’ve taken a day off,” he replied while reading the morning newspaper. He didn’t glance at me once. His eyes were glued to the newspaper.

“Why did you take a day off?”

“Because I want to. I don’t need anyone’s permission.”

I didn’t reply.

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson,” Jessica greeted us while putting the breakfast tray on the table. Henry slightly nodded at her, not bothering to open his mouth.

“Morning, Jessica.” I smiled at her. “How’s your mother doing?” She had taken leave for her mother’s treatment and she had returned after three days.

“She has been feeling great,” she replied, smiling, and without another word, she walked into the kitchen.

I returned to Henry who was staring at me and his newspaper was still in his hands. “What,” I said, blushing.

“Can you take a day off from your school?” He asked.

He was actually asking me, not ordering me.

“I can try but only if you tell me why?”

He frowned and set the paper on the table. “Because I want to take you somewhere.”

“Really!” I blurted out. Oh god, Alice, control yourself, I scolded myself. “Um, I have a lot of work plus I want to meet Harley so I can’t go with you.” I caught his reaction out of the corner of my eyes and he was smirking.

“Okay, then I should cancel all my plans.”

“No, no! Why would you cancel it? You’ve taken a day off; it must be fruitful. I’m ready to go with you, but I'll miss Harley.”

“If it was within my power, I would have taken Harley with us, Alice. But Vivian would never go with us nor would she come without her father.”

“You’re ready to take her with us? Seems like you like her.”

“I don’t like children. I just want to take her with us because of you. I’ve seen how much you adore her.” He stood up. “Be ready right at eleven then.”

*****

I heard a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” I said, and Henry stepped into my room.

“You knocked on the door?” He had never knocked before entering my room.

“Last night, I came here and found you naked and couldn’t sleep the entire night. If this time also I find you in the same condition, believe me, Alice, you wouldn’t be able to sit for a week.”

I gasped at his words as I watched him, shocked. “I-it was just an accident.” I cleared my throat, blushing hard.

He stepped closer to me and placed a large gray bag on a chair. “I want you to wear these clothes,” he said.

I looked up, frowning. “You’ve brought me new clothes?”

His lips turned up into a smile as he stared at my body up and down. “You have a goddamn body and I’d appreciate it if you wear these clothes.”

I grabbed the bag and gave him a nod. “Let's take a look at what you've brought me.”

He shoved his hands into the pants pocket. “I’m waiting for you,” he said and walked out.

After fifteen minutes, I finally got ready. Before leaving, I checked my appearance one last time in the mirror. I wore skin-tight jeans and a peach pink tank top with a brown leather jacket. He had chosen an impressive outfit that perfectly fitted my body. Did he know my size? I applied pink lipstick, mascara, and a long stroke of eyeliner. Was I overdoing my makeup? No, I don’t think so. It was natural. God, I was wasting too much time on my appearance. I shook my head and pulled my hair into a high ponytail.

I got out. Henry was waiting for me outside. His body leaned against his gray sports car and his eyes were staring at me up and down. He was in a white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans and a black leather jacket, looking attractive.

“Not bad,” he commented, and I frowned. When I was naked, I looked beautiful, but when I wore such a beautiful dress, he commented not bad!

Without uttering a word, I sat in the car and he slid next and started the car. As usual, we didn’t talk while riding and the silence was discomforting to me, so I spoke first. “I didn’t know that you don’t love people.” What the hell is this question?

He frowned and didn't understand my statement. “I mean, you didn’t love Ava. I thought you two were in love.”

He looked at me, studying my face for a moment. “Love is not my thing Alice.” His eyes dropped to my lips. “I love to fuck.”

My blood boiled after his ugly words. “Why don’t you fuck yourself, Mr. Henry Robinson?” I snapped.

He slowed down the car and killed the engine before glaring at me. “You are daring, aren’t you? Watch your mouth, Alice.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and fixed my gaze on the window.

He unclasped his seat belt and came close to me. “You know what, you’re the first one who talks to me like this. No one dares to talk back to me.”

“And I’m the first one who marries such a disgusting person who doesn’t even feel an ounce of shame while talking about his sex life in front of his wife!”

“Are you feeling jealous?”

“I’m not feeling jealous.”

He smirked and returned to his seat. “If you’re feeling jealous, it’s useless.”

I didn’t say anything as he waited for my reply, but I fixed myself on the window. I didn’t want to hear any more words about that topic because what would come next might hurt me. If I would ask him ‘why is it useless’ I knew his answer.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He glanced at me briefly. “Soon you will know. You need to have a little patience, baby.”

Baby.

I sighed, annoyingly. “Patience?” I mumbled. He was talking about patience. Did he know what patience is?

“I’ve never taken anyone to that place. That place is close to my heart, so I just want to take you there. I like my privacy. I like to be alone. But with you…” He looked at me. “I don’t know why I want to share everything with you. But I want to share everything with you, Alice.”

Joy bubbled up in me, hearing his unexpected words. I wanted to hug him right there, but he was driving the car, so I rested my hand on his.

He eyed my hand for a few seconds, but finally, he accepted my touch and gave me a gentle squeeze. He didn’t withdraw his hand as he used to.

I looked out of the window, looking at the beautiful nature of the earth. The trees seemed like they were running back to us and their leaves were dancing with a gush of wind. The sky was clear and bright. The clouds looked like they were floating like a boat in the river. I was enjoying every moment with my husband. Why does it feel so real?

“What’s so funny?” Henry inquired.

“I’m enjoying the view.”

He smiled and said nothing.

“Henry, don’t you think the black SUV behind us is following us? I’ve been noticing this car for fifteen minutes.”

He checked the car through the mirror. “I don’t think so.”

I glanced at the car, but it was nowhere in sight. Why did I feel like someone was following us?

After thirty minutes of driving, we finally arrived at his special place. He pulled over to the side and stopped. We got out and I gasped, finding the tall trees, wildflowers, and fallen leaves that crunched beneath our feet. “Wow, this place is wonderful,” I let out and looked around, seeing a jewel-blue stream in the forest. “We’re in a forest. How could you find such a beautiful place?”

I ran past him; he didn’t answer my question. “Have you ever ridden on a horse?” he asked without glancing my way.

“No, why?”

“Today I’m going to make you ride a horse.” He chuckled and glanced at me over his shoulder.

“If you are going to do this, go ahead because I love to try new things,” I said nervously because I was really afraid of horses.

“You seem nervous.”

“No just a little tired.”

After ten minutes of walking, we stopped in front of a horse stable. How come in the forest we found a horse stable? “You are going to take a horse on rent?”

“I don’t have to rent anything.” He smirked and entered the stable.

“You own this?” God, he owned a whole horse stable.

“Hello, Mr. Robinson,” a man in his late fifties greeted him when we stepped inside. “It's been so long. I’m glad to see you here again.” He glanced at me. “Who is that beautiful lady?”

“Meet my wife, Alice.” Henry gestured his hand towards me and I found myself blushing.

“My lord.” His eyes bugged out. “You got married! I can’t believe it.” He quickly approached me. “Hello, Mrs. Robinson, it's a pleasure to meet such a beautiful lady.” He bowed down and held my hand and kissed it lightly.

“Nice to meet you, too,” I said with a smile.

“My name is Michael Roberts, the caretaker of this stable and great friend of your husband’s father.”

After Little introduction, we made our way into the stable. It was large and clean, with dozens of horses. “This is amazing. This is the first time I got a chance to meet a variety of horses,” I said and looked black, brown, and spotted horses. “Do you own all of them?”

“All.” He glanced at me. “Are you ready for riding?”

“Yes, I am…”

A servant led the reddish-brown horse out of the stable. Henry gestured to him with his code language, and he took the horse in a wide and open area a few yards away from our place. “I'm gonna show you how to ride horses,” he said and rolled his sleeve up and headed towards the horse.

“Are you not going to wear a helmet and gloves?” I asked him.

He looked at me with a fixed expression. “I’m not going to war, Alice.”

“But you should wear them for the sake of your safety.”

Without another word, he walked away. After approaching the horse first, he petted him, stroking his hair gently, smiling at him. Oh, he gave a smile to the animal but he couldn’t give one to a human. Before mounting on it, he whispered something in his ear. Does that horse understand your language, Henry? God knows what he was whispering to him.

He mounted on it and took hold of the reins tightly and led him ahead. First, he trotted it slowly. Seeing him on it, he reminded me of a prince. After a while, he rode off at a gallop and darted through the trees, disappearing into the forest.

A few minutes later, I heard the clopping of horse hooves. I turned around to see him coming towards me. He approached me, slowed down, and stopped.

Henry leaned over the horse and stared into my eyes. “Now it’s your turn, baby.” He grinned.

“Um, I have never ridden a horse.” I got nervous.

“Come on, you can do it.” Without wasting a single second, he sat me on a horse and adjusted himself behind me.

“Are you going to teach me?”

“Yeah,” he replied and pulled the reins. “Don’t be a slouch. Sit straight and relax your body,” he instructed me and then took hold of my hands along with the reins. “You’re trembling.”

“I told you I have never ridden a horse before.”

He tightened his grip around my hands gently. “Don’t be nervous Alice, if you’re nervous, the horse would feel it and he might become uneasy too. You don’t need to be afraid I’m with you.”

He strode slowly. “Keep your eyes focused on where you’re going.”

I tried to keep the focus on the ride, but couldn’t because Henry was too close to me, distracting me. “Whoa! Why are you speeding up, slow down, Henry?!” I shouted.

“Keep focus, Alice.”

“Henry, slow down please. I-I just…”

He pulled on the reins. “You will love it, baby.” I closed my eyes, and he kept making him go faster.

“Whoa! It’s too fast.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Yeah, I’m trying to enjoy it,” I gasped.

“You want me to stop.”

“No!” I wanted to keep riding with him.

He chuckled. “Then don’t regret it later.”

“I just hope so.”

His chest pressed against my back as he leaned his head over my shoulder, his cheek brushed against mine. My whole body started tingling with a different sensation. “Keep focus, Alice,” he whispered sexily.

How could I?

Now, my heart pounded harder, not because of the speed, but because he was so close to me. I couldn’t catch my breath. “Henry, stop!” I mumbled.

He sighed heavily as his hot breath fanned across my shoulder. “You sure?” he asked before slowing down. “Are you alright?”

I nodded.

He climbed off and helped me out. “So how was your riding?” he asked with a shitty smirk.

“Horrible.” I laughed quietly. “It was great.” I got off the horse and fixed my dress and hair. “I liked it when you brought me here, thank you.”

“No, thank you for coming with me.” He smiled and stroked my hair behind my ear.