Chapter 85: The Night Before Forever

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Night Before Forever

After a while, Elisha set his glass aside and slid down from the sofa to sit on the carpet. Henry laughed softly at his move, then placed his own glass on the coffee table and joined him on the floor.

Elisha leaned back against the base of the sofa, his dark gaze turning thoughtful. "You know what, Henry? If I couldn’t marry you, I don’t think I would ever have gotten married at all. And even if I somehow forced myself to marry someone else someday, I know I could never love them. It wouldn’t be fair to the person who ended up with me."

Henry looked at him, a soft smile touching his lips.

"Same here. I used to think about it all the time. Even if I forced myself to move on and marry someone else, would I ever really be happy? I couldn’t even imagine touching another person, let alone sleeping with them."

Elisha nodded slowly, quiet certainty in his eyes. "You know I couldn’t sleep with anyone else either."

Henry reached for his glass and took a slow sip as he listened.

"It’s not as if other people weren’t attractive," Elisha continued, resting his head against the sofa cushion. "I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. No matter how many times Jasmine tried to push herself on me back then, I couldn’t."

Henry lowered his glass, relief washing over him. Hearing Elisha say it made him even more grateful that they had finally found their way to each other.

"I’m just so glad we made it this far," Henry said softly. "That we’re finally here."

Elisha smiled warmly and reached for his hand, threading their fingers together. They continued talking in low, intimate voices, occasionally taking small sips of wine as the quiet afternoon slipped by.

At one point, Henry reached for the bottle to pour himself another glass. Before he could, Elisha gently placed his hand over the rim of the glass.

"Pretty, that’s enough," he murmured. "We can’t drink too much. We still have to wake up early tomorrow."

Henry blinked at him, a slight haze in his eyes. The wine had already gone to his head, leaving him visibly tipsy.

"I know," he murmured, sounding playfully reluctant.

Elisha carefully took the glass from his hand and placed it farther away on the coffee table, out of Henry’s immediate reach.

He had barely settled back beside him when Henry shifted closer and climbed onto his lap, straddling him right there on the carpet. Resting his hands against Elisha’s chest, Henry fanned himself with one hand.

"Is the AC even on? I’m hot..."

Elisha’s breath caught slightly. He immediately placed both hands around Henry’s waist to steady him, looking up at his flushed face.

Henry’s pupils were dilated, and there was something different about the way he was looking at him. Elisha recognized the sudden change in his expression, even through the haze of wine.

Henry leaned closer until his lips were near Elisha’s ear. His warm breath brushed against Elisha’s skin as he whispered in a husky voice,

"I’m horny..."

Elisha gently cupped Henry’s cheeks and tilted his face up until their eyes met.

"Pretty, I know you want me, but remember what we promised my mother. You agreed that we’d behave ourselves tonight. I don’t want us to give in now and have you regret it in the morning, baby. Let’s wait until tomorrow, when we’re married."

Henry stared at him, his gaze lingering on Elisha’s lips before he bit his lower lip in frustration. Fueled by the wine and his desire, he leaned down and captured Elisha’s mouth in a deep, desperate kiss.

Elisha let out a soft groan, momentarily forgetting about their promise as he kissed Henry back. Their lips moved together passionately, and Henry pressed himself closer against him.

The kiss grew more intense. Just as Henry reached for Elisha’s collar, intent on taking things further, Elisha pulled away with a sharp breath and caught both his wrists.

"Enough, pretty," he murmured, his chest rising and falling as he fought to regain control. "Let me carry you to bed so you can get some rest."

Henry whined softly, shifting restlessly on his lap. "No, baby. I want you."

"Get some rest first, baby." Elisha pressed a lingering kiss to his flushed cheek. "We can do whatever you want tomorrow, when you’re feeling better."

Henry pouted, but seeing the resolve in Elisha’s eyes, he knew he wouldn’t change his mind. He reluctantly climbed off Elisha’s lap and tried to get to his feet, swaying slightly as he stood.

Elisha rose immediately and swept him into his arms, carrying him effortlessly in a bridal hold.

He took Henry into the quiet, bedroom and gently laid him on the bed, pulling the plush duvet over him. Within minutes, the wine and exhaustion caught up with Henry, and he drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Elisha remained beside the bed for a moment, brushing a soft kiss against Henry’s forehead before leaving the bedroom and quietly closing the door behind him.

He glanced through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the city skyline, where the late-afternoon sun cast long, golden shadows. A small laugh escaped him. For the first time in his life, he genuinely wished time would hurry up so tomorrow morning would arrive sooner.

With Henry asleep, Elisha spent the rest of the afternoon confirming the time with their wedding photographer for the next morning’s pre-ceremony wedding photoshoot, checking in with family members, and replying to the flood of congratulatory messages on his phone.

By the time he finished everything, the afternoon was already getting late. Elisha returned to the bedroom and lay down beside Henry. After watching his fiancé sleep for a moment, he settled against the pillows and drifted into a light nap.

A couple of hours later, Elisha woke up first, feeling refreshed. The light outside had faded, and the city lights were beginning to glow through the windows. Seeing that Henry was still asleep, Elisha quietly used the suite’s phone to order a light dinner from room service.

When a quiet knock at the door announced the arrival of their food, Elisha got out of bed and went to answer it. He thanked the staff member before bringing the dishes to the dining table and arranging everything neatly. Once he was satisfied, he returned to the bedroom to wake Henry.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gently stroked Henry’s hair until his eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, pretty. Wake up. Dinner’s here."

Henry stretched sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he slowly woke up. His head felt much clearer now, and the lingering effects of the wine had worn off. When he looked up and saw Elisha sitting beside him, a smile spread across his face.

"Good evening, darling."

Elisha leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Good evening, sleepyhead. Come on, let’s eat before the food gets cold."

Henry sat up, and after a few moments, they left the bedroom together and made their way to the dining area. The dinner was light but satisfying, just as Elisha had requested. They ate at a relaxed pace, talking about the excitement waiting for them the following morning.

Henry occasionally found himself glancing at Elisha, still amazed that they would finally be getting married the next morning. Elisha would reach across the table to hold his hand, sharing in the quiet anticipation.

By the time they finished dinner, the excitement of the coming day had settled into a quiet, comforting anticipation. They headed into the bathroom together for a long, warm shower, letting the water wash away the last of their fatigue.

Afterward, they changed into their comfortable silk sleepwear and returned to the bedroom.

Henry was about to get into bed when he remembered the promise he had made to Elisha’s mother earlier that day. He paused and turned to his fiancé.

"Elisha, let’s pray together first."

Elisha’s expression softened. Without hesitation, he reached for Henry’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Of course, baby."

Together, they knelt beside the bed, their fingers intertwined. With their heads bowed and eyes closed, they prayed quietly, asking for blessings, protection, and a lifetime of happiness as they prepared to begin their marriage. They prayed for their families, too, grateful for the love and support that had brought them to this moment.

When they finished, they rose and climbed beneath the covers.

Elisha pulled Henry close, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on top of his head. Henry nestled against his chest, one hand resting over Elisha’s heart as he listened to its steady beat.

For a while, neither of them spoke. They simply held each other, enjoying the peace of their last night as fiancés.

"Goodnight, pretty boy," Elisha whispered into the quiet room, pressing a soft kiss to Henry’s hair.

Henry smiled against his chest and tightened his arms around him.

"Goodnight, my love."

Elisha smiled, holding him a little closer.

"Good night, pretty."

With their bodies comfortably nestled together beneath the covers, they slowly drifted off to sleep, knowing that when they opened their eyes again, it would finally be their wedding day.

And finally... It’s going to be WEDDING O’CLOCK in the next Chapter. ?????? Get ready for Henry and Elisha’s big day. ??