Chapter 15

The weeks that followed Catherine's breakdown were anything but easy for Henry. Neither because his unusual consideration made him uncomfortable, nor because the time he recently spent at home - with his family - made him feel like he was missing out on something. Rather the opposite was the case.

He actually regretted his decisions that had estranged him from his family during the last few years and it embarrassed him how little he seemed to know about his own children or his wife.
So much unnecessarily wasted time.

But what afflicted him the most were the reawakened and steadily growing feelings for his beautiful wife he currently couldn't find an outlet for. The weightiness of these emotions would probably shock his wife. They even shocked him after all.

So he tried to hide them deep in the furthest corner of his very being as not to unintentionally put Catherine under pressure.
And yet he longed for more. For so much more.
Not only on a carnal level. He longed for her nearness and wanted to bury his hands in her blonde hair, feel her soft skin under his fingertips or simply kiss her senseless from time to time.
But most of all, he wished he could just hold her. Wished to fall asleep with his wife in his arms so that once awake in the next morning she would be the first thing his eyes would catch sight of.

But the constant fear of saying the wrong words or endangering her recovery by his need to touch her all the time was breathing down his neck. Even though he tried really hard to conceal his urges. Most of the time he didn't even know how to behave towards her.

His marriage was a minefield and with every step Henry took, he was in danger of precipitating a catastrophe. Finding a safe passage seemed like an impossibility, no matter how hard he tried or how careful he was.

On this day Henry had run to the little Deli shop on the opposite corner of the street and bought some wraps for their lunch break. Now he was riding to the upper floor. He was in a good mood and looking forward to spend some time with his wife. Besides the paper bag with their food he was also holding a green smoothie he had additionally ordered for Catherine. He wouldn't be caught dead drinking any of these disgusting, health crazed swills made of spinach, avocado, mango and whatever else, but he knew his wife loved them nonetheless.

When he stepped into the anteroom, it wasn't Charlotte who greeted him but a shy-looking girl with long, blonde hair.
"Mr. Valois!"
"Where's Charlotte?" he asked in surprise.
"Unfortunately Charlotte had to call in sick. My name is Aylee and I am standing in for her today." After a moment's hesitation she added uncertainly: "Or at least I'm trying".

"I'm sure you're doing great. Has Catherine finished her call?" he wanted to know and placed the food bag on the desk.
"Not yet, but it shouldn't take too long."
"Then I'm going to wait for her," her husband decided and took one of the visitor chairs. His action made Aylee even more insecure.
The girl looked back and forth between Henry, Catherine's closed office door and her watch rather nervously.

Henry tapped his right foot impatiently, then he pulled out his phone and checked his mails.
"Um, Mr. Valois? I'm terribly sorry but I actually have an engagement for lunch and I'm already running late..." Henry raised his head when the young woman piped up.
"Then you'd better hurry. No worries, I can wait by myself. Or is there anything else?"
"Nothing that can't wait until after lunch. But maybe you can give your wife this confirmation for her appointments?"

Henry nodded and reached for the paper where various appointments had been noted in a neat handwriting. Not even raising his head, the male CEO dismissed the young woman. His eyes scanned the lines curiously. All of them were cosmetic applications in a beauty salon.
"Pedicure, manicure, hot stone massage, waxing?" He read aloud, frowning irritably.
Then he googled the studio. "What the hell is she doing?" he wondered aloud when suddenly the door opened and Catherine stepped out.

"Who is doing what?" she asked with her eyebrows raised in question.
"You my Dear. I didn't know you're into waxing lately," Henry got to the point right away. His words caused a tender blush to spread on Catherine's cheeks and she jerked the note out of his hand.
"That's private, Henry."

Now it was her husband who lifted an eyebrow and studied her carefully. This appointment or rather his knowledge about it seemed to make her feel uncomfortable. So she planned to wax more intimate places than just her armpits or legs.

"Is this smoothie for me?" she asked quickly, pointing at the poisonous green drink.
Henry nodded absent-mindedly all the while wondering since when his wife was interested in this kind of nonsense.

He tried to remember their encounter in the elevator and whether her pubic region had been hairless, but he couldn't tell by no stretch of his imagination since he had been preoccupied with other things.
In the past, Catherine had taken care of trimming and shaving her private parts herself.

"Oh, it's delicious! How was your morning?" his wife praised her drink and redirected his thoughts on other paths with her question.
"Uneventful. Here, eat something, Kitten. How about that telco with Barner?"

This was unusual for Henry. Being up-to-date with Catherine's work schedule and even showing an honest interest in the things going on in this company. Because he had realized that there was more than one point of contention between them that needed to be smoothed out and starting on a professional level was not the worst idea.

His wife had accused him of only being interested in company matters that concerned him directly and in a quiet moment of reflection he had figured out that Catherine was absolutely right with her accusation. So it was time to change his attitude and finally bear responsibility together with his wife instead of hiding in his programming den.

"Quite good actually. Unexpectedly good, if you ask me." Catherine sat down on Charlotte's desk and unpacked her wrap. Henry, following an inner impulse, stroked his wife's knee in a loving gesture.
"There are even grater men who have succumbed to your irresistible charm. Besides Barner seems to be a smart man. He wants the best. And that's us."
"No doubt," she agreed and made no effort to push his hand off her leg. Instead she bit into the flatbread roll and appreciatively closed her eyes while chewing.

Henry's eyes, on the other hand, were wide open and he was fascinated by the facial expression on her face. In moments like these he realized once again that Catherine was a sensualist. He loved the way her pink tongue kept on running over her lips and the urge to lick the rest of the sauce out of the corner of her mouth himself grew with each passing second.

"What is it? You're not hungry?" she asked after a while and pointed at the paper bag that still contained his untouched wrap. Then she dabbed her mouth with one of the napkins which deprived Henry of his illusion.
"Au contraire, I've worked up quite an appetite" he replied with a rough voice but he knew that it was not the hunger for food that vehemently demanded to be feed this instant.

Clearly also Catherine must have sensed the tension that reigned his body, seeking a way to discharge, for she looked up and scrutinized him with an intensity that prompted the fine hair on his neck to raise.
He even thought he saw recognition flickering in her eyes and involuntarily held his breath, anxious to see how she would react.

"Well, then go ahead and eat" she finally said and threw the paper bag on his lap.
There was still something indefinable in her eyes. Something he would like to explore.

But this was neither the right place nor the right time.
So he took out his food, unwrapped it and took a first bite.
All the while keeping his eyes firmly clued on his wife, whose corners of the mouth slowly turned into an enigmatic Mona-Lisa smile.

A smile that prompted his heart to leap with joy.

First I need to apologize since it took me so long to post an update. But please be assured that I haven't abandoned this story. I was just... preoccupied. With all the other writing projects.
I hope there's still someone out there.

And of course I need to thank you for all the reviews I've already received for this and my other stories. You're amazing – all of you. THANK YOU!