How You Take Me (6 page)

I turn back to Julian, holding out my hand to him. “I'm
healed. Inside and outside. I'm ready to go home.”

He runs his thumb over the back of my hand. Finally, he
nods and tells me firmly, “All right, the doctor did say you're
ready to be discharged. But you're coming home with me, understand?
Mrs Kenny is so worried about you. She's been keeping everything in
order while I'm away but she's been asking about you.”

“
Yeah.” I look down. “I...I've
probably been kicked out of my apartment by now. I've been behind on
rent and...”

“
Don't worry about that. Your rent's been paid.”

“
Huh?”

Julian smiles and I shake my head quickly. “No,
no, no, I'll pay you back.”

“
I'll make sure of that,” he leans forward
to whisper. “In fact, I'd prefer to get paid right now.”
I gasp as he bends down and kisses me. His lips press against mine
very tenderly and softly. His tongue tastes my lips, soothing over
my lower lip gently as his kiss gradually deepens. My lips part but
he doesn't push into my mouth. Slowly, I kiss him back, tasting him
and feeling him against me. His hand is on the back of my neck,
holding me and keeping me steady against him. I meet his tongue with
mine, and a tentative, sensual dance builds. We push deeper into
each other, exploring and testing, pushing and wanting. I moan into
his mouth as we kiss passionately, the heat and hunger pulsing
through our veins. I feel my body begin to burn as his kiss become
so much more.

Breathlessly, I open my eyes and come up for air.

Julian kisses the top of my head and my eyelids.
“There. Paid in full.”

I start, before bursting into laughter. “Oh?
And...I don't have to pay interest?” I tease.

“
Interest must be paid. Every single night,”
he replies in all seriousness. I catch the desire smoldering behind
his eyes, and I feel a corresponding heat travel down my body.

I blush and turn away. But I can't hide my smile. The
desire I feel, the heat and want and growing feelings that I can no
longer deny, proves that I am alive. When that knife went through my
body, I'd thought that that was the end. But I survived, and now I
have to live. Not just stay alive, but be alive. Live and laugh and
love.

I turn back to Julian. “Yes, please. Take me
home. I miss Mrs Kenny, and I miss her cooking!”

It's time.

I step back and survey the carefully made bed. It's
been a month since my discharge from the hospital. I'm fully
recovered and I feel strong and well enough. It's time. It's time
for me to go. I have to go home to my little apartment, even though
this place, Julian's beautiful house, is beginning to feel a lot like
home to me.

I look at my little bag stuffed with the clothes that
Julian has bought for me. I will enjoy wearing them and I will think
of him often. He has been good to me. He and Mrs Kenny have been
taking such good care of me while I've been here. I will miss them
both dearly.

I straighten up and force a smile to my face. No teary
goodbyes. Make a graceful and grateful exit. At the door, I turn
back to look at the cozy guest room one last time. I look at the
soft, silky bed and the armchair beside it. I can see Julian sitting
there, sleeping there, slumped over in exhaustion in that armchair.
He has been spending countless nights in that chair, watching over me
as I sleep, jumping up to get my medicines and water when I groan in
my sleep or show any sign of pain. I walk over to the empty chair
and smooth my hand gently over the creased leather, imagining the
hard lines and curves of Julian's body. I will definitely miss him.
I will miss having him by my bedside every night, breathing in his
scent, hearing his sighs and occasional grunts and snores, feeling
him near. It was warm and comforting, and I didn't need any
medication for my pain. Just having him hold my hand and soothe my
brow was enough. I almost always fell peacefully back to sleep once
I felt his tender touch on me.

But I need to get back on my feet, and he needs to get
back to his work. I smile wryly. His work. That was what brought
me to him in the first place. I should check in on how his research
is going before I go.

As I trail down the stairs, I catch Mrs Kenny putting on
her coat at the front door. “Mrs Kenny,” I call out.
“Where are you going?”

She looks up. “Oh, hello Sophia. I thought you
were taking a nap in your room. Well, I am going home,” she
smiles.

“
But it's only...” I squint at her narrow
wristwatch.

“
I know. It's one o'clock. I got lunch ready.
The lasagne is in the oven. Can you smell it?” she sniffs the
air and beams. “Julian gave me the afternoon off. My son and
his family are coming to visit. He works in Hong Kong and he married
a lovely girl there last year. I'll be seeing my beautiful
granddaughter for the first time!”

“
Oh! Congratulations! That's wonderful!”

“
Yes, it is” she says, her voice trembling
with excitement and emotion. “I'll show you pictures of the
little one tomorrow. She's a beauty!”

“
I...”
I won't be here tomorrow.
I
see the joy and love on Mrs Kenny's glowing face and on impulse,
throw my arms around her and give her a big hug. “Show me the
pictures anytime. And you'll have dinner with me. I will cook for
you this time. My place,” I say, holding her shoulders firmly.

The confusion on her face fades as my words sink in.
When her smile returns, it looks a little sad. “Of course,
Sophia,” she says quietly. “I will miss you, dear. So
will he.” She looks towards Julian's office door and sighs.

“
Thank you for taking care of me, Mrs Kenny. I'm
going to miss you so much.” I swallow hard to stop myself from
choking up.

She embraces me and says, “He's a good man. And I
think he should really go out more, loosen up and have some fun.
Both of you might have lost something, but you've still got lots more
love in you. Don't be afraid. Ask him out.” She winks and
releases me.

I watch her back her little car out of the driveway and
wave at her until she is out of sight. Closing the door softly, I
turn to see Julian standing at the door to his office.

“
Sophia, how are you feeling? You should rest...”
he begins.

I shake my head. “I'm fine. In fact...I think we
should talk. Are you free now?”

“
Yes, of course I'm free. I'm always free for
you.”

“
If you're busy with your work, I can wait...”
I say, glancing into his messy office.

“
My work...yes, about that. I've been wanting to
talk to you about the work...what we did...”

“
Really?”

“
Yeah. Come in.” He pushes the door wide
open and beckons me into his office.

“
Please, sit, anywhere,” he mutters,
stepping around stacks of files and papers.

I sit in the leather swivel chair that I had sat in the
first time I'd stepped into his office and his home. I lean back and
take in Julian's polished desk, the wide screen computer monitor, his
endless files, and the little side table with the neat china tea set
and kettle. He had served me tea in that dainty cup the first time I
was here. Everything comes back to me in a rush, the heady giddy
feeling that had overwhelmed me at our first meeting. And the
instant electrifying chemistry and attraction that I had felt between
us. I had been attracted to Julian from the very first moment I met
him. My feelings haven't changed. But I have. I am not the same
person who sat in this chair so many weeks ago. So much has
happened, and I have changed. And I am glad for the change. I can't
go back to being who I was, who I had allowed myself to become since
my divorce. Unsure, unemployed, unworthy, unloving. That's the old
Sophia. And the old Sophia had died that day in the warehouse, when
the knife stabbed into her gut and let all that cold, stale blood
flow out of her. Julian had nursed a new Sophia back to health and
life. A stronger, more secured Sophia who isn't afraid to leave him
and love him with all her heart.

I look up when Julian clears his throat and straightens
out some papers on his desk. “I wanted to tell you...”
He takes a deep breath. “...that the money you earned, under
the contract, has been wired to your account. You have been
so...great. The experiment, the research with the sex machine, has
been a success!” He can barely contain his elation and
excitement. “The paper has been submitted and was very well
received,” he continues, his smile widening. “It's a
breakthrough! The intensity of the body's response to various
stimuli has been recorded and studied in detail. From the research,
we were able to compare and contrast the various psychological and
physiological reactions and conduct some in-depth study into how
pleasure and orgasms affect women's health and psychology. The sex
machine, it will be renamed of course, will be acquired by the
hospital for further research. A patent is pending and there will be
more paperwork and everything but for now, my work is done. And...I
want to celebrate—with you.”

“
Julian...that's just...oh!” I jump up and
rush to hug him. I kiss him on the cheek and hug him fiercely.
“That's just so awesome! I am so glad, Julian, so, so glad!”

“
All of this, everything, would not have been
possible without you, Sophia,” he says, stroking my hair. “You
saved me, not just my life, but...”

“
You saved me too, Julian. You could have been
killed. I saw it. And I can't believe I didn't see it before. I'm
sorry,” I whisper.

“
Sorry? You've got nothing to be sorry for,
Sophia. It's me who should be sorry. And I am. I'm sorry about
Aleisha. I was stupid and drunk, but that's no excuse. I'm sorry I
didn't tell you and I'm sorry for everything, every pain and hurt
that you...”

“
You can't be sorry for that,” I say,
pulling back to look him intently in the eye. “The hurt and
pain was in my heart way before I even stepped into your house. But
you know what? It look a knife in the gut to let out all that old
hurt in my heart. I survived. But I don't want to just survive, I
want to live. And love. I love you, Julian.”

His eyes widen and I hear him suck in a breath. His
hand trembles slightly on my waist before his grip tightens and he
crushes me to him in a tight embrace. “Sophia,” he
closes his eyes and murmurs into my hair. “You don't know how
happy you've made me. You have no idea. No idea how much that means
to me.”

“
Show me then,” I say hoarsely, moving my
hands up his neck and pushing my fingers through his dark, wavy hair.
I tilt my face up and Julian hesitates only a fraction of an instant
before leaning down and slanting his mouth across mine. My lips part
immediately and we kiss each other hungrily, our lips and tongues
tasting and licking each other urgently, desperately, greedily. My
hands move through his hair, across his broad shoulders and down the
strong muscles of his arms. I feel his back and press him closer to
me, wanting more of him. Julian is kissing me deeply and
passionately, holding me and feeling me like he can't get enough of
me. His touch is tender but his kiss is consuming and searing, and
his lips never leave me as he kisses the corner of my mouth and down
my chin and throat before moving up to devour my mouth again. He
moans my name into my mouth as his hand kneads my breast softly,
rubbing my bra against my nipple. His other hand is on the small of
my back, pressing me to his hard body. His erection pushes against
my belly and I reach down to hold his hardness in my palm. I squeeze
him through the fabric of his pants and he groans, “Sophia, I
want you...”

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me.
“Then take me,” I say, in a fierce whisper, looking deep
into his eyes.

Julian takes a shuddering breath and holds me by the
waist as he stares into my eyes. I can see the question, the
searching, longing look in his eyes, the worry and concern...and the
love, all swirling and surging in his beautiful, brown eyes.

“
But your...” His hand moves gently to the
spot where the knife had plunged into my gut. “Does it
hurt...?”

I smile up at him. “Not anymore. I'm ready,
Julian. I want you.”

Wordlessly, he bends down to slide his arm under my
knees. Our eyes remain locked as he straightens up and carries me up
the stairs. He pushes into his bedroom and lays me down on his bed
so very gently, as though I were a fragile, precious thing.

Cupping my face with his hand, he looks at me with such
love and tenderness that I gasp, feeling as though my heart might
burst any second. He blinks slowly, and I feel his long lashes
brushing against my forehead. “I love you,” he whispers,
kissing me.

I sit up without breaking the kiss and my hands find his
collar. I tug him down forcefully down to the bed and push him onto
his back. He holds my waist as I straddle him and begin to undo his
buttons. Peeling away the two halves of his shirt, I run my hands up
and down his solid chest and taut stomach. I frown as I feel the
length and girth of his torso. He seems to have lost weight. His
chin is sharper than before. “Julian,” I mutter.