by Beth Abbott
Tulli sat on the edge of the bed and took one of Mischa’s hands in hers.
“What’s that you’re humming, Mischa? Hmm? Do you know the words, or are we gonna sing ‘La-la-la’, like we used to in church when we were little?” She asked, rubbing her finger over the back of Mischa’s hand. “Remember when we used to sing louder than the choir, and mama used to be mortified?”
Lara snorted a laugh, and Tulli could have sworn that Mischa’s eyes crinkled with laughter.
“We’ll be going to stay with Candy and Ryan Tucker tomorrow.” Tulli glanced around at Lara. “Probably best if we pack everything ready tonight, just in case we have to leave with any urgency.”
“Is that likely?” Lara’s eyes darkened. “Is there any imminent threat?”
“Nope.” Tulli kept her voice light, so as not to alarm Mischa. “But it never hurts to be prepared, right?”
Mischa carried on humming, although the tune had changed.
“Hey, I recognise these. They’re showtunes, right?” She laughed. “Who would have thought Joel would be singing her showtunes?”
“He’s rehearsing at a drama club for some sort of show they’re putting on for the family.” Lara smiled. “He’s got a lovely voice, with such a mellow tone. I think that’s why Mischa has taken to him.”
“Well, if we’re at the Tucker’s house for more than a few days, we’ll have to ask if it would be Ok if he visited us there.” Tulli smiled at her baby sister. “You really like your new friend, don’t you Mischa?”
It would have been too much to hope that her sister would answer her, but she wouldn’t stop hoping.
“Is it my imagination, or is Mischa not the only one who likes their new friend?”
Tulli glanced around at Lara, shocked by her sister’s forthright question.
“Sorry?” She mumbled. “I’m not sure…”
“Oh, come off it!” Lara smiled. “I’ve seen the way you and Gregor have been glancing at each other. I’m just trying to decide whether to call it an instant attraction, or lust at first sight.”
Tulli could feel her cheeks heating up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She protested. “Gregor has been an absolute gentleman. He’s such a kind, sweet man.”
“He is a kind man, that’s true.” Lara nodded. “But if I’m not mistaken, you had a very high colour in your cheeks when you came up here, and your lips look… well-used, I’d say, if I had to describe them.”
Tulli’s hand shot to her lips automatically, and she realised too late that Lara had been fishing for information.
“Hah!” Lara announced triumphantly. “The two of you have been kissing! I knew it!”
Tulli glanced at her sister, unsure of how to explain herself.
“Do you think it’s wrong of me to like him?” She whispered. “After everything those men did to us, and what they continued to do to the other women, do you think there’s something wrong with me?”
Lara frowned at her.
“Why should I think there’s something wrong with you?” She asked. “Gregor is a nice man who treats you with respect, and he obviously likes you a lot. You’d be mad not to find him attractive.”
“But… he’s a man.” Tulli repeated. “We’ve seen what men are capable of. Shouldn’t I hate him? Shouldn’t I be repelled by him?”
Lara stood and walked to her, holding out her hands to pull Tulli away from the bed, and presumably away from where Mischa could hear them.
“Tulli, those monsters in Colombia weren’t men, not in any sense of the word. They were animals, running with the pack.” Lara spat out. “Real men are like the ones who saved us. Like Alex and his Marine friends, and like the guys who came down from Alex’s family. Real men are like Gregor, willing to do anything in his power to make his daughter safe. Real men are like our father and brother, who treated our mom and us with respect, encouraging us to do the best we could in school, and make something of ourselves.”
Tulli nodded, knowing what Lara said was right. She couldn’t remember hearing her father ever raise his voice with their mom, let alone show her any aggression.
“Tulli, if you find Gregor attractive, and you feel something for him, don’t be afraid to show him.” Lara squeezed her hand. “You deserve to be happy after everything we’ve been through, and everything you did for mom. Mischa and I owe you big time for the extra years of carefree youth you gave us. It’s your time now. You need to embrace that.”
Tulli glanced at Mischa. Hadn’t she just traded caring for one relative for another.
“Don’t you worry about Mischa.” Lara insisted. “She and I are doing just fine.”
“But what about you?” Tulli asked. “Charlie seems to have a soft spot for you. He never takes his eyes off you when he’s here with Joel.”
Lara glanced down at her hands.
“Charlie’s a good man, too.” She nodded. “And if I’d met him before we travelled to Colombia, I’d have been thrilled if he showed me any attention. He’s the sort of guy who ticks every box… tall, handsome, sexy, intelligent, kind, and thoughtful. Then you add how much he cares for his family, and he’s just the perfect package.”
“But…?” Tulli prompted.
“But, I’m not as brave as you, Tulli.” Lara whispered. “I’m not as strong, and not as ready to trust again. As much as I want to… I just can’t.”
“You’re going to have to tell him that.” Tulli sighed. “If he is sweet on you, you can’t keep him on the line if you’re not going to reel him in.”
Lara snorted a laugh.
“You have such a lovely way with words, sis.” She grinned. “That’s something that mom would have come out with.”
“Nevertheless, it’s true.” Tulli insisted. “If Charlie continues to show an interest, then you have to have that conversation with him. Right?”
“I will, I promise.” Lara nodded. “And if Gregor wants to carry on kissing you, you have to let him. Right?”
Tulli smiled.
“Oh, if I must!” She sighed dramatically, before giggling.
“Well, make the most of it.” Lara suggested. “Especially if we’re going to Mr Tucker’s place tomorrow. I guess Gregor isn’t coming with us?”
“No, he’s staying here.” Tulli’s smile faded.
“Then I think you’d better make the most of today then.” Lara insisted. “At least spend some time with him and get to know him better. Make sure you haven’t got a case of hero-worship, just because he’s the guy that sent the team down to Colombia that rescued us.”
“Do you think that’s what this is?” Tulli hadn’t even considered the possibility.
“Nope, not for one second.” Lara shook her head. “But it’s a good reason for you to spend some more time with Gregor today. Make sure you’re seeing him for who he is, not what he represents.”
Tulli nodded, as she stared at Lara with newfound respect.
“When the heck did you get so smart?”
Chapter 18 – Gregor
At a little after six o’clock, Gregor finally bundled Marcy out of the door into one of his vehicles, where three of his security team were ready to take her home to her family.
Once he’d filled her in on the problems they were facing, Marcy had insisted that if she wasn’t going to be at the house to feed him, the least she could do was prepare a bunch of meals he could reheat over the next few days.
Four hours later, his kitchen counter was covered in containers of food, from a casserole to a chilli con carne, kebab skewers to a steak pie. He was under strict instructions to wait for them to cool completely, before sealing the lids on, and putting them in the refrigerator.
Dinner had already been served to Lara and Mischa in their room, and a roast was in the oven with vegetables already steaming for him to share with Tulli.
He glanced at the pots simmering away on the stove. Marcy had made him memorize which ones would cook quicker and which needed longer.
“Are you actually cooking our dinner?” Tulli’s voice came from the doorway, and he turned to see her smiling at him.
“I had nothing to do with the preparation.” He admitted. “But I have my instructions about what to do with the pots when the vegetables are cooked. Marcy is taking a well-deserved few days off, while this mess resolves itself.”
From the way he stared at the saucepans as though they were going to jump up and bite him, Tulli must have realized that he wasn’t nearly as confident as he was trying to sound.
“Would you be offended if I offered to take over?” She smiled at him. “Not that I’m doubting your mad skills or anything, but I’m pretty good in the kitchen, albeit woefully out of practise. It will be good to have something useful to do.”
Gregor stepped back, waving his hands at the stove.
“Be my guest. According to Marcy, all of this will be cooked by seven o’clock.” He grinned. “I’ll get all of the other stuff into the refrigerator and tidy up, while you carry on.”
He watched Tulli check the pots on the stove out of the corner of his eye, as he loaded everything into the fridge.
“Do you mind if I go through your cupboards to find what I need?” She asked, obviously not feeling comfortable enough to go rummaging around without permission.
“Help yourself.” He smiled. “Feel free to open doors and drawers to your heart’s content. Marcy has everything put away using her own logic, but I guess you won’t find it hard to figure out where she stores everything.”
“I’d guess she’d store all the pots together, all the crockery together, and so on.” Tulli smiled as she crouched down and opened the door of one of the cupboards below the counter.
“Aha!” She emerged with a colander in her hand. “And would you know where Marcy keeps her serving spoons?”
Gregor glanced around the kitchen.
“The cutlery drawer is the top one in front of you, so maybe in the one below it?” He guessed.
Tulli pulled open the second drawer, and pulled out a few serving spoons.
“Good guess.” She smiled at him, and Gregor was hard-pressed not to blush.
He took a seat at the counter and watched her dart back and forth.
“Would you like a glass of wine with dinner?” He offered. “A nice Bordeaux would probably go with the beef, but I have quite a decent selection of both red and white. I’m not a wine snob, so you can pick whichever you prefer.”
Tulli turned from stirring a pot to smile at him.
“I don’t think your idea of a ‘decent selection’ of wines and mine are on the same planet.” She admitted. “My sisters and I never paid more than ten dollars for a bottle of wine, ever.”
Gregor winced. How bad could a ten-dollar bottle of wine get?
“See?” Tulli chuckled. “You’re more of a wine snob than you realised.”
“Maybe so.” He admitted. “But that should mean that you’d be pleasantly surprised by anything in my wine cellar.”
“I’d probably also be sick as a dog drinking anything from your wine cellar!” Tulli pointed out. “I’m barely able to tolerate bland food at the moment. Anything rich, or sugary, or even creamy, has my stomach in knots. I struggled with a small glass of fruit juice earlier, so I don’t think wine is going to be on my drink list for a while to come yet.”
“Sorry.” Gregor frowned, wanting to kick himself for being so thoughtless. “I forgot about… well, I guess it slipped my mind…”
“Gregor, please don’t apologise.” Tulli stopped what she was doing and came and stood in front of him. “It’s a good thing that you forgot about… well, where you found me, I guess. I don’t want people to look at me like I’m some sort of victim all the time. I want you to treat me like a normal person.”
Gregor stared at Tulli for a moment, surprised by her vehemence.
“Tulli, I can’t look at you like you’re normal.” He admitted, watching Tulli’s eyes cloud slightly as she mulled his words. “You’re so much more than normal, you see. It wouldn’t do you justice.”
He watched the blush creep up her neck and stain her cheeks, but she didn’t look away.
“Lara gave me some advice earlier, which I think I need to act on.” She said quietly. “She told me to make the most of getting to know you today, because once we left for Mr Tucker’s place tomorrow, I wouldn’t get the chance.”
Gregor wondered what had prompted Lara to say such a thing.
“She also told me that if you wanted to kiss me some more, I should let you.” Tulli was struggling to meet his gaze.
“Oh, did she.” Gregor slid his hands down the soft skin of Tulli’s arms, until he found her fingers, which he entwined with his. “So, she knows about the kissing, does she?”
“She guessed, because my lips were a little bit red and puffy when I went upstairs last time.” Tulli admitted. “I was worried whether I should be kissing a man yet, especially after what we’d been through, and she seemed the best person to talk to about it.”
Gregor nodded. He could understand how that might worry a person.
“What did Lara think about it.” He wondered.
“She thought I needed to get to know you better, to make sure I wasn’t just seeing you as the hero responsible for getting us out of Colombia.” Tulli explained. “She wants me to be certain that I like you for you, and not some mental image I have of you, based on some ridiculous Superman worship nonsense.”
Gregor couldn’t help but smile.
“Firstly, I did nothing heroic whatsoever.” He pointed out. “I hired Tuck’s team to do all the heroic stuff, while I waited back at the airfield for them to rescue my daughter.”
“But you helped all the women get out, and you’re paying for them all to get the treatment they need.” Tulli frowned. “Plus, you’ve taken my sisters and I into your home, fed and clothed us, and are looking out for our wellbeing. That’s pretty damn heroic to someone who’s been where we have for the last six months.”
Gregor wondered whether Lara had been on the right track when she’d challenged how Tulli regarded him. Not that he minded the notion of her thinking he was something special, but he’d rather it was grounded in reality.
“Tulli, what do you see when you look at me?” He squeezed her hands gently. “Or better still… close your eyes for a few seconds for me, would you?”
Tulli looked at him strangely for a second before she complied, and closed her eyes tight.
“Thank you.” Gregor murmured. “Now with your eyes still shut, describe me. Everything you can remember about me, from head to toe.”
Tulli shook her head, a half smile on her face.
“Ok, well, you’re tall. Over six feet by a few inches, I’d guess. And you’ve broad shoulders and a well-muscled upper body. Obviously from making good use of that home-gym you have upstairs.”
Gregor smiled, pleased that she’d noticed he kept himself in shape.
“Go on.” He nudged.
“Ok, you have lovely thick dark brown hair, with just a hint of grey, which will no doubt make you look very distinguished as you get older.” She smiled at him. “You also have beautifully clear china-blue eyes, which tells me that Sophia must have inherited her gorgeous green eyes from her mother.”
“Correct.” Gregor was impressed. “Carry on.”
“You have a remarkably fresh complexion for someone who frowns so much.” Tulli pointed out. “Very few wrinkles, except at the corners of your eyes when you smile, which you also do a lot of. Oh, and you have a single freckle at the corner of your right eye.”
“Wow! Very observant.” Gregor couldn’t hide his surprise. “Anything else?”
“You have very gentle hands.” It was Tulli’s turn to squeeze his fingers. “And a lovely soft mouth. Very good for kissing.”
Gregor snorted a laugh, causing Tulli to blink her eyes open.
“You really do see people, don’t you, Tulli?” He murmured. “And the way you described me, whi
lst flattering, wasn’t like you would describe a superhero, was it? You talked about me like I was a pretty regular person, thankfully.”
“Gregor, you are a pretty regular person.” She insisted. “You just happen to be the only pretty regular, heroic, billionaire philanthropic person I know. So, sue me if I think you’re a bit special!”
Gregor’s smile widened.
“You do?” He asked quietly. “Think I’m special, that is?”
Tulli freed her hands and lifted them to his face where she cupped his cheeks.
“Gregor, I think you’re incredibly special for such a regular person!” She leaned in and touched her lips to his in a soft caress, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
The sound of water spitting from one of the pots and hissing as it hit the top of the stove broke into their ‘moment’.
“Something’s about to boil over.” She grinned, stepping back. “Some cook I am!”
Gregor let her go reluctantly.
“Come on. It should all be ready for plating by now.” He stood and followed her to the stove.
They dished out the food, Tulli helping herself to about half of what a child would eat, and while Gregor piled meat and vegetables onto his plate, Tulli took the thinnest slice of meat imaginable, and just a few vegetables.
In other circumstances he would have urged her to fill her plate, but Gregor reckoned that Tulli was the best judge of how much she could eat.
They chatted quietly about the work she’d done before the kidnapping, doing pro-bono legal work for people who couldn’t afford expensive representation. She got paid a token sum for working on a legal helpline, but mostly she worked for free.
He also admired that she’d so willingly given up a career to look after her mom, so that her sisters could carry on with their own education.
The women Gregor tended to associate with were usually driven in some way, either to succeed in whatever their chosen profession was, or to find themselves a husband who had already succeeded. Most of them were either the women who worked for him, or the ones he was forced to socialise with, at charity functions and the like.
Not that he disliked ambitious women, not at all. He respected the ones who worked hard for success, often even more than their male counterparts.
