Take Hold of Me

by Arell Rivers

  He stands and helps me up. His erection—pointing to me as if in accusation—glistens in the moonlight. His fingers make a come hither motion. “Come on. I have condoms in my bag.”

  “I have them in my bedroom, too.” I killed our mood. Maybe I can rekindle it right out here. Instead of walking next to him toward the door, I scoot in front of him and drop to my knees, ignoring the pain of contact with the cement.

  “What brought this on? No. We’ll go to your bed. It’s okay.”

  Tears prick at the back of my eyelids. I cannot even do this for him. “Please. I want—”

  He bends down and picks me up. “It’s okay. I want to come inside your delectable body, not your mouth. I’ll make it good for you, I promise.”

  He will make it good for me? I rest my head on his shoulder in defeat. “But, I was the one who broke our rhythm.”

  “Angel, I’m sorry about the condom. You make me forget who I am. But it’ll be fine. We’ll start all over. I want you so fucking much.” His lips find mine and we cross the threshold into my house.

  “I want you more.”

  His chuckle comes out as a garbled groan when I kiss his collarbone. Maybe I did not mess things up too badly.

  After Wills proves to me, twice, how much I mean to him—even using a condom—I fall into an exhausted sleep, all of my earlier fears driven out of my brain.

  Until tossing and turning from the other side of the bed wakes me. Oh no, not again. Wills kicks the sheet free of his body—and mine. I turn the lamp on its lowest setting and then face the writhing man next to me.

  He is sweating, his arms and legs jerking. I jump off the bed to avoid a fist to my abdomen. In what I hope to be an authoritative voice, I state, “Wills.”

  He says a garbled mass of syllables, pushing at the air. His hand is curled as if holding something. Probably an imaginary gun.

  I inhale and try again, with even more force. “Wills. Wake up.”

  He stops moving, his chest rising and falling with shorter breaths. He rouses. I place my knee onto the bed and repeat, “Wills.”

  His eyes fly open. “Angel.”

  Joining him fully on the bed, I wipe the sweat from his brow. “You were having another nightmare.”

  He shuts his eyelids tightly, his cheek jumping from the inside.

  “You are okay. I am here. Do you want something to drink? Tea?”

  He shifts his head on the pillow, head facing away from me. He responds, his voice strangled, “No, I’m good.”

  My eyes rake his prone form. The veins in his arms bulge from the tension he just suffered. “Want to talk about it?”

  When I am sure he will remain silent like he did before, he surprises me. “It’s the same as always. Starr. Only in my dreams, after she kills my partners, she turns her gun on my sister.”

  I gasp. “Oh, Wills. No.” My tears are the only ones that flow.

  He huffs out air, raking his hand through his hair, which causes it to stand in all directions. He attempts a laugh, but it sounds more like a stab of agony to my ears.

  “I know it’s just a dream. Sorry to have woken you up.” He reaches down and pulls the sheet over our naked bodies and turns to face me. “It’s late. Go back to sleep.”

  When I do not move, he kisses my lips. “I’m okay. Really. You don’t have to worry about me. That’s my job to do for you.”

  My eyebrows pull together. People in love worry for the other, and I know I love him. The Agency’s admonition not to frown comes to my mind, causing me to smooth out my features. “I want to make things better for you.”

  Strong arms come around my body. “You do.”

  I tug him to me. I know—know—I do not have the skills to help him overcome his demons. I need to try again. “You should talk with a therapist. I can get you some good recommendations—”

  He cuts me off before I can finish my thought. “No. I can handle this.” His voice is hard. Harder than a stage manager’s bark during a fashion week. He reaches over me and shuts off the lamp. “Get some sleep.”

  I close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. This conversation is not over.

  19

  Emilie

  I put my luggage away, for now, in the storage area in the back of my closet. I have an open schedule this afternoon, which feels like a week’s vacation, and I want to maximize all my time with Wills. “I would like to help you unpack your new place.”

  Wills zips up his jeans. “It’s small, Ems. Just a place for me to crash.” He bends down to rummage through his duffel and pulls out a t-shirt, smelling it to confirm it is clean. My lips tip upward, remembering my younger brother doing the same thing.

  “Maybe I can make it more homely.”

  His head pops through the neck hole and he blinks. He laughs while pulling his arms through their proper holes. “I doubt you could make anything homely, Ems. The word is ‘homey.’”

  Heat pricks my cheeks while I pull the soft material down his torso, smoothing it across his broad chest. “Then I would like to make it homey for you.”

  He nips my earlobe. “If you’d like.”

  “I really would.” He turns to pick up his belt from the bed. Behind his back, I pump my fists. After his nightmare last night, I was unsure how he would respond to me this morning. Seems like we are back on stable ground. But that does not mean his demons are not nearby.

  When he picks up his car keys, he lifts them for me to see. “Care to drive?”

  I bite my bottom lip. “Oui.” He tosses me the keys. We walk to the Jeep, where he drops his duffel bag into the back seat. I hop into the driver’s side and mentally go over all his driving tips. Starting the engine, he directs me to his new apartment.

  “Good job. You’re really improving. You’re looking much more comfortable behind the wheel.”

  Absorbing his praise, my chest expands. “Merci. I believe I am getting better, thanks to my teacher.” We walk hand-in-hand into the complex, stopping at the mail slots for him to pick up his mail.

  Ignoring the elevator, we choose to climb the stairs. After ascending three floors, we stop outside a door. “Here we are. Remember, it’s small. Just for me.”

  Excitement at entering his personal space makes me jump from foot to foot while he unlocks the door and swings it open. My first impression is white walls and a few boxes strewn around. A black sectional, ending with a reclining chair, is positioned against bare windows and faces a flat screen television. The kitchen has a peninsula with a couple of bar stools tucked under. Sliding glass doors lead out to what appears to be a balcony.

  Using his duffel bag, he points to a closed door. “The bathroom.” He heads toward a different room. “And this is my bedroom. Make yourself at home, I’ll be right out.”

  After he disappears into his bedroom, I turn on the television and an episode of “Ninja Heroes” is on. Wills joins me on the sofa and screams encouragement to the human-canine teams, at times jumping right out of his seat. When the final competitor falls into a pool below a type of log, he collapses as if he had been the one running the gauntlet.

  Wills shakes his head. “I consider myself to be in good shape, but these guys—and ladies—put me to shame. Not to mention the agility of the military dogs. I could watch this show for days.”

  His enthusiasm over the show is adorable. “It certainly is exciting.”

  He clasps his hands. “It really is. You know, I volunteer at Vets for Military Dogs and I get to help out with their agility training sometimes. A couple of the dogs I worked with made it onto the show. They are just as amazing as the humans.”

  “I did not know you were involved with the charity. I learn new things about you every day.” I lean over and give him a kiss. “Wonderful things.”

  After the show’s credits run, the balcony draws my attention and I go out onto it while Wills heads into the kitchen for drinks. A communal pool is below, and more apartments facing. I take a seat in one of the two chairs while I wait for him.

/>   He hands me a glass of water. “Sorry, I don’t have any wine.”

  “Water is good.” I take a sip and put the glass down on the table. “I like your flat. This balcony reminds me of home.”

  “Paris?”

  I nod. “Although, Paris really is not my home anymore. I live here. The same town as you.”

  He smiles and sits next to me, drinking from his own glass. “What’s on our agenda for today?”

  “I like that word. ‘Our.’” I smile, then pull my hair back into a ponytail. Since I do not have a clip, it falls back in my face almost immediately. “I actually need to practice my lines for my movie role.”

  He leans over and places his hand on my knee. “And now you’re a movie star.”

  I swat at his hand. “I wish. Even though it is a small role, I do need to practice. Especially with my English. Can you help me, please?”

  “Since you asked me so nicely, how could I refuse?”

  I jump up and run into the living room where I had dropped my purse and retrieve the sheets with my lines. Returning to the balcony, I sit on his lap, wiggling to find a comfortable spot.

  His hands land on my butt and still my movements. “If you really want to run your lines with me, you’d better stop that.”

  Giggling, my hand covers my mouth. Waving the papers Monsieur Price handed me in front of my face, I reply, “Once we go over these lines a few times, I think we can spend the rest of the afternoon doing something more fun.”

  “Deal.” He squeezes my butt cheeks, eliciting a squeal from me.

  Practicing for my cameo takes longer than I anticipated, and it is already well into the afternoon when we wrap up. “I am so sorry to have taken so long. Now I have to start getting ready for the movie premiere tonight.”

  Wills kisses my neck, causing a shudder to run down my spine. “Not a worry. When it’s over tonight, I’ll hold you to some hot and sweaty sex as payment for my help.”

  I hold out my hand and we shake. “Deal.”

  After a whirlwind bunch of appearances, I am excited to accompany Wills to a venue in which he is the star of the show for once. “Are you excited to meet the members of your new gym?”

  He weaves in and out of traffic. My last appearance, at an art gallery, ran long so he is trying to make up time. “I’m not big on parties. But, it’ll be nice to meet everyone, I guess. Zak will be there.”

  “He is going to be your assistant, right?”

  “More than that, actually. In addition to being a personal trainer on staff, he will be my right-hand man.” He changes lanes and chuckles. “Zak’s going to be surprised to see you. Actually, I think you’re going to surprise a lot of folks tonight.”

  “I hope in a good way. Being the reason you are late for your own party is not a good start.” I run my hand through my hair and look out the window at the passing scenery. Or, rather, at the stopped traffic. My fingers drum on the armrest. “I am so sorry,” I say for the tenth time.

  “Ems, it’s fine. We won’t be that late.”

  The clock on the dashboard screams “7:30”—the party started a half-hour ago. I made Wills late for his own welcome party. I hate being late to anything and being the cause of it is unbearable. “Did you call your brother-in-law to let him know?”

  “I didn’t think of that. But, we’ll be there soon enough.”

  I face him, admiring his expert maneuvers through the traffic, changing lanes with such confidence. His profile, even as he is concentrating on driving, calls to me. It is not just his features, though, it is him. Who he is, how much he has overcome and how he makes me feel like I can be more. “I am in awe of you, Wills. The way you are changing careers inspires me.”

  His eyebrow raises. “At first I thought you were going to compliment my driving skills. But, Ems, you know it was time for me to make a change.” He slants me a quick look before returning his eyes to the road. His nightmares and panic attacks attest to this fact.

  Is it time for me to make a change? I have a call with my attorney tomorrow to find out how the negotiations on my behalf are going with the Agency. I emailed him some additional suggestions after the movie premiere with Brandan last night. Including my request to be represented by Rose’s PR firm rather than Greta’s.

  Wills takes the next exit. “We’ll be there in five minutes. No worries.”

  I pull down the visor and open the flap with the lighted mirror to check my makeup. After applying more lip gloss and fiddling with my hair a bit, I am ready. I was so fixated on the art gallery premiere that I did not focus on how important this party is for Wills. And by extension, me.

  “I will make you proud tonight, Wills.”

  We turn into the parking lot. “You always do, Ems.” He puts the Jeep into park and jumps out of the vehicle before I even reach for the handle. My door opens and he helps me out. We are both overdressed for a gym, but the art gallery required our attire. At least he left his blazer in the back seat—my conservative dress cannot be so easily dressed down, although I did change my jewelry and shoes to be funky.

  “Ready?”

  Nodding my head, I take his hand. “Oui.”

  He leads me into the very large gym, where streamers and a huge handmade “Welcome, Wills!” sign have been set up at the reception area. People mill around and turn when we walk into the room.

  Applause rings out.

  I smile at the man of the hour, so proud to be on his arm. The blush that creeps up his neck is adorable.

  A sandy-haired man, a little shorter than Wills, approaches us. “Wills. Glad you made it.” He extends his hand, which Wills shakes.

  Wills performs the introductions. “Emilie, this is David Calla, my brother-in-law. David, this is Emilie Dubois, my—” He looks at me. “My girlfriend.”

  I suck in my breath. This is the first time he has called me his girlfriend. As soon as I greet David, who treats me like I am merely a normal date, I beam at Wills.

  “Sorry we’re late, man. Traffic.”

  “I’m certainly not going to miss that in Charleston. C’mon, let me introduce you to everyone.”

  We spend the next half-hour meeting employees and members, although it is difficult telling the difference between the two sometimes. Complete is the definition of family.

  We tour the various rooms containing the traditional treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and other weight training equipment. The special room containing the rock wall looks amazing. I wander away from Wills and David to run my hand over the resin rocks, testing how my fingers grab hold of them.

  An unfamiliar male voice says, “Want to try? I’ll spot you.”

  I jump. Turning, I say, “Sorry. I did not hear you approach.” I am now facing a very tall man with dirty blond hair and light brown eyes, which remind me of melted milk chocolate.

  A smile blossoms across his very handsome face, giving his chiseled jaw a less harsh edge. “Zak Codey,” he bows. “At your service.” He kisses my hand.

  I giggle at his obvious flirting. “Zak. I have heard so much about you.”

  “You have?” He clears his throat and deepens his voice. “You have.”

  Stifling another giggle, I respond, “Why, yes, my boyfriend talks about you all the time.” Boyfriend.

  His eyebrows pull together, then he smiles broadly, his eyes dancing. A very familiar male hand lands on my shoulder. “W. You’ve really been holding out on me, man.”

  Wills snorts. Addressing me, he asks, “I take it you’ve met my Gal Friday?”

  Zak punches Wills on the arm.

  I raise my hand to my mouth to cover my reaction to the pair. “I have not introduced myself yet.” I turn to face Zak. “Enchanté. I am Emilie Dubois.” I kiss both of his cheeks, causing him to be the second man tonight to blush.

  Addressing Wills, I say, “Zak graciously offered to spot me if I do some rock climbing tonight. Although, I am not in the right attire to do so.”

  Wills shakes his head at his right-hand man. With
out taking his eyes off of Zak, he says, “Nice try. If you want to climb, I’ll be your spotter.”

  Zak’s lips twitch and his latte eyes sparkle. He mutters something under his breath, but I cannot make out the English. It must have been off-color because Wills hits him in the back of his head.

  Retreating to a less dangerous topic, Zak asks, “Enjoying your tour?”

  “Oui. The gym is very nice.”

  Wills turns his head to mine. “I’m glad you like it here.”

  Zak points to the doorway leading out of the rock climbing wall. “Have you checked out the specialty rooms yet? Complete really does live up to its name, with all the extras.”

  “No, I have not seen them.”

  As the three of us start to walk toward the room’s exit, David brings over a woman I have not met. “Wills, this is Laura, the business coach I was telling you about. Laura, this is Wills and his girlfriend Emilie. I believe you’ve met the newest addition to the Complete staff, Zak.”

  Laura also is dressed inappropriately for a gym party, wearing a business suit. I guess that makes sense, given her profession. She starts to engage Wills about ideas she and David have been discussing. While I find her ideas intriguing, my attention strays to the smoothie bar.

  Zak catches me in the act and whispers, “Can I interest you in a smoothie, since rock climbing is off limits?”

  I glance at Wills, who is now in deep conversation with his brother-in-law and Laura. I squeeze his hand and his face twists to mine. I raise my chin toward the exit. Raising his index finger up to them, he leans to me. “Do you mind if Zak finishes up your tour? I haven’t really caught up with David and Laura, and I need to hash out a couple of things.”

  Of course, I would prefer Wills to be my tour guide, but Zak seems nice and this is his night. I place my hand on his bicep and whisper back, “Take as long as you need.” I give him a kiss on his cheek and follow Zak out of the rock climbing room, directly to the smoothie bar.

  A good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are ready to be blended on the spot. The bar itself has a unique granite countertop, which I run my finger over while Zak orders me a kale and carrot drink.