by Ann Raina
"Shouldn't you have gone to the bathroom already?"
He sighed. "I was fine until you reminded me." Julian unfolded from the covers and stood up slowly, stretching like a cat.
She gazed up his body, which seemed perfect to her. Every movement of muscle, every curve, every line of chest, ribcage and ass. "If I was wearing more, would you have undressed me by now?"
"Darn, you got me."
He grinned and left the living room.
Kyra took a deep breath, suppressed the urge to cough and folded her arms under her head. The day was looking up. Oh yeah.
* * * *
"I expected you to call yesterday evening," Milton said on the phone. Kyra heard accusation, worry and relief in one sentence. She knew her father so well.
"We were both down and out, dad. I'm still sick. And Julian…" She wiped her brow. The headache crawled back into the front of her head, trying to claw a way out. "I'm sure he's better this morning, but the hours at Palmentry… Hell, dad, what are the docs doing with the people getting there?"
"Do you expect me to apologize?"
"No, what for?" She felt her chest tighten.
Milton realized he had said too much. But the harm was already done. "Nothing. Brideman was there as he should?" he asked hastily. Kyra explained last night's story. "Very well. So everything's settled. Fine."
"That doc, Celinski, he had sedated Julian so heavily he wasn't responsive when I got there." Milton huffed something unintelligible. Kyra knew that caring for Julian was not on the menu for her father. "I don't want to know what would have happened if I had gotten him out later. So…I wanted to thank you, dad, for your help."
"Oh. Yes, sure." Milton's confusion for the sudden praise was palpable.
Kyra was too sick and tired to pick a fight with her father. So he and Chris were buddies, fine, why should she care? But she did and it bothered her that her dad and her ex boyfriend had agreed on kicking Julian out. "Tell mom that I'll be over at your place next week. When I feel more in one piece."
"Great, yes, do this. And take good care, Ky. He's still a crook, no matter what kind of…hero you see in him."
"Better leave it there, dad. Bye."
The telephone went back on its place. She turned to watch Julian set the table. Bowls for cereals, milk, jam for the toast. He added the full tea mugs, knives and spoons. He felt her gaze and looked up. "What?"
"Nothing." She sneezed and wanted to pass him by to get her medicine, but found her arms wrapping around him from behind. "Just need to feel you," she whispered. Her hands slid under the T-shirt, touching his warm skin, traveling up to his chest.
His heart beat faster and his breath came in a shudder. "Kyra…"
"Just a moment." She closed her eyes and her voice was dreamy, distant. "You're so warm. It's so good to touch you."
He held his arms still and swallowed. "You know that I react to you, don't you?"
"Hmmm."
"And it's a real sweet torment, but…" He gasped when Kyra ran her hands down his ribs to vanish in the jogging pants. "Kyra, please."
She took a deep breath. Her cheek rested against the shallow valley of his spine so she could feel his muscles move. It felt so good to have him close. She did not want to let go. His breathing became ragged, strained.
"Kyra…I can fight the urge down for some time, but not like this."
"Hmmm?" Kyra woke from the sweet reverie.
He turned in her arms and stooped. A smile broke through when he realized that she did not understand a word. He took her hands from his butt. "Hey, remember, you got me chastised," he said quietly. "I can think of vanilla ice cream for a moment, but if you don't stop teasing me, it's just tight. And painful."
"Oh." Realization dawned upon her. "Oh…" Heat, hot, unbearable heat crept into her face. Julian fought not to laugh at her embarrassment. "Oh, Jesus, I'm such an idiot."
"No, you're not." Julian chortled and let go of her hands. "I'm just not able to enjoy you to the fullest. Not like this."
"Sorry."
"Breakfast first?"
"Sounds great." She had blushed crimson red and turned away from him to take the cold medicine Chris had brought. She took her time, and when she finally settled on the chair Julian's face was peaceful, unreadable.
"Toast or cereals?"
"Toast." She inhaled, not knowing what to say. "Sorry."
"For what? You can insist on what you want. Touch me if you want. But maybe free me first."
She could not help it, she blushed again, even harder. "Julian, this wasn't meant to torment you."
"I know." He mixed cereals with milk and started eating. "How did you get me out so fast?"
She sipped hot tea, held the cup between her hands and stared at his face. He had washed and shaven. If she had not known, she would not have found any sign of the stress he had undergone the day before. Only the bruises from the fight were still visible. "Chris dropped charges."
Julian stopped chewing, brows raised as high as they would get, eyes wide. He swallowed and parted his lips for a delayed, "What?"
"He dropped them. Maybe he just wanted to shock you."
"No." Julian shook his head, put the spoon in the bowl and leaned back on the chair, forearms resting on the table. "No. Your ex was so angry he would have put me to fire and brimstone if he could. He wanted me out, seal my fate, and he pulled the strings to do it."
"He was very economical with the truth," Kyra said quietly, sipped and put down the cup. "And when it dawned upon him that he wouldn't make a break with that, he dropped charges to leave the scene untouched."
Julian frowned harder. "What did you do, Kyra?"
"Me? Nothing."
"Who did you give hell?"
"Maybe I dropped a line here and there that Mr. Balfour would be out for trouble if he made the wrong decision."
Julian parted his lips, but was too startled to say something. It took him a long moment and then he only made a low wow. He shook his head slowly, never leaving Kyra's eye contact. "You put him under your heel. For me?"
"Chris couldn't win, right?"
He took her hand across the table. "You are influential, my oh my. And I owe you big time."
"Let's say, I was the cause so I had to be the action. And the consequence." She pulled back her hand. "I hope you're able to forget yesterday as soon as possible."
"Some hours won't break me."
Kyra did not reply. In fact, she pressed her lips tight. She had seen Julian break down the night before.
He could read her face. "I don't say it was easy or enjoyable. But it's over. I can shut that door and go on."
"The moment I saw you…" Kyra stared at the table top and her hands found the mug to hold on to. "I can't tell you how worried I was."
"I know." When she turned her head he knelt beside her, hands resting on her thigh. "It was the happiest moment of my life. I saw you and I hoped you would take me home." Kyra rested her brow against his. She inhaled and let the air out slowly, relishing the moment before she kissed his brow. "Feels good."
"You'll catch a cold, too."
Now he beamed at her. "If that's the price, I take it."
CHAPTER 19
"It's Oliver." Julian handed Kyra the phone.
"Something wrong?" She leaned back comfortably on the couch.
"No, it's just…" Oliver put a light tone in his voice. "I've got a box of Kleenex here. Could you come over for a moment to use them?"
"Oliver, the variety of your invitations is a marvel."
"Glad you see it like this."
She hung up, shaking her head and pulling free of the cover Julian had placed over her. There was a bucket with water at the cabinets and Julian just wrung a floor cloth to clean up the kitchen tiles. He looked up when she put back the phone. "You're leaving?"
"Just for a few minutes. I could get used to that view." He gave her a look and she laughed. "After all, you make yourself useful." He kept the answer to himself and Kyra st
ill smiled when she entered Oliver's house.
"You look healthier." He offered her favorite place on the couch. "Tea or brandy?"
"I'm feeling better, but not good enough for booze. I'll take tea."
"Very well. I just got a mug ready. In a sec." He hurried on leather slippers into the open kitchen and brought back a cup with steaming peppermint tea. "You like that, don't you?"
"Yes, thank you." She eyed him. "But you didn't call me over just for surplus Kleenex and tea."
"No." He plunked on the couch, suddenly earnest. "How's Julian?"
"When I left he scrubbed the kitchen floor. Why?"
"I can't get the sentence out of my head, you know. That about Julian being not entirely stable."
"You don't believe that awful doc, do you?"
He raised his hands, trying to soothe her anger before it started. "Listen, Kyra, I'm the last to trust these guys, but he got me worried. At least a bit."
"Julian was out of his mind, yes, but I would also be freaked out when imprisoned in a padded cell with my arms and legs bound to immobility."
"Kyra, that's not the point. The doc said that he started that aggressive behavior the moment he was brought there. What you saw--what we saw--was just the end of the line."
"What's your point, Oliver?"
"I say, Julian could have behaved more…supportive. Calmer. More in control. He was accused of something he had not done. Okay, I agree that no one's happy about that. Be he freaked out, Kyra. He fought the guards. And that's not a good thing. Not a reasonable thing to do under the circumstances."
"He told me that he had to undress and that he didn't like telling about the chastity device."
"Um, that one." Oliver's eyes widened. "You got him chastised all of the time by now?"
"He likes it," she shrugged.
"Okay, but back to the main subject here before I get entirely distracted. That guy chastised…wow, that waters my mouth." He cleared his throat. "You say that the whole fighting thingy started because he didn't want to show beyond his underwear?" Kyra nodded and Oliver glanced at her, not believing a word. "Come on, Kyra, did you buy that?" He knew she did. "My, my, sweet neighbor, you got to learn some things. First, men are always proud of their assets. And your hunk is absolutely positive about being naked, right?" Kyra did not like it, but nodded. "See? He didn't need to tell them that you put the device on him. He could have told anything or nothing, it didn't matter. But there was no need to fight about it. No, Kyra, I think he wanted the fight."
"Why?"
"They beat him up and he knew he'd take his lumps, because once they locked up him they wouldn't ask anymore."
"That's what he said, too."
"Why didn't you say so? Okay." He wiped the argument away with a sweep of his hand. "Drink your tea before it's cold. Now, his mood swings. I don't know what might trigger the next one or what will happen if someone comes calling at your door and he thinks that guy might be a threat. Do you want him to beat shit out of every unwelcome person?"
"No. And I don't think he'd do it." She sipped tea and held the mug in both hands. "I don't think that he's more aggressive than any other guy. Hey, I had to fire Kevin at my shop because he didn't stop quarrelling with Julian. That day Julian had done nothing. Nil. But the boys kept marching up to him and he just stood there and defended himself."
"Because you were close."
"Because he knows that he's back in prison if he misbehaves, Oliver. He's not stupid. He's a good fighter, yes, and he knows what to do to not get beaten to pulp, but that doesn't include that he's out to fight."
Oliver was not satisfied with the answer. He handed her a walkie-talkie. "It's one of the one-button-dial-up things. You press the button, I hear it ring and come over with the ESG."
"Oliver…" She frowned, searching for words. "Good Lord, you really believe what Celinski said! Julian's not dangerous!"
"That burglar looked like hamburger sauce without bottles when they took him away."
"Yes, but he acted in self-defense and you know it."
"And Chris? Sorry, Kyra, but though we told Brideman that Chris was fine he was not. Julian had beaten him up. Really. Badly."
"I know. He said that he tried to hold back. It could've been worse. He said that I looked so afraid and he just wanted to help."
Oliver cocked his head, brows raised. "Yeah, he helped you. But wouldn't less of that help have done the same? Just take him by his ass and push him out? They don't match in a fight, do they?"
"They locked horns the moment Julian touched Chris." She shook her head. "My, you should've been there. It was such a fight."
"Don't say that you enjoyed it." He sounded plainly disgusted at Kyra's dreamlike expression. "Oh, you did. How could you?"
"Listen, Chris has been a pain in the ass for so long. Seeing him on the ground was…"
"Satisfaction," Oliver ended the sentence, but did neither sound happy nor understanding. "I got that. And he deserved punishment. But that way?"
"As I deserve to be left alone." She drank tea and shook her head again. "Don't worry about me, Oliver. I'll take care of myself. I'm more worried about my father and Chris being buddies. I don't like that."
"You don't have to. They're grownups. They choose friends." He shrugged, accompanied by a gesture of his hands. "Take it easy. Why shouldn't your father like Chris though you broke with him?"
"The breaking up is the point my parents don't understand. Chris's coming to my place had been mom's idea. I so don't want this repeated."
"Talk to your old couple. If Chris upsets you that much, they have to understand."
"I'll try."
"And what about Mr. Convict? Do you really keep him chastised?"
"That's bugging you?" Kyra felt a grin spread on her face.
Oliver tried to fight his own and lost. "No, but it interests me like hell. He must burst right now."
"Why? Because I'm here with you?"
"Ha, very funny. But it's been some days since you did him, right?"
"So?"
Oliver laughed at her pretended listlessness. "Oh, Kyra, you're one bad master! Do you treat him this evil on purpose?"
"Well…" Kyra thought about that for a moment while she tried to count the days since the last session with Julian. A week did not seem long for her, but she had not given a damn about Julian's opinion.
"Okay, no need to dig into it, but let me tell you this, he's been patient. Really, really patient."
"I was sick."
"And you could have taken it off, right?" Kyra pouted, unwilling to give in, but Oliver knew. "Think about it."
"We cuddled the last nights," Kyra confessed quietly.
"Oh, my… That's nice, really. And nothing happened?"
"How? With him being chastised?" She grinned and, after a second, Oliver joined.
* * * *
Julian took care of her and the household the next four days. Kyra needed to work, it was her business and being on sick leave for too long meant that decisions were delayed and customers left unhappy. She could not afford her business to slow down, not with Christmas so close. But at home she tried to get rest and Julian did not mind taking care of dinner, laundry and cleaning up. In fact, Kyra admitted to Josepha on the phone that her house had never been cleaner and neater.
"I guess, I shouldn't tell Josselyn about him. She'll ask if Julian's got a brother."
"I honestly can't tell."
"What you can tell is that your convict develops into a really nice guy, right?"
"How do you know?" Kyra asked and glanced at named guy who cleaned the sink and counter in the kitchen. She watched him move around, or better, she watched every move of his back since he wore a tight shirt. The fit of the jogging pants was not a bad sight either.
"Besides the fact that you sound girlish and in love over your ears?" Josepha laughed and Kyra returned to the conversation in a snap. "So he's up from being the convict in care to the new man in your life?"
&
nbsp; "No, Josepha, no. Not that fast."
"I see. The parting from Chris is still too fresh, hmm?"
"I just cannot say if…if there's a way." It sounded lame and Kyra sighed, biting a nail. "Just a few weeks doesn't decide about a relationship. Not for me."
"I know. Chris was…"
"The one real mistake in my life so far." She told her of Chris's unexpected visit and the consequences.
Josepha whistled through her teeth. "And you still don't hug that hunk tight and pull him under your covers? What more do you want? A promise of eternal love?"
Kyra cringed with uneasiness. And need. All at the same time. The nights with Julian on the mattress were comforting for both of them, no doubt. "I don't know. I'm a skeptic. Leave it like that." She looked up. Julian finished his chore in the kitchen and turned to ask without words if there was anything else to be done. She shook her head and he bowed to her, swinging the towel. She gave him the smile he deserved. "How are you faring with your guy, Jason?"
"On and off." Josepha sounded disappointed, but it changed with the next sentence. "I'm thinking about opening my own business and applying for the convict program. But I want pictures of the guys before I make my choice." She giggled. "Sorry, but that had to be said. Make a proposal. Improve the program for the sexual disadvantaged."
Kyra almost burst with laughter. "I bet there'd be a run!" Julian gave her a queer look. She laughed even more--he could make such funny faces. "All right, I guess, I'll pass it along. Improvement for all female employers. If that'll make the headline of the news?"
"Yes, send us the hunks and hulks, the great guys and the good looking boys! Yippee! Have a really good night." Josepha hung up.
Kyra could not quench the grin. Julian put his hands on his hips, cocked his head and huffed. "Tell me what's up. You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Thanks." He was rattled by her easy agreement. "What kind of improvement is on your mind?"
"Hmm, let me think." She put back the telephone and swayed her hips in the tight jeans while she approached him. There were no words for his glance at her body. Hunger maybe, but it sounded too negative for her. It was a fact that he undressed her with his eyes. "Maybe the one that only the ladies get the real fine looking guys?" She licked her lips and put a light teasing in her voice. "You look like you want something, Mr. Bithrell. Anything I can help with?"
