Freed by You by Danielle Fox

right was a large, open space that housed an ivory coloured L-shaped sofa with a small, round table to the front, upon which sat a tall glass vase filled with an array of beautifully coloured fresh flowers. No blood red roses though I noticed with relief. To my left, a little further along the adjacent wall to where the lift doors were closing, stood the single wooden door. Ryan took out a single key from his jacket pocket and unlocked the door, opening it widely as he walked inside.
    I must admit I was feeling extremely nervous by this time. Considering we were about to enter a top floor apartment, the only apartment on the top floor, in one of London’s finest areas, I was assuming something spectacular and extravagant lay on the opposite side of that door. I hadn’t given it any thought earlier on, but now it struck me that Julian most likely lived in absolute luxury and I didn’t. And he had just spent a considerable amount of time in my humble apartment. What must he have been thinking as he explored my tiny kitchen? Or as he stood in the front room as he spoke to Ryan, surrounded by plastic toys? And upstairs, the mountain that was my ironing pile nearly filled the small landing. As these thoughts invaded my mind I silently prayed that his apartment would be a mess as surely most men’s apartments would be? Maybe screwed up clothes strewn around the room, maybe unwashed dishes in the sink. But, of course, Julian wasn’t like most men; at least not like any other man I had ever met.
    Ryan moved first then Julian followed, still silent, as he disappeared through the door with Maia still sleeping on his shoulder . Lucky Maia , I thought involuntarily.
    “Will you be joining us, Emily?” Julian appeared at the threshold again, the corners of his mouth turned up in his obvious amusement. I nodded silently and followed him inside.
    Wow … just wow! My mouth dropped open but I quickly forced it closed, trying desperately to hide my awe. In front of me was an absolutely huge open space – the kitchen, diner and living area all mingled into one spectacular, open-planned room. The living area was directly opposite where I stood, just a little inside the doorway. There was another large, ivory-coloured L-shaped sofa which must have easily been able to seat ten people, in front of the sofa stood a low, flat, mahogany coffee table. Further forward, towards the full wall-height window, stood a fireplace; its surrounding mantelpiece was of unparalleled beauty and elegance. I couldn’t pick out the detail from this distance but I could see delicate carvings of some sort in the solid ivory marble. The glow coming from the lightly flickering orange flames illuminated the area brilliantly, it was truly mesmerising as the orange bounced off the crooks and curves of the marble. Above the mantelpiece was a very impressive flat screen TV mounted to the wall, I couldn’t tell you the exact size but my own was fairly big at 42" and this one was much bigger than mine. To the right of me was the kitchen area. Around the edges were rows of cupboards, all coloured in the same deep, mahogany wood of the coffee table. Sat further out into the space was a rectangular island which looked as if it doubled up as a breakfast bar as there sat two high, ivory leather bar stools at the front side. Around the back side I could just about make out the matching cupboard doors from the angle I stood at. In the centre of the length of black, glistening marble work top was a huge double cooker with about six gas hobs – if my very quick glance had been accurate. Why would a single man possibly need six gas hobs? Mind you, I suppose he hadn’t always been single.
    “Is she okay on the sofa while I sort a bed for her?” Julian asked me, snapping me back to reality.
    “Yeah, fine. Don’t go to any trouble, Julian, she can sleep with me.”
    “I assume you’d like her in the same room as you? Or would you prefer she has her own room?”
    “No, my