Freed by You by Danielle Fox Page A

room is fine, thank you.” Blimey! How many rooms did he have?
    “Make yourself at home, Emily. I won’t be long. Ryan, can you give me a hand?” Julian turned to Ryan and both men entered a door on the far right side of the space.
    I sat on the sofa next to where Maia still slept. I wondered how it was actually possible for her to still be sleeping after tonight’s dramas. If only I could join her and sleep through what could possibly turn out to be a terrible nightmare. I was glad that she had managed to stay asleep throughout this evening; at least that way she didn’t know anything was wrong, she didn’t sense my fear and panic. And I could also think straight without having to keep up pretences for her sake. Well, as clearly as one could think in the company of Julian.
    When Julian and Ryan appeared again, between them they were carrying a full-sized single bed, tilting it awkwardly as they tried to manoeuvre it through the door.
    “What on earth are you doing, Julian?” I jumped to my feet, feeling very awkward at the effort that was going into my night here.
    Both men continued to pivot the bed through the door as Julian spoke. “I’m preparing a bed for Maia,” he answered as if it was the most obvious question ever asked.
    “I mean why, Julian? Where are you taking that?” I asked, nodding my head in the direction of the bed that they had now navigated through the door frame.
    “I’m taking it to your room, Emily.”
    “She can sleep in bed with me, that is assuming that there is already a bed in what you refer to as my room?”
    “Yes, of course there is. I thought you’d both be more comfortable if you had separate beds, that’s all.”
    “All this trouble is really not necessary, Julian.”
    “It’s no trouble, Emily. I won’t invite you into my home and have you cooped up and uncomfortable all night. That wouldn’t make me a very good host, would it now?” I gave up my argument as both men disappeared through a door on the left side; it was clearly a fight I wasn’t going to win.
    I carried Maia to the guest room. Julian held the door open for me and my skin heated as my back brushed against his steel chest. I heard his sharp intake of breath before he stepped to his left.
    “I’ll give you some privacy,” he stated as he turned.
    There was a large bed situated in the middle of the expansive space. My mouth popped open once more as I evaluated its size. Maia could have very comfortably shared this bed with me; it looked almost twice the size of my feeble double bed back at home. Above the bed, my eyes were drawn to the large canvas on the wall that portrayed the back of a woman with a towel, or possibly a sheet, draping across her lower back, just high enough to cover her buttocks. At the bottom of the room was a large, cream dresser with an elegantly carved mirror hanging above it. Julian had placed the single bed against the far wall underneath the window; Maia would be close enough to me whilst still having her own space.
    My heart warmed momentarily at the thought of how much effort Julian had gone to to ensure our comfort. He had made up the single bed with fresh, white bed linen and placed two thick blankets at the foot of the bed in case either of us needed them. He had drawn the wooden blinds and switched on a lamp that stood on a small beside cabinet. I noticed he had laid out a large white T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants on the foot of my temporary bed – from his own collection, I assumed.
    I placed Maia on the bed and gently tucked the duvet around her shoulders. She let out a sleepy sigh as I kissed her hair.
    “Thank you, Julian,” I said as I entered the living area. Julian jumped to his feet and walked over to where I stood behind the vast seating area.
    “You’re very welcome, Emily. I was just about to pour a glass of wine; I need one after this evening. Will you join me or would you rather sleep?”
    “I don’t think my mind will allow to sleep right now, I