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Then he answered the bedroom door in his robe, closed the door, discarded it and served them both dinner in bed with nothing between them.
The past four days had been like nothing he’d ever experienced before. A woman he wanted, in his home, in his bed, answering his cravings and desires.
It was such a pleasurable arrangement it made him wish he’d put one together years ago. Except, then the woman wouldn’t have been Julia. And he couldn’t find it in him to be interested in the idea of having a woman other than Julia.
But that was simply because she was his lover. It was normal, he was sure, to possess a certain amount of fascination with her, to the exclusion of others. He imagined. He had never had a lover before Julia.
Her admission to him in his office, about her date, had made him feel protective of her in a way he’d never felt protective of anyone. Had made him crave violence. Had made him feel…connected. It was so very strange.
But then, the entire relationship was.
“It’s a gorgeous night out.” Julia climbed out of his bed and walked to the windows that overlooked the ocean. She was naked, and not at all embarrassed. He had loved watching her self-consciousness fall away. Now she seemed completely at ease with him, with or without clothes.
“It is. Do you like the stars?” He didn’t know what had compelled him to ask. Why he felt compelled to share this part of himself. But he did. Because he had never shared himself with anyone. The people who had cared for him until he could care for himself were a blur. There was no love or affection from them. Only food and blankets, which, for a child on the street was enough.
Then there were his clients. Women who didn’t care for him personally at all. He shared nothing of himself with them. Nothing at all.
And Julia…wonderful Julia with her excitement for life, shared her smile with him. Her happiness and joy. He wanted to share this. Something personal. Something real.
“Sci-fi geek. Love them.”
“Yes, well, my love for them is not sci-fi related but, perhaps you’d like to come up to the roof and see my telescope anyway?”
Her eyebrows shot up and she looked down. “Telescope, eh? Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Calvaresi? Because you don’t have to try that hard.”
He got out of bed and crossed the room to her, taking her into his arms and kissing her on the lips. “Didn’t I promise not to charm you?”
“You did. But I have to confess, I’m charmed.”
He wanted to tell her not to be. To warn her away. But he also wanted her to keep looking at him like that.
She went back to the bed and grabbed a blanket. “I think this will do.” She wrapped it around her shoulders and opened the door to his room. “After you.”
He reached down and picked up a pair of black briefs, tugging them on before going out into the hall. “This way,” he said, holding out his hand. She took it, lacing her fingers through his.
Another thing he’d never done when it wasn’t for show. He just wanted to touch her. Just wanted his skin against hers.
The stairs that led to the roof curved tightly, leading up to a small garden set into the edge of the rooftop. It all overlooked the ocean and gave a brilliant view of the crystal clear sky. Out away from the city, there was no light pollution, and so many stars were visible to the naked eye, so many more than he’d imagined as a boy. The big ones, always there, helping him find his way through the dark streets, helping orient him, giving him a sense of direction.
But now, here, he could see them all. From the largest ones down to the stars that were no more than diamond dust.
He tugged her onto the white divan that was set up there, the perfect place for him to look out at all he had achieved. But that wasn’t why he’d brought her here. It wasn’t a show of wealth or status. He wanted to show her something of him.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the sky at night. I spent a lot of time looking at it when I slept out on the streets. In doorways, alleyways, wherever I could find that wasn’t occupied by another homeless person. And when I had to get somewhere quickly in the dark, I used the North Star to find my way.”
“You were always smart,” she said, her voice soft, her fingers trailing lightly over his bare chest.
