She gave his hand a squeeze before leaving the bed to get ready for work.
As she tried to dress, her hands shook so badly she couldn't even button her shirt.
"Here," Julian said, moving her hands away so that he could button it for her. "You don't have to be scared, Grace. I won't let him hurt you."
"I know. I know the police will get him and it'll be over."
He said nothing as he helped her dress.
Once they were ready, she drove them to her downtown office. Her stomach was so knotted that she could barely breathe. But she had to do this. She wasn't about to let Rodney control her life. She was in charge and no one would take that away from her. Not without a fight.
Still, she was glad for Julian's presence. It comforted her in a way she didn't want to think about.
"What is this called?" Julian asked as she led him into the huge antique elevator in her turn-of-the-century office building.
Grace showed him how to pull the door closed and noted his immediate discomfort as they were sealed inside it.
"It's an elevator," she explained. "You press these buttons to reach whatever floor you want. I'm on the top one, which is eight." She pressed the old knob-style button.
Julian tensed even more as the elevator moved. "Is it safe?"
She arched a curious brow at him. "Surely the man who fearlessly faced down Roman armies isn't scared of an elevator?"
He gave her a peeved glare. "Romans I understand, this thing I don't."
She wrapped her arm around his. "There's not much to it." She pointed up at the trap door. "Outside that door are cables that lift it up and down, and there's a phone." She pointed to the call box below the buttons. "If you get stuck in the elevator all you have to do is pick up the phone and you're connected directly to an emergency staff."
His eyes darkened. "Does the elevator get stuck a lot?"
"Not really. I've had my office here for four years and so far it's never once gotten stuck."
"If you weren't on it, how would you know if it got stuck or not?"
"Elevators let out this piercing alarm when they stop. Trust me, if it got stuck, someone would know."
He swept his gaze around the wide space of the elevator, and by the light in his eyes, she could tell naughty things were on his mind. "Could you make it stop on purpose?"
She laughed. "Yes, but I really don't want to be caught ftagrante delicto at work."
He dipped his head down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "But being caught flagrante delicto at work could be a whole lot of fun."
Grace hugged him close. What was it about him that made her feel better? No matter what, he always seemed to make things more fun. Brighter. "You are bad," she said, reluctantly letting go of him.
"True, but you love that about me."
She laughed again. "You're right. I do."
The doors opened, and Grace led him the short distance to her office.
Lisa looked up as they entered and widened her eyes. A smile spread across her face as she gave Julian a thorough once-over. "Dr. Grace," she teased, toying with a strand of her blond hair. "You got a hot boyfriend."
Shaking her head, Grace introduced them, then she showed Julian her office. Julian stood by the windows as she turned on her computer and placed her purse in her desk drawer.
She paused as she caught him staring at her. "You're really going to spend all day hanging around my office?"
He shrugged. "I have nothing better to do."
"You'll be bored."
"I assure you, I'm used to be being bored."
The bad thing was, Grace knew just how much experience he had in that department. She placed her hand against his cheek as she thought of him inside the book, alone, and encased in darkness.
Rising up on her tiptoes, she gave him a gentle kiss. "Thank you for coming with me today. I don't think I could be here without you."
He nibbled her lips. "My pleasure."
Lisa buzzed her. "Dr. Grace, your eight o'clock is here."
"I'll wait outside," Julian said.
Grace gave his hand a squeeze before she let him leave.
For the next hour, she barely paid attention. Her thoughts were on the man outside and how much he meant to her.
And how much she hated the thought of him leaving.
As soon as she finished her session, she walked her patient out.
Lisa was showing Julian how to play solitaire on her computer. "Hey, Dr. Grace," she said. "Did you know Julian never played solitaire before?"
Grace exchanged an amused smile with Julian. "Really?"
Lisa scooted away from Julian to look at her appointment book. "By the way, your three o'clock canceled. And your nine o'clock called and said he'd be a few minutes late."
"Okay." Grace gestured to the door with her thumb. "While you two play, I'm going to make a dash out to my car to get my Palm Pilot."
Julian looked up. "I'll go."
Grace shook her head. "I can do it."
Without pausing, he came around Lisa's desk and held his hand out for her keys. "I'll go," he said in a voice that let her know he wasn't about to concede.
Not willing to argue, she handed her keys over. "It's under the driver's seat."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Grace gave him a military salute.
Unamused, Julian left her office and headed toward the elevator at the end of the hallway.
He reached for the button, then paused. Gods, how he hated that tight, square thing.
And the thought of being in it alone...
Looking around, he saw a flight of stairs. Without a second's hesitation, he headed for them instead.
Grace was trying to find Rachel's file in her briefcase when she remembered she'd left a couple of folders in her backseat.
"Where is my mind?" she snapped at herself. But then, she knew. Her thoughts were scattered between the two men who had completely altered her life.
Aggravated at herself for not being able to focus, she took her briefcase and followed after Julian.
"Where are you going, Dr. Grace?" Lisa asked.
"I left a couple of files in my car, too. I'll be right back."
Lisa nodded.
Grace went to the elevator. She was still rummaging through her briefcase in search of the missing files when the doors opened.
Without looking up, she stepped inside, and automatically pushed the lobby button.
It wasn't until the doors closed that she realized she wasn't alone.
Rodney Carmichael stood on the opposite side, staring at her.
"So, who is he?"
Grace froze as waves of fear and rage tore through her. She wanted to tear him to pieces! But even though he was small for a man, he was still a head taller than her.
And very unstable.
Hiding her rising panic, she spoke calmly. "What are you doing here?"
He curled his lip at her. "You didn't answer my question. I want to know whose clothes were in your house."
"That's none of your business."
"Bullshit," he shrieked. He was teetering on the brink of insanity, and the last thing she needed was for him to fall over it while they were trapped in the elevator. "Everything that concerns you is my business."
Grace tried to take control of the situation. "Now listen to me, Mr. Carmichael, I don't know you and you don't know me. I can't imagine why you're fixated on me, but I want it to stop."