Free Breathe by Ani San Page A

into the phone again.
    ‘ Anna, are you there? Can you please pick up some groceries and have Charles deliver them here? Fine. And I need a change of clothes. Yes, that would be fine. Thank you. Yes, I promise to turn the sound on. But don’t call unless it’s important. … Maybe, I don’t know yet. I’ll talk to you later.’
    He sat down beside me, grinning at my astonish expression.
    ‘ Did you just ask Anna to buy me food?’
    He laughed at me, and I got annoyed. ‘That’s not funny. Did you?’
    ‘ It’s no big deal, she does that all the time.’ His word didn’t relax me, they got me more annoyed.
    ‘ So this is usual for you, is it? Seducing innocent women and bring them food the next day?’
    He stopped laughing, but kept a smug smile on his face. ‘Firstly, this isn’t usual, it’s quite rare actually.’
    ‘ Well, hurray for me!’ I said sarcastically. He ignored me.
    ‘ I only meant that she’s my assistant, she is paid to run errands for me. Secondly, I hadn’t succeeded in seducing you, I’m still working on that. And I thought that food might change your mind.’ He stopped smiling when I didn’t change my expression.
    ‘ Joke! That last one was a joke. I wanted to get you food, so I could keep you prisoner here today. Your not throwing me out, are you?’
    My mood changed abruptly. ‘You are staying all day?’ Before I could think of my actions, I jumped into his lap.  
    ‘ Did you notice that I didn’t comment on your innocent-remark?’ His smug grin was back.
    I blushed, and started to get off him. He grab bed my behind, and held me tight.
    ‘ I think you should stay put, I like having you on top.’ He caressed my back, and I could feel him harden again. Then Christopher cursed as his phone went of. I glanced down at it and saw the name Julia flashing the display.
    ‘ You better take that,’ I said, and crawled of him back to my side of the couch. He got up and took the phone with him, walking towards the kitchen again.
    ‘ Yes?’ He turned before reaching the door, and walked to the windows instead, fidgeting with the curtains. I didn’t know if I should leave. This was probably not a conversation I wanted to hear. Still, I stayed and listened.
    ‘ I know about that, you can cancel it or handle it yourself.’ He seemed annoyed.
    ‘ Well, did she also tell you that I didn’t want to be interrupted? … I don’t know yet. No, I haven’t forgotten. Look, I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, ok?’ He hung up without another word.
    If I was astonished by his last conversation, this was worse. Did she know were he was? Did she know he spent the night here? I suddenly felt nauseous. The realization of my actions slammed into me. How could I be so stupid?
    ‘ Maybe you should leave.’ My words were an echo from yesterday, but I felt sadder saying them now. The joy of having him stay the day was overshadowed by my guilty conscience. I kept my eyes on the table. I knew he had stopped in the middle of the floor, but I didn’t dare look at him.
    ‘ Are you throwing me out?’ He sounded surprised.
    ‘ No, of course not, but...’
    He cut me o ff. ‘Then I’m staying.’
    He sat down next to me like nothing had happened and started flipping through messages on the phone. I could hear him laugh at something he read. I got up and took both our mugs to the kitchen for a refill. While waiting, I drew the curtains back to let some sunshine in. The sky was beautiful blue and cloud-free, this was going to be a hot day. I heard Christopher step behind me, and he leaned over me to close the curtains again.
    ‘ Lets keep them closed today, ok?’
    ‘ But it’s such a beautiful day. We should enjoy the sun while its here.’
    ‘ But if we can see outside, then the outside can see us.’
    ‘ What? Are you afraid that someone might see you?’
    I could see that he was. ‘But we’re at the seventh floor. And nobody knows that you’re here.’
    He didn’t smile like I