said.
Lora suggested they should go upstairs, and not sit there fumbling at each other like teenagers.
Jonathan stood up and said, “Okay, let’s go.” Lora looked at his trousers and smiled. He said, “Yes, I know, my desire for you is quite apparent.”
Lora giggled and said, “Well, what are we waiting for, let’s go upstairs and let that tiger out of his cage.” When she stood up, she was dizzy. Jonathan picked her up and carried her upstairs.
The next thing Lora knew, the sun was shining through her window, and she could hear water running. It was difficult to focus her eyes. Her mouth was dry and her head hurt. The bathroom door opened and there stood Jonathan in his trousers. No shirt socks or shoes, just a towel over one shoulder. He smiled and said, “I hope you don’t mind, I used your shower. There’s not one downstairs.”
Lora squinted at him and asked, “What are you doing here?”
She looked at him, licked her dry lips and asked, “Did we?”
He leaned against the doorframe and said, “Well that’s a fine way to greet me after I wine you and dine you and put you to bed.”
Lora quickly looked under her covers. She had on a gown.
“It took me awhile to find that,” he said smiling.
Lora looked at him sheepishly and asked, “Did we?”
“Did we what?”
“You know!” Lora said.
“Are you asking if we un-caged the tiger?” he said grinning.
Lora put her hands over her eyes and said, “Oh god, I remember saying that.”
Jonathan came over and sat down on the side of the bed and took Lora’s hands in his, kissed them and said, “Nothing happened. When I make love to a woman, I want her to be a warm and willing participant.”
Jonathan brought Lora a glass of water. She propped a pillow behind her and sat up in bed.
“What did happen?” she asked.
“How much do you remember?”
“We were downstairs, I was dizzy and you carried me upstairs.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes,” she softly answered. “I’m sorry, but that’s it. I’ve never before been intoxicated.”
“Well, you sure know how to make a fellow lose an erection,” Jonathan said laughing. “I had planned on losing it, but not that way.”
“Oh god,” Lora said, and pulled the sheet over her head. “You put my gown on me. You saw me naked.”
Jonathan pulled the sheet down and said, “I’m a doctor, I see nude women all the time. Besides, you took your own clothes off, I didn’t. I was busy taking off mine, I had to free the tiger, you know.”
“Stop saying that, I’m embarrassed enough as it is. What did happen?”
Jonathan kissed her lips softly and said, “You told me you were a bit out of practice. That it had been twelve years. We got in bed, kissed and touched, and then you called me Michael. You apologized, and then started crying. You told me all about everything. You cried yourself to sleep in my arms.”
“I’m sorry,” Lora said again.
“Stop saying you’re sorry,” Jonathan said. “It was cathartic; to cleanse your mind and spirit is healing.”
Lora got out of bed, clenched her fists and asked, “What are you now, a bloody psychiatrist or a bloody preacher?” She grabbed her head, then her mouth and ran to the bathroom.
Jonathan went down to the kitchen to make coffee and waited for the firebrand to come downstairs. When Lora did come downstairs, she was dressed in pants and a blouse. Her hair was still wet from the shower. He handed her a cup of coffee. She curled up on the sofa with her feet tucked under her. Jonathan sat on the coffee table in front of her.
“You look better, do you feel any better?”
“I’m not sure. Why are you still here?”
“I need you to drive me to the restaurant to get my car. We came home is a taxi, if you remember?”
“Well, call yourself a damn taxi then,” she said angrily.
“What are you so mad at me about?” he asked. “I didn’t rape you. I didn’t take advantage of you in anyway. You were
Learning to Kill: Stories