When The Right Door Opens by Catherine Micqu Read Free Book Online Page B

there with earthy colored accessories. Jamie
looked at his own reflection in the mirror, his jaw was bruised and
he could see the imprints of fingers on his skin. There was dried
blood on his chin and forehead and his right cheek was swollen and
bruised. He remembered thinking that his nose had broken in that
other bathroom, but now he saw that it was intact, if a little
swollen over the bridge too. It could be worse, but he dreaded the
moment he would see Agnes, and he needed to explain to her what had
happened. She would see the finger-imprints and she would know. But
before he had to cross that bridge, he yearned to take that
shower.
    Jamie let the warm water run down his body,
grateful that Sebastian had thought about it too. He felt dirty,
even more than he usually did after being with a John. Could he
have done more to prevent it, could he have done more to get away?
Jamie put his hands against the tiled wall and let the spray
massage his neck and back. He saw the water turn red and disappear
in the drain. It was like a picture out of a horror movie. He
looked away and straightened up to reach for the shampoo. He
smelled it and put a generous amount on his palm, before lathering
his hair and rinsing it off again. The scent of lavender was heavy
in the air. Jamie did the same with the body wash. It was woodsier,
but he liked the scent and he recognized it as the same he had
smelled on the robe and now that he came to think about it,
Sebastian had smelled the same too. Jamie washed up carefully and
thoroughly. He took a few more relaxing minutes under the water
spray, before turning off the water and climbing out of the shower
stall. He would have loved to stay and enjoy the warm water some
more, but he didn't want to be rude either.
    Jamie cleaned the mirror with the palm of his
hand and was relieved to see that he looked much better now. He
felt refreshed too. He rubbed himself dry and wrapped the robe
around himself tightly. He took a moment to inhale that smell
again. He closed his eyes and a picture of Sebastian wearing
nothing but a sexy smile appeared before his eyes. What was
that?
    Walking back down the hall to the guestroom,
he felt sore and his head hurt slightly, but Kai had reassured him
that a slight headache was typical for a concussion. Jamie put on
Sebastian's clothes and they did, indeed, fit him fine. A knock on
the door startled Jamie. Sebastian entered with a glass of water
and a pain pill, which Jamie gratefully took.
    “Thank you for your help. I'll wait for Agnes
and then I'll be out of your hair.” Jamie said, his eyes never
leaving the floor. After the thought he had had in the bathroom, he
didn't dare looking at Sebastian, he didn't want to see the
judgment in his eyes, the disappointment or maybe even disgust.
    “No. Please, stay. You need some time to heal
and maybe some supervision because of your concussion.” Jamie's
gaze shot up, a little too fast and he felt the throbbing pain in
his head again.
    “I can't. I have a child to take care of and
she needs to go to school. I can't.”
    “I understand, but you need to. You are no
help to your child when you are sick. Maybe her mother-”
    “No. Lauren doesn't want her and it's none of
your business anyway.” Before Jamie could say anything else, the
doorbell rang and he followed Sebastian down the stairs. Jamie
noticed for the first time how careful Sebastian took each step and
that he limped.
    Kai had already opened the door and Lauren
was already rambling away noisily. Agnes stood close to her and
curiously looked into the house.
    “Agnes!” Jamie exclaimed under his breath and
broke into a wide watery smile, when he saw his daughter. She
pushed past her nagging mother and ran into her father's arms.
    “Daddy. What happened to your face? You
didn't call. Lauren wanted to bring me to our apartment, but Marty
refused to let her in. He gave us a few bags and boxes and said to
never come back again, unless we bring the money you owe.”