“So there is nothing wrong with Sophia? No cardiovascular-”

Sophia exploded into laughter and put a hand over her mouth as Alistair scolded her, “I’m worried about you and you laugh at me?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to compose herself, putting a soothing hand over his. “I told you there was nothing wrong with me.”

“Sophia is a very healthy woman, Alistair. There isn’t anything wrong with her. Apart from her hypotension, she is my healthiest patient.”

“Hmm,” he ran two fingers over his square jaw, thoughtfully, and looked from John’s face to Sophia’s. “If you say so... Could this hypotension have caused her fainting?”

“Good question,” John mused, tapping his fingers on the desk. “Maybe. But I think it’s unlikely since she doesn’t have any other related symptom.”

“And how low is it?”

“Low. Ninety over fifty. But it seems normal for her, because she doesn’t feel the effects a person with so-called normal blood pressure would feel when it’s this low. So that’s how we have to look at it. It’s low, but to her, it’s normal. And I’d rather have a hypotensive patient than a hypertensive one. I’ve been her doctor since she arrived in London and she was here a month ago, for her regular check-up. There’s nothing wrong with her.”

“What is she using for contraception?” Now. Alistair Connor, you don’t need to know that. Ask if she is clean and how often she gets tested and be done with.

John watched as Sophia sighed and looked down at her hands, “Sophia?”

“John, I have nothing to hide,” she raised her head, a troubled and hurt look on her face and glanced at Alistair, who was watching her with hawk-like eyes. “I told him I’m clean and that I was using birth-control, but he needs reassurance from you. Go on, reassure him.”

“Sophia,” Alistair scolded her. “It’s not like that.”

Her eyes bore down on his, “Oh, yeah, it’s just like that. You’re distrustful. I, on the other hand, am not. Go on, ask away. I have no problem in opening up my life to you.” She whipped her head to look at John. “You have my permission to answer all his questions. Better,” she uncrossed her legs and raised from her armchair, “I’ll leave you two alone. That way, neither one of you will be made uncomfortable by my presence.”

As she turned and stepped away, Alistair jumped out of his armchair and grabbed her by the arms.

She halted mid-stride and without looking at him, asked “Yes?”

“Sophia, it’s not that I don’t believe in you.”

Stand your ground. She heard his wary tone but didn’t cede. “No?” She flicked her eyes at John’s impassive face and back to Alistair’s cautious one. “But then, this isn’t the time or the place to discuss it. Ask what you need to ask. I’ll be waiting outside. I just gave my permission to John to disclose anything you want to know.”

He snaked his arms around her, hauling her flush to his body, and squeezed her lightly, dropping his head to her cheek, murmuring softly, “Please, mo chridhe, stay. There’s no need to react like this.”

He was so big, warm and tender that Sophia felt as if he was blanketing her in pure love and she inhaled deep, struggling with her emotions. You also have issues, Sophia. If you want to invest in this relationship, you’ll have to deal with his doubts and problems. “I’m not used to having my word questioned,” she said for his ears only.

“Please?” he asked again.

This is not the place to make a scene, Sophia. You can talk about it later. She looked down at his hand. The light flashed on his brand new Love ring, which she had chosen. He is committing, Sophia. He’s trying. Do your share. She exhaled, “All right.”

Immediately, he released her and, as she sat back in her armchair, he gripped her hand in his.

“I’m sorry, John,” she apologized.

“Please,” he waved the whole incident away and looked at Alistair. “Sophia has an IUD with hormones. This means she can’t get pregnant. It’s ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent safe. It works by releasing hormones in the uterus to prevent sperm from reaching or fertilizing an egg, among other things. After some months, it suppresses ovulation. In Sophia’s case, her periods have stopped altogether.”

“No periods?” Alistair looked surprised at her.

“No,” she shook her head.

“And is this healthy?” He swung his gaze back at John.

“Perfectly safe. An IUD can be used for up to five years. Her current one is going to last until,” he put on his glasses and checked Sophia’s file on the computer, “November, 2011.”

Good. Next question. “And what about her last tests?” He heard her profound sigh.

John checked the screen again. “She was here on February twenty-sixth, just after... Ah...” He flickered his eyes at Sophia, who was looking down at her steepled fingers. “The accident at Galewick Hall, had her regular check-up and did all the tests. Blood, urine, ultrasound, STDs, HIV, everything. I’m quite careful about those and she is a very obedient patient. She is clean, like she told you. What else do you want to know?”

“I think that covers everything.” Alistair had the grace to look embarrassed. “Could you ask for the same tests for me so she-”

“There’s no need,” Sophia gently interrupted him.

He looked at her, “Sophia, you-”

“I believe you. That’s enough for me.” You have to learn how to believe in yourself too, Alistair.

Last time I did what a woman told me- Stop this, Alistair Connor. Stop. This. Try to listen to what she is telling you.

John watched, intrigued, the silent dueling of power and dominance between the two of them as emotions crossed over Alistair’s usual poker face, first disbelief, shame, then acceptance.

“I see,” he murmured, giving in, but not at all convinced. “Don’t you want any other reassurance, Sophia?” Please, say you do.

“None,” she shook her head, “besides your word.”

Honor. That’s what she is trying to tell me. His green eyes bore down on hers and what he saw in them made him nod, reluctantly, “So be it. I’ve already given it.” He rose from his armchair and stretched his hand to help her, putting an arm around her waist, squeezing it lightly. “Let’s not waste any more of John’s time.”

“No problem... It was a pleasure to help you. But, please, Alistair, don’t call me every time... Ah... Sophia floats on to cloud nine,” John teased, his face opening in a full smile.

Alistair couldn’t contain his own smile, “No, I won’t. If I did, you wouldn’t be able to-”

“For God’s sake, Alistair Connor,” Sophia slapped Alistair’s biceps, blushing, “behave.”

He laughed out loud. He so loved to watch her blush. “That, sweetheart, I can promise you I won’t do.”

Outside Dr. John Walter’s Office.


12.25 p.m.

“Hey, relax,” Sophia coaxed, caressing his knuckles with her thumb, while they walked out of the clinic. “If you want to have your tests done again, do them.”

“It’s not that.” He looked down at her from his full height, his brows draw over his Cartier gold Santos sunglasses, “I don’t understand why you didn’t let me pay John’s fees. I asked for the appointment. I should pay.”

She blinked and frowned, halting instantly in the middle of the street. She put her hands on her hips and glowered at him, “Alistair Connor. John Walter is my gynecologist. Mine.”

With one step, he stood closer and gripped her chin, taking off her Louis Vuitton sunglasses to peer into her eyes, “I asked for the appointment.”

“So?” she shrugged.

“You are keeping me out and I don’t like it,” he hissed the last words between clenched teeth.

“Ah,” comprehension dawned on her. “But I’m not keeping you out. I’m just setting a boundary for you. And I hope you respect it. Let me make myself clear again, Alistair. John Walter is my doctor. If you need any information concerning me or my body, you first have to ask me if they are available to you.” She slightly narrowed her eyes at him, “I’m not giving you this power. You are already an overbearing-”

The fingers that held her chin plunged into her hair, the other hand, still holding her glasses, snaked around her waist, dragging her flush to his body and he kissed her stormily in the middle of Earl’s Court Road.

He raised his head, panting, “You drive me crazy when you defy me.”

“If this kiss, in the middle of Kensington, is what I can expect for my defiance,” she licked her reddened lips, “then, I think I will defy you again and again.”

“I don’t know if that’s very bad, or very good,” Alistair shook his head, with a smile on his lips.

Her fingers were drawn inexorably to his gorgeous silky hair and she teased, “My lord Marquis, you are so feudalist, demanding full obeisance of your wishes...”

“And you are an anachronism, my lady. You love medieval theologians and philosophers, but also you have totally contemporary and inappropriate teenage behavior. I can’t place you.”

“Teenage? Really?” she smiled, amused. “Mmm. You are not the first to think I behave like a teenager around you. Maybe I give you this impression because when I’m around you, you make me want to do things to provoke you.”

“Provoke me?” He didn’t mind at all that they were in the middle of the busy sidewalk, at lunch hour, and he tugged her hair, making her move her head back to escape the pain.

Her lips stretched and curled open in a devious smile, “I love seeing you out of your depth when I do things you don’t expect. It’s almost... comical. It makes me giddy,” and she finished in a whisper, “and horny.”