Chapter Eight

Sophie was the first home and she decided to use this time to unpack and do some of her washing. She had just taken one load out and put another in when she heard the door open and shut. She made her way into the hall and found Robert, kicking off his shoes and taking off his jacket.

"How was the meeting?" she asked, smiling as he looked up.

"Ah." He smiled, "Michaela Young, one of my freshman students, was having a hard time with the essay I set and wanted to know if I would walk her through the question."

"You are such a thoughtful professor, Robert."

"I try." He smiled, "Symbols have been my life, along with art, and it's just nice to see the next generation taking an interest too."

They made their way to Robert's living room and fell into one of the sofas.

"I suppose," Sophie smiled, looking at him, "That if Sauniere hadn't had an interest in your work, then we wouldn't have met!"

"Imagine that!" he smiled, taking one of her hands, "My life would be so empty."

Sophie smiled, "No it wouldn't, you'd still have Faith!"

"Yeah, but she wouldn't be who she was today with out you!"

"Oh, Robert."

"I mean it. You've been so amazing with her. Especially after her mother died and I couldn't get there."

Sophie smiled sadly, "I was just doing my job…"

Robert looked at her, "I owe you so much," he squeezed her hands, "Not just Faith, but me. I had such an adventure with you in Paris. It opened my eyes to more history than I deemed imaginable. And learning the truth, it just…"

She smiled, "I know."

"And when you told me, you felt the same, I couldn't believe it. I thought I was going to have to wait weeks, or months before I could be with you. And then it turned out that Elizabeth had to leave."

"Are you sure you want to get involved again?" Sophie asked him, "So soon after Elizabeth?"

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life!" he smiled, cupping her cheek with his hand. Her skin was so soft to his touch. Sophie tilted her head and burrowed her cheek into his hand.

"Me neither."

Robert's lips found his way to hers and it was magical. Nothing in the world had felt more perfect than that moment. Sophie wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. She pulled him down so that he was on top of her. He smiled and broke the kiss. Sophie pouted.

"Trust me." And he offered his hand. Sophie took it and Robert led her out the room, up the stairs and into his bedroom. He lay her gently on the bed and resumed kissing her. Sophie smiled and sighed as her body melded into his and they became one. She had never been with anyone as gentle as Robert. Every touch electrified her body and she felt more alive when she was with him. They made love together until neither one could carry on and then fell asleep in each others arms.

Later that evening, Robert awoke in the dark. He looked to his left and saw Sophie fast asleep. He smiled and watched her slight form rise up and down as she breathed. He kissed her lightly on the shoulder and silently left the room, pulling some pajama pants on as he went.

He walked down to the kitchen and opened the fridge. In the door was a carton of juice. Smiling at the reaction Faith would have if she caught him now, he took a swig and gulped.

"Ew, straight from the carton!" came Sophie's voice from behind him.

He jumped and offered her the carton, "Oh God!" he smiled, "A woman in my house. How'd that happen?"

Sophie smiled as she took a swig from the carton and Robert kissed her neck. "Hey, how's your back?" she asked, knowing that his back had been playing up for a while. All the running through through Paris, London, Rome and Florence had finally caught up with him.

"Well, it's gained some of its elasticity I'd say!" he said, smiling smugly.

Sophie laughed and looked into the fridge, "Well, this thing is empty." She sighed.

"Mm hmm.' Was Robert's reply, still drinking from the carton.

"What are we going to do about it?" she asked, as Robert placed the carton back in the fridge. She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well, I haven't had time to do a grocery shop with Elizabeth leaving and you coming home and Faith needing to get here there and everywhere…" Sophie laughed, "But we could manage…"

"Those eggs?" asked Sophie.

"The perfect omelette!" smiled Robert as Sophie kissed his shoulder.

"That sounds great!" said Sophie, heading over to the side and sitting on it, "Go to it!"

Robert got the eggs out of the fridge and put them on the side, "Um, well, no, no, no, no." he smiled, heading over to her, "No, I think 'we' was the operative word there!"

"No…"

Robert flicked on the light.

'Oh geez!" smiled Sophie, screwing her eyes in protest of the light.

"Oh well!" said Robert, also shielding his eyes, "Oh, you look very lovely in the light!" and he pulled her off the side.

"I don't do this!" protested Sophie, as he led her over to the side, but Robert wasn't listening.

"This is where it all happens…" he smiled, faffing around behind her, "We have cheese!" he said, heading back over to the fridge.

"Oh come on!" smiled Sophie, "I'll mess up your kitchen!"

"I'm not going to cook for you woman…" he smiled at her with a twinkle in his eye, "'cause you wore me out!"

"Did I?" she asked innocently, "We could call for a pizza?"

"Don't. Don't. I'll walk you through this, Princess!" he smiled knowingly. Sophie rolled her eyes back at him. He was the only one who knew how true that statement was. "That's an omelette pan right above you."

"You have a pan just for your omelettes?" she asked incredulously.

Robert ignored her and reach into the draw underneath her, "There's a whisk." he said passing it up as he kissed her arse. She jumped and smiled. Robert headed over to where Sophie had been sat earlier and encouraged her on, feigning exhaustion.

Sophie cautiously tapped the egg on the side of the bowl, not wanting to make a mess. Robert sighed and walked over.

"I'm hungry too!" he said, "Oh come on!" he sighed.

"I'm doing it!" smiled Sophie, knowing that her pace would have annoyed him.

"I'd like to eat sometime in the next five hours!" and he took an egg, cracked it and chucked the shell over to the sink. He did another one before Sophie had finished hers.

"Is this happening?" she couldn't help but laugh.

"There you go. Great!" smiled Robert, standing back behind her, "Mix that up and then we'll throw in the other stuff!"

Sophie took the whisk and began to beat the eggs slowly.

Robert looked over her shoulder, "No…" he frowned but smiled, "No, that's stirring." He reached round her shoulders, "This is how you mix!" he took the whisk off her and mixed the eggs quickly, "This is how you mix!"

To Robert's surprise, Sophie's hands had lowered behind her back and into his pants. Then he felt her squeeze and he moaned in sheer delight, his mixing slowing down.

"Oh my God!" he moaned and then laughed, "Do that again, would you?"

Sophie giggled and did as he asked, eliciting another moan from the professor's mouth, "You like that?"

"Yeah!" he chucked and then buried his face in her neck. Sophie titled her head and sighed. "Oh, you feel…" Robert muttered, "You feel so good, you smell good…" he kissed her neck repeatedly.

Sophie turned and threw her arms round his neck and kissed him. Robert returned the kiss, picking her up. Sophie wrapped her legs round his waist and he carried her off into the bedroom, leaving their attempt at an omelette in the kitchen.