Page 38 of His to Cherish
Chapter 8
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” I said as we reached the doorway to my room, “but I want you to take off your shoes and shirt, and lie facedown on my bed.”
I wrung my hands and looked away from him. I wanted him to relax, but I could have been making a huge mistake.
Aidan glanced at me. A smirk, one I didn’t normally see on him, hit his lips. Without saying anything, he walked to my bed and I ducked into my bathroom.
I quickly dug through my linen closet and found my bottle of massage oil. I pumped a small amount into my hand to ensure it was still fresh and inhaled the scent of bergamot. It wasn’t the most relaxing oil, meant mostly for energizing, but the orange scent was more masculine than the lavender I used on myself.
“Good enough,” I muttered, and headed back to the bedroom.
When I opened the door, I stopped midstep and reached out to steady myself on the doorframe.
Aidan had listened. He lay on my bed, arms bent and tucked under my pillow, his head turned to face me. He was absolutely breathtaking, all that male, muscled skin splayed over my bed, his size dwarfing my queen-size bed.
Reminding myself that all of this was innocent, that I was just helping him relax, that this wasn’t some seduction to get a man like him in my bed, I forced my feet to start moving again.
“This how you wanted me?” I detected amusement in his tone, breaking the crackling tension. And the way he looked at me, that lopsided smirk, all that muscle and skin andman,sent my mind and body into a tailspin of desire.
I glanced at my far wall to see if there was a fire in the fireplace. Then I blinked and remembered I didn’thavea fireplace. With the sudden heat boiling in my veins, I figured one might have magically appeared.
“Um-hmm.” I couldn’t form words as I reached the side of my bed.
I tried, but my mouth stopped working and my throat had gone dry.
Clearing my throat, I held up the bottle. “I thought you might like a back massage.”
Aidan let out a low groan and closed his eyes. I felt it hit me in all the right spots. “Sounds incredible.”
I wasn’t a good masseuse and my hands were small. I didn’t know if I’d be able to help him at all, but I climbed onto the bed, determined to try.
When I was on my knees next to him, my hands in my lap, my gaze trailed the length of his body, the span of his shoulders, the narrowness of his hips.
I sucked my cheek in between my teeth and worried it. “Um, I might need to sit on you.”
His shoulders shook like he was trying not to laugh, and that burning heat spread to my ears and cheeks.
“I’m sorry, maybe this isn’t a good idea.” I moved to climb off the bed, knowing my cheeks were boiling pink with embarrassment—not to mention the desire that still lingered.
He moved quickly. He rolled to his side and reached out, his hand clamping over my knee.
“Don’t.” His eyes were on mine, freezing me in place. His fingers dug into my jeans, tightening around my leg. “I could use this.”
“Okay, then.” I tried for an easy, relaxed smile, but my lips felt tight and forced. “Roll over.”
Aidan’s lips twitched before he listened. Once he was back on his stomach, I moved his arms so they were lying at his sides.
Then I slowly climbed on, straddling his hips. I closed my eyes, pulled in a deep breath, and let it out.
“This might feel cold, but it will warm up,” I warned him before I slowly drizzled the massage oil down his spine. His back tensed. Back muscles I never knew existed appeared and danced beneath his flesh as I watched, completely fascinated.
Aidan didn’t speak, but as I glanced up, I saw his eyes tilted back to me, his bottom lip between his teeth.
Then I began rubbing the oil on him. Slowly at first to move it around his skin and warm it. Because of the intense physical nature of his job and the stress he’d been under, I wanted to help him relax as much as possible.
My fingers ran up the sides of his spine until I reached his shoulders. I pressed my palms into his skin as my fingers curled around, massaging his thick, tight muscles.
“Hell,” he groaned, and flinched.
