I forgotI let her talk me into being my first guest after we talked on Sunday. Suddenly, the two-day grace period I gave myself didn’t seem like enough. But I wasn’t about to cancel on her when this was my idea to begin with.
“I have to go,” I said quietly.
Christian massaged his beard, watching me intently.
“After you eat breakfast with us.”
Christian was looking at me, but the muffled voice didn’t belong to him.
Soul lifted his head enough to look at me with one eye peeked open.
“Soul—”
“I wasn’t asking.”
My rebuttal died a quiet death when I snapped my lips shut.
“We gave you two days.” He stretched, his legs tangling with Christian’s as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “You get to be hurt, that don’t mean you get to neglect yourself, Harley baby. You been surviving on air and sleep for two days. Before we came in here last night, Rico said he was making breakfast today.” He covered a yawn. “I’m sure it’s done by now. Eat with us then go do what you gotta do.”
Always Knew I Could Love You
I didn’t regret getting in bed with Harlow and Soul last night. Just like I didn’t regret holding her against me and listening to her breaths until I fell asleep.
But my muscles were corded with the consequences.
My neck hurt.
My arms burned.
And my back was cursing me the hell out.
My only regret would have been not getting on this table when Soul offered after breakfast. We’d been doing the dishes once Rico left to drop off Harlow and run some errands.
Standing behind me at the sink, he set his hands on my shoulders and kneaded with his fingertips, pulling an immediate moan out of me.
“You’re tense. Let me get you right before tonight.”
I let him.
I stripped down to my briefs like I had so many times before and climbed between the sheets of his massage table while he cleaned his hands and got the oils ready.
Soul was dressed down too. The only thing he bothered to put on when we got out of bed were the gray sweat shorts slung low on his hips. That’s it. And his obliques kept contracting with every move he made. I didn’t question why my eyes were so drawn to the beauty of his body. I couldn’t call it a newfound appreciation, but I could say I was leaning into it more.
With one hand propped under my head, I reclined on the table and watched him pour bottled water into the diffuser.
“Lavender or citrus?” he asked without turning around.
“Citrus.”
Seconds later, mist billowed into the air and Soul was in front of me. He kept one hand firm against the center of my back and used the other to pull his cart of massage oils closer.
“Bring your arms back on the table and rest them at your sides for me.”
The pressure of his touch against my back was already having a hypnotic effect. It didn’t matter that the massage hadn’t started yet.
“Relax. Deep breath in for me.”
My eyes closed, not needing more convincing.
