Beautiful Broken Promises(48)

I felt her legs bump into my side as she scooted closer. Her hands were like ice cubes the instant they touched my body, and I jolted as air whistled past my teeth.

Her hands pulled away immediately and she was silent, as if she were waiting to see what the problem was.

“Cold hands,” I rasped.

“Sorry!” she whispered. I heard her rub her hands together vigorously, I’m assuming to try and get some blood flow to those frozen appendages.

When they returned, her hands were a fraction warmer but not by much. I held still and tried to let my body heat warm up her hands. It didn’t take long, or maybe it was just the amazing feeling of her hands rubbing my muscles. Holding my arm against my body for days on end had really done a number on me. Getting back into the gym would be a real bitch, but I was craving the burn. It had already been way too long.

“What kind of pressure do you like?” she asked quietly.

I turned my face into the pillow and groaned loudly. Was everything she said today going to go straight to my dick? “Hard. I like it hard,” I said into the pillow. She pinched my side lightly, letting me know she hadn’t missed the double entendre. “Sorry,” I chuckled.

Her strokes were slow and firm as she worked around my injury, her thumbs running along my shoulder blades. She found a knot under my left shoulder and slowly worked out the muscle until I felt the knot dissolve under her pressure. Like a heat-seeking missile, she discovered all of the knots in my back, and each time they melted away, I let out a relieved moan.

Her fingers grazed lightly over an area of my neck and I realized she was tracing my tattoo—the only one I had. The only thing I cared enough about to brand myself with.

“The script is cool. Not something I would have expected to see on your skin,” she said.

“It’s Ash’s handwriting,” I explained. “Seemed right, at the time. Having Kate’s mom write on her dad.” I shrugged uncomfortably.

“That’s really sweet. Kate will love to hear that some day.”

We began to have a safe, non-sexual conversation and I’ll admit it was nice. She asked me what I did now and I explained my job in Texas. She was surprised to hear that I didn’t live in California anymore. I told her how I enjoyed boxing and having a beer with friends. I kept it short though, because I didn’t want to rub my good times in her face. To my surprise, she took everything in stride and wanted to hear more.

“We never chatted like this before,” I said.

“We never really talked at all. I usually only spoke to Ash,” she responded.

“I was afraid of you,” I divulged.

“Afraid?” she laughed as if my words were outrageous.

“The guys at work always harped on me about having a hot nanny.” I heard her chuckle at my words. “I’m serious,” I laughed. “I didn’t want to cause any confusion for anyone. I knew we paid you like shit, but that was all I could afford. I also knew I was a lucky bastard to have you working for such a small amount. But I couldn’t rock the boat in any way. If Ash got any rash ideas or people got suspicious of anything, I would lose the one steady thing Kate had going for her at the moment—you. I stayed my distance because once people started constantly talking about you, I was afraid it would only be a matter of time before rumors started flying.”

“Wow… I had no idea.” Her hands continued pressing. “That was actually very courteous of you. I could not afford to lose that job. Thank you for never hitting on me then. I worked for a man like that previously; it wasn’t pleasant.”

“Did he touch you?” I growled. The idea of any man touching her inappropriately made my hackles rise. And I was sure I could still find this so-called man. She soothingly ran her fingers down my spine and told me that he hadn’t. I tried to get back to my previous thoughts. “Anyway, I was a married man. It was out of the question.”

I swore I heard her whisper the word ‘was,’ but I didn’t ask her to repeat herself. Instead, I enjoyed the feel of her fingers and the release of tension she was removing from my back.

“How the hell do you know how to give a massage like this?” I croaked.

She laughed and said, “It’s actually working?”

“Let’s just say I’ve never paid for a massage this good.”

“That’s nice to hear.” She still hadn’t answered my question so I waited patiently, relaxing into her warm touch. Down the hall, I could hear Braden and Kate playing a game enthusiastically, which also calmed the tightness in my muscles. If they were happy, I was happy.