He came in right after I did, almost perfectly timed.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes.”
“Are you stalking me?”
“I guess that depends on your definition.” I had yet to turn around and face him, so I was able to let myself smile without him seeing it.
“So, Mr. Holiday,” I said as I finally turned around. Even though he looked worse than the last time I had seen him, he still took my breath away. “Any problem areas we need to be addressing today?” I questioned, half determined to keep it strictly professional just to see what he would do.
“Yeah, right here.” He moved his right hand over the left area of his chest, where his heart was located, and I sucked in a mouthful of air at his confession. “And I think you’re the only one that can make this ache go away. In fact, I know you are.”
“Is that so?” I wanted badly to run into his arms, but I wasn’t ready to fully forgive him just yet.
“Yeah, that’s so. You’re beautiful. I missed you.”
“Lay down on the table, please, Mr. Holiday, and we can begin.”
He nodded at me, but never took his eyes off me as he started to unbutton his shirt.Good grief.I almost drooled.
“Anytime now, Mr. Holiday.” He smirked at me because he knew exactly the kind of effect he had on me.
“As you wish.” He shot me a look as he bit his lip, letting me know exactly what he was thinking. He lay down. I told myself that he deserved to hurt just alittlebit more before I told him my decision.
I started applying lotion, and I heard a soft moan escape him. And I loved that I seemed to affect him as much as he did me. I started using my thumbs to apply pressure to the muscles of his rotator cuff with a deadly precision that I knew would be extremely painful, and I heard a hiss come from him.
“Does that feel good?” I asked innocently.
“It’s uh…It’s…different.” He groaned, and I knew it was because I had applied more pressure to that area.
“Oh, is it?” I gave him a brief reprieve and made my way, trying hard not to remember the first time I told him I loved him because it had started a lot like that, on the very same table.I started gently working out some of the muscles in his lower back. I finally felt him relax against my touch again, and I moved my hands down to apply the same painful technique directly up the back of his calf. This time, he yelped out. I couldn’t hide my snicker, but did my best to cover it up with a cough.
“Everything okay down there?”
I was met with silence. “Elijah?”
“Listen, Bonnie, I…I told myself I would never ever lie to you about anything, but fuck, your massage is terrible. It’s fucking painful. Is this some new technique? I don’t…I don’t know what happened, but I’m pretty sure you’ve torn something.” I was full-blown laughing now. I couldn’t help it at his obvious distress.
“Bonnie…Baby. I’ve been dreaming about your laugh.” He was finally sitting up on the table, all appearance of discomfort gone. His face was level with mine, and he reached for me, dragging my forehead to his. “Hi, baby. How’ve you been?” he asked me softly. I couldn’t help the tear that escaped, and he used his thumb to wipe it away.
“Really shitty, actually,” I told him. “I fucking missed you.”
“Fuck, baby, I missed you so much.” He brought my mouth to his and nibbled on my lips until I opened for him.
“Will you come home with me? Please, there’s something I have to do.”
I nodded. There was no place I’d rather have been on Christmas Eve.
Chapter Fifteen
Bonnie
We decided to walk back to our place. It wasn’t that far, and it was quiet outside. Since it was Christmas eve, everyone was inside with their families. The ground was covered with a fresh layer of snow as crisp flurries surrounded us.
A thought occurred to me. “I’m surprised you aren’t currently on a flight right now,” I said to him, breaking the comfortable silence that we had found ourselves in. Both of us had just been content to be in each other’s presence. It was like my soul had been mourning for him, aching for his return, and now, it was starting to heal.
“Oh, yeah. I got fired.”
