“Thanks,” I say, not knowing what else to say. I am receiving what has to be the best massage I’ve ever had.
Thankfully, before the silence can get awkward, he asks, “So, where are you at in your writing process?”
“Still plotting my chapters, but I got a bunch done this morning!” I say.
“That’s good. What kind of book are you writing?”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to ask about my book or give me a massage,” I say quietly, not wanting to impose myself.You’re not imposing, he asked. He joined me on the deck when he didn’t have to, I tell myself. Seems like last night’s resolve is going to be harder to maintain than I originally thought. Most good things do take time though.
“My mom is always going on about any new book she’s reading.My dad just built her a library actually,” he says with a smile in his voice.
“Oh my God, really? I’ve always wanted a library in my house!”
Laughing, he answers, “Oh yeah, the minute I bought my own house, my dad got to work converting my childhood bedroom into a woman cave for my mom. Wouldn’t let her know what he was doing either, it drove her up the wall.”
“I love that! That’s so sweet; your dad sounds like a real keeper.”
“He really is,” he agrees, laughing. “So, what’s your book about? Tell me it’s a romance and my mom will be your first reader.”
“I’ll make sure to ask her what she thinks then,” I answer by confirming that romance is indeed what I’m writing, even though I’m still a little embarrassed that that’s what I chose to write, instead of writing “something more intelligent” as Lucas would say.
“That’s awesome. My mom is seriously obsessed with those books. She started letting my little sister read what she calls closed-door romance, whatever that means.”
“It means there’s no sex in the books; there’s a lead up, but nothing inappropriate.”
“Well, thank God! I don’t need my sister thinking about sex!” he says, letting out a breath.
“How old is she?”
“Sadie is sixteen going on twenty-six,” he answers with a laugh.
“Trust me, she’s thinking about sex.” Laughing, I insist, “And trust me, you’d rather she be learning how to be treated by reading those books than by spending time with teenage boys,” I say, leaning forward a bit more so he can work on a knot towards the middle of my back.
“And why is that?” he asks. “Or do I really want to know?”
“Book boyfriends put all men to shame and raise our standards to incredible levels. Trust me, no boy is gonna make it past the first date. And secondly, a girl should know how to take care of herself before inviting someone else to that experience,” I say delicately, knowing how brothers see their little sisters, especially having had a little taste of it from Summer and Levi’s older brothers.
“You really think it would keep the little creeps away if she read those books?” he asks. “Not open the door to the urges?”
“Trust me when I say the urges are there; I was a sixteen-year-old girl. As a society we’ve accepted that teenage boys have all these thoughts, but we forgot that teenage girls are also having their own sexual awakening.” This is not the conversation I thought I’d be having at nine in the morning with a man I’ve known for less than three weeks. But the reactions I’ve been having towards him are also not normal for me. It’s clear I’m attracted to him. I’ve been attracted to men before but notlike this, not so immediate. I feel safe and comfortable in his presence.
“Okay that’s enough about my baby sister’s awakening,” he says as I feel him shrug behind me. “Tell me, what else is on this bucket list of yours.”
“Oh, nothing important. So, you grew up in Calgary?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
“Yes, I did, but don’t change the topic. I know there was hiking, line dancing, yoga, working on your book,” he says with a squeeze of my shoulders.
“Fine. Ummm . . . horseback riding, get a tattoo, go to an MLB game, go on a beach vacation, to start with,” I say, giving in.
“Awww, so that’s why Lacey wants my beach house for a few days.”
“Yeah, she figured we could get two birds with one stone: catch a baseball game and have a beach weekend,” I say with a laugh.
“Well, I can also help with horseback riding!” he says excitedly as he stops massaging my back and shoulders. He takes his spot back next to me as we hear the patio door open, and Ellie and JJ walk out. I hadn’t realized he was still massaging me until he stopped. It felt like the most natural thing, having him massage my shoulders as we chatted. I had gotten used to feeling his soft relaxing movements, completely getting lost in his touch. I can’t remember the last time I was this relaxed.
“Lucky for you, I grew up on a cattle ranch with plenty of horses,” he continues. “How about I pick you up Tuesday afternoon and bring you to the ranch?”
“You want to take me horseback riding?” I ask, wanting clarification.
