Just then, he called out, "Ready."
Freya breezed into the room, and he was lying on his back with his hands tucked behind his head, looking very casual and comfortable. The robe only covered him from around his waistto the top of his thighs. He must have been built much like an athlete before his accident. Not musclebound, but fit and muscular in the right way.
Now she was thinking of what all those flexible limbs might be able to do in bed later.Stop it, Freya! You're in your professional capacity, right now.She took a deep breath, examined his right leg, and asked, “Is there anything that's still hurting more than anything else?"Well, that was smooth, Freya. How intelligent you sound.
He didn't seem to notice. Sitting up, he pointed to a line of stitches in his calf. “It still catches here. I don't know quite how to describe it other than that it's just a momentary grabbing sensation or something."
"Okay, I think I know what you mean.” She placed her hands where he mentioned and ran them up and down that line of sutures. Whoever stitched him up must not have been a medical professional, maybe the Marquis de Sade, or someone with butchering knowledge.
It was probably just something done as a lifesaving measure to stop the bleeding. Nerves were involved for certain. At one point, he winced. Freya removed her hands but kept them hovering over the spot.
"Did that hurt?"
“It was just that momentary grabbing sensation I told you about."
"Okay. Let me put some energy in there without touching it."
"That's Reiki? Isn't it?"
She tried to hide her smirk. "Something like that, yes." She closed her eyes, focused her will, and shot her magical healing energy into that particular line on his leg. Then she tried to follow along the nerves with her hands. Spreading one hand down, she tried stitching and stretching the nerves beneath.
He jumped, and she lifted her hands.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, I think so. I felt that same tingling sensation I had the last time. Whatever it is you’re doing, you mustn’t be afraid to use it. There’s a moment of discomfort, like a sharp twinge, but I feel completely restored afterward.”
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Completely. Let me show you how much…”
He grabbed her around her waist and dragged her as close to him as she could get with the edge of the massage table between them.
He kissed her. Long and slow.
She couldn’t say she was surprised, but the timing might have been unique. She enjoyed the kiss thoroughly, then backed away and said, “I’ll let you get dressed.”
As she backed out of the room, she thought,so, that happened…
5
Freya had to bring herself back to reality after that kiss. She felt transported to another plane. She didn't want to analyze it too much, just remembering the softness of his lips and the kindness in his eyes afterward, as if acknowledging her specialness without words. And strangely enough, she understood without words as well. She’d had to back out of the room, reluctant to break eye contact. She floated to the kitchen to heat the teapot. Maybe a cup of tea would help ground her again.
She really had to think about how to deal with finding her grandmother and sister. She had no idea how to do that except to take an older map and her dowsing tool, or possibly do a full-blown ritual and see if she got better results this time. Should she ask Devon to help her with it? Maybe his energy and his presence would be helpful?
She had the historical map out in seconds and took her basket of ritual tools off the shelf in the living room. She usually set up everything on the kitchen table. She would do that either before or after Devon left, depending on how comfortable he was with the idea of sitting in on a little witchcraft.
He came out of the massage room with a smile on his face. She smiled back; she couldn't stop herself if she wanted to.
"I put the tea kettle on. Can you stay for a cup?"
"If you don't have to rush me off for another client, I'd love a cuppa. Or I can take you out to dinner and dancing."
“Seriously? You feel good enough to dance?”
“I do. I’m looking forward to that holiday dance at the Elks Club.”
“Do you feel up to walking there?”
