I make it to the car and start my journey home when my phone rings again through the Bluetooth. “Hello,” I answer.
“Hi, it’s me again,” Marissa says.
“Hi, Marissa.” I smile.
“Umm…” She pauses. “Dr. Stanton asked me to call you back to say that the massage therapist wouldn’t be able to do that tonight, but he’ll book you something for tomorrow.”
“Oh, okay, no worries,” I reply. “Thank you.” I turn the corner and end the call. Oh, well. Damn it. I could have done with a massage tonight.
At 7:50 p. m. the doorbell rings. Cameron isn’t home from surgery yet but his massage therapist has arrived.
I answer the door and my eyes widen. Suddenly I’m self-conscious because of my daggy attire.
“Hello.” The tall, muscular blond smiles. “I’m Steven. I’m here for Cameron.”
He’s huge and he’s wearing all white clothing with a massage table tucked under his arm. He smells like massage oil.
Holy hell. He’s just so…
“What?” Oh. I shake my head in embarrassment. “Please… come in.” I gesture to the hall. “I think he said you were to set up in the office.”
He smiles, as if knowing my wayward thoughts. He has a dimple in his chin and I find myself smiling goofily as I follow him up the hall.
Wow, this guy is off the charts hot.
“Just in here?” he asks sexily.
Huh… Well, will you look at that? God damn bona fide hot masseuse. Who knew they even existed?
“Yes.” I smile, remembering where I am.
I hear the gates open and I know my man is home. “Cameron won’t be a minute.” I smile as I leave the room. “Nice to meet you, Steven,” I call.
Cameron comes in the front door and kisses me quickly on the lips. “Sorry, Bloss. Is he here?”
“Yes, in your office.”
He walks down to the laundry, takes his scrubs off, and throws them in the washing machine. “I need a quick shower.” He looks around. “Where’s Owen?”
“Oh, he went to bed early. He fell asleep on the couch.”
Cameron’s face falls with disappointment and he walks up to his office in his briefs. “Just a quick shower, man. I won’t be five minutes.”
“Okay,” I hear Steven reply.
Cam closes the door as he leaves the office and goes bouncing up the stairs.
I walk out and flick on the kettle. Hmm, it really is a pity I’m not getting a massage tonight.
I frown as I make my tea. Hang on a minute…
I bet Cameron didn’t even ask if I could have a massage tonight. He doesn’t want me to get a massage because Steven is off the fucking charts hot.
I smirk. Interesting.
An hour and a half later, a very sleepy and relaxed Cameron walks Steven to the front door. “Thank you.” He smiles.
He then comes to me on the couch and I stand and put my arms around his neck. “Hey, babe.” He smiles softly as he takes me in his arms.
“Have you eaten?” I kiss his lips.
“Hmm, yeah. I had some sushi in the car on the way home.” He sighs as he puts his head down onto my shoulder. He really is exhausted.
“How come I couldn’t get a massage tonight?” I ask.
“You can get a massage,” he replies as he feels my behind. “Just not by him.”
I smile. “Why not?”
Cameron frowns. “I don’t want his hands on you.”
“Why? Because he’s good-looking?”
“He’s not touching you. End of discussion.” He pulls out of my grip and turns toward the stairs.
“Well, that’s ridiculous,” I call after him.
“I know what these guys are like. A hot chick like you? His hands would be everywhere.”
My mouth falls open.
“He’s not fucking touching my girl.”
“How come you go to him, then?”
“Because he’s the best.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Cameron, are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
I shake my head and lock up, then I turn the lights off and go upstairs to find Cam already in bed. I tear the quilt back in a huff. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Bullshit. Ask Natasha about her hot massage therapist back in Sydney.”
“What about him?” I snap as I get into bed.
“He bones chicks. Gives them a happy ending at the end of their massage.”
“He does not.”
“Does too. A whole parlor of them who fuck chicks who get massages.”
“Oh… like every other massage parlor for men, you mean?” I reply sarcastically as I roll my back to him. “You’re making this shit up. How would you know this, anyway?
“Natasha got drunk and told Josh that she had a massage with a happy ending.”
My eyes widen, and I get the giggles as I imagine Joshua going crazy ballistic. I’m going to have to ask her about this.
“Well, I just have a tight back. I want a massage with a relaxed ending,” I tell him.
“He’s not touching you, Ashley. Ever. Move on.”
I smirk in the darkness. He’s fun to tease. “Well, if I can’t have Steven as a massage therapist, you can’t have female PAs.”
“Oh, God.” He sighs. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well…” I smirk. “You could run off with a PA and fuck her in the storeroom, how would I know?”
“I specifically don’t hire PAs that I’m attracted to. I’m not an idiot, Ashley. You don’t get your meat where you get your potatoes.”
My mouth falls open in shock and I roll onto my back. “Did you just tell me that you don’t get your meat where you get you potatoes? Meaning work is potatoes? And meat is vaginas?”
“I did. Now go to sleep.” He exhales as he starts to relax. “And if you dare think of Steven again I will crack your back myself.”
I smile into the darkness.
“Don’t smile, it’s going to hurt.” He exhales again. “A lot.”
I drop another load of stuff outside the front door. “Okay, so I have the chairs, the sleeping bags, the air mattresses, the pump, food. What else do we need, Owen?” I think out loud.
Owen shrugs with a broad smile.
“Oh, cleaning stuff.” I go and retrieve the broom, mop, and cleaning cloths, as well as the bucket and sprays from the storeroom. Cameron is lying on the couch reading the paper as I walk past him with everything.
“Are you sure you’re not coming, Cameron?” I ask.
It’s Saturday morning and Owen and I are getting ready for our night at Pemberley. Cameron is being a stick in the mud and doesn’t want anything to do with it.
“Nope.” He calls over his paper. “I’m relaxing. Pemberley isn’t for me.” He flicks the page in annoyance. “It is the weekend, you know.”
I smirk. “The power and water are now on at Pemberley, so that’s good.”
“Hmm.”
“Will it be scary there without Dad, Mom?” Owen asks as his little eyes flicker between us.
I shrug. “Nope, we can do this, buddy. We’re tough. We’ll see Dad late tomorrow night when we get back.”
Cameron glares at me over the top of his paper, and I turn my back to him and smirk.
I’m giving him the reverse psychology treatment all the way to Pemberley. “It will be nice for Daddy to have a night here to himself,” I say to Owen.
Big pussy. He hates being here alone.
Owen walks over to his father and takes his hand. “Can’t you come, Dad?”
“No, buddy.” Cameron sighs, clearly feeling guilty.
I smirk as I keep getting the things ready. “Owen, go and grab your sweater. We’ll have a campfire tonight. I bought marshmallows to roast on sticks.”
“Yes!” Owen cries in excitement. “Where will we get the wood?”
“I don’t know yet. We’ll find some.” Owen runs upstairs excitedly.
“Burn the house,” Cameron replies flatly.
I smile as I start to take everything outside to load it into the car. It takes me three trips to get everything in. “Okay, that’s it. Let’s go, Owen.”
“Yes.” Owen runs outside.
“Coming out to say goodbye, babe?” I ask Cameron as I walk out the front door.
He throws his paper down, drags himself off the couch, and walks out to the car.
“I can’t believe you’re actually going without me,” he murmurs.
“I can’t believe that you don’t want to come,” I reply as I throw Owen his little leather working gloves as he sits in the backseat.
“What are these?” he asks excitedly.
“Your working gloves. I got you some working boots, too, big boy.”
His eyes widen in excitement. “Awesome.”
Cameron frowns. “I don’t want him working on that house.”