Page 61 of Ace My Heart

Joel turned his sapphire gaze on me. “Why?”

I shrugged. “The weather’s nice.”

“The weather here is so much like Australia it’s not funny,” he argued. He had a point.

“It’s far away from my mother.”

Joel nodded. “Well, that’s a good reason – for you at least. Me, I like being close to Mum.”

I tucked my leg up underneath me – Joel didn’t notice. “I like being near your mum too. Iloveyour mum!”

Joel picked up his glass and stared down into it. “So, why’d you move back home then? You were welcome to stay with us for as long as you wanted.”

I stared into the darkness, not wanting to delve into why living with him was difficult for me. Not even really knowing the answer myself.

“Well, Joel, we spend so much time together, with training, and travel and everything. Don’t you like to have a break from me?”

I looked at him then, and he was staring at me, a strange smile frozen on his face.

“Stinky, you’re my favourite person – to torment I mean. When you’re not there, I get bored!” His eyes didn’t look teasing.

I looked away. “Well, you’ll just have to get your fix when we’re together,” I teased back, trying to lighten the weird mood. I stood up, needing to put some distance between us.

A spasm of pain went through my back. I gasped. Joel looked sharply at me, leaping to his feet.

“What’s wrong Mel? Is it your ankle?” He crouched down and took my right foot in his hands, running his fingers lightly over it.

“No, not my ankle. My back just twinged a bit, that’s all.” I straightened up and gasped again.

Joel stood. “You were sitting on your leg, weren’t you? Stink, you know you’ve been told not to do that!” Joel sounded exasperated. “Where’s the pain?”

I pointed to my tailbone.

Joel sighed. “Go into your room and strip down to your panties,” he commanded.

“Why?”

Joel was already heading back inside. “I’ll come and rub it for you, just let me go get some massage oil.”

I muttered crankily to myself as I shuffled into my room and undressed. I was still sitting on the edge of the bed rearranging my pillows when Joel walked into the room. I wrapped one arm around my boobs and shot him an angry look.

“Oh, come on, Stink. I distinctly recall you brazenly stripping your bikini off and sticking those beautiful breasts in my face less than a month ago.”

I bit my lip to stop from retorting and lay face down on the bed, wearing nothing but a leopard print Lululemon g-string, half wishing that I’d had a chance to change into a proper pair of briefs. The other half of me was wondering what Joel was thinking of the skimpy thong.

“Joel, just promise me that this isn’t just some stunt of yours to feel me up,” I warned.

The lid on the massage oil popped, and I heard the slick sound of oil being warmed between his hands.

“Stink, I’m actually more concerned that you’re match fit tomorrow. And believe it or not, you’re in good hands; I have a diploma in remedial massage.”

I was surprised enough not to comment. And then words failed me, because Joel’s hands were working magic on my back.

He didn’t get too deep into my muscles – obviously he didn’t want me to be too tender tomorrow – but he did work out the kink in my lower back. When he was done with that, he moved more generally over my whole back, and even down the backs of my legs, my glutes, calves and thighs. I couldn’t prevent the little sigh of happiness that left me as his palms swept across my shoulder blades.

When his hands moved off me, I groaned in disappointment.

Joel laughed under his breath. “Well, Stink, you know if you want me to keep going, I can, but it’ll cost you.” He chuckled again, but there was an edge to the sound. “I don’t know if you’re willing to pay the price.” His voice was soft, mellow. It sounded like it did in my…

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