Page 70 of Duty and Desire

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That always worked for Trine, Sister #4. She was always on the move. Constantly busy. Found it hard to shut down. Even as a kid.

When they were little, Mo would sit with her and whisper, “Start with your toes, Treenz. Point. Flex. Then put ’em to sleep.”

Always, by the time he got to her belly, Trine was out.

“Say what?” Lottie asked.

“Start with your toes,” Mo said. “Point ’em. Flex ’em. Then put ’em to sleep.”

He gave it a sec.

“You doin’ that?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she told him.

“Now your feet,” he ordered into the dark. “Point, flex, then feel ’em get heavy and let them go.”

Another second and he let that go to two.

“Now your calves,” he continued. “Tighten ’em. Let them go. Feel ’em relax. Then put ’em to sleep.”

Mo gave it another sec.

And another.

And one more.

“They asleep?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she answered. “I think so.”

“Now your knees.”

“Is this what you do?” she asked.

“It doesn’t work if you talk through it,” he told her.

“Right,” she muttered.

“Knees, Lottie.”

“’Kay,” she mumbled.

It took to her shoulders, Mo making his voice quieter and quieter, giving it more time in between, before he started on the neck and she didn’t answer.

Good.

She was asleep.

Mo stared at the ceiling but could see nothing but Lottie in that nightie.

The nightie morphed into her dancing.

Fuck.

Torture.

He rolled to his side and closed his eyes.

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