Page 14 of Endless
I tapped a finger on my wrist, not that I had a watch on. “Fifteen more minutes, then we’re getting ice cream.”
“Yes! You’re the best, Dad!”
I smiled and looked down at my left hand where I wore a gunmetal wedding band. Reaper’s mom made them years ago for all of us guys. “I’m definitely in the top four, but I’ll take it.”
Six
MARIPOSA
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I unwound the towel from my head and used it to scrub through my damp hair. Once my hair was dry enough, I started brushing.
The house was blissfully quiet, a rarity these days. Reaper, Jandro, and Gunner were playing some elaborate game in the backyard with the kids. They made cardboard swords and armor and planned several epic battles and sieges across the yard. Last I heard, Daren was a prince saving a village of innocent chicken-people from the dangerous giants who wanted to eat them.
In any case, it was a great way to keep them busy while Doctor Mommy got some time to herself. I had just finished my bath and planned to grab a glass of wine before joining the others out back.
I finished brushing my hair and started putting on my lotion when I heard the front door open. Shadow's soft, "Hey, Freyja," floating up brought a smile to my lips. He walked through the house, likely checking out the epic battle in the backyard before coming to find me.
"I'm in here, love," I called when his footsteps ascended the stairs.
Shadow appeared in the doorway a moment later, his lips parting and eyes taking me in appreciatively. "Hey, lover. Do you...want some help?"
I smiled coyly at him in the mirror, both of us knowing exactly where his "help" would lead. "From you, always."
He walked up behind me and picked up the lotion bottle from the counter. It was only as he poured a small amount into his palm and rubbed his hands together that I noticed the tension in his shoulder. There was some stiffness, even an undercurrent of aggression in his movements and how tightly his brow furrowed.
"How was your tattoo appointment?" I ventured.
Shadow let out a non-committal grunt, placing his hands on my back to rub the lotion in.
"Bad client?" I tried again.
"The worst," he admitted. "Changed his mind about the design constantly, made scheduling a nightmare, and he’s always coming up short on his deposits with tons of excuses. I'm thinking about dropping him."
"Then you should." I leaned my head back until it rested on his chest. "There are tons of people who would love to be a client of yours. Give his spot to someone who would appreciate you."
"I know, you're right. It's so fucking frustrating because in the moment, he tries to makemeseem like the unreasonable one."
"Well, he's full of shit." Shadow was rubbing lotion into my shoulders and I reached up to grab his hands. "Even if you were unreasonable, which you're not, it'syourfucking business. Run it however you want to."
Shadow's lips curled into a smile as he gradually relaxed. "I thought about playing dumb and fucking up his design even more so he'd finally go somewhere else."
"That's an idea." I laughed. "Draw him a pile of dogshit, because that's exactly how he's acting."
"Tempting." Shadow kissed my cheekbone before grabbing for the lotion bottle again. "Thanks for letting me vent, lover."
"Always." I angled my head, reaching on tiptoes to kiss the corner of his jaw. "I'm sorry you had a rough day."
"It's fine." He was lotioning my lower back now, large hands spanning around to my waist. "I just need to decompress from the day."
"Is this helping?" I reached up to touch more of him, my fingers grazing his neck and shoulders.
"Very much," he purred. His hands roamed over my belly and lower ribs, firm and steadfast in his task despite me being completely naked.
When he reached for more lotion, I arched against him, stretching my body long as I reached up and pressed my chest forward. My hands massaged into his neck while my bare ass pressed into the front of his jeans.
"Hold still," he commanded. "I need to get all of you."
I brought my hands to the counter with a small pout. It turned into a breathy gasp when Shadow's lotion-slicked hands came to my ass. He kneaded and massaged each side with a firm thoroughness that wasn't entirely sexually motivated. When he set his mind to a task, he wanted to see it through, whether that was tattooing, doing a project with the kids, or covering his wife from head to toe with lotion.
