Page 58 of Hard Hitter
His back shook under her hands as he laughed. “Whose? I’ll have to kill them now. Shame, too, right before play-offs.”
She gave him a playful pat on the back. “Don’t say that. Sexual response is one of many possible results of muscle relaxation. It only means that the client’s subconscious trusts me. I pretend not to notice, and life goes on.”
“My subconscious has a little more to go on than the rest of your clients,” he pointed out, his voice muffled.
“I know. That’s why if you wanted to switch to another therapist, Hugh said he’d make other arrangements. No questions asked.”
Patrick picked his head up and craned his neck to look at her. “Fuckno. You’re the only one who gets to touch me.”
“Okay,” she said, pressing on his shoulder, asking him to lie flat again. “It was only a suggestion. I was trying to make you more comfortable.”
“Not possible,” he muttered. “I only want you, Ari. For this and all things.”
Surprise made her hands go still for a moment. Her poor, battered heart warmed at his words, even if she didn’t knowwhat to do with that sentiment right now. After a moment she remembered to breathe, and to finish up Patrick’s massage. She ended at his neck and shoulders, kneading the muscle there while he made a happy groan.
When she had to announce that their time was up, he peeled himself reluctantly off the table, towels around his waist. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he said quietly.
“You’re welcome, as always. See you for yoga later,” she reminded him.
He gave her a wink and was gone.
What am I going to do with you?she’d asked him last night. Today she was no closer to an answer. She shut off the Clapton playlist and removed the linens from her table, wiping it down and fitting a fresh sheet over it for the next client on her list. It wasn’t until she picked up her printed schedule that she found the shiny little book hiding underneath it.
Ari grinned the moment she saw the cover.Yoga Catswas the title. And the photograph was a tabby cat in warrior pose. She flipped it open. Each page was a different kitty in a different pose. Hysterical. And how funny that Patrick had left her agift. The whimsical, lighthearted gesture surprised her.
Still smiling, she tucked the cat book into her knapsack just as her next client walked in for his appointment.
***
That night, the team won the Carolina game. And two nights later they picked up another point by taking Philly into overtime. Even though their home-bound flight was late, the team was jubilant. Ari fell asleep in her seat to the sound of happy smack talk and play-off predictions.
At the airport at midnight, she made sure to jump into a cab before Patrick had a chance to offer to drop her at home. Not that his company wasn’t appealing. But she needed to show a little self-restraint.
Before her taxi made it off the highway, though, she found a text from him on her phone.Can you let me know when you make it home safely?
I’ll be fine, she replied.And I have this fancy new panic button just in case.
Humor me?
She did that far too often.
When the cab dropped her off in front of her building, she paid the driver with her corporate credit card and then marched boldly inside. “Hi, honey, I’m home!” she called into the stillness.
Luckily, nobody answered.
She took her panic button with her upstairs, but it seemed silly. She was all the way in bed before she remembered Patrick’s texts. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and sleepily replied.Home and safe in bed.
Can I come over and verify?
Nope.
Bummer. Sleep well, sweetheart.
As she read the words, she could hear his gravelly voice pronouncing them in her ear. The man had bad timing, but he was more appealing than she’d like to admit.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face.
SEVENTEEN
