“I want to move away from here but I don’t know how,” I said.
“We can figure that out, together,” he suggested. “I’ve got help a plenty that’s only a phone call away.”
I nodded, “I already said yes,” I reminded him and he chuckled.
“I know, but this is also a real big thing. You’re allowed to change your mind.”
I shook my head, “I don’t want to,” I said. “I want away from here and a chance to really start my life. I can’t even say I would be starting over,” I said with a harsh sigh. “Feels like I never really started it in the first place. Like I’ve been in limbo all this time.”
“Well, I think we both aim to change that,” he said. “Not just you, but me and my life circumstances too. I mean, what’s the point of living a life as great as mine without having someone to share it with?” he asked with a chuckle.
I had to smile then and cuddled back into him more thoroughly when I agreed, “You do have a pretty fantastic life.”
“It was pretty great before,” he said and kissed my temple. “Now it’s fantastic.”
I chuckled myself, and felt like I was more grounded, just a little more centered from the little talk. Plans were both made and being made and I just needed to be patient. The men surrounding me right now had more than proven that I was safe. I just needed to believe in them and myself.
* * *
“Bring it on up here, baby,”Atlas said, setting his phone aside when I finally exited the bathroom. Radar was right behind me and I crawled up onto the bed still wrapped in my towel. “Lay on your stomach,” he ordered and I blinked, and blurted out, “Why?”
“Because I’m not done with you yet, that’s why,” he said with a wink.
I laid on my stomach in the middle of the bed and he whisked my towel away, grabbing a bottle of lotion of the nightstand on his side and getting out from under the covers. He straddled the backs of my thighs and I flushed a bright red, realizing that he was nude.
“Relax, baby,” Radar declared and I felt some of the tension ease.
The cap on the lotion tube clacked and cold hit my back between my shoulder blades.
“Cold!” I cried, pushing myself up, but then Atlas’s hands landed on my back and pressed and I flattened out for him groaning.
Oh, that felt so good…
He sucked in a breath over me through his teeth and said, “Damn, girl. How do you live like this?”
“Like what?” I asked, melting beneath his touch.
“So tight and all full of knots!”
I shrugged slightly and said, “I don’t know?”
Radar got into bed beside us and dropped the blankets over his lap and I flushed realizing that all three of us were nude and likely to stay that way and I just wasnotraised that way!
Except… except looking back on how Iwasraised… huh. The realization started my gears to turning as I groaned in a sort of sublime bliss as Atlas worked the soreness from my upper back, pinching and making circles to either side of the back of my neck.
“Oh, God,” I said faintly and Radar took my hand in his and laid them in his lap. He started to work at massaging my writing and drawing hand and if my eyes weren’t already closed, I could swear they’d like to roll into the back of my head.
I very nearly plummeted into relaxation, and its kissing cousin sleep caressed my face.
“There you go,” Atlas crooned and it was as though I’d been given permission.
“Rest, baby,” Radar murmured. “We’ve got you.”
It was the last thing I coherently remembered, even though I do remember the light drone of their low voices as they talked to one another over the rhythmic press and sweeping motions of Atlas’s hands against my back. Warm and sweet, firm but gentle…
I felt so utterly spoiled and blissfully let it happen. Who was I to argue?
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