Page 3 of Unmasking Her Shadow

“Maybe tomorrow then,” he replies, giving me a weak smile before continuing down the road, glancing over his shoulder once before shrinking into the distance.

Slight disappointment tugs at the corners of my lips when I take another drink of my coffee and it’s gone cold. All I wanted to do was watch the sun paint the sky while I drank my cup of dreams, but no. Perhaps I should create a comfortable seating area near my window to watch from indoors until Cole loses interest. Got a house with the perfect view and I ruined it by fucking a neighbor. Number one rule when you move into a new neighborhood — don’t sleep with anyone within walking or running distance.

I dump the rest of my coffee down the drain and rinse my cup out before placing it in the dishwasher. Reheated coffee sucks.

* * *

My skirt swishes around my ankles as I rush around the room to get it prepared for my first client. I spent entirely too long this morning staring at the SINS app that magically downloaded itself onto my phone. Fate or a virus? I’m telling myself that I accidentally clicked on the pop-up when I laid my phone down, but I haven’t worked up the courage to open it. The small area smells of lavender and sounds as if we are in the middle of a rainforest. Calm, unlike my racing heart. I dim the lights as I walk out, hurrying to the waiting room. I despise making people wait.

“Warren,” I call out, and a man stands up and walks towards me. I try to scold my surprise, but damn. His hair and beard are more gray than brown, with not a single strand out of place. His long-sleeved, light-blue shirt is rolled up to his elbows, exposing the large veins on his enormous arms and unbuttoned to reveal part of his chest. He walks with confidence as if he is used to commanding attention. If only I were twenty years older, I’d ask him if he could handle me.

“Rub him down so good he falls in love with you,” a small petite woman yells from a pedicure chair while her feet marinate in the large tub below her. He gives her a playful smirk and shakes his head at her.

“I’ll do my best,” I answer a bit too chipper. She laughs and puts her attention back on the lady next to her.

“Ignore my wife,” he says when we reach the door to my room.

“Well, I do have magical fingers.” I wiggle them in front of him with a slow, dramatic wink.

“What did she get me into?” he mumbles under his breath, but his lips twitch.

“Get undressed and lie on your stomach. There is a sheet to drape over you. Underwear on or off is up to you. Whatever is most comfortable. I’ll give you a few minutes,” I explain to him before stepping away.

I go into our supply room and rest my hands on the heating pad while I watch the clock. Nobody enjoys being touched with icy hands. When five minutes have passed, I knock softly before stepping inside. The extra couple of minutes allows them to settle into their surroundings and relax. The sheet covers his backside, revealing his hard-earned muscles. His career must keep him active. No one could have formed his body just by going to the gym after sitting at a desk for days on end. Almond-scented oil puddles in my palm before I warm it between my hands. I begin with slow, gentle strokes across his upper back, spreading the oil across his skin as I move towards his neck and shoulder blades, increasing the pressure once he’s relaxed beneath my touch.

“Where do you work?” My voice is just above a whisper in case he was falling asleep.

He huffs out a laugh. “Let me guess, I’m tense?”

“Very,” I reply, working out a knot.

“Do me a favor and don’t tell my wife that. I’ll avoid an ‘I told you so’. This is an experiment she concocted. I’m the new captain of the Willow Ridge Police Department. I briefly mentioned wanting to add some more wellness options to help the officers manage stress. Sheila jumped right in with her suggestions. I’m considering this one already. You do have magical fingers.”

“Well, thank you, Warren,” I tell him, working my thumbs into the muscles along his spine.

“Call me Pike,” he groans when I do it again.

“Have you considered yoga? You could have an instructor come in and have a class with whoever cares to participate. It’s an excellent stress reliever, and you can get everyone to do it together instead of one by one. If you’d like another experiment, attend one of my classes. I work at a studio here in town.”

“You’re hired.”

Wait. What?

“Excuse me?”

“That was Sheila’s second suggestion. It seems I should just agree to it now and save myself the trouble. Come to the station tonight around six and give it a try. Unless you are unavailable.”

Well, I did tell Cole I was working late. Now it won’t be a lie. “Sure, I’ll be there.”

And that’s where the conversation ended. The sound of waterfalls fill the silence, and when it’s time for Pike to turn over, the blanket shifts and I get a glimpse of his cock. I hold my breath so I don’t make an embarrassing noise. How is that tiny woman still alive? That thing has to reach the back of her throat, and I’m not talking from inside her mouth. I swallow hard and avert my eyes from the anaconda beneath the sheet so I’m not tempted to peek at it on purpose this time. I have so many questions.

“How was it, honey?” Shelia asks him the moment we reappear.

“Horrible,” he jokes, grabbing her hand to admire her new nails before kissing her knuckles. “Miss Rivers will be coming to the station tonight for yoga,” he drags out the word yoga, and she giggles, clapping her hands in triumph.

“You know I’m always right. I don’t know why you didn’t just listen to me. It took a pretty redhead to get you to agree, huh?” she taunts.

His lips curl into a devious smirk as he places his hand on her lower back. “See you at six, Sam.” He guides his wife to the door, smacking her ass on the way out. I walk back to my massage room, grinning at their exchange. Now that is a healthy relationship, if I’ve ever seen one.