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Nice. Rayne sighed. It was always the same reaction. That was why he didn’t broadcast his addiction. He respected the transparency rule and all, but his recovery didn’t have to be the topic of discussion at every dinner gathering. Because as soon as people found out, it never failed, he suddenly became one of the untouchables. I’m celibate, not a robot! Rayne was human. Some platonic touching would be nice. He was sure he could handle that.
“Once you finish those, come and get another.”
Rayne nodded, feeling more than unworthy. “Edison, I noticed the massage table over in the corner.” He pointed toward the heavy-duty table that was set up behind the elliptical machine. “Do you have a personal masseuse?”
Edison shook his head. “Not anymore. I sure wish I did though. That thing is just collecting dust now.”
“Well, if you ever consider selling it, let me know.” Rayne ran his fingertips over the butter-soft leather. The table was more on the expensive side, but perhaps if Edison wasn’t using it anymore, he’d give him a good deal… not a handout. “My counselor has me thinking a lot about what I’m good at in hopes of steering me towards a career, and the only job I remember enjoying was when I worked at a day spa in Williamsburg, Virginia.”
“I didn’t know that.” Chelsea draped her arm over his shoulder. “So you’re good at massaging stuff?”
Rayne elbowed her in her side, loving her cheekiness and just stopping himself from checking Mike’s expression to see if he liked the idea as well. “I haven’t passed the massage and bodywork licensing exam yet. But I only need about forty more hours to get my certification.”
“Honey, that’s great! You should do that,” Chelsea exclaimed with far more enthusiasm than Rayne felt. “That’s a booming field in Hampton Roads. People are paying a lot more attention to their mental health, which includes self-care like regular massages.”
“I’m considering it.”
Edison cocked his head to the side. “I hope this isn’t an inappropriate question. But wouldn’t that occupation cause temptations? People have to take all their clothes off so you can rub their bodies down with oil.”
Rayne laughed because it was a legit question, and the last thing he wanted was to be treated with kid gloves. Yes, his heart and soul ached from the loneliness, but he wasn’t a broken man. “No. It doesn’t bother me at all. My addiction was never about attraction and needing to have sex with that person anyway. I used sex in an unhealthy way but never, ever at work. Massage therapy is a profession, and whenever I’m with a client, I’m thinking professionally and of the client’s needs… not my own. There’s a huge difference.” He shrugged casually. “Besides, it also helps that ninety-five percent of my clients are female. Men that come in for spa services often request a female anyway.”
“Well, if you do decide to pursue it, I’d be more than willing to give you the table. It’s just another piece of equipment that’s not being used in here,” Edison said as if it were nothing to offer a total stranger a five-hundred-dollar table for free. But it was everything to Rayne.
He wasn’t even running a con, and this man was being so generous. It was a surreal feeling. And instead of allowing his pride to take over and say something foolish like “Oh no, Edison, I can afford to buy it, no charity needed,” he said a quiet “Thank you, Edison,” before he flooded him with more compliments on his amazing dinner and his beautiful home.
“Well, I love company and entertaining. You and Chelsea are welcome anytime.” Edison paused suddenly, sniffing the air that smelled strongly of chocolate before he darted toward the door, yelling over his shoulder. “One sec, I’ll be right back. My cake is still in the oven!”
Now it was just the four of them.
Mike was flipping through a graphic novel, and Rayne tried to pretend that he was still interested in Edison’s library when he wasn’t. He had what he needed… now he was going to try for something he wanted. He eased up behind Chelsea and pinched her forearm.
“Ouch, what?” she hissed, her eyes still on the synopsis of her new book. When he didn’t speak, she glanced up, and Rayne nodded in Wood’s direction, hoping she’d get the hint that he wanted her to distract him. She did. Chelsea gave him a cunning grin as she shoved her breasts higher and smoothed her hands over her light pink pants. She sauntered over to his friend, and Rayne had to bite his bottom lip to halt his laughter when Wood stood taller and gave her his undivided attention.
“So. Wood.” Chelsea lowered her voice, her long lashes fluttering as if she was beside herself. “That’s an awfully provocative name you’ve got there.” She braced her hand on the wall beside his head, blocking his line of sight. “If that’s a nickname… you must tell me how you got it.”
Wood tried to pretend he wasn’t charmed by her, but Rayne knew that was a losing battle. Now that his overprotective friend was preoccupied, Rayne turned to make his move on Mike, but he didn’t get the chance. He felt heat along the length of his back and warm breath against the side of his throat. Mike wasn’t touching him, but his dominating energy was enough that he didn’t have to. Still, every part of Rayne could feel him as danger and desire flooded his veins.
Mike’s rough whisper made the air flee from Rayne’s lungs. “Now that you’ve got your bodyguard distracted, I can speak to you like I want.”
He is way too perceptive. What the hell was Rayne supposed to say to that? Usually he was pretty quick with men, but none of his rules applied to the man behind him. He was the one exception.
“It looks as if you wanted to speak to me… alone.” Mike’s timbre was practically a growl standing this close. “So speak.”
Everything Mike did and said was decisive and intense, so much that it left Rayne flustered and trying to calm himself before he was able to formulate an intelligent response. Even the way Mike had inched in close, not crossing the line but showing his boldness, had Rayne going crazy. If only he could lean back a few inches and allow his body to do the talking, then he might have better odds, but that was no longer an option.
Rayne swallowed the nerves in his throat and sent them to the pit of his stomach, where they swarmed like hornets. He may not have the confidence his alter ego did, but Rayne hadn’t lost his skill to notice interest when he saw it. He turned around and gazed up into hungry eyes that were darker than a midnight sky in Alaska, causing his voice to tremble when he responded. “Does my body need guarding from you, Mike?”
Rayne was eye level with Mike’s mouth, and he watched, captivated, as Mike licked his lips before simply murmuring, “Maybe.”
