Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
“But you injured your neck today?” I press.
“No. I just pulled something at the café,” she says, since she worked pretty much a double-shift of sorts today. She was at the arena during the week, and the café all day today, squeezing in the quick turnaround on the tree painting.
“Do you need to see someone?” I ask, because that noise sounded bad.
She looks back to me again with question marks in her eyes. “It’s okay. It happens. I work on a ladder a lot and I’m looking up or down, so sometimes I feel neck strain and I like to crack it. It’s just an occupational hazard.”
But what can we do about it? There has to be a fix. “Right, but do you want me to give you a neck rub? Do you need to do some neck stretches? I could get you a physical therapist if you want.”
She takes the remote and hits pause. “Thank you, but I’m fine. It happens and I rub it or do extra stretches.” She takes a beat, studying my face, then in a reassuring tone says, “I work with my body too. Just like you. So sometimes it’s going to hurt. Same as you.”
But it’s hardly the same as me. I don’t worry about me. But her? I have to figure this out and help her. What if it gets worse and she’s not aware? What if this leads to a problem she doesn’t catch in time? “Let me at least rub your neck for you,” I insist.
She smiles. “Well, that I won’t turn down.” She snuggles closer, points the remote at the TV again and says, “First Dates and a neck rub. This is the full temporary husband treatment.”
Not temporary if I can help it.
I rub her neck as she watches the show. But by the time the next couple breaks up at a cheese tasting because he ate the Gouda she wanted, I’m rubbing with one hand, grabbing my phone with the other and typing one-handed. How to relieve neck pain. Causes of neck pain. Exercises for neck pain.
“What do you think?”
Oh, shit. I both stopped rubbing and stopped paying attention to the show. I got so focused on Google.
“Second date,” I say, taking my best guess as she turns to me with curious eyes.
“You stopped watching,” she says—not an accusation, but more a curiosity.
I wave my phone, showing her the screen. “Sorry. I was just googling about cures for neck pain.”
She laughs, then says, “Orgasms, Asher. More orgasms.”
Well then.
Setting down the phone, I reach for one of her favorite toys in the nightstand drawer, taking control back from her. “Ditch the panties and spread your legs nice and wide for me, wife.”
She complies, and I slide a thumb in her mouth. She sucks eagerly. I add another finger, and she swirls her tongue around it. “Good girl,” I say, then I ease out, and gently caress her pussy while kissing her neck, slow and soft till she’s wet and murmuring.
When she starts arching into my fingers, I switch it up and turn on the Soft Touch, using that on her till she’s breaking apart beautifully on my bed.
And falling asleep just like that.
I’m not though. I stay up for a while, researching neck strain again since it’s really best to address small problems before they become big problems.
But if she’s proactive and does some stretches and exercises, she should be okay. So I email her some new videos for neck stretches and exercises too. And set a reminder on her phone to do them.
Sometime later, I get back in bed.
In the morning, while she’s sleeping, I set a gift for her on the kitchen counter. It’s wrapped in white paper with a pink bow. I leave a card under the bow with the words on it: Wear this to the game tonight.
I’m not saying this little gift will make her fall in love with me. But she loves gifts, and I love giving them. As I head to the terrace to finish my coffee, I come up with one more idea.
On the way to morning skate, I make some calls, then at the arena I turn off the world and focus on hockey since our rivals are in town tonight and I plan to beat them.
Well, I want to impress my wife.
45
THE STRETCH
Maeve
It’s the number one rule of being a good hockey fan—thou shalt not miss the warm-ups.
But I’ve never been so warm from them before. I blame my husband. Asher’s on the ice with the Sea Dogs for their pre-game warm-ups, and he’s currently doing the stretch.
I sigh happily from my seat in the rows behind the players’ bench. “I’m so glad his dads aren’t here yet,” I tell Leighton. Her dad got her tickets, and she’s meeting up with some friends from college to watch the game, but she’s joined me here first.