So I just bolted this one out is a jiff. Hope you like it.
Mark stretched his back again, trying to massage the massive kinks and strained muscles. It only seemed to make it worse.
And this was something that didn't go unnoticed by the beautiful Indian genius. She furrowed her brows and walked up to him, little sister in tow.
"Mark, are you alright?" She asked with a measure of concern as he tries to smile, grimacing instead. Placing her free hand on her hip, she gave him a pointed look.
"I just jacked my back when I was otg a few days ago." He admitted to the sixteen year old Shannon.
"Oh thank God." She sighed before her face frowned in worry. "Why haven't you seen my mother?"
"Can we go back to the, 'oh thank God' thing first?" He was confused, but Zoe began giggling. He kneeled down as best he could without falling over from the pain to look at the little girl next to his girlfriend. "Do you know what she means?"
"Maddy," the little one smiled at the soldier, "was sad because she said you didn't like the dinner she cooked for you when you came back, she said you kept on grunting and wiggling."
Mark stood up and looked at the older girl, "Oh…Maddy the meal was great and I didn't mean to upset you babe."
"Thanks, but why didn't you at least see my mother?" Her voice was laced with worry, the very thing he didn't want to hear.
"She said that the pain would go away soon." He managed a smile and pulled her to him, kissing her quick to avoid being chastised for mixing business with pleasure. "Listen I get off in a couple of hours, can I come over to see you?" he still held her in his arms and smiled when she nodded happily.
He waved goodbye to the girls, turned back to his rounds and continued to fight the overwhelming pain.
Mark knocked on the front door of the Shannon home, his back stiffening painfully when Mr. Shannon opened the door and scowled at him.
Jim was about to send Mark away when Maddy rushed from her room and smiled at him, beckoning him inside.
"Just sit on my bed, I'll be right back." With that she left him in her room as she walked down the hall.
"Her room was neat, but he couldn't tell the color of her bed spread because there was some kind of random blue sheet covering it. And on a shelf was a picture frame with a black and white photo of an old man.
"Here it is," she sang, entering the room, holding a honey colored bottle, and standing next to him, "Take your shirt off."
He stared at her with confusion and smiled wickedly, "Shouldn't you buy me dinner first?" He chuckled when her eyes narrowed and she swatted his arm.
"Take your shirt off and lay on your stomach." Maddy restated before he did as he was told. Once his upper body was bare he laid out across her bed, chin on his forearms, but facing the door and grimacing as his body protested each movement. "Just relax." Her voice calmed him but he tensed when he felt her sit on his thighs.
Mark was about to ask what she was doing when he felt slick, warm hands press into his shoulders and move in circles. His screaming muscles quieted at the smooth hands gliding over his skin and easing the pain.
He closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage that his loving girlfriend was giving him. And if she did this for him every night, there was no questioning that he would make her his wife.
He ground his teeth when Maddy's hands moved lower and started kneading at the most agonizing muscles. Little by little she was able to massage the ache out and now her hands worked his whole back to relax him for the evening.
"Maddy," he twisted slightly to look at her smiling face, "you're amazing." The last part came out as a strained groan when she slid the heel of her palm up his spine, causing pops to sound from it several times.
Jim Shannon stood at the door to his daughter's room, listening. He was about to leave them alone, Elizabeth had threatened him with the prospect of sleeping on the couch, when Reynolds groaned from the inside.
The muffled 'you're amazing sent him into full protective dad mode AND cop mode, ready to beat the pulp out of the kid.
Slamming open the door, he was met with a interesting sight. Mark laying out on the bed and Maddy sitting on him, oiled hands at his shoulders.
"Dad," Maddy's already flushed cheeks turned tomato red, "Mark was hurt and I thought a massage would be best for him."
"Well that's a wonderful idea." Elizabeth smiled and grabbed her husband's arm, dragging him away. He whined about how they couldn't trust Mark, but she wasn't hearing any of it.
Mark had honestly thought he was going to be skinned alive by Mr. Shannon but thankfully Mrs. Shannon had saved him.
"He's not getting a knife to skin me with is he?" He asked, his face still pale.
"No," she assured and leaned down to press kisses to the nape of his neck giggling when he sucked in air, "let's just finish what we started." Her magic fingers ghosting over his arms.