"Mmmmmhhhhmmmm."
Behind Shane, Kim laughed at his contented murmur, but she did not lessen the pressure she was putting on his shoulders. "Your muscles are complete knots," Kim said. She pushed particularly hard on a large knot just above his scapula and felt Shane flinch.
"Too hard?" she asked. "Tell me if it hurts."
Under her hands, Shane tensed. "It doesn't hurt."
"Uh huh," she whispered in Shane's ear. "Don't you go playing nothing-hurts Mr. Macho." She pressed against the knot and felt it release simultaneous with another soft murmur from Shane. "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard."
"It was just a walk to the lake and back," he said.
Kim shook her head and slid around him on the rug so she could look into his face. "A walk to the lake and back, plus I bet you hardly stood still while Andrew rode his pony. That's pushing things."
He shrugged. "It's no big deal. Besides. . . ." He gave her a sly grin. "I knew you would gladly massage away all of my aches and pains in front of the fire."
Kim narrowed her eyes. "You're just terrible," she said. "As if it's not bad enough that I agreed with you not to punish Andrew-"
"I told you. . . . He was just defending me."
"It was still fighting." Kim's voice was even, but stern. "How will he learn that problem can't be solved with fists if you reward him for fighting?"
Shane scowled slightly. "I didn't reward him."
"Daddy walking all the way down to the stable to watch him ride isn't a reward?" Kim made it sound like that question was not subject to debate. A guilty look flashed across Shane's face and Kim wanted to roll her eyes. Sometimes he was just as much a little boy as Andrew. "It's okay - this once. We just need to emphasize that hitting other kids is not the way to resolve conflicts. Now . . . let me see those legs."
"The what?"
"Your legs," Kim said. She put a hand on his thigh. "If they're anything like your shoulders, they need a little massage. Well, more than a little."
Shane grimaced as he extended his right leg, confirming Kim's suspicions that he was sore. She was facing him, but slid back so that she was positioned by his foot. The she carefully slipped off his shoe and sock, pushed up the leg of his pants, and began massaging his right calf. He closed his eyes and took a sharp breath, which he held until he could exhale it slowly.
"Is that feeling better?" Kim asked. She kneaded the calf-muscles a little harder.
Shane nodded his answer, adding a soft moan as the muscle relaxed. So did the rest of him, Kim saw the way his head lolled to the side and he seemed to slide even lower along the end of the sofa that he had been leaning against. The waving light from the fireplace caused Shane's face to glow.
You're just putty in my hands, Kim thought as she switched her attention to his left leg. She helped him extend it so that she was settled in a spot between his legs and repeated what she had done to his right leg. Shane repeated his response - a slight hiss and his muscles tensed - but he soon relaxed again and let out another low moan.
The sound made Kim's heart beat a little faster and the heat she felt was not coming from the fireplace. Her hands slid a little higher over his knee and began working his lower thigh.
"Kim. . . ." Shane groaned as he sunk even lower.
"Like that?" she said in a teasing whisper. She did not need him to answer. The sounds he was making, the breaths which came faster and faster, and the way his head had fallen back against the sofa told her. From years of loving him, she knew exactly what he liked.
Kim had never intended to get him so aroused, but now that he was, why stop? Her own desire was growing. She could feel the heat spreading through her.
She continued the massage for a few more minutes, then pulled her hands away and slid forward on her knees until she loomed directly over him. His eyes were closed, but he opened them and gave her a soft smile.
"I think you're trying to seduce me?" he said.
"I think you're right," she said in a low voice as she leaned close. "How am I doing?"
His kiss told her she was doing just fine, and Kim responded in kind. She wanted him so much, she did not care if she seemed desperate. She pulled his shirt free of his pants and deftly flicked open the buttons. Her hands danced over his chest, but she had to look away from the scar running down it. Instead, she closed her eyes and kissed him again, a forceful, hungry kiss fueled by her desire.
Whatever was driving her had control of Shane. He unbuttoned her blouse and slipped it off her shoulders, exposing her overheated skin. Their bodies pressed close even as the kiss continued.
As they broke apart, Kim heard Shane's breath catch and dissolve into a choking gasp. Kim jerked back.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry." Guilt flooded her. "I wasn't thinking."
"No. . . ." Shane gasped. "It's . . . It's okay."
It was not okay. Kim could see in his face that he was struggling to breathe. She pulled away, shifting back onto her heels. "I shouldn't have provoked you."
Shane reached a hand out. "You didn't hurt me. I'm okay."
"But you're not supposed to be pushing yourself," Kim reminded him.
"I'm getting stronger," Shane said sharply. "I'm not some invalid."
She could hear the frustration and embarrassment in his voice. If she were to admit it, she was feeling rather frustrated herself. But she shunted that thought aside. Taking his hand, Kim rubbed the back of Shane's it and gave him a sympathetic look. "There's no need to rush anything. We have a lifetime together. We can wait until the doctors say its okay."
"We don't need a doctor's bloody approval," Shane insisted.
She had to laugh at his impatience and pulled her blouse back over her shoulders. Shane scowled, then sighed, apparently because he knew she would not relent.
"I will get better," he said in a determined voice.
"I know," Kim said. She turned and leaned against him, the back of her head resting against his bare chest. Shane took a deep breath and then wrapped an arm around her. She sighed and snuggled closer to him. Sex could wait. They could just hold each other and, for now, that was more than enough for her.