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Chapter Twenty Seven

Victoria

The rest of the day passed in a blur of sore muscles and feet. Leighton insisted I needed to keep moving to minimize the soreness, and Dawn was happy to help me stay busy in the greenhouse. I listened to her talk about her plants and the job Ian picked up when he found he didn’t particularly care for the idleness of retirement, offering the occasional response when needed. Lunch was practically an on-the-go meal. Dawn and I ate sandwiches as we repotted plants. I nearly wept in relief when dinner time came because I could finally sit still. I fell on my food like a wild animal, all the extra activity heightening my appetite. I was so focused on my meal that I didn’t even notice Leighton had slipped away before anyone else was finished.

“Come on,Ma Petit,” Leighton said, appearing at my side as Dawn cleared the empty dinner dishes. “I’ve got something for you.”

“If it’s your dick, I don’t want it. Return to sender, recipient no longer at this address.”

Leighton threw his head back with a laugh before reaching a hand out to help me from my chair. “It’s not my dick… At least not right now.”

“It better not be,” I muttered, taking his hand and letting him pull me from my seat.

To my surprise, he led me into the bathroom, where a steaming bath was already drawn. The scent of lavender floated up on the steam, and there was the slight fizz of the last bits of a bath bomb in the water.

“I put epsom salt in there, it’s good for muscle aches. Thought after today, you could use a little pampering.” Leighton beamed. “I thought of this all by myself too.”

“This… this is so sweet,” I wasnotgoing to cry over a fucking bath, and yet my eyes burned. Traitors.

“Are you gonna get in?” He asked, his expression shifting into uncertainty.

“I mean, yeah, but I didn’t realize I was going to have an audience.” I replied.

“Oh, that’s because there’s more when you get in the tub and I promise it’sstillnot my dick.” He grinned.

I narrowed my eyes at him briefly, gauging his sincerity before stripping out of my clothes and easing myself into the hot water. A groan of relieved satisfaction slipped from my lips as I settled in, the heat soothing my aching muscles. The pop of a cap sounded from beside the tub, and I turned my head to find Leighton squirting body wash onto a washcloth.

He hadn’t been joking when he said he would pamper me. Not a single innuendo or sexually charged joke left his mouth as he washed, first my body and then my hair. He remained laser-focused on following my instructions when I walked him through properly washing my curls, and it was enough to make me practically melt into the bottom of the tub. When finished, he settled on the toilet and let me soak in silence until the water turned tepid.

“There’s just one more thing,” He said as he held out a fluffy white towel when I finally climbed from the bathtub.

“If it’s your dick,nowI’m receiving packages.” I winked.

“Okay,twomore things.” He laughed, making sure the towel was tucked around me tightly and then pulling me along toward his room. As soon as we were inside, he shut the door behind us and moved to light a candle on his dresser. “Lay face down on the bed so I can massage your muscles. Can’t have you getting a cramp when the package arrives.” He smirked.

“It was funny when I made it an innuendo, now it’s just cheesy,” I laughed.

I positioned myself on the bed so that I could lie on my stomach with my head turned toward Leighton. He opened the top drawer of his dresser and pulled out a bottle of massage oil before moving onto the bed beside me. Wordlessly, he set to work kneading the oil into my shoulders and began working his way down my body at an agonizingly slow pace. Each press of his hands had me melting further into the mattress until I was sure I would be nothing but a puddle by the time he was done. He’d just reached the arch of my second foot when there was a knock on his bedroom door. I was too relaxed to yell at whoever had the audacity to interrupt.

“We don’t want any!” Leighton called out.

I heard Craig’s laugh outside the door before it opened. “Have you seen—Ah, yes you have. There’s my Bunny.”

“I knew I should have locked that damned door, what do you want? I was just about to deliver a package, if you catch my drift, and you’re mucking up my mojo.” Leighton replied.

“Double deliveries? Is it my birthday?” I mumbled with a slight giggle.

“Delivery driversdosometimes work in pairs.” Craig said with a deep chuckle.

“Threesome? Alright, shut the fucking door,lock it, and grab the actual lube out of my dresser. I’ve got an idea.” Leightonsaid, his tone bright enough to cause me to roll over onto my back.

“That sounds concerning…” I laughed.

“I don’t know how to make this a package metaphor.” Leighton frowned. “So, let’s just go with two car garage.”

I heard the door shut and lock, Craig’s voice taking on a husky tone. “I’ve enjoyed double stuffed snacks before.”

Leighton’s head whipped toward Craig, and he let out a dramatic gasp as he clutched his chest. “Youbitch, how did I not know this?”