Page 4 of The Countess's Awakening (The Lovers’ Arch #3)
CHAPTER 4
E sther lay in the pleasantly warm room, under Wang’s skilled ministrations, and she couldn’t remember ever being so comfortable, or so relaxed.
He started on her legs, massaging the calves, sliding up her oiled skin with exquisite pressure. His hands kneaded, rolled, and pressed, dragging little moans of pleasure from her lips. Sounds she unsuccessfully tried to bury in the towel she was using as a pillow. Why had she hesitated so much to allow this? It felt divine.
When his hands slid upward past her knees, her womanly core clenched in anticipation. But of course, he didn’t go there. His hands reversed their course and slid downward again. Toward her calves and feet. Shameless woman that she was, she almost groaned in frustration. But everything he was doing felt too good for her to complain.
He spent quite some time on her feet. Pressing certain points on her sole, then bending her knees and rolling her feet while supporting her ankles.
The blanket settled over her legs, covering her lower body. She had a moment of disappointment that the delicious massage had ended, before he grabbed the upper edge of the blanket and his voice, low and intimate, murmured.
“May I?”
“Yes,” she said, and nodded her head for good measure.
Wang lowered the blanket to her waist, exposing her back. She felt a moment of vulnerability before his warm, oiled hands descended on her. Gliding, kneading. Finding aching points and working them with gentle pressure until she felt as soft as warmed honey. His thumbs glided the entire length of her spine, and then his hands fanned out to her sides over her shoulder blades. She could not contain the groan of pure pleasure that emanated from deep in her soul.
His hands paused. “Are you well, my lady?”
“Yes. Oh, yes. Please, don’t stop. That feels”—another moan of pure, unadulterated pleasure momentarily interrupted her speech—“amazing.”
She heard his low chuckle but was too relaxed to care. This almost felt like imbibing too much wine. Inhibitions lowered, cares and worries melted away until only this ecstasy mattered.
When he had reduced her to the pliancy of warm wax, she felt his fingers focusing on specific points along her spine, her hips, the back of her knees. They felt like butterfly touches. She imagined him placing the tiny needles he had spoken about, and she remained unnaturally still, not wanting to disrupt the process. So far it had not hurt, just as he promised, but she feared if she moved, they would poke her.
“That’s it,” he said, stepping back from her body. “Now we wait for a few minutes. To allow the needles to do their job.”
“Hmm. If they are supposed to give me strength, I don’t think it will work,” she murmured, turning her head to the side to watch Wang, who had taken a seat on a nearby bench set against the wall.
He frowned. “Why? Do you feel any discomfort? Weakness?”
“I’m certainly weak.” She smiled. “I feel like I’m floating on a cloud. My limbs are the consistency of molten wax.”
A warm, gentle chuckle escaped his lips. “I’m glad I could bring you relief, my lady.”
“You brought more than relief. You brought absolute pleasure.”
Goodness gracious. Had she really said that? Her tongue had loosened along with her limbs and her inhibitions. Despite the heat of the room that warmed her entire body, an additional flush rose to her face. She hoped he attributed her rising color to the surrounding heat rather than her embarrassment.
He said nothing, merely inclined his head in acknowledgment. But was it her imagination that his gaze seemed to smolder as he contemplated her? The moment became charged. Awareness tingled along her naked body, and her heartbeat accelerated. She needed a distraction.
“So, tell me, Mr. Wang, are these traditional medical treatments in China?”
“Yes. Along with acupressure, moxibustion, certain exercises, and herbal medicines and poultices.”
“And do you only practice Chinese medicine, or have you adopted some of our Western practices as well?”
“In New York, while working with Colin, I learned about traditional western medicine as well. We used both in the hospital we founded and achieved much success treating patients with a mix of the two.”
“How long have you known Lord Hartfield?”
“Going on sixteen years now.”
“How did you two meet?” It seemed like an unlikely friendship. And yet she could see the genuine affection and respect between the two men.
Wang smiled, reminiscing. “During a riot, if you can believe it.”
Esther gasped, her interest piqued. If she could, she would have sat up to hear the tale.
“Oh, do tell. That sounds like an extremely interesting story.”
“It was outside the Astor Place Opera House. Apparently, there was some rivalry between two actors, which spilled onto their followers and sparked tension between the upper and lower classes. We learned this later. At the time, I was walking by when I heard the angry shouts and sounds of a brawl. I almost turned around and went another way to avoid the mob, but then I spotted this young man and a lady being accosted by a group of men.”
“Colin and his mother, I assume,” Esther interjected into the pause.
Wang nodded. “The lad’s fighting skills were non-existent, but he fought with great courage, attempting to defend the lady, who was also trying to fight off the attackers with an umbrella. I thought that four grown men against one lad and a lady were uneven odds, so I jumped into the fight. Within seconds, the men were retreating, the fight almost over. That would have been the end of it. Then shots rang out. At that moment, Colin barreled into me from behind and would have tumbled me to the ground if not for my training. As it was, I still felt the impact of the bullet when it hit him.”
Esther gasped. “Colin was shot?”
“Yes. He saw the guard aiming at me and jumped in front of the bullet. Probably saved my life that night.”
She really wished she could move now. But not only was she pinned in place by her infirmity and the needles, she was also naked and standing from her prone position would have exposed her. So she stayed put.
“So he took the bullet instead? What happened to him? Did you heal him?”
Wang shook his head. “He wasn’t harmed. He was wearing a brace for his back, and the leather and metal contraption around his torso stopped the bullet. Still, it was mighty courageous on his part to step into the path of a bullet. Especially to save a stranger. It proved my initial assessment of his bravery.”
“You had stepped in to help him as well,” Esther suggested softly.
“Still, few Englishmen would have risked his life for a Chinese person.”
She thought she detected an edge to his words. Had he suffered discrimination because of his origins? As soon as the question formed, she knew the answer. Of course he had. Her own class discriminated against people for the unfortunate circumstance of not having a title attached to their names, even when they had been born in the same land. How much more would they hold prejudice against a foreigner? Someone who looked different and whose language and culture they couldn’t understand. People often let fear of the unknown overshadow what they should celebrate and share.
“I’m glad he did,” she breathed, but with true conviction.
If Colin hadn’t, this incredible man might have perished that day. She might have never met him, and all their lives might have been poorer for it. It would have been a terrible waste.
“And then you became friends?”
A corner of Wang’s mouth hitched up. “Something like that. He brushed away my gratitude and instead thanked me for coming to their aid. My fighting style impressed him, so he pestered me until I agreed to teach him to fight.”
“So you taught him how to fight and about medicine, too?”
“No. He was already a student at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. I suspect his own medical challenges gave him an interest in medicine and surgery. He didn’t even find out I was a doctor until several months into our acquaintance.”
“How so? Did you not want him to find out?”
A small shrug. “I wasn’t practicing medicine at the time. Hadn’t been for a few years. Ever since I left my country. There was no point in talking about it.”
“Why were you not practicing? You obviously love helping people. I’m proof of it.”
“It’s time to remove the needles and return home,” he said, standing. “The owner was adamant that we only had the use of this place for one hour.”
That might be true, but his face had shuttered. She had touched on a sensitive subject, and she had no right to pry. For now, at least. Now that she had caught a glimpse of his past, she couldn’t wait to peer more closely into his hidden depths.