THREE: Vanilla Down Your Throat

5: You Ready to Sweat?

Frank made his way downstairs just as Lindsey was piling her blond hair into a large clip on top of her head in an effortlessly pretty style. She gave him a kind smile, "You look a little pale, sweetie."

"I feel like shit, too," he couldn't help but whine, "Like I've been run over by an eighteen-wheeler. Twice."

"Sounds like it, too." She chuckled as she grabbed her purse and keys and practically bundled her husband's submissive into her Beetle before she climbed into the driver's side. Frank watched as they reversed out of the garage and waited for the enormous front gates to close before they drove off. The sky was a mockingly bright shade of blue - completely cloudless - and it hurt to look at in retrospect, but Frank was still trying to shake his ghoulish mood. 

"So, what exactly are we doing today? I've never had a spa day."

She smiled as she turned out of their neighborhood and onto the freeway, "A massage and a facial-" She paused, "Although, I think it's different to the facials you're used to."

Frank couldn't help the blush that settled over his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, his eyes immediately averting gaze to anything other than the playful glance he had received, "C'mon, Linds. Nooo."

She let out a tinkling laugh as they stopped at a set of traffic lights, "Do you have anything you've ever wanted to ask me? We haven't really ever spent time together since you came back. I know he occupies a lot of your time and all, but the situation is a little odd, I suppose."

Frank tilted his head and turned to look at her, surprised by the attempt at camaraderie on her behalf, "I- Uh, I-I don't know. I don't wanna be rude, Linds. Or nosy."

Her luscious pout pulled into another smile, showing off her immaculate teeth, as she patted the top of his head in an act of affection that felt both motherly and also condescending in the same way that Gerard did when he was oozing 'Dom'. She pulled away from the lights to continue driving, "I don't mind at all. I know way too much about you already - it's only fair that we share."

Frank smiled and touched the top of his head where he felt the touch linger, patting his hair down a little, "I have always wondered... So, I mean, it's so great that you're doing all of this for G and stuff. And it's clearly working out so well but... Isn't it lonely for you? Do you not want a relationship or something? I mean, you can't even bring someone home. It's probably so hard to find someone who won't rat you out after hooking up."

She took a sip from her water bottle and set it down again before answering, her smile still present but a little lacking in the corners, "I've never been into relationships much. My parents divorced and they each had a succession of super shit relationships after that, too. It never made sense. You'd be surprised how many men are intimidated by me, Frank, I'm not really a romantic person and I find it odd to put a man or a partner ahead of the career I've worked my ass off for, especially when most men want to be worshipped like a king when they can't even make a coffee. Personal opinion, of course." 

Frank nodded as he listened, watching as they turned onto the highway and slowed to a crawl behind a stream of cars. Lindsey continued, "And sex-wise? I've never been interested in sex - even as a teenager. I get as far as masturbation and even then it's hit or miss. Sometimes it disgusts me but every now and again it helps with stress if I can't find anything that helps. Well, okay, it disgusts me more than a little. I just didn't wanna be rude since, y'know... it's clearly important to you and your relationship."

She smiled at him and he couldn't help but return the gesture with a bashful chagrin, "Well, then you're living the best possible life for you, right? No one's bugging you for not having a relationship and you can just, uh, do your thing. That's so dope, honestly."