Leave a Trace

Chapter Twenty: Until You Fall Asleep

Chapter Twenty: Until You Fall Asleep

I get halfway down the driveway before his hand clasps around the top of my arm, forcing me to stop.

I could easily rip my hand from his grip but I don't.

"Rosie, baby girl, I'm not going to hurt you." He puts his hand over his heart. "I promise."

"I'm not ready. I'm not. I can't, I don't want to."

"Nobody is asking you to do anything." He promises. "Come on." He nudges me towards the front door and I find myself walking back through it. I throw my keys on the coffee table and he guides me back to the bedroom. "You can leave my shirt on, baby girl."

"Why did you want me to take it off?" I ask shakily.

He looks down, fiddling with his hand.

"I took a massage class...back in Spokane, because I found through my research about gymnastics that gymnasts are usually sore, and I know how that feels from when I played football. I saw you rolling your shoulders in the kitchen and I was going to give you a massage. I'm sorry baby girl. I didn't mean to push you out of your comfort zone."

He has done research to learn about my sport. He took a class to help me.

He moved across the country to be with me.

Without another word, I turn my back to him and pull his shirt over my head. I crawl into the bed and drop down on my stomach in the middle.

I feel the bed sink down with his weight.

"If it hurts, you have to tell me, okay?"

"Okay." I mumble.

He rubs lotion all over my back and I feel him pull down my spandex a little bit.

"I'm not taking them off." He says when I tense up. "I promise. Just relax, baby girl. I'm not Lucas, I'm Alexander."

His voice is so smooth and gentle. His hands are so warm.

"Zane." I murmur. "Every time I'm not in gymnastics, I think about dropping out."

His hands falter on my sink for a moment.

"Why?" He starts rolling out a knot on my lower back and I allow my eyes to slide shut.

"Because I missed you so much. I've missed everything, even how mad you make me when you hit on me in front of students."

"Why didn't you call me?" He wonders, his hands skating up to my neck. I feel him brush my hair aside. "I couldn't. I didn't want to hold you back. I didn't want to be selfish. You're the whole package, Zane, and I was certain you were in love."

"I am in love." He murmurs. "With you." His hands rub the sore spots on my shoulders. "Besides, I couldn't get a girlfriend anyways."

"Why?"

"Because nobody wants to be with a twenty six year old that has sole custody of a nine year old girl."

I swear I almost moan when he rubs one of my really tense spots. It feels so good.

"I love Alice." I say. "And I don't care if you have custody of her."

"Alice misses you. She really wants to go to the gym to watch you practice."

"She can come." I say. "Mrs. Bennett doesn't care."

"Can we come tomorrow?"

"Sure." I nod. "Zane, you need to understand that I don't have much time for a relationship. I'm in the gym from nine in the morning to nine at night if I'm not working. I only have Sunday's off and I get a break every four hours. I have a full routine that I can't break."