“You can’t rush quality.” He tested the temperature of the oil before dribbling it over her back.

She took a deep inhale that evolved into a sigh when he began kneading her tight muscles. “Oh God, Paul. That feels so good.”

“Relax. Let me take care of you.” Starting at her shoulders, he worked his way down slowly, giving careful attention to every inch of her back and then her legs, saving her sexy ass for last. As he ran his hands over her cheeks, squeezing and massaging, he noticed the subtle lift of her hips, the slight squirm of her body, and realized she was fully aroused. “Everything okay down there?”

“Mmm, so okay. Never been better.”

That was exactly what he wanted to hear. He let his fingers slide into the deep valley between her cheeks, drawing a gasp of surprise followed by a moan of pleasure from her when he encountered the abundant proof of her arousal. Hooking his arm around her waist, he drew her up to her knees and put two pillows under her hips.

“P-Paul, what’re you doing?”

“Relax, sweetheart. I’m taking care of you. Just let go and enjoy.” Mindful of her soreness, he gently ran his fingers over her clit, retreating to slide them into her and then repeating it again and again. Then he added his tongue, pressing it to her clit as he pushed his fingers into her.

She exploded, crying out as the orgasm hit her hard and fast.

He stayed with her until the contractions eased and he retreated slowly as the aftershocks made her tremble. “Ready to do the front now?”

Hope released a tremulous laugh. “I’m ready to sleep for about twelve hours after that.”

He removed the pillows and helped her turn over.

Looking up at him with eyes gone liquid with satisfaction, she offered a tentative smile. “You give a great massage.”

“It’s my happy endings special.”

When she laughed, her whole body got in on it, and a deep sense of longing overtook him. He wanted to make her laugh every day for the rest of their lives, if only she would let him.

“What are you thinking right now?” she asked. “You look so serious.” With her hair spread out on the pillow and her face flushed from her orgasm, she was more beautiful than she’d ever been before.

“That I like to hear you laugh.”

“It’s nice to have something to laugh about again. Something other than the antics of a seven-year-old boy, which can be quite funny.”

“I want to keep making you laugh after we get home.”

“That would be nice.”