He had a few things still going for him. He face was a mess, his body was worse but he felt bloody lucky he still had his genitals left and he thanked God for small mercies. He’d heard horror stories of some men having them blown off and he was mightily glad that hadn’t been the case for him…not that he expected to use the damn things again for anything other than everyday bodily functions. No one was going to look at him willingly as a sexual partner.
He wondered if there was anyone locally who he could pay to come and help him burn off a bit of the excess frustration. He doubted it highly but he would have to look into it. He couldn’t face the idea of never having sex again. He was only thirty, far too young to give up thoughts of that sort, though he’d not even considered indulging with anyone else since he had met Geraldine. He gave a shiver of revulsion at the thought of paying for someone to come and service him. It didn’t bear thinking about and he hung his head for even momentarily considering doing such a thing.
His face contorted as pain lanced his already broken heart and a lone tear trickled from his mangled eye. He couldn’t think beyond the flirtatious French woman whose perfume filled the château corridors and whose gentle singing wafted out at him from where she bustled about in the bedrooms helping Ellen hang drapes and position cushions.
How on earth had he ever thought someone as beautiful as Geraldine would ever want to be with someone as destroyed as him? He almost gagged as he thought about how she would view him.
He calmed his raging heart and stopped thinking about it. He had to. He had to face her that afternoon for the first time since discovering that she belonged to another man and there was no way he could break down in front of her. It just wasn’t going to happen. After all, he still had his pride. Maybe it didn’t count for much but he couldn’t ever let Geraldine think that he was weak in any way.
He pulled back his shoulders and began marching back to the château. If he kept up a good pace he’d be there just about in time for the torture of spending an afternoon with the woman. Facials? He didn’t have a clue what that might entail and wasn’t sure that he wanted to find out given the state of his own features. A massage he could probably cope with so long as he didn’t disgrace himself by becoming aroused. Any woman touching him and he would instantly be dreaming of Geraldine’s gentle, oiled hands sliding all over his body. Sweat broke out on his brow as his imagination suddenly went wild. The thought was just too much. If he had to have a flipping massage then he wanted to make damn sure that the masseur was a man. That thought sobered him up and was suddenly a deep consideration, one which he bet neither Ellen or Geraldine would think of.
There was no way that their château could be caught up in anything remotely sleazy. Offering treatments sounded very relaxing but if any other guests were thinking or felt the same way he did then there were going to have to be some very strict rules in place to protect not only the serviceman or woman but the masseuse themselves.
He began puffing hard as he came through the woods to the château. The beautiful old place gleamed with freshly cleaned stone. It really was the most wonderful place to live. He only wished he was living with the most wonderful woman too.
He pushed open the front doors and stopped as he saw Ellen and Geraldine standing side by side in the hall. Geraldine had a pile of towels in her hands. She smiled at him radiantly as Ellen spoke up.
“David! At last. Delphine was becoming worried that you had chickened out. She needs you for the facial right now. Nicole is coming in an hour to test out her massage on you too. It looks as though you are going to be in for a relaxing afternoon.”
David scowled at her as he desperately tried to ignore Geraldine.
“Do I even want to know what a facial is? You know that my skin is tender still, don’t you? I’m not sure that I want anyone messing about with it.”
It was Geraldine’s turn to speak.
“That’s why we need to test the facial out. Delphine hasn’t given any scarred person this treatment before. She wants to know how she may ‘ave to advance her skills. You are the perfect candidate.” She frowned and looked quizzically over his face as if searching for something.
David grunted at her words.
“I’m perfect because I’m covered in the damn things? Thanks!” He spoke bitterly and Geraldine took a shocked step backwards as he stomped off towards the door that led down to the cellar.
“David?” Ellen followed quickly after him. “What’s the matter?” She was clearly concerned.
David ignored his sister’s shouts and peered into one of the treatment rooms. He found a blonde haired woman dressed in a long white jacket laying out some oils on a counter.
“Delphine?” David asked and the woman nodded as she looked up.
She held out her hand to him and he grasped it quickly before depositing himself in the chair by her side. She shook her head and indicated a cubicle to the rear of the room.
“If you would go to the changing room and remove your clothes. Put on this robe and then lay on the bed if you please Monsieur.” She patted the thickly padded couch.
David looked momentarily confused.
“I thought you were doing the facial and Nicole the massage.”
Delphine nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes, that’s right but the creams tend to spread down your neck and shoulders. It’s very relaxing too. You might fall asleep and it’s so much more comfortable if you are free from any restriction. Just take off your clothes and then come back to the bed. You can keep your underwear on if that makes you any happier. Nicole may want you to remove them for the massage but I will be fine either way.”
David’s confusion deepened but then he shrugged and moved into the cubicle. He heard the outside door open and then Ellen spoke.
“He found you then? Sorry he was late. I have no idea what he’s been up to. Do you still have time to go over things?”
Delphine answered quickly.
“Of course Madame, I need to learn from this. If Geraldine could just sit by quietly and take any notes that would be most helpful.”
Ellen excused herself as she was about to see the pool guy.
David threw back the curtain and stomped out of the cubicle wearing a thick white dressing gown tied tightly at the waste. His metal legs looked strange poking out from beneath the gown and for just one moment he wished he’d gone for the latex covered ones. They didn’t have the mobility but they looked a whole lot more normal. He thought about ordering a pair and made a mental note to call his technician as soon as possible.
He ignored Geraldine again as he slid onto the bed and lay down on his back.
Delphine pushed his gown from his shoulders and then began speaking in low tones to him.
“Tell me if anything is remotely uncomfortable. I’m going to start by covering your face with a gentle cream.” David was about to protest that his face could only have certain types of cream on it when she spoke again. “It’s okay. I already have the medical records needed. I won’t put anything on you that will irritate your skin. Now try to relax and just let me know if you are in any discomfort at all.”
The woman’s fingers were warm as they brushed lightly across the skin of his face. She moved them firmly under his chin and for the merest moment he thought he might laugh, he was incredibly ticklish on his neck but the sensation wasn’t anything like a tickle. She used the whole of her hand in the most relaxing way, moving the muscles along his jaw, making small circular movements down over his cheekbones with her thumbs and then up to the bridge of his misshapen nose. By the time she had reached his temples he was completely under her thrall and nothing could have made him move from the bed.
“God! That’s wonderful. So relaxing,” he murmured quietly, not want to break the spell.
“Good, now close your eyes.” Her gentle accent wafted over him. Similar to Geraldine’s but not quite the same. He wished that she wasn’t quite so close, he could almost hear her breathing as Delphine warmed
the cream on his skin and he could think of nothing but how good he felt as Geraldine’s perfume crossed the room and wafted around him.
Delphine moved her fingertips across his eyelids, down the centre of his nose and back around to beneath his ears. Her hands slid down under his chin, along the column of his throat and splayed out over the tops of his shoulders before swirling back up to his face again.
David didn’t know when he dropped off to sleep. One moment he was awake with the soft cream being massaged gently into his scrubby chin and the next he was somewhere on a cloud of white fluffiness, his whole body suspended in a warm cocoon of relaxation. He felt himself breathing deeply and he could hear Delphine’s gentle voices explaining what she was doing but he could do nothing to rouse himself and if the truth be told he didn’t want to.
At some point he began to dream. He wasn’t sure if he wanted a dream like this. He knew it couldn’t be real but it felt so damned good he let himself fall into it.
Geraldine leaned over him and kissed him gently on the lips. She turned so that she was above him and began trailing her tongue down his neck. It was only as she reached his chest that he realized she was naked, her full, succulent breasts just inches from his face, her ripe, rose tinged nipples grazing across his lips as she kissed downwards over his rippling pectorals.
The air rushed out of him as she pressed a nipple closer and he opened his mouth. She lowered the juicy morsel and he closed his lips over her warm skin, sucking greedily on the tightened bud of pleasure. He tried to raise his hands to touch her other breast, wanting to feel the weight of the glorious mound in his palm as he licked at her delicious flesh but something prevented him. He reluctantly released Geraldine’s breast from his greedy lips, turned his head to look down at his hands and saw that they were chained to something on the floor. He turned his head slightly more, desperate to get rid of the confining weight and then reeled back as he saw burning tyres lying on the ground beneath the bed. His arms chained to them, holding him to the metal frame as the flames licked higher and higher towards his fingers.
He began to struggle against his bonds but the bright burning flames seared his palms now and he began screaming. He couldn’t lose any other part of his body. He couldn’t let his hands burn. How would he hold Geraldine in his arms? How would he caress her tender skin or touch her silky hair? He writhed frantically against the chains and suddenly he felt something cool pressing against his forehead.
Calmness overcame him as an angel called his name and slid her gentle hands to his shoulders, shaking him gently. He heard Geraldine speaking to him and he struggled to wake but suddenly there was another face staring at him.
Short dark hair, grey green eyes, a perfectly straight nose, high cheekbones and a fashionably dimpled chin covered with dark stubble. Perfectly arched lips split into a wide, non threatening smile. The man spoke in a deep French accent.
“Hello David, you ugly bastard. I’m Jules and you can go and rot in hell!” and then he suddenly pulled out a huge, serrated knife and began sawing off David’s hands.
The vision disappeared and David shot bolt upright on the bed, screaming for the man to stop cutting him as Geraldine fought to keep him from falling to the floor. Heart pounding he looked around the room wildly. No flames, no chains, no huge knife. Delphine stood against the wall pulling in great lungsful of air while Geraldine spoke to him softly and held his shoulders firmly.
“David, it’s okay. Stop shouting. You were just dreaming.”
David wiped his hand across his sweating brow.
“I know. I knew I was dreaming but I couldn’t stop it.” His words came out fast, almost jumbled, such was his distress. “Christ! That was awful. I thought I was burning again.” He gulped noisily as Delphine handed him a glass of water.
“I’m sorry,” She gasped, obviously still frightened by his outburst.
David immediately calmed down. It wasn’t this woman’s fault he had bad dreams. It was hardly surprising given what he had been through but it did make him think.
“Not your fault Delphine. The facial was actually gorgeous, but we definitely need to rethink something if it makes you drop off to sleep like that. I could have hurt you.”
Geraldine shook her head.
“You were only shouting and thrashing about a little. I was more worried that you were dreaming something dreadful and would fall from the bed.” David looked at her carefully for the first time in a week as he wondered if he had shouted any names. There were some new stress lines around her eyes and she wasn’t smiling.
David couldn’t bear her concern. He had to lighten the atmosphere. He quirked up the corner of his mouth.
“It wasn’t all bad, you know. There were some definite plus points to the dream. Two very particular ones that I wouldn’t have minded making a better acquaintance with.” He couldn’t help dropping his gaze to her chest and when he tore it back up to her eyes again she was blushing furiously. She stepped away from the bed as David swung his legs over the side. Delphine passed him a towel and he quickly wiped his clammy face. His fingers touched his skin and he smiled widely.
“That actually feels wonderful. Best it’s felt since I was burned.” He frowned slightly. “We’re going to need a discussion about this. Obviously the facial was great but you can’t have guys like me going off into random dreams like that. We’re trained killers, anything could happen. Let’s go and talk to Ellen and see if she has any ideas.” He levered himself from the bed and walked out of the door still in the dressing gown.
Ellen was talking to the pool guy, peering at the various samples of water held in vials in his hand. She looked up as David approached.
“What was all the shouting about? Did Delphine tickle you?” She stared at his face. “Wow, you look good, your skin is all smooth.”
David felt his own cheeks again. They did feel good. He smiled grimly at Ellen.
“Yes, trouble is that it came at the cost of a nasty dream. I could have hurt Delphine if Geraldine hadn’t woken me in time. We’re going to have to see what we can do. I had no idea that a simple face massage would send you off to sleep like that. It was beyond relaxing.”
Immediately concerned Ellen quickly finished with the pool man and then led them all back into the kitchen. She made tea and coffee while they sat around the table.
“So what do we do? That dream might have just been you. Not everyone reacts in the same way. I bet some people don’t even fall asleep.”
David snorted in derision.
“Have you ever had one of those facial things? I never felt more relaxed in my life. In any case, I don’t think we should take that chance. I think Delphine and Nicole should either have someone with them or maybe the guest could have a chaperone.”
Geraldine spoke up.
“I may not be able to be there every time. If anyone needs my assistance with anything else that is my main concern.”
Ellen nodded and then looked at Delphine.
“Is there anything you can do to stop clients dropping off? Can you bring an assistant with you or do you have any other suggestions?”
Delphine shrugged.
“I never tried keeping someone awake. The whole point is that you relax. Nearly all my clients fall to sleep at some point. I might be able to find an assistant though.”
David snorted again.
“Forget it. No offense intended but you’d need about five women of your size to hold back one of us guys if we had real intentions of hurting you.”
Geraldine sipped her tea and then spoke up again.
“But you weren’t trying to ‘urt anyone. I only woke you because you seemed so distressed. You were struggling on the bed but you weren’t attempting to do anything else. Maybe we ‘ave over reacted ‘ere.”
David glanced at her. Her deep green eyes looked right back at him and his heart jolted as he tried to keep his mind away from the dangers of the dream. The thought of how her delicious breasts would feel against his lips w
as something he didn’t want to have on his mind right now.
“Perhaps you’re right. We just need something in case of emergency, if Delphine still feels comfortable giving the massage after my stupid display. The treatment room’s quite big; we could always have Nicole and Delphine in doing massage and facial at the same time. I don’t think our boys would mind and it could kill two birds with one stone actually.
I was thinking this morning about our reputation. This massage thing is great but if anyone wants to slander us then that would be one of the easiest ways to do it. Just send out a rumour, however untrue, about the nature of our services and we’ll be closed down. If there were two guys in the room I think they would probably talk to one another rather than go to sleep anyway but at least if the women were working on two clients they would have the back up of each other if one of the guests fell to sleep and had awful dreams. We would certainly be more secure in our reputation. We could put a panic alarm in too.” He wiped his hand over his brow again as he thought of his awful dream.
Ellen frowned curiously at her brother.
“What were you dreaming about anyway? You never had many dreams when you were at home, not even after your injuries.”
David shrugged. He could hardly confess to dreaming about fondling Geraldine’s ample breasts and he didn’t even want to think about the last part of the dream. It was bad enough having his hands cut off but the fact that Geraldine’s boyfriend was doing the surgery was too much to bear.
“It was nothing. Just weird that’s all.” He dismissed Ellen’s concern but glanced up at Geraldine. She gave him one quick flick of her green eyes and then kept them down and didn’t say anymore.
Nicole came in a few minutes later and David went back down to the treatment room with the three women in tow. This time he had to remove his prosthetics and they all laughed as they agreed that having no legs was a distinct disadvantage if you were going to attack someone. David hid a smile as he conceded that even Ellen was probably able to outrun him. Maybe they wouldn’t need a chaperone after all.
Scarred Beginnings (Scarred Series Book 2) Page 9