Page 53 of Restoration
It’s another miracle that it feels okay in my stomach and doesn’t come back up.
When he’s assured himself that I’m okay, Edmund begins our morning chores. He doesn’t take the raft out today—we can manage a day without fish—but he does go collect fresh coconuts and some other fruit.
He convinces me to try a banana, and I take little nibbles until I’ve actually managed to finish it. After that, I’m so exhausted that I have to lie down again, and it’s not long before I’m asleep.
***
FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, Edmund won’t let me do anything other than eat, drink, and rest even though I’m feeling a lot stronger by the second day.
He does all of our work himself. It takes him twice as long, and he gives himself extra duties in taking care of my needs, even ones I could manage myself.
I always knew Edmund had a kind heart. I never would have agreed to work for him longer than a temp job had I not recognized within a month or two that he has a vast amount of compassion and empathy hiding behind his teasing nonchalance and self-indulgence.
But I’ve never actually seen him work very hard. Not until we got stuck on this island.
Some people are exactly what they appear, but others can manage to surprise you—even after years. Edmund has surprised me.
He’s shown himself to be stronger and more committed than I ever would have suspected, with more endurance, grit, and resilience than I would have thought possible three months ago when he was on the floor of the entry hall, high on whatever designer drug Kontessa gave him.
I’ve taken care of him innumerable times over the years, but until now I’ve never actually experienced him taking care of me with anything except money.
The walls I’ve always used as an emotional barrier against feeling too much for him are being ruthlessly battered as the weeks progress. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep my heart safe from him.
In the afternoon of the third day after I was sick, I decide to take a swim. Edmund insists I take it easy, but it feels good to finally stretch my body. I’m still not eating quite as much as normal, but I’m getting close.
Tomorrow I might be back to my normal self.
I lie on a towel to dry after I swim, starting on my back and then turning over onto my stomach. I’ve been sleeping half the day away lately, but I’m still about to drift off in another nap when someone touches my foot.
I know it’s Edmund, but I jerk away anyway.
He chuckles and takes my foot back in his hand to stretch my leg again.
“What are you doing?”
He shows me our bowl of coconut oil, and I smile to give him my approval.
A few weeks ago, we experimented by smashing coconut meat with forks and then squeezing out the milk. We left a glass of it out overnight—purely by accident—and the top of it curdled, leaving the oil separated out in the bottom.
We make the oil on purpose now and have been using it on our skin, and it’s really helped make it softer and healthier—and also helps the sunburns I occasionally get.
Edmund starts on my feet, rubbing the oil in and massaging them at the same time.
It feels so good, and I sigh and relax on my towel, enjoying the sensation of being well and having Edmund touch me this way.
He’s got long, strong fingers, and they know what they’re doing. Slowly he massages his way up one leg and then the other, kneading the muscles, focusing on the tense areas, and pressing into trigger points until they release.
By the time he’s gotten to the top of my left thigh, I’m having to resist the urge to moan out loud.
“Can I take off your clothes so I can keep going?” His voice is soft and uninflected.
I’m only wearing my thin panties and tank top, and he’s regularly seen me naked for a month and a half now. So I don’t even hesitate. “Yeah. Please.”
“Listen to you saying please.” It sounds like he’s smiling as he gently pulls my panties down my legs and then takes off my tank top.
I settle back on the towel on my stomach, stretching my arms down at my sides. “I say please.”
“Sometimes. It depends on the context.” He’s rubbing the warm oil into my butt now, massaging the muscles and stroking down toward my thighs.