Fresh out of college, small town southern girl, Cassandra Simmons is ready to take the business world by storm. Too bad the employment climate in Los Angeles is a little cool at the moment. Well, let's just say it for what is: It's as frozen as a gl...
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Upon waking from a nap, I felt no desire to jump up from the bed in a hurry. I lazily blinked a few times then opened my eyes and smiled contentedly. Laying still, I listened to the muted sounds coming from other areas of the house while wiping the last remnants of sleep from my eyes. From the angle of the rapidly fading sun rays spilling across the floor, I could tell that dusk was fast approaching and soon it would be time for dinner.
Remembering the afternoon that Michael and I had shared a few hours past, I thought of his strong arms around me, the feel of them gently pulling me closer, his warm lips upon mine and the full length of their bodies pressed together. My pulse quickened with the thought and I knew that soon, we would be doing more than just sharing this bed.
I stretched and almost cried out in pain, for it seemed that every muscle in my body was stiff and unbearably sore and aching. I hadn't realized the unaccustomed exercise of the ride would affect me so. I could hardly move without groaning, but carefully eased myself to the edge of the bed and stood up. Rubbing my abused posterior in misery, I silently chastised myself for my lack of common sense. I should have known better than to overdo it, especially so soon after childbirth.
My slow movements about the room brought Katherine to the lower bedroom door, holding Lyric. She was fussy and wanting to be fed. My mother-in-law kept me company while I fed her and she saw me wince more than once as I tried to get comfortable in the rocking chair. After Lyric was once again asleep in the nursery, Katherine returned with me to the bedroom where she insisted that I allow her to rub me down with some linament balm that she swore by for aching muscles and joints.
I stripped to my bra and underwear and she hummed softly while applying the menthol smelling balm to my sorely misused body. She was adamant that it had to be massaged in and I groaned in misery as she rubbed vigorously, but once she was finished, I was grateful for her efforts. She helped me get changed into a light cotton sundress and then I made my way slowly and carefully down the stairs.
As I approached the foot of the stairs, Michael was there. He smiled in greeting but watching my slow and painful progress, his smile faded into concern. "Cassandra, what's wrong?"
I returned his question with an apologetic murmur, "I'm sorry, Michael. I'm afraid I overdid it this afternoon."
He laughed softly and offered his sympathy, not yet aware of the full import of my words. But as the evening wore on, his disappointment grew more evident, though he tried hard to hide it. I could tell that he was studying my agonizing movements and more than once, he caught my eye as I winced. I grimaced slightly as I lowered myself into the chair at the dinner table and squirmed uncomfortably until Katherine offered a pillow for me to sit on. While sitting through the meal, my muscles stiffened and I found it hard to rise.
"Here," Michael said while offering his arm, "let me help you. You should go and lie down."
As we moved slowly up the first few steps, I turned tearful eyes up to him and said, "Baby, please forgive me. I was wanting this night to be special and I'm afraid that I ruined it. Common sense is not one of my virtues apparently."
