I was no longer visiting Doctor Morgan in her office since I now found myself bunking in her home. She had an amazing townhouse in a fancy complex that was far too elegant for my tastes. The dwelling was located in one of the ritzier parts of the city, and I felt out of place the instant I first walked up to the door leading into her home.

Going back to that first night, the storm had really started the moment we pulled into her place. A downpour had us drenched by the time we reached her front door as lightning lit the sky. Upon setting foot in her townhome, both of us just exchanged glances before bursting out in laughter. I don’t know why, but letting out the loud cachinnations with her made me feel like a kid again.

“My goodness!” Freya exclaimed as she set her purse down on a nearby end table between a box of tissues and a small stack of magazines. “I’m soaked to the bone!”

I didn’t want to step off the welcome mat I was standing on for fear of getting Freya’s carpet wet. I felt intrusive enough for being in her home, to begin with, but I certainly didn’t want to make a mess of her dwelling. I watched her run her hands through her wet locks and suddenly took note of the top magazine she had set her purse next to. The fact that it was a lingerie catalog wasn’t what intrigued me, but instead, the fact that the model on the cover almost looked like she could’ve been Freya’s sister. I realized that couldn’t be the case since the name printed next to the beautiful woman was “Eve Anna Claire.”

With a smile across her marvelous face, the energetic female told me, “I’m going to go change into some dry clothes, Marcus, and if you’d maybe want to use my shower or something…” Her voice trailed off when she made the same realization I already had. “Oh, shoot! You don’t have any clean clothes to change into, do you?”

I shook my head as I thought about the pickle I was in.

“Well, I know it’s inconvenient, but you could always borrow something of mine while I run your things up to the dryer. I have a bathroom on this floor and upstairs, and while I usually use the one upstairs…”

“I don’t want to put you out, Freya,” I inadvertently cut the compassionate woman off. “You’ve already done so much for me…”

“Well, you can’t sleep in wet clothes!” The good doctor pointed out. “You’ll catch your death for one…and I don’t exactly want you soaking my couch!” Freya laughed after making her second point.

I found myself chuckling with the wonderful woman since she had definitely made some valid points. “I guess if you’d have some pajama pants or something that wouldn’t be too tight on me…”

Freya again laughed. I’m sure she was picturing me in her PJs and thinking about how ridiculous I would look. It would certainly give us something to talk about in a future session if I ended up in her clothing.

“Freya, I feel really bad about you coming out to find me…”

“Marcus, will you quit being such a downer?” The fantastic female then reached out and wrapped both of her hands around my left wrist. “Now, the place isn’t that big, but it’s home! As you can see, here’s the living room, and the kitchen is right down the hall in front of us. The first-floor bathroom is that door in the hallway, and upstairs is my bedroom, an office, and another bathroom. There’s a washer/dryer combo in a closet upstairs. Oh, and feel free to help yourself to any food in the refrigerator!”

Before the beautiful blonde could drag me too far into her home, I kicked my shoes off since I didn’t want to get her floor too wet. I allowed her to pull me toward the bathroom as she told me she’d fetch me a towel from an upstairs closet. I was only joking as I replied, “The way you’re trying to get me in that shower must mean I really stink or something!”

“Not at all!” Freya countered. “As I’ve said before, you do an amazing job of grooming, considering the fact that you’ve been spending your nights outdoors! I just figured you’d be more comfortable if you freshened up a bit!”

I glanced back at the couch I would be crashing on and couldn’t help but notice how comfortable it looked. I certainly wouldn’t want to get such a nice piece of furniture dirty. I really didn’t want to be a bother, but I asked my gracious hostess, “If you did put my clothes in the dryer, do you know about how long it would take them to dry? I mean, I could always sit around in a towel or something while I wait.”

“Oooh, Marcus!” The blonde doctor deviously eyed me after I made the suggestion. “You’re going to get me all riled up!”

I was sure that Freya was only joking, but I thought my offer would make things easier. I decided to just move things along as I pointed out, “Besides, I don’t want to keep you awake any longer than I already have. You have to work in the morning, and I’m sure you rise fairly early.”

“It’s not an issue, Marcus,” the kindhearted woman informed me. “If I’m too tired in the morning, I’ll just go in a little later. If I decide not to go in at all, I’ll give the clinic a call.” Freya paused momentarily again before flashing me one of her magnificent smiles with those full lips of hers. “Furthermore, I take great pride in making sure my patients are taken care of, and since you happen to be my favorite, I can’t allow anything bad to befall you, right?”

I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate or not, but I suddenly reached forward and pulled my old friend in with a hug. Since she was just as soaked as I was, I figured it would be okay. I held her close and felt her plump, perky breasts against my body as I told her, “Thank you for everything you’ve done and are currently doing for me, Freya. It was amazing to be able to reunite with you again after all this time.”

“Of course, Marcus,” the amber-eyed blonde gently responded as she placed her hands on my back and returned my affection. She placed her head on my left shoulder as she told me, “I just wish we could’ve reconnected under happier circumstances.”

I finally released my hold on the marvelous woman and did my best to not look below her neck since her wet shirt was causing certain attributes to stand out. With all the good she had done for me, I didn’t want to repay my old friend by being a pig and checking out her boobs when they were contained within a drenched, white shirt.

And that was how I came to be a guest in my old friend’s home. I had never banked on such an event transpiring, nor did I intend to stay as long as I did. Freya may have made it abundantly clear that I could crash with her for as long as necessary, but I thought it would be better if I went out and started searching for an actual apartment of my own for at least a while. I never planned on remaining in the city for very long since I knew past events in my life would eventually catch up with me, but as long as I was around, I didn’t want the beautiful blonde to become a target due to me.

Since Freya had been seeing me, she obviously knew what I had been through and what had gone down in my life for the past two years. In reality, one could say that she actually knew more about what had befallen me since she was trying to help me forget that wretched past so I could move on with my life. Also, the fact that she knew such things would more than likely place a bull’s eye on her if anyone out there was indeed after me like I believed them to be, and if that was the case, I needed to move along all the faster.

It only took me a few days to feel like I was too much of a burden on my sympathetic hostess. I was never loud when she was trying to sleep, and I never left a mess behind after eating or doing anything else, but it didn’t feel right to be staying in her home for free. I told her I had money stashed away, but she told me she made more than enough in her profession. On one occasion, she simply responded to my prattling by saying, “Take me somewhere nice this weekend for dinner, and we’re even!”

I ended up doing just that. Well, I should reiterate by saying that I picked out the restaurant, made the reservation, and paid for the dinner…but she ended up taking us since I still didn’t have access to a vehicle. I really did need to get my pickup back, but I didn’t want to chance going near my old house. The phrase “you can never go home again” applied to me in more ways than one, and I already felt like I was taking a risk by being around Freya. I couldn’t put my parents and sister in that same danger.

No matter how many times Freya tried to explain to me that nothing bad would happen if I went home, I just wouldn’t buy into it. She tried to be rational as well as sharp, but no matter what tone she took with me, I remained adamant about my stance of staying as far away from my family as possible. There was nothing my doctor could do to quell my incessant fears.

I had been staying with the wonderful woman for nearly three weeks when she came to me one weekend and suggested we go on a little road trip. I thought her timing was a little odd since the first snowfall was slated for that very weekend, but I didn’t argue since I thought it would be a lot of fun to travel cross-country with her. Being sealed away in a warm vehicle for hours on end with a female as marvelous as Freya…? Well, the three words that came to mind were “sign me up.”

I felt like a real boob when I realized it had taken me a few hours to pick up on what was really going on. Somehow, I had failed to ascertain that we were heading south, and even when I finally did catch on to the fact that Freya was taking us in the direction of our hometown, it wasn’t like there was anything I could do to stop her from going the rest of the way. I certainly wouldn’t threaten the woman or ever do anything violent to her if she refused to stop since I would never stoop to anything of the sort, and pouting like a baby would never deter her since she put up with far worse in her office from patients more troubled than me.

“Freya, I understand that what you’re trying to do is meant to help me, but I can’t see my family again. Even if I believed they wouldn’t be in any kind of jeopardy due to my visiting, I just can’t go home again. I haven’t seen my family in over two years, and since they don’t know if I’m dead or alive…”

“I’m not going to pretend to understand your reasoning, Marcus,” the kindhearted doctor cut me off as she remained focused on the road, “But in my professional opinion, you’re going about this all wrong. There’s no doubt in my mind that if you were reunited with your family, they would certainly suffer some substantial shock since it’s been so long since they last saw you, but it’s nothing that would kill them. On the reverse side of the coin, I don’t truly believe anyone’s ‘out to get you’ in the way you think they are, but I can’t tell you what to do.” Freya was quiet for a moment before glancing at me and saying, “Regardless of what you choose to do, I think it’s vital that you get your vehicle back. You can’t go on by walking everywhere if you don’t plan on staying with me, and we both know winter is a stone’s throw away.”

“I know, Freya, but I…can’t. I just can’t.”

“You love your family, Marcus! Why would you not want to see them?”

I did want to see them. I wanted to embrace them and tell them how much I loved and missed them. But when I had been away, I had done things. I had done things I wasn’t proud of, and sometimes in life, our decisions make seeing certain people difficult. The atrocities I had done and seen made me aversive about ever going home again, even though I knew my family would understand.

Freya pulled the car over and let out a sigh. She was quiet for the longest time until finally telling me, “This wasn’t meant to be some kind of radical therapy or anything of the sort, Marcus. I wanted to take you home to your family because you deserve to see them again…and they deserve to see you. I thought it would do all of you a world of good to reconnect, but if you’re truly opposed to seeing them, I’m not going to force you into it.”

“I don’t want to go, Freya,” I sternly told the kindhearted woman as I fought back a slew of tears. “You know I want to since I was always close with my whole family, but you weren’t with me when I was in…” I faltered since I couldn’t remember where I had been when all my problems originally started. I guess that was a good thing and meant that my sessions with the good doctor were working.

“I understand, Marcus,” Freya conceded as she looked to see if anyone was coming up behind us. When she realized the road was clear, she turned the car around and headed back in the direction of her home.

As we traveled north up the highway, it was a fairly quiet car ride.

                    *

Freya treated me so much better than I deserved. She had mentioned the possibility of putting an air mattress in her office space and turning it into a temporary guest room, but I kept telling her I wouldn’t be staying long enough for that to become an issue. I’ve obviously been wrong about a lot of things in my life, and that turned out to be one of them.

I spent the bulk of my time in Freya’s living room. I was crashing on her couch and pretty much had the bathroom on the lower level to myself, but I still did my best to keep it tidy so she didn’t happen to inspect it and think of me as an animal. I also went out of my way to take extra time to clean up after myself whenever I used her stove or microwave in the kitchen because I didn’t want to come off as a slob.

On one particular afternoon, I was doing my best to relax as I lay on the couch reading an old novel. It was a classic about an island full of treasure, and while I did my best to escape the real world so I could immerse myself in the book, I was drawn out of the fantasy world I was in when there was suddenly a knock at the front door.

My heart skipped a beat since my first thought was that it was someone from my past who had tracked me down. I wasn’t afraid of being hurt, but what if Freya happened to come home when some villain was standing just outside? I would never allow a hair on her head to be harmed.

Another knock had me on edge as I put the book down and tried peeking out the front window so I could see who was at the door. My angle wasn’t the best, but what I could see actually sent a mild jolt of shock throughout my body.

Right outside of Freya’s front window, there was a sidewalk with a single row of parking out front for all the people who lived in the complex. Just beyond that, and a roadway that was barely large enough for a single car to go down, was where the garages were. Since I could see a few parking spaces from where I peered outside, I took note of how the one closest to Freya’s place contained a vehicle that hadn’t been there before; a small but comfortable-looking black pickup.

The doorbell rang, and I practically jumped out of my skin. I hated the fact that I had been reduced to such a pussy over the last several months, but the shit I had been through had been harrowing. There was a good reason I wanted it all erased from my mind.

I finally went to the front door and popped it open a crack. “Yes?” I mumbled when I laid eyes on a man roughly my age.

“Hey, man,” the male with wavy blond hair said when he spotted me. He held something up and said, “I was supposed to give these to you.” He paused for the briefest of seconds before raising a clipboard in his other hand to his face and reading something off it while asking, “You are the houseguest of a Freya Morgan, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Okay. Well, here you go, man.” He tried handing me the object jingling in his right hand.

I finally opened the door all the way and accepted what he was handing me. I took note of how another automobile was parked on the roadway and was still running. It was obviously there to give the man a ride since he had driven in a separate vehicle…my vehicle.

“It’s going to need some gas because it’s almost empty, but other than that, it rode like a dream all the way up here.”

Unable to comprehend what was going on, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “That’s my pickup!”

“Yeah,” the blond man said as he glanced behind himself where he had parked my trusty steed. “Miss Morgan hired us to pick it up after she bought it.”

“She WHAT?”

Not wanting to get caught in the middle of anything, the blond male explained to me, “Hey, man. I just get paid to pick up vehicles that people purchase from other towns and drive them over here. I was under the assumption that she was doing her roommate a favor – who I figured was you – so I’m not exactly sure why you’re upset.” He then handed me the clipboard and a pen while wordlessly asking for a signature.

I shook my head and tried to sound a little more grateful as signed the yellow piece of paper and handed the clipboard back. I then apologized, “I’m sorry if I came off as a jerk. It’s just that the other day, we were going to go pick the truck up, but I made her come back. I had no idea that she was going to do anything like this for me!”

“Must be a pretty nice lady,” the deliveryman gave me his opinion as he started to make his way toward the other vehicle. “If I were you, I wouldn’t let someone like that go.”

I stood in the doorway with my mouth hanging open as I simply stared at my black pickup. The blue car with the deliveryman in it pulled away as I clutched the key in my right hand, and I couldn’t help but wonder how the hell Freya had managed to talk my parents into selling her my old truck.

I had my wheels back.

                    *

“Good evening, Marcus! I hope you haven’t eaten yet! I brought you home some sweet and sour pork along with some egg rolls!”

I climbed off the couch the instant the beautiful blonde entered her home with her hands full. I walked directly up to her and watched the smile fade from her face as I grabbed the bags out of her hands so I could set them on the floor. I think she was somewhat confused by what I was doing at first…until I threw my arms around her and hugged her. I’m not sure if her smile returned or not since I had my face buried against her right shoulder, but I felt her place her arms around me in return.

“Oh! This is nice! Thank you, Marcus!”

I pulled away and looked the lovely woman right in her amber eyes. “Why did you buy my pickup and have it delivered here, Freya?”

The kindhearted woman simply smiled before telling me, “I called your family and spoke to your father the other day, Marcus. He remembered me from when you and I attended school together, and I told him it would be an honor to own the vehicle you used to drive. He practically gave it to me since he knew how close you and I were, and I paid a shipping company that deals in moving cars to drive it up here for me. I thought it would be nice if you could have it back!”

“I can’t let you pay for all of this, Freya. Let me give you whatever you paid…”

“Don’t worry about it, Marcus. I’m just glad that they delivered it in a timely fashion! It looks like it’s in pretty good shape, too!”

“I think it’s in better shape than ever before,” I told the wonderful woman as I bent down to pick up the sacks of food back up that she had brought home. I started walking them toward the kitchen as I asked, “You didn’t say anything about me to my dad, did you?”

Freya shook her head. “I wouldn’t betray your confidence in me, Marcus. I know you don’t want them to know about you, so I made it sound like I wanted the truck for sentimental reasons.”

I made my way through the hallway and set the bags of food on the kitchen table. I let out a deep breath while pointing out, “You get me my truck back, you pay to have it driven up here, and you even bring me dinner. What deity did I please to have someone as beautiful as you in my life?”

“And don’t you forget it!” Freya playfully said as she walked past me and set her purse down on the table. “If you want to pay me back, maybe you could go upstairs after we eat and draw me up a nice, warm bubble bath! I had a long day at the office, and I just want to kick back and relax! The weekend is still two days away, and I’m not going to make it at this rate!”

I knew the amber-eyed beauty was only kidding since she not only loved her job but was also damn good at it. Still, she would probably benefit greatly from a nice soak in her tub, so if she was serious about that bath, I didn’t think it would be asking too much to have me fill up a tub with some warm water and suds. It was the absolute least I could do for such a wonderful person.

                    *

When the weekend rolled around, I surprised Freya by bringing her breakfast in bed. She normally awakened before me, but I had made sure to get up extra early so I could whip her up some smokies and eggs. I was never much of a cook, but breakfast foods seemed to be the one thing I could successfully make. I knew that she liked her eggs over easy, so I took extra care in making sure that they turned out perfect. I also brought her maple syrup for the smokies because I felt that the thick, sugary liquid made them taste even better. I had made a believer out of her when I suggested doing so to her in the past, so I knew she would put the syrup to good use. I also had some buttered toast with grape jelly for her and a large glass of orange juice. I placed everything onto a tray and carefully carried all of it up to her.

“Marcus! You shouldn’t have!”

“Oh, this is just to get some energy in you for the rest of the day!”

The amber-eyed beauty incredulously looked at me. She obviously wondered what I had planned since I was normally such a recluse.

“After you eat,” I spoke up, “I’ll let you shower and get ready for the day…and then we’re going to pile into my pickup and head somewhere special!”

“Really?” Freya excitedly asked. “Where are we heading, Marcus?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” I answered the beautiful woman. “You go ahead and fill up, and we’ll head out when you’re ready!”

Excited by the prospect, the kindhearted woman began consuming her breakfast so she could get up and jump in the shower when she was done. As she ate, I made my way toward her bedroom door while chuckling at her enthusiasm, and just before I left her bedchamber, I heard her say, “These eggs are egg-cellent, Marcus! You always know how to make them just right!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the corny joke because it sounded so cute coming from the good doctor. I thanked her for the praise and told her I would be back for her dishes when she was done. I then made my way back downstairs to continue planning for the day.

                    *

Our afternoon started with a trip to a large museum. I had always loved museums and the knowledge found within them, and there was one back in our hometown that I had always been quite fond of. The one I decided to take Freya to was probably twice the size of the one I used to enjoy, but I’m not quite sure that it had the same grandeur. Maybe I was a little biased since the smaller of the two held a special place in my heart…

After viewing some incredible artifacts from the past, our afternoon outing continued when I took Freya downtown to a clothing store that I knew was her absolute favorite to frequent. She had no idea how I had known, but she had mentioned it one day during a session a couple of months earlier. I’m sure my doctor didn’t think I listened to her, but truth be told, I hung onto her each and every word. I always listened to the women I cared about when they spoke, not just because I wanted to hear what they had to say, but also because I never knew when said information could once again be useful…case in point, this very occasion.

Freya found a dress she absolutely adored, but when she saw the price tag, she instantly put it back on the rack. I simply snickered since I had a plan, and as she made her way to another part of the store, I went up and purchased the article of clothing. When she next saw me and realized what I held in the small, fancy box, she immediately placed her fists on her hips and gave me an evil scowl. Even when she was angry, she was still dazzling, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I informed her, “Sorry, but the lady at the counter said there were no returns!”

After that little shopping experience, I took Freya to an elegant restaurant where we dined in style. I hadn’t been to any place so fancy in years…if ever. I sprang for the very best since I wanted to pay the wonderful woman back for everything she had done for me since returning to my life. She hadn’t just obtained my pickup for me, but she was also giving me a place to stay…while, at the same time, she had deleted some of the worst memories a guy could possibly have from my head. She was truly an angel on the earthly plane, and I could never do enough to repay her kindness.

We had considered attending a late movie after dinner, but I think the beautiful blonde was starting to get a little tired. It was getting late, and we had shared a long day. After being on our toes for so long, the wonderful woman deserved a rest.

Upon arriving home, Freya was practically ready to collapse on the couch I had been spending my nights on for the past several weeks. She took a load off and smiled at me as I removed my shoes before walking over to sit next to her. There was a TV in front of us, but I refrained from turning it on because I didn’t want her to think that I was avoiding her.

“What a day, Marcus!” Freya exclaimed as she recalled everything we had done. She also playfully hit me when she reminded me, “I’m going to get you back for buying that expensive dress!”

“How so?” I laughed. “Do you plan on going out and buying me another truck or something?”

“I told you that your father practically gave it to me!” Freya reminded me. “It barely cost me anything!”

“Yeah, well, I bet paying those delivery guys to drive it up here set you back a few coins!”

Freya simply laughed my comment off before confessing, “I’m absolutely pooped after all that walking around! I’m so used to sitting in a cramped office all day, so I’m not sure that I can even make it up the staircase!”

“I could go draw you a bath if you’d like to soak your tootsies for a bit.”

Freya’s eyes lit up. Those amber orbs had the uncanny ability to almost look blue in certain shades of light, and I had no idea how such a thing was even possible. “Really?” she energetically asked upon hearing my offer. “I don’t know why, but you have a way of preparing a bath that makes it feel more amazing than humanly possible!”

I laughed since the commendation felt ridiculous. I knew that turning a nozzle that controlled warm water and adding some bubbles wasn’t difficult, so it was downright sweet of Freya to give me such a compliment. She was always doing things to make me feel good about myself.

“Marcus,” the beautiful blonde’s voice suddenly grew serious, “May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

Looking hesitant for the first time since I had ever met her, the amber-eyed beauty finally queried, “Do you ever see yourself getting married?”

I’d be lying if I said the question hadn’t caught me off guard, but I’d also be fooling myself if I said I hadn’t thought about the possibility before. I had known some amazing women in my time, and I can honestly say that there’s not a man alive who’s been in better company than I had been. When I realized I had two amber orbs focused solely on me still, I finally answered, “Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes I like to envision myself with a lovely wife and a home out in the country. I like to try convincing myself that none of the craziness ever happened and that I could enjoy a little normalcy for a change. It’s a nice dream to have, but I know it will never come to pass.”

“Why not?”

“I’m a marked man, Freya.”

“Marcus…”

“I know you think I’m just being paranoid,” I cut the lovely doctor short while standing up, “But there’s no doubt that one of these days, my past is going to catch up to me. There are dark days ahead…”

“You can’t live in fear of an event that may or may not happen,” Freya respectfully cut me off. “I know that you experienced some truly horrible events, Marcus, but you can’t let the past dictate your future. You need to focus on the brevity of the present and realize that no matter what you do, nothing lasts forever.”

I did my best to nod my head and convince my doctor that I would try. I doubted that she believed me, but she played along with a nod of her own. For whatever reason, I found myself thinking about what she had once said about how high the sky goes…

“Marcus?”

I again glanced at the gorgeous woman seated beside me as I gave her my full attention.

“You didn’t mention it in your answer, but do you want children?”

I shook my head. “To be honest, even before all the craziness went down, kids were never something I wanted. I’m not very child-friendly.”

Freya gave me a half smile as she stated, “I think you would make a wonderful father!”

I chuckled in response and replied, “Honestly, Freya, I’ve always been a little selfish deep down.”

“What do you mean by that? I don’t think you’re selfish!”

“Not selfish in the conventional sense,” I reiterated, “But selfish in the fact that I’ve always thought that if I ever ended up married, I wanted to focus all of my time and attention on my girl. I didn’t want any rug rats getting in the way!”

“Oh, you!” Freya laughed. I’m not sure if she realized I was serious or not. “That’s somewhat rude to the children…but sweet in its own way for the lucky woman!”

I laughed with the beautiful blonde and then drew her attention away from the talk of having kids by telling her, “I’m going to go prepare that bath for you!”

                    *

Instead of reading a book, I was doing something I hadn’t done in quite some time: I was writing a book.

Okay, so maybe writing a “book” was a bit of a stretch. However, I was taking the first step in finding a way back to my normal life as I jotted down a few ideas in a notebook for a novel I had brewing in the back of my mind. I hadn’t done any writing in years, and since it had always been something I enjoyed, I was convinced that while I was staying with Freya, it would be good therapy. I also told myself that she would be proud of me when she saw that I had taken up the pen again.

“Marcus!”

My attention was diverted away from the paper in front of me as my head went to the staircase. Freya had been soaking in her bath for a good thirty minutes, and to my knowledge, she wasn’t out yet. “What is it, Freya?” I shouted up to her in response. “Is everything all right?” I put my pen and notebook down and hurried toward the staircase.

“I’m sorry, Marcus, but could you help me for a minute? I dropped my towel!”

My brow crinkled as I made my way up the stairs. I wasn’t sure what the beautiful blonde meant, and my mind was playing with all varieties of scenarios as I tried to figure it out. I was fairly certain that my hostess wasn’t planning anything “dirty,” but I also didn’t see how a dropped towel could be much of an issue if all she had to do was bend over and pick it up.

When I stood just outside the bathroom door that was cracked open an inch, I kept my eyes low and informed the benevolent woman, “I’m here, Freya. I’m averting my eyes, so I really don’t know what you need me to do! Do you want me to come in, or would you prefer I…”

“Go ahead and open the door…and you don’t have to avert your eyes around me, you know!”

I lifted my gaze and felt a flutter down below. Freya was still sitting in her bathtub, but I couldn’t see anything “naughty” due to the bubbles. I think what shocked me the most was that the smiling female had her long, blonde locks up in a bun…and I still found her to be drop-dead gorgeous. If I’ve never said it before, I’m not a fan of when women put their hair up in buns. I know they do it for convenience, but I just don’t find it very attractive. Freya, however, was an exception to that rule.

From where she was positioned in the tub, the amber-eyed beauty pointed down to the floor near my feet. “I was reaching for the towel that you had placed on the rack for me, but I accidentally dropped it over there! Would you pick it up for me, Marcus?”

I wasn’t exactly sure how Freya had managed to drop the towel so far away from where she was, but I certainly wasn’t going to avoid helping her. Bending down and retrieving what she had dropped, I picked it up, folded it, and then took a couple of steps so I could set it on top of the toilet that sat right next to her tub. I wasn’t sure if she wanted the towel right away, but it would be easily within her reach when she needed it.

“Thank you, Marcus!” The bathing beauty told me.

“You’re welcome,” I responded as I glanced in her direction and took note of how the soap suds just barely managed to cover her perky, plump breasts. When I glanced up and saw that she was looking directly at me with her radiant, gleaming eyes, I instantly looked away since I felt like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Of course, the fact that she was smiling made me feel a little better about the situation.

“Before you go, Marcus,” Freya suddenly drew me back from the doorway, “Would you possibly do me one more favor while you’re here?”

“Certainly,” I replied. My voice had nearly cracked with that single word.

Turning in the tub so that her back was to me, the benevolent blonde asked, “Would you be willing to give me a shoulder rub?”

I was glad she was facing the opposite way. I’m pretty sure my countenance contorted into the silliest-looking “O-face” in the history of mankind. I was also certain that the intense bulge in my pants wouldn’t be going away anytime soon.

I knelt down behind the fantastic female and cracked my knuckles. I then placed my hands on her soft, wet flesh and began massaging her shoulders. It took everything in my power to not let out any weird murmurs since the touch of her skin against mine was exquisitely stimulating.

Freya rolled her neck around a bit and let out a few sighs of her own. Each one she let out sent a shiver down my spine…and, incidentally, a twitch through my penis.

A few suds could be seen on Freya’s shoulder blades and running down her arms. I found myself wondering if it would’ve upset her if I inched a little closer. I would’ve loved looking over one of her shoulders and staring down at her cleavage. Her breasts did one of those things where they each kind of pointed outward in opposite directions, but if she happened to press her arms together…

I had to shake the dirty thoughts from my mind and be more mature. Freya wasn’t just a professional; she was a doctor. She was a highly respected psychiatrist. She would never be remotely interested in me. We were just old friends, and she was helping me out. Hell, I was a wreck while she was at the top of her field. I would never have a chance with her, and even if she gave me one out of pity, I would only be holding her back. I could never…

“Hey, Marcus?”

“Yeah, Freya?” My fingers stopped kneading her flesh so I could focus solely on what she had to say.

“This isn’t working.”

END OF PART THREE OF EIGHT