CHAPTER FORTY TWO

Genevieve , did you know that a lot of what we call pain is about expectation? When you expect something to hurt a lot, and you tense all

your muscles, it hurts more. If you can relax and flow with it, it hurts less.

Think of yourself like a stream flowing softly over rocks. The jagged edges

of the rocks don’t hurt the water, it just flows.” He allowed his voice to drop an octave as he spoke, becoming softer and less harsh, lulling her into a sense of safety.

The music he’d selected fit well with the imagery he fed into her mind.

He spoke quietly about water and flow and relaxing while he let his hands trail over her back, still wrapped in the warm cocoon of the blanket.

He continued to speak as he went to the thermostat to raise it a couple of degrees. As the room warmed, he took the blanket away. She tensed, but not as much as before, so he poured some oil onto his hands to allow his skin to slide more easily against hers.

He started at her neck, then worked down her back and