Chapter 6

At the sound of Liam’s complaints, the young man yanked the curtain open. “Okay, easy now. Mr. Stokes, let me help you. Come here.” He strapped Liam’s arm over his shoulder and helped him onto the table. Liam felt the man’s breath in his hair like some kind of summer breeze. He realized he hadn’t been this close to anyone in years. He painstakingly climbed onto the board and slowly stretched out on his stomach.

Within seconds, the young man slipped Liam’s work pants off his ankles. He then gently pulled the towel over Liam’s lower body. “There you go. What did you do yourself?”

Liam’s face was cradled into the fold of his arms. “I hurt myself a long time ago…I never really tended to it.”

“Well, I’m gonna tend to it now. Any medical problems I should know about?”

“No…Well, I’m allergic to wasps.”

The young man chuckled softly. He stood over Liam, but hadn’t touched him yet. “I’m gonna start real slow, and you tell me if I’m hurting you, okay?”