Chapter 2
"Easy… take it easy…" I whispered.
Then Miles's hands were on me, warm and large, and the heat of them seemed to spread everywhere at once.
My whole body went rigid—partly from nerves, partly from sheer embarrassment.
But his deep, gentle voice sounded right in my ear.
"Yeah, I got you. Just relax."
But even with his large hands resting on me, I still couldn't bring myself to fully relax.
I could only close my eyes and turn aside.
I kept lying to myself, over and over, telling myself this was just a necessary part of the therapy.
It was all for the baby.
That thought helped me feel a little better.
Just as my thoughts spiraled, Miles's fingers touched my most sensitive spot.
"What are you doing?" I snapped, startled.
The strange sensation made my body go rigid, suddenly alert.
I couldn't help but wonder what he was really trying to do to me.
That thought made my eyes snap open, and I turned my head to confront him.
But Miles quickly tried to reassure me.
"Erin, this area has to be massaged. And since your ducts are a little clogged, it might hurt at first. Just bear with it…"
He sat sideways on the edge of the bed, facing me.
Looking at his clear, innocent eyes and hearing his sincere tone, I felt momentarily disoriented.
It was almost as if, between the two of us, I was the only one with a dirty mind.
That made me feel embarrassed, almost guilty.
I just let him caress me, feeling powerless and embarrassed.
"Your ducts aren't bad. A few more massages and they'll clear up," Miles said.
Maybe to break the awkward silence, he kept up a light conversation as he worked.
"Really?" I replied.
Listening to his gentle, soothing voice made me feel a bit more comfortable.
Though it felt awkward, I was starting to feel more comfortable with a stranger touching me.
"How long will this take?" I asked.
"A full course lasts about a week. Then we'll decide if more sessions are needed," he answered.
Hearing that, I finally started to relax.
A week wasn't too bad. I could handle that.
Miles massaged me with gentle, steady pressure. Occasionally, my chest would sting a little.
But overall, I could almost feel the relief that came after each press.
Little by little, my tense nerves began to ease.
And what really caught me off guard was that after just ten minutes or so, he stopped.
"Alright, that's enough for now. That's enough for this morning. Just be careful lately—
"Of course, massage works even better with dietary adjustments. But I'm a professional, after all."
He made sure to mention his credentials again.
I began trusting him as a lactation expert without realizing it.
Over the next few days, he took excellent care of me. Not only did he give me two massages a day, but he also handled my meals perfectly.
"I didn't know you had this kind of skill." I teased.
After another session, as I ate the nutritious meal he'd prepared, I couldn't help but smile at him.
During my postpartum confinement, I got so tired of eating healthy food that I couldn't stand it anymore.
I used to dread it. But somehow, he made it taste amazing.
"Of course. I told you, I'm a pro," Miles replied.
Hearing him say that again, I just smiled and shook my head.
Lately, under his care, my engorgement had improved significantly.
I found myself trusting him more and more.
But still, I couldn't shake the feeling that his touches were becoming more and more intrusive.
Almost as if he was adding a hint of flirtation.
I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination.
Then that weekend, I got clogged again.
My chest hurt, and the baby was crying loudly from hunger.
I had no choice. After giving the baby some formula, I called Miles.
"What's wrong? Clogged again?"
The moment he picked up, he already knew why I was calling.
"Yeah…" I answered sheepishly.
But he, though, didn't hesitate. "Wait for me. I'll be right there."
He hung up, and soon he burst in, out of breath.
"Erin... how are you feeling?" The moment he stepped inside, his eyes went straight to my chest.
If this happened before, I'd suspect ulterior motives, but now I see it's just his job.
"It's really swollen, and it hurts a bit," I said softly.
And he nodded, then went to the bathroom.
"Let me wash my hands, then I'll help you," he said.
"Okay," I replied.
I nodded and returned to the bedroom to unbutton my shirt.
I hadn't even noticed the change myself.
Now, when I was with him, I wasn't nearly as shy or guarded as I used to be.
"It's pretty bad this time," Miles said.
After washing his hands, he came over to check me out, and he frowned.
I hardly ever saw him look like that, and hearing him say it made my stomach drop.
"What should I do?" I asked anxiously.
But to my surprise, he just shook his head. "It needs to be sucked out."
Suck it out?'
Hearing that, I just froze, not knowing how to react.
And right away, I pictured Miles leaning over, his mouth on my chest.
"No way!" I blurted out, shaking my head.
Embarrassed, I shielded my chest, shook my head.
The regular massage was already more than enough.
If I let him actually suck on me… I couldn't do it.
"No, Erin, you misunderstood. I'm not saying I have to do it. You could ask Mr. Shaw to do it when he gets back." Seeing me practically about to explode, he said helplessly.
But that only made things worse. I bit my lip hard.
"But… but he's on a business trip…"