Prince's POV
Last night was relaxing. We got Chinese food, watched Footloose and danced around the room. We laughed and talked a long while after that and it wore her out. It's nearly eight in the morning. Genevieve's asleep, still resting beside me. Normally, she'd be up by now but considering we were up until three I'm not surprised that's she's still sleeping or trying to anyway. I've been awake for about an hour. She started tossing and turning and I was worried about her so I've just been watching her. She seems uncomfortable. Every few minutes she turns a new way. She's been touching her neck and back a lot. I can see the pain in her face even now. With closed eyes, she lifts her upper body. Her chest raises off the bed as she props herself up on her elbows. She wiggles a little trying to alleviate some pressure. Her back pops in several places and she winces laying back down. Her eyes open slowly and she just looks down at her pillow.
"Sore this morning, mama?"
"I feel like my body is broken." She looks over at me the Paine vide the in her eyes.
"What hurts?"
"Everything under my chin."
"That bad, huh?"
"I'm going to take a bath and hope this goes away." She inches out of bed and walks into the bathroom. Her shoulders hunch while her feet drag across the carpet. I've only seen her like this once before. She had danced for four hours straight then sat at her sewing machine for a few more. By the time she stood up her back and legs were locked in place. She took three baths that day but I have a better idea. I grab the phone off the nightstand and call downstairs.
"Hello, concierge desk. How can I help you today?"
"I'd like to make a couples massage appointment."
"Alright. There plenty of wonderful spas nearby that offer couple massages. Were you looking at any specific types of massages?"
"Deep tissue for both."
"Any other services I can book with this?"
"Thirty minutes in the sauna could be nice."
"Perfect and what time would you like your appointment to be? Earliest I can do is 1:30."
"1:30 is fine."
"Name for the service?"
"Genevieve Bonsu"
"Alright. You have a couples massage appointment at Oasis Spa just down the street at 1:30 for Genevieve Bonsu. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"
"That's all. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Goodbye." I hang up the phone and check the clock. We've got to be out of here in 5 hours. I'll probably order us breakfast, we can relax until it's time for the appointment, and afterwards she'll probably want lunch. I walk over to the bathroom door and knock gently.
"Come in." I walk in and have a seat on the bathroom counter. She's already in the bath, everything but her head is under water. I smile seeing the bubbles surrounding her body and smelling the peppermint and lavender in the water.
"Brought that from home?"
"I never leave without it." Genevieve has a very serious beauty regimen. She only uses certain products for her hair, face, and skin. She takes pride in her looks not as a product of vanity but because she sees herself as a reflection of her family and her country. She mixes all the scents herself with special oils and herbs. She thinks most products smell too artificial and the smell never lasts that long. Her scents do last longer and different ones mean different things. Peppermint and lavender is for relaxation and stress relief. I hope it brings her comfort.
"How do you feel?"
"It feels good to be soaking but I don't know how long it'll last."
"It won't have to. I'm taking you to the spa."
"The spa?"
"Yea, I thought we could go get massages, get in the sauna, just take the day to relax."
"I've...never been a spa before."
"You nervous or something?"
"Yea.."
"Why?"
"You're the only man who's seen me naked since I was 16!"
"You won't be naked, mama. They'll cover what's important." I smirk looking at her. It's funny how much has changed in such a little time. Two months ago we would've had to have this conversation on opposite sides of the door. It feels good to know she trusts me. I'm sure she feels freer this way but I know she also does this for me. Not having sex is hard for me. It's the main way I've learned to show how I feel about a woman. That and buying her things. Genevieve has made me change my approach. She's not materialistic and she doesn't have sex! It's taking me a while to figure out how to impress her and show her how I feel. Grand gestures and comments about her body don't excite her. She appreciates the simple things. The things that show that you listen and you care. I've never had to be a good listener. Most of the women I've messed with were just happy getting dick everyday. Mayte needed both. She needed money and sex to satisfy her and I never seemed to have enough but Genevieve doesn't need any of it. Why does she want me? I'm not sure what I've done to impress her, to hold her attention for so long. When we met I was angry and wrapped up in my marriage but somehow even through that she saw something. I wonder what she sees. "Anyway, I wanted to know what you wanted for breakfast. Our appointment isn't until later. I thought you might want to take a nap since didn't sleep well." She smiles a little, the gold in her eyes shining.
"An omelette would be nice."
"What kind of omelette you want, mama?"
"Vegetables and cheese."
"Alright. I'll make the call and let you know when it gets here." I get up from the counter and walk back to the bedroom closing the door as I leave. I call room service and order our breakfast before deciding to lay back down.
Why did she choose me? What did I do? What could I have possibly done to make her feel this way about me? She's so smart and courageous and funny and outgoing and talented and beautiful. It's not that I'm not also those things. I just think she could do better. I want to give her everything I have. I want her to have the world but somehow nothing feels like enough. Nothing feels good enough. She deserves the best of everything and I just don't know if I can give her everything she deserves.
"Babe, I need your help." Her voice is sweet, lulling me out of my thoughts. I walk back to the bathroom and she's exactly where I left her. Most of the bubbles have dissolved and she seems to be in less pain. "My legs fell asleep. Can you help me up?"
"Of course, mama. You ready?" She nods and I hold out my hand. She takes it in hers and holds the ledge with the other. Carefully, she stands gripping my hand tight. Her legs wobble beneath her. I grip her arm to stabilize her and she is able to take her first step. Once she's out of the tub, without letting go of her hand, I hand her a towel. She takes it, drying off quickly, then, securing the towel around her body. I stand watching her, waiting for her to say she needs me but she doesn't. She just holds my hand and leads me back to the bed. She pulls a shirt from her suitcase on the floor and throws it on, discarding the towel. When she turns around, I see it's one of mine. I smile at her as she joins me in bed, curling up beside me. I take in her scent, the peppermint and lavender and the oils in her hair. This is my happy place. She moves a little when there's a knock on the door. I move to check it out but she puts her hand on my chest. My heart stops under her gentle touch and I instinctively lay back down.
"I got it." She smiles getting up, walking to the door. She takes to the person on the other side a little. They hand her a tray and nod before taking their leave. She returns to the bed and I sit up, taking the tray from her.
"Genny babe, I would've got it. You need to rest."
"Are you going to argue or are you going to eat?" I don't say anything as I lift the metal lids off the plates. I grab one and a fork and she does the same, putting the tray in the floor. We eat in silence. Just the sounds of forks hitting plates in the room. She takes our plates and puts them back on the tray under their lids.
"Come here, baby." She curls up close to me again, pulling the covers over us. "How do you feel?"
"Still a sore. Less sore, but sore." She lets out a long yawn, pulling me closer and nuzzling into my chest. "And very tired."
"We've got three hours. Get all the rest you need." We spend a lot of time in bed together resting. These are some of my favorite moments of everyday that I'm with her. We both have busy schedules but she always finds an hour or two to at least lay down. I've never been that way. I work until I'm done and then go to sleep but I've grown to appreciate the few hours we spend laying in the dark. She always asks me to join her. I'm sure it's because she wants me close to her but also because she knows how tired I am. I don't sleep a lot. Sleep takes precious hours I could be using to work away. I'm probably getting four or five hours a night. Unless she's there. When Genevieve is next to me my mind puts everything else on hold. I hold her close and nothing else matters. I've had nothing but sleepless nights since she left. It's like she took my peace of mind, packed it in her suitcase and brought it out here to LA. I'd be lying if I said I don't feel better being out here with her. I wonder if she likes LA. We could just live here together in the golden sunshine. She'd have the beach and I'd be closer to the record company. We could find her a studio near our house. Maybe she'd want a pool. Just us, our home, and the never ending summer sun.
__________
A kiss on my cheek wakes me up from my pleasant dream. It becomes reality when I open my eyes and see her looking back at me. I turn to face her and she places her hand on my cheek. Her thumb rubs my cheek gently, nearly putting me back to sleep.
"Three hours already?" I smile.
"More like two and a half." She smiles back.
We take our time getting ready. We throw on clothes easy to get out of and I drive us to the spa down the street. When we walk in her eyes go wide. The oasis motif throughout the spa was beautiful. The tan tiles sparkled in multiple colors. The walls are soft a soft teal and everything else was pure white. We talk to the receptionist briefly and she escorts us to a back room.
"Go ahead and undress and wrap yourselves in the provided towels. The sauna is just across the hall. When you're finished, come back into this room and lay on the massage tables. Lay flat on your stomachs, cover up with a fresh towel and your masseuses will be in shortly after."
We change in the quiet ambiance of the room. The gentle music and water sounds are calming we undress. She holds the towel close to her body with her right hand. I walk up to her and just hold her face. Her eyes look around the room for a while before nervously looking into mine. I don't speak, or smile, or move. I just wait for her to ground herself. When she seems calmer, I hold her hand and lead her into the sauna. I close the door behind us and we take a seat on the wooden benches.I adjust the steam in the room, adding more water and increasing the heat. She lets out a deep sigh, leaning back and closing her eyes.
"How does this feel?"
"It feels like home. Reminds me of the air after a hot summer rain."
"Do you prefer hot weather?"
"Yes, I love the sunshine, but I also get really excited during the first big snow."
"Really?"
"The first real snow, where the entire ground is covered in white and everything outside is still, feels magical every year."
"You must love winter here."
"I do. It's so peaceful."
"What's your favorite thing to do in the snow?"
"Snow angels and snowball fights but if it's too cold to be outside I like to curl up and read." I smile thinking about her out playing in the snow. I do still enjoy the snow. Some winter mornings, I sit at the window and just look out over my yard, taking in the winter wonderland that it's become. I think she'd like winters at Paisley Park. I could see us standing outside watching the first snow or enjoying hot chocolate in the living room while we read. I'd hold her close in bed, keeping her warm during the cold winter months. She could make all those delicious winter soups and stews she'd shared with me on set. I'll stand in the kitchen with her, watching as she cooks, waiting for her to offer me tastes here and there. I wish she'd just stay with me. I wish she'd let me take care of her the way I want to. Be patient. She will one day.
We leave the sauna and make our way back to the room. We discard our towels taking new ones as we lay down on the tables.
"What's the hole for?"
"You put your face in it. It's supposed to keep you from twisting your neck or something."
Despite seeming calm I can feel her anxiety in the air. I'm sure the thought of letting strangers touch her bare skin is scary to her. I won't let anyone hurt her. I reach out and touch her shoulder. She looks at me and touches my hand. I hold hers for a long while and just look at her. Under my gaze the fear and discomfort in her eyes fades away. She finds her calm and settles into the table. Someone knocks on the door and she jumps squeezing my hand.
"It's okay. Remember why we're here, to relax." Her scared eyes look between me and the door. She closes them and takes a deep breath before giving me the okay. "Come in." Two masseuses come in with wide smiles.
"Hi, I'm Lia."
"Hi, I'm Malcom. We'll be doing your couples massages today." He smiles at us and I smile back. I look over at Genevieve and her smile isn't convincing. Well maybe her smile is but her eyes are a dead give away. I'm everyday life she doesn't fear much. Not people, not places, not opportunities. She's a risk taker in most aspects but being touched is something that can make her crumble. I've always wanted to ask her what it's all about. She's been vague in her reasoning but I never wanted to pry. I just don't like seeing her like this. Honestly, it scares me. It scares me to think what's happened to make her act this way. What's brought her to the point that sometimes she seems uncomfortable in her own skin.
"Is this your first time at Oasis?" He smiles softly turning to face her.
"It's my first massage ever. I've never been to a spa."
"Well, I'm honored I'll be providing you your first spa experience. Here at Oasis, we strive for customer satisfaction. We want you to leave better than you left." Malcom smiles at her. His speech is rehearsed but you can tell he means what he's saying. "Would you like to know a little about the service you'll be receiving?"
"Sure."
"Well our deep tissue massage is a firmer massage where we focus on getting tension, pain, and stress out of the deeper layers of skin and muscle. We usually recommend this to people who are very active, have high stress jobs, or generally carry tension in their bodies."
"I'm all of those things." She smiles softly a glimmer of her true self shining through.
"I think you're in the right place." He smiles again and they both get to work but she never lets go of my hand. The massage is pleasant Lia's touch is firm as she works out the kinks in my back. Sitting in the studio for several days in a row has made me a little tense in some areas. She find each sore spot and dissolves the pain with her fingers.
Genevieve seems to be relaxing into her massage. She sighs here and there, squeezing my hand when he touches any really sore parts.
"This is so relaxing. Do people ever fall asleep during these?" I smile, feeling happy hearing her voice.
"All the time."
"This might be the most relaxed I've ever felt."
"You were holding on to a lot of tension in a lot of places. I hope this offers you some relief."
When they finish, we thank them and they leave to allow us to get dressed. I stand up and make my way to the cubby where my clothes are. She stands, stretching, bending backwards, her hands nearly touching the ground. Various parts of her body crack and pop and she lets out a deep sigh.
"I've been waiting to do that for two weeks." She smiles turning to face me. Then, she gasps and turns around. "I've never seen you completely naked before." Her voice is soft. I can tell she's blushing.
"One of two things can happen right now. You can stay facing the wall and I'll get dressed or you can turn around and look at me."
"Close your eyes." I stay where I am and close my eyes covering them with my arm. I can hear her careful steps as she slowly turns around. She's still for a long while then the floor begins to creak but the sound never gets any closer. She's probably pacing or rocking a on her feet like usually does when she's thinking.
"You like what you see?"