Silent Treatment by Jackie Williams Read Free Book Online

tomorrow. Maybe I’ll see you back here, if you’ve got away with telling a few fibs.”
    Carrie smiled at him.
    “Yeah maybe, and thanks for the lift Paul. See you tomorrow.”
    They stayed silent until they heard the front door slam and then Daniel turned to Carrie again. He stared at her shoulder.
    “You sure about not going to the hospital? I can get you there if you need to go. I passed my test earlier this year and I can borrow mum’s car. She goes to an aerobics class with her friend this afternoon so she won’t need it.”
    Carrie shook her head gently.
    “Honestly, I’m fine, look.” She lifted her shoulder tentatively. It hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable. Daniel leaned forwards and put his hand on the joint. He pressed his fingers lightly around her whole shoulder, moving it carefully as he checked to see that she had full movement. Then he laid the flat of his hand on her shoulder blade and began to massage it slowly.
    Carrie sat up very straight. Her shoulder had been burning with pain, but now her whole body felt as though it were on fire. His hands were firm but gentle as they massaged deep into her muscle and then he moved one hand up to the back of her neck. His hand was so large she could tell he could almost encircle her whole neck with his long fingers, but he kept his fingertips on the muscles just beneath her skull and rolled them with a gentle pressure.
    The sensations were so intoxicating that an involuntary groan left her lips and Dan iel moved his hands away from her quickly.
    “Sorry!” He exclaimed. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His voice was very near her ear and she was more than relieved that he had thought her in pain and not enjoying the experience of him touching her so much that she had lost control of her voice box. “Perhaps I’d better not do any more to it today.” He added quietly.
    She couldn’t help herself as she spoke.
    “No, carry on for a bit, it’s really soothing. I don’t want to look all stiff when I go home. Mum has eyes like a hawk and will spot it straight off.” Her heart thumped erratically as she spoke, but he put his hands back on her hesitantly and then began moving them rhythmically again.
    She tried rolling her head from side to side as he massaged and then turned it either way. As she turned to the right she caught Daniel looking directly at her. She stopped twisting her head and stared back at him.
    He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then spoke quickly as he massaged some more.
    “I won my scholarship place in America.” He didn’t stop speaking as Carrie felt her face crumple. “As long as I get 2 A’s out of my four subjects and pass the other two with at least a B, I can start early September. I’m pretty sure I’ve done enough for that. It’s going to be great ‘cos Paul was awarded a place too. I just need to get my airfare together. I’m working Saturday and Sunday nights at the garage to help pay for it.”
    Carrie tried to fix her expression into one of delight. She didn’t think, by the way her cheeks contracted violently, that it could look very convincing.
    “That’s fantastic. When did you hear?” She gulped and had to stop speaking or she would have cried.
    Dan iel sat a little straighter.
    “ I only received the confirmation yesterday. I was worried for Paul. His parents are well off and he doesn’t qualify for the full scholarship, but they’ve said they’ll pay the difference for his first year. Hopefully he can get a decent job and earn enough while he’s there to cover the rest of the course. I’m going to have to work too, but at least I’ll only have to cover living expenses. We’ll probably end up sharing somewhere and divvying up the money, that way we’ll both be able to benefit.” Daniel didn’t sound as enthusiastic as Carrie thought he should. He wasn’t smiling at all.
    She frowned up at him.
    “Is something wrong Dan iel? You don’t sound very happy about it all. Don’t you want to