The Rub Down (5 page)

“Doubt it. You’re training to run twenty-six point two. That’s pretty hardcore.” As if it was made of glass, he carefully placed my left leg on the table before moving over to my right leg.

Even though the music wasn’t sensual and the candles weren’t lit, his hands made me feel things deep in my core. I had hoped the last time was a fluke, but it wasn’t. I was screwed. The wave music had me picturing us down in Chatham, sitting in Adirondack chairs, holding hands, and sipping wine as we watched the tide roll in. Stars twinkled above while we talked about our childhoods and dreams for the future.

Luke startled me when he twisted and tugged at my calf muscle. “Ahhh, you’re hitting the right spot. Shit, that feels good.” I was so far into my daydream, I forgot where I was. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to swear.”

“You can cuss. I won’t tell your mom,” he answered. “I’m glad it feels good. Another minute and I’ll be ready to work your lumbar region. Then I’ll have you roll over so I can finish up with the front of your legs.” Luke’s hands continued their ministrations up and down my leg.

*****

Luke

I wasn’t sure what happened, but I lost myself thinking about Alexa, used too much pressure, and hurt her. The smoothness and the pale ivory color of her skin hypnotized me. Coupled with working her adductors and abductors, and I was lost. Let’s just say she was wearing lavender lace panties today. I wanted to slide my hands under the sheet, slip a finger in her panties, and see if she was wet for me.

When I felt her body tense, I knew I needed to focus more on my actions, and less on my subject. The sight of her, practically naked on my table, made my head spin and my cock twitch. I needed to get out of the room and start drinking. Fast.

When she cried out I hit the right spot, all I pictured was my cock buried deep inside her, and as I found her g-spot, her screaming those exact words for everyone in a ten-mile radius to hear.

I removed the rice bags, revealing her dimples and tattoo, which were begging for my touch. God, she was gorgeous. I kept giving myself a pep talk.
Just get through the next twenty minutes. Then you can get out of here, and drink your face off. Flirt with hot chicks all night and forget all about Alexa. Well, until next week when she comes in and drives you mad again.

After spending several minutes on my favorite piece of the female anatomy, it was time for her to flip. I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Time to roll over.” I inhaled her scent mixed with the oil from my hands, and it smelled like serenity.

After she rolled onto her back, I decided it was time to talk so my mind wouldn’t wander to places it shouldn’t.

“So tell me about yourself. What do you do for fun besides run?” I held her left foot in my hands, kneading the ball while waiting for her answer.

“My best friend, Addison, and I like to go out to eat at the different restaurants. We also try to see Broadway shows when they come to town.” She let out a small giggle as my thumb tickled the ball of her foot. “Wicked is my favorite so far. The music was incredible.”

Her voice held a sense of excitement that I found to be incredibly sexy.

“What made you want to be a massage therapist?” she asked in return.

“Well, when I was a horny twenty-one-year old, I wanted to be able to put my hands all over women’s bodies. I already had a business degree, but had no idea what to do with it, so I went to massage school.” I worked her toes as I answered. Her perfectly manicured purple toes made me want to suck on them.

“And…?” Alexa lifted her head off the table to look at me.

I was so lost in my thought, I forgot I was mid-story.

“Oh, and once there, I realized I actually liked using my hands to heal people. After a semester, I got my best friend Danny to start the courses. Then voilà, here we are today,” I said as I pointed her foot and worked the muscles.

“Owning your own business is tough work. Addison and I own our own company, too. We have it pretty easy since we’re the only employees and have very little overhead, but you have a big, successful operation here.” She made a little humming noise deep in her throat. “This place is amazing. You must be proud.”

My head snapped up from watching my hands, and my eyes collided with hers. I found a level of understanding shining back at me. I realized then that I could stare into her warm eyes all day, and drown in the sea of blue.

“Thank you. It was hard, but I wouldn’t trade it for one minute. I love what I do, and as much as I’m a business owner, I’m a therapist, first and foremost.” Now, that was what I was most proud about.

“And you get to put your hands all over women every day,” Alexa said with a huge smile on her face.

“Touché.” I grinned back at her and winked. “There is that.”

We talked the last few minutes of her appointment, and I enjoyed learning a little more about her. It usually took me a long time to get to know my clients, and typically, I didn’t share a lot about my life. Since Alexa would be coming in twice a week, and she needed to feel comfortable with me so her therapy was on point, I opened up about myself, as well. I was doing it all for the treatments. Yeah, that was it. It had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted her, both on and off my table.

“Okay, Lex. You’re all set for today. I’ll leave you to get up, and go grab you a glass of water,” I said.

“Thank you, Luke. My muscles feel great,” she said as I walked out the door.

I was not sure why her praise made me feel as if I was king of the world, but it did, more than any other client had. There was a connection.

One I needed to break before I got myself in trouble.

Alexa

Leaving The Rub Down was an experience all its own. I stopped by the reception desk to confirm my next appointment while Addison looked at the merchandise in the shop.

“How was your time with Luke today?” Jessica asked after we checked the schedule for the following week.

“It was great. I’m really loving it. Thanks.”

“Glad to hear that. Have a great night, and we will see you next week.” Jessica wrapped up our conversation as the phone next to her rang.

When I turned to go find Addison, I ran straight into another client. She stood right on my heels, and I almost knocked her over.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you were so close,” I apologized, even though she was in my personal space.

“Whatever, bitch,” she said under her breath.

I had no idea why she was so hostile, and no desire to find out, so I walked away to grab Addison.

As we walked out, I heard Jessica greet the woman with much disdain. “Hello, Theresa.”

We left the spa, and on the way home, Addison talked non-stop about how amazing Mark was. She claimed she had an orgasm, right on the table. I wasn’t sure I believed her, but then again, it had been a while since I had had one, so maybe I didn’t remember what one felt like.

When we got to the apartment, it was time to hop in the shower so we could eat dinner before hitting the bars. I needed to cut loose and enjoy an awesome night because my training schedule had overtaken my life. Every morning consisted of running, cardio, or yoga before I rushed off to dress the rich and beautiful. After a long day, I crashed on the couch to watch a show with Addison, and crawled into bed by nine o’clock, so when my alarm went off at five or six am, I was ready to go at it all over again. I had earned the chance to have some fun.

I washed off the oil Luke had worked into my skin. The smell of the essences filled the stall and brought me right back to his treatment room. As I moved my hands over my wet skin, I closed my eyes and pretended they were his. Gliding down over my stomach to the top of my mound, I paused, taking a second to understand what I was about to do. Before I overthought it, I slipped a finger between my folds, imagining it was Luke’s as he caressed me. He would pump it in and out, working me into a frenzy. I worked my clit at a frantic pace, moaning, and whispering, “Luke.” Supporting myself against the wall, I came hard and pictured his satisfied face smiling down at me. I realized I hadn’t had an orgasm in at least four months. How could I have forgotten how amazing it was? If I could come that fast and hard at just the thought of him, having him in the flesh might be too much to handle.

Before the water turned cold, I shut off the shower and grabbed my towel to dry. Wrapping it around me, I walked into Addison’s room.

“Whatcha wearing tonight?” I asked, realizing I should have thought about my clothes while I was in the shower, instead of the unobtainable Luke. God, I was never going to be able to look at him again.

“The skinny jeans I picked up last week when we popped into Barney’s. I was hoping to grab your blue flowy tank, and then throw on a sweater wrap.” Addison bit her lip, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

She knew she could have anything in my closet, but for whatever reason, she always felt bad for borrowing my clothes. Why we even had separate closets was a mystery to me. In our next place, I wanted a third bedroom we could convert into a huge walk-in closet.

“Of course you can. I think I’m going with leather leggings, and my sheer black blouse with a cami under it. Then I’m going to fuck up my nicely massaged feet with that pair of sky high, black pumps I love but never wear.”

“All right, girl, let’s turn on our going out music, and get this party started.” She spun around and cranked up her iPod. We danced and sang at the top of our lungs.

When I returned to my room to change, I noticed a text message.

Jeff: Can we take tomorrow off? We can run Sunday instead.

If Addison had known Jeff, I would have thought she put him up to this text.

Part of me was thrilled to have the day off. I could party more, but I didn’t want to start making exceptions.

Me: That’s fine. Same place, same time on Sunday?

Jeff: Perfect. See you then.

An hour later, we walked down the street to our favorite French bistro and enjoyed a fantastic dinner along with a few drinks. Our night of fun had just begun.

*****

Luke

Once I finished with Alexa, I went into my office and closed the file I was working on prior to her appointment. I needed to get out of the spa to think. I would finish the paperwork tomorrow morning, hung over and miserable.

Instead of hopping on the T, I decided to walk to the condo since it was mild out for March. Every year we got a few amazing days to trick us all into thinking spring was upon us. Today was one of those days, but a snowstorm was probably right around the corner.

Despite my best efforts, my thoughts drifted to Alexa. Even after our session, I still didn’t know much about her. Something about her drew me in. My mom always said some people had a light in them others gravitated toward. Alexa was definitely one of those people. I liked being around her, and shit, I got to put my hands all over her amazing body. If this connection continued, I would have to transfer her to another therapist so I could pursue her outside of the spa. The problem was I didn’t want any of the other guys near her. Now would be the perfect time to have a female therapist on staff so Alexa could be under her care.

Before I knew it, I’d passed the Ritz Carlton Hotel, located two doors down from my apartment entrance. I loved living at the Ritz Carlton Residences. The location, sandwiched between Downtown Crossing and Chinatown, was perfect for my life, with the theatre district a few blocks away, and amazing restaurants on every corner. Boston Common, a big park in the middle of the city, was at the end of my street.

“Hello, Luke. How was your day?” Hennrick asked in a thick Haitian accent as he opened the door for me. “How are your beautiful sisters?” The doormen at the Ritz had ridiculous memories. They remembered everything about every resident. I was blown away every time we spoke.

“They’re great, Hennrick. How are the kids?” I replied.

After he told me they were getting too big, I headed inside. Next in line for greetings were the concierges on duty, Drew and Devin. They kicked ass. I gossiped with them from time to time, but after the day I’d had, I said a quick hello and headed up to my unit. I needed a cold shower and to hype myself up for a good night out.

As I stuck my keys in my door, I received a text from Danny.

Danny: Where the fuck did you go?

Me: Sorry I needed out of there. Want to grab dinner before we head to the bar?

Danny: Yeah man, meet you in your lobby at 7.

After I found my place, Danny bought a unit in the North Tower across the street. We wanted to live close to each other, but living in the same building was pushing it. After all, we had been roommates for years. Now, we needed space from each other, especially after long days at the spa together.

I loved walking into my apartment at dusk. Floor-to-ceiling windows in every room overlooked the Boston Common and the Charles River, and the natural light they let in created a welcoming glow. An oversized, black leather sectional sat closest to the living room windows so I could stare out over Boston. Years ago, my father purchased an antique telescope for my birthday that I loved using. And no, I didn’t use it to spy on any neighbors, but to watch sailboats floating up and down the river from spring to fall.

As soon as I entered the kitchen, I poured two fingers of vodka, and the smooth liquid slid down my throat. My next stop was the bathroom. I stripped out of my black spa t-shirt and scrub pants, and stepped into the shower. The hot water on my tense neck and back reminded me I was in desperate need of a massage.

Standing under the pulsing spray, I thought about the conversation with Alexa. She was undeniably beautiful, intelligent, and mixed in was a sense of humor. Her tales of cricket tennis cracked me up. What she was was a breath of fresh air. A lot of women who laid on my table were self-absorbed, pampered princesses who never laughed at themselves. Alexa looked like a person who knew how to let loose and have a good time.

After I climbed out of my shower, I dried off and dressed in dark jeans, a tight black t-shirt I joked was a boy’s extra small, and a black and white striped button down. Adding a pair of black leather loafers and a few sprays of Polo #4 cologne and I was ready to head downstairs to meet Danny.

When I stepped off the elevator, Danny’s voice echoed down the hall. He was always trying to get Devin to go out with him. Can’t say I blamed him, as Devin was about five foot five with a smoking hot body. Four-inch heels made her uniform look sexier than intended. I didn’t understand how she could stand in those things all day, but what did I know. She was a cool chick, but probably way more high maintenance than I could handle.

“What’s up, dick?” Danny greeted as I came around the corner.

“Real mature, asshole. You ready to get dinner?” I asked, patting him on the shoulder in a bro-hug.

“Yeah, let’s go eat, so I’ll have a nice full stomach for all the booze I’m going to consume tonight. I even took a BluCetin.”

Danny swore by those pills. He claimed they prevented a hangover even after the hardest bender. I never allowed myself to drink to that point anymore, but Danny still loved to party. He was a man-child.

After saying our goodbyes to Devin, we headed out to dinner in Park Square, just a short walk through the Boston Common. Flemings Steakhouse was a favorite, and we usually just grabbed bar stools. The bartenders were chill, the steaks cooked to perfection, and they stocked my favorite bourbon. That was exactly what I needed after today. We were meeting the rest of the guys at ten o’clock, so we had time for a leisurely dinner.

“So, what had you running out today?” Danny asked on our walk to the restaurant.

I always worked later on Fridays to get a head start on Saturday’s paperwork, so my bolting after Alexa’s appointment raised a flag or two.

“Nothing. I just needed to leave. I’m feeling a little burnt out from the travel, then all the makeup work I have when I got into town.” While it sounded like a good reason, it was a total lie.

“So it had nothing to do with your last client, what’s her name?”

“Alexa? No. Why would you even ask such a question?” Why did I think I could lie to my best friend?

“Well, first of all, you acted the same way after her first appointment. Plus, Jessica mentioned she was gorgeous and super nice.” Danny turned around and walked backwards so he could read my face.

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sorting it all out in my head right now.” Just thinking about it gave me a headache. “I just want to eat and drown out my thoughts with a few drinks. Maybe take a girl home and bang the shit out of her. You feel me?” I shot him a look to end the Alexa conversation. “Now turn around before I kick your ass.”

“Who are you foolin’? You don’t bang random chicks. That’s what I do. But I feel you,” Danny said as we walked into the restaurant.