This story started out as a conversation between me and my best friend (a guy) earlier this week when we were eating lunch. He was telling me about getting a massage and his experience with it. Likewise, I shared my own experience. I thought it was a great little story to feature Nathan and Vivian in something sexy, cute and slightly embarrassing.

 

That's the thing with me never have a conversation with me; it's at risk to turn into a story like this.

 

…

 

It was one of those things I wanted to share with Nathan but was terrified to. We had both been complaining about how stiff and sore we were thanks to sitting at computers for too long and maybe not exercising near enough as we should. That's what we got for being a software engineer and a writer.

 

I was repeating this conversation to one of my girlfriends, Ruby, who ran a small graphic design business in downtown Nashville.

 

"Go get a massage," she suggested, "I know a few people."

 

Eventually she gave me the name of a massage parlor I had never heard of: Euphoria.

 

While I wasn't exactly keen on the name, but I passed along the information to Nathan and we both ended up booking appointments an hour apart.

 

A few days before Thanksgiving we met up and I was still unbearably nervous. I had avoided speaking on the chance I might blurt out something stupid as I had the habit of doing around Nathan lately ever since I had developed feelings for him. That, however was the least of my problems.

 

"Euphoria, that sounds like the name of a sex shop, to be honest." Nathan raised an eyebrow at me and smirked. He shook his head, "Where do people come up with stuff like this!"

 

I shrugged. I didn't have a good answer either.

 

The room we walked into was warm and cozy. There were a number of small stations presumably for people getting manicures and other such treatments.

 

The woman behind the desk smiled.

 

"May I help you?"

 

"We have appointments." Nathan spoke up.

 

"Together?" The woman looked from Nathan to me and back again, it was the look I was used to, the look that assessed whether we were a couple or not.

 

"Yes, and no." We've come in together but were paying separately," Nathan explained.

 

"Would you like separate rooms." The receptionist asked.

 

"Yes." We said at the same time.

 

"I see. Just fill out this paperwork and I'll have someone with you shortly."

 

Nathan and I filled out our paperwork without speaking, it seemed at the moment neither of us had anything good to say and was otherwise occupied with our own thoughts.

 

A few minutes later a woman with dark curly hair and a blue robe called for us. Below her curly hair she wore bejeweled glasses that slid partially down her small nose. She was also wearing a bright shade of lipstick-a shocking magenta.

 

"Mr. Clarence, Ms. Peters," she called in a melodious voice, "my name is Roxanne, please follow me."

 

We were led to the appropriate changing rooms.

 

"Please undress to where you are most comfortable and go out into the small sitting room to the left. Then I will call you back as soon as I am ready."

 

We nodded, did one of our 10 second silent conversations before going our separate ways.

 

"I guess I'll see you in a minute." Nathan muttered before he headed for the changing rooms.

 

I had had a few massages before so I was roughly familiar with the procedures. In 10 minutes I had stripped keeping only my leggings on. After doing so I pulled on the big fluffy robe. Then I headed for the sitting room to which I had been directed. A few seconds later Nathan came out he was wearing the robe and slippers and I was pretty sure he was naked, but I didn't ask.

 

That idea weirded me out way too much to think about it in detail.

 

Nathan was just finishing a cup of tea when Roxanne breezed back into the room. She seemed too excited to be a masseuse, since many of them were easy-going and relatively low-key.

 

"I'm ready!" She sang, "Please follow me." Roxanne continued chattering as she led us down the hallway. "Unfortunately, the only room we have available is the one reserved for couples."

 

Nathan glanced at me raising his eyebrows.

 

"What you want to do?" He muttered.

 

The rest of our conversation was had through a series of looks, each of us weighing the pros and cons and implications of what we were about to agree to.

 

"I won't look," I whispered, "you'll be covered for most of it anyway."

 

"Yeah, I was wondering about that." Nathan frowned, a wrinkle becoming prominent between his serious blue eyes.

 

"That's fine." Nathan told Roxanne shortly. "We'll manage."

 

"Lovely!" Roxanne trilled. "Just down here, at the end of the hall."

 

The room was easily the largest room in the building with two massage tables encompassing the space.

 

"Just undress and lie down, I'll be back in 10!"

 

Once again she darted out the room shutting the door behind her.

 

Nathan gave me another look, but it was hard to decipher. Either way, it made my stomach squirm.

 

"No peeking." He said, a faint smirk playing around his mouth. I dutifully turned my back.

 

Then it was my turn. I felt oddly self-conscious pulling the robe away, but I lay down and pulled the sheet up to my shoulders. Then I looked over at Nathan. From where I was all I could see were the tops of his shoulders. For the rest of the time neither of us spoke, the room filling with an oppressive silence.

 

Then Roxanne came back in.

 

She was oddly quiet as she set to work and I watched out of the corner of my eye. All I could see were the rise and fall of Nathan's shoulders, punctuated by an occasional sigh. Again, my stomach began to squirm, but for a different reason. I wondered what it would be like to see him without the sheet, but I shoved the thought away; he was still my best friend.

 

Against the firm mattress I felt my nipples hardened. I bit my lip. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I still had almost an hour to go before it was my turn; it was going to be a long two hours.