Intimate Waters

Author's Note: For the sake of simplicity I used a male/ female couple. The dance can be adapted with ease to suit a male/ male or a female/ female couple. The instructions found within do not have to be followed step by step; they are only hints and suggestions.

A big Thank you to Sophia Jane for the wonderful edit. This piece wouldn't have been half of what it is without your outstanding effort and suggestions for improvement.

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Imagine slick skin sliding together as two people stand under the hot, pulsing spray of a thousand aquatic fingers massaging away the tension of the day...heaven. Add the erotic touch of human hands kneading, caressing and rubbing intimate regions and what you have is a recipe designed for explosion.

Unlike the fantasy, bathing is an everyday necessity that most people don't put a lot of thought into. However, it can be one of the most arousing, intimate experiences a couple incorporates into their relationship. The main focus of a couple's shower is not sexual; instead it should be sensual.

Increasing the level of intimacy by showering together and focusing on the erotic can open the door to new ideas. Heightening the senses can intensify the sexual encounter that may follow. The possibilities are endless.

The key to the ultimate experience is communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, a willingness to try new things, and an open mind.

Pre-shower preparation:

Have a selection of scented shower gels or soap on hand. Bath and body stores have hundreds of scents available. Choosing the right scent is an important decision the couple needs to make together. Some scents may be repulsive to one person; while others may be so arousing it's a race to get out the door before carnal lust takes over and the animal is unleashed in the middle of the mall.

A good bath pouf, loofah or bath mitt is an excellent accessory to add and can also be found at a bath and body store. Any of those accessories will allow the application of the shower gel or soap with the added benefit of exfoliation. Of course, a washcloth or sponge will work just as well. Have an array of accessories available. Alternating between the rough texture of a loofah, for instance, and the softer texture of hands or a cloth can be an incredible turn on.

Good shampoo and conditioner in the couple's favorite scent are a must. To qualify as good, it has to lather well and rinse out clean. This should be a given, but it isn't. There are a lot of shampoos and conditioners on the market that lather as well as straight water and wouldn't come out with Borax.

If the couple is so inclined, and the hot water is sufficient, a new razor for the woman is a good choice. Complete trust in the partner is required for shaving any area. Some couples choose to use a beard trimmer and electric razor on the pubic mound, prior to showering, but it's a personal preference.

For added atmosphere, choose some scented candles to arrange around the bathroom and bedroom. It is essential that the candles be positioned in the appropriate places to prevent accidental fire. The dim light created by the candles can enhance the feel of intimacy.

Soft, romantic music to play in the background is also an option. As with any electronic device, however, keep it clear of the water.

The choreographed water dance:

Start with a water temperature suited to both parties. Too cold or too hot for either one can be distracting, to say the least.

Holding one another close, both standing sideways to the spray, and kissing is a superb way to get the ball rolling. Both should take this opportunity to assist the other in wetting their hair, if they have any, by reaching up with their hands and, with very gentle pressure, pushing the hair back from the face.

Monsieur:

Rotate your partner out of the direct spray. Every movement into and out of the water should feel like you are dancing with your partner. Communicate. Tell her which way you want her to go; show her with gentle pressure from your hands.

Squeeze a small amount of shampoo into the palm of your hand. For shoulder length hair or shorter it shouldn't take more than a dime-sized amount. For longer hair no more than a quarter-sized amount. (Waist length hair may require a bit more.) Using such a small quantity is the beauty of 'good' shampoo. Rub the palms of your hands together, just enough to get shampoo on both hands, lift the hair off her neck and place it on top of her head. This provides a good opportunity to kiss her neck and shoulders. Lather the shampoo into the length of her hair, being careful not to get soap in her eyes. When you have worked up a good lather, use your fingertips to massage her scalp, all the way around her hairline, as well as the top of her head and neck. Drop tiny kisses on her earlobes and shoulders. Take your time; this isn't a race.

Rinsing can be tricky; get her to assist you to avoid a loss of balance. With her back to the water, tip her head back until her hairline is under the spray, but with her forehead out of it. Use your hands to work the shampoo out of her hair, being careful not to press too hard and pull her hair. Her hair is rinsed when the water runs clear and you no longer see soap bubbles.

Coax her out of the direct spray once again. You have the opportunity, since she is still facing you, to drop unexpected kisses all over her face, as you condition her hair. Squeeze about a quarter-sized amount of conditioner into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. This time the application begins with the bottom strands and works upward. The purpose is to keep the concentration of conditioner at the scalp from being too heavy, which creates a greasy look when dry.

Massage the conditioner in, using moderate pressure. Your goal is her pleasure and a scalp massage is pure heaven. Use the tips of your fingers and knead her entire scalp. Make the massage last a couple of minutes. Not only will her hair be soft and luxurious, she'll be putty in your hands. When you are finished massaging, rinse again. It's not as obvious this time when her hair is rinsed; have her help you. Once her hair is rinsed, move her out of the cascading water, turn her so her back is facing you and kiss her neck.

To keep things simple, I chose to use the shower gel and bath pouf as an example. Any combination of soap and accessory is fine. It's up to the couple to choose what is right for them. Again, alternating between the choices can be an incredible turn on.

Squeeze the chosen gel onto the pouf and begin lathering at the base of her neck. The beautiful thing about a pouf is it has its own handle. Slip your thumb through the loop of the pouf. Work the pouf over her left shoulder and down her arm. It only requires one hand to use a pouf, but don't let the other hand idle. Meander along the soapy path you just created; tantalize, tease and stimulate her. Clear a spot for your lips and brush them against her skin in various places.

When you get to her hand, stop and work your way back up. (Concentration on the hands themselves comes later.) Repeat with the right shoulder and arm. Stop again at the hand and return to the neck. Lather her back, and then let the pouf drop. It doesn't go far, since the loop is around your thumb. With your bare hands, massage the lather into her skin, following the same pattern you used with the pouf. Alternate between moderate pressure and light, teasing strokes.

With the pouf, begin again at the small of her back. Draw light circles over her buttocks. Remember, you do have two hands. Slip the pouf between her buttocks, being careful not to press too hard or too far. Soap the backs of her legs, alternating in such a manner that the pouf never loses contact with her body. Let the pouf drop once more and let your hands journey where the pouf once was. Slide your fingers between her buttocks and graze her rectum with your fingers. Communicate with your partner; if she finds this arousing she should let you know; listen to her words as well as her body.

If she does find it arousing, tease her rectum a little before you insert one, and only one, finger inside. Go slow, although soap is a good lubricant, this can be painful for someone who isn't use to it or isn't ready for it. Keep in mind, however, this dance is intended to be erotic and sensual, not sexual; you aren't looking to get her off, just heighten her senses.

If she doesn't find it arousing, or isn't ready to try it, move on to the rest of the dance.

Knead her buttocks in a gentle manner; the muscles can be quite sensitive. Place one hand on each cheek and work your way down each leg. Increase the intimacy of this action by brushing your thumbs along the insides of her thighs, near her labia.

When you get to her feet, lift them, one at a time, of course, and massage the soles. Wash in between each toe; some women find this very erotic. Help her rinse the bottom of her feet before setting them back down, you don't want her to slip and fall.

With firm, but still gentle pressure, slide your hands up the back of her legs as you stand. Move your hands up her back to her shoulders and encourage her to turn around to face you. Hold her head in your hands with your thumbs caressing her cheeks. Kiss her on the lips. Back off the kiss, just a bit, and allow your breath to caress her lips. Don't kiss her, don't blow air into her face; just breathe. If she leans closer to kiss you, back off a little. If she backs away, move a little closer. Maintain the barest contact. Take your time, and hold your position; anticipation is sensual. Reward her patience with a single, deep kiss designed to steal her breath.

Next, concentrate on the front of her body, using the same methods. Soap her arms once more, and her chest, easy on the nipples because they may be sensitive. Remember, big guy, you have two hands and you have lips. Instinct should tell you when to use them.

Slip the loop of the pouf over your wrist and lift her right hand. With firm but gentle pressure, rub your thumbs against the back of her hand in small, steady circles. Mimic the circles with your fingers on the palm of her hand at the same time. Massage each individual finger, and then her thumb. Turn her hand over and kiss her wrists. Pulse points are erogenous zones. Draw the same circles on the palms of her hands, your fingers on the backs of her hands now. Massage each individual finger; be thorough. Repeat for her left hand.

Slide your hands up each arm to her shoulders. With splayed fingers and flat palms, glide your hands over her breasts. Lift them and give them a gentle squeeze. Continue over her abdomen and then up her sides to her armpits. This is an area sometimes considered taboo, but often found arousing by men and women alike. Try different touches and listen to your partner. If nothing else, you'll know it's clean. From the armpits, make the journey to the breasts once more. Draw circles in a diminishing spiral around the breasts and nipples. Tweak each nipple in turn and reposition the pouf to continue the bathing process.

Place the pouf on her abdomen and soap your way down. Lather the pubis and tops of the legs well; it will come in handy later. Finish lathering both of her legs, down to her feet. You should be in a kneeling position. Lift each foot and massage it again, giving her toes special, individual attention. Follow your instinct here, it may be screaming for you to kiss the insides of her thighs. Make sure the soap is rinsed before setting her foot down. Set the pouf aside.

Slide your hands up her legs, brushing your thumbs against her labia as you reach the top. Massage her inner thighs, making feather light contact with her labia, enough to arouse, but not enough to satisfy. Move one hand to the small of her back and use the other hand to massage her pubic mound. Slip one finger between the lips of her labia and across her clitoris; don't press too hard. Release when you get to her vaginal opening. Return to the top of her clitoris and run two fingers, splayed in the shape of a v, alongside her clitoris. Release.

Place both hands on her hips and slide your hands up her body, over her breasts and cup her head in your hands. Breathe on her lips for a few seconds before you kiss her. Trail kisses down her chin and neck. Take your time. Sensuous is slow. Gather her earlobe between your lips and pull your lips inward; gentle now, this should resemble a small tug. Place your mouth next to her ear and inhale, slow and steady. Kiss her eyelids. Kiss her forehead. Kiss her nose. Massage her cheeks, alternating your fingertips and thumbs. Massage her chin, her lips. Massage her earlobes and the back of her neck.

Give her a deep kiss. Maneuver her into the stream of water for her final rinse and wait for payback.

To be fair, if you run out of hot water before you get your turn under the pouf, you should go first the next time.

Payback is heaven:

Now it's your turn, m'lady. Your body is humming, he is aroused and now it's time to take it to the next level of sensation. He needs to be out of the direct spray of water and he may need to assist you in reaching his head, depending on his height.

If he has hair, use a dime-sized amount of shampoo in the palm of your hand and lather it up. If he doesn't, use a pea-sized amount. If he has long, thick hair you may need a bit more than the dime-sized amount, but not much. Your fingers are a wonderful, tantalizing tool; use them. Knead his scalp. If you have long nails, don't scratch, tickle. You know how much you love a scalp massage; show him why. Rinse, being careful not to get soap in his eyes and ruining the mood.

I don't wish to be repetitive, so all I will say is: what he just did for you, you should do for him. Yes, that even includes playing with and inserting a finger in his rectum, if you both choose to. If either of you decline this part of the dance, don't participate; it's that simple.

His nipples can be as sensitive as yours, so take care to listen to his body as well as his words. If he can't handle the sensation, back off. If he's asking for more, have fun.

Tease his scrotum, testicles and penis. Clean them, massage them, and in general arouse him with sensation. Remember that the purpose of the dance is to be erotic and sensual, not sexual. You are heightening awareness and sensation, not getting him off.

Massage his face, love his body, arouse his senses, you won't regret learning the steps."

Finale:

Once the cleansing is complete and the water has been doused, step out of the shower and dry each other off. Don't rub too hard. Brisk, even strokes with the towel serve to heighten sensations further. Dry the crevices too; they often get overlooked. An alternative to the brisk rubdown is to pat each other dry. Patting allows for a tender, loving moment and is suggested by some dermatologists to help keep some of the skin's moisture.

A couple, at this point, has the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy their partner's body. A good lotion or massage oil can replace the moisture skin loses with soap. Applying it to a partner's body, rather than to their own, allows the chance to map erogenous zones. Massaging the human body can be erotic, for both people.

A relaxed atmosphere may also lead to the sharing of desires and fantasies or to a willingness to try new ideas. It's up to the individual couple to decide where to take the experience from here.

An intimate bathing experience can happen anywhere. It isn't necessary to be in the shower. It can happen in the bathtub, or even in the bedroom. There's a lot to be said for a sponge bath, provided precautions are taken against creating a sloppy wet bed.

A choreographed water dance can be the spark required to spice up a love life that's grown a little dull. It may be just the beginning of a journey to trying new experiences, the ending of an era of the humdrum. Wherever the road leads, take to heart that communication is the key. A body speaks volumes, even when no words are forthcoming.