The day was perfect. The temperature was not too warm nor too cool. The sky was a beautiful baby blue with puffs of pure white clouds dancing across it. Daniel left the door open to his modest studio as he put the final preparations together to have the room ready for Maria. Sunlight streamed through the large mirrored windows--the kind where you can see out, but no one can see in. The brilliance of it can set just the right mood for clients seeking massage therapy services.
The massage table stood in the center of the room, crisp white sheets draped over it. The scent of lavender filled the air. For him, this space symbolized a rebirth of sorts. Just over 11 months ago, Rebekkah, his fiancé, up and left without a word. He hadn't heard from her once. He came home from work one evening to find her belongings gone and a note on the kitchen counter that read:
This isn't something I want anymore. I'm sorry.
Her parents either didn't have any answers for him or just didn't want to give him any. Her friends either didn't know why she bolted or simply wouldn't entertain the conversation with him. They all just urged him to move on. She apparently did - with the affair partner he found out about a few months after she left. She moved halfway across the country to be with him.
As he mindlessly double-checked everything, making sure things were where they needed to be, he glanced at the clock. She'd be here any minute. A strange mix of nerves and excitement washed over him. Strange because he hadn't felt this kind of positive, yet nervous, energy in quite a while, and Maria was the only one who seemed to inspire those feelings. She'd been his lifeline early on after everything with Rebekkah.
She was the only friend of hers who saw what she had done to him and didn't remain neutral or shy away from him. It was Maria's warmth and wit that had kept him sane in the early going. As time went on, they grew closer. Texting constantly, sharing thoughts and feelings no matter how possibly out there they were, and yet, there was always a barrier Maria would put up. There was hesitation from her that he could never quite understand but respected nonetheless.
Daniel sometimes wondered if maybe Maria wasn't really into him romantically, which was fine - if a little disappointing. But then there were these moments they would share that had him convinced she was. Little touches. Lingering glances. Just all the little things that happen between two people who care for one another and not just as friends.
A quick knock on the open door broke him from his thoughts. He turned to find Maria standing there, wearing a loose sundress that brushed her knees. Her dark hair was pulled back, and her warm brown eyes held a hint of uncertainty. She gave him a smile, hoping to mask the nervous energy flowing through her.
"You're not going to let me back out, are you?" she teased, her voice soft but playful.
"Not a chance," he replied, grinning as he stepped aside to let her in. "You've been dodging this free massage offer for months. It's time to collect."
She laughed lightly, the sound easing some of the tension in the room. "Fine, fine. But just a regular massage, okay? None of your fancy energy stuff or whatever."
"Awww, man. Now, what am I going to do with all the crystals and healing herbs I bought on Amazon?" he joked.
They shared a chuckle, and then he showed her to the curtained-off area where she could change in privacy. Hesitating for the briefest of moments, she nodded and stepped behind the curtain. He walked away and busied himself, adjusting the table, making sure the oil was warm but not too hot, and otherwise keeping his mind from wandering too deep into the "what-ifs" that had swirled between them for months now.
A few minutes later, he came back to the room. Maria was already lying face down on the table, the sheet draped neatly over her back. Her bare shoulders catching his attention as the warm light of the setting sun shone on them at just the right angle.
Placing one hand on the edge of the table and the other gently on her shoulder, he asked softly, "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," she murmured, her voice tinged with nervousness.
Not just knowing she was stripped down in nothing but her panties under the sheet but the softness of his touch on her shoulder. Her skin instantly warmed, and her mind wandered at the feeling of his skin touching hers. Her arousal began to grow, but she desperately didn't want to show any signs of it.
He started with slow, methodical movements over her shoulders and upper back. Kneading away the tension she seemed to perpetually carry. Her muscles were tight, but she gradually began to relax under his touch. Moments later he could feel her breathing deepen, her guard finally melting away.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Mhm, she hummed. "This feels... really good."
He smiled and continued to let himself sink into the rhythm of the massage. His hands moved down her back, tracing the curve of her spine, then gently but firmly working her arms before moving onto the tops of her thighs. He could tell he found one of her spots just along the inside of her right thigh as she tensed ever so slightly when his touch grazed the area. The way her body responded to his touch and the soft sounds of contentment she made made him more aware of how much he cared for her.
Her mind raced as his touch along that region became softer and more purposeful. Her arousal grew more and more. A part of her wanted him to just take her right then, but she knew she couldn't risk that. Their friendship, the bond they've developed, means so much to her. She didn't want to freak him out if he wasn't... she immediately flushed those thoughts from her mind as he leaned into her ear.
"Okay. Time for you to roll over."
He turned his head away and held part of the sheet up to make it easier for her to roll onto her back, mindful not to sneak a glance at her breast. The thought of seeing her breasts only made the weight of his restrained cock adjust itself on his behalf. He attempted to adjust himself without the use of his hands, but the head of his cock simply shifted and gently rubbed against his briefs, causing a tingling to run through the entire length of him.
He quickly refocused and returned to massaging her shoulders and arms again. Then, out of nowhere, he leaned close to her, his voice barely above a whisper, and asked, "Maria, can I massage your breasts?"
One of the biggest risks he had taken in a long time made even riskier because it was with someone he realized he cared deeply for.
Her breath hitched. Several heartbeats went by before she whispered back, "Okay."
She pulled the sheet down to just below her belly button, exposing her soft, perfectly round breasts. Her nipples weren't just erect but pierced. This surprised him, but not in a negative way. His cock immediately tried to free itself to no avail.
He worked carefully, keeping his touch soft and respectful as he gently massaged each breast using slow, soft, circular motions as he half-cupped each one from underneath. Maria let out a soft moan of contentment and pleasure. The room seemed to hum with unspoken energy, a connection neither of them had dared to fully acknowledge before.
"Is this okay?" he asked, his voice full of care. Though his breath was a touch shaky.
She could tell he was turned on. She was turned on, knowing that he was turned on. Almost as if they were each feeding off of and energizing each other with their own mutual attraction and sexual energy.
"Yes, very okay," she said, her voice barely audible, though her breathing was getting heavier.
His fingers brushed over her skin, and for a moment, everything felt natural, easy. But as his hands roamed further, moving toward the edge of her panties, Maria's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist.
"Wait," she said quickly, her voice panicked. "I can't," she said. Her words tumbled out as she was now trying to simultaneously cover herself with the sheet and sit up.
His eyes fixated on hers, a sad, nervous look blanketing his face.
