Her first thought upon meeting Chase was, "Oof, he's hot." Within moments of that thought, their conversation flowed like they'd known each other forever. She couldn't take her eyes off the shine of his salt and pepper hair. It was his job to touch her, but in the way his fingers felt her muscles for pain, she also felt his curiosity. His kneading of her body didn't only relieve tension; he communicated it. Each week at his practice, her skin reverberated with the pressure of his palms and the embrace of his fingertips.
Yet she knew better to act on her reverie. This was his place of business.
Each session, his gray eyes ignited with excitement when he'd see she was his next client. It was as if he could not wait to find her body's secrets. While he worked her muscles seeking her vulnerabilities, they'd whisper and giggle like old friends with inside jokes and unspoken love. Every time, she walked away imagining them crossing an invisible line even while he explained the details of human anatomy with nerdy passion.
She shook away her fantasy. He was a professional. This kind of thing didn't happen in reality.
Then Chase gave her his number.
"Text anytime," he said. "That's my personal number."
The offer goaded her for the week between appointments, but she didn't dare text him.
In the waiting room before her next appointment, her mind raced through the possibility of their naked bodies shattering professionalism. When he called her back to the privacy of his room, her hopes skyrocketed.
"I really, really like your company," he said.
The next week, he complimented her earrings, and she felt the heat of his hands soak into her.
The week after, he told her he liked her shoes, and she imagined Chase rubbing her feet.
As he worked her back, he told her how he had a heightened sense of touch, how he could feel things other people couldn't. Their conversation grew serious, and by the end, he asked her for a hug. The way he smelled so richly like a man clung to her. His words lingered as well. What, she wondered, was sex like for him?
A week later, his practice wasn't busy. They walked to his room. He closed the door behind him, then embraced her. Letting go, he stood closer than usual, his lean body towering over her curves.
"I'm curious," she said.