'I have never, ever, experienced anything like it. Honestly, it was the best massage I have ever had, bar none. When I went I didn't know what to expect because Jenny wouldn't tell me. She wanted it to be a surprise, she said, and she was right there, it was a surprise all right. If I'd known in advance I probably wouldn't have gone, but I'm so glad I did. I came out feeling absolutely wonderful, and wondering what the hell had hit me at the same time. You have got to go and try it for yourself, but if you do then you'll have to be ready for a massage like none you've ever had before.'
Carol was telling Shelley about a visit she had made to a new masseuse, recommended in turn by a friend of hers at the gym. Shelley had to admit that Carol's enthusiasm was sparking her interest.
'Ok, so what was so special?'
Carol grinned. 'I'm not going to tell you. Just go and try her for yourself. I promise you, you'll be glad you did.'
'Well tell me something at least. Just give me some indication of what I'd be letting myself in for if I did.'
'Well okay, but I can't tell you much 'cos I don't want to spoil the surprise for you either.' Carol was smiling conspiratorially again. 'The masseuse is called Mina, but I don't think that's her real name. She's mid twenties or thereabouts, so she's our sort of age and she's quite good looking. She comes from Madagascar, so she's dark - very dark actually. They say that her mother was Sri Lankan and her father came from Kenya so you can figure out the mix for yourself. I'm also told she learned her skills in Thailand, but whoever it was who taught her did a good job because she has absolutely magical hands.' Carol paused. 'One thing I must warn you is that she strips off completely the same as you do, but don't get concerned, apparently it's just to make her clients feel less self conscious. Just relax and let her do her job and you'll come out walking on air, I promise you.'
After a recommendation like that there was no way she wouldn't give Mina a try, and so a couple of weeks later she was climbing the short flight of steps, checking the address on the door against Carol's scribbled note.
The girl who answered the door answered Carol's description perfectly. She was an inch or so taller than Shelley's five-four, slim, athletic and beautiful. Her skin was dark chocolate, her hair a mass of tumbling black waves and her brown eyes smiled, caressed and flashed all at the same time. She was wearing a short wrap-around tunic in crisp green cotton, but that appeared to be all for not a hint of clothing showed from beneath it and even her feet were bare.
'Mina?' Shelley asked, her voice sounding shaky even to her own ears. Now she was here she was filled with sudden trepidation.
'Yes, I am Mina, and you are Shelley?' She stood to one side with a broad welcoming smile and indicated for Shelley to enter with a sweep of her hand.
'Thank you.'
Mina ushered her into a room that was a strange mix between modern lounge and professional office, decorated in muted colours and softly lit by carefully placed lamps. It was a warm, reassuring space softly scented with sandalwood incense and with the background filled with gentle eastern music. The whole room was, however, dominated by the wide black and chrome massage table placed to one end, with a small table beside it filled with towels and tissues.
They sat themselves in two austere but comfortable faux leather chairs at the opposite end and Mina poured them each a glass of fruit juice from an expensive looking cut glass jug.
'I need little chat before we begin, and it will give you chance to relax a little.' Mina's attractively singsong accent was almost oriental.
Mina's 'chat' was to ask her about any allergies she might have, any injuries, old or new, and anything else that might be relevant. Had Shelley ever had a massage before and if so what kind? Did nudity bother her? Shelley answered as honestly as she could, admitting that her only earlier massages had been a couple of sports massages during her tennis playing days, from which she also had residual ankle injury. No allergies, no problems with being naked – how could she after the tennis club showers?
Shelley was pleased to be asked all these questions, it reassured her that Mina knew what she was doing, and anyway she was captivated by her warm velvet voice, her slightly gap toothed smile and her expressive hands, especially her hands, knowing that they would soon be touching her skin. The idea of those brown hands on her pale skin seemed almost artistic and all of a sudden she couldn't wait for it to begin. Even so, she was so carried away with her own thoughts that she nearly missed it when Mina pointed to the Chinese screen that stood across one corner of the room.
'If you like to undress behind there and then lie on table, I be right back. I just go to check the oil.'
Shelley walked in a dream into the designated corner and began to undress. This, she told herself, was it. Now she'd find out what Carol was gushing about. It seemed strange, almost ludicrous, that she should undress out of sight and then lie herself, open and exposed, on a table, but she was glad of the privacy. She had followed Carol's suggestion and put her hair up, pinned out of the way, but she had also done something else. She had shaved her pubes, obliged for some reason to present a smooth body to her masseuse, feeling that the half grown stubble there would have seemed somehow scruffy. She knew she'd have to go through the itchy stage again, but she still felt compelled to shave herself clean.
Naked, she came out from behind the screen feeling very vulnerable and wondering is she were suppose to lie face up or face down. She opted for face up on the grounds that the kind of forced exhibitionism involved would kill off any lingering inhibitions. She sat on the table, swung her legs up and lay with her knees together and her arms ramrod straight down by her sides, very aware that her shaven state meant that the top of her slit would be easily visible, and waited for Mina to appear.
It was as if Mina had been waiting for her to arrange herself, because no sooner was Shelley settled than she came back carrying a small bowl and wearing absolutely nothing. Shelley glanced across and then, feeling unexpectedly conscious of Mina's nudity, she deliberately looked away, staring resolutely at the ceiling and trying not to envy Mina's beautifully athletic figure. Reflecting later she realised that she must have resembled a soldier on horizontal parade, but it wasn't her own but Mina's nudity that was making her feel distinctly uncomfortable, especially as Mina herself seemed to think nothing of it.
If she noticed Mina didn't comment, for she simply placed the bowl beside Shelley and enquired 'ready?' Shelley nodded without looking, but when nothing seemed to be happening she forced her eyes down to look. Mina was 'soaping' her hands with the oil, gazing down at Shelley as if considering where to start. Seeing Shelley's eyes on her she smiled her lovely warm smile and dipped her fingers back into the bowl. Shelley found she was smiling back despite herself.
She watched as Mina took her hand between her own shiny ones and began the massage, interlacing oily brown fingers between her own, rubbing her palm with thumb pressing in from below as her fingers rippled across the joints and bones on the back of her hand. Shelley began to relax, happy that she was in capable hands, in both senses of the word. Even the slightly musky aroma of scented massage oil seemed designed to help her unwind.