3. Sensory Overload

3

SENSORY OVERLOAD

D ane walked into the spa a few weeks later and stopped at the front desk. He wasn’t sure what he was doing here, but his mother had given him a gift card for a massage for his birthday.

They’d been at his parents’ house a few weeks ago. He and the kids, Royce, Chloe and Willow. It was nice to have everyone together and celebrate.

Actually, his kids gave him the massage for his birthday, but he knew damn well his mother bought it for them.

Chloe had raved about the place and said he deserved it. He’d get addicted and keep coming back.

He wasn’t so sure about that, as he’d never had one before. Never wanted one before either.

If it was his mother who gave it to him, he might not use it. But since it came from his kids and they’d been on his case to use the gift, he had to. They’d feel bad and he didn’t want that to happen.

It’d been Tiffani’s idea and she’d been a little clingy lately. Since Tiffani had gotten a pedicure at the same place, his daughter wanted that bond and he would give it to her .

He’d been very clear he wasn’t getting a pedicure with her though.

Though he had to admit it did always feel great when he’d been with a woman and they rubbed his shoulders.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, Dane Grey. I’ve got an appointment for a ninety-minute massage. I’m not sure with who.”

“Is this your first time here?” the young woman asked.

“It is,” he said. “I was given a gift card.”

“We’ll take that when you’re done. I’m glad someone thought to gift it to you.”

“It’s from my kids,” he said.

“Even sweeter. If you can fill out a few things first.”

He took the tablet out of her hand and set it on the counter. Entered in some information and handed it back.

“I’m not too early, am I?”

He had twenty minutes but came right from work. It was easier and on the way rather than driving home.

“Not at all. We like it when the clients are early. Let me show you to our waiting room and someone will come get you when they are ready.”

“Thanks,” he said and followed her to a room off to the side.

The building was big. It was nicely decorated. Not overly feminine or frilly. He was afraid he was going to stand out like a green monster when he walked in.

And though he heard voices, he didn’t see many. While he was waiting, one man did leave and it made him feel a little better.

“Dane?”

He looked up and saw the tall woman standing there.

She was dressed all in black, her hair pulled back, a smile on her face. She looked young and thin. Not strong enough to be giving him a ninety-minute massage so it had to be someone else.

“Yes,” he said, standing up. At six feet two inches, he wasn’t towering over her as much as he normally did to women. He’d say she was about five foot eight or so.

“I’m Sloane. I’ll be your massage therapist today. I hear this is your first time.”

“It is,” he said. Damn, how was he going to control his body knowing she’d have her hands on him?

He gulped and told himself to get over it.

He was a doctor and saw naked bodies all the time in med school. Not so much now, but it was just a body part she’d be touching at a time and he was positive Sloane felt the same way.

“I can walk you through it if you’d like,” she said.

“I should be okay,” he said. “I hope.”

She laughed. “I’m here to answer any questions.” They stopped at the door and he walked in, saw the bed in the center with the white sheets. The room was nice and warm. Not so warm that he’d be sweating but not cold that he’d be shivering either with the air conditioning on.

“It’s warm in here,” he said.

“I can turn the heat down,” she said.

“No,” he said. “I mean it’s nice and comfortable.”

“Oh,” she said. “I try. The sheets are warm too. The bed is heated and we can adjust that if need be. Many say when they climb in they want to curl in a little ball and go right to sleep.”

“Really?” he asked.

“Yep. If you want to sleep, go right at it. Is your preference for silence or light conversation?”

Silence would have his mind racing and thinking about her hands on him. “We can talk,” he said. “I’m good with that.”

“Well then,” she said. “There are hooks on the back of the door for you to hang your clothes. I’m sure you don’t want to get them wrinkled.”

“I just came from work.”

He didn’t wear a suit, but always nice pants and a shirt and tie. He had his lab coat over them to protect them from any messy fluids or sticky hands anyway.

“I assumed as much,” she said. “It’s your choice if you’d rather undress completely or leave your underwear on. Tell me where you think you need the work. Or any aches and pains you’ve got.”

“I just figured an all body massage. I’m not sure any area needs more work than others.”

“We can do that,” she said. “When you’re ready, just climb into the bed and lie on your back.”

“Okay,” he said nodding his head.

She left the room and he hurriedly undressed not knowing when she’d come back in.

He hung everything up, leaving his underwear on. He couldn’t bring himself to take them off. He just hoped he could control his body enough being on his back.

There was a light knock at the door. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” he said and turned his head when she walked in.

“I’ve got a few kinds of oils. Most have no scent to them, but some clients do like a light citrus or vanilla note and say it’s relaxing.”

“I’m good with anything,” he said.

“Then we’ll start with a soft light vanilla,” she said, pouring some on her hands and moving behind him.

He had his eyes open and looked up to see her standing over him, looking down and smiling. Her hands slid under his shoulders and halfway down his back and then up again.

He wasn’t sure she was doing all that much, but it felt like heaven already. She was touching the right muscles and pulling them up and sliding back down and again that a low moan escaped from his lips.

“Sorry about that,” he said.

“No,” she said. “That tells me it feels good. You’re very tense. I was told you were given a gift card for this visit. Someone must know you need this.”

“My kids,” he said. “Well, my mother. She bought it for my kids to give me for my birthday. It’s my first and oh my God.” He let out a grunt followed by a groan and couldn’t believe what little control that he had right now. It was like she knew the exact spots to touch.

“It’s fine,” she said. “Don’t worry. Do you like a light or hard touch?”

“What you’re doing now.” How did people fall asleep during this? There was no way he’d do that and miss any of the pleasure he was feeling.

“This is in the middle,” she said, “but I can tell you’re going to have some knots I’ll have to work out when you flip over in a bit.”

“I’m good,” he said. “Whatever you do is fine.”

She laughed a little. “I think it’s sweet that this came from your kids.”

“My daughter was here a while ago with my mother and sister. They got their toenails painted.”

“Pedicures?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “Sorry. I just know she came home with blue nails and kept talking about how she couldn’t decide on the shade. ”

“I bet you let her keep talking about it too because it made her happy,” she said.

“I did until her brother told her his ears were bleeding. The two of them are...entertaining.”

“They sound it,” she said. “So, what do you do if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m a pediatrician.”

“Then you like kids,” she said. “At least I hope you do.”

He heard the humor in her voice through the sensory overload going on in his body. She’d moved from his shoulders to his right arm. His bicep, forearm and even his fingers were being touched.

Where had this been his whole life?

Now he knew why Chloe swore by it.

“I do,” he said. “I always have.”

“No kids for me,” she said. “Someday. It’s hard owning this business and having a personal life let alone a family life.”

“Tell me about it,” he said. “I work a lot and it’s not easy to balance it all.”

Which was how he ended up single, but he wouldn’t say that.

It was not something he brought up, but she might be able to put this together since he hadn’t mentioned having a wife once, just his mother, sister and kids.

“No,” she said. “But people do what works for them. We all have our reasons for it in life too.”

“You’re right,” he said. “That’s a profound statement from someone so young. But since you own this business I guess you’re not that young.”

“I don’t know that I’m much younger than you unless you’ve got really good genes.”

More humor in her voice .

“I’m thirty-five,” he said. “Just turned it. I’d guess you’re not even thirty.”

“Well, they do say doctors are smart. I’m twenty-eight.”

“See,” he said. “Younger than me.”

“You’re good at math too.”

He laughed. He liked that she was distracting him with the conversation so he wasn’t focusing on her touch so much.

A woman’s touch he hadn’t felt in longer than he cared to think of.

He hoped she didn’t know that. Or think it. Or even realize it.

“It wasn’t my favorite subject in school,” he said.

She’d moved to his left arm.

“I bet it was science.”

“It was,” he said. “What about you? What was your favorite subject? You had to have been good at science. You have to know anatomy.”

“Well,” she said. “I didn’t go to public schools until I was sixteen. It took some time for me to catch up and acclimate to things. I’m not sure I had a favorite subject as much as I just wanted to get by.”

“Homeschooling is getting to be more popular,” he said. “There are pros and cons to it all. I feel as long as they are learning and getting an equal amount of social interaction, a child adapts well.”

“I did,” she said. “But it wasn’t as if I had a choice in the matter either.”

Dane could tell she might not want to elaborate and he wasn’t going to ask.

They chatted more about some mundane topics while she moved down to his legs. He had a moment there when she reached her hand under the sheet and then tucked it around his groin so his leg was exposed.

But everything she did was just so wonderful he didn’t care.

“My sister comes here often,” he said. “Now I know why.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. Who is your sister? Maybe I’ve worked on her before.”

“Chloe Grey. Well, it’s Chloe Kennedy now. She just got married a few months ago.”

“Her husband is a contractor,” she said. “I do know Chloe. I know her bosses’ wives too. They are in here often.”

“The Fierces,” he said. “Those women are something.”

“How well do you know them?” she asked.

“Well enough to stay away,” he said, laughing. “Though my sister loves them and their husbands. And sorry. You might not know what I’m talking about.”

“Oh,” she said. “I know. They like to brag. It’s funny. I’m going to hold the sheet and have you roll over to your stomach.”

He’d been watching her while she worked on and off. He turned and saw her holding the sheet, her body standing behind it, giving him privacy to turn and he did. She tucked the sheet around his leg again and went at it from that angle.

“They are interesting women,” he said. “I suppose they mean no harm.”

“No,” she said. “I don’t believe so. They get a lot of gift cards here for their family and friends.”

“I believe they recommended your business to my sister. The wedding party came here a week or so before for a girls' day. ”

“I remember,” she said. “I had Chloe. She was excited about the wedding. She’s got a little girl too.”

“Willow,” he said. “She’s a doll. Obviously baby came before the wedding.”

“It happens,” she said. “Doesn’t mean people love each other any less.”

He turned his head to look down at Sloane as she worked on his thigh. She must have caught his gaze and turned.

“You’re right. It doesn’t. Some people judge.”

“Trust me,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of things in my life people could judge. I’m the last person who would do that to anyone, least of all a client.”

Dane wondered what that was but wouldn’t ask.