Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

004:

"No." I said.

He was shaking his head at my reticence-- in his mind, I'm sure it was unnecessary. 

A tall slender woman with red hair and deep red lipstick let herself in the front door. Rafe did not turn to greet her, but kept his eyes on me, and they widened perceptibly, in fact, rolled as if he was exasperated.

"Hey, Rafe!" The voice did not match the physique. A little girl whine accompanied a little girl giggle as Virginia came closer, noticing my presence. Her eyes narrowed. "Hey! Who's your friend?"

He still didn't turn but now he mouthed words that I caught easily. His mouth was very expressive. Do me this favor, please.

I looked over his shoulder. What exactly did he expect me to do? 

She was almost to us. "This is Aubrey, my girlfriend." He said and took my hand in his. "Aubrey, meet my masseuse, Virginia Lockwood."

Virginia almost lost her balance as the import of those words set in. Are you kidding was written all over her face.

Oh. I waggled my brows at him. You want to let her down easy? So, I surmised, this fan, this masseuse, had a crush on him? Had aspirations? Expectations?

"I'm hoping you'll have time for both of us tonight, Virginia, but if not, then just Aubrey, okay?"

"Wh-- uh--." She literally stammered and was caught completely off guard and Rafe led us both down the hal way to the left under the stairs and opened the door to what I could only call a massage room. Two massage beds covered the center of the floor, and a cabinet with Bose speakers atop it, several plants. I was impressed beyond words. A smaller door led to a bathroom.

"So, do you have time for both, Virginia?" His voice was so different from the voice he'd used to introduce himself to me. His whole demeanor had changed and it was obvious he was making a statement to this woman, that he was not-- absolutely not-- interested in her. Perhaps she had come on to him one too many times-- I couldn't blame her-- he was gorgeous, and to have him in this room with soft music and a warm heater and all to myself would be heavenly, but--

"Usually I don't--" Virginia began and Rafe shushed her with a finger against her lips. She gave him that adoring glance I knew had been on my face a couple of times already.

"Make an exception?"

"Both then." She said, not wanting to give up touching those heavily muscled shoulders even for a second.

Rafe grinned at me, and bent to loosen his work out pants. In seconds he had stripped and wrapped a towel around his waist. He jerked his head at the bathroom door and I went inside to change, finding a robe there I could put on. Before I did, though, I sniffed it appreciatively, catching the faint clean fresh odor he exuded.

I peeked out cautiously, but Rafe had laid face down on one table, some quiet John Mayer was filling the room with lovely tones and the lighting had been lowered. He wasn't nude and for that I was grateful, having had both kinds of massage myself--- nude and not nude. I had left my panties on, but had lost the bra, keeping the robe fastened tightly.

I'll admit it. This was way off my scale of common activities. I'd never had an unscheduled massage, even in twelve years of college. I was familiar with massage. Sure. But not at my celebrity neighbor's whom I'd just met a couple of hours ago.

I wondered-- yes, with all the seriousness of my very befuddled brain-- if I wasn't running on empty. Making faulty or rather bizarre decisions.

"Come on out, Aubrey." He said my name slowly... as if he'd debated simply calling me Aub. His hand was motioning, his eyes were searching in my direction.