Dusk & Summer

tom.
aug 26, 2005.
london, england.
I woke up sharply because of a seering pain shooting down my back.

"Jesus Christ." I groaned, trying to sit up but not even being able to. I collapsed back against my pillows and groaned again, running my fingers through my hair. I turned my head and looked over at the time. 10.08 am. I carefully reached over and grabbed my phone, finding Anna's number and holding it to my ear. It rang a few times, before she picked up.

"Hello?" I heard her say, and I scrunched up my face in pain as I answered in a tense voice.

"Anna, hi." I said down the phone. "My back is absolutely killing me, it's so bad I can't move right now so I don't think I'll be able to meet you today."

"Oh my God, are you alright?" She asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah, it should ease up in a little while." I replied, trying to roll my neck a little. "I just doubt I'll feel up for anything for the rest of the day."

There was a pause, before Anna spoke up.

"There's a chiropractory section in my spa. I could see if there's an opening for tomorrow?"

"Could you? That would be awesome." I replied, squeezing my eyes shut in pain.

"Sure. I'll ring you in a little while, okay?"

"Okay, thanks a lot Anna. Sorry about today."

"Don't worry about it. I hope you feel better."

"Thanks, speak to you in a little while."

"Bye, Tom."

With that, we both hung up and I threw the phone across the bed as I groaned in pain. The stiffness in my sore back was easing up a bit but it was still painful, and fifteen minutes later when Anna rang me back I was still in the same position. I groaned in pain as I quickly sat up and reached for the phone.

"Hey." I said, laying back down on my pillows.

"The chiropractor has an opening on Sunday at 2 pm. Is that alright?"

"Yeah that's great, thanks so much." I replied, and she quickly gave me the address of the Spa.

"I'll be working then so I'll probably see you there." She said, and I could hear that she was smiling. I smiled myself as I replied.

"Hopefully. I'll see you soon, then."

"See you soon, Tom. Feel better."

aug 28, 2005.
"Tom." I heard Anna's voice behind me in a hiss as I stepped out of the chiropractor's room. I turned around and saw her head poking out of a dimly lit room.

"Hey." I whispered back, keeping quiet in the relaxing atmosphere of the spa.

"You want a free massage? I had a cancellation today."

I can feel the blood flooding to my cheeks as my palms began to sweat.

"I..uhh..." I stammered nervously at the thought of being naked in front of Anna. Fair enough I'd be under a towel, but still...

"Come on, how can you turn down a free massage?! It'll relax you and make your back hurt less." Anna said, taking my arm and leading me into the room. I stepped into the very dim, warm room and looked around awkwardly. The air was heavy and humid with deep, relaxing scents, and I could hear calming, watery music trickling into the room softly.

There was a simple massage table in the middle of the small room, and a wooden counter sunken into the wall laden with different bottles and bowls of liquids.

"I'll leave the room while you get undressed, just strip off and wrap that towel around you." She said in a soft voice, pointing to a deep green towel hanging up on the back of the door. I laughed nervously and nodded before she stepped out of the room. I took a deep breath and looked around me again awkwardly, before quickly pulling off my shirt, then my shoes, socks and pants. I hesitated, before finally sliding my boxers off and leaving all my clothes hanging up on the back of the door. I quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped it tightly round my waist, before clearing my throat and calling, "O-okay, you can come back in now."

After a few moments the door opened a crack and Anna slipped into the room. My cheeks flamed as I gripped the towel even tighter and avoided looking at her. She pulled another towel out of the cupboard and unfolded it before holding it up.

"Okay, so lie face up on the table. I'll hold the towel up until you're comfortable then I'll cover your..well..you know." She laughed softly and I nervously joined in, before slowly letting go of the towel from my waist and quickly climbing onto the table. I felt her gently place the towel over my hips and my cheeks coloured furiously again, even though I know she wouldn't have seen anything because she's professional, and she knows how to do this properly. Still, I couldn't get out of my head the fact that I was now naked in a small room with Anna, and she was about to give me a massage.

"Just relax, Tom." She said softly, and I tried to loosen up my limbs as I took a deep breath and shut my eyes. I heard her opening a bottle, and then the only other sound besides the softly playing music was the light rustling of Anna's clothes as she moved to the end of the table.

Suddenly I felt her soft hands running up my leg and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly.

Shit.

Despite how nervous I was I could feel my body already relaxing from Anna's touch. She was a very good masseur.

After a few minutes, I sighed softly as her oily hands slid across my skin expertly. After she finished on my legs and feet, I heard her move round to pour more oil onto her hands, before she came up to the head of the bed. A few moments later I felt her small hands begin to massage my chest, before she worked on each of my arms and hands. Then she slid her hands up the back of my neck a few times before I heard her soft voice.

"If you just want to turn onto your front now..."

I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as I carefully turned over so I was face down on the table, my face poking through that little hole that massage tables have. I heard Anna rub more oil into her hands before she moved back down to the end of the bed to do the backs of my legs. I shut my eyes and sighed, totally relaxed as her soft hands slid over my oily skin.

I heard her move back round to my side after she finished on my legs, before I felt her hands begin to work on my back. My muscles loosened even more as Anna's skilled hands began to relieve the tension from my back. She moved round to get more oil, before I felt her move back to the head of the bed. I could feel her long hair tickling between my shoulder blades, and I opened my eyes and smiled as I looked down and saw her small, delicate feet clad in a pair of simple white flip flops. I suddenly felt her hands sliding down my back skillfully, and my eyes shut of their own accord as I relaxed.

After a few minutes her hands slid up to between my shoulder blades, and she began expertly kneading the knots of stress out of my back. It was a strangely pleasant pain, and I could already tell how much better it was making me feel.

When she finally finished, I was almost asleep, I was so relaxed.

"I'll just go get you some water, then I'll leave you to shower and get dressed, okay?"

"Okay." I replied in a soft, sleepy voice, and hear her quietly leave the room. She returns a few moments later and I hear her set a glass of water down on the sunken counter.

I stayed exactly as I was for at least another five minutes after she left; totally relaxed and for once, my back not hurting at all.

Eventually, I climbed off the massage table slowly and lazily. I held the towel around my waist as I rubbed my tired eyes and ran a hand through my messy hair. Then I dropped the towel onto the massage table and stepped into the tiny, adjoining shower room to shower off all the oils. When I stepped back into the room I quickly dried myself off and slipped my clothes back on, before gulping down the water.

When I left the small room, squinting slightly in the sudden bright, unnatural light of the waiting room I saw Anna standing by the reception table. I walked over to her, and she looked up when she felt my presence.

"Oh, hello." She said, smiling at me. "Did you like your massage?"

My cheeks flushed slightly but I nodded. "Yes. Thanks so much, it made my back feel so much better."

"Good." She said, blushing with pleasure.

"So...when do you finish?" I asked, glancing up at the clock on the wall. It was almost 4 o'clock.

"Six." Anna said, making a face.

"Oh right." I replied, and there was a silence.

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked me, and I shrugged.

"Nothing really."

"Well...why don't you phone me after I finish work and we can..I don't know...go somewhere? For a drink maybe or..or something."

Anna's cheeks stained a delicate pink as she spoke, and I couldn't help the smile spreading across my lips.

"That'd be great." I said. "I'll ring you about ten past 6 then?"

She nodded, smiling.

"Okay, speak to you then."

I rested my hand on her arm for a second, before giving her one final smile and turning to leave.



"Ohhh I'm going to regret this in the morning." Anna groaned, but she was still smiling. I brushed it off with a wave of my hand as I slid another shot towards her.

"I'm only here for a few more days, let's make the most of it!" I said to her, in a loud voice because of all the noise in the bar around us. She grinned and picked up the shot at the same time that I did.

"One, two three-"

We both quickly downed our shots - our sixth each, and I felt it go straight to my head immediately. I laughed loudly at nothing in particular as Anna tossed her hair back and grabbed my arm, giggling herself. I laughed again as I wrapped my arms around her tightly and rested my chin on the top of her head as I gazed around me at the loud, packed bar. I felt her snuggle into my chest, before she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I'm glad I met you, Tom." She said in my ear, and I pulled my head back to grin at her.

"I'm glad I met you too." I said, barely audible over the music. She flashed me her dazzling grin and leaned up to kiss my cheek. Then as she pulled away she teetered a bit.

"I think I'm a bit drunk."

I laughed loudly. "So do I. I mean, so am I."

She laughed and removed her arms from around my neck to lean back over the bar.

"One more, then shall we go?" She said, grinning mischievously at me as she signalled the bartender over. I grinned and nodded, and she ordered two more Sambucca shots as I looked at the time on my phone. 2 am. We'd been out for a long time.

I watched Anna as she paid the bartender. Her cheeks were flushed delicately from the heat of the bar and the alcohol in her bloodstream. Her eyes sparkled and her full, soft lips curved upwards into a smile as the bartender set down the two shots in front of her. She turned towards me with a smirk and handed me a shot. In synch we swallowed them in one gulp, and I watched Anna wince, crinkling her nose cutely. I smiled, allowing my gaze to wander downwards. My eyes settled on her chest, and in my drunken state I couldn't tear them away for a few seconds.

"Tom, are you alright?" I heard her say near my ear, and my eyes quickly swept over the rest of her gorgeous, curvy figure before returning to her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, smiling. "Shall we go?"

As we pushed our way through the crowd until we got outside, I was lost in my own drunken thoughts.

Don't make a move. She wouldn't want you to. Just walk her home then leave. Maybe give her a hug, a kiss on the cheek...but that's it. Control yourself, man. She doesn't like you in that way. Yeah, she's kind of been flirting tonight but she's drunk! It doesn't mean anything-

"You're really tall."

My thoughts were interrupted by Anna as she reached a hand up and stroked the back of my head drunkenly. I laughed and looked down at her as we walked down the cold street.

"Yes, I am."

Anna laughed and leaned up on tiptoes to kiss my cheek lightly, before she grabbed my arm and wrapped it round her shoulders. She snuggled under my arm, and I looked down at her. I couldn't help the smile smearing across my face as we made our way towards her house, with Anna huddling close to me to keep warm.