Squashing the hugely erotic thoughts about where else Holly’s hands might feel good on him, he stood up and grabbed his shirt from the chair in the corner of the room, buttoning it up hastily in case he’d been asleep for hours and Holly was waiting to call it a night. He was glad he’d been face down during the massage so that Holly had been unable to see the look of pleasure on his face, as he wasn’t sure how appropriate that would have been, under the circumstances. Glancing at his watch, he was relieved to see that he’d only been asleep for half an hour or so. Hopefully he hadn’t put Holly out too much.

As he exited the treatment room, he noticed the lights were out in the shop, and that the only illumination was coming from a couple of thick altar candles that had been placed in dishes on the shop counter. The music had changed from the Celtic-sounding melodies to something that sounded a little more Eastern mystical, and as Charlie cast his eyes around for Holly, it took him a moment to realise that she was curled up with her legs folded under her in a yoga position; child’s pose, he seemed to remember it being called, courtesy of an ex-girlfriend who was a yoga convert.

Charlie padded out across the shop floor, not wanting to disturb Holly in the middle of her routine. As he drew closer to her, she straightened up to a sitting position and raised her long, shapely arms in the air, palms flat and together, before bringing her hands down in front of her. From where he was, behind her, Charlie was struck once again by the beautiful contrast of brilliant red hair, somewhat subdued in the candlelight, roughly plaited and tumbling over her back to just below her bra line, which he could see through her vest top when she stretched her arms. He felt a sharp sting of longing spiralling downwards into his abdomen as he saw the sweeping curve of her waist and hips, and the outline of one full, rounded breast as she turned slightly to one side. She was utterly, completely gorgeous; not just in this light but in any light.

Clearing his throat, as much as to dislodge the sudden dryness that seeing Holly like this had created as to announce his presence, he spoke, hoping that his voice wouldn’t betray the sudden sting of arousal that he felt. ‘Um… I’m sorry if I’ve kept you waiting.’

Holly took a moment to complete her yoga pose, bowing her head to her chest, which again made Charlie’s heart skip a beat as her plait flopped forward to reveal an elegant, swanlike neck, strangely vulnerable against the red hair. She then swung her legs around and stood up, turning around to face him.