Ready or Not

Chapter Nine

"So, you excited for Alec and Taylor to come down?" I asked as I pulled the fluffy white robe around me.

She stripped off her shirt before replying. "Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I miss them but its still kinda..." She shrugged again as she tied her hair back into a tight braid.

"It's a vacation from all things Galien?" I offered.

"Exactly." She smiled and donned her own soft robe. "We had plans to go somewhere for a while, just the three of us, and now that we have, I feel like our problems are following us." She shut her locker and we exited the room.

I went onto the other side of the curtain and laid on my front, robe still on. "Ring the bell." I said after situating myself and settling in.

The soft tinkle of the bell filled the small back room and moments later two men filed past the curtain separating the front of the spa from the back.

"Anyways," I sighed as I undid the sash at the front of my robe." The guy (I think his name was Chris?) rolled a small towel to cover my bare butt. " I get what you're saying, babe. Alec is gonna want us to hook him up with someone."

"Not only that," I heard her sigh.

The snap if various bottle lids and a rubbing sound filled the room. Soon after I felt warm, rough hands glide across my shoulders with a soothing liquid. I let out a soft moan of delight and felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment when I heard Pru laugh.

"Sorry." I mutter with a sigh of content as Chris' hands made knots ease up. "It just feels so good." I emphasized the word.

His deep chuckle vibes through the room. "I get that all the time"

I blushed some more at his double meaning. My eyes rolled back in my head and closed as his thumbs pressed and tension fled from my neck. His hands went to where the burning ache ebbed its way under my shoulder blades. With quick, expert motions the pain lessened and I muttered a thanks.

"As I was saying." Pru started, "it's not only the Alec thing, it's the drama that follows Taylor wherever she goes and the fact that her brother is coming."

I stiffened at the mention of Connor.

"We all know that shit went down between you two." She continues bluntly.

Chris's hands skimmed over my butt and massaged my thighs. My leg muscles tensed a bit and then relaxed under his hands.

"Sorry I caused so much shit." The words came out in a deep sigh.

"That's not what I meant!" She exclaimed. "What I'm saying is that if it we my brother, I wouldn't have gone off like that. Really, she was just being immature."

Should I tell her about Alair? She said she wouldn't be mad--we'll, not exactly, but still, my best friend was the type of girl who would throw blows first and ask questions later, so that had to say something.

"Pru, I--" I was cut off by the chime of the front door bell and the voices of a few people laughing.

"Ladies, one moment." Mike said as he whipped his hands off on a dawns white hand towel.

I watched as he pushed past the curtain, then turned my head to look at Chris "You can take a beak until he comes back." I told him.

He did and dried his hands like Mike had done. "It should only take a mome--" he was cut off when there was a crash and Mike called back to him.

As he went out, Pru slid the curtain back to expose herself in her robe and I stood, about to pull mine on as well when the the front room curtain was pushed open.