"Jethro?" Jenny Sheppard inquired, watching him stand and head to the elevator, moving stiffly.
He stopped, turned. "Yeah, Jenny?"
"Back hurts again, doesn't it?"
He smirked, looked away, then nodded. No point in hiding what she already knew. She used to give him the most wonderful back rubs...
A look at her face told him she was remembering too.
"Want another?"
His eyebrows headed for his hairline and he didn't answer, watching her red lips curve into a smile.
"You used to love them, Jethro. My evening is free."
He shrugged, smiled a small, crooked smile, and nodded.
An hour later, he was following her into her condo. He accepted the offered drink and followed her to her bedroom. Studying one another next to the bed, he quirked his lips into a knowing little smile and was amused by her slight blush.
"Sorry, Jethro. Back massage only tonight."
His slight shrug was an acquiesce, and he began to strip his jacket and shirt off.
She brought a bath sheet and a small bottle from the bathroom. She put the towel on the bed and he lay down, head cradled on crossed arms, wincing at catching pain in his lower back. He felt the bed shift with her weight, and she was straddling his thighs. "Ready?" She said, just before her thumbs pressed deeply into his shoulders.
Tingles raced up to his scalp and his breath left him in a quiet hum. She had been very, very good at this, he remembered. She still was.
She took her time on his shoulders and scapula. Her course was definitely getting lower but she was in no rush, thoroughly tending each muscle group she encountered.
Finally she reached the small of his back. A firm, wide kneading motion with the heels of her hands sent a sharp shot of pain down the back of his leg and he jumped.
She clicked softly. "SI joint still giving you trouble I see."
His reply was a monosyllabic grunt. He remembered this part too. It hurt, but God did it feel good once she finished.
A small plasticky *click* sounded, then he felt her two hands on him again and oh my God that's good... he thought as heat soaked into him.
"I've added to my repertoire," she murmured. He heard her smile. She was moving her hands but not yet massaging. He realized she must have warming massage oil and briefly praised the universe for its invention.
After a bit, she tentatively pressed into his muscles again and his small moan rewarded her. Oh yes, she thought, much easier this way.
Soon she dug firmly into his flesh, focusing on the catches his breath made to guide her. She did not stop until he was quiet, his breathing so slow and even that one could almost think he slept. She knew better.
She wiped off her hands and lay next to him, smiling like the Cheshire cat. "Better?"
A quick chuckle answered her before he drew a deep breath. "God yes. You've improved your technique I see. And it was damn good in the first place."