Clothes Don't Always Make The Woman

Chapter 2

Rarity’s Apartment, Manehatten

A week had passed since my luncheon meeting with the Oranges and I was already hard at work drafting up a design for their commission. It had progressed far enough to my satisfaction that I decided to indulge myself with a bit of leisure time. That said, the hour or so after breakfast presented the perfect opportunity for me to catch up on my exercise routine. The name of the game was yoga today, so I dug through the closet to fetch my trusty silicone mat. With a flick of the wrist, I unfurled it onto the living room floor and placed my bare feet atop the center.

Before I got started in earnest, I scampered into the kitchen to fetch a hair scrunchie from one of the drawers. While I wouldn’t consider my hair to be unreasonably long, it did tend to get in the way when I was exercising. My voluminous, purple locks were thus tied into a ponytail. I was just about to initiate some warmup poses when I heard my phone vibrate against the table.

One quick swipe of my finger later, revealed the caller to be none other than Braeburn. I couldn’t help myself. I let out a girlish squeal of excitement and performed a little happy dance. After taking a moment to compose myself like a proper lady, I finally answered the phone.

“Good Morning, darling. How are you doing today?”

“Mornin’ Rarity. Still a might sore, but fine otherwise.” Braeburn answered.

“Hmm. I’m sorry to hear that. Hopefully, we’ll get those muscles of yours sorted out when we visit the spa. Have you given any thought as to when you’d like to accompany me there?”

Braeburn hummed in thought. “I’m free later this afternoon. Reckon we could grab somethin’ light fer dinner afterwards… uh—you know, if you’re partial ta the idea.”

Just by the tone of his voice, I could tell the Braeburn had very little experience when it came to dealing with matters of romance. Not that I had much room to talk. I’d only dabbled in dating a few boys here and there during the twilight of my high school career. Nothing terribly serious or of consequence, save for gaining some experience and losing my virginity. It wasn't what I would call storybook, but generally speaking, a teenager's first foray into sexual intercourse rarely ever is.

Braeburn’s voice was full of nervousness and hesitation, but to his credit, he was direct about what he wanted. I preferred a man who behaved that way, honestly. It made figuring out what they wanted so much less of a guessing game, and more of certainty. In turn, I made it my mission to be as forthright as possible about communicating my own desires too. So many women did the complete opposite, and I never quite figured out why.

“Of course, I am~ What time would you like to meet up?”

“How about two o’clock?” Braeburn suggested.

“Perfect! Where should I—”

“Don’t ya worry about that, Rarity. I’ll come over ta your apartment and pay fer the taxi ride as well. It’s the least Ah can do. Now—uh—if ya don’t mind, could you send yer address to me? Heh. Can’t very well pick up mah date if Ah don’t know where she lives…”

I giggled. “Certainly, darling. I’ll see you then!”

With a quick goodbye, we ended our call. I was ecstatic! In all of the excitement, I didn’t hear Extravagance come pattering into the room next to me. The only reason that I knew he was there was because I felt him rub up against my ankle. When I finally noticed him, he plopped his leash at my feet and looked up at me with an expectant expression. What a cheeky little pup he was! Those adorable, pudgy eyes never failed to melt my heart. I knelt down and played with his ears.

“I imagine you’d like to go out for a walk then?”

Trav barked softly and wagged his tail.

To be quite honest, I really didn’t feel like getting dressed. But it would be incredibly selfish of me to ignore my dog and practice yoga instead. He deserved to have a little fun too. With that in mind, I went into my room and tried to pick out a comfortable outfit. Normally, if I was to go jogging on my own, I would don a sports bra to keep my breasts from bouncing around.

Panties didn’t matter as much since I typically wore a pair of tight-fitting spats. This time, I slipped on the later and wore a comfortable, slightly oversized t-shirt instead to match. More so to avoid gawkers than anything else since I wasn’t wearing a bra. After I put on my running shoes, I connected Trav’s leash to his collar and we made our way towards Greenway Park.

Extravagance, being the stubby little bulldog that he is, was never quick on his feet. In that regard, I had to make sure that I didn’t walk too fast or it would tire him out too quickly. It was a nice day outside anyway, so I felt like it was appropriate to take a slower pace, if not for any other reason than to enjoy the abundant, late-spring sunshine.

There weren’t very many people out and about in the park. Mostly because it was still during the workweek and a bit on the humid side, if one wasn’t properly attired. However, when Trav and I reached the duck pond, I spotted a familiar face sitting on one of the park benches. It was none other than that insufferable lout, Trenderhoof.

For whatever reason, he took an instant liking to me and my jewelry designs by extension. This was back during my university days when I really didn’t have the time or the energy to deal with someone like him. By that I mean he practically stalked me for two months. I was just about ready to report him to the police one day, until he relented and promised to leave me alone.

I tried my best to just keep walking, in the vain hope that he wouldn’t notice me. But alas, it was to no avail. Poor Extravagance simply could not walk fast enough past the park bench. I very nearly cringed when I spotted Trenderhoof practically jump off of the park bench to follow. Oh, good heavens! He has that desperate look on his face. I suppose it would be rude to ignore him.

“Rarity, wait! Hold up a second. I need to… tell you something.”

I scoffed. “Trenderhoof, I thought I made it very clear that you are not to bother me.”

“Wow! Are you wearing a ponytail? It suits you really well! Super cute.”

“I swear, if you’ve interrupted my morning walk just to flirt with me, I shan’t hesitate to kick your testicles until they’re black and blue. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to—”

Trenderhoof winced. “I get you loud and clear, Rarity. The reason I stopped you is because I… wanted to apologize for the way I treated you back in college. A beautiful, talented, amazing woman like you should never have been harassed like that. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“Hmm. Well, better late than never I suppose. What brought this on?”

Trenderhoof rubbed his neck. “I did a lot of thinking after what happened between us. It was one night, while I was along, drinking tea, that I realized that I needed to turn my life around. Uh—here I want you to have this. It’s the least I can do to make up for practically stalking you.”

Much to my astonishment, Trenderhoof reached into his satchel and pulled out an envelope. It didn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary, so I tore off the top to investigate what was contained within. I gasped when I saw it was a rather thick stack of cash. Without seeing what the denominations were, I had no way of telling how much it was worth.

“Trenderhoof, exactly how much money is in here?”

The bespectacled man blushed. “It’s around 500k. All proceeds from my culinary magazine.”

“HOW MUCH?!!” I screeched.

Trenderhoof shuffled his feet in the grass. “If that’s not enough, I can always go get—”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Five hundred thousand dollars is a massive amount of money, darling. I can’t possibly accept this much. Even if it is, as you say, an apology gift.”

Trenderhoof’s expression deflated. “I’m sorry, Rarity. But I didn’t know how else to show you that I’m truly remorseful for what I did. My therapist told me that I needed to make some kind of gesture because actions are more poignant than words but…”

I placed the envelope back in his hands. “If you truly want to show your sincerity, then donate this money to the Charity Gala. That way, you’ll have a meaningful impact on people who’re less fortunate than us. I think that would be for the best, darling.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll do just that. So—uhh—does that mean we’re cool?”

I bit my lip and chose my words carefully. “I’m not sure that we shall ever become friends. However, I think that it’s high time we both put the issues between us in the past and move on with our lives. I accept your apology, Trenderhoof.”

I nearly screamed when he grabbed my hands and shook them. “Oh, thank you! This means so much to me, Rarity. You don’t even know! Hahaha! I feel like a gigantic weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I swear I’ll give that money to a good charity. Just you wait!”

“Good to hear, darling. I’m glad to see you’ve come around to your senses.”

Like the wind itself, Trenderhoof was off to go do whatever it was he had planned. Despite my lingering hatred towards him, I could see that his life was clearly on the right track now. All’s well that ends well, I suppose. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit me like a freight train. More emotional than physical. Even so, I decided to sit down in the grass and watch the ducks for a while in order to regain my composure. Trav joined me and barked at one of the squirrels.

“Oh, no! Don’t you get any ideas, mister.”

Trav barked several more times and showed me the most pathetic puppy-dog eyes he could muster. Under any other circumstances, I might have been swayed. But not this time.

“My answer is no and that’s final. You know damn-well what happened the last time you decided to go on a squirrel hunt. I WILL NOT go swimming around in a filthy public fountain just to save you from drowning again. Do you hear me, Extravagance?!”

My fabulous bulldog simply whuffed in response and laid down on his belly. Even though I knew he was being melodramatic, I reached over and rubbed his back. In no time at all, he was wagging his stubby little tail again. While we relaxed in the grass, I checked my phone to see what time it was. It was only about a quarter after elven. Still somewhat early, but an acceptable time to each lunch if one was feeling peckish.

If memory served me correctly, there was a delightful food truck in the park that sold some of the best Indian food I’d had in ages. I believe it was called “The Tasty Treat”. Run by a father and daughter team by the names of: Coriander Cumin & Saffron Masala respectively. Now that I started thinking about their delicious naan wraps, my stomach growled in response. It was to be expected. I’d gotten up early and eaten little more than a banana and some coffee for breakfast.

As I got in line (there was no one in front of me), Saffron waved to me, a polite smile on her face. “Hello again, Rarity. What can I get you today?”

“Hmm. I’ll take a beefy naan wrap and a bowl of curry chicken for Extravagance.”

Coriander looked over his daughter’s shoulder quizzingly. “Are you certain it is a good idea to feed your dog curry? I cannot imagine it sits well in their stomachs.”

“Pssht! He’ll be quite alright, I assure you.”

Coriander cocked his brow. “If you insist, Miss Rarity. After all, you are the paying customer. But do not blame me if he winds up shitting all over your carpet later.”

I can’t blame Mr. Cumin for warning me. Indian food does tend to upset sensitive bowels if one isn’t used to the spices. My good friend Fluttershy learned that lesson the hard way one day when we were at a carnival. The poor dear had to go home early due to a sudden bout of diarrhea. I made sure to get her some medicine before I left her house that day. Trav, on the other hand, is a VERY hardy eater. As if to prove my point, he immediately dug into the curry bowl when it placed in front of him, happily slurping it up like a pig at a feeding trough.

Coriander laughed. “Gandhi’s ghost! You certainly were not kidding! Look at him go!”

I sighed. “Yes, Trav can be a glutton sometimes. Do forgive his poor manners.”

Saffron got out of the truck and petted Trav’s head. “No worries. I’m just glad that he likes our food so much. Such a cute little doggie too! Please come back again soon.”

“Not to worry, darling. You’ll see me again soon enough. Ta-ta for now!”

While we walked back to the apartment, I finished up my wrap and started to plan out how my date with Braeburn would unfold. He would obviously be picking me up, so it’s not as though I had to go anywhere. That still begged the question: how much effort should I put into presenting myself? Clothing was a no-brainer. I’d wear an outfit that was easy to slip in and out of, considering that neither of us would need them once we got inside the spa.

Makeup, on the other hand, was always such a tricky thing. I had more than enough confidence in myself to know that I looked good without it, but what kind of impression would I leave? Knowing Braeburn as I do, he likely wouldn’t care what kind of outfit I wore (especially if it was my birthday suit). My presence was far more important to him. In the end, I decided against wearing any cosmetics simply due to the fact that it would all get washed off anyway.

Once inside, I quickly stripped out of my t-shirt and spats, and tossed them into the laundry bin nearby. They’d gotten a bit sweaty and I wasn’t about to do something as uncouth as wearing them to the spa and then a restaurant afterwards. Yuck!

Instead, I searched my closet for something cute but appropriate for the setting at the same time. My eureka moment came when I found a modest pair of crème-colored capris and a purple blouse. I finished it all off with sandals. The perfect outfit for a casual date~ But first, I needed to take a quick shower. What? I’m not some heathen who uses the spa as an excuse to bathe.

Two o’clock arrived faster than I had anticipated or rather, Braeburn had arrived an entire half hour early to my apartment with a taxi in tow. The spa itself wasn’t the sort of place that required strict appointment times, but I was grateful that Braeburn was so punctual.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I had to put up with my supposed ‘date’ being unreasonably tardy or not even bothering to show up at all. Granted, I wasn’t quite as interested in them as I am with Braeburn but how can so many people not understand the most basic rules when it comes to dating etiquette? Do you have any idea what it’s like to be dressed to the nines, seated in the middle of a high-end Italian restaurant, awkwardly sipping water all by yourself while everyone else is enjoying themselves?! It’s absolutely dreadful. Let’s just leave at that.

When I opened the door, I was at a complete loss for words. Braeburn showed up in a red dress shirt, black jeans, a button-up vest, and a dapper little bowtie. The trademark Stetson he typically wore was absent upon his head and Braeburn’s beautiful, amber-colored hair was combed neatly. I burst into a fit of snorting giggles when I saw the bouquet of red roses in his hand. Oh, Braeburn! Never change, darling.

“Uh… Rarity? Is there somethin’ wrong?”

I smelled the roses. They were quite lovely and fragrant. “Nothing at all, dear. I’m just impressed at what lengths you went to impress me this afternoon. I truly appreciate the effort but you didn’t need to dress so formally. We’re going to a spa, not a cocktail party.”

Braeburn blushed furiously. “Aww shit! Ah nearly forgot all about that. Had my attention focused on dinner. I just wanted ta make a good impression is all…”

I took hold of his hands and smiled. “Not to worry; you already got that out of the way years ago. It’s one of the many reasons why I cherished our friendship and kept in touch with you.”

“Shucks. Ah didn’t think a plain ole guy like me could catch the eye o’ such a sophisticated lady. Thought you’d have found yerself some well-to-do boyfriend by now. All Ah can say is that I’m relieved ‘cause ya done stole mah breath the first moment we met. Haven’t been able ta stop thinkin’ about ya since. I know that sounds a might creepy, but that’s how I feel.”

I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Braeburn. I’m very flattered to hear you say that. However, it’s not always about who has the fanciest clothing or the most money. Don’t get me wrong, I think you’re plenty handsome. But I’ve always loved your personality the most. Perhaps, that’s why all my previous relationships never went anywhere…”

Braeburn chuckled. “Uh… well, I ain’t exactly an expert on such matters.”

“Are you ready to depart, darling? I, for one, am ready for some serious pampering!”

After taking my hand, Braeburn led me to the elevator. “Sure am!”

The distance between my apartment and the spa was not a particularly long one. As such, we arrived at the entrance within about fifteen minutes or so. It helped that there wasn’t a lot of traffic either. Ha! The beauty of going out in the middle of the afternoon whilst the majority of the city is still at work. Being self-employed certainly has its perks, if I do say so myself!

Grüne Wiese spa was a rather non-descript building if one wasn’t looking for it specifically. It was several stories tall, made of gray stone and had nature motifs carved in various places. From what I understand, it had been established well over a century ago by a couple of Griffonian immigrants looking to make a better life for themselves in the new world.

What I knew and Braeburn did not (that was part of the surprise) was that the spa was a lot more relaxed when it came to nudity than its native counterparts. That is to say, customers were not only allowed to, but encouraged to shed their clothing while enjoying the spa’s amenities. The entire place was, in fact, designed with this philosophy in mind. I positively adored it and frequently visited the spa with Coco whenever we wanted to relax after a long day at work.

The real question was: how would Braeburn react? Would he go along with the flow, or would he be offended by the idea of casual nudity? It was difficult to say, since I never broached the topic with him. Applejack herself was a very modest girl. She tended not to wear much make up, show off her body in flashy outfits, and behaved in an awkward, hesitant manner whenever we went to the spa together in Ponyville (it had always been difficult to persuade to do so).

It was my sincere hope that Braeburn didn’t have the same hang-ups as his cousin, but I wasn’t about to hold my breath. At the very least, when I finally found the courage to confess that I was a naturist, Applejack had been very supportive and treated me no differently than before. She said something along the lines of: “Some folks just have a different way o’ livin’.” What a refreshing point of view! I wish more people thought that way.

Braeburn had always treated me with the utmost respect and kindness ever since I first met him when I was a teenager, so I felt like I needed to be honest with him about my lifestyle. Otherwise, our relationship would be based on a sandy foundation. Trust, once lost, was a difficult thing to regain, after all. Even if the idea of my entire family being naturists were to turn him away somehow, I had no desire to lie to him or omit the truth. He didn’t deserve that.

With all of that weighing on my mind, it was a wonder how I managed to remain composed. Upon entering the main lobby, Braeburn’s eyes widened in childish curiosity while he surveyed the décor. It was simultaneously amusing and adorable at the same time. Soft classical music played through the intercom, accompanied by the trickle of two elaborate, bronze water fountains on either side of the reception desk. With white marble walls and floors, the interior felt more like one was stepping back in time to the Roaman era.

Braeburn rubbed his hands together nervously. “Rarity? Are ya sure it’s alright ta be payin’ mah ticket fer this place? Seems awful fancy. Can’t be cheap either…”

I patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Nonsense, darling. I gave you my word that I would be treating you today, and I stand by it. Come along, now! We need to speak with the receptionist and pay for our admission.”

The woman behind the desk recognized me as a regular. Her name was Gilda. One of the proprietor’s daughters and a lovely young lady at that. With silky, white hair (violet tipped), a slender frame, golden eyes, and rich, bronzed skin, she was the epitome of traditional, Griffonic beauty. She smiled at us in a way that I can only describe as mischievous.

I’d chatted with her on occasion when the spa wasn’t terribly busy. Despite her demure manner, she was a sucker for gossip. Especially, anything to do with people’s significant others. That sparkling glint in her eye told me that Braeburn was about to be embarrassed.

“Guten tag! Welcome to Grüne Wiese. Is this your first time here, sir?”

Braeburn nodded shyly. “Sure is, ma’am.”

“Ah! How wonderful. I assure you that my family’s spa will be to your liking. Miss Rarity was wise to bring you here as her plus two. Are you… here for anything in particular?”

“Got some aches n’ pains in mah back. Muscle soreness from too much liftin’, Ah reckon.”

Gilda rubbed her chin in thought. “Hmm. Yes, a common ailment. Within this facility we have: jacuzzies, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a steam room, and massage tables. All included in the ticket price. Not to worry, sir! I’m certain we’ll have you right as rain in no time.”

“Wow! There sure is a lot o’ stuff in here. Didn’t seem that big from the outside.”

Gilda shook her head. “Not length wise, no. However, we divide the areas by floor.”

“Nice! Anythin’ else Ah should know about?”

Gilda tapped her fingers on the desk. “There is one thing. I assume you two will be using the couple’s changing room? If so, I can apply a fifteen percent discount to your admission fee. It’s a special we’re running today for couples only.”

Braeburn’s eyes widened like dinner plates. “Ehehe… Rarity? What’s she talkin’ about?”

I rolled my eyes at Gilda. “It’s rather simple, darling. The couple’s changing rooms are unisex.”

“But! That’d mean we would—”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his expense. “Yes, Braeburn. That’s literally the entire point of this spa. We’re not supposed to wear anything while we enjoy it. How did you think it worked?”

Braeburn turned pale for a moment as he tried to formulate a response. “Ah dunno. I’ve never been ta a fancy place like this before. Can’t Ah wear a robe or towel at least?”

“I suppose you could. But why on earth would you bother? It’s such a hassle.”

Braeburn’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “Really? Is that… normal ‘round here?”

Gilda nodded. “Many of our customers prefer to lounge about in the nude, sir. That was the original intention of the spa’s founders. It is advertised as such in our brochure.”

Braeburn let out a sigh of defeat. “Well, if that’s how it works, who am I ta refuse?”

“Splendid! Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where the couple’s changing room is. Please feel free to stay as long as you like and have a good time!”

Fortunately for the both of us, the couple’s changing room was practically deserted at this time of the day. And, by extension, most of the spa. It afforded us a bit of privacy and an overall more intimate experience. That being said: it was still difficult for Braeburn to feel comfortable in a setting where nudity was the norm. I immediately began taking off my blouse and capris, folding them neatly into a pile, then storing them in the locker for safe-keeping.

I glanced over at Braeburn who was still fiddling around with the buttons of his dress shirt. He was clearly trying to delay the inevitable. I could also tell that he was trying his hardest not to stare at my unclad body, as his eyes were pinned to the tiled floor instead facing forward. For his benefit, I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, making sure not to press my bare breasts against his back by accident. I didn’t want him to get the wrong impression and think that I was some loose hussy without any moral standards.

“Do you need any help taking those off, darling?” I asked, in what I hoped was a gentle tone.

“N-no, Ah think I got it. Just… gimme a minute, alright?”

While he continued to unbutton his shirt, I slipped off my scrunchie and let my hair down. I didn’t want it to get wet. “Ah, that’s better! Ponytails can be cute sometimes, but I’d much rather wear my hair down like this. Makes me feel more mature too. What do you think?”

“Yeah. Ah like it that way too.” Braeburn mumbled.

I decided to take a seat on one of the padded benches while I waited. A lot of places either used wood or metal for the seating and that obviously was uncomfortable on bare bottoms. I kicked my feet back and forth while humming a wordless tune. When I looked over to check on Braeburn, he’d finally removed his shirt and I couldn’t help but appreciate his muscled chest.

Oh, and those delicious abs! What? Just because I’m a naturist doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate an attractive person’s body! With eager anticipation, I couldn’t wait to see what the rest of him looked like. I had to hold in an excited squeal as he removed his pants.

Plaid boxers. I should have known. If memory serves me correctly, Applejack was also a fan of wearing utilitarian undergarments. As in nothing lacy or fancy at all. Just those plain, cotton panties and sports bras one buys at a large retailer in packs of six. Braeburn seemed to freeze up at that moment. Unsure if he could take the last step. Sensing his uncertainty, I got up off of the bench, walked directly in front of him, did a twirl, and allowed my beau to see me au naturale.

“See? It’s not difficult at all, darling. Don’t worry about what’s underneath that thin piece of cloth wrapped around your waist. Let it all hang out!”

Braeburn blushed like a tomato and hesitantly placed his fingers along the waistband of his boxers. “Ah… ok, I’m gonna take ‘em off now. Just… promise me ya won’t laugh.”

I nodded encouragingly and waited. In one, fluid motion, he got rid of his boxers and tossed them into the locker. I tried my very best not to focus my attention below his waist, I really did! But how can one possibly miss what’s literally dangling right in front of them? For years, I’d often ~~fantasized~~ wondered what Braeburn looked like underneath all of his clothes and now that I’d finally gotten the chance see him in the nude, I can’t say that I was disappointed.

Mmm~ Taut muscles everywhere. His stomach, his legs, his arms. And yes, even his rear end. All of it chiseled from years’ worth of manual labor. He had an average amount of body hair overall, but I noticed that his pubic hair was particularly unkempt. A country boy like Braeburn didn’t strike me as the type to manscape. No matter. I happened to think it suited him.

And as for his member? Well, it certainly wasn’t small. But neither was it grotesquely oversized. Having seen my fair share of penises over the years, I’d say that it was only slightly larger than average. However, it was quite thick and veiny. With a stifled giggle, my mind immediately likened it to a yellowish-orange tree trunk. His fuzzy ballsac was noticeably larger than average, though. In fact, one testicle seemed to hang a bit lower than the other on the left side.

In case you’re wondering, yes, he did look at me too. With the same level of scrutiny, I would imagine. I didn’t mind, of course. Quid pro quo as it were. I had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I reached out my hand and offered to escort Braeburn out of the changing room, to which he accepted, but cupped his free hand over his privates. The end result made his gait awkward and gangly, like that of a penguin on ice. I stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned around.

“Braeburn, dear. You don’t have to cover yourself up like that. No one is going to care if your manhood is dangling about like a Christmas ornament. I want you to relax and have fun while we’re here. You can’t very well do that if you’re always on edge and feeling self-conscious.”

Braeburn slowly uncovered his privates. “I’m sorry, Rarity. This is all so… alien ta me.”

I gently rubbed his back. “Hmm. I suppose it can be for first timers. All I can say is: eventually, you’ll forget that you’re even naked. What would you like to do first?”

“Could we… maybe get a massage? I’d like ta loosen up a bit before we do anything else.”

I smiled and led him towards the massage parlor. “Certainly, darling! I’ll lead the way.”

The parlor had a very simplified layout. They were individual rooms with two tables lined up, side by side with a small station nearby filled with the supplies necessary for massages. Oils, heated towels, lotion, those sorts of things. What many people weren’t aware of was that one had to schedule the massages in advance if it was to be done professionally. Otherwise, regular clients were welcome to use the parlors as they so desired. I had planed on the later.

Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t consider myself a professional masseuse by any stretch of the imagination, but I’d had them enough times to know what I was doing. In this sense, I figured that Braeburn would be more comfortable if he had someone familiar working his body rather than a complete stranger. Especially, considering that he would be nude for the entire duration.

It would also serve as a more intimate experience for us overall. Perhaps, if I could coax Braeburn out of his shell a little bit more, he would be open to the idea of giving me a massage too. One thing at a time, though. I didn’t want to push him too far outside his comfort zone. I padded over to the control console on the wall and turned on some relaxing, Chinese flute music.

“Pick whichever table you’d like, darling.”

Braeburn shuffled his feet and stared at me. “Who’ll be doin’ the massage?”

“Why, me of course! Lay down on your belly and we’ll get started. By the way, do you happen to have any preference on which scented oil I should be using?”

Braeburn looked like he’d just swallowed a putrid egg. “Oh. Umm… whatever ya think is good, Rarity. Ah don’t care either way. Say, how’s come there’s a hole in the middle o’ the table?”

“Hmm? Oh, that. You place your privates in there, dear. It’s to make sure your penis doesn’t rub up against the surface of the table and cause any… unwanted erections. Go on, lay down if you would please. Just as a fair warning, the first squirt of oil might be a bit cold.”

Braeburn awkwardly laid down on the table as instructed. “Hehehe. Ah reckon that makes sense. Sorry that Ah don’t know much about this kind o’ stuff. Didn’t mean ta sound like an idiot…”

“It’s quite alright. I’m going to use rose oil with just a smidge of lavender. Is that ok?”

“Uh… sure. Ready when you are.”

Rather than squirt a cold glob of massage oil directly onto his back, I decided to put a dollop in the palm of my hand and rub it between them to warm up the oil. Even so, I felt Braeburn’s muscles tense immediately when I touched his shoulders. The poor dear simply wasn’t used to this sort of physical contact, and I felt a little sorry for him because of it. Nonetheless, I persevered and made sure to be as gentle with my ministrations as I could.

Once he finally started to relax, Braeburn sighed. “Wow. Ah didn’t know I was so bunched up back there. That’s… mmm… yeah. Yer doin’ great, Rarity. Ah really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, dear. I’m going to massage your buttocks, is that ok?”

“That’s not—erm—well, Ah guess it is technically a muscle. Go ahead.”

I tried my best not to let my fingers linger there for too long, but my goodness! He had one hell of a firm tushie! It’s no wonder why his behind looked so sexy in those tight blue jeans. Ehem! Now’s not the time to entertain such lewd thoughts, Rarity. Focus on the task at hand. A few moments later, I could tell that it must have felt good, for he moaned softly. Always a good sign.

“Braeburn, do you mind if I tell you something personal?”

“Sure. Anythin’ ya want, Rarity. I’m all ears.”

I bit my lip while working his thigh. “It’s about my family. Or rather, the way I was raised.”

Braeburn’s tone grew uncertain. “Rarity, you’re not part o’ the mafia, are ya?”

“No! Nothing like that, darling. You see, my family comes from a long line of devoted naturists and my parents raised my sister and I as such. We were taught that the human body is nothing to be ashamed of. That’s why I prefer not to wear clothing if I can help it.”

“Ah was wonderin’ why you looked so comfortable. Now, I’ve got mah answer.”

I rubbed my hand along his leg. “I will also admit that I knew full-well that this spa allowed their clients to roam about in the nude. I’m sorry if I didn’t mention it beforehand but I wanted to test the waters, so to speak. To see if you… would be ok with me being myself.”

Braeburn suddenly took hold of my arm and stroked it tenderly. “Rarity, you’ve always been a special gal ta me, and Ah can’t possibly fault ya for livin’ yer life the way ya see fit. It’d be dishonest otherwise. Besides, Ah might’ve been a little uncomfortable with this whole situation at first, but I’m startin’ ta enjoy it. So… thanks fer givin’ me that push.”

I began to tear up. “Thank you, Braeburn! I was terrified that you might reject me. Not everyone is as open-minded as you are when it comes to my lifestyle. Some people think that naturists nothing more than a bunch of exhibitionist perverts. It’s a difficult stigma to shake off.”

“Well, fuck ‘em then! It ain’t nothin’ but slander as far as I’m concerned. Ah know you’re a proper, high-class lady, Rarity. Even if ya don’t like ta wear clothes. Anybody gives ya trouble about it, just send ‘em my way and I’ll give ‘em a what for. Ya can take that ta the bank.”

Forgetting myself, I climbed up on top of the massage table, pressed up against Braeburn’s back, and wrapped my arms around his waist in an awkward, but equally sincere hug. It was such a simple thing, giving someone a hug. Yet, it felt so much more intimate when you could feel their bare skin against your own, and the heat of their body. I slowly extracted myself from him after about thirty seconds or so and proceeded to wipe my hands on a towel.

“My apologies, darling. I got a bit caught up in the moment.”

Braeburn laughed it off. “Nah, it’s alright. I don’t mind gettin’ hugged by a nekkid woman.”

In a moment, I was about to see just how much he didn’t mind. After getting up off of the table, Braeburn stretched his arms above his head and let out a contented groan. While he was rolling his neck from side to side, I nearly choked on my own spit when I saw that he was sporting a rather stiff erection. How it had managed to escape his notice was beyond me.

“Rarity, what’s the matter? How’s come yer cheeks are all red?”

I merely pointed down towards his waist. The moment he realized that his member was standing at attention, he scrambled to cover himself up. Not that it really mattered. I’d already seen the thing in all its full-masted glory. And my goodness! It truly was a sight to behold. For the sake of sparing Braeburn any further humiliation, I turned around while he sorted himself out.

“Land’s sake! How did I not notice that?! Rarity, Ah didn’t mean ta—”

I blushed furiously. “It’s quite alright, Braeburn. These things happen from time to time. We’ll just… wait a little while until you—erm—calm down, then proceed to our next activity.”

“Sure. No problem.”

Ten painfully awkward minutes later, Braeburn was back to being flaccid again. I was astonished at how long it had taken, but then again, he was alone in a room with an attractive, nude woman. In a sense, I should have felt flattered by his reaction. And I did on some subconscious level, but I still felt bad for him. Once all that business was behind us, we walked down the hall, hand in hand, towards the stairs and climbed to the next level.

We took a quick soak in the hot tub just to relax and chat for a bit. It was quite lovely. I talked about my life’s passion and how the designs were coming along for the Charity Gala, while he discussed what sort of alcoholic beverages were going to be served. I, for one, was excited to try out his latest batch of oak-barrel aged Apple Whiskey. It sounded delicious!

To avoid getting our skin all wrinkly, we got out after about fifteen minutes and dried off our bodies with some fresh, fluffy towels. Then next thing Braeburn suggested was going for a swim. I was somewhat surprised by this, but I decided that it might be fun to get a little nude exercise in before the day’s end. I needed to make up for skipping out on my yoga session, after all.

Much to my astonishment, swimming with Braeburn was an absolute delight! We pretty much had an entire Olympic-sized pool to ourselves and you’d better believe that we took full advantage of it. After a few serious laps, we wound up acting like a couple of kids. There was some splash fighting, dunking, and all around tom-foolery. We shared a good laugh together and a surprisingly intimate embrace towards the end. This was what erased all doubt in my mind that were we an excellent match for one another.

With a heavy heart, we finally left the spa to go pick up a light dinner at a quaint little gastro pub I’d discovered with Coco one day. We ate in comfortable silence for the most part, chatting only occasionally. When we finished our meals, Braeburn called for the taxi, and before I knew it, we were standing at the entrance of my apartment complex. I checked my phone and realized that it was barely past five thirty. To think, we’d done all that in just under four hours.

Before I opened my door, I took hold of Braeburn’s cheeks and kissed his lips. It was brief, but there was plenty of warm affection put behind it. “Thank you for giving me such a wonderful date, Braeburn. I haven’t had that much fun in years.”

“Yeah, me too. Would ya like ta meet up another time?”

I nodded vigorously. “Of course, I would! Just let me know when and where.”

“Great. I’ll—uh—see ya later then, Rarity. Have a good evenin’.”

When I entered my apartment, I leapt onto the couch and squealed like a school girl. This date couldn’t have gone more perfectly! And I was absolutely over the moon that Braeburn had accepted me for who I was without the slightest bit of reservation. I slept like a baby that night, my dreams filled with visions of a bright future. I couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow brought.