"Hmm." Linda still looked skeptical. "Does he have kids?"
"Yes. A boy and a girl. Both in their teens, so not all that young. He's a good father, too, calls them almost every night and sees them as often as possible. And I can tell he misses them a lot, given how much he talks about them during our sessions."
Linda took a long, thoughtful sip from her tea. "You need to tread carefully here, niná," she cautioned. "Dating a man with children - even a man who's in the process of getting a divorce - is always tricky. Because he will almost always choose his children over anything, and especially if he's as devoted to them as you describe. And you're too good a person, Sasha, to have your heart broken."
Sasha waved a hand in dismissal. "I think it's a little premature to start talking about broken hearts here. After all, he's just one of my clients at the moment. And he hasn't said or done anything to indicate that he's interested in a relationship with me."
Linda quirked a brow at her much-loved niece. "Really? Because it's hard to imagine you being attracted to a man if he hasn't given you some sort of signal that he feels the same way."
Sasha's cheeks flushed beneath her pale gold skin, and she grinned at her aunt. "He hasn't said anything directly, or asked me out on a date or anything. And I suppose it's just normal physical reactions, certainly not the first time that a male client has, er, been stimulated during a massage, but … "
Linda returned her niece's grin, though her expression was far naughtier. "He's had a boner, has he?" she joked. "Well, if he's been separated from his wife for a few months that could explain things, especially if he hasn't been seeing anyone else. But my guess is that he'd react that way to you regardless, niná. You've always been a very sensual woman, very attuned to sensation and emotion, and I'm guessing your Matthew can't help but respond to that."
"He isn't my Matthew," corrected Sasha as she picked up her mug. "And even if he is attracted to me, you were right earlier - it would be incredibly unprofessional to have any sort of relationship with him under the circumstances."
Linda shrugged. "Two ways to handle that one. One is you find him another masseuse. Or the second is you continue to give him massages, just as long as you don't do it at the studio and you don't charge him for it. I fail to see the conflict of interest under those circumstances."
Sasha nodded. "I thought about that. Silly of me, I know, given that Matthew hasn't even asked me out for a cup of coffee yet. I do think, though, more like sense, that he's attracted to me as well. And it's not just the, ah, obvious physical reaction. The way he smiles at me, or touches my hand, the sorts of things he confides in me about. And I know he's incredibly rich - my friend Tessa told me he's the CEO of some big computer company - so maybe he just treats everyone this way, but the tips he leaves for me are more than the cost of the massage."
Linda's eyes widened. "Maybe you shouldn't ditch him as a client after all. But that would mean you couldn't sleep with him, either."
"You know the money means nothing to me," pointed out Sasha. "In fact, I've been meaning to tell him that the tips are too much. And if Matthew is actually interested in me, then there's really no choice to make. He's - well, I think he would be good for me, Tia. And I know exactly what you mean about the complications with his children. But I'm talking about going out once in awhile, enjoying his company, not moving in with him. I'm not sure long-term relationships are ever going to be my thing."
"Well, God knows you've never had a good example of one to follow," commiserated Linda. "Between the disaster of my marriage to your uncle, and whatever passes for a relationship between your crazy parents, it's a wonder you'd ever want to date anyone. The most stable marriage you've ever witnessed is probably your gay roommates'."
Sasha's green-gold eyes twinkled. "Chad and Julio are certainly devoted to each other, but that doesn't mean they haven't had their fair share of knock-down, dragged-out fights. Unlike my parents, however, one of them doesn't storm out of the house and catch the first flight out of the country after an argument."
"How are Katya and Enzo, by the way? I haven't spoken to either of them in months."
Sasha rolled her eyes. "Mama is a bigger drama queen than ever, but what else is new. Though with the new season of the show in full swing, she's too busy to call very often. Dad's on another tour, this time in eastern Europe. Both of them are threatening to visit me around Christmas, unless I can think of a reason to keep them away. I'd like to have a peaceful holiday for once in my life."