Because of this, I thought it would be a neat idea to enjoy a couples' spa treatment as a way of spending time together without resorting to one of the tried and tested clichéd dates that you always end up going on (you know… movies, bowling, walks on the beach).
It was only when we walked through the doors of Spirit Spa in Halifax, N.S. where I'd booked us in for a couples' jade stone massage that I started to get nervous.
I was about to get almost naked in front of someone I didn't know very well, and do something incredibly intimate with them. There was the potential for Alex to see me drooling, as I've been known to do while being massaged, which is obviously not sexy. I felt vulnerable all of a sudden.
We made nervous conversation as we were shown in to the room and undressed to our underwear. I removed my clothes and lay on the massage table at lightning speed. Once I'd pulled the towel over myself, grateful for the low lighting, I wondered if Alex was thinking sexy thoughts or judging my choice in underwear.
When our masseuses came in though, they soon put us at ease with their bright and easy manner. It was impossible not to just relax and enjoy a shared experience as they worked the hot stones up and down our bodies. The massage was so good, so very, very good.
We talked a little at first, but soon drifted into silence. Ainsley Miller, the masseuse working on me, said that often couples will start off talking, and then either go quiet or the female of the couple will end up asking the guy to stop talking so she can relax.
It was a dreamy experience. I've had plenty of massages in my time, but the hot smooth stones made it a truly divine experience, and the cold stones that were placed on my chakras (with warning from Miller before they hit skin) were a perfect contrast that made my nerves tingle. When I made eye contact with Alex, it was obvious that I wasn't the only one sinking into a chilled oblivion.
At the end of the massage we were left to dress, and we gushed about what a great experience it had been. Now relaxed enough not to care, I wasn't so self-conscious about showing my undies. We left the spa feeling euphoric, and went on to have a gorgeously relaxed lunch. It felt like some of the reserve that we'd had towards each other previously had just disappeared.