Chances are you've heard the story: an unmarked door leads to a dimly-lit massage parlor where women with strong hands and tolerant smiles await a train of libidinous male patrons. Happy ending massage stories are all too common. The mixture of truth and urban legend captivates male and female imaginations even in an age of readily available casual sex and unlimited Internet porn.
The rest of spa culture, meanwhile, is dominated by women. There are more than 14, spas in the U. With all that time spent around low lighting, soft music, and heavy rubbing, it can be tough not to think of sex, but until recently, the female version of these erotic massages has remained doggedly taboo.
Luckily, societal rules restricting female sexuality are dying as fast as "Sex and the City" slayed them, and it was only a matter of time before women embraced the notion that "quick releases" aren't just for men.
And with competition among spas getting ever more intense, customers are starting to demand more than just Enya and free herbal tea with their Shiatsu, according to massage therapists. The bottom line: Women like massages and woman like orgasms, so why shouldn't the two sometimes literally come hand in hand? But with women, it's so subtle. There's really no way to know if they want sexual contact, even if there's moaning and heavy breathing. For many women, the idea of point-blank asking a hot masseur to "finish me off" sounds about as appealing as a full-body exfoliation with Brillo pads.
And as Samantha learned in the now-notorious "Sex and the City" episode, making demands can result in humiliation. She first discovered erotic massage during an in-room rubdown at an upscale Miami hotel. He started slowly touching my thigh, then going higher, and it turned into a game of how far each of us would take it.
