I rub my husband's feet almost daily (he stepped on a Coke bottle and severed micro-nerves in his foot as a teen, almost didn't walk again and it still causes the nerves to "jangle" and give stabbing pains 50+ years later; the only thing that helps/soothes is my rubbing) and if he were to ask "why" I would be excited to tell him how much I loved him, not get offended.

Have you two ever had couples therapy to work on better communication?