answer:Tell her to stop it. Yes, she’s lightly flirting with you, because she thinks she’s charming and can manipulate you. Such behavior is highly inappropriate in the workforce. You may not want to “bring this up verbally,” but that’s what you need to do. The next time she rubs your back or squeezes your shoulder, physically pull away and tell her that she needs to communicate without touching. When she does this again, grasp her hand, remove it from your body, and say that touches (other than handshakes) are inappropriate and make you uncomfortable. Just imagine if your genders were reversed – a man “gently” putting his hands on a female colleague in such a pseudo-affectionate manner. Nobody would even try to make the case that the guy’s acting acceptably.