4

The sweet scent of lavender from the bath oils filled the air and she felt a sense of calm washing over her. She moved towards the bathtub, slipping out of her clothes and stepping into the warm water.

The water immediately enveloped her, the warmth easing the tension from her muscles. She sank deeper into the water, feeling her exhaustion melting away. The scent of the bath oils grew stronger, and she took another deep breath, closing her eyes and relaxing. The water caressed her skin and she sank even deeper into the warm embrace of the bath.

Fiona let out a contented sigh and submerged herself completely in the water, feeling it wash away all her worries and anxieties. She stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the stillness and the weightlessness of the water.

Then she surfaced, soon hearing footsteps outside the bathroom.

Mary walked into Fiona's room.

She headed over to Fiona's makeup and placed a file on the desk.

"Here's the shortlisting file you asked for," Mary said as she dropped it onto the desk with a thud.

"I just dropped the shortlisting file on your desk. Be sure to check it out."

Fiona replied with a muffled "okay, thanks," from the bathroom.

As Mary turned from the desk, she then looked around and noticed the mess on the floor.

Fiona's eyeshadow had spilled over.

It was a colorful and powdery mess on the ground, with shades of blues, pinks, and purples blending together. The fine powder has spread over a considerable area, looking somewhat chaotic, with no discernible pattern or shape to it.

"You just make a mess everywhere," Mary said, shaking her head in frustration.

Fiona, who was in the bathroom, called out to Mary, "What's wrong now?"

Mary pointed to the mess on the floor and said,

"Your eyeshadow spilled on the floor. Can't you just do anything outside work right?"

Fiona chuckled, "What's the harm when I have a friend like you?"

Mary groaned and took out a tissue, "I'll clean it up anyway.”

Fiona leaned her head back against the edge of the bathtub, her mind still lingering on the events of the evening. She sighed contentedly, feeling the exhaustion of the day easing out of her muscles as she slipped further into the warm water.

Dreamily, she said, "Wasn't that guy just something?"

Mary looked at her quizzically, "What guy?"

"The one at the restaurant? David or Daniel? What was even his name again?"

Fiona rolled her eyes, "Not that one who just kept pissing me off with the sickest pick-up lines ever."

She quoted him, "You're an angel because I see a halo over your head," she laughed, "and then he proceeds to point at the chandelier above us, like really?"

Mary burst into laughter, wiping the spilled eyeshadow off the floor,

"Oh my god, he's good."

Fiona laughed too, "Bet he is."

"What guy though? Oh, the one outside...that saved you earlier?"

Fiona hummed in agreement, "Mhm-mhm."

Mary asked, "What about him? Did he give the cold-hearted Fiona butterflies or what?"

"I think they were more than butterflies, maybe birds?"

Fiona's fingers gently grazed her left wrist, as she let out a soft sigh. The memory of Julian's touch lingered on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She couldn't help but smile as she recalled the way he had grabbed her hand, the warmth of his palm against hers, and the way his eyes had met hers. It was a moment that felt like it lasted forever, yet it had happened so quickly.

As she closed her eyes, Fiona could almost feel the sensation of Julian's touch once again. The water in the bathtub seemed to add to the dreamy state she was in, the warmth easing the tension in her muscles.

Mary burst out laughing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking up and down as she struggled to control her breath. Her eyes filled with tears, and she gasped for air as she imagined Fiona's expression.

"Birds? Really, Fiona?" she managed to say between laughs. Fiona chuckled along, amused by Mary's reaction.

When Mary calmed herself she added, "Well, I think he's taken."

"Huh? How do you know that?"

"Didn't you see the engagement ring on his finger?"

Fiona sank deeper into the bath, silent, trying to remember if she saw anything.

*****

Juanita straddled Julian as she moved her hips in a slow, sensual rhythm. She felt his hands gripping her waist as she moved up and down, the bed sheets barely covering them both. As she rode him, their breathing became more labored and intense.

Julian moaned softly as he looked up into Juanita's eyes. He whispered breathlessly,

"You feel so good."

His hand traveled from her waist to caress her breasts through the thin fabric of her dress while his other hand found its way between their bodies, stroking her clitoris with gentle circles until she gasped in pleasure.

Juanita let out a moan of desire that sent shivers down Julian's spine. She felt his touch everywhere, sending her closer and closer to the edge of pleasure.

“Did you forget about the money I asked for?" She asked him as he continued to ride,

He grabbed her waist firmly and disengaged his penis from her vagina. His grip was gentle yet firm as he guided her body off his. He then lay on his back, breathing heavily as she moved away from him.

Juanita felt a slight tingle in her lower abdomen as their bodies separated and she could feel the warmth radiating from Julian's skin even after they had stopped making love. She looked down at him with admiration; watching how his chest rose and fell with each breath, feeling like time had slowed down just for them in that moment.

He then rolled over to the edge of the bed to pick something up from the floor.

As he rolled, his butt was revealed in all its glory. His tight muscles flexed with each movement and his toned cheeks were a sight to behold. His tan skin glowed in the light, making it hard for Juanita to look away.

His penis dangled between his legs as he moved, long and thick with an inviting curve that made Juanita's mouth water. She could see every vein pulsing beneath the surface of his shaft and felt her heart racing just at the thought of touching him.

Julian's ass seemed like a work of art; sculptured perfection that begged to be touched and explored. It was round yet firm, a heavenly combination that made Juanita's hands itch to caress it. His tight muscles were a thing of beauty, each one standing out in sharp relief as he moved.

He fumbled around the floor as be swept pieces of clothings aside.

Clothes were scattered all over the room - a shirt on the bed, pants on the floor, and a bra on the lampshade. Julian's jeans were thrown over the chair in the corner, while Juanita's blouse hung off the edge of the dresser. As they tried to have sex, they had hurriedly taken off their clothes, not caring where they ended up in the heat of the moment. Julian's socks were thrown across the room and his shoes were kicked off near the door. Juanita's skirt lay crumpled on the floor, tangled with Julian's t-shirt.

The bedroom itself was not particularly luxurious, but it was decent. The walls were painted a soft shade of blue and there was a simple wooden bed frame with a plain white mattress in the center of the room. The bedding was a mix of mismatched sheets and blankets, but they seemed clean and well-maintained.

He picked up a torn-out page of a magazine lying idly around near the bed, handing it to Juanita.

Juanita took the page from Julian's hand and studied it carefully, her eyebrows furrowed in amazement.

"Damn, she's a beautiful woman," she said, holding up the torn-out page of the magazine.

“Giving me a magazine with a picture of such a pretty woman, you're making me jealous," she added jokingly.

She then looked back at Julian and asked,

"Do you think I'm prettier than her?"

Julian leaned over and stroked her hair, smiling. "Is that even a question? You're the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on," he replied.

She smiled looking back at the picture of Fiona and skimming through the article next to it. Then, she looked up at Julian, shaking her head.

"I'm still not getting it though."

"Is there something I'm supposed to understand about this or…" she trailed off.

Julian took the page back from her and pointed at Fiona's picture. "Her," he says. "She's our ticket.

“Uh—what do you mean?" Juanita was still confused.

“Remember how I told you my dad was killed?" Julian's face turned sour.

"Why would you even bring up something like that," Juanita cooed lovingly as she caressed his face worriedly, kissing his lips.

He continued, "She's that monster's daughter."