Chapter 26 Forbidden Relationships - Chapter 3
Marina stepped out of the shower, her body still shrouded in steam, with drops of water trickling down her honey-hued skin. The white towel, too small to adequately cover her, could barely wrap around her torso. She dried herself with slow, deliberate movements, aware that the cessation of the shower's sound would undoubtedly pique his interest.
After a final glance in the steam-clouded mirror, Marina left the bathroom door slightly ajar, enough to offer a privileged view to anyone who might pass by the hallway at the right moment.
And then, she waited.
The hallway was quiet, with only the ticking of the living room clock resonating through the vacant house. Marina began to dry herself with extra care, rubbing the towel over her breasts in circular motions and stretching her body like a sunbathing cat. It was then that she heard a tentative footstep in the hallway, followed by a pause that said everything.
Ricardo was there.
She could sense his gaze like a tangible touch tracing down her bare back, halting at the curve of her buttocks that the towel intentionally didn't fully conceal. Marina feigned obliviousness, instead slowly pivoting as if she were searching for something, allowing the towel to slip a bit further in the process.
The stifled moan that echoed from the hallway was nearly inaudible, but to Marina, it sounded like a triumph. She finally turned towards the door, locking eyes with Ricardo's dark gaze, ablaze with desire.
For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, they remained motionless - she, nearly naked and defiant; he, trapped in the purgatory between duty and temptation.
Then, with a countenance that displayed an apparent internal conflict, Ricardo vanished into the hallway, leaving Marina alone with her triumphant grin and a body pulsating with anticipation.
Marina selected her bra with precision - red, lacy, with a complex clasp that demanded assistance. The dress she wore over it had a zipper at the back that she deliberately left half unzipped.
When she heard Ricardo in the kitchen, she appeared in the doorway, feigning struggle.
"Ricardo, could you lend me a hand?" She spun around, exposing her open zipper and the unfastened clasp of her bra. "I can't get this to close."
He froze mid-action, the coffee cup stopped halfway to his lips. Marina noticed his eyes trailing her exposed back, the contour of her spine, the loose bra straps dangling.
"I..." His voice emerged raspy, prompting him to clear his throat. "Sure."
When his fingers finally made contact with her skin, Marina could feel a tremble in them. It took Ricardo three tries to line up the hooks, his breathing growing heavier with each failed attempt. Marina arched her back subtly, pushing her chest forward, feeling the tips of his fingers unintentionally - or perhaps intentionally - graze her skin.
"Done," he finally managed to say, but his hands lingered. Marina could feel the warmth of them hovering over her back, as if he couldn't bring himself to break the contact.
She pivoted slowly, positioning herself well within his personal bubble. "Thank you," she murmured, gliding her tongue over her lips.
You're so... helpful.
As she leaned over to retrieve her cup from the table, Marina deliberately positioned her plunging neckline within his line of sight. Ricardo's cup dropped to the floor with a clatter, scattering coffee all around.
"Apologies," he uttered, but Marina noticed his gaze wasn't on the disarray - his eyes were locked onto her breasts, now even more exposed due to her quickened breathing.
She crouched down beside him to assist in the cleanup, her knees gradually sinking into the plush office carpet. The burgundy silk dress rose slightly, unveiling more of the thighs she knew were his Achilles' heel. Feigning focus, she dabbed the cloth over the spilled coffee, but her attention was on Ricardo, on how he was deliberately avoiding her gaze, as if maintaining eye contact was too perilous.
When their fingers accidentally met on the damp cloth, Marina didn't recoil. Instead, she wrapped her fingers around his, squeezing gently, as if grasping onto a pledge.
Ricardo froze. The silence between them was as dense as the stale air in the room, and the tension felt like a wire pulled taut. He slowly pivoted his face, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Marina..." he murmured, his voice strained. His words bore the semblance of a warning, but there was no real conviction, only thinly veiled desire.
"Yes?" she responded, her eyes wide and innocent, but her lips twitched into a nearly imperceptible smile. Then, under the guise of adjusting her posture, she extended her leg and gently slid her foot up his shin, stopping at his knee.
That was all it took.
He rose so suddenly that he almost toppled the table. The empty glass teetered on the wooden surface, as if it too was affected by the palpable tension in the room.
"I... have work," he stammered, unable to hold her gaze for more than a moment. The blush was creeping up from his neck to his ears. His body betrayed him more than any words could - the conspicuous bulge in his pants, the hurried way he tried to adjust himself as he spun around to leave.
Marina remained kneeling, her hair cascading over one shoulder, her lips slightly parted in a triumphant smile. She observed his every move like a hunter studying her already marked prey.
When he departed, she lingered for a moment, her fingers absent-mindedly toying with the forgotten fabric. The aroma of wine mingled with his lingering woody scent in the air.
She nibbled on her lower lip, her eyes shimmering.
He was nearing the brink. She could perceive it.
She could sense it.
And if he believed that fleeing was sufficient, he was about to learn that some desires cannot be confined behind closed doors — especially when the one who incites them knows precisely how and when to stir them again.
And Marina was aware.
She knew the tremors that shook him from within. She knew where to poke, where to fix her gaze, where to hold her breath.
And, above all... she knew he wouldn't last much longer.
Not if she could help it.