Upon further inspection in the mirror, Roberta decided that she could use a little freshening up. She knew that she should get to work right away. There was after all a strict deadline. Pulling off the surprise wedding of the century would be no easy feat and Roberta had to go into battle reinforced with lotions and perfumes the way a knight was reinforced by his armor. Only, she didn't have any of her lotions or perfumes with her.
Roberta padded across the pink rug through an open door that she had assumed was the bathroom, but she could not be certain because the room was pitch dark. Her feet fell from the velvety carpet onto the cold marble as she fumbled for the light switch. She flipped it as light flooded the room. If Roberta had thought that the bedroom had been suitable for a queen, than the bathroom was for an empress. Pure white Carrere marble covered the floor and walls. The faucets and fixtures were pure gold and the mirror on the wall looked like the mirror in the bedroom's older and grander big brother. She ran her fingers along the claw-footed tub and noticed the bottles next to it. Roberta uncapped one and inhaled the scent. It was flower and citrus mingled with something earthier, almost animal and slightly pungent, yet when intertwined with the other scents, was perfect. She turned the faucet on, poured in the scented liquid, removed her clothes and climbed in.
Roberta closed her eyes and luxuriated in the bath until her water was no longer hot. It cooled to room temperature and Roberta began looking around for a towel. She couldn't see one. Why had she not taken the time before she climbed in to locate a towel or a robe to dry herself? She had assumed that because every other luxury she had ever desired had been present in the room, a towel would be as well. A soft, fluffy white towel that was so large, she could wrap it twice around her generous body. Roberta closed her eyes again and tried to plan her next move. She did not want to drip on the pink Turkish carpet and risk soiling it. Roberta felt something soft brush her face and abruptly opened her eyes. She saw the pure white towel from her imagination and almost believed that she had willed it to appear. The towel dropped and Roberta's eyes met the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen.
"I thought you might need this." A feminine voice said. "Stand up and I will help you."
It was the blonde-haired woman from the picture. Her future bride-to-be. Roberta flushed with embarrassment and began to apologize.
"Stop," the voice commanded. "I hate it when women apologize. We are always saying sorry for this and sorry for that."
"I'm sorry" Roberta said again and began to laugh.
"Henderson is good but he will never be able to fully anticipate the needs of a woman. That silly man placed this towel in the wardrobe. A man might be able to resist taking their clothes off and climbing into this beautiful tub. Not a woman."
The blue-eyed blond held the towel open and ready for Roberta without averting her gaze. Roberta was embarrassed but sensed that even if she waited for her water to cool as cold as ice, the woman still would not leave her in privacy. She took a deep breath and stood up. The woman wrapped the towel around Roberta. It was soft and absorbent and probably cost as much as Roberta's rent. The woman's hands lingered for a second and then her index finger territorially touched a droplet of water that lay on Roberta's collarbone. She then placed her finger in her open mouth and licked it with her cat-like tongue. It sent shivers down Roberta's spine.
"Delicious" the woman declared, then turned and left before Roberta could respond.
Roberta put her own brown finger on top of the skin that the light thinner finger had just touched. Her skin still burned. She looked around, half-wondering if it had been a dream. As she lifted her eyes up toward the ceiling, she noticed something that she had previously overlooked in her anxiousness to bathe. A tiny black video camera was in the corner.
"Marianna, I have decided that this is crazy. I mean who agrees to be a prisoner in their Client's home? I know that the rate is incredible but I just..."Roberta trailed off.
"Are you in danger? Did something happen?"
"No"
"Then snap out of it Bertie. I cleared your schedule and told your clients that you were recovering from mono. I booked a ticket to St. Bart's that leaves in an hour and I barely had time to pack myself because I had to send your things to you. I love you hon but if I have to choose between watching you pace around the office in boredom and watching some bronzed foreign Adonis play volleyball, I'm choosing the Adonis. "