Rina sat on the island stool in the kitchen, looking over the contract for the umpteenth time. It felt too good to be true, and she was worried that it would be taken away from her at the moment she least expected. Still, she knew the Pages of Claire couldn’t possibly be messing with her. They didn’t even have the time for that. Rina had followed the brand since she was a child, and knew almost everything about them, from the date of expansion to every member of Claire’s family. She had been obsessed at some point and remembered how her parents always chided her for focusing on her studies instead.
She was glad she hadn’t listened to them.
Appending her signature with her pen, she slid the iPad onto the island and downed the last bit of orange juice in her glass. Dropping from the stool, she sauntered over to the sink to rinse out the glass when the buzz of her phone drew her attention back to the island. Rina wiped her hands and grabbed her phone, reading the message from George in a single glance. She smiled to herself, and retrieved the iPad, sending the signed contract in a mail to George before grabbing all her gadgets and walking up the stairs.
Rina checked the time before she started. It was already a few minutes past six but if she got on it right away, she should be able to make it in time. Shrugging out of her clothes, Rina folded them carefully and arranged them along with the rest of the growing pile of clothes, before grabbing her phone and walking into the bathroom. She turned on the scented candles and hit the play button on her phone, sighing in bliss as Hozier’s voice filled the space.
Her hair cascaded in waves around her as she let it fall to her waist, shaking the weaves out. Her eyes strayed to the doors as the faucet ran water into the tub, and for a minute, Rina was tempted with the idea of leaving it that way, the keys unlocked and the possibility untamed.
“Really?” she chided herself mentally. “What are you hoping will happen?” She walked briskly to the door and turned the key in the lock, the resounding click snapping her head back where it ought to be. Her feet led her back to the already filled tub and she lowered herself into the warm water, sighing as the scent teased her nostrils and the water embraced her. She washed her hair slowly and intentionally, getting through to every strand, then got out of the water to place a leg on the edge of the tub, armed with a blade.
Rina sang along as she shaved the hairs on her leg, even attempting a little dance. She was in such high spirits that even when she nicked herself in the process, she simply grabbed a piece of cotton wool and dapped on the blood before proceeding like nothing happened.
Done with shaving, she opened the drainage and allowed the water to flow out before preparing another bath for herself. This one took a shorter time as she was out in only a few minutes, her alluring scent accompanying her out of the bathroom. Rina walked into her closet after drying off, her fingers sampling her numerous options. She wanted the night to be as perfect as possible, not a hair out of place.
Black never went wrong for her, but tonight, she wanted something that exuded more power, so Rina pulled out the red silk dress from the hanger. It had thin straps with a cowl neck that hinted at her smooth cleavage but did not exactly flash it to anyone’s eyes. It stopped at her ankles, the soft feel of the fabric on her skin making her feel even more feminine. It had ropes behind to fasten the dress securely, leaving some skin on her back exposed, stuck between elegance and sensual aura.
Confident in her choice, she pulled out a chair and sat before her vanity, staring up at the mirror. Her bare flawless skin shone back at her, and in that moment, Rina was proud of her genes and the amount of time and funds she spent on skin care. She was going to go light on the makeup tonight, getting her perfect smoky eyes, and a daring red lipstick on her lips. Rina curled her hair into beautiful ringlets and packed it all up in the center of her head, allowing some of them to escape the bun. The curls framed the sides of her face and made her look vulnerable, yet strong.
It was the exact look Rina was going for the one that people would least expect her to strike until she did.
Smiling at her reflection, Rina pulled on her dress, leaving the ropes at the back unattended, while she put on a pair of pearl earrings and retrieved the pearl purse that Zayn loved so much. Done with her overall look, she struggled with the ropes, trying to lace them in place. As she sighed in exasperation after the tenth try, she heard a subtle knock on the door.
Rina turned around, her body frozen and her senses heightened. She didn’t need him to announce his presence before knowing that it was Zayn. She could smell him from a mile away, his masculine scent finding its way to her. She held her breath as he waltzed in and leaned on the doorframe. The scene was picturesque, reminding Rina of the one time she had witnessed it back in the cottage, the first time he had allowed his hands to roam freely around her body. Yet, he stopped. Rina still wondered why he did.
“Going somewhere?” he muttered, his eyes caressing every inch of her. Rina’s skin burned in his presence, and every inch his eyes touched set ablaze. She nodded, not trusting her lips to utter anything comprehendible.
“Turn around,” he instructed softly, leaning away from the frame. “Let me help you with that.”