Lyla and Victor, both young professionals at a Jersey publishing house, met at the office before grabbing coffee and carpooling to the annual district conference in Rhode Island.
"Ready?" Lyla pulled her heart shaped sunglasses over her face. Victor smiled, helped with her bags-why anyone would need such a heavy bag for a one-night trip was beyond him.
"Coffee?" Victor asked, already turning the signal into the local Starbucks.
"
Please
," Lyla nodded. "No, I'll get them. You're driving,"
"Oh. Thanks,"
She smiled. He couldn't see her eyes behind her sunglasses, but her face stayed fixed on his for a heartbeat too long. He watched her walk up to the building. Her long skirt hugged her waist and behind. If it was long then it was professional right? Christ he needed to get laid. Lyla was his friend, why was he sexualizing her?
"The usual," Lyla returned with two iced drinks in her hands despite the chilly spring morning.
Most of the drive was silent. Lyla laid her seat further back and closed her eyes. When she opened them again they were on I-95 headed north. Victor had rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. His lean forearms held the steering wheel loosely. He mouthed along to the soft music. His hair was swept back. He was clean shaven, somehow already tan. Fuck he was hot. No, no, Lyla shook her head. She couldn't think like that.
The first day of the conference was bland, to say the least. The sandwiches for lunch were good, and the pair of them went out for dinner with a few others from around the district, but the conversation was dull and they pulled into the hotel parking lot before eight.
At the front desk the clerk looked up their booking. "Ah, yes. Here it is. The double queen?" The clerk looked up with a plastered customer service smile.. Lyla blinked. Sharing a room? Surely the company could spare the expense to give them their own rooms.
"Uhhh," Victor scratched his eyebrow. He hated making a scene. "Any chance we could do two rooms?"
"There's a comic book convention this weekend, unfortunately. We're fully booked,"
Lyla swallowed. They would make it work. They were professionals. This was fine.
The clerk handed them two keys. Lyla tapped her against his. "I call top bunk,"
Victor laughed and followed her to the elevator.
Victor heaved their bags onto the floor. "I'm going down to the bar for a drink,"
Lyla nodded. She had her sights set on a long, hot shower.
Lyla almost groaned with relief as she slid her food out of her stiletto heel and flattened it onto the floor. She scrubbed the make up off her face, turned on the hot water, and stripped off her clothes.
She washed her hair, inhaling the peach scent of her shampoo, scrubbed her body down, and stood in the hot water inhaling steam.
As Lyla stepped out of the shower she heard the hotel room door open and shut and Victor softly humming to himself.
The bathroom door opened.
Lyla froze with the towel in her hair. Victor looked her up and down, not quite registering what he was seeing: her body still glistening, soft hips, a triangle of hair between her legs, small breasts with perky nipples.
"Christ! Sorry," Victor slammed the door just as quickly as he had opened it.
Lyla laughed and dried off her legs. "The world won't end because you saw me naked!"