Follow Me

Lucia glanced down at the floor, her shoes waiting patiently by the chair. "Just hold on a sec, let me slip on my shoes," she chirped.

She bent over gracefully, her head tilted towards the ground, and that's when she noticed something utterly unexpected – a figure, none other than Callum, appeared right in front of her. He was bending over, and before Lucia could even react, he scooped up her feet.

Startled, Lucia's hand instinctively shot out, as if trying to put the brakes on this sudden turn of events. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Callum, in a low, teasing voice, retorted, "Can't I even help you out, my dear?" His fingers gently worked her feet into her waiting shoes, their soft, smooth texture feeling tender and warm against his touch.

Lucia was at a loss for words. She wanted to protest, to explain that this was a little too intimate for her liking, especially with the room's light switched on, but her voice seemed to have taken a vacation.

Sure, they'd been half-naked together in the room earlier, but that was different. This was an entirely new level of vulnerability, with the room's light unapologetically bearing witness to this quirky episode. She felt her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink.

Before she could muster any words, Callum had already gently slid her other foot into her snug shoe. He rose, a sly smirk playing on his lips as he straightened up.

Lucia was blushing furiously, feeling his eyes on her. She cleared her throat and managed a weak, "Thanks, you." 

Callum nodded in response, as she got up on her feet and straightened her gown. She avoided meeting his gaze as she looked towards the door. "Let's go," she said, without looking at him. She walked towards the door, hoping to escape his presence quickly. 

Just as she reached the door, Callum's voice echoed from behind her, playful and teasing, "Where are you running to, like you know where to go?"

Lucia, who was about to turn the door handle, paused in her steps as Callum caught up with her. With her back facing him, she could feel the warmth from his body. She found herself unable to move forward or backward.

In a soft tone, Lucia couldn't help but mutter, "You really know how to take advantage of someone."

Callum couldn't believe his ears, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He retorted, "Opening the door is taking advantage of someone now? You are truly unbelievable."

With a twist, he opened the door, but Lucia wasn't ready to buy his argument. The door swung wide open, revealing the brightly lit corridor outside. 

Lucia stood there for a moment, contemplating her next move. But just as she was about to take a step forward, Callum's voice chimed in again, "Now, look who's complaining. It seems like you don't want to leave my arms." His words made her more embarrassed.

Tsk-ing in annoyance, Lucia marched forward, now standing in the corridor, her back turned to Callum. She turned to give him a withering, side-eyed look. Callum, undeterred, flashed a charming smile as his tall figure gracefully stepped out of the room.

"Follow me," he said, gesturing ahead with a wink. Lucia huffed in response but fell into step beside him as they walked down the corridor together.

As they strolled along, Lucia's memory of the place started to kick in. She could now recognize the surroundings, and it was all coming back to her. They walked in silence,  but just as they were about to ascend a staircase, Lucia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh no, it's that handsome, shirtless man!" she whispered urgently, abruptly halting in her tracks. Without a second thought, she ducked behind Callum, who also stopped, puzzled by her sudden odd behavior.

He turned to her, a bemused expression on his face, and asked, "What are you doing? What handsome, shirtless man?"

Lucia peeked out from behind Callum's back, her eyes fixed on the 'shirtless man' in question, who was just a short distance away. "I need you to be my cover so I can get a better look at that guy without the mask. I, uh, happened to see him earlier with a female in a room, doing what grown adults do," she explained in a hushed tone.