The Bathroom Incident

Louis's apology spilled out in a rush, but his eyes—those damn eyes—were still locked on me, trailing over my body with a hunger that sent a shiver down my spine. The way he looked at me, it was like he couldn't help himself, like every inch of me was something he needed to memorize.

"I'm so sorry, Claire," he stammered, backing up, his voice full of regret. But despite his words, his gaze stayed glued to me, and I felt a flush of heat crawl up my neck and settle in my cheeks.

"Louis, seriously?" I snapped, my voice trembling with a mix of frustration and something I didn't want to admit. I tightened my grip on the towel, trying to hold onto what little dignity I had left, but the way he looked at me made me feel so exposed, and not just because I was half-naked.

"I didn't mean to—" he started, but his voice softened at the end, making my heart skip a beat. He was staring, and I knew it wasn't just an accident this time. His eyes lingered on the droplets of water clinging to my skin, on the way the steam curled around me like a second skin.

"Louis!" My voice came out sharper, but I wasn't sure if I was more annoyed at him or at myself for the way my body responded to his gaze.

"I—I'll go," he muttered, but there was hesitation in his step, like he was torn between staying and doing what he knew was right. When he finally turned away and closed the door behind him with a soft click, the room felt oddly empty.

As soon as he was gone, I let out the breath I'd been holding, my heart racing like I'd just run a marathon. I stared at the door, half expecting him to come back, but knowing it wouldn't change anything. My mind was a mess of emotions—embarrassment, anger, and something deeper that made me feel a little dizzy.

I could still feel his eyes on me, the way he'd looked at me like I was something he couldn't quite believe was real. It wasn't just the embarrassment that lingered—it was the way he'd made me feel, like he saw me in a way no one else ever had. Vulnerable, sure, but also desirable, like he wanted me, all of me, in a way that scared me and thrilled me at the same time.

"God, what a disaster," I whispered, pulling the towel tighter around me as I tried to shake off the lingering heat. 

But even as I stood there, dripping wet and still reeling from what had just happened, I couldn't stop my thoughts from drifting back to the way Louis had looked at me—as if he wanted nothing more than to close the distance between us and see what would happen if we let the tension snap.

I was already halfway dressed when Louis barged into my room again, without so much as a knock. I spun around, clutching my shirt to my chest. 

"Sir, didn't they teach you how to knock before entering a lady's room?" I shot at him, my voice laced with irritation and the last remnants of embarrassment from earlier.

He froze mid-step, his eyes widening in realization. "Oh, God—I'm sorry, Claire! I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't," I cut him off, trying to suppress the laugh bubbling up despite myself. "Seriously, what's with you today? Do you have a death wish or something?"

He looked genuinely apologetic, running a hand through his hair as he finally turned his back to give me some privacy. "I swear, I'm not trying to make this worse. I just needed to—" He trailed off, as if realizing that whatever reason he had probably wasn't worth the scolding he was about to get.

I sighed, shaking my head as I quickly pulled on my clothes. "Just… wait outside next time, okay? I'll be out in a minute." My voice softened a bit as I added, "I'm sure whatever it is can wait until I'm actually dressed."

But then, before I could even finish buttoning my shirt, he blurted out, "I brought some painkillers and a soothing balm... to help with, you know, the spot where you fell."

I paused, my hands frozen on the buttons as his words sunk in. "Wait, are you serious?" I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And just where exactly did I fall, Louis?"

His gaze dropped to the floor, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, your… um, you know, your… butt."

I blinked, trying to process what he was implying. "So, let me get this straight—you want to help me… massage my butt?"

Louis's face turned a deep shade of red, and he stumbled over his words. "Well, I—I just thought, you know, it might help with the pain. I didn't mean—"

I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing. The absurdity of the situation was too much. "Louis, you realize how ridiculous this sounds, right? I mean, offering to massage my butt?"

He looked so flustered, I almost felt bad for him. Almost. "I was just trying to be helpful," he mumbled, his embarrassment palpable.

I shook my head, still laughing as I finished getting dressed. "You know what, Louis? I appreciate the gesture, but I think I'll manage just fine on my own." I shot him a teasing grin. "Unless you're really eager to make this day even weirder than it already is."

He quickly backed off, holding up his hands in surrender. "No, no, you're right. I'll just, uh, leave the balm here and go… somewhere else." He practically bolted out of the room, leaving me alone to finish getting dressed, still chuckling at the whole situation.

But guess what, folks—my butt was seriously hurting after that fall. Like, I couldn't even sit down without wincing in pain. Every time I tried, it felt like I was sitting on a pile of rocks. So, after a few failed attempts at toughing it out, I had to face the inevitable.

I had to call my boss for help.

Yep, you heard that right. The same boss who'd just offered to massage my butt, and whom I'd laughed off not five minutes ago. Now, here I was, biting the bullet and realizing that, unless I wanted to hobble around like an old lady for the rest of the day, I'd have to take him up on his offer.

I poked my head out of my room, feeling all sorts of ridiculous. "Uh, Louis?" I called out, trying to keep my voice steady.

He appeared almost immediately, like he'd been waiting for this moment. "Yeah?"

"So, um… funny story," I began, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "Turns out, my butt is really hurting. Like, I can't sit without wincing. So, I guess… you know… you might need to help me after all."

His eyes widened in surprise, but to his credit, he didn't make a joke out of it. Instead, he nodded, all business now. "Alright. Let's get you fixed up."

And just like that, I found myself in the utterly bizarre position of having my boss massage my butt. Oh boy, this day just kept getting better and better.

I pulled off my pants, leaving me in just my lace underwear. Realizing that this was about to get a lot more awkward, I quickly grabbed a towel and tied it around my waist, trying to cover as much as I could. Even with the towel, this felt way too intimate.

"Okay," I muttered to myself, lying face down on the bed, "here goes nothing."

Louis approached cautiously, balm in hand. He rubbed some between his palms, warming them up. I could feel my heart beating fastas he knelt beside me, his hands hovering for a moment before finally making contact.

The second his fingers pressed into my sore muscles, I couldn't help it—an involuntary sound escaped my lips. "Ahhhh…"

His touch was firm but careful, applying just the right amount of pressure as he worked the balm into my aching skin. It was mortifying, yes, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel good. The pain began to ease as his hands moved in slow, steady circles, and for a moment, I forgot about how utterly ridiculous this situation was.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and calm.

"Yeah," I managed to squeak out, my cheeks burning with a mix of relief and embarrassment. "Just… keep going."

Louis chuckled softly, continuing his work. "I have to admit, this isn't how I pictured my day going."

"Trust me, neither did I," I mumbled into the pillow, trying to ignore the fact that my boss was currently massaging my butt. "But, well… thanks."

Then, all of a sudden, I felt the towel around my waist start to slip. Before I could react, it came loose entirely, falling away and leaving me exposed in just my lace underwear.

My breath caught in my throat, and I froze, my mind racing. This should not be happening. I was already mortified enough, and now this?

Louis's hands stilled for a moment, and I could feel the tension in the air. Neither of us said a word, the awkwardness hanging thickly between us.