Crystal adjusted the camera and took a picture. The camera made a clicking sound, and Nancy changed her pose. The water in the tub splashed up the side of the tub, exposing her breasts, and the camera captured the moment. "There we go." Crystal laughed and said, "Just a few more, and then we'll be done."
The luxurious bathtub was made of transparent crystal. Ceramics surrounded it, and the room was lit by candlelight. The effect created a plethora of shadows, with each one going in a different direction. It was very sexy. There was a light sheen on the water from the Foam Bath, and rose petals floated prettily between Nancy's legs.
Nancy had a champagne flute in her hand. She took a sip, and she flinched when she heard the camera click thrice more. She had been resistant to this nude photo shoot, but Crystal had reminded her that her ex-husband had seen her naked a million times already, so it didn't really matter. Even now, though, as the shoot winds down, she can't help but wonder if they were doing the right thing. "Are you sure this is okay?" she asked. "He's never given me any reason to believe that he likes this sort of thing... or that he even likes my body."
Crystal: "Don't talk like that. You are beautiful."
Nancy: "Okay, but let's stop. You've taken a lot of pictures already, and Paul will be furious when he sees them!"
Crystal: "You look very nice. Trust me. If you want to get Clark back, you must take the initiative to make some effort!"
Nancy: "But how will these pictures help me get to see Clark? I don't understand...".
Crystal smiled. Although Nancy was older than her, she was very naïve. "If you want him to listen to you," she explained, "then you need to do something to get his attention. Once he sees these pictures, you will definitely have his undivided attention. Anyway, I think we've got enough photos. You can rinse off and get out of the tub if you'd like."
"Finally." Nancy finished her champagne, set the glass on the toilet, and pulled the plug.
Crystal leaned against the wall, and as her friend ran the shower, she began to upload the nudes to Nancy's WhatsApp page. "Does Paul use WhatsApp?" she asked.
"All of the time," Nancy replied. "If you send him the pictures on WhatsApp, he will see them as soon as you press SEND."
"That's good." Crystal smiled and said. Phase One is complete."
Nancy:" Phase One? Is there a Second Phase?"
Crystal laughed and said, "The next thing that we are going to do is accept your neighbors' invitation for their party tonight."
There was a newly married young couple living next door, and as chance would have it, they were hosting a party to get to know their neighbors.
****
On the far side of Kuerto, there was a private bathhouse called The Thermae Balneae. The bathhouse was part of an elite club, where posh executive types could come to indulge in their carnal desires. It was designed and fashioned after The Baths of Caracalla in Rome, and to Paul Burnett was his home away from home.
Typically, there were only ten to twelve patrons at any given time. Still, the bathhouse's capacity was much higher, and today there happened to be closer to twenty-five or thirty people, either relaxing as casual observers or engaging in one form of coitus or another.
Amidst the gaggle of intertwined bodies, Paul had a woman on all fours. Her face was resting on the ground, her legs were spread with her ass in the air, and each time he pushed himself deeper inside her, she groaned.
"Harder," she shouted. "Hurt me!"
Paul laughed. "You just wait. Next time we can try it without the foreplay!"
It wasn't long before Paul had spent his seed, and he sat down at the pool's edge to relax. The girl sat beside him, and after giving her a meaningful look, he pointed to his genitals and said, "You know what to do, so get to it." There was no meanness in his voice, but the command left no room for negotiation.
Paul moaned as the girl began to take care of him, but before he could properly enjoy it, his cell phone buzzed. The girl scowled and said, "Really? You couldn't have turned that off?"
He shrugged as he reached for his cellphone. He never turned it off. She knew that. After punching in his code, he saw that he'd received a message from Nancy. What the fuck does she want? - he wondered angrily. When he saw the pictures, though, his anger faded, all the color drained from his face, and he frowned. This was his first time seeing Nancy like this, and he almost didn't recognize her.
Who took these? Paul wondered - Was it a man?
Nancy looked gorgeous in the photos, and the expression on her face suggested a fascinating temperament that was noble and indifferent. He thought - This woman was the antithesis to the conservative housewife that birthed my son. He wondered if she had gone crazy and why she had sent the pictures.
Meanwhile, the girl was hovering over his shoulder. She hugged him from behind and pressed her bare breasts against his skin. Then, she leaned into his ear and whispered, "Put the phone away, okay. Why do you need those dirty pictures when you've got a real woman?"
Paul sighed. He looked at his phone, and he tried to set it aside, but his fingers refused to let it go. "I can't," he said. "I'm sorry, but I need to respond to this."
****
At Nancy's house - After Crystal sent the pictures, Nancy felt like she would be sick. "What did I do?" she gasped. "Take it back. Can't you do that?"
"I cannot," Crystal replied. "What's done is done. This is for the best, though. Why don't you get dressed, and I'll meet you in the living room?"
Nancy began to dry off, and she had just started to wrap a second towel around her hair when her phone rang. She saw that it was her ex-husband, and she began to squeal.
When Crystal heard her friend, she knew exactly who was calling, and she rushed into the bathroom.. She tore the phone out of Nancy's hand before she could answer it, and she rejected the call.