Naked Maids Inc.

2. RIKA: Warm Bath, Bed, and Pancakes

A slow smile spread across Luke's face as he rose from the couch. Rika's heart hammered in her chest – a mix of nervous anticipation and a strange flutter of excitement. He chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. "Alright, Rika, you win. A bath it is."

He rose from the couch, his movements sending a jolt of nervous anticipation through Rika. She followed him down the hallway, her bare feet slapping silently against the wooden floor. As they reached the bathroom door, Luke turned, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Here," he said, handing her two fluffy towels. "One for you, one for me."

Rika nodded, her throat suddenly dry. Taking a bath with a client – it was all laid out in the NakedMaids Inc. manual, complete with extensive training on various massage techniques and bath-time etiquette. But this was Luke, her childhood friend. The professional detachment she'd strived to maintain all day suddenly felt shaky. Luke caught her nervous gaze and winked.

"Don't worry, Rika," he said, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "I won't bite... unless you want me to."

The unexpected flirtation sent a jolt through her. Before she could stammer out a reply, Luke was already heading towards the bathroom, a playful glint in his eyes.

They stepped into the steam-filled bathroom, the warmth instantly enveloping them. Luke, with a self-conscious chuckle, began peeling off his clothes, revealing a lean, muscular physique. Rika forced herself to look away, busying herself with adjusting the water temperature and adding a generous amount of lavender-scented bath salts.

Luke, his eyes roaming over the bathroom, finally landed on the strange choker around her neck. "Wait a minute," his voice slightly muffled by the sound of running water,"What about that thing? Can't exactly take a bath with that on."

Rika reached up self-consciously, her fingers brushing against the cool metal. "Oh, right," she stammered. "The GPS tracker. Don't worry, it's waterproof."

"Waterproof, huh?"

"And besides, only my supervisor has the key to remove it. Company policy and all that."

Luke raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. "Right. Company policy."

"Apparently, they don't want any rogue naked maids running around, unsupervised."

A chuckle escaped Luke's lips. "Rogue naked maids, huh? Sounds like a fascinating documentary waiting to be made."

He climbed into the tub, the warm water swirling around him. Rika joined him on the opposite end, the close proximity sending a wave of heat through her. The air crackled with a tension that was no longer playful.

"Alright, Rika," Luke said, his voice low and husky, "show me what this 'stress-relieving bath' is all about."

Rika swallowed hard, her heart hammering against her ribs. This was a line she hadn't planned on crossing, but there was something about Luke's gaze, something in the atmosphere of the steamy bathroom, that blurred the lines between duty and desire. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the lavender-scented oil, her fingers trembling ever so slightly.

"As you wish," she murmured, the words barely a whisper.

The bath was intended for relaxation, but as Rika's fingertips brushed against Luke's skin, a current of something far more electrifying shot through them both. 

The warm water enveloped them, swirling around their bare skin. Rika poured another generous amount of lavender oil onto her palms, the warm scent filling the air. Here it was, the moment the manual described in meticulous detail. But the clinical descriptions felt miles away from the reality of Luke's gaze on her.