Only for You

4: Crossed Paths

Fatima stepped out of the steamy shower, water droplets clinging to her skin as she grabbed her soft towel and wrapped it around her body. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as if she was in no rush. She padded over to her vanity, reaching for the vanilla-scented body oil, the familiar fragrance filling the room. Propping one leg up on the stool, she began to oil her skin, her gaze drifting out the large floor-to-ceiling window that offered a view of the garden below.

Her mind wandered as she massaged the oil into her skin, thoughts of Zac flooding her consciousness. She could still feel the lingering warmth of their intimate night together, the way his hands had explored her body, the way he made her feel alive in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. But she couldn't shake the reality-Zac was Oliver's son. If their parents got married, it would make them siblings. The thought sent a groan escaping her lips as she pulled a face, biting her lip in frustration.

And then there was Anthony. Sweet, dependable Anthony who loved her more than she thought she deserved. He didn't deserve this mess, and the weight of that guilt settled heavily on her chest. She let out a long sigh, caught between the man who was always there for her and the one who made her question everything.

Her phone rang, breaking through the chaotic spiral of her thoughts. Fatima blinked, grabbing it off the counter and answering, grateful for the distraction.

"Best friend!" came Toni's enthusiastic shout from the other end.

"Wow. You're up early," Fatima chuckled, already feeling her mood lift.

"Well, I have a four-month-old morning person with me," Toni replied, only to be interrupted by the sound of her baby babbling in the background. "Do you hear her? She's watching this damn Ms. Rachel," Toni added, sounding utterly exhausted.

Fatima giggled, the light-hearted moment helping to clear her mind. "Sounds like fun," she teased.

"Anyway," Toni continued, "I wanted to know if you'd join the two of us for lunch later?"

"Lunch?" Fatima paused, glancing at the time. "Yeah, I think I can do that. I only have some dress fittings, and then I'll be free. Nobu?"

"Yes!" Toni agreed, excitement in her voice.

"Fatima!" Fiona's voice suddenly interrupted from the other side of the bathroom door, cutting through the conversation.

"Hold on, it's my mom," Fatima said to Toni before calling out, "Yes, Mama?"

"How far are you? You need to hurry up!" Fiona shouted, clearly in a rush.

"I'll be right out," Fatima called back, hearing the silence that followed as her mother left her alone once more.

With a sigh, she returned her attention to the phone. "I've got to go. I need to get dressed," she told Toni, knowing her time to herself was running short.

"Alright, see you later," Toni said, ending the call. Fatima stared at her reflection in the mirror, her mind still buzzing with unresolved thoughts, but knowing she had to push them aside for now. She had a wedding to prepare for, even if she wasn't sure what she truly wanted anymore.
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Zac grunted as he finished one final lift on the strength bench, the barbell dropping back into place with a heavy clang. His muscles burned from the intense workout, but his mind was far from his routine. He sat up straight, staring out over the sprawling view of Times Square from his balcony, the city bustling with life below. Yet all he could think about was Fatima—how she had consumed his thoughts since that night.

The memory of her skin against his, the taste of her lips, and the way she made him feel like no one else ever had haunted him. It made no sense, the power she had over him. He wanted her. He craved her. But she just had to be engaged... to another man. He groaned, wiping the sweat from his chest and arms with his towel, his frustration mounting with each passing second.