Earlier that day:
Clara:
She had a crucial meeting with her boss, Stephanie, a no nonsense boss who always expected nothing less than perfection. She had to carefully prepare a detailed presentation to impress Stephanie and secure approval for the project. But as the meeting progressed, Stephanie seemed unimpressed and unconvinced by her proposal. In the end, she knew she would have to work even harder to win Stephanie over.
Her boss was cold, her sharp eyes catching every small mistake or hesitation.
"I expected more from you, Clara," she said, disappointment evident in her tone. "This project is too important to mess up. You and your team need to do better."
Clara nodded in agreement, determined to prove herself and gain her boss's approval.
She headed back to her office right after the meeting, trying to hold back her tears. She had barely sat on her desk when her phone buzzed with a message from her friend Sarah: "Drinks tonight? You need a break. Let's just unwind."
Her first instinct was to decline; all she wanted to do after work was crawl under her blankets and forget about her disastrous day. But as she stared at the email from Stephanie, her boss, she realized she definitely needed a night out.
"Sure," she replied, surprising herself.
"I'll meet you there."
At the bar
When she arrived at the bar, Sarah was already there, waiting with a drink in her hand.
"There she is!" she exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug. "rough day?"
"You have no idea," Clara replied as she took the glass from her hand with a heavy sigh, taking a long sip of her drink.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, her usual cheerfulness tinged with concern. "what happened?"
Clara sighed. "The presentation I worked on for weeks was a disaster. Stephanie was not pleased." I don't know what to do now.
"Ugh, that woman needs to loosen up," Sarah responded with a roll of her eyes.
"You guys worked so hard on that project. What was her problem?"
"I don't know; maybe I wasn't just good enough ," Clara said with a sigh. "I thought I did my best."
"Hey, don't talk like that," Sarah said, giving Clara a reassuring pat on the back. "You are amazing at what you do. Your boss is just a perfectionist, as always."
"Yeah, maybe." Clara appreciated Sarah's words of encouragement, but she still couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to try harder next time," she said with a determined look on her face.
"Enough of your sulking; let's grab some more drinks before calling it a night" ," Sarah suggested with a smile.
They had drinks for a while before Sarah ended up going home, but Clara wasn't ready to leave yet. She waved off Sarah's offer to give her a ride, insisting she needed some time alone. But what she really needed was a distraction— anything to take her mind off her recent setback.
"Another one?" the bartender asked, raising her eyebrow as he pointed at the empty glass in front of her.
She glanced up from her phone, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her lips..
"Why not? Keep them coming," she answered.
As she waited for her drink, she felt a strange sensation, like someone was watching her. She scanned the room when her eyes met the gaze of a tall, handsome face.
She quickly looked away , her heart skipping a beat. The intensity of his stare was unsettling but also strangely thrilling.
He moved closer, taking the seat beside her. "You look like you could use some company," he said, his voice deep and smooth, with a hint of amusement.
She laughed lightly, more out of nervousness than anything else.
"I guess I could," she replied, trying to keep her tone casual.
"Rough day?" he asked, nodding toward her almost emoty glass.
"Something like that, she said, taking a sip of her freshly made drink. "just needed to unwind."
"I can relate ," he said, ordering another round of drinks for them both. "Sometimes a little company can make all the difference." She smiled gratefully, feeling a sense of comfort in his presence.
"I'm Lucas, by the way."
"Clara," she said, finding it hard to stop looking at his glittering eyes.
"Do you come here often?" he asked, his tone teasing.
"Not really, she admitted. "I don't usually have time for this kind of thing."
"Lucky me then," he said.
She blushed. "What about you? Do you spend a lot of time in bars?"
"Not as much as you'd think," he replied. "But sometimes, you just need a change of scenery." She found herself drawn to his easy charm and the way he seemed to understand her without even trying. As they chatted, she couldn't help but feel a spark of connection that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was as if fate had brought them together in that moment, and she was grateful for the unexpected encounter.
They continued with their conversations as they got more intimate, and without really thinking, they found themselves moving closer to each other.
When he leaned in, she didn't pull away. Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss that felt like the beginning of something new and exciting. In that moment, she knew that this change of scenery was exactly what she needed to spark a new chapter in her life.
"Do you want to get out of here?" he whispered against her lips.
She hesitated for a second before nodding. "Yeah, let's go."
As they left the bar together, they barely got to his apartment when they were tangled up in each other's arms.
Their hands and lips explored each other's bodies with desperate urgency.
The passion between them ignited a fire that had lain dormant for far too long. It was evident between them. She was suddenly aware that this impulsive choice was taking her in a direction she had not anticipated but was excited to go.
He took off her clothes. " Are you sure about this?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. He gazed into her eyes with unwavering determination, his hands trailing down her body. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life," he replied, his voice filled with desire.
