Author's Notes: This is the second instalment in the Sofia and Alex series.
The series deals with a woman's infidelity. There is no BTB. If that's what you are looking for, I suggest you pass on this story and move on to something else. Otherwise, enjoy!
Prologue - Esperanza
Rushing from the ensuite to their bedroom, Sofia hollered to her husband, "Have you seen my brush, Alex?"
"What brush?" Alex answered her with a question of his own. He looked down at his phone, reflexively as it buzzed with a new message. The Lyft driver. Again. He decided not to mention the car was waiting. He'd already reminded her twice and he knew she'd probably snap at him if he told her again.
He sent the driver another message, "Just heading out the door." He'd have to tip him well when he dropped them at the airport.
"The Mason Pearson brush." Noticing the confused look on his face, she elaborated,
"You know the one I mean, the brown one. It has boar bristles..." Her husband still clearly had no idea what she was talking about. "My hair brush, Alex!"
"Ohhhh. Uh, yeah. You packed it already. You put it in your carry on. You said you might need it on the plane."
"Oh yeah, that's right! C'mon, we better go, the driver's waiting."
*****
Sofia and Alex were on their way to Europe for their vacation. Although they were both looking forward to their trip, their itinerary was packed.
Their overnight flight was departing from Vancouver. The 14 hour flight was scheduled to make a brief stop in Montreal, before arriving in Barcelona where they would then spend 3 days. Next, they were flying to Majorca for 5 days, and from there, they had a brief flight to Marseille. They were to be met in Marseille by their friends, Anne and François.
They had met the Duris' while vacationing in the Bahamas six months ago and would be staying with them for 2 days. The four of them were then driving up the coast together to Bordeaux for the remaining 5 days of their trip.
The decision to go on the trip itself was unexpected and Sofia had done an admirable job of planning it in such a short period of time. A recent dinner with Alex's boss, Sayed and his wife Arwa had presented the opportunity of a vacation and Sofia was excited to put the trip together.
Sofia and Alex typically got together with the Yousef's every month for dinner and during their most recent visit, Arwa and Sayed announced they had plans that they wanted to share with their friends.
A few months previously, Sayed had suffered a heart attack that resulted in him having to undergo an angioplasty and have a stent inserted. While his health improved drastically, he was on strict orders to lose weight and exercise.
Arwa had taken firm control of her husband's eating and training regimen. Happily, the results were beginning to show. Sayed had lost weight and was now walking further distances without getting breathless.
Arwa was convinced that stress contributed to her husband's heart attack and as a result she was also demanding changes to his work life. Sayed was going to step back from the day to day running of the company and they wanted Alex to take over.
Alex was both surprised and humbled that he was being asked. He knew the couple thought of him as a son, but he had never expected this. It was a huge honour and an even bigger responsibility.
Sayed had hired him directly from university, mentored and guided him on his path to becoming a CPA, and eventually made him partner at the firm. Alex felt tremendous loyalty to both Sayed and his wife. Over the years, Sofia had also become very close to the Youssef's and the younger couple were considered family now.
Alex readily accepted their generous offer, and congratulations soon followed. The Yousef's told Alex that they would announce his promotion early next week and he would start in his new role as managing partner soon as he and Sofia returned from their upcoming vacation.
Alex was somewhat puzzled and pointed out that they didn't have any vacation planned. He said any thought of a future vacation would have to wait until after he had settled into the role. Arwa smiled at Alex, and reiterated that he would start in the new role after their vacation.
She made it clear that they would not allow him to throw himself into the job and work himself to death, as Sayed had almost done. In fact, she reiterated, he should plan to be home most evenings and weekends and that he was expected to take all his vacation time every year.
The Yousef's were insistent and there would be no compromise on this condition. Alex knew he was beat and reluctantly accepted that he and Sofia would be going on vacation very soon.
When they got home that night, the first thing Sofia did was send her friend Anne an email letting her know that she and Alex would be coming for a visit. Once the email was sent, she started planning their trip to Spain and France.
Chapter 1 - Emoción
Barcelona! Sofia was thrilled! Her parents had taken her to Madrid when she was eleven, but that was the only part of Spain she could really remember. This was a new experience for both of them, as Alex had never visited the country before. When they arrived at the Josep Tarradellas Airport, it was one o'clock in the afternoon.
They took a taxi into the city, where their driver dropped them off at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and they checked in. Anne had recommended the hotel and using her connections, secured them a fantastic suite. Although Sofia had looked at the hotel pictures online, they certainly didn't do it justice. The hotel was spectacular!
Their suite was luxurious. Located on one of the hotels' top floors, it had a marvellous view overlooking the Passeig de Grà cia, the city's wonderful shopping and business areas. Several of the city's most celebrated pieces of architecture could be found there and the couple were excited to visit them.
While the couple were eager to get out and see the city, they were fatigued from their long plane ride. They chose to nap for a few hours before heading out, hoping that it would somewhat refresh them for sightseeing.
When they awoke, they dressed and went for a leisurely stroll, popping in and out of the many high-end fashion shops. Stopping at the Plaça de Catalunya, they both made a wish and threw a coin into the wonderfully illuminated fountain. The whole square bustled with life.
The evening temperature was still warm and the atmosphere in the square was so inviting, they decided to eat outdoors. Usually requiring reservations, they were fortunate to find a table at Nineteen Restaurant. Sitting alongside the bustling square, the charming couple dined on tapas, drank Delgado Zuleta sherry and pretended they were locals.
Although it was unusual for them to carouse so late in the evening, they were soon caught up in the atmosphere and drawn to the native customs. Just when they were ready to call it a night, a guitarist appeared at their table and began to play. Now enjoying the live music, they were easily swayed to stay and Alex ordered them another round of sherry.
Thoroughly exhausted after a magnificent evening, Sofia and Alex finally ended their fun and started the journey back to their hotel. It was much later than they had intended. After all the travelling and just a brief nap, they had planned to have an early night. Instead, they were thoroughly wrapped up in the merriment and were glad to have experienced it.
Walking back to their hotel arm in arm, they were both a little tipsy, but content from spending such a wonderful evening together. Back in their bed, they both fell into a deep sleep, barely able to wish each other a good night, so exhausted were they, from the day's events.
*****
Awakening late the next morning, the couple decided to have breakfast at the Restaurant JardÃn Mimosa, located in an inner courtyard of the hotel. They sat outdoors amongst spectacular flowering mimosa and lavender. With no reason to hurry, they took their time and spent a leisurely morning amongst the glorious fauna. Around mid-morning, they headed back to their suite to get ready for their day out.
Sofia showered and slipped into a pair of high cut silk panties and then pulled on a pale yellow summer dress, forgoing a bra. The dress emphasized her stunning figure and contrasted superbly with her long, tanned legs. Knowing it was quite humid out, she pulled her chestnut hair back into a ponytail, prominently displaying her scintillating blue eyes and high cheekbones.
Alex wore cream-coloured linen pants and a dark mint polo, which matched his green eyes perfectly. He had been exercising a little more regularly lately and had managed to get rid of most of the bulge that had begun to spread around his middle. He looked quite handsome, and certainly felt fitter than he had in a couple of years.
As the attractive couple left their hotel and strode down the Passeig de Grà cia, they were met by admiring glances from locals and tourists alike.
*****
The rest of the morning the couple enjoyed touring the financial and shopping area of the city. They visited the Casa Milà and the Casa Batlló, both created by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. While they were happy to just wander the bustling streets and enjoy the local architecture, Sofia did manage to get Alex into a couple of shops.
In one of the shops, she was admiring the works of local jewellers and Alex encouraged her to buy herself a gold midi ring from Rosa Tejada Joies.
They took a taxi to Park Güell in the Gracia district and explored the magnificent architecture and beautiful gardens. When they got hungry, they found a nice family-run restaurant on a one-way street off the Plaça del Sol, which seemed to cater to locals. They ordered patatas bravas and bean soup with a bottle of De Boca En Boca 2019, before Alex left to use the washroom.
When he returned, Alex walked past a couple sitting in a booth by the window. The man was facing their table and looked to be staring right at Sofia, who was browsing through a tourist guide. Alex could see well up Sofia's dress to where her thighs met.
Although he couldn't see anything intimate, it was very provocative and he was certain the man could see as well.
When he arrived back at their table, Alex moved his chair to block the man's view and asked his wife, "Did you notice your admirer?"
Sofia smiled mischievously and answered, "Mmmm, I did and his wife must have noticed his gaze too, because she turned to look at me. She didn't look very happy"
Alex was amused by Sofia's response. She was indeed in a playful mood.
That evening, as Sofia prepared for bed, she thought back to the rugged Spaniard who was eyeing her during lunch. He looked dangerous, with stick and poke tattoos, a jutting chin and coal-black eyes. His desire was evident and she found his bold stare scintillating. He didn't even try to hide where he was looking.