The Peak

After composing herself Aryana went out of the restroom and found Marlon waiting for her outside.

"Are you okay? Do you want to go back to the yacht?" Marlon asked anxiously.

"I'm fine. Is it convenient to go to the peak now?" Aryana looked at Marlon tentatively.

"Hmm." Marlon hummed as he lead her to a side exit and then to a winding stony path that lead to the foot of the hill. "There's a trail here for trekking. It's pretty safe and we can reach the Peak in no time."

It was mid-afternoon so most people were avoiding the heat and it was just perfect timing for Aryana. She was in perfect shape and climbing the hill for her was a breeze. Marlon was also a chatterbox and it made the trek exciting and fun.

They reached the peak after 30 minutes. It was a plateau. Aryana was amazed by the breathtaking view.

"Is this a natural plateau?" She asked.

"Yes. But modified a bit to make it flatter."

They rested for a while before Aryana resumed her videos.

"There is a changing room over there. You look better in the white chiffon cover-up." Marlon suggested and Aryana readily agreed and changed.

From where they were, she has a 180-degree view of the beach. She was amazed by the beautiful sight below her. The whitish froth of the waves crashed softly on the shore before being swallowed by the powdery sand only to be followed by the next wave in an endless cycle.

She stopped taking videos and put down her cell phone on a small wooden table before going nearer the edge of the plateau. She wanted to enjoy the view without any hindrance. She closed her eyes and lifted her arms imitating a scene in the Titanic. A gentle breeze was blowing against her face and a few strands of her hair gently slapped her face.

Unknown to her, Marlon took her cell phone and snapped some photos of her back, and side profile before taking a video clip. Her slightly curly hair was heavily layered v cut with the longest portion reaching her waist and the shortest segment falling just below her shoulders. She has a beautiful back. He paused and marveled at the beauty in front of her before tapping on the camera button. He inhaled sharply and it was then that Aryana sensed his presence.

"Turn around Yana and keep that pose. Give your viewers a treat." He moves to another place to get the best angle such that her backdrop is the confluence of the blue of the sea and the blue of the sky.

Yana was surprised but eventually gave in to his request. Once again she lifted her arms as if she was trying to fly, and closed her eyes while feeling the breeze on her face.

Click.

Click.

Click.

What a beauty to behold!

Meanwhile, Erik has concluded his meeting with Norman. He lounged for a while and lighted a cigarette then looked at his cell phone. He got a notification that new files were added to his cloud drive.

He browsed through the gallery and then his finger paused over one picture. Aryana was facing the camera, her arms outstretched, her chin slightly turned upwards looking at the sky. She was smiling and her hazel eyes were clear and bright.

The person taking the photo which should be Marlon was standing on higher ground so the backdrop was the endless expanse of the blue sky and the blue sea broken only by the whitish foams of the waves.

Erik was captivated by her beauty. Robert was handsome but Aryana was far from prettier. She was absolutely pretty. She stood out from the rest because of the color of her eyes.

A thought came to him. He searched through his contacts and made a call.

"Hello, Ernie. Can you prepare a contract? I found a fresh face we can use to advertise the Marina and the Peak. Be generous with the compensation."

"Okay, I'll send the draft right away." The man answered at either line decisively. He understood what Erik meant by the generous compensation.

Erik made another call.

"Where are you?"

"We are still in The Peak but we will be heading down now and will be going to the sandbar next," Marlon replied from the other line.

"I will be there soon," Erik said and hung up.

He read some emails and when he felt that the sun is not too hot anymore, he closed his laptop and changed into a swimming trunk and a drift dark blue top. He grabbed a waterproof bag and stuffed a beach towel and an extra shirt.

He took out the jetski and headed out to the tip of the sandbar.