Ikena had called him as soon as he stepped into his office to tell him the lady was passing, dropping his bag he had gone out to meet her, and like the first time he followed her at a distance, moving away from the company premises till a little distance.
He stops when she stops to serve some customers food under a shade, when the last person leaves, she looks up and stares at him, placing both hands at an akimbo, then she beckons to him. He crosses the road to her.
”You no say eeh no good to dey follow woman for back as she dey walker, wetin you want, food or na something else?”
”Oh, food, nothing else. i just didn’t feel comfortable with people around, and good morning, sorry if i still come off as creepy”
She eyes him ”Creepy?” she carries a plate and a dishing spoon ”How much own you want, and, i see you dey follow me from that big company, i see you commot from the gate, is that where you work?” she switches between English and pidgin
He nods
”So how come you no go better place go eat, why you come dey follow me for yansh like fly?”
He laughs ”because i can’t afford it, not for now, and besides, your food isn’t half bad, for a Mama put, you cook nice”
”you dey praise me or dey curse me?”
”It’s a compliment, sort off, no not a curse” he laughs
”Okay, how much own?”
”same with the last time!!”
”Okay, you fit siddon for under that place eat na, see as your cloth fine finish, make you no stand under sun make people dey see you for road”
”No, i would just take it back, i will eat in the office, you have a bag to put it in?”
”Yes. Make i put water too or you go buy drink, that shop dem dey sell cold mineral, or na beer you dey drink?” she points at a kiosk
He shakes his head ”Water would be fine” She dishes the food in a disposable plate, bags it with the water and hands it to him, he opens his wallet and hands her money.
”Thank you!!” He tells her as she hands him her change
”You don marry, you get girlfriend?”
He laughs ”Why?”
”you fine, my pikin fit marry you, when you make money oh, not be too marry my daughter put for house come dey buy mama out dey give her, you are working in a big company, na big money dem suppose pay you na”‘
”Well, i am sure your daughter would see a good man to marry,” he laughs shaking his head
”You no be good man?” she frowns
”Me, i am already someone’s man, even if they don’t know it yet” he says more to himself than to her
”Okay oh, you go buy food again tomorrow, make i pass your gate wait for you for the company gate, wetin be your name?”
”Yes i will, but you don’t need to, when i see you i will come and bye, thank you, ”
”okay!” she grabs the handle of the wheelbarrow and begins to pull away ”Oya byebye”
”thank you!!”
He gets back into his office; he eats, and tosses the empty plate into the bin.
He checks his time, it’s exactly an hour, Now, he was ready to talk.
*
”Brian?” i breathe
”So, i will go first, i don’t know what happened yesterday and why, but, i am sorry if i offended you in any way to get you like that. I am sorry, sorry for reacting the way i did, flaring up, and saying things i shouldn’t, it wouldn’t happen again.”’
Does this mean he would still want to..want to..
I clear my throat ” That is fine Brian, apology accept!” i turn away
”is that it, you won’t say anything else?”
”what else am i supposed to say?” i feign ignorance
”Er, i don’t know, apologise too, tell me why you got like that and all?”
”Nope, i don’t owe you no explanation Brian”
Yes you do!!
I scold myself.
You were praying and waiting for him to come, even saying you were going to apologise to him, now he comes and you are feigning boss, apologise to him damnit.
No, i won’t. I fold my hands mentally.
”okay!! Fine, that’s okay, if we say so”
”yes i say so”
”okay, do you need me for anything?”
”No, not for anything now, i have to go speak to some departmental heads in abit, you aren’t needed for now”
”okay, i am in my office if you need me”
”Yes Brian”
He nods opening the door and leaving
I stare at the door willing it to open and he comes back.
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10
I counted to 40 and it didn’t open, after a minute i knew he wasn’t coming back. I close my eyes and places my head on the desk.
”Damnit Adora!!!” i hit my head, what is wrong with you, ”stupid stupid stupid!! He was right there, all you had to do was apologise to him for acting like a crazy person and hope he gets back to that sweet Brian and takes you back into his arms and kisses you again.” I say to myself
Yes, yes!! I want to kiss you again Brian but i am too stubborn and silly to admit it, ”Stupid stupid!” i hit my head again, my hand wasn’t enough, i rest it back on the desk and hit it on the table ”Stupid stupid stupid!!!”
”You know, if you keep doing that you could hurt your head!!” i hear the voice, too close, as though someone was there with me.
I shoot my head up to find him standing there, he must have come back and i didn’t realise while i was venting about my stupidity.
”You should learn how to knock, why did you enter my office unannounced?” i frown sitting up
” you should learn to express yourself instead of beating yourself up” he says leaving the door and coming to me, he doesn’t stop nor sit down, he comes round to my desk and perches on it, he touches my face, Í hit his hand away
”What are you doing, get up!!”
He touches my face again ”just making sure you didn’t hurt yourself” he touches my forehead, then he flat palms and rubs my forehead, removing my hand when i try to remove his, he rubs my head in. Then he lets go
”Are you going to tell me why you are like this?”
”I told you before; i don’t owe you any-”
”I know what you told me, still i am asking, i wasn’t the one who offended, you got angry for no reason yet i am the one who came apologising, so are you going to tell me what that was all about or atleast why you are beating yourself up?”
I open my mouth to say something smart and annoying
”Don’t, just say the truth. If not don’t say anything at all”‘ I close my mouth and look at him
”i am sorry if i did anything to annoy you, it wasn’t my intent, it really wasn’t and i wish you could tell me so i don’t do it again, please” his eyes bores into mine.
When he stares at me like that, i sigh leaning back, i stare down at my hands as my resolves drops ”I don’t know, honestly i don’t.”’
”well, can you atleast tell me why you were hitting your head?”
”Because i was angry”
”At me?”
”Me!”
Brian nods ”because?”
I was glad i wasn’t looking at him ”because i got mad at you for no reason and i didn’t know how to apologise despite knowing i was out of line. ”
”why do you think you were out of line?”
I blow out hot air ” i suppose..it’s because i got angry and shouted on you, saying that you were just pretending to get my walls down”
”is it because of the kiss, i won’t do it again if it offends you, i already told you i wouldn’t again”
I look up at him,
”i didn’t kiss you because i wanted to get your resolve down; i did it because i like you and i think one of the things that happens when someone likes the other is to express themselves. But, it wasn’t because i was trying to get your resolves down or because i am pretending to be someone i am not, no. It sort of hurt when you had to take John’s words instead of mine especially when i told you, myself that i wanted to change and make things right in places i have begun wrong and with people and i wanted to act and be right with you to. But, this kiss wasn’t the plan, wasn’t in the budget or in the oven. It happened on it’s own, and i realised that i have consciously and unconsciously thinking about kissing you recently so i did it. But like i said, if it offends you in any way i wouldn’t even dare to do it again. ”
I am shaking my head ” i don’t want you not –not to do it again”
”what?”
I look up at him again, ”i do not want you to not-not do it again” i repeat
” i mean that, i don’t want you not to say you don’t want to do it again, and maybe the reason i was upset was because… was because, one minute you kissed me, the next you are hugging Tombra, then at your place you are all nice and stuff with me, next you are rushing to go to some club , to girls and all that.. i just felt used, or like a distraction or ..a game, to get me to drop my walls, you get into my head, pretence that you like me, i don’t know, so i got angry”
He chuckles
”All you need to do is just ask me where i was going to and i would have told you”
”But you go out everyday i am there, after we are done working”
”yes i do, and yes you are right, it’s a club, i go to the club”
”See” i lean back shaking my head
”Not see, it’s not what you think. It’s work related, strictly business and maybe one day i will tell you about it, and why..all this, but, it has nothing to do with girls. But even if it does, why are you mad?”
”Because, i don’t want to kiss a guy who goes around kissing other girls”
”’So you want to kiss me?”
”i mean, ” i swallow ”’ i think it’s wrong to kiss a guy who is a lady’s man”
”’So you want to kiss me?” he repeats
”i mean he..he..he erm ”i swallow again ”its just wrong ” i was saying s=rubbish, and i knew it, he knew it too
”So you want to kiss me Adora? ” he presses
”Yes, i do want to kiss you, i want to kiss you so bad” i close my eyes
He leans back folding his arms, a smile playing at his lips ”Then go ahead”
”what?”
”Go ahead”
”Brian?”
”You want to kiss me right?”’
”Yes!!”
”Go head,”
”We are in the office”
”Didn’t stop me before, shouldn’t stop you, but this time, i won’t be the one coming to you, i told you, you want it, you make a step towards me, and maybe i will meet you half way, because unlike you, i am not ashamed to express what i want, i want to kiss you, badly too, but not without your permission..so if you come to me now, and kiss me, on your own terms and freewill, then i know you want this, whatever this is, so what would it be, kiss or no kiss?”
We stare at each other for a few seconds.
Screw it Adora.
I get up pushing my chair backwards and got to stand infront of him, his hands on the table, by his side, he is staring at me, a smile playing at his lips..
”’Don’t look at me like that!!” i say
”why, do you know. Within that hard exterior is a shy little girl, and it’s cute, really cute”
”Stop talking, i am bracing myself for this”
”Advice, don’t think. Do it, fighting it won’t help” then he looks at me ”And being too far won’t give you the advantage you need for the kiss” he winks
”you are enjoying this aren’t you?”
”Yes, yes i am. ” he admits with a twinkle to his eyes
”Shut up”
”i can only shut up when-”
I lean in and kiss him shutting him up. He smiles in my mouth..our heads clued to each other
”you see, it wasn’t so bad was it?” he whispers against my lips, i shake my head pulling slightly away, a smile curling at my lips
”Not so bad” i repeat his words
”My turn” he pulls me closer, hands holding my waist as he brings me closer between his legs, he leans in and kisses me slowly, tentatively, letting his tongue roll over mine as though wanting to lick off the sweetness the lip has, he nudges my mouth open, touching my face with his fingers he raises my face slightly up, to have more access into my mouth he kisses me, savouring my lips as i kiss him back.
Throwing caution to the wind i wrap my hands around his leg, sinking and melting into him as he wraps his hands tighter around me.
We stay clued together like that for a long time, drinking from each other lips, enjoying the softness of lips, hardly coming up for air and when we do we dive back in as though life depended on us kissing each other. As the kiss prolongs, the more intense it has, the more passion, the more the need to taste and want more and slowly desires creeps in..
He stands up, pushing me towards the wall, our lips not breaking, our thirst intensifying. As my back kiss the wall, his hands are on my hands, my neck as he leaves my lips, kissing my jaw, my neck and back to my lips.
He leans further into me, leaving no breathe space between us, we kiss, groping at each other, wanting more.
I feel him, close to my thighs. He was so close, so damn close, that when he began to respond, it tickles my thighs, sending shivers up my body, i moan into his mouth.
His hands begins to wonder again, this time no longer shy it trails itself to my left bosom, caressing slightly, then squeezing, then covering his hand with it..
Oh, it felt good. I pull him closer. I want to touch him so bad i shiver in desire.
His hands are moving again, this time they are at the small of my back, caressing, going lower, they grab me, both of me, squeezing.
I moan again.
With a swift move he lifts me separating my legs and gaining access to my middle as my back is against the wall, my hands around his neck, our lips mulching against each other, tongue for tongue, eyes closed, desire intensified.
I feel him harder, close to my core he leans even further into me. It didn’t matter we were fuller clothed, it didn’t matter one bit. Clothing couldn’t dim the electricity seeping through our bodies from one to the other, and when he moved his waist against my middle with my legs open and his hands holding my legs apart lifted above the ground and with his hardness rubbing against my core..
Dear Lord.
I nearly moan out in pleasure holding him so tight i felt i would die of pleasure, pleasure at the tip of my finger.
”Oh Adora, what did you do to me” he kisses my lips, holding, caressing, squeezing he leans closer to me, moving against my middle, wanting, wanting what i too want.
”if only you know what you do to me” i bite his lower lips
”Damnit Adora, i want to do so many things to you right now but if we don’t stop, i won’t be able to control myself anymore”
I don’t want him to stop, i don’t. I cling to him, kissing him. Why couldn’t everyone just disappear and we were here alone, alone, free to kiss and do so much more..
He is letting go of me, pulling back..
”No, not yet!!” i pull him back , kissing him more, wanting him to come back and hold me more, a little bit more
I feel him struggle as he holds me back, kissing me more, groping me more,..
” if i don’t let go now i would damn the consequences and have you here and now but someone could walk through that door and locking it is out of the question..” he whispers against my lips
”i know..i know” i am breathing hard, he kisses me again and drops me down, he is staring at me as he steps away from me, just a little distance as i will my heart to calm down. I was rustled up, my top was two buttons down and my red bra was visible, my skirt is above my thighs, and my hair a little disheveled. I didn’t realise how intense this was. He is smiling.
”Why are you smiling ” i eye him patting my hair back and adjusting my cloths
”Because you are beautiful, even in that chaotic mess, i wonder how much beautiful you will look after…making love to you” he touches my face and kisses me, then he pulls away looking down at himself ”Now, see what you have done to me, i can’t carry a boner around the office all day,” then he looks up ”You are a bad Boss Miss Adora, why do you have to be so damn beautiful and sexy and Argh” he leans in and kisses me again and again, now i am the one laughing.
”Now what?”
”you called me beautiful.”
”because you are”
”No longer a witch?”
”Heh!! You are a still a witch though” he winks , i punch his arm
”Oww!! But you are my beautiful witch, come here” he pulls me to him, i go willingly wrapping my hands around him, smiling.
”So, i have a question to ask, and i want you to answer me honestly” he rubs my back.
”Okay!” i am curious
”’Do you like me? I know you hated me, the feeling was mutual, i hated you too but i already established the fact that i like you, alot, and a whole lot more today, so i want to know..do you like me, even if it’s 3% i will take it, we can build it up from there”
I laugh, feigning thinking about it, then i frown ”I don’t know, maybe, maybe a little”
”okay, we can work with that. Another question, boyfriend?”
”Nope, ”
”Since?” He rubs my back again, no, he was caressing my back.
”College!!” i thin my lips
”how long ago was college?” he frowns
”Er…six years ago” i drop my lashes biting my lower lip, his mouth drops open
”Get out of here” he says, ”wait are you serious?”
”Well…” i shrug
”Hmm” he squeezes his mouth ”flings?”
”I don’t do flings, no time, too busy focusing on my career and stuff..”
”Adora, when last did you have sex?”‘
Now i thin my lip again shaking my head..
”what is that?” he shakes his head ”What is that, some sort of some sign answer, i mean we all know shaking your head from side to side means a no so i don’t see how that answers my question..when last did you have sex, make love which ever you girls refer”
I blush
”Adora, are you shy?”
”No,!! ” i make to pull away, he pulls me back to him, crossing his legs around mine so i don’t move ”Then, answer, yesterday, a week ago, last month?”
”i haven’t actually had sex before” i close my eyes with both my hands
Silence
”Adora Chime, are you a virgin?”
I nod, face still hidden behind my hands.
Silence I hear him swear.. he peels my hands away from my face an i keep putting it back, he chuckles.. ”you shouldn’t be shy about it..but are you being serious, you are like…what, twenty –six?”
”Twenty-nine”
”And you haven’t ever been with a man, so how did you and your boyfriend..well..you know get off?”
”Well.” I chew my lips ”There are other ways, i mean i wasn’t ready then. We kissed, we did stuffs, smooched, er..making love without actually making love”
”i don’t see how you make love without penetration, i mean..i touched you and you squirmed in my hands, that whole desire within you , you mean it hasn’t been tapped into?”
I frown shaking my head, feeling embarrassed ”You make it sound like it’s a bad thing”
”No no no, i am super surprised, still super impressed, or you just haven’t met someone you want to go all the way with”
”i had but..i just wasn’t exactly ready, and” i sigh ” i didn’t want my relationship to be all about sex and we spoke about it and we agreed and sometimes we got really cosy and kissed, smooched..but he respected my decision ”
”he must have been a great guy” Brian smiles
”’He was, for a few weeks, then i found him with my best friend pants down, he was taking her to heaven”
Brian is laughing, i frown hitting him ”it’s not funny, i was hurt, felt betrayed
”Well he is a guy, he got needs, he explored, he respected you to stick to what you want but…he is a guy”
”So all guys are like that? if no actual sex they can’t be in a relationship?”
”Erm..” he scratches his head ”I am not saying that, see.. when you like someone, there is a tendency you want to express your feelings and some are done in actions, aside you caring for the person and doing nice things for the person, sometimes you want to feel and be felt, that’s why you kiss, and touch, and hold and want to make love. The feeling comes naturally, and to say one can’t be in a relationship without physical expressions that is sex, it’s like saying you can’t close your eyes and sleep, it’s a natural thing. But, but.. you can have a beautiful relationship without having sex, yes you can. Sex shouldn’t be a foundation for a relationship and it shouldn’t be what holds it together, but.. the feelings comes with it and its wrong to assume that he can’t need it just because you aren’t ready. He was wrong to cheat on you, he should just have told you he wanted it as bad as he needs air, and you should have been considerate, if you don’t want to give a guy some, don’t make him want it, giving him the green lights, kissing , smooching, and i am sure there was some, oral?”
”Eww!!” i say
Okay, sorry boy, she doesn’t give those. Sad. Oh well.
”okay, maybe from him to you?”
”well….” i lower my eyes
Brian laughs ”you were torturing the poor guy, giving him the view to heaven and yet refuse him the keys to enter, that’s harsh, he gets that view on the daily and can’t enter to worship at Jerusalem, so he goes to the available kingdom” he laughs
”Now you saying it’s my fault?” i fold my hands
”No no, well, yes and no, but i would feel bad if you feel bad okay. Let’s just say, don’t give a guy can’t if you won’t give him the cookies, its torture. Imagine you were in the guy’s shoes, wanting something so bad and he doesn’t let you do anything other than scratch the surface, just like now, be holding and kissing you and feeling you like that, you liked it, you wanted more but we had to stop because, well, office, now imagine we are alone, no one to stop us but i stop you every time from having more, but yet everyday i get you high and high and leave you having, that temptation would be there to want to be with someone who would give you all, and because you want to respect me, you do it behind my back. Look, he was wrong to cheat, that’s a given. i rather break up with a girl i don’t want than to cheat okay, especially when her best friend? That’s stupid, but…he also is a man before he has sense and sometimes, that boy down there got a mind of his own and only self control is the language it understands but trust me, sometimes, he breaks the chains and won’t listen until he gets a feeling..those are our weak points, we are ashamed of those” he says
I am quiet
”Does it mean, that if i don’t let you have sex with me you are going to..be with another?”
My heart pulls, he smiles ”it means i am a very sexually active man Adora, i won’t lie to you, and unlike you..i have had my shares of women. Am not proud of it but i will be honest about it. I like you, a whole. And i want to be with you, make love to you and stuff, what happened between us..its..strangely new to me because i hated you one minute and like you alot the other, and, not able to have you now is probably going to drive me crazy but i will not pressure you into something you don’t want to do or make you give up something you have held for so long. I applaud you, a new found respect for you Adora, not many girls could keep tires and maybe we helped but..i know i like you and i know i want this to be more than an office fling..and i know it’s going to be hard to be in the same room with you and not want to tear your clothes off and see how much of a beauty you are and make you sing with nothings in my ear, i would have to respect you, because you deserve that, a guy who would respect and care for you and not push you into something you aren’t ready for. And , i would love to date you, and before you ask, no i don’t have a girlfriend, i had girls and yes i am a bit of a lady’s man”
I raise my eyebrow
”Okay a huge kind of lady’s man and if we do this, whatever this is which.. well, if we do this, i would have to respect you as my girlfriend too. No girls, no whatever, just you and me, and no loving-dovey under the covers…what are you doing Brian” he laughs shaking his head ”I can’t believe i just said that” he says more to himself than to me, i smile.
”You you want to date me, your Boss?”‘ this is shockingly unbelievable. Yet, surprisingly exciting, and wrong. Still..
”Well, aside the Boss title, what is there not to want to date?”
”I didn’t say i wanted to date you, i mean look at us, from two different words, class..even in the office we are like, i am like way up there and you are way down here” i separate my hands one from the other, one higher than the other.
Tbc
