Could it be love?

I saw Ike today. You do remember him, don’t you?

It was at a client’s office . I was on the verge of sealing that deal I have been on for months , when the door opened and there he was on a gray tee that hugged his well toned torso and a black jeans trousers, looking like sin. For a moment, time stopped. I was lost in mid sentence. My heart was pounding and my hands were wet with sweat. If he noticed his effect on me, I couldn’t tell. His face was unreadable.

“ Hi Sara”, he greeted casually.

That voice and body, too much aphrodisiac. For a moment I remembered how his voice deepens sultrily with passion, the feel of that toned body on mine and the caresses of those calloused hands on my butt. I blushed and managed a shaky smile.

“H…i I..ke”, I stuttered.

My hands were trembling, I leaned over and gripped the edge of the boardroom table, in a bid to regain control. He politely apologized to the room for being late and resumed a seat at the far end of the table directly opposite to where I stood. He looked so casual. I felt the anger rise in my throat. I was angry with myself for being so affected by his presence.

“ Can’t you see he doesn’t even feel the same way fool”, I silently reprimanded myself.

I regained composure and continued with my presentation making sure not to look in his direction which was a tad difficult since he sat just opposite. I went through the rest of my presentation without much ado, using my anger as motivation.

I was out of the door a few moment later after the documents of partnership were signed and packed away in my work satchel. I politely declined an invitation to lunch by the manager on the excuse of a having a headache ,which wasn’t entirely true. I couldn’t just stand being in the same room with him, but not before I glanced his way. He was conversing with the fair beautiful lady seated beside him. He said something and the both laughed. Her generous bosom heaved with laughter. My heart constricted.

“ Alright Sara, you better leave before you murder someone”.

With head held high and a subtle catwalk, I left the room.

I didn’t realize I ran, down the flights of stairs of a three storey building on heels! I only stopped when I got to the garage. My feet hurt. I slowly removed my shoes, opened my car, threw them in, flopped on the driver’s seat, with my head leaning on the steering. I knew I was overreacting and it annoyed me in no small measure that I still felt something for him.

“Hurrying down the stairs at such a speed is record breaking and on heels? Shouldn’t you be representing Nigeria in the Commonwealth Games ?” a familiar voice said, every word dripped sarcasm.

I was startled. I swore a profanity under my breath and narrowed my eyes at him.

“One is tempted to think you were running from something or someone”, he concluded.

I was boxed.

“Maybe I was,” I bit back acidly. “ Considering you wasted no time in coming out I’ll probably think you some Prince Charming coming to the rescue of a hapless lady but then from what we know, you’d rather grow a tail .”

For a moment his lips thinned in a straight line, his eyes were angry. Somehow it almost felt almost ecstatic that I could rouse a reaction from him, but it was gone the next moment that I wondered if I only imagined it. He smirked.

“ I wondered what kept you in a relationship with such an epitome of callousness as myself for seven months, ” he ridiculed.

I hissed contemptuously , banged my door, kicked the ignition and drove out of the garage.

From the side mirror I watched as the smirk grew into a grin, then a wide one.
I hit the brakes and drove backward to the spot where he stood.

“ You know,” I started. “ I stayed that long with you because somehow I hoped that the sex would get better and I wouldn’t have to keep faking orgasms but then it’s so much to expect from an average man, isn’t it ?” I smirked back and drove off as colour drained from his face.

Petty.

Of course, I knew better but he wasn’t going to have the last word. I smiled to myself.

Suddenly, it struck me, he noticed my shoes. Yes he noticed my shoes!
Right there, I regretted saying that to him.