Always been mine!

chapter seventeen

Author's pov

He stops behind her and grips the railings on either side of her body. “Now why would I be jealous,” he breathes,his mouth close to her neck, “when I’m the one up here with you and he’s down there?”

Her:“He’s seen me naked, made love to me countless times” She turns her face . “That seems like reason enough.”

Him:“Not exactly, coz I'll be making love to you till eternity.”

Her:“You are so certain it’s comical.” She stops laughing the second his lips touch her neck.

Him:“Not so funny now, is it?” He whispers.

Her:“If you have any sense, you’ll let me go.”

Him:“Oh, I will. But not before I’ve done this.” He takes her hands from the railing and flip her in his arms. The second her breasts brush his chest, he lowers his mouth onto hers.

She tenses against him. He slips his hand up her back and cups the back of her head, his other hand at the base of her back. She has no choice but to give in.

She leans into him, and he kisses her harder, the softness of her lips consuming him completely.

“What are you...”

He silences her by kissing her again, this time more desperately, and she whimpers, opening her mouth. He slides his tongue against hers. Her hands twine at the back of his neck and he kisses her until he can’t breathe anymore.

“Michael..” she moans.

Him: “Who's Michael?”

She shoves him off her, “No one. I’m leaving. And you” She takes a deep breath “are never going to do that again.”

She lifts the bottom of her dress and runs across the terrace, leaving her wine untouched on the table.

He stares at the empty doorway, adrenaline pumping through his body, his d**k as hard as a rock.

Her last words ring through his ears.Yeah, right. There isn’t a chance he's leaving Nikki alone. He wants her. And he gets what he wants.

***********

Nikki's POV.

Shit. s**t. s**t, s**t, s**t! Why the hell did I let him kiss me last night? Why in the f*****g hell didn’t I demand to sit somewhere else and avoid him at all costs?

I should have known better. I do know better.

I’ve spent three years perfecting avoidance of anything that could destroy my career and life. Michael had been the last! I’ve ignored the spotlight. I’ve turned down hundreds of jobs and opportunities so I could work on my dream, my own fashion label.

I gave everything up when I was nineteen, I don't go on holidays with my family unless it's private. I watch every Fashion Week, never missing a show, studying every trend, predicting the next. Nailing it every time. No one remembers the Nikki at CBU anymore. It had taken a lot to have that version buried and scrubbed from the public eye. Dad has spent a ton of money to erase that version of myself.

I need to finish my designs, get a contract and show-case them.

Now the only people who know who Nikki really is are my family and Bonnie.

Throwing myself into the spotlight will add millions of people to that list and bring up all the dirt from my past. A man like Ronald is most definitely the way to destroy every moment of hard work I’ve put into this.

“I’ve never felt so awkward in my whole life.”

I groan and bury my head in my hands. “I don’t even know what I was doing. Bonnie, what was I doing?”

Her: “I believe you were playing a round of 'i haven't gotten laid in years'.”

I groan again. “I mean… What the f**k is wrong with me? Him?”

B: “It could be worse. I’m sure hundreds of girls would love to kiss the him.”

Me:“Ugh! This isn’t high school. Look what happened the last time I fell for a guy.”

B:“Did it feel wrong at the time?”

I open my mouth then close it again. No. It didn’t. How could it have felt wrong when, for those few minutes his lips were touching mine, I felt so alive? I felt a man's touch in those hands, those lips! No,it didn't feel wrong but perfect.

B:“You don’t have to answer that.” She laughs. “b***h am not there and you're misbehaving. Is he big?”

Me:“No! What do you take me for?” I frown, pausing. “It was just a few minutes, why would I go feeling his d**k?”

B:"ok,I guess you had a fantastic night so I am going to hang up on you now! Go and fantasize more about him in bed! Forget Michael."

She cut before I could respond.

I turn and bump into Kumbwa. Was he eavesdropping on me!

He smiles at me: "that good, hey?"

I smile back,"very good." I sit down on the staircase. He tells me he saw us kissing, while laughing, and when he glances at me, I laugh, too.

Me: “Oh God,” I moan, covering my mouth with my hand. “He isn’t going to leave me alone, is he?”

K:“Eh.” He shrugs. “He definitely didn’t like it when I came over to see you.”

Me:“And you didn’t help! Mr. ‘I’m A Huge Fan! Nikki, why didn’t you tell me?’” I mock, kicking him

K:“Hey!” He grabs my foot and knocks it away. “I am, all right?”

I roll my eyes. “He’s coming for dinner tomorrow. Did you know that? Granny has the biggest, grossest, old lady cougar-crush on him, and Camilla promised she’d invite him for dinner.”

Kumbwa stares at me. “No s**t. A crush?”

Me:“That’s what you just took from all that? How about he’s coming for dinner? To my house? With me?”

K:“Are you sixteen? Snap the f**k out of it!” He slaps my leg."If you’re gonna flail over a guy, it’s gonna be me, Engineer Kumbwa, not some football-playing prick. You got that, sweetheart?”

I drop my head back and laugh. Hard.

“You’re the best,” I manage through my giggles. “As a friend, you're terrible as a boyfriend but you make a good friend.”

“You better remember it!” He slaps my leg again.

I dig my toes into his thigh. “I’ll put it on a Post and stick it to my mirror so I’ll see it every morning.”

K:“You do that.”

Me: “I will. But seriously, kumbwa. I don’t need the drama or focus he’ll bring to my life. I had enough of that with you and Michael.”

K: "It always confuses me how you can be so…quiet…when your mom is a KNOWN figure , your sister too and two of your friends are lusaka’s new babies. No one knew who you were even back in school."

“I don’t know either,” I lie, hating every second.

“ It’s pretty shitty sometimes,” he agrees. “You’re better off baking cookies or selling clothes or some shit.”

“I’m not allowed to bake cookies. Granny steals them and it rockets her blood pressure.” I sigh.

K:“Come to my house and bake me cookies.”

Me: "I am not getting into bed with you, ever again!"

He laughs and gets up. “I know, I blew up my chances. I gotta go. Charlie will kick my ass if I’m late for another meeting. You know us who move with important people.” He winks and backs out.

“Bragger!” I yell after him.

He laughs.

******************************************

With a heavy sigh, I grab my drawing pad and get to work.

“You know, Nikki, I’ve always thought about going running.”

My hand hovers over the coffee pot and I turn to granny, her tiny frame swamped by a fluffy, pink robe. “Why on Earth would you go running?”

Her:“For the same reason you do.”

Me:“I run to keep fit, granny. Not because it’s fun.”

Her:“A gun? No child, I'm no gangster.”

I look at the ceiling and shake my head, but a smile creeps onto my face. “Don’t worry. Coffee?”

Granny:“Toffee? No, dear. It’ll stick to my dentures.”

Me:“Coooooffee,” I repeat.

Her:“Oh! Coffee. Six sugars please.”

I choke back a laugh. One is more than enough for her. I don’t even want to think about what’ll happen if she has more than that. I pour two mugs and then join her at the table in the kitchen.

Her: "You’re missing five.” She holds the mug out at me.

Mum: "Mum, you’re not having six sugars.” Mum’s voice filters through the house. “Do you remember what happened last time? You ended up at the hospital because your diabetes thought it was Christmas for your pancreas.”

I look down to hide my laughter.

Granny: "I’m older than you, starlet.”

Mom:“ of course you are, you're my mother and you agreed to my rules when you moved in with me.” Mum walks past me and opens the door. Nine thirty.

“What was that? I can’t hear you.” Granny Winks at me.

I smile and shake my head. Crazy old lady. “I’m going for a run. See you later.”

“Can I have your coffee?” Mum yells after me.

“Sure!” I tie my hair back as I step into the early morning sun.

I hit play on my phone, tuck it into my bra, and hook my headphones over my ears. Then I turn right and jog up the road. Running is freedom, that’s why, even with a folder full of designs to alter and finish, I’m out here on the streets. It would be all too easy to hole myself up in my room and finish my work, sure.

Something sharply connects with my ass, and I scream, turning around and swinging my fist at the body behind me. I make a connection with something solid, and I yank my headphones out in time to hear a grunt.

“Ronald! What the f**k?”

Him: "s**t!" He rubs his arm. "Is your fist made of steel?"

Me: "Did you seriously just run up behind me and slap me on my butt?" I shriek, my eyes widening.

He holds his arms up. “I thought you’d hear me coming up behind you.”

I hold my headphones up. “No. Oh my God.” I rub my left ass cheek. s**t. That hurt.

R:“I’m sorry.” He laughs.

Me:“No, you aren’t.” I stuff the headphones down between my boobs and run away from him. “You just wanted an excuse to touch my ass.”

R:“It’s a nice ass.”

Me:“Great. I always wanted your approval on it, asshole.”

R:“You wouldn’t be the first, babe. Glad I could be of help.”