Ten
1145 Words
Chapter Ten
“Hey, you got me worried sick when I hadn’t seen you. I know you got off work three hours ago. I’ve been waiting for you”
I stared at the man before me incredulously. I wasn’t sure how to feel. My heart raced at his presence, but part of me was offended he hadn’t called. So I chose the latter.
“Why are you waiting for me?” My eyes flicked to his unbuttoned shirt and open suit jacket. He looked devilishly attractive, hair slightly tousled, as if he’d run his hands through it a dozen times while waiting. I felt the urge to do the same, but I clenched my fists instead.
“I missed you.”
Those words almost made me melt, but I refused to cave in.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? You didn’t return my texts.”
“What texts? I didn’t get anything.”
“Are you sure?”
Unlocking my phone, I saw the message: ‘I miss you’, sent at my close of work. I glared at the screen, then at him. “This was a few hours ago.”
“Right,” he confirmed with a nod, missing the entire point.
I bit my lips to prevent myself from blurting out something that would sound too needy.
“You didn’t reach out to my assistant. I waited for your text, it never came. You know I’ve been busy.”
“Cut the nonsense, Chase. I don’t know why you’re waiting at my house, but you shouldn’t be here.”
“Why do you sound that way? Are you upset?” His brow furrowed, his gaze sharp, studying me like I was an artifact under glass. “Don’t be absurd sweetheart,” he continued, softening his tone. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”
He glanced at his watch, then back at me. “It’s quite late now. You must be tired and require a change of clothes. That can be sorted at my place.”
“Your place?” confusion filled me.
He spared me a ridiculous look “I missed you. Not hearing from you all week…. I had to rush over as soon as I landed.”
“I can’t follow you home Chase, you aren’t making any sense. I have to rest up now. Thanks for stopping by.”
“You’re upset,” he blurted.
“No! What do you mean?”
“Your face, I can read it. You’re upset.”
I kept quiet, unwilling to give him the satisfaction.
He pressed on. “Is it because I didn’t text? I gave you Seth’s number. You had mine as well.”
“Chase, please. I can’t deal with this. I’ve had a long day. Glad to see you. Take care.” I turned, trying to ignore him and climb the stairs.
“You left me hanging again. Your response; you haven’t said yes to me.”
I froze, turning to stare at him. Seriousness etched across his expression. He hadn’t grown two heads, but the words spilling from his mouth felt like nonsense.
“Don’t tell me you forgot. You couldn’t have possibly.” He raised a brow, watching me intently, disbelief in his eyes.
“I want you Lisa. I want you to be mine.”
My chest rising and falling faster than I wanted him to notice. His words echoed in my head.
“You had the entire week to reflect and give your acceptance.”
Like a jolt, the memory of the other night resurfaced, oh —that was what he was referring to.
“I deliberately gave you time…”
The audacity of it all made me scoff, yet my pulse betrayed me.
“Acceptance, what makes you think I will accept you? I want nothing to do with you.”
“We both know you don’t mean that” he moved closer towards me.
“Chase, you can’t just barge into my life and rearrange it like furniture,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
He paused mid-step, a shadow crossing his face into something unreadable “Furniture? Lisa, you’re no furniture to me. You’re the only thing I can’t stop thinking about.”
I swallowed hard, wishing my heart would stop hammering. “That’s not fair.”
His gaze locked on mine unwavering “I don’t care about fair. I care about us.”
He held my hand firmly in his and pulled me to his chest. His masculine scent, tanged with his exotic perfume filled my nostrils.
My body betrayed me, succumbing to his warmth, the luxurious feel of his clothes, the breadth of his chest.
“Let’s leave together tonight”
“Uhmn” I mumbled, caught between thought and sensation.
My brain kicked in, “what! I’ve work tomorrow” I shrieked.
“Cancel that, spend forty-eight hours with me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous”
He chuckled, low and confident. “I mean it. I’ll take care of it. Let your boss know you’ll be assisting me… better still, quit your job. Come work for me.”
I tried to loosen out of his hold but he held on tight
“I’m interning. I don’t think there’s much I can learn from you.”
“When does it end? We could have an exclusive arrangement, where you work for me. That settles it.
He reached for my bag, holding it with me, trying to steer me toward his car.
“I can’t follow you home. We could do tomorrow instead. I’ve got to rest up for work,” I respond in a tone of finality.
“If that makes you happy,” he concedes, though his grip lingers a moment longer before he plants a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
My insides were turning to mush, but I instead wrinkled my nose. “Go wash up, you stink,” I said, wringing out of his grasp.
He laughed under his breath, though his eyes searched mine as if trying to decode the truth behind my words. For a second, I thought he might argue again, but instead he released my bag, his fingers brushing mine in a way that sent a shiver down my spine.
Exhaling at my victory, I walked to my stairs, each step deliberate, refusing to look back.
“Nice try, but no. That’s not possible,” he retorts, a frown covering his handsome features. His voice carried a mix of frustration and reluctant admiration. “I’ll let you off only this time.”
He turned sharply, walking towards his limo in quick strides. I caught the faintest glimpse of hesitation in his posture, as though leaving me behind was the last thing he wanted.
I don’t miss the way he sniffed his armpit discreetly before I shut the door.
- Writer
