The Lives We Lived

19: Popping Buttons

Osa tugged at his collar and he straightened his shirt at his shirt. He was proud of all that he had achieved. All he just had to do was work for another five years and he would be done with all the work that was supposed to have been finished last year by the previous manager. He shut his suitcase and left his office. The old security man would ensure that everything was locked. He spun on his black leather shoes ready to hurry to his house when he saw a feminine figure staring at him.

His heart protested against its normal position. He stammered flustered,"Wh...What are you doing here? Who let you in?"

He wasn't even sure that Chioma was actually standing right before him. He had not had anything to eat all day so his eyes could be playing tricks on him. The real question though was why his heart was conjuring up images of Chioma in a seductive way. He should have brought his own food from home. How was he to know that the intern was due to end his internship over the weekend or that Josephine would be sick today. "Are you really here?"

"I told you I would do anything to get this job. So, what do you think?"

At her words, his eyes travelled down the length of her curvy form. Her nude mini gown clung to her skin in a way that he couldn't tell where Chioma ended and where the gown begun. Her plunging neckline revealed the top of her breasts that struggled fruitlessly to stay concealed in the dress. He couldn't remember what the size of her breasts were but he was sure that they definitely looked bigger.

He shook his head to displace all lustful thoughts as well as memories of times that Chioma had less clothes on her body. "Did you come here just to seduce me?"

"If that is what it takes." Chioma chewed on her lower lip and then set to work allowing her perfectly manicured fingers to reach for him. Her fingers popped a button on his shirt as though it was the purpose of her career. She had popped the fourth button before he realized that he was just staring at her while she undressed him.

"Jesus, Chioma. Stop this!" he barked, stepping away from her.

"But." She took a step closer, pushing up her breasts with her palms. "Don't you want me?"

"No. No. No. I don't.t want you!"

"Na so." She ran a finger down his chest and he had to bit his tongue to stop himself from letting out a sound of pleasure. The last thing he wanted to do was to encourage her.

*As if*

"I have a wife." He insisted.

'Flee from temptation. Don't argue with it. You can't win.' He heard what seemed like his pastor's voice speaking to his mind. The thought vanished as Chioma placed her head on his chest-his weak point. He couldn't push her away because she had wrapped his hand to his body.

"I'm only seducing you. Not proposing to you."

"I- I don't want a seduction." He kept his head high above her hers. The aromatic smell of her perfume invaded his nose. "I just want you to leave me alone."

"Do you need to go to a hotel room? I booked our favourite."

"That was your favourite and in case you don't know, I have a wife waiting at home for me."

"If you really cared about your wife, you would have been home with her hours ago. It's so late that I doubt that she is even awake." She let him out of her hold only to place her hands behind his neck and link her fingers. He tried to convince himself that the reason he hadn't pushed her away yet was because he was afraid of manhandling her. He didn't want to believe that he was actually considering her request. It was just his hormones raging. There was no way that he would act on them.

"Don't you feel that?" she asked, drawing closer to him with parted lips. He could feel her warm breath caress his face as their clothes remained the only distance between them. The fact that his singlet was exposed only made the torture of her skin against his feel worse.

"Feel what?"

"Just say yes." She smashed her hips into his and the word she wanted almost spilled out of his mouth. He stepped away from her as his face twisted in a scowl. He couldn't believe how much his body still reacted to hers. He was supposed to be a moral married man. It was getting too hot with Chioma around him. Maybe the heat was messing with his head.

"Why are you doing this?" He barked, turning away from her and buttoning his shirt. He had half a mind to walk down the staircase and give the guard a piece of his mind for allowing Kemi to walk up the staircase. He expected her to walk to him and throw her hands around his waist but when he heard sobs from her his back ramrod straight.

"Chioma," he called. She didn't answer him but her wails became more pronounced. She sounded like a goat bleating for help because it could not pull its horn free from a thorn bush. He glanced at her. She was sitting a chair in the cubicle closest to where he stood. Her head was buried in her hands. The mass of brown curls on her head shielded her face so that her sobs and shaking shoulders remained the only indication of her cries.

This was a good time for him to retreat to the safety of his house. He took to steps away from her before his conscience manifested like an uninvited friend at dinner. Would it really be so wrong to leave her? He had plans to make up with Kemi tonight. He couldn't imagine another day like today repeating itself.

"I know you don't ca-care for me anymore. I'm...I'm not surprised." Chioma's voice reverberated the pain her tears had carried.

"Then why are you doing this? Do you really think that having sex would make me change my mind about giving you the job?" he tried not to sound condescending but he couldn't keep his displeasure at bay.

"I told you already." She let her hands drop and she eyed him with wet red eyes. "I need this job. I've gone everywhere else. You're the last person I wanted to come to."

"It's good to know that I am your last choice." The sarcasm in his voice couldn't be missed. His cynicism was his way of taking a pound of flesh from her.

"Osa look. I'm really sorry about how our relationship ended. It was a big mistake on my part." She pleaded. He walked to the cubicle and leaned against the black metal desk. She jumped to her feet and grabbed a red purse that he hadn't noticed before. She tried to dash past him but he reached out and clamped his hand to her wrist.

"Where are you going?"

"There is no point in staying here? You wouldn't believe what I say and you would insist that I deserve it." She wiped her tears with the back of her palm, ruining her makeup in the process.

He took a breath before he replied. "You don't know that for sure."

"Oh yes, I do. You can't help me at this point. No one can." Her sobs resumed and he found himself comforting her with a hug.

"Tell me. Tell me everything."