I prayed that my eyes were deceiving me. After blinking a few times my eyes focused and I was in shock that they weren't. There he stood. Looking nothing short of magnificent. I quickly scanned my eyes over him, huge mistake. Last nights events replayed in my head and my knees suddenly fell weak. "Hi, Robert," It took everything in me to contain my smile, then I outstretched my hand to shake his, "It's nice to meet you." Hoping he would go along with it I shook his hand and tried to ignore the confused expression on his face. "Likewise." Our eyes locked and for a short few seconds I felt as if we were the only two in the room. Oh, what I would give for him and Eric to switch places. "You're wife is breathtaking." He said, never breaking eye contact with me. I dropped my head in embarrassment of the speed that the heat took to my cheeks. I looked away, not able to hold eye contact with him anymore. "Eric!" I heard someone shout, "There you are." A woman said, walking over to us. She hugged him then looked at me and smiled. I returned the gesture. "Lovely seeing you tonight, Nicki. How have you been?" I looked over her features trying to figure out who she is. "I've been great, and you?" She smiled and mumbled something incoherent to me before returning her gaze to Eric. "My husband has been looking all over for you. Care to follow me?" She asked. Soon they were wondering off leaving Rihmeek and I alone. "Hi, Onika," He mocked my voice, "Nice to meet you." He was joking but nothing about his voice gave off the impression he was trying to be funny. "What type of bullshit? What are you doing here?" He asked, clearly bothered. I looked around at Eric's company label plastered on nearly every wall. "Eric is my husb-" I started to say but was rudely interrupted, "No shit. Why didn't you tell me you would be here? Why, out of all the people, are you married to him?" I found that question quite funny, because I'm still trying to figure that out myself. "Are you mad because I'm here or because I'm married to Eric?" My question did nothing but push another button and giving his expression I'm thinking it was his last. "Cut the cute shit out, Onika. You knew I would be here. I thought we were past this." I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion. First of all, "I didn't know you would be here. I didn't even know I would be here until a few hours ago. You think I did this to be spiteful? Really? We are past it, Robert," I glared at him for a short moment but my face softened the longer I stared at him, "We are grown." My facade fell. Neither of us could stay mad at each other. After all these years apart I think we both knew it was to no avail. "Whatever happens tonight, just know it wasn't intentional." He said leaving me clueless. "You really do look amazing tonight." He said barley above a whisper but I heard him. "So do you." I replied. I've seen Rihmeek in a suit twice in my life time so far, and I still can't fathom how good he looks (very VERY true...carry on) The silence did nothing but remind me of last night, and how badly I wanted to relive it. "I have to go meet someone, will you be okay?" His concern only made me adore him more, "I'll be fine." His arms wrapped around me and I embraced every minute of it. God, does he smell good. "I wish we could see if blondes have more fun." With that he walked away leaving me with my breath hitched in my throat and my legs barley holding me up. "You sexy bastard." I walked away to chit chat with Eric's two faced co workers, and hopefully take my mind off of Rihmeek. Wishful thinking. "Girl, have you seen the man Eric is working with?" Clara, Eric's best friend's wife, spoke to me. "I'm not sure, who is he exactly?" She laughed before grabbing my attention and pointing towards a crowd of people. When my eyes met with who she was pointing to I almost spit my champagne. "I'm trying to get him to take me home with him." I laughed, trying to give off the impression I didn't want to strangle her. "You're married, Clara." It was her turn to laugh, and boy did she. "So is my husband, but when we aren't together you wouldn't know." I shook my head, mainly trying to rid myself of the thoughts going through my head. "Someone said his fiancé will be here soon, be careful girl." Again, I prayed my senses were deceiving me and I didn't just hear the woman sitting next to us say that. "Fiancé?" I questioned. "Mhm" I felt several emotions wash over me, but the one that toped it off was definitely jealousy. Jealousy towards a woman I haven't even met. As I looked at Rihmeek laughing with people I didn't even know I felt my heart fall and shatter at the bottom of my stomach. Whatever happens tonight, just know it wasn't intentional. His words replayed in my head again and again, and after my fifth glass of champagne, they gave me a headache. "Excuse me, ladies." I stood up and walked towards the bathroom. Fiancé? Fiancé? Fiancé? I stood in the line waiting to enter the bathroom as I rubbed my temples, trying to make myself believe what that woman just said was out of spite, or better yet, this was all just a nightmare. The line shortened in no time and at last I found myself in the bathroom alone. Finally allowing myself some time to breath. I propped my hands onto the sink and dropped my head, fighting the tears that were daring to drop. Why am I so worked up about this? Of course, he has moved on. Only foolish thinking would lead me to believe he'd actually hold onto a promise made six years ago when we were children. Why would he put a hold on his love life for me? I actually laughed out loud at the thought, only because I truly believed it. "Onika?" The last person I wanted to see walked into the bathroom. I didn't bother to raise my head. This was time I needed, to prepare for what was to come. "What's wrong?" He asked, "Are you okay?" I shook my head before raising it to look at him through the mirror. "Does this look like okay to you?" I questioned, bitterness dripping from every word. "Let's just cut the bullshit, Eric," I wiped the single tear that ran down my cheek, "What are we doing?" Considering this is all coming from left field I understood his confusion so I took it upon myself to elaborate. "I'm tired. Not in the sense of being sleepy. I am emotionally, mentally, and physically drained." A few more tears escaped and that only added to my frustration. Admitting the way I felt made it all that much more real. I've never been one to complain. I've taken a lot of shit and not said a word, just dealt with it the best way I knew how. This...this is effecting how I feel, act, the way I mother my child. I've had enough. "Why haven't you said anything, sweetheart?" Like I ever have the time. When am I supposed to talk to him? Between meetings, business deals, business trips, while he's in the house for the short few hours he chooses to be there? I shouldn't have to schedule time to talk to my husband. "We're a team, Nika. When you feel like this you should come to me. Not wait until it gets to this point. I apologize for you feeling this way, I'm not sure what more to say.." He followed that up by a hug and a quick peck on my forehead, "Would you like for me to call Marcus and have him take you back home? You don't have to stay here. There's really no point." Part of me felt like I deserved to stay and watch Rihmeek with his woman but the better part of me knows I'm not ready for that just yet. "Please" I said. I didn't have to say anything more. He left out of the bathroom with his phone to his ear. Following him out I passed by judgmental glares and whispers behind my back. One face in the crowd stood out, almost like a spotlight was shining down on him. He didn't look to pleased to see us together. "Eric," I called before he turned around and I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around his neck, "I'm going to wait outside and get some fresh air." My eyes were locked with Rihmeek's the entire time I whispered in his ear. "Are you coming home tonight?" I asked. "Probably not. After this I have quite a few emails to check and some papers to go through." He said. I didn't really care. I just enjoyed the look on Rihmeek's face. "I'll see you later then." I kissed his cheek just so I could add fuel to the fire but when I looked up Rihmeek was sadly gone. I made my way through the crowd without anyone really noticing me and then walked outside. I sat on a bench and let out a deep breath. "So," I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard his voice, "That's how you're going to be?" I bounced my leg up and down while trying to calm my nerves. One thing Rihmeek knows very well are all my buttons, and how to push them all at the same time. "Does he know who I am? Did you even bother to tell him that?" He asked. "Because that's a conversation I'd love to have here, with every soccer mom and their damn poodle around." Now I was fighting tears again while anxiously waiting for Marcus to pull up. "So he has no idea who I am-" What did he not understand? I know he isn't ignorant. He wouldn't be here if he were. "No, Robert, Eric has no clue who or what you are, aside from the actual reason you are here tonight." If he couldn't tell I was aggravated before, calling him by his government name was a dead giveaway. "Robert...sounds strange coming from you." A lot of things are going to sound weird coming from me if you don't fuck off. "That's your name, isn't it?" I heard him laugh mischievously, letting me know he was up to something, then his presence came closer. "I'd love to remind you what my name is right over this bench, but I'm sure your husband and those soccer moms wouldn't appreciate that very much." He knows what his words do to me, which is why he's torturing me in such a way. I'm thankful it's night and my back is facing him, so he can't see my blood red cheeks. "You shouldn't be worried whether I know your name or not, go back inside." I said, stuttering every other word. "And leave a beautiful woman like you out here alone? I'm angry, not an asshole." He said causing my cheeks to heat even more. "Could've fooled me." I said, not caring if he heard me or not. No matter what he says I still have to remind myself that he has a whole ass fiancé that he hasn't even bothered to mention. "Where is our son?" Damnit. I couldn't help but smile. Hearing those words come from his mouth sound so amazing. "He's with Eric's sister." I said while looking down the street, silently hoping one of the five million cars I seen would be Marcus. "You're going to pick him up?" He asked. "I'm going to in the morning." Apparently standing up was a mistake, because soon I could feel his body heat against my back. Only a step closer and our bodies would be pressed together. "Why you running then?" It happened and I had tried to prepare myself but there was no use. Feeling him against my body felt so damn good, and my body has craved the contact for years. "Damn, you look good tonight." He complimented me for the fifth time tonight. I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until he kissed my shoulder and I exhaled sharply. "Stop, Rihmeek." I whispered but knew he could hear me. "Please.." He pressed harder against me and that's when I felt him. I felt all of him. "Shits crazy," He said followed by a groan, "All these years have past and you still manage to turn me on more than any woman I know." I thanked God aloud when Marcus pulled up. I turned around a placed a hand on Rihmeek's chest, pushing him back a bit. "Goodbye Rihmeek," I said as Marcus opened the door for me. "Oh yeah, tell your fiancé I said hello. I'm sorry I couldn't stay and meet her." ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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