Must Date The Chef

|| 8.

My gown is fitted to my body, my box braids are in a big bun at the centre of my head and my makeup is on fleek, as always.

Chi gestures for me to come over so she can introduce us but I refuse, since I stopped seeing him at The Palace, I have made efforts not to think about him.

They both stand and start to walk towards me. I sigh, pushing myself from the counter to meet them halfway. He shouldn't be here.

Paul's face is a blank mask, pretty much the same bored expression he had when I first saw him. He only smirks when we are all seated and Chi starts with the introduction.

"Udo," Chi turns to look at him then at me, "this is Madam Pauline, she's my Boss."

"Madam Pauline?" I scowl at the mockery in his voice and his eyebrow raises in amusement. "I never thought I will see you again. What a small world."

Paul smirk shifts into a sincerer smile but that mockery is still in his voice so I ignore him. Besides, what does he expect me to say to that? I take another swig from my bottle, taking a few moments longer to drop my hand so I can inspect him.

He is still as sinfully handsome as the last time I saw him, his gaze is trained on me and a corner of his lips twitches. His muscles seem to have grown bigger, it won't take much effort for him to lift me.

A slow, sensual smile flits to my face and I take one last swig from my bottle. Paul might be good at masking his emotions but his eyes, they are his giveaway. They don't lie and they say he wants me too.

Chi holds her hand up, turning from me to him. "You two know each other?"

I am the first to break our stare-off. I nod and ask, "Why do you call him Udo?"

"It's our secret," Chi responds with a wink. I look to Paul to see if he will say otherwise but he looks right through me. "Since you both know each other; I won't bother with further introductions. I'm starving."

I smile even if it is the opposite of what I want. I want the details. I barely know Paul and I can bet my makeup kit that he won't divulge any information about himself.

"Maybe you can join us to eat, Udo?"

Paul eyes me briefly, mumbles a yes and Chi claps in excitement. She leaves the table and I bite my lower lip, unsure what to say to this man. I open the takeout and start eating, taking occasional glances at Paul.

The silence is choking but he doesn't seem to mind. I do. It's suffocating. I tap my leg under the table, waiting and wondering what is taking Chi so long to get their lunch.

"You stopped working at The Palace," I state.

He shrugs and I roll my eyes then sigh, talk about stubborn. Maybe he's still upset from our last time together. I never got a chance to properly apologise to him.

"The chinchin was nice," I say and his eyes narrow but I manage to push the words out, "I am sorry for calling you boring."

The only indication that he heard me is the ghost of a smile that crosses his lips. "How do you two know each other?"

"Well, he's my-" I jump at the sound of Chi's voice. When I get over my shock, I see her and Paul silently communicating then she says, "Udo is anything but boring."

My ears perk at the sound of that, my gaze wanders to her and she shrugs. How much did she hear? We finish our meal in silence and Paul volunteers to see me off to my office.

"You don't mind?" I ask Chi who starts for the reception like this is normal. Paul also doesn't seem to think anything of it.

She shakes her head with a reminder for him to check on her before he leaves and I lead Paul to my office, making sure to lock the door behind me. I need answers.

I move to sit on the edge of my desk and he stays by the door, hands shoved into his pocket. I like the view he offers but I'm sure he didn't come here to model for me.

"You don't look too happy to see me," I say.

"You didn't seem too happy to see me either," he returns and I smile, at least he pays attention. "I was surprised to see you. When Chi talked about her Boss being so young and hot, I didn't think it was you."

"You think I am hot?" I bite the inside of my lips, rest my hands on the table and he nods. "You and Chi ..." I trail off.

"We go way back," he finishes for me.

"Are you two a couple or something?" I ask.

He pushes himself from the door and stalks towards me. "What do you think?"

My head falls back as he leans forward to rest his hand on either side of me, giving him a view of the pendant in between my boobs. "You are not a man of many words."

His head dips low enough for me to feel his breath and he smirks. He wraps a hand around my waist and pulls me to himself.

"Action speaks louder than words, I'm a man of action," he whispers in my ears.

Our proximity causes me to lose my train of thought. My face becomes flushed, my legs wobble and he lowers me gently to the edge of the table. Sparks dance around the part of my body he still has a hold on, tingles crawl up my spine and I slant my head to get a better view of the man who is doing this to me to see if the reaction is mutual.

His staid expression forces a question out of my mouth. "You and Chi, how long?"

"I have known her for a very long time."

"Before we met?" I ask and he nods. Some of the sparks die down and as much as I want to, I can't bring myself to push him away. "I thought you liked me?" I murmur to myself.

"I did, from the moment I saw you," he says and I tense until he adds, "I still do."

My whole body thrums in response to that and my breathing becomes shallow when his fingers brush my chest to pick my pendant.

"How's he, your boyfriend?" he asks.

"We broke up," I manage to whisper.

Paul drops the pendant on my bosom and I suck in a sharp breath at the heat that sears me at his touch. He trails a finger along my collarbone, I bite my lower lip and arch my back when he nips on the skin on my neck, behind my ear. His head descends to mine, his lip covers mine but he doesn't kiss me immediately, almost as if he's giving me a chance to pull away but I don't want to.

I grab fistfuls of his shirt and press my lips against his. His lips are soft, too soft and our kiss is softer, delicate. He is gentle, with his touch, the way he hooks a finger under my chin to scatter kisses all over my jaw, neck before returning to my ready lips.

Kissing Paul is like having a taste of ambrosia and I want more of it. My gown rides up, files drop to the floor as my legs wrap around his waist and I moan.

An image of Chi laughing pops in my mind and I finally manage to push Paul off me. He casts one look at me, his face just as flushed as mine but doesn't say a word. My chest rises and fall, my finger moves to my swollen lips, I want more of his kisses.

Paul begins to pick up the sweets that fell to the ground. I use that moment to adjust my dress and try to compose myself. When he's done, he puts the sweets back in their bowl, holds out a few to me and pockets them after I permit him to do so.

His eyes darken a little as they rove over me and my smile freezes at the thought of him taking those sweets for Chi. He drops the bowl on my desk, rearranges some of the files that fell off then goes on to give me a chaste kiss that has me aching for more.

"It was nice to see you again, Pauline."

Moments after the door shut behind him, I remain in that position, staring at the door like he's still there modelling for me.

**********

Picture: Bryan Okwara

The picture is of the other person I had imagined for Mr. Kings.

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