Love Over Everything

Chapter Two

Naomi gave him a sad smile and spoke. “There’s nothing much about me, Ryan. My life is pretty boring and right now I’m trying to get back on track, I’m still recovering from my last break up.”

Ryan placed his right hand on hers and gave it a light squeeze. She swallowed painfully as soon as his skin came in contact with hers. She noticed she had a funny feeling in the inside of her stomach. She had no idea why she was feeling that way.

“I’m so sorry.” He said sincerely.

“It’s fine.” She replied and managed to untangle her hand from his. “I think I expected so much from my relationship with him but I guess he wasn’t the one for me.”

“You shouldn’t feel sorry about it. It’s his loss, he let go of a beautiful woman like you.”

Naomi chuckled, “I’m just happy he came clean to me before going on to cheat on me. Enough of the boring talk about me. Tell me about you.” She directed to Ryan.

“Well, my life is not that exciting either. I spend 80 percent of my time working and the other 20 with my family and having fun. I have a younger sister, Susan who is a pain in the ass.” Then he looked at the crowd and said, “She should be somewhere around.”

“So I assume your parents gave birth to two children.” Ryan nodded.

“Same with me, but I’m the second and last born, I have an elder brother.”

“It seems like you were forced to come here. I saw the way you looked bored as hell sitting among those couples on your table.”

Naomi took a sip of her wine before she answered. “You’re right. My parents forced me to come here with the hope that I will mingle and perhaps meet someone and I can’t leave until I’ve given a closing speech on their behalf.”

He smiled, “I’m happy you are here.”

“So what about you? Are you in a relationship?” She asked randomly.

“No, I’m not. Actually, I’m not a relationship kind of guy.”

She scoffed at his reply. She was tired of hearing men say that all over again. She looked at him curiously and asked “Why? Is it because you haven’t found the right woman?”

“Maybe I just haven’t found the woman that will make me rethink my decision about settling down and having a family of mine.”

“I hope you find her soon.”

“Yes and till then, my parents won’t stop persuading me to settle down or try to hook me up with one of their friend’s daughters.” He said and Naomi chuckled.

“According to them, they are getting old and so am I so I need to give them grandchildren.”

Naomi smiled, “I know how you feel. My brother is also under the same pressure. For that, I'm grateful I'm not the firstborn.”

They made more conversations which cheered Naomi up. Soon enough, the whole event was coming to an end and Naomi was called upon to give the closing speech on behalf of her parents who were one of the sponsors of the event.

Ryan’s eyes did not leave her body as Naomi gracefully made her way to the stage. She made her speech with full confidence and also made jokes in between. Everybody’s eyes were just on her. Ryan did not fail to notice how other men were looking at her with lust in their eyes, It tells the extent of how beautiful Naomi was.

A round of applause was given to her when she was done. Ryan saw her stop to hug his parents, they talked for a while and then she came back to where she left Ryan.

“Did I do Well?” She asked excitedly as she took a seat beside him.

“Brilliantly Well.” He smiled at her and she heaved a sigh of relief.

“I was nervous as hell. I’m not used to addressing a large number of people.”

Naomi brought out her phone and scrolled through her contact, looking for her chauffeur’s number. She was almost dialling him when Ryan stopped her by collecting her phone from her, he switched it off and then placed it in his jacket pocket.

Naomi tried to say something but words failed her.

“I know you were trying to call your chauffeur to come to take you home but I don’t want you to go.” He said sincerely.

“Why?” She challenged.

Instead of answering her, he moved closer to her and replied with a question, “Why don’t you want to hang out with me? Or are you afraid of what I could do to you?”

Naomi hardly heard what he said. He was too close to her as he spoke. The way his breath fanned against her neck made her insides tingle. She was embarrassed as to the way her body was reacting to his presence. Never had she felt this way, not even with Connor, her ex.

She swallowed painfully before she asked again, slightly shuttering. “C..can y, you repeat what you said?”

Ryan smiled triumphantly. He was happy the attraction wasn’t one-sided, he was fulfilled she felt the same way.

He rose to his feet, took her right hand and whispered to her. “Come with me.”

Ryan said those words not with a commanding tone but with a persuasive voice and it was as if something took over Naomi as she heeded to his plea. She was meant to question him about where he was taking her but she simply did not.

Instead, She reached for her clutch, rose to her feet and connected her hand with Ryan’s own. He smiled at her and led her out of the hall with his hand on the small of her back.