Yomi strolled casually into the pool area. He knew he had just missed the sugary, heavy perfume laded miss's speech; he had heard her talk all the way his walk to the pool, and when he had arrived the pool, her speech had ended as she was being awarded cheers and hoots from her colleagues.
The day was supposed to be wonderful; enjoy some time alone with Dinma in a fancy resort, but the call from work came, he had lost his potential huge investors to his competition Manuel Akinwale, so it was required of him at work the next day. So in his resolve, he was going to enjoy the evening with Dinma and forget all about work.
He spotted her in a midst of people he would term her friends. She was dancing against a man like she was in her own world, and his fist clenched at the sight. She took a sip from her champagne flute and swayed her hips graciously with the music that now boomed the speakers. Temi was in a corner, shoving her face against a young man's, oblivious to what was happening with her friend. Then a man who he couldn't recognize, not like he could recognize anyone there, walked up to Dinma, and he saw her features still. He said something to her and in reflex she flung her wine at his face, and this earned her stares from people around. The man wiped his face and said something again, this time Dinma made to hit him, but he grasped her by the wrist. The man that she had been dancing on, stepped away from her unnoticed. This made Yomi grit his teeth in annoyance.
His feet moved in promptness to where she was.
“Get your filthy hands off my girl.” He said through clenched teeth and instinctively wrapped a hand around her waist.
The man let go of her hand, giving Yomi a questioning look.
“Hey baby.” He kissed the side of her head.
She let out a sigh, her anger slowly dissipating, and she leaned into his bosom. He realized that she reeked of alcohol.
“Who the hell are you?” The man asked in what Yomi would deem his most authoritative voice to probably scare him, but Yomi found this laughable.
“He's...Yomi.” She slurred. “Mike meet my...my boyfriend.” She giggled at this.
Mike cocked a brow, “Your boyfriend?” Then he eyed him with an assertive stare, and he asked. “You share your girls? Because I didn't think Dee was a whore.”
Yomi knew he was referring to her dancing on a very different guy some minutes ago.
“What... do ..you mean by that?” She charged angrily at him but was held back by Yomi's firm grip on her waist.
“He's not worth it.” He spoke quietly to her.
“Yeah, Dee. Listen to your boy toy. You shouldn't be whoring around.”
Yomi pushed forward and grabbed him by the neck.
At this point, a little crowd had gathered. Each interested to get hold of a first hand gossip, not necessarily to separate a fight. Some already had their phones up chanting a 'Fight! Fight!!'. Seeing this, Yomi knew that for the sake of the petite woman holding onto him, he had to turn down the fight. He released his hold on Mike's neck against his will, for he was determined to smash the guy's nose, leaving him to fall to the ground, spluttering and rubbing his neck.
“This should be the last time you disrespect her. I don't even want to hear you say her name or even think about saying it. The next time you come this close...” He gestured to the distance between them. “To her, you'll be dead. It was nice meeting you.” Yomi said.
Mike replied with a grunt and stood, dusting himself as he did. And with a defeated sigh, he walked out of the scene. Yomi allowed his eyes follow him until he was out of his sight, then he focused on the female by his bosom.
So much for enjoying an evening with her.
Every one was talking at the same time, asking who he was and all, but he spared none a glance, only focused on the woman beside him who was at this point hugging his waist. He glanced at his wrist watch, it was some minutes after nine. He had to get her back to the suite.
Temi squeezed her way out of the crowd to meet him. Her expression was that of anger. Was she angry at him? He should be the one furious at her for leaving her friend at the mercy of some sleazy fools.
“Guy, where have you been? We've been waiting for you.”
“I had a call from work.” He tried keeping the anger off his voice.
“I heard you beat up Mike. I didn't even know the dude was here, and he even had the guts to approach Dee, some guys sha. The two of them used to date, and he broke up with her on her birthday, can you imagine? And to think she thought he was going to propose.” Temi rattled off.
“Where were you?”
“Excuse me?”
“I let her come here alone because I thought she was going to be with you all evening. But it seems like you just don't care about your friend.” He spoke as calm as he could, trying not to show any form of anger.
“See Yomi, Dinma is not a little girl, she can take very good care of herself, don't expect me to babysit her.”
“That's not what I'm saying.”
“I don't care what you're saying but right now you're being very offensive.”
“Offensive? Because I called you out on your irresponsible actions? You leave your friend to make out with some dude, who does that?” This time, his voice was rising as his temper.
“What are you talking about?”
He shook his head. “You know what, there's no problem, you can do whatever you want to, I'm taking her back to the suite.”
“The guy you saw me with, is my boyfriend and I'm coming with you.”
The guy they had been talking about, walked out too from the crowd, and came to stand beside her.
“Babe is there a problem?” He asked.
“No.” Then she introduced very quickly, gesturing casually with her hand. “Meet Toju my boyfriend— Toju, Yomi.”
“My... boyfriend.” Dinma pressed her face to his chest.
Yomi smiled at this, and held her firmly against himself, then greeted Toju with a firm handshake, aware of Temi's scrutinizing stare.
“She's really drunk.” Temi scrunched up her face. “Look Yomi, I'm sorry, I didn't think this would happen. I just stepped out with Toju to introduce him to some colleagues, I thought she would be fine by herself.”
“It's alright, but you really don't have to come with us.”
Temi let out a sigh, “Fine. Please take care of her.”
“Yep.” Then he said to Dinma who was now trying to free herself from his hold. “Let's get you to bed.”
“I... don't... don't want to. Temi... the box” She took some staggering steps away from him, and he held her to prevent her from falling.
“We'll check it out tomorrow. Good night sweet.”
“Good... night.” Dinma replied.
Then he led her staggering figure out of the pool area.
This was the first time he had seen her drunk, he never even placed her for one who would let herself loose under the influence of alcohol— even on the day he had met her in the club, she wasn't that drunk— but he guessed some people had their days. She was definitely having her worst day, to say she had met her ex who broke up with her on her birthday.
In their suite, he had to prevent her from tripping over the small stairs that led to the bed as he laid her on the bed.
“Why...you... don't like me Yomi?” She asked quietly as he undid her sandal straps. It was quiet that he feared it was his imagination until she sat up and he realized that she had tears running down her face. His heart broke at the sight.
“What do you mean?” His voice shook.
“You... you... don't... you don't like me.” She said between sniffles.
He slowly stood from his position of squatting in front of her, and sat beside her, taking her small hands in his, aware of how well they fitted in his hands.
“I like you very much Dee.”
“You.. don't show it.” She pulled her hand from his and poked at his chest.
He took hold of the finger on his chest. “What do you want me to do to make you know that I like you very much.”
She closed her eyes, and after an agonizing minute of silence that he thought she might have fallen asleep, she spoke quietly with closed eyes “Please...hug me.” Then she opened them, staring at him with doe eyes.
A minute passed of him wondering if indeed it was her sober thoughts. Did she think he didn't like her? Was he that bad in relating his feelings for her?
For he remember times when he badly wanted her but would force himself to recollect his thoughts. And here she was, before him, sobbing because she wasn't sure how he felt towards her.
I want you to be more than being my daughter's nanny, he wanted to say but he knew that whatever conversation they were having that evening, she won't remember any of that the next day. And so he pulled her in for a hug, but she doubled over and threw up on him.
****
She woke up disoriented, first, she had the pressing need to pee, and second, her head was throbbing. She slowly dragged herself up to a sitting position, her head in her hands. She took a look around the room realizing that Yomi was no where in sight. And seeing the indentation on the other side of the bed, she knew they slept together on the bed.
She let out a yawn, and her gaze fell unconsciously on her body. She was dressed in a white T-shirt and a pair of shorts she could not recognize, her heart skipped beats.
What the hell?
She tried remembering the incidents of the previous day, scared that she might have done something silly like sleeping with Yomi, but she couldn't remember anything that happened after she drowned her third glass of wine.
It hadn't been intentional for her to get drunk, heck, she wanted to enjoy that evening sober. But seeing Mike walk in that pool with an insanely beautiful lady that almost had all the guys tripping, made her loose all her nerves, she had been so enraged. And so, while she waited for Yomi, seated alone, as Temi had to introduce her boyfriend to some other colleagues, she drowned herself in glasses of wine passed around by the waiters.
A knock came on the door increasing the pounding on her head, and Yomi walked out of the bathroom dressed in his formal wear, a pair of black trousers, a white shirt with two buttons from his collar undone. And even though she had seen him dressed for work in previous times, she just couldn't get enough of how he looked good in anything.
“Good morning.” He greeted buoyantly as he walked to the door.
She watched him open the door for a server who had a tray. He collected the tray from the server, and shut the door when the guy left, with his feet.
“I ordered room service.” He placed the tray on the side table and sat on the bed.
“One minute.” She raced to the bathroom and hurriedly did her business. When she was done, she walked out to Yomi who handed her a glass of water and some white pills. She stared at them, trying to decipher what he was offering her.
“Analgesics. Sudrex to be exact, for your hangover.”
She peered at him before she swallowed them, scrunching her face in disgust at the taste.
He walked back to tray, uncovering the plates.
“Hope you slept well.”
She gave him a suspicious look. “Where are my clothes?” Then walked towards him in a calculated pace. “Why am I dressed in your tee?”
He smirked. “You can't remember?”
“Remember what?” Her eyes widened. “We didn't have sex, did we?”
“Haba” He stood, towering some inches above her, and he bent to whisper in her ears. “You would surely remember if you ever had sex with me.”
She flushed at this, then he straightened up. “Eat your food babe so it doesn't get cold.”
Babe? Did he just use a term of endearment on her? What the hell happened last night?
“I'm leaving for work now but I'll be back before the evening activities.” He picked up his suit jacket that was lying on the chair beside the bed, then he walked towards her and planted a cool kiss on her forehead before heading for the tray.
Dinma stood transfixed, her jaw hanging open. She watched him tear a piece from the mouth watering toast in such calculated manner, not minding that he was soiling his hands and he walked back to her. She watched for his next actions, not expecting the piece that entered her mouth.
“Eat.” He commanded.
And she slowly began chewing on the toast obediently, realizing that she was hungry. It tasted heavenly. When she had swallowed, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss. It was a playful one, yet it left her shaking in pools of desire. He broke the kiss with a smile.
“I'll see you when I get back.”
Dinma stood still, she felt her world stop. It felt like a very good dream that she didn't want to wake up from. She heard him chuckle, and even after she heard the door shut, she was still standing on the same spot, tracing her lips as she replayed the moment. She reeled to the bed, and with a thump on the bed, she squealed excitedly into the sheets.