Xenia was in the stalking twilight zone; she didn't know if Gregory followed her or if she thought of the man so much that he appeared.
"Niki, I swear he is stalking. I see him everywhere."
"It's the fruit of your imagination."
"No, Niki, Gregory is really everywhere. He suddenly appears by my side and walks along with me in corridors."
"That sounds cute, like an office romance kind of gig."
"Niki, this isn't a romance. Do you see me living an idle with him?"
"Why not?"
"Because, anyway, there is no use talking to you've been his fan since the beginning," Xenia said, throwing her hands in the air.
Niki just smiled as she listened to her friend rave.
"By the way, I've started a draft on wattpad; I got his idea," Niki said.
"That's great."
"What is it about?" Xenia asked, curious about what her friend cooked up.
"It's a romance."
"That's your department; show me."
"I haven't written much; I don't know where the plot is going. The female MC is giving a little trouble."
"You'll do great, I'm sure," Xenia tapped on Niki's hand to encourage her.
"I'm not sure there is stiff competition. There are kids on there who whiplash when it comes to writing.
"Niki, write what you know with your sincere words. I'm sure you'll touch people. I already told you. Oh, what time is it?"
"We have five minutes of lunch left."
"I better get back. I keep imagining Gregory waiting for me in the office saying you are late, Mrs. N'Diayééé," Xenia said, rolling her eyes.
Xenia left to take the lift going to the back since she almost got off last. A familiar scent hit her nose, giving her goosebumps. Gregory was next to her, the man smiled, and Xenia lowered her head and tightened her grip on her bag.
The lift started going up, and she felt a little pressure on her spine. Xenia cleared her throat, but he continued. There were people with them. The woman couldn't tell Gregory to stop, but as he pressed, she didn't want to ask him to stop; the pressures weren't random.
They were soothing like those a physical therapist would administrate. Xenia's nails rasped her bag when he reached the dimples of her lower back; why was the 18th floor so far up.
Finally, liberation Xenia stepped out, looking back on Gregory. He enjoyed taunting her, and as the doors closed, he unleashed a smile that left xenia dizzy.
"Xenia, are you okay," Timothy asked as he watched her wobbly walk to her desk. Weak in the knees, people say, it was a euphemism Xenia was flabby all over. Why couldn't she snap back at him like she usually did?
It was Friday, and the week was stressful, files, meetings, and Gregory. The man even invited himself into her dreams.
Xenia tied the laces on her sneakers when the elevator rang and opened its doors.
Gregory stood alone, case in hand, he too was leaving.
"Getting in?" he asked.
"Noㅡ."
Before Xenia could add a word, he pulled her in and backed her against the wall.
"Gr-gr-Gregory, I told you in the message," Xenia stuttered.
"Oh, I discarded it. What was it you wrote?"
"Gregory, there are cameras."
"It's angled to record the door and console."
Xenia's heart pounded.
"So tell me, Xenia, why the sudden change? What did I do to deserve a: I had a great evening, Gregory, but I think we should keep our relationship professional?"
"I thought you discarded it."
"I have a good memory, especially when a woman I'm very attracted to decides to ditch me. A woman who I'm sure feels the same."
Why weren't people getting in the lift? Xenia thought, why does fate do the opposite of what we desire?
The lord works in mysterious ways, would say Xenia's mother. Xenia thought God possessed the best live streaming system ever. He had seven billions worth of scenarios that the Almighty could click on any time, and at this exact moment, God was probably laughing his head off seeing how desperate she was.
"Xenia, you and I there is something--."
Gregory didn't have time to finish; the lift opened. Xenia dodged him and dashed out, leaving Gregory, who stepped out casually and watched her run.
Xenia had to pick up Sia, so she hurried. It was not very easy; she couldn't think straight. Gregory was a disturbance in her daily life. This was also a reason why she didn't want to get into the sentimental.
Xenia didn't know how to find the balance between her love life and parenthood. She knew others managed, but she didn't know how to conceal both. Gregory shambled everything.
"Maman," said Sia running to her mother's arms.
"ça va ma, Cherie? [Are you okay, my dear?]"
"Oui."
Finally, the balance, her child's smiling face was all she needed. Sia was her anchor. Xenia threw Gregory in the back of her mind and focused on her daughter. They bought some groceries, and of course, Sia managed to get Xenia to buy a packet of sweets. The usual guilt which consumed her when she surrendered to Sia came and disappeared as she watched her daughter's smile.
They arrived home, she cooked dinner, they ate, and Sia asked the oddest of questions:
"Is Gregory going to read me a story?"
Xenia's mouth dropped. It was right that the few times Gregory came, he had read Sia stories. The little girl giggled at his accent and fell asleep shortly after.
"Sia, Gregory is busy."
"I want Gregory."
"Sia."
"Gregory, mom."
Xenia was stuck and wondered if Gregory would step out a minute to read her a bedtime story. Minutes past and the little girl's will didn't back down.
"Mommy will read you a story."
"No, Gregory," Sia said, crossing her arms."
What ploy was this?
Should she send him a message?
Remembering in what trouble the last message got her in, Xenia got up.
"Okay, Sia, put on your slippers, and choose your book."
The little girl did that while Xenia went and put on her joggers and an oversized sweater. Together they went and rang on Gregory's bell. There was no answer.
"You see, Sia, he isn't here," as she spoke, the door opened. Gregory wore his glasses a black t-shirt, and Xenia was surprised to see he, too, wore joggers.
"-Eh, Sia insisted, she wants you to read her a bedtime story."
Gregory frowned, "a story?"
"If you're busy-."
"I'm not. I mean, I'm always busy, but I can."
"Okay," Xenia said.
"Yay," yelled the girl leaving her mother's side and hugging the man's legs.
"Hold on," Gregory said, "I'm coming."
"Come, Sia, Gregory is coming."
They went back to their apartment, where the little girl slipped back in her bed, ready to hear her story.
Gregory came a few minutes later, and he read all of Sia's favorite from little red riding hood, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
"And so they lived happily ever after."
The little girl was in a dreamy wonderland as Xenia watched from the door.
Gregory got up and followed Xenia to the living room.
"What's wrong, he said? Seeing how she stared at him."
"you--."
"I look sexy, don't I?" Gregory said out of the blue. His comment brought Xenia out of her daze.
"What? Do you have some pervert personality hidden under all your English gentleman attire? Forget it, anyway, thank you, Gregory, for the bedtime stories."
"There's a pervert in every one of us. Do you want me to read you a story too? I've never tucked in bed a mother, but I feel up to it," Gregory said with a solemn face with a glint of a sly smile.
The man was playful, and Xenia couldn't resist; she smiled, "why are you doing this, Gregory?"
"Why shouldn't I? Isn't this what we do daily? Taunting each other is almost a certified trademark. You didn't let me finish earlier; there's something between Xenia; it's a fact."
"Gregory, I don'tㅡ."
"We're adults, Xenia. What's wrong with us having fun together."
This was how he saw their story. What went on between them was leisure. What was wrong with having fun? Niki said it: Take what is there to be taken. Sex with Gregory was tremendously fun; they could have sex with no sentiments attached.
People all over the world did it; why couldn't they?
Even in her couch potato attire, Gregory found her attractive. Up close and facing each other, the chemistry between them swallowed the room's oxygen.
"Tell me a bedtime story," Xenia surrendered to Gregory's green-eyed gaze.
"Yes, mam," Gregory answered and pulled her close to kiss her.
Their story was as easy as that, they were at the beginning of something, or perhaps they were already somewhere in the middle.
Xenia led him to the bedroom. Once the door closed, things went fast. The sweaters, tees, and undies flew like confetti to decorate Xenia's bedroom floor.
Lust.
They spent the week building up the tension, which now exploded. Xenia laid on her back and moved backward with her hands while Gregory came to position himself on top. Their skin contact alone made the woman shudder. Gregory proceeded to kiss her; he then began to deposit others on her neck down to her breasts, which he cupped in his hands to kiss her nipples before lightly sucking on them.
How could she refuse herself such pleasure? Xenia thought as the man went down on her.
It was even better than in Xenia's souvenirs. Mark was selfish when it came to sex, always thinking about his pleasure alone. Here Gregory treated Xenia as his tongue swept her clit, and his fingers strummed her cords until her body arched in tune, and her juices began to dilate with the warmth. Gregory pulled her legs towards him and leaned forwards to penetrate. He teased her entrance with only the tip of his organ before sliding in and lifting one of her legs.
Xenia let out a little gasp and pursed her lips, not wanting to wake Sia. The man, too, tried to control his reactions for the child's sake.
Their bodies were still in the discovery zone, and so they switched positions for a Scoop Me Up where they both laid on the side. It was a lazy position and perfect for those who had a hard day's work. Here, both man and woman enjoyed the pose, which enhanced skin contact and allowed Gregory to grasp Xenia's breasts or stimulate her clit.
The bedtime story was a steamy one, which ended with muffled orgasms as both did not want to wake Sia from her dream where a handsome prince came to save her mother from a dungeon.