The temperature of the room suddenly became warmer. I gulped the little saliva in my mouth. How on earth was he expecting me to focus, with those chests staring at me like that?
"So I am gonna be doing more of the painting, you are just gonna use that brush..." He pointed at the brush he handed me. "...to complete the upper part." He said.
All this while I had been gawking at his flawless chest. I pondered on the number of workouts and healthy food he must have invested in it to produce all this sexiness. He caught me staring, then he gave me that knowing smile. He knew I was drooling, but thank goodness he didn't say any word, like calling me "a stalker" or something like that. He just stared at me with that raw masculine confidence he always had written over him.
"Hem hem." I cleared my throat, then found my voice. "Well, you shouldn't be scared that I am gonna ruin these walls with my bad painting or something. You remember I am a dexter in the world of Arts, so I kinda know my way around paints." I said, as I worked closer to him and patted the brush on his inviting chest. It was an involuntary action, cuz I never planned on doing that.
He licked his soft pink lips slowly, then he skillfully wrapped his strong arm around my slender waist and brought me closer to his bare broad chest. I tried my best to fight the urge to place my hand on those enticing chests, but I guess I wasn't strong enough. I gave in to weakness and touched his chest with my fingertips. It felt just the way I anticipated it would feel. Hard, smooth, and addictive.
My palm rested on where his heart was located. The rhythm of its beats were still the same as it used to be while we were dating. This heart was still beating for me I could tell. I looked up into his deep brown eyes, and I saw pain. It was so unmistakable. I really hurt this man by leaving without saying goodbye, all he ever did was love and care for me. He didn't deserve the way I treated him, what we shared didn't deserve such treatment too.
"As I said, painters are not supposed to be this hot." He said with his voice now rough with emotions as he eased me out of his arms. Then picked up the long roller, and dipped it in paint and got to work.
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We had been painting the baby girl's room for like 3 hours now. All this while, Alan was so focused on what he was doing, at a point in time It felt as if I was no longer in the room.
He wiped a little perspiration off his forehead, then he continued painting. On my part, I used the paintbrush he gave me to complete some little parts of the wall he left untouched.
"You know, l gotta applaud you. For a lady, you are really doing a great job there." He commended my painting skills.
"Pfft. If only you scratched out the " lady" part, I would have taken that as a compliment you know." I said with a little indignation present in my tone.
He let out a laugh. "And there she goes again. You really have a proactive feminist side you know." He said staring at me.
"Uhhh..."
"You don't have to deny it. You know you do." He said, still gazing at me.
"Alright, I give up. I am a feminist." I said.
He made a cute face at me. "Awwwwn for the first time, Valerie Okofu is giving up on an argument." He said.
I made a cute face too. "Awwwwn, enjoy it while it lasts. And trust me, It ain't gonna last for long."
He rolled his eyes playfully. And I did the same. Then we both laughed at our foolery.
"You are so silly." He said.
"I know right?" I replied. Then we both kept quiet and continued with the painting.
Some minutes after, I stopped to look around my surrounding. Instantly, my eyes became very wide. I basked in the beauty we were creating. The room was now very bright and charming. The rich satin paint brought out the loveliness of the pink color impeccably well.
"Alan." I called out to him in an oneiric tone. My attention was still convicted by this delightful sight.
"Uh?" He said without looking.
"Look." I mumbled.
He stopped what he was doing and turned around. "It's beautiful right?"
"So, so beautiful. I can scarcely imagine that you and I did this." I said looking in his direction.
"Haha. Well, newsflash." He said, pointing at my clothes that were slightly stained with paint. "Isn't that enough empirical evidence?"
"Hahaha. Yeah, so true. I was quite careful tho, if not, I guess I would be dripping paint by now." I said with a splash of pride in my tone.
"Yeah, you really were. Besides, you have always been the careful type so I am not surprised." He said. Why did I read more to those words he just said? I asked myself. Well, it was quite apparent that I still had some explaining to do.
"We make a good team." I said before I could stop myself.
"We always had." He said, staring at me with burning intensity in his eyes. Maybe he was nudging me towards that yet to be addressed topic.
"My throat feels really dry." I said, in an attempt to change the topic. I noticed, he knew what I was doing, but he feigned not to.
"Aw, sorry. It's because of the paint." He said. "Paint has the power to wreck such an effect on one's throat. So, that's why I provided a gallon of milk. It's in the Hilux, when we are done, we are gonna have a glass or two each." He announced.
I touched my throat softly. "I like the sound of that." I whispered.
He gave me a half-smile. "Of course you should." Then he sobered up. "So, on that note, that's the more reason why we should stop all these banterings and get to finishing off."
"True."
He adjusted the metal construction ladder. "So you are gonna climb up on this ladder, and finish the upper parts my roller couldn't get to." He instructed.
"Aye-aye Captain!" I said saluting him playfully.
He slapped his forehead. Then I chuckled and ascended the stairs. While climbing up, my mind wandered to many places. Was he was checking me out? Was he gawking at my bum? What would he think of the size of my bum?? All these thoughts made me a little bit shy. At the pinnacle of the ladder, I looked down at him and caught him staring shamelessly. Yo! He was actually running an X-ray on me with his eyes.
Valerie focus! I told myself. I touched the wall with the brush softly and the paint covered up some of those untouched areas. I was doing my job pretty well, but my mind was still cognizant of the fact that he was ogling at my backside.
Involuntarily, I kept on looking down at him. But he didn't flinch or even make efforts to stop gaping. I continued painting, then at a point in time, I wanted to extend my hand to touch an area. When realization attacked me again. Valerie! Your ex is staring at your butt! At that instant, I looked at him again but unfortunately, I missed my step and plummeted. I know you are expecting that cliché line, that goes like this. "I fell into his arms and he caught me with his firm arms." Well, sorry to disappoint ya, this ain't no damn fairy tale! I fell to the ground before Alan could catch me. And the remaining paint in the bucket splashed on me.
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"Ouch!" I wailed.
"Oh my God! Valerie!" He rushed to where I fell and knelt beside me. "Are you ok? How did you miss your step?"
Oh, what now? Of course, he should know the reason why I fell. Wasn't he the cause?
"Ah! Oh my God. Ouch!" I screamed as the pain exploded in my brains.
"I am so sorry." He said. Was he sorry that I fell? Or sorry for being the cause of my fall? Then it occurred to me, that his gaping at my bum, was an innocent reflex action that was caused by the impetus of my hot dressing, the young man couldn't help himself. I kinda felt bad for putting him in that position, cuz Alan was no pervert.
"Try to stretch out your leg, let's see how bad the fall was." He said. I tried to, but I couldn't. Jeeez, I guess I just broke my leg.
"I can't, my leg hurts like hell!" I squealed like a child.
"Oh. This is bad then, this is really really bad." He said. And before I could blink twice, he scooped me up in his strong arms. The memories of how he carried me up to the bedroom at his place flooded my mind space. Currently, it was a bittersweet feeling. Bitter cuz of the pain I felt and sweet because of how comfy being in his arms felt.
When we got outside the building, the sun was already setting. His workers were all gawking and Bala was racing like a puma towards our direction with his black Jalamia flying in the air recklessly. Dang it! That guy was such a devoted gateman.
"Kai! Oga! Wetin happen to madam?" He asked when he arrived. He was panting profusely as though he just finished a 100 meters race.
"Bala abeg no time for questions, just put your hand for my pocket, carry my Hilux key... Or you know what? wait first." He said as if something was on his mind.
"Valerie?"
"Huh?"
"Where did you keep your keys?" He asked me.
"It's in my pocket." I replied.
"Can you try to reach it?"
"Yes. Yes, I can." I dipped my hand in my pocket. As I was doing that, Alan called one of his workers.
"Tunde! Tunde! Wa!" A very skinny looking guy ran towards us. "Jowo sii enu-ona."
"Ah! Ok sir, I go open am fast fast... Eyah. Ma binu ma!" He said as he changed his direction to the gate.
I handed the keys over to Bala. He quickly collected the key and rushed to open the back door of my jeep.
"I am taking you to the hospital now. Ok?" Alan said as he rushed down the stairs. I was shocked we didn't fall down, cuz he was running really fast.
"You can take me to the clinic at the hotel I stay at."
"Alright then. What's the name of the hotel?"
"Boval intercontinental hotel at Maryland."
"Alright then."
Alan placed me in a lying down position at the back seat of my range rover. I remembered how I rolled in with style this afternoon. But now, there was no time for swag. Well, shit happens.
"Hang in there Hun." He said, then placed a kiss on my forehead. And closed the back door.
Once he got on the driver's seat. My head signaled me on something. Alan was gonna take me to the clinic shirtless!
A/N
Hahaha. So I want y'all to be very sincere.🤨 Who is at fault for Valerie's accident?🧐 Alan or Valerie?😂😂😂
You can place your answers in the comment box.💬 Don't forget to hit the star⭐ down below to vote.🤗
Thank you so much for reading Chapter 13. Hope you enjoyed Plummeted like I did.😃 Don't forget to always check out for hot new chapters on🌹Valerie's Contractor🌹
As usual.🤭 Can you keep a lil secret?🤫🤐👇
I love you all dearly.❤💕💞🥰😍😘You guys are the best!💯💯
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Glossary
Ma binu ma - Sorry ma (Yoruba)
Jowo sii enu-ona - Please open the gate (Yoruba)