Defne got up to Annane gently waking her up with endearments.
She opened her eyes, and saw the wrinkled face, crinkled eyes filled with love, and the soothing cold hands on her face, gently brushing her hair out of her face.
How comforting this touch was. Defne just prayed that she shouldn't lose this touch ever in her life.
She lost her father's and later her mother's and now Omer's was on the brink of losing.
Will she lose that because of her ambitions, she thought. She saw Annane's eyes clouding with worry.
She immediately put that smile back on her lips and got up, and held on to Annane's smiling wrinkled cheeks in her left palm and asked worriedly,
"Nay Annnane, what happened, are you alright? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Kiz, I missed not seeing you, hearing your laughing chit chats around the house.
I know, you are gone in the evenings to school and come back really late, but, still the house was so quiet without you running around, spreading all your drawing stuff in the dining room in the morning and afternoon hours, seeing you bustle around the house as you speak to your tatlu, tatlu self, absent mindedly.
I simply missed you kiz.
Gel, gel, get ready for breakfast, and come downstairs. Today is Tuesday and I hope you don't have to go anywhere."
"Hayir Annane, I have to go meet with my boss at 10 in the morning.
I have a meeting and then I have to go to school to make up. As I am going to Paris next week, they are compensating my weeklong classes for couple weeks with day classes as my final exams are nearing.
I have to work doubly hard."
"I have not seen anyone work this hard kiz. Hope you are reaping the benefits and loving it.
You look so tired and beat. Come and eat something and fill up your tummy and soul." Chided Annane, as she stepped out of the room, taking all of her dirty clothes to wash.
Defne looked at the bedside clock, it read 7:55 AM.
She darted out of the bed, got ready in a flash and skipped downstairs, all charged with adrenaline.
The morning table was dotted with all the usual suspects chattering in high speed and a loud volume.
Obviously, something was up, and that something sounded extremely happy, unlike her sad, withered soul.
"Ney oldum, burda? What's happening here?" she demanded playfully, straightening Esra's pony tail and darting looks at Mr. and Mrs. Topal, cuddling and feeding each other Annane's cinnamon pancakes.
Nihan, seeing Defne, ran over and hugged her and whispered something in her ears!
Defne's gloominess disappeared in a flash as more cinnamon pancakes sizzled for her on the stove!
"Nihan, you have given me the best news so far!
I am so, so happy! Aabhi, you are going to be a father?
You?? Oh, my God!! This is the best news ever!! My day just brightened like 1000-watt bulb lit all over!!" she dragged her brother out and she just hugged Nihan and Serdar tight and all three shed happy tears of joy!!
Esra joined in and Annane, sniffing, just prayed to God for their love to go around always like how it was now!
Love, laughter, cinnamon, and warmth wafted in plenty that morning throughout the Topal household.
******
Defne, reflected on her conversation with Omer from last night, on her car ride to Tramba towers that morning for her meeting.
How sad and unhappy Omer had been.
She guessed; anybody would have been so in that situation. Had it been the old Omer, he would have flared up, and left her in her cold trails of pursuit of recognition of her talents.
He would have put an end to their relationship. Instead, he calmly listened to her side of the story, though not refraining from putting up a fight.
Her heart also warmed and tingled at the thought of Omer wanting her to be by his side at all times.
How she wanted to also. Her heart pleaded with her to accept his proposition, to agree to the fact that she would accept his money to pay back, marry him the next minute and make the most gorgeous baby Iplikcis.
That was her dream too... the latter two parts. But her head won over her heart, urging her to stick with her resolutions, for she knew, she wouldn't be presented with such opportunities, since, Omer was the sole designer, equivalent to Vanni in Turkey.
Her head was muddled with dilemma, which she tried to push away as she prepared to get ready for the meeting with Tramba.
The ride in the elevator up to the 13th floor, only reminded her of the countless elevator trips with Omer;
some really happy, some sad and morose, some steamy and sensual.
She felt warm and tingly, thinking of the happy, steamy and sensual rides and threw away the sad ones to the back of her mind.
She couldn't wait to finish her meeting, and call him to find how he was doing.
She felt lousy for having left him in that sad state of mind when he wistfully parted with her with a heavy heart in the wee hours of the morning.
She straightened herself and her thoughts as the doors of the elevator opened.
She entered the lobby, to find the receptionist look up at her, recognizing her instantly and letting her know that Denise bey was expecting her and courteously showing her the room with all the necessary hospitality.
She gently knocked the door to a brisk invite to come in.
"Gunaydin Denise bey!" greeted Defne, very professionally, taking in his plush office, his beaming welcoming smile, searching for an ulterior motive behind that smile, and finding none, calmed her nerves and smiled pleasantly at him with an extended hand for a businesslike hand shake.
"Welcome Defne, how are you?
Did you have a good getaway?
I hope you are ready for your upcoming trip to Paris?" Tramba inquired equally pleasant, shaking her hands warmly and gesturing her to take her seat.
Once both were seated, Tramba began to explain his agenda for the forthcoming trip.
"I am so glad; you will be able to take off from school and avail this opportunity Defne.
Vanni is a good friend of my father's and both have collaborated very well in the past to a lot of successful projects.
As you know, I am not a designer, but I am vey happy with the pool of talented designers that I have and now I have you in my team.
I have a feeling your school, once they come to know about your collaboration with Vanni, your tutelage under him, their respect for your work will grow by leaps and bounds."
He paused to take in her simplicity, her beauty and calm and thought to himself again, what a loser Omer was, to let her go, a bundle of talent and humility.
"Denise bey, I am honored that you chose me to get trained under Vanni, I am very nervous yet extremely excited to be on this project; meet with Vanni and learn how much ever I can and equip myself.
But where do you see me going with this?"
"Well... we already have contracts with stores all over Turkey to provide with our shoes, now dresses by Vanni and you and Clutches by Vanni and you.
So, depends on how much you would want to learn from him.
He is extending his name, his expertise and training of our staff, in our case, its you.
Obviously, we are investing quite a bit on Vanni.
So, I really want you to put your best foot forward and move ahead with this.
Please look forward to some grueling and tiring days ahead.
Its not going to be easy.
Once you return, you will be working with his team here, in Turkey.
There will be some future visits to Paris also.
So, be prepared for a very busy spring, as we will be hitting the runway in Paris in spring with Vanni!" declared Tramba with delight.
Defne, with butterflies as large as her heart, fluttering away in her stomach, managed to bring out as much enthusiasm as she could muster in her eyes and her smile.
"It's ok to be nervous Defne, I totally understand.
This Friday, we shall have a quick run through with Pamir bey; we chose him to go with you as you know he is London bred, educated and worked there; so, he has a lot of contacts in Paris and he knows his way around too.
Aah! Yes, please leave your passport with my assistant, she will need it to buy your tickets etc., and I shall bring it over to Cherie on Friday, Tamaammu?" He looked at her expecting questions.
"Tamaam Denise, bey. I look forward to the meeting on Friday, Görüşürüz!"
"Görüşürüz... sorry, didn't even offer you anything."
"Oh! No worries, I am off to lunch with a friend and head out to my classes at 1 anyway. See you!"
With her heart in her mouth with all the excitement of the impending trip, she took her phone out as soon as she stepped out of the elevator and called that one important person that ruled her heart... her other part of her heart!
"Alo, Omer ...??"
*****
Omer was barking out orders to Derya, a dozen a minute and the poor girl was fidgeting to keep up with him.
Both Nezlican and Derya couldn't keep up with Omer's energy that day.
Omer and Sinan were over the moon for bagging new contracts from London, Vienna and Bulgaria.
They also had to keep up with the store, which catered to only shoes and had plans of expanding it to all possible areas of women's fashion.
All these simply meant --- More Work!!
Omer was just consumed with too much going on at work front while a dull ache lingered in his heart and was giving him an uneasy feeling.
He tried drinking cups of coffee to expel it, only to feel a bout of acidity take over, physically and mentally.
He just paused for a minute, swiveled around to face his window, and wondered about Defne's betrayal.
Should he call it that, his rational mind argued.
Yes, it was a big blow to his pride and ego, and it was all because, of the damn 200,000 TL, the big fat loan!
He regretted not being with her on time, not patched up with her on time, or he could have maybe paid it off, brought her back to Passionis, and worked together beautifully, lived together beautifully.
His biggest worry that kept making big whirlpools in his head was what would happen to Defne, if Tramba were to come to know that these two were together.
It would be bad, he thought, Tramba would not only let her go, but would give her a super hard time, for professional betrayal!
Aah Defne! She was the queen at entangling herself into messes.
All these rummaging thoughts were interrupted by Sinan's arrival.
He swiveled back to face Sinan, who as always seemed to be in his cheerful element.
"Gunaydin Omer! Naaber?
We have Seda hanim starting at 10 with you.
Are you ready?
I just have a few things to tell you." Sinan said, pacing the office excitedly and continued,
"So, while you were gone, I got a call from Fikret Gallo from Paris.
And she is coming to Turkey this Friday.
And, after hearing great things about you from Biaggio on her trip to Italy, she called me.
Guess what? She is dying to work with you!"
"Fikret Gallo? Is she Turkish? Why does the name sound familiar to me?" mused Omer.
"She is a very famous designer in Paris Omer!
Maybe you would have read about her in the papers or fashion magazine for sure.
Her mother is Turkish. Father I think is Italian.
She is a big competitor with Vanni.
If we can get her clothes in our stores, paired with your shoes and other women's accessories, we can take over the Turkey market like nothing else." Sinan was hyper excited which deflated a bit at Omer's placid looks,
"Nay? Nay oldu Omer?"
"Sinan, sakin bro, will you just sit down?
I have something to share with you.
We might have a strong contender for this concept.
Tramba is coming up with the same concept.
You won't believe who comes under his flagship ... our good old Yasamin!" he paused, letting out a small steam of air through his mouth;
And giving time for Sinan to digest this piece of information before telling him the next piece of news, swiveling again to face the window.
"And Tramba's main design consultant is our Defne!"
"Nay??! What??! Where do you get these shocking pieces of news to give me, early in the morning?
Sabah, Sabah!! Allah, Allah!!
Do you have a vengeance against me?" Demanded Sinan, absolutely shocked!
"Defne is working for Tramba?
Really??
How could she?
Did she tell you all this?" Sinan went whiter with each passing question!
How could Defne betray Omer?
"Kardishem are you ok with all this?
When did you know about this?"
"Last night, early this morning actually.
We argued, we went back and forth arguing, I lost my cool, and then she explained why she joined.
I missed the whole thing by a week!"
"What do you mean, missed the whole thing by a week?"
"I mean, if I had patched up with her a week before I did, she would not have signed up with Tramba!
She is very impressed with his magnanimity, his flexibility, him sending her to Paris to train under Vanni, which by the way, I detest. I simply detest!"
"I can't believe this!" Sinan was agape with bewilderment listening to this news.
"I am not sure, when he is going to take undue advantage of her, her innocence, her beauty and everything.
She seems completely unaware of all this.
Her naiveté is what bothers me!!
She thinks all things white are as pure as milk! I could not convince her to leave Tramba and move to Passionis." Confessed Omer, ruefully.
"And you can't.
With such opportunities and exposure there, she definitely won't move to Passionis.
That is a given," said Sinan with a finality in his voice.
"You think so?" asked Omer, skeptically.
"I know so, bro!
Who would in their right mind?
San Soyle, come on you tell me!
I wouldn't!
If she comes here, she will be another Zeynep!" Sinan spread his arms, shrugged and looked at Omer doubtfully.
"See, you two always got on well together, think and process things the same way.
I had a tough time coming to terms with it.
Hearing from your mouth, it makes more sense to me!" Said Omer a little dejected, realization dawning on him with the reasoning behind Defne's choice.
Just then, soft successive knocks shook both of them out of their meeting to present two tall gorgeous women, one their own childhood friend and the other, a newbie, the dusky brunette Seda Berensel.
*****
He spotted Defne at the far end of the café, chatting over the phone.
He just sat there, soaking in her sight.
How lovely she looked as she absent mindedly turned, most likely searching for him at the entrance and turning back to talk over the phone, flailing her slender wrists, pointing fingers in the air, explaining something.
How did he miss employing her?
Someone else was capitalizing with her presence.
How he wished she would always be there with him, match his strides, professionally and personally.
He wanted her, not just her body, but along with her soul and mind.
How he was going to miss her when she would leave for Paris.
It was for a week, but that was going to be the hardest.
He was so used to being with her for most part of the night.
He quickly made up his mind to ask for her hand from Annane, and somehow terminate that contract with Tramba and keep her with him forever and forever.
He was going to keep her like Rapunzel, in his tall tower, under a grim lock and key!!
She saw him, waved at him with a beaming smile, requested for couple more minutes to wrap up the call she was in.
She ran towards him, sat next to him eagerly and looked deep into his eyes and earnestly said,
"Seni Cok Seviyorum Omer! I love you lots, lots and lots!" and quietly mouthed a kiss, and smiled wider as Omer shifted where he was seated.
"Then come to me and stay with me..." Omer muttered matter of fact-ly.
"Omer, would I not love to do that? I will askim, very soon! I promise!"
"Tell me, are you not scared that someone will see us here, like this?" he winked as he asked her and addressed the waiter to get some sugar to sweeten Defne's tea.
Defne quietly smiled at his gesture and endearingly in her sweetest voice said,
"Canim benim yaa! You are the love of my life Omer! You know, that right?"
"Why? Because I asked for the sugar?" he thanked the waiter and reached out to stir a packet of sugar in her tea, looking at her with a straight face.
"yeah! For that! And.... you know? You know my tastes, you know what I want, what I want to eat and where I want to go...you can pretty much, read my mind, most of the time." Said Defne, cupping the tea with both hands, letting the beverage warm her hand and taking a sip out of the curvy pout of the glass.
"Evet! That is why I say, you should stay with me at all times.
Quit Tramba and come, stay with me... for the rest of your life... personally and professionally.
It is ok if I happen to be the evil wizard, who doesn't have many opportunities, or trip to Paris and Italy for workshops and such, but I would like to lock you up like Rapunzel and treasure you in my heart and never let you escape into the bad, bad world!" he said, sipping his coffee, looking across the rim of the cup and winking at her.
"And... I will be the luckiest princess ever, to be safely tucked away in your heart, forever.
But, for now, I want to let myself loose, experience something that my heart desires, achieve something, repay my loan and come rushing back into your arms, and stay there forever and forever, and never leave, even if you decide to kick me out!"
her lips playfully saying, and her heart seriously meaning it, she got up to kiss him on the cheeks, taking him by surprise.
He suddenly let go of the tension within him and decided to enjoy his time with her.
He sported a playful half smile on his face for the rest of the lunch, and enjoyed the light sandwich with her jovially, cracking up, telling her all about Seda's arrival, Iz's send off lunch on Friday, and the show on Saturday, for which she regretfully declined the invite.
He tensed up a bit angrily, but immediately eased up once she looked at him with that puppy like pleading eyes.
He was surprised to see her polish the fries with the dill-pickled mayo sauce to a clean finish...
"Defne, Bu ney, what is this, I didn't think pickles were your hot favorite!"
"I have no idea Canim, but I have a sudden affinity for pickles.
Omer, I have 15 minutes to spare, let me rush off to school. Will you pick me up tonight?"
"Hm hm... evet" he quipped absent mindedly as they paid and exited into the elevator.
Once inside, Omer became extremely attentive.
Both kissed hard in the cool confines of the metallic walls that reflected their kissing selves on all 4 sides.
She heard the key turn in the lock and looked up at him alarmingly to find him laughingly claim her mouth with all fervor and ferocity to both their delights.
When his hands started roaming into uncharted, dangerous territory, and sent butterflies soaring inside her, she reluctantly pulled herself away, reminding him of her class.
He gallantly walked the quarter mile with her to the back-annex building and let her go with another kiss and a hug with the promise of meeting her at 8 sharp, at the entrance.
She sped inside darting a goodbye look at him with her heart singing a million love songs in unison.
She was slowly determined to get herself out of Tramba's clause...
SOON...she promised herself!
*****
Friday dawned beautiful... amber leaves covered the tree tops, everyone bustled around, adorned in fall jackets, and knee-high boots with thin mufflers around their necks.
The air smelled woodsy, clean and crisp.
Defne trotted to Cherie with light steps and a lighter heart, now that al her secrets were out!
She did not have a care in the world.
The world seemed to be laid out at her feet.
Omer was back to being almost normal.
Back to being at his cuddliest best.
They both enjoyed each other as if there were no tomorrow these past few days.
She, with relief, with the cat being out the bag, he with the sad antsy-ness of missing her for a whole week.
He still went rigid, with simmering anger whenever the topic of her workplace came up. So, she evaded that as much as she could.
Her work for Yasamin was coming along really good.
She seemed to be super thrilled at Defne's designs.
She just felt a tad odd at Pamir bey's quiet gazes at her. That smile that lurked in the corners of his lips, as though they were anytime going to spill smirky remarks.
Those eyes that wouldn't stop gazing at her, smiling, sometimes kind, but sometimes teasing.
She couldn't read them for crying out loud.
She was going to mind her own business and not worry too much about him.
If at all anything, she would just have Omer handle him, she decided.
She approached the elevator; and she had the shock of her life!
She saw a familiar figure standing there, with a top knot and an obnoxious pair of large earrings!
Sude!!
Her stomach just did a somersault!
What on earth she was doing here?
She couldn't even turn around and run, she would see her.
So, she bravely walked up and waited quietly and prayed that she shouldn't turn around... and then she did!
Defne couldn't stand the look of despise written clearly on her face.
She could sense that she looked down upon her, Defne.
Defne thought it was best to ignore such a behavior and decided to take the high road and be pleasant instead.
"Naaber Sude? How are you? Are you working here?"
Defne tried to keep her trembling voice as steady and pleasant as she could.
And just, then, the elevator doors opened and they both stood transfixed for a moment, spotting Omer in it.
He ignored Defne and looked at Sude with a contemptuous glance.
She haughtily ignored that look and continued on with her brazen greeting,
"Alo cusin! Good to see you here.
Look at where life brought us all... face to face with one another like the deadly pawns of chess!!"
"Iyim! Hope you are staying out of trouble Sude!
What brings you to our building?
Hope you are not coming to Passionis?" Omer asked with a dangerous glint in his eyes, his voice sounding metallic enough to send steely shivers down Defne's spine.
"Nope! No way! I am an Iplikci too, I have enough pride in me to never be around you and never set my foot inside your so-called honorable space.
So, don't worry canim!
Aah! Speaking of work, do you know where your ex-askim works these days?
Ney oldu Defne, did the cat drag your tongue off?" she asked venomously, trying to drag Defne into her battlefield.
Defne looked at her with round, frightened eyes, but did not say a word, but turned away, towards the elevator doors, praying for it to reach their floor, so she could get out of the sticky situation!
Omer, catching the drift, acted very casually, and as though spotting Defne by chance, as though he had no relations with her and as though she were just a mere acquaintance, asked with a courteous aloofness,
"Necil san Defne? Iyim si san?"
"Iyim... and you?
Hope everything is well?" She answered with the same formality to Sude's scoffs.
Sude just let out a mirthic laugh at the two and shaking her head, exclaimed,
"Oh my! Whatever happened to the great love that blossomed beyond bounds with the patron and his assistant!!"
The bell dinged and the doors opened and she stepped out with a breezy Görüşürüz to Omer, and asked Defne with surprise, if she was going to Passionis?
"Nyok canim, I am going upstairs to grab a cup of coffee."
And looked down at her shoes as the doors closed.
As soon as they did, Omer grabbed her and hugged her, and buried her in his chest, in a protective hug.
They both could hear her heart beat fast and furious at what had just happened, at Sude's venomous interaction just now.
Omer kissed her head, reached out and locked the key and continued to stroke her hair until her heart returned to normalcy.
He tenderly whispered into her ears,
"Defne? Iyim si san? Don't let people like her bother you askim, Tamaammu?
You are truly one of a kind, sweetheart.
Take it easy.
If she bothers you again, come get me!"
"Omer, thanks, but, how can I?
I can't keep running over to you every time something like this happens right?
I won't let her get to me, don't worry." She looked up and thanked him with the most angelic eyes and a smile.
"Every time, something like this happens, just remember I am right there with you, Tamaammu?" His heart just pattered and wanted to hold her in his arms forever and never let her go.
But practical things like work and deadlines got in his way.
"Do you still want the coffee Defne? We can go grab a cuppa?"
"Yes, I will go for some. Let's unlock the door Omer, people must be waiting for the elevator."
"Tamaam, one last kiss for the morning." And he swooped down to kiss her lips and her cheeks and forehead, cupping her cheeks, looked at her for any sign of frazzles.
When she assured, she was totally fine, he smiled and kissed her again.
"Will you have time for lunch Omer?"
"Nyok canim, we have a farewell party for Iz, and I have to be there.
But I want you to spend the night with me as always. Tamaammu? Gel, gel, come, let's go get coffee for the both of us."
"Omer, I am so glad, everything is alright between us!! I am so relieved; my secret is out! I can breathe again!" nervously gushed Defne as she took the cup from his hand.
He sipped his, turned and looked into her eyes with love mixed with pain and simply told her,
"I can only breathe with relief, when you are with me Defne!
"At all times!!""
*****
Defne walked into her room and found that Pamir bey was sitting in her chair, in the dark and made her jump when she turned the light on.
He had a teasing laugh on his face.
He rescued her coffee, getting up and apologized, laughingly.
"Gunaydin! I did not really enjoy this Pamir bey.
What brings you here to my office, Sabah, Sabah?" Defne asked with a slight tinge of irritation lacing her voice.
"Gunaydin partner!
I just came to remind you about our meeting at 10 this morning with Tramba.
Were you aware of it?
I was just making sure.
Ok, settle in, enjoy your coffee.
We will meet over lunch.
Where would you like me to take you to?" he winked slyly and asked her smoothly.
"Sure, we can, I have no particular preference.
You decide." Defne answered trying to keep her voice formal.
"Defne, Yapmaa!
We are going to be together for a week.
In an unknown city, amidst absolute strangers.
I do not want a surly partner on my trip.
To me all trips need to be enjoyable.
I love mixing pleasure with work."
"Tamaam, I can be a fun partner, if you agree to follow a few rules that I am going to lay down." Defne answered, getting ready for a battle of wits with her senior manager.
But she decided that she needed to put him in his place, get him off her back, in order for her to work harmoniously, tension-free and be able to be consumed with learning.
She folded her hand across her chest, and with her chin, formidably forward, said in a very professionally firm yet gently voice,
"I do enjoy playfulness and banter, but, when it is within limits.
If it were to cross the boundary to harassment, I shall withdraw myself from this project.
I do not have to be on board on this one."
"Oh! So, you are not worried about being removed then.
Ok then, I shall keep that in mind.
See you at 10, in the conference room." He briskly turned on his heels and left.
*****
Omer had just entered his office, when he heard, the door open and he turned to see Iz.
He smiled pleasantly at her.
"Omer, I came to thank you for the lovely goodbye lunch you hosted for me." Started Iz, hesitantly with a small nervous smile playing on her lips.
"It was no big deal Iz, I wish I could have spent more time with you this time around.
Next time for sure!" promised Omer.
"I am not sure there will be a next time now, will there be Omer?" asked Iz, a tad daring, trying to make eye contact with him.
To which, he simply shrugged, seemingly lost for words.
"I don't know, but I surely hope so.
I am sorry Iz, I turned out to be such a disappointment!
I sincerely pray that you should find your dream guy soon and I hope to get a wedding invite from you at the earliest." Omer said with all sincerity.
"I don't know, a dream guy at this point seems so farfetched.
But I won't stop dreaming, that's for sure!" said Iz with hope and continued, "I have brought Seda up to speed with everything, thankfully she proved to be a very quick learner.
And if there is anything, Sinan is always there to guide her through, which I am thinking, he will do willingly." She winked and both shared a knowing smile.
"Aah, Omer, one more thing, Defne sent me a beautiful goodbye note with flowers.
She needn't have but she did which warmed my heart!" said Iz wistfully to see Omer, beam with pride.
She laughed slightly at his love-struck look and continued,
"Evet, a very sweet note of goodbye, and best wishes for me meeting my dream guy and all of us meeting again soon. She is really sweet Omer." She looked at him with a sad twinge, to see him, nodding and muttering an evet in response, smilingly.
"I am very happy for you.
Cherish her and love her, I don't have to tell you, but as a friend who has known you from kindergarten years, I want to tell you, do forgive any mistakes she might make now or in the future, life is too short, enjoy life to the fullest with her."
Omer thought she almost choked on the last few words.
He just stepped forward, closed the distance between the both of them, and hugged her.
They stood for a few long moments conveying everything between them without saying anything, bidding goodbye without saying it aloud, Iz professing her love, without outwardly saying it.
She disengaged herself, not able to handle that physical contact with him anymore, and hurriedly saying goodbye, quietly left the room, Omer, and most importantly a precious piece of her past!
******
"Nay?? How did the rest of your day go?" asked Omer, gathering up her red strands in a handful of soap suds, and putting it all back on her shoulder blades and blowing them away to million little bubbles to surround the two with glee.
"Very well... the big boss stopped by, he briefed us on everything Vanni, and of course Paris.
He gave me back my passport and tickets.
And then Pamir bey took me out for lunch..."
"Nayyyy??? How come you never told me that?" demanded Omer angrily.
"Omer, please askim, calm down.
It was just a measly lunch, at the nearby café.
He wanted to take me to The Lounge, but I had a heavy load of work to wrap up, so just went for a quick bite.
He is just so hard to understand.
Oh! Did I tell you? He is accompanying me to Paris?"
She heard a huge splash of water spilling around them and felt the whole house rock with anger.
When she looked up with those rounded eyes, it was Omer, taking his full form, soapy and all, out of the bathtub and pacing the bathroom to and forth, stark naked that made Defne squeal with laughter.
"Defne, will you please stop with that laughter?
My blood is boiling here.
Pamir is going with you to Paris?
Oh my God, and you tell me now?" he asked with the most incredulous expression, which instead of scaring Defne, only made her laugh more!
"Gel, gel. Gel buraya. Come, come here Omer, please" She splashed water around her and invited him back to the bathtub, and went back to her original spot, leaning against his chest, continuing to play with the soap suds, asked him quietly,
"Omer, to me, it looks like you don't trust me, and that hurts me like crazy.
Are you worried that I will go fall for that playboy Pamir? Do you think I am that naïve?
I might look it, but never do I entertain looking at another guy with you occupying every cell of mine.
So, be at peace.
He was sitting in my office when I entered.
He spoke to me a bit cheekily.
And I gave him an earful of warning, saying, I wouldn't mind opting out of this project if I were ever to be harassed."
"You really said that?" Omer was very surprised at her daring decision on a topic that she held very close to her heart.
"Evet, I don't care Omer.
I can't and I won't succumb to any kind of harassment.
I know I have the coziest security blanket in you that I can come take refuge in. I can, can I not?" she asked sweetly rolling her head back, and looking at him.
She looked irresistible at that moment.
He answered her question by seizing her mouth in his.
And then an idea struck him.
He just quickly washed her hair with clean water, wrapped it like a turban with a towel and picked her up, both of them covered, completely in soap suds.
He took her to the bed despite all her wailing protests and dropped her on the bed and fell on top of her playfully.
"Ne yapıyorsun Omer??
What on earth are you doing??
The bed will get all wet, how are we going to sleep in it later?" she wailed playfully.
"Shhhh... I want to enjoy you like this...." saying he started blowing each sud into thin air to her shivering in chills with his blowing.
He quickly warmed her with his hot kisses.
As he blew the suds off, he kept exposing her shiny, dew kissed porcelain skin that he sucked in his mouth and kissed deeply before releasing and moving on.
Her moans and squirms and squeals only delighted him and enthused him to do more and continue throughout her body, discovering her new pleasure spots as he went along.
She was writhing like a marble reptile under the bronze him.
When he reached her soft spot between her legs, he looked up at her, to see her looking at him intoxicatedly.
He seemed to ask her for permission to lick and kiss her there. She blushed, smiled and looked away.
He went full on. He kissed her, taking in her earthy and the jasmine and lavendar smell of the soap.
It was driving him insane.
He just lifted his head to look at her.
She looked like a goddess to be worshipped.
She felt like butter, tasted earthy and smelled like lavendar and jasmine.
A perfect combination that drove him insane.
He gently slid his palms under her perfectly rounded bums, kissed and teased her soft spot until she couldn't take it anymore.
He knew she was ready to come as she started thrusting her hips forward.
He just couldn't stop himself from licking her, tasting her and teasing her most sesitive bud nestled in there, in the laps of ultimate pleasure zone.
She let out a pleasurable soft moan that turned into a scream the next instant.
She begged him to take her, and yet beseeched him not to stop whatever he was doing.
An amazing wave washed over him as she reached her orgasm, literally in his hands.
He had made her come, and he knew she wanted more, and he was raring to go also, he gently towering over her, pushed his gorgeous manhood into her, teasingly at first, and when she begged him to come, he lost complete control, and he slid luxuriously into her body, entwined in pleasure, each crying out the other's name in ecstasy.
Completely satiated with pleasure, they lay in each other's arms, breathing hard, she blushing at the lovely waves of orgasms he had made her experience, he drunk in her intoxicating beauty.
Night seemed to blanket them in its velvety blue hues.
Defne softly shivered in the cold.
"Defne, are you feeling cold?"
"Hm Hm.. can we have something warm to drink? I think I am a little hungry. I want some hot chocolate." She said in a pleading, child like voice.
"Hadi, come let me make you some.
I would like somehting too."he said, getting up, handing her a soft t-shirt of his and going down, hand in hand to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate.
They playfully made some, and when he tasted it first to see if it tasted right, Defne stood on her tippy toes, and kissed his lips to taste the hot chocolate off of his lips.
Both tumbling into laughter as the sweet, sweet memory of the hot chocolate incident at his aunt's house popped up.
"Hadi, let's sit and enjoy it under the blankets." Said Defne, taking him by the hand into the living room.
Midway into the drink, Omer asked her,
"Defne, is all your shopping and packing done?"
"Where? I am yet to shop for a few things, and then pack, Annane wants me to spend some time with her tomorrow."
He put away his drink and found a pillow in her soft laps as she continued,
"Omer, I am not sure if I can come tomorrow, tamaammu?" she touched his nose, bringng her head down to touch his as he nuzzled in her lap.
"Nas yaani?" he softly demanded.
"Yaani, I need to be with the family too right?
But you drop me at the airport on Sunday.
Why don't you come for breakfast and drop me at the airport?"
"Pike, tamaam! Ok!
Defne you are sure, you will be alright with Tramba and Pamir and all of them?
You will be fine right in Paris? İf you sense even the slightest of trouble, call me and I will be there in the next flight.
Tammaamu? Call me everyday. Face time me every day! Defnimmmm??"
"Hmmmmm?"
"I am going to miss you like crazy. Tell me, you will be ok?"
"Sakin Omer! I am a big girl, I will and I know I can take care of myself quiet nicely, don't you worry askim!"
"Gel gel, buraya. Come here," saying, he gathered her in his arms, seated her on his laps and hugged his arms around her.
He laid down on the sofa, bringing her with him.
"When did you become the person you are now Defne?
You sound so sure of yourself.
You are my Defne, aren't you?
I still want to be the one to take care of you." Saying, he nuzzled in her hair, feeling the semi wet hair that smelled like a flower garden.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him,
"Defne, I have been thinking of one more thing, have you thought about this angle?
Will Tramba want to work with you if he comes to know about you being engaged to me?
Have you thought of that?
That's a huge trust issue involved right there.
He might think your interests are not vested correctly."
"Yaani, meaning?"
"Meaning, he might think you might be more partial towards me because I am your fiancé, and not give him your best of designs.
He might think, Omer Iplikci is trampling with your ideas."
Suggested Omer, half playfully and half seriously.
"Seriously? Are you making fun of my situation Omer?" Defne asked sitting up.
"Nyok canim, why would I?
I don't think I can change your mind; you seem to be all set.
It's pure business Defne.
Think about it.
You are a designer, working in the same design sector company as your competitor, and engaged to him also. What do you think?"
"Nas yaa?? Nas yaani?"
Defne looked at him bewilderedly!
What a strange world!
Why couldn't she just keep designing shoes and making love to him and be content with it?
*****
Omer's Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
4 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of salt
2 cups milk
(I use 2%, feel free to use fat free or whole fat)
Method
Combine cocoa, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a small microwave-safe container. Add enough of the milk to make a smooth paste.
Add the rest of the milk and stir
Microwave until warm, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on your microwave.
Alternatively, you can whip this up on a stove top too.
Pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream.