Copyright © 2020 by Mrs_Madarame (Kasie)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Edited and complete version: https://www.amazon.com/author/mrsmadarame
OR
free on Inkitt: MrsMadarame
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Antonio entered the spacious office without knocking. Quietly shutting the door behind him, he walked over to Janaya's desk. She was a marketing manager at a local university. Antonio was her one and only trusted assistant.
"What's up, babycakes. There's a lounge on 23rd street that just reopened. Why don't we have a girl's night after work? A perfect chance to blow off steam and admire a beauty or two." He suggested.
Antonio was a tall, tan-skinned man. Slim with a little muscle. A workaholic but loved partying every chance he received. It didn't matter the gender, he was always able to capture the attention of others. He loved it.
"Really? I loved the previous adult lounge that used to be over there. I don't even know why they tore it down just to build something similar." Janaya waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, Elliott had a fit when I told him about my previous visit."
"Elliott is one fine piece of white chocolate, but he's boring! It's not like your cheating on him or even thinking about it. Shit, you're too stuck on him to even consider it! I hope he's at least good in bed with the way he nags. Alright. Alright. We can find something else to do tonight."
Janaya laughed. "Let me take a raincheck. It's Elliott and my wedding anniversary today. I have everything planned out for us this weekend. The moment he walks through the front door, I'll have a nice hot bubble bath waiting for him. Not mention his favorite scented candles. His favorite dinner dishes will be waiting for him and after he'll get one of my famous back rubs he loves. Janaya cooed. "And that's just for tonight."
"Any room for one more? Sounds like heaven to me. How long has it been since you two been together?"
"Please, Elliott is stingy and wouldn't even share his last candy bar if it was up to him." Janaya joked. "But we have been together for eleven years with five of those being married."
A rapid knock at the door interrupted their conversation.
"Yes! Come in!" Yelled Janaya.
"I have a delivery for Mrs. Janaya Watson." The delivery guy stated. He walked in with a bouquet of red and yellow roses and a thick bag of Thai take-out.
Janaya beamed with excitement. The aroma of the food made her stomach grumble. Elliott left out the house early in the morning without acknowledging their anniversary. It made her feel insecure and uneasy as she prepared for her day.
"So he actually remembered this year?" Janaya whispered to herself. "I knew I wasn't tripping."
"Does Elliott have a sister or a brother? I'll even take a cousin. I always get this lonely feeling whenever you two show affection in public."
Placing the items on her desk, she said: "I thought my Elliott was too boring."
Antonio shrugged. "What does the card say."
Janaya loved showing off her gifts from Elliott. He was blessed to have her as she was blessed to have him. Almost every day, she had butterflies in her stomach as if it were their first date. Even when he acts like an ass, he still seemed to make her heartbeat rapidly.
Cheesing from ear to ear, Janaya pulled the small card from the rose and began to read the neatly written cursive.
"Thank you for being uniquely you. I appreciate you. Advik."
Janaya looked up from the card and gave Antonio a confused expression. An expression that matched his.
Antonio jokingly sized her up. He gave her a "bitch really" look and proceeded to slowly leave her office. All while eying Janaya. The moment he left her office, Janaya went to sit at her desk. She was pissed that Elliott had forgotten another one of their anniversaries but her stomach felt uneasy with a butterfly feeling.
Advik was a fine Indian-American brother. Tall with an alpha aura. Confident but not cocky. Muscular, with a goatee that every woman wanted to stroke. And his voice! With the right words, it could make any woman wet. It was deep and sensational. Advik worked in the department of anesthesiology, which was across campus. Every now and then, they would join forces in order to help students at the university.
Janaya picked up the office phone and dialed his extension number. As it began to ring, she put the call on speaker.
"Department of anesthesiology. How can I help you?" Advik's deep-voiced echoed through the office.
Janaya cleared her throat. "Thank you for the flowers and food. I only told you once about my favorite restaurant and you still remembered." She chuckled.
"That's because I listen to you when you talk, ma. I'm glad you like them."
"But why did you buy me flowers?"
"To brighten up a beautiful woman's day. That and it's a thank you for recommending that assistant. He's been helpful through everything. Is everything okay? You need anything else?"
Although her skin tone was dark, Janaya could feel her cheeks burn. She felt guilty for even finding that man attractive.
"I-I'm okay. Thank you again. A-And I appreciate you. I mean it! The gesture!"
Adrik laughed. "Then I'm happy. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
After hanging up the phone, Janaya sighed heavily. She picked up her phone and texted Elliott a simple "I love you. Have a great day." and went to eat her lunch. She admired her flowers and smiled as she ate.
Later that day, Janaya went shopping for fresh red roses and the ingredients she needed to cook Elliott's favorite Caribbean dish. She got home and cooked curry goat, white rice, plantains, and roti. She put the portions on the table with two large candles in the middle of the table. She then went to freshen up and put on her favorite set of see-through lingerie. When she was finished with oiling her skin, she went to fill the bathtub with water and bubbles. She then added rose pedals for the finishing touches.
Janaya checked the time on her phone to see that Elliott should arrive at any moment. She decided to wait downstairs in the living room until he arrived. One hour turned in two and that turned into three. She picked up her phone to call him but she was sent to his voicemail.
Elliott was always home around ten on Fridays. Yet it was damn near three in the morning and he wasn't there. He didn't even read the messages she was sending him.
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