The next day when Raymond decided to drop me at the shop, I didn't go in. Rather, I Turned and moved towards the office building I saw him enter the day before, with the hope of seeing him again.
And that was how I found out about his full name Gregory Francis and he was the CEO of the automobile company, from an office cleaner with porous lips.
'I'll be here waiting,' the air around me whispered those exact words in my ears, tempting me to have another taste of the forbidden fruit. I hailed a taxi and got in, telling the driver where he would take me.
*'So, you went to the house that morning? Didn't you consider the possibility of the owner being at home?'
*'Yes, I did consider the fact that Natasha may be around at that time of the day but I couldn't help it.'
I needed him, I needed to feel the strength of him again, feel his fingers caress every inch of me, to feel his teeth rake my neck and his hot tongue lick a fiery path of pleasure along it. Even if it is for the last time, my body hummed for him, every nerve endings were set aflame with hunger, hunger for him alone.
"I went to your branch office today." I said as we lay on the bed exhausted from our marathon sex.
"my branch office?"
"Yes, your branch office, from the outside one won't even spare a second glance at it but the inside is very grand."
"Hmm I see, you met Margie" he simply stated as he rose from the bed, moved to the bathroom and soaked a cloth in heated water before moving back to the bed to clean the proof of his release from between my thighs.
"The name suits her and she sure does have a good mouth on her," I watched him as he cleaned me. No man has ever cleaned me afterwards, not even Raymond and him doing that had me feeling something I shouldn't be feeling.
Finishing, he returned to the bathroom and proceeded to clean himself before he returned to the bed. Moving in beside me, he pulled me against him.
"Greg, I need to go," I told him, but I didn't move away from him.
"Stay for another hour," he groaned as I roamed my hands on his chest, relishing the feel of his hairless chest against the palm of my hand.
"Natasha may find me here and God knows what will happen then." my hand stilled with the fleeting caress as my fingertips glanced across the bite mark I'd bestowed to his chest in the heat of the moment.
"Did I hurt you?" I asked, looking up at his face.
He smiled broadly seeing my worried expression, "No Timi, just that slight it was there ache." he assured me as he brushed the tip of my nose with his index finger. "Moreover, the feeling of it will remind me of the pleasure I gave you for days to come."
"Please stay with me, Natasha won't be coming back anytime soon. She travelled to Abuja this morning." he said as he ran his hand caressing along my spine.
"When is she coming back?" I asked and he mumbled something like in two weeks time.
I wanted to stay in his arms but I couldn't, the mere thought of Natasha finding me in one of her many bedrooms with her best friend sent a shiver down my spine. "If you want me to spend more time with you then take me to your place, my mind is not at rest coming to another woman's home."
He moved from the bed immediately, like what I said burnt him. "I can't," he said icily, sitting in one of the armchairs in the room.
I slowly sat up, "why?" I breathed out in disbelief at what he just uttered.
He ran a hand over his face, "I can't lose another person in that God forsaken house, I can't..." he said brokenly.
"You can't lose who my dear?" I scrambled out of bed but kept my distance.
"She died Timi," he picked up a bottle of drink from the side stool and drank straight from the bottle before putting it back down. "There was a woman, so beautiful and smart. I lost her in that house. I still don't understand how it happened. The balcony rail was as high as it should be and she wasn't suicidal. We were happy, very happy coupled with the wedding coming in a month's time. I was in love with her." he took mouthfuls of the drink till it was empty.
"Do you know what it is like to fall head first from a storey building? He asked, staring at me with hurt filled eyes. I shook my head, having no idea.
"It's like this," he stood up with the empty bottle in hand, walked to the window ledge and placed the bottle on it. He moved it to the edge before letting it go. I watched as it fell downward, slightly hitting the wall before it hit the tiled floor and shattered into pieces.
"The heart stops, a terrific scream escapes the lips, then the head connects with the gravelled ground and the neck twists to an awkward angle." sighing deeply, he said in a trembling voice, "it's been two years and the hurt doesn't go away."
My eyes misted over as I listened to him, sympathy for him filled me. I don't know what to say, so I moved to him and kissed his lips, pouring all my sympathy and understanding of his loss in that one kiss.
Forcing myself back from the kiss, I stared up at him. There was so much sorrow, torment and pain in his gaze.
"I live with someone," I whispered, lowering my eyes.
"And you're here?"
"I have to go," I turned away from him, picking up my discarded clothes and wearing them.
"No, don't put them on." he said as I was about to put on my underpants. I thought it was best to humour him so I did as he said.
I felt naked walking without my underpants but at the same time felt somehow free. I felt relieved after telling Greg about Raymond, even though I didn't mention his name. I walked with a bounce to my step.
'All I've to do is break things off with Raymond,' I thought aloud as I hailed a taxi that just dropped off a passenger and entered the car. Just thought about the devil and he called. I rolled my eyes, picking up the call, "hello."
"Where are you, huh?" his harsh voice came sounding through the phone.
"erm, I'm running some errands,"
"That's why I've been calling and you refuse picking," he said in an accusatory tone.
I knew he wouldn't be sounding like that if everything was alright. I apologised for not picking his calls and asked what the matter was.
"I want you to go get my clothes from the tailor, I've a dinner date tonight."
"A date? With whom my dear?" I asked curiously.
"You know, you're nothing but a meddling fool Timi. Can't you just run simple errand without asking stupid questions."
I wanted to insult him back which would have been a first, but the piercing eyes of the driver in the mirror had me saying a different thing entirely. "Of course I'll go get your stuff, I love you." I ended the call immediately because I knew other insults would come pouring out of that mouth I once considered attractive. Sighing, I asked the driver to take me to Jo_ _ _ instead of the house I and Raymond are staying.