Natasha opened her eyes. It was still very early in the morning and she could tell by the still dimly naturally lit balcony. She smiled. She knew she would not find anyone next to her in bed in the morning. She giggled when she thought of how passionate her night was. She felt it ironical how a cold man could be so warm. She giggled again. She was blushing.
"It seems someone is still energetic. I don't mind directing her energy to some other minor activities." Natasha immediately turned at the comment and she met with his eyes. Brandon was still in bed! His eyes were looking at her as passionately as before. He put on a mocking smile. She knew he meant it. Before she could act and run out of bed, she was quickly pinned on the soft beddings. "What were you thinking about that made you blush so very early in the morning?" He softly asked her.
"No…nothing Boss Bran." She tried to control her red flushing face. Of course he knew.
"Nothing?" Brandon asked and seemed to think about something. "Then let me help you."
It was a few minutes to seven when Natasha woke up again. She felt tired. She cursed Brandon in her head severally but her heart felt different. She looked around the room and he was not there. She felt…happy. Extremely happy. The more she recalled his words, actions, kisses, the more she felt her face turn red. After a while, she rushed to her room and got ready for her work. Going down the stairs, she felt as if she was flying. Mrs. Gilbert was the first to notice how happy the young lady was. She smiled.
"Good morning Mrs. Gilbert." Natasha greeted her blushing. She knew she witnessed everything last evening.
"Good morning Natasha. I trust you slept well. Breakfast is ready for you in the dining area." Mrs. Gilbert informed her immediately leaving since the more she stood there, the more the young lady's face turned pink. Natasha went straight to the dining area humming a romantic tune. She was dressed in a one-shouldered white jump suit with the lengths ending just above the ankles whereby the laces of her six inch white heels began.
"Someone is glowing today." Brandon said to the woman who was coming in to the room. Natasha almost hit her hand on the door. He had done it again! Brandon continued to sip his cup of tea oblivious to the woman who trying to keep her heart beat in check. Watson, who was also enjoying his cup of tea, looked at Natasha then at Brandon who was checking something in his phone. He seemed to be catching up.
"Stop doing that!" Natasha snapped.
"What? You did not mind it in the…."
"Good morning Watson!" Natasha suddenly, almost shouting, interrupted Brandon, who looked at her and smiled evilly.
"Good morning Ms. Claire." Watson mocked. Natasha rolled her eyes at the two men who were constantly getting on her nerves.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work already?" She asked sitting to Brandon's left looking directly at Watson. Her breakfast had already been placed and covered at her spot.
"We are. But we decided to not leave without you." Brandon answered coolly.
"Why not? You do that every day. You have done that every day for the last two months or so." Natasha highlighted as she took a sip of the fresh beetroot juice in her glass. She almost spit it out but Brandon was observing so she swallowed it hard. Watson chuckled. Brandon continued to scroll through his phone. He ignored her question. "Why not?" She asked again.
"Watson, please add Ms. Claire some more juice. She seems rather perched from her work out this morning." Brandon instructed Watson, who seemed confused at the statement.
"You work out?" Watson asked getting up to get the juice.
"No and don't dare to add me some more juice!" Natasha warned and she stared angrily at Brandon who went on to sip his cup of tea while going through his phone. Watson sat down, even more confused. After a while, his mind hypothesized an idea. Natasha stood up after a while and looked at the man who had a smirk. "Watson, please remind me to get some ground nuts at the supermarket today. We need someone to improve his stamina." Natasha jested and walked away from the table. Watson let out a small laughter before he felt Brandon's eyes staring dangerously at him. Deep within him, Brandon felt challenged. He loved challenges.
"Get the car ready!" He ordered Watson and stood up from the table and walked away.
Natasha had gone back to her room to brush her teeth again. The beetroot juice had made her feel nauseous. As she was rinsing her mouth at the mirror in her washroom, she saw someone behind her. She quickly turned from the mirror and she met with his mischievous look.
"Stamina?" Brandon repeated in a low deep voice taking a step closer to her. Out of instincts, Natasha took a step back. She could smell the dangerous aura in the room.
"No Boss Bran. I was just joking. Let's go. We shall be late. It is almost eight." She tried to save herself. Brandon nodded and Natasha sighed at the close save. As she turned around to place her toothbrush in the holder, the man pounced at her and roughly undressed the jumpsuit she was in.
It was an hour later when Brandon got in to the BMW parked at the front of the mansion. Watson stared disbelievingly at his boss. He had been waiting for them for almost an hour and he seemed unconcerned! After a few more minutes, Natasha came out through the door. She was dressed in a black knee-length free dress, black flat shoes, dark sunglasses and an accompanying black handbag. Watson looked at her and felt that something looked wrong. Brandon just smiled at the sight. As Brandon sat at the back left, Natasha sat at the back right. She did not look at him at all. He did not seem bothered.
"Natasha, I am sorry for asking this but, were you dressed like that earlier on? It is really getting on my nerves!" Watson innocently asked. Natasha looked at him and blushed.
"No. No. My white jumpsuit got beetroot juice spilled all over it. I had to change it." She lied easily and closed her eyes at the surging pain in her body. Brandon observed her at the corner of his eyes. Watson became even more confused. He could not seem to remember that event happening. He shrugged his shoulders and directed the car up to the BESMA Group parking. He opened the door for Brandon who went on and opened the door for Natasha. She did not come out. Mostly because of the pain she could feel coursing through her body but also because she wondered what other people in the company would say seeing them together. "I can't get in there with you. The other employees will start talking behind my back!" She snapped and held on tighter to her seatbelt.
"Well, my dear. If you do not come out of the car and walk in there with me, and if you are still having the energy to be stubborn, I could also stay behind, and you know, keep you company." Brandon said calmly. Natasha could hear the threat in his words loud and clear.
"Damn you!" She hissed underneath her breath. She took off her sunglasses and placed them in her hand bag, unbuckled her seat belt and slowly got off the car. She could feel her legs tremble and she closed her eyes to suck in her pain. Brandon observed. He smirked. She forced a smile and they walked to the underground elevator, with his hand placed carefully on her low back. They seemed like a couple going for a phot shoots. "You will have to get me a new jump suit. I loved that one!" She whispered to him. Watson heard but ignored. He finally understood.
"I will. As many as you would like." Brandon answered. "On one condition."
"Condition? What condition?" Natasha was shocked at his audacity.
"That I have lunch with your family today after our visit to the gynecologist." Brandon answered without hesitating. Natasha looked at the smiling man unbelievably with her eyes wide and her mouth even wider. Watson struggled to control hi laughter and was almost failing but luckily the lift opened at the CEO's floor.
"But those are two conditions!" Natasha complained.
"No. One. Because one cannot happen without the other." Brandon said as he got off the elevator leaving the woman behind furious.
By the time she was getting to her office, the pain was unbearable. But she had to discuss some few things with the projects team and had scheduled a meeting with them by half past ten. In the floor above, Watson was updating his boss on several matters.
"Boss, the DD City project has already begun and Ed and Fred are overseeing it. By end of coming month you can go and check out its foundation. The final contract for the Halal establishment is ready for your signing. You need to have a vice CEO and an assistant GM. In the coming month we have around ten major projects to oversee including the two I have just highlighted and we also have an international two-weeks conference in England. Moving on to other issues, we found William's biological parents in the western part of the region. The father is a street vendor and the mother is in the psychiatric hospital. As for the Benjamin's and the Owen's deeper past, I think it would be better you see it for yourself." Watson hesitated and handed over to Brandon several files and another file separated from the others. "It was really expensive to get that information…"
"I'll compensate." Brandon interjected as he quickly skimmed through the file. Watson excused himself and left Brandon studying the file. The more he read, the more shocked he became. He called back Watson after an hour. "Do any of these families know what happened?"
"No Boss."
"Natasha?"
"She is in a projects meeting right now. Way forward, boss?"
"I think we should prepare for a very difficult parley. Get involved minor parties ready."