Surprise surprise. We will be reading from Paul's POV. Who's excited?? Well, I am.

Paul

I watch as Pauline storms off to one of the rooms, her hips swaying with each angry, purposeful stride she takes away from me. The corners of my lips twitch as the door shuts behind her, I am just as upset as she is, maybe even more. I have no right to get mad at her for fucking that son of a bitch with the smug expression, we are not an item but it still feels like she cheated on me.

Balling my hand into a fist, I exhale and slowly unclench it. I did not relocate from Enugu for this, I came here to have a drama-free life but drama seems to follow me wherever I go. Knowing she fucked him after we kissed is what hurts me the most. I tell her I like her and the next thing she does is to find a man to satisfy her needs then find a way to blame me for it. Women. They were all the same. I left her? I scoff, the phone works both ways. She left me too.

My eyes fall on the box of chocolates on the centre table and I feel the anger gnawing at my throat. He fucking bought them for her, that simp. I let out a deep breath and shake my head. He remembered her sweet tooth and in my haste to create the perfect date, I forgot. How could I? Those tiny, sugary sweets sit in the small bowl on her desk.

After a few struggles, I manage to change into her tight shirt. It smells of her and I like it. My lips almost curl into a smile which fades away when I remember the look in King's eyes. I know that look all too well. I see the way he looks at her; I know he wants her. I want her too, every sane man should. She's smart, confident and bubbly, a perfect combination of beauty and brains.

Given the opportunity, I am certain that sly, pompous King will try to fuck her again but will she let him? I don't know. I have no fucking idea and it riles me up even more. I want to trust her, believe it's a one time thing but I can't. My fingers dig into my scalp as if it will erase the memory of our argument but her words replay over and over again in my head like a broken disc.

This Valentine's date was a mistake, a scam, I should have left as soon as he came. My chest tightens and I let out a suppressed sigh, I won't put my heart on the line again. And what is that rubbish about Chi she keeps throwing in my face? Why the hell will I cuddle with her? What's wrong with me going to cool off at her place? At least Chi doesn't kiss or fuck any of the male staff.

I shiver a bit in my jeans, I should have listened to her and stayed inside but I could not, not at that moment. I didn't want to be anywhere near her. My eyes flit across the room, the cream curtains and the large television. She is doing well for herself.

Seconds turn to minutes and Pauline is not out yet. I tug on my beards, eyes zeroing in on the door of what I assume is her room. I can't stay here in my wet jeans and if the sound of water hitting the roof is a sign to go by, then the rain is not stopping anytime soon. Bringing out my phone to dial her number, I let out a string of curses when I realise I don't have it. Great. My eyes fly to the door which opens to reveal Pauline stepping out with a short in hand.

She has changed into a tank top and shorts that stop at her midthigh. My eyes trail over her lithe figure and I let out a low whistle. She is hot and she knows it. Women like Pauline know they are beautiful and they are not modest about it. I love that about her, how she takes pride in what she does. I love a lot of things about her. I like her.

Shaking my head to rid me of those silly thoughts, I clear my throat when she keeps staring at me without saying a word. She avoids my gaze but I don't miss the small, sad smile on her lips and I have to remind myself to stay put. Time to use my head, I can't afford to get distracted or hurt again. For now, it's logic over emotions.

"You can change into this," she murmurs, her eyes darting between me and the folded shorts she laid out on the armrest of her couch. Pointing to my trousers, she says, "I assume your royal stubbornness must be uncomfortable in those." I know it's meant to be a joke but I don't laugh or act like I heard it.

She is right, I am more than uncomfortable. The jean is sticking to my skin, restricting the blood supply to my legs. I am angry, wet to the bone and in no mood for her second-hand jokes. Grumbling a response, I begin to unbuckle my belt without notice, causing her to yelp and cover her eyes.

"You should give a warning first," she says, her hands coming to rest by her sides.

I tilt my head to the side, collect the short she offers me. "Why? It's nothing you haven't seen on King," comes my response and after one final tug on my jeans, it comes off.

The smile on her face morphs into a scowl, her hands go to her waist. I smirk, that's more like it, no need to act like a nun who hasn't seen men naked or in their boxers.

"It's new," she volunteers when I lift the boxer I found in the middle of the shorts to my nose. It has no smell but the shorts smell like her. She has used it before and a part of me is strangely comfortable with knowing that fact.

"Do you go about buying boxers in hopes to give it out to random guys?" I ask with a hint of sarcasm but she doesn't laugh.

Pauline turns away from me and I take that chance to change into her clothes.

"I am done, you can turn around," I tell her. She comes to stand in front of me with a smile playing on her lips and a hand on her waist. Her clothes are not bad on me; the shirt is a bit tight but I can manage it.

My eyes lower to her cleavage, her nipples poke through her singlet and she folds her arms over her chest. She bites her lips, looks at me once, then at her slender feet.

"You are not random," she suddenly says and her hands drop to her side, "but you are an asshole." I raise an eyebrow. "I like to wear boxers to sleep, they are freer. It just happens that I have not used that one yet."

Pauline's foot circles the floor while she continues avoiding my gaze. She wraps her hands around my wrists, lifts her eyes to mine. "Paul. There is no list. I don't have a thing for the male staff, only you." Her words warm me over but I refuse to fall for it. "King just happened, it wasn't planned. Nothing is going on between him and me. Believe me, it was a one time thing."

Nodding as if I believe her, I point to the chocolate on the table. "This isn't nothing, the flowers in the kitchen isn't nothing." I withdraw my hands and frown. "I know when a man wants a woman, King wants you and I won't compete with him for you."

"But I don't want him. I want you, Paul."

"For how long?" I ask, "long enough for you to find my replacement among the staff?" My finger juts in the direction of the chocolate. "If nothing is going on between the two of you, why did you accept it?"

Her lips part open to speak but not a single word departs from it. "Throw it away," I state with a note of finality. I don't want her accepting any gifts from that man. "Throw them away, the flowers and the chocolate."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No," she says and I nod. That's exactly what I expected to hear yet she claims it's nothing. What kind of woman accepts gifts from a man she doesn't like, a man she slept with? I shake my head; I will not be fooled twice. "I love chocolates; I can't throw it away."

"Is that your excuse?" I throw my hands up then pull on my beards. "Of course you can't throw it away. You love chocolate so much and since you can't afford to get it yourself, you must have the one from King, your boss." When I notice her lips quiver, I relent. "Please throw it away, I'll replace it."

"No, it's a gift," she says. "I won't dispose it because you don't like it and I don't need you to replace it for me, I can afford it."

A string of curse words slip past my lips and I let out humourless laughter. She's full of contradictions. She doesn't like him but she doesn't mind accepting gifts from him, not just gifts given on any day but Valentine's Day, lovers day. He also bought flowers.

"Let me get this straight," I start and pull a strand of hair from my beards. "He fucks you once and buys you chocolate which you gladly accept in the name of you love it. When he fucks you the next time, what do you think he will gift you? A teddy bear?" The statement is barely out of my mouth when her palm connects to my cheeks.

She slapped me. Again. My eyes narrow at her and she shrinks in front of me. I won't hit her; I will never hit a woman but she has to know it's not okay to go about slapping people. "Don't you ever slap me again."

"Sorry," she mutters and steps away from me. Her arms wrap around herself, she whispers, "Am I not worth fighting for?" She shakes her head. "Don't bother to answer that, you already did. You made it clear, you won't compete with King for me." She sniffs. "But here you are, talking about an inexistent list, about the male staff I have a thing for, hurling words at me without a care for how I feel. Why?"

"I am not holding the women you have slept with against you, so why can't you drop it?" She tugs on her hair and sighs. "I slept with just one man, one man. You and I were not a couple then, we are still not a couple so I can sleep with anybody I want without having to explain myself to you or anyone.

"Yet I am trying to explain to you knowing full well you have a girlfriend who you will go back to after all this." My ears burn at her accusation, she blinks back tears and takes a step away to avoid me touching her. "King might want me for my body alone but at least he knows how to treat a lady." She takes in a deep breath, holds her hand up and says, "I'm done. You don't have to worry about competing with any man for me, I don't need you to, I'll fight my own battles."

I stand there in shock and silence moments after she leaves, the only thought that echoes in my head is: I have ruined this.

Minutes later, she arrives with a blanket and some pillows which she drops on the longest couch without a glance at me. Her silence hurts me more than her words and I move to block her path. We can fix this.

"Pauline," I start but she cut me off with a glare. My brows furrow, I purse my lips, trying to figure out how the tables turned.

I am the one who got hurt, the one who should be calling things off. But I don't want this, whatever this thing between us is, to be over before it even starts. She can't be done with me. Not yet.

"Paul. Move," she says but I shake my head and remain standing there with a smile.

The path I am blocking isn't her only way out, if she wants to leave, she can but I hope she doesn't. I wrap my arms around her waist and try to pull her close to me but she stops me with her hands on my chest. She starts throwing punches at me but her hits are soft, they are more like a chest massage.

When I have had enough, I grab her hands with one of mine to stop her from creating a permanent hole on my chest. Her eyes fill with unshed tears and the sight tugs at my heartstring. I hurt her with my words, maybe I am the asshole she says I am. But it's not all my fault, I have been dealt mean cards at the hands of beautiful women and I don't want a repeat of that experience. Calabar is meant to be my second chance.

"Pauline," I whisper. She looks at me with those doe eyes that are glazed with tears and my heart breaks all over. I caused it. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Forgive me."

"No, you were not." Pauline shakes her head and the tears spill to her cheeks. "You are never thinking about the impact of your words and how it affects me, you just say it."

She wipes at the tears and continues, "I like you but I won't stay here and have you disrespect me in my home." Her head lowers. "I am sorry for leading you on and I don't want your apology. We are done."

My hands drop from her waist, I hook a finger under her jaw and the intensity of her stare has my eyes glued to her face. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip and I forget what I am about to say. I forget that I want to apologise over and over again until she takes back her words, accepts my apology.

"I want to kiss you," I say instead and her eyes widen. "If you don't want to, you can leave, I will not stop you from leaving." Her gaze lowers to my lips and her fingers weave their way into my beards. She licks her bottom lip, weaves her fingers through my beards and I nod in approval. "Kiss me."

**********

Picture: Mawuli Gavor.

I had no idea how I was going to end this chapter when I started it. So many things came to mind but I ended up with this one. I feel like I should have made Paul say more but then again, I didn't want to give out anything. I'm sure by now, we know that Paul isn't a man of many words. I hope I pacified y'all by at least writing from his POV.

I apologise for the late upload; I have also been so busy, project is coming down on me. Defense is next month, there are so many things happening at once.