<Why chase you when I'm the catch?>

|Jadesola|

RED HOT fire scorched me, zings of pleasure spearing down my arm as warmth radiated through my body, certain places coming to life at that single touch of his.

Bloody hell.

I tipped my head down, the veins prominent on his hand, muscular and powerful. The things those tapered fingers of his could do. The erotic potential of them. Sliding. In. And. Out.

No. No. No.

Abruptly, I darted away, yanking my wrist out of his snug hold.

The tip of his tongue snaked out to lick his lower lip, a knowing smile softening his roguish features.

"Ever heard of consent?" I spat, cradling my wrist, nursing it gently, to snuff out the fire that had razed me whole. The hungry fire that threatened to consume me. Enticing me to lust after my boss.

He ignored my statement, saying, voice hoarse as he honed a sultry gaze at my chest, "You're wearing a bra at night." His disappointed tone struck an annoyed chord in me.

Thanks to hormones, my breasts were sore, contained in the confines of a bra, my nipples tender and chapped. Normally, I would have forgone one but not today. There was no way I was coming to meet him without wearing one. No telling what pleasurable but risky consequences that would befall me.

"What?! Didn't expect me to wear one?" I snapped, crossing an arm over my chest, enraged because the moment he'd made that statement, my nipples turned hard, chafing against the silky material of the bra.

"In a way, yes." He arched his head, lips curved in a tiny smirk, an arm hung over the semi-closed door, that cursed towel slithering down. "You hardly put on underwear."

I let the anger from before trickle through my veins. Anything to shield me from the ruthless charm he possessed. "I'm here to work sir, not talk about my dressing style."

With a deft twist of my body, I changed position and trudged into the room. Mad—I didn't know if it was because I was on my period or the fact I couldn't jump my boss's bones—I paid no heed to the room's decor, only heading towards a sofa to sit.

Kian eventually shut the door, directing a smug look at me. "Wait here. I have to change into clothes that won't get you all hot and bothered."

He slid a feverish gaze across my person, slowly, like a lover's passionate caress, sweeping down the rigid arch of my behind. A slow, intense perusal that elicited a hot and bothered reaction down there.

Tilting my chin up in defiance, I stared as well, my expressions stoic, daring him to do or say anything.

He didn't. Rather, he smirked and walked off to the adjacent entrance, my own burning gaze drilling holes on his perfectly sculpted back.

Phew. The breath I didn't know I'd been withholding streamed out, my arms sagging in relief.

All hot and bothered indeed. Conceited, entitled son of a bitch. He could have worn clothes a long time ago. Gifted me the fucking privilege of not having his sexy body imprinted on my mind.

Dumbass.

Now alone, I placed my bag on the maroon carpeted floor and observed Kian's living room. Red surrounded me, the elegant bulbs overhead highlighting the polished surfaces, a muted tone of black and ox-blood furniture littering the moderate room. A large tv, propped on a stand, sat proudly across from me, a bar next to a corner of the room, numerous drinks and wine glasses arranged on a polished counter.

A typical bachelor room.

Glazed with an artistic wallpaper, nary a picture manned the walls. None of him or his family members, just bare, stripped of vibrant colors. If he had been married, there was no evidence to prove that fact. But then, I supposed him divorcing her, the last thing a man like him would do was to keep photos of their marriage. No one desired a bitter reminder of their past.

Shaking off that thought, I noted, pleased at how tidy it all appeared. Kian had maintained a clean environment. That bit wasn't surprising though. He was a neat freak who ordered people to clean up for him.

Still marveling at his home, I turned, my lips rounded in an o.

Spanning the length and breadth of the wall, a gigantic glass enclosure took the place of a window. Staged behind me, shafts of natural light streamed into the room, the silvery rays of the moon setting the tiled floor in a dreamy glow. Magnificent.

Drawn to its magnetic pull, I stood, my breath hitched at this wonderous view. Stars twinkled, the entire vastness of the night sky, inky black, soothing my ruffled nerves.

"Still admiring my place, eh?" A voice spoke behind me.

I swerved to meet him, legs crossed over each other, clothed form leaning against the doorway. Covered up as he was, a rakish grin playing on his lips, he still drew an attractive picture.

"Yes?" he drawled, velvety tone washing over me.

"Well now that you're here, I'm not. Can I start working please? I don't intend to stay here the whole day," I hurled out, fingers digging into my palms, vexed that he'd ruined the show.

Amusement danced in his eyes for a second before it vanished, that playful air around him waning. Dipping his damp head, he motioned for me to follow.

Straightening, I hoisted my bag up, hot on his heels. We entered a lighted hallway, the thick rug clouding our footfalls, the crisp air, scented with a heady aroma of rosemary. Kian's signature cologne.

He unlocked a door by the right and held it open for me.

"My study, where I get work done if I don't want to go to the office."

A bit bemused as to why he was playing the gentleman, I stepped in, opposed to saying thank you.

He came in after me, switching the lights on. The first thing my eyes landed on, after noting how spacious the study appeared, was the piles of files decorating his desk. A whole truck load of documents manned the polished surface, notebooks, a laptop and robust office files stationed on it as well.

Aghast, I narrowed my eyes. Was this what this man expected me to work on? By this time of the day?!

I whirled to face him, words of anger already bubbling on the tip of my tongue. But he was veering ahead, swaggering to the direction of the table. He picked a file, his brows puckered in concentration as he flipped a page. Even while serious and the source of my fury, the man was hot as hell.

Angling his head up, he noticed my furious glare, a finger sitting on the file. "I know it looks scary. All these work for poor Jadesola–"

"Werey," I muttered beneath my breath, more irked than ever.

He grinned and continued, tone playful, "--to do but yes, this was an emergency. We just recently changed insurance companies so I need you to go through each and every file. They're all different companies. Take note of their conditions, the terms we have to forgo, then create a spreadsheet on Excel with key points for each insurance company. This would help my lawyer to deduce which is better. Understood?"

No.

But I shook my head yes, a silent sigh escaping my lips, exhaustion already seeping into my bones. "Do I have to finish it all this morning?"

"Not exactly." He rounded the desk, making his getaway. "If you could do at least eight of them, that would be fine."

I uncrossed my arms, nodding reluctantly. "Alright."

Before he left, he added, "If you need anything else, let me know. My room is just across."

On that note, he departed, taking with him his manly scent.

I walked to the desk, fixing a bitter glare at the work he'd piled up for me. Stuck in an irate mood, I let my bag thud to the desk and planted my ass down.

What the—

I shot up, taken aback. The chair was too fucking straight laid and uncomfortable. Balancing my buttock's muscles, I strived to check if I would discover a better seating position. No such luck.

The tough chair was adding to my troubles. I wouldn't bat an eye if this chair was among the things that kept him bad-tempered and in a sour mood all the time. Wicked man, he was probably snuggled in his soft bed while I sat on a rock hard chair, staring my eyes out at a laptop screen till they bled.

Oponu.

Now, I explored the sea of papers, searching for a pen. Where were his fucking pens? Wrinkles of vexation formed on my forehead as I rummaged through the documents and notes. No pen.

Dang it, I should have brought mine along.

I yanked open the first drawer beneath the table, rummaging through the mass of paperworks. Second drawer, a condom winked at me. Ewww. Third, various lubes and sexual toys accommodated the tiny compartment like it was their home.

I clicked my tongue, tsking. Did Kian let orgies go on in this study?

On my fourth search, I found a black pen.

"Aha!" I squealed, about to slam the drawer shut. But paused. The plain color of a notebook caught my eye, halting my movements.

What have we here?

Curiosity gnawing at me, I pulled the tiny book out and flipped the thick cover open.

if I could go back
I would but if I did
it wouldn't be back
to you
it would be someone else
way better than you
~k.z.f

Well, well, well.

I turned to the next section, the brittle page making a rustling noise.

love is but an illusion
created to torment mankind
you are love
sent to destroy me
and I am the seed of man
cursed to be wrecked
in your love
~k.z.f

My, my. Who would have known that Kian was a poet? And not a very good one at that. He sounded like a broken-hearted teenager, not at all like the bossy, commanding alpha man exterior he showcased to the world.

I was prying into his private life, my searching eyes falling on another poem, more intimate than the first two.

to the woman
who will hold
my heart
our babies
our love
i ache for you
body and soul
yearning for your touch
what is mine is yours
and what is yours
is mine
~k.z.f

I traced a finger across the words, soaking in the angst, desire and pain streaked over the pages. Even his writing seemed refined. Exquisite. Totally different from the hulking, eternally angry being that was my boss.

Who was he really?

Torn between glimpsing through the other poems, I stilled my devouring fingers, instilling a sense of decency. Then I snapped the book shut and kept it in its previous position.

Relaying the poems to the back of my mind, I cracked my knuckles, picked a pen and got to work. It was time to labour like the slave Kian deemed me to be.

As I toiled, peering at his laptop and scrawling on a page, I took little breaks. Breaks that I absolutely deserved, using the few minutes interlude to brew myself a coffee. The cramps were back, devious pinches playing havoc to my belly. Perhaps the bitter grains would quiet those nerve-wracking that accompanied me.

"Done?"

I jerked my head up.

Kian was at the door, shirtless. His hair was mussed, tangled in thick clumps as if he had been tossing and turning the whole time.

My pulse spiked up, transfixed, eyes stuck to his bare chest, those delectable abs flexing as he approached me, his pelvis spotting splotches of hair that trailed down to his . . .

Don't think of his cock Jade. Just. Don't.

To avoid swallowing all the raunchy details whole, I returned my attention to the Excel screen before me.

"Done?" he repeated.

"Nope," I popped out in a cheeky voice to hide the fact that I had been ogling my boss.

I glanced at my watch to check the time, anything to dampen my overactive mind and voiced, "It's 3:30. Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?."

"I was, but found I couldn't sleep."

Stunning as he was, he did look sleep deprived and I wondered what nightmares plagued him.

Could it be connected to the sad tone of the poem?

"It happens," I said, agitated. Restless. The pill's soothing effects had long since worn away and the cramps surged through my frame, unrelenting. The darn coffee wasn't even doing its job and I was on my third cup.

He advanced closer to peek at what I was working on. As he bent his head, a whiff of rich, luscious rosemary scent wafted to my nostrils, swirling around me. Enclosed in that intoxicating cocoon, I sucked in a deep breath, the virile scent of him burying me whole.

Gulping, I chugged down the lukewarm coffee, averse to reacting to that irristible charm he exuded.

"Are you okay?" he asked, softly.

"Yes."

So close, he stood, that if I moved an inch, our lips would touch. My glazed expression met his and for the first time I saw in his azure eyes, a glint of emotion, something other than disgust or fury— care.

"But you're shaking. Does my presence upset you?" A grim smile extended his lips in a thin line.

Cursing the cramps, I shook my head, no, agony surging outwards from my tummy to my legs. Your presence makes me want to rip my clothes off and jump your sexy ass.

"You're lying." He withdrew and rubbed the back of his neck, face shuttered yet his eyes were troubled. "I don't want to disturb you any more than I have to. I'll leave now."

An awkward silence settled in the air as he retreated, almost close to the door.

"Wait," I called, feet tapping the floor continuously. An involuntary motion I always did whenever that burning ache started.

He stopped, but didn't reverse, my hungry gaze casting an admiring look at his smooth back.

"I'm done with twelve files so I think I will be leaving now."

He circled to meet me, eyes flared wide in disbelief as he vehemently stated, "Now?! Like you said, it's three am. I doubt there will be a taxi out by this time."

Despite the torturous ache assaulting me, my snarky side came up to the surface, a brow slanted in amusement. "That's not what you said earlier."

"Fuck what I said earlier." He rolled his eyes, glowering. "You can't go home by this time of the day."

"Excuse me?" Did I sense a subtle amount of care? I stared in fascination at that slight show of worry he'd displayed. Who was this man? Where had mean, heartless Kian Fields fled to?

The man standing in front of me, in all his half naked, tempting glory, didn't remind me of him.

"Yes, I insist. You will be sleeping here."

I placed the cup to my lips, knitting my brows in a dark frown, sure that he was joking. "I'm capable of taking care of myself sir."

"I know but this is an order from your boss. You will be sleeping here, in my room."

The coffee I was drinking came out in a quick burst as I spluttered, coughing, "What?!"

He smirked, a wolfish look flashing across his gorgeous face. "My room doesn't mean you'll be sleeping in my bed."

When he mentioned bed, x-rated images of him sucking my aching nipples, thrusting into me, fast and hard, as I moaned his fucking name flashed in my mind at a shocking speed.

Berating those naughty thoughts and blaming it on my raging hormones, I called myself to order, focusing on his moving lips.

"I have other rooms as well and you'll be staying in one. Unless you want to stay in mine." An unholy light shone in his hooded, intense eyes.

And. . . That was the boss I was used to. The one with an ego the size of Jupiter.

"Just so you know, I'd rather sleep on a bunch of poison ivy than on your bed." I propped my aching body up and tucked the files away including those I was done with and yet to deal with, taking my precious time.

"If you say so." He simpered, standing at the door, watching me with those eagle eyes of his, his passionate stare fixed to my person.

When I was ready, I waited for him to go before me, reluctant to walk ahead just in case my period had decided to embarrass me by leaving a stain.

As we headed towards the room, I inquired, "Do you have any spare feminine clothes? It didn't occur to me that I would be spending the remainder of my day at your place."

His reply was a dry chuckle. "Yes I do. Come along."

I trudged beside him, pursing my lips, a bit miffed. Of course he would. Even the condoms and sex toys I'd seen earlier attested to that. A man like him, rugged and attractive as he was, would have loads of women fawning over him. Fucking him.

Ashawo.

An awful feeling I didn't want to term jealousy overcame me.

He led me to a room that was next to the living room. Quite different from the somber decor Kian had going on in the living room, here was swathed in warm colours of yellow, a moderated sized bed positioned in the middle of the room.

Showing me inside, he took me to the wardrobe. "These are the clothes you requested for."

I'd thought I'd spot revealing clothes, lingeries and other unmentionables that were designed for seduction but normal clothes arrayed the inside of the wardrobe; two pairs of trousers, a furry robe and a ghastly gown glaring at me. Again, he'd managed to surprise me.

"Okay." I stalled, wasting time to go through the clothes. I'd forgotten to take a second pad along with me so I'd decided that when his attention was not on me, I would check the bathroom.

The moment I saw him fiddling with the bedside light, I darted inside the bathroom to check if I would get a hold of any feminine stuff. Scouring through the top cupboards, I discovered none.

Dang it.

A sullen look crossed my face when I emerged out to see him staring at me askance, arms in an x against his broad chest.

"What's the matter?"

I hesitated then mustered courage to ask him, after all it was his fault I was here, "I can't find any feminine hygiene products."

"You mean pads and tampons."

The anger festering in me wiped any blush that might have painted my cheeks red. I nodded yes, impatient, tapping the ball of my feet on the marble floor.

He smiled, dimples deepening a bewitching slash in his cheekbones then went to look for himself. Dazed, I found myself, thinking about his stunning smile. He should smile often. Dude was beautiful when he smiled.

He ransacked a cupboard by the sink, one I hadn't noticed initially. "You didn't look well enough."

A smirk curled by his lips, as he dug a pack out and held it to me. "Here."

Infuriated at his devil may care attitude, I wrenched the box out of his hand, ire flooding in my veins.

"Do you have any tylenol?" I bit out between gritted teeth, the lower part of my stomach stricken with pangs, fueling my irritation.

His brows drew together in concern, as he flung his right arm out, drawing me to his chest. Lifting my face towards his, he snaked his other arm around my waist tightly, the imprint of his warm palm sending shockwaves through my body, the pain and fury ebbing away in those short seconds he held me.

"Are you hurt?" his voice came out gravelly, bulging arms caging me to his toned body, every dip, ridge of his chest stuck to mine.

My heart thudded, pounding furiously at the way he caressed my face, cradling my chin in his strong palms, coarse fingers stroking out the worry lines on my forehead.

Holy fuck.

Even though I found it hard to talk, I murmured, melting into his embrace,"Not really, it's just cramps."

"Oh." A thoughtful look crossed his face, as he massaged my scalp. "I'll brew something for you. My step-mom and ex-wife used to drink it."

"Uhm, don't worry abo—-" I started, confused. What was happening? What was fucking happening?

"I'll be back shortly." He released me from his hold and disappeared.

I swerved on the balls of my feet to watch his retreating back, astounded, my thoughts muddled as to why this man was being so gentle. So cordial.

No, something was definitely up. If I was to trust this man, then I was a damn idiot.

Few minutes later he returned, a steaming cup gripped in his palm. "Here. It's a mixture of ginger and lime that helps to quiet down cramps."

"Thank you." Surprise tinged in my tone as I acknowledged his kind gesture, our fingers meeting when he passed the cup over to me. Want surged through me, in immense force and I had to steady the cup to prevent the liquid spilling at his touch.

Pacifying my rumpled nerves, I cradled the ceramic cup in my palm, grateful for its warmth seeping into my skin.

We gazed at each other, my face the epitome of curiosity, pulse racing wilding. Something had changed between us, something that I was yet to attach a name to.

All I could ask was, what just fucking happened?

"Erm. . ." he began, as if realizing the enormity of what he'd done. Who he'd helped. He probably didn't want to be anywhere near me now. "Take care."

"Thank you sir, really," I said in a soft voice, despite myself.

"You're welcome. Goodnight." He smiled, a genuine smile that didn't fail to raise my temperature in a fucking bad way. "I mean good morning, Jadesola."

This was the fourth time he was calling me Jadesola without missing the s. Yes I had been counting.

"Good morning sir," I emphasized, to let him remember what we were to each other. An insufferable boss and nagging assistant. Not a couple or whatever he'd conjured in his head.

"Yes, of course, Miss Jadesola." An unknown emotion flashed on his facial features before it disappeared, a small smile playing by the corner of his lips. Dipping his head, he left, taking with him his delicious scent.

I stared at the door, lost and at my wit's end.

Hostile. Forbidding. Harsh. Those were the words that defined him. But now, for some reason he had seemed humane, playful, soft even. And that was weird.

Turning my head, I set the drink on the bedside table and padded to the bathroom on shaky legs.

Maybe my boss wasn't so bad. Maybe.

But I had a feeling I would be biting my words back. And that day wouldn't be far off.

A/N: Does anyone think that Kian has changed?😏😂😂 Cos me I don't understand what's doing this one. Hm. Hehehehe.

Thoughts? What dyu think is up with Kian? Dyu believe Jade would jump in his bed if she wasn't on her period? 🌚 General comments on any aspect of what you liked and didn't like would be appreciated. Thank you!

Love,
Nita.