She heard him say goodbye to the Lady then he came back and started picking up her scattered beads on the wooden floor. ''Noooooo, our jigida" He fake cried "what is it called in Yoruba?"

"Ileke-idi" She chuckled.

"Noooo our ileke-idi" He repeated murdering the Yoruba version as he looked around for something to put the ones he had collected in one hand.

"Aren't you afraid of it?" She sat up, struggling to fix her bra.

"Why would I be afraid of jewelry?"

"A lot of men are afraid of it"

"Why?"

"They believe it is fetish; 'destiny stealing', 'love charm', don't you watch Nigerian movies" She laughed.

He finally found a tiny decorative glass vase, emptied some into it then dropped on the coffee table. "I'll find the rest later," he said as he joined her back on the Sofa.

"Please jazz me" He smiled like one mumu then kissed her, "Steal my destiny, I'll give you willingly, as long as you stay with me" He smiled.

She looked at him weirdly. It's like these N500 beads she got from the market has 'something' inside. She thought to herself then laughed.

But he got serious and said "I have a thing for them, they're sexy, don't ever stop wearing them," He said between kisses then he unclipped her bra again and she moved away from him.

"Hey!" She glared at him.

"What? You're not going anywhere now, why are you dressing up, I want you naked," He said mischievously but with a straight face and she shook her head in disbelief.

It's funny how she used to think he was one super serious, stuck-up, 'innocent' Hausa guy. Lol.

They gisted a little bit more; they talked about movies, music, books. He is an avid reader, he said his father used to pay him to read nonfiction when he was young and it became a habit. He said he is trying to do the same with his sister but she is not cooperating.

"She prefers fan-fiction," He said in frustration and she laughed.

"There's nothing wrong with fan-fiction now, some of them are good"

"Please don't tell me you read them too" He looked scared.

He dragged her and his sister for their poor literary taste.

She mentioned the few non-fiction she has read and he has read like 3 out of the 5 she mentioned. He recommended one historical and one philosophy book to her, he even ordered for hardcovers from Amazon to encourage her to read them. 

He wanted them to watch something on Netflix but Mr. Richard called her around 4:30pm, something came up. He looked so sad when she insisted she had to go.

She promised to come hang with him on Saturday. They agreed to keep this a secret for now and he promised to stop flirting with her or 'distracting' her at work. He apologized for the tactics he deployed in trapping her today. He said he was desperate but he apologized still, admitted it was abuse of power.

He walked her to his car, informed her the restaurant will deliver her dinner to her apartment since he had already placed the order.

"You're becoming a habit" He opened the door wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her briefly on the lips. "A habit I want to keep...nurture" He smiled.

His eyes were tired and she remembered that he had not actually rested since he came back from the CDS.

"I'm actually worried right now because I have feeling you'll start turning me down again, once you leave" He laughed.

"Saturday, I promise," She said.

"Pinky promise?" He held up his pinky finger and she bursted into laugh.

"What are you? Nine years old?" She teased him. She could see his driver trying hard to mind his business, holding back his smile.

He shrugged but still held up his pinky.

She locked her pinky with him and he held her "If you break this promise I'm going to get creative again, and you know the hungriest people are the most creative" he whispered.

She asked Soji to drop her outside the gate of the office building because she did not want anyone to see her alighting from his car so she had to walk from the gate to the reception entrance. She did not know her legs were hurting until she stepped out of his car and started walking. She hoped no one noticed the way she was struggling to walk.

***

Dare' POV

He woke up around 8:00pm, called her first then ate his dinner and caught up on all the work he didn't attend to because of the CDS. Honestly, he was exhausted from the CDS, but she gives him energy and she looked freaking irresistible today. She is always irresistible.

His mind kept drifting to back to her as he tried to focus on work; she brought out the animal in him today, in a good way. He did not know where to get her waistbeads replacement so he decided to order her another piece of jewelry; a Chopard bracelet, 'should get here in a week' he thought as he typed in a note for the delivery on the website, smiling sheepishly.

Sofi's POV

Friday: 8:30am

On Thursday, Sofi had to go to Port Harcourt for an impromptu meeting with the gas project team so she did not see him because she went straight from home. She returned to work Friday morning and while she was on her desk working and thinking about what to wear to his place for their little Saturday date with a smile on her face Ada stormed into her office.

"Sofi I'm glad you are back!" She wailed and she crashed dramatically into the visitor chair and said "Something bad has happened" Sofi just smiled knowing that Ada is a Drama Queen.

"What is it? I am busy o" Sofi continued typing on her PC.

"Our crush has a girlfriend," Ada wailed and Sofi froze.

Did Ada find out about her and Dare? If Ada finds out everyone else will hear! Did he tell her? She warned him not to tell anyone about them!

"How did you...wait which crush?" Sofi asked as she tried to calm her nerves knowing damn well that Ada's current crush is Mr. Madaki.

"How many crush do I have in this office, Mr. Madaki now!" Ada snapped as she grabbed a candy from the candy bowl and Sofi started sweating.

"My heart is paining me Sofi" She said as she chewed the candy weakly "I am in severe pains!"

Sofi cleared her throat and scratched her ear "Why do you think he has a girlfriend, no one in their right mind will date that one, he is...."

"I am not thinking Sofi, she was here yesterday!" Ada cried. "Ahhn ahh do I bring unverified gist to you?"

Sofi's eyes almost popped out of her head as she tried to process that. At first, she was relieved because she was in Port Harcourt yesterday, so her secret is safe but then.....who the hell is Ada talking about?

"He brought his girlfriend here?" Sofi forced a laughter.

"Yes, his Driver brought her in the afternoon, she was in his office the whole time because he had meetings. The worst part is she is pretty!, as in she looks like a model, she is like a younger Genevieve! is he into dark skinned ladies? Sofi....there is no hope for me" She said seriously

Sofi shrugged a little. "That doesn't prove anything" her voice was shaking she wanted to say more but acted as if she was distracted by something on her monitor. Thank God, Ada was too busy being heartbroken to notice her own subtle but intense reaction to the news.

"I have receipts babe! Let me show you a picture Sandra took of them leaving" She opened her phone "He held her hand and even opened the car door for her, even Soji confirmed it!"

Sofi did not want to look because she has told them to stop taking pictures of him but she did anyway. He was opening the car door for the Lady the way he opened the door for her when she left his house on Wednesday after he slept with her! The girl was wearing a miniskirt, the tips of her waist length bone straight weave or wig were electric blue.

The picture switched her emotions from shock and heartbreak to anger. She was mad at herself for falling for him of all people and for even sleeping with him TWICE!

Ada looked at her, waiting for her to say something to console her from her own heartbreak.

"Wait were you really serious about liking him? I thought you were just playing, people like him will only take advantage of girls like us Ada, get out of that bubble now" She needed to hear that herself.

"Of course I know that but can't I just enjoy my cruise in peace? Why did she have to come here" Ada continued ranting and Sofi consoled her.

Ada moved on real quick from her heartbreak to another office Amebo about two people fighting in commercial department.As Ada offloaded the hot gist, Sofi's head was spinning, her heart hurt and her mouth was dry from breathing heavily through them. Ada was cracking jokes and laughing wildly but her mind was not there.

When Ada left she had finally had the space to chide herself properly. What was she even thinking when she slept with him. Why was she harbouring feelings for him? She did this to herself.

What was she expecting? That he would take her seriously? behind all that niceness and gifts the fact of the matter is that she is just his office fling. No wonder he was very okay with them keeping it a secret.

Why is she even mad or even jealous? Does she even have the right to be? He didn't promise her anything, he only fucked her, twice no big deal.  Even Wale that disvirgined  her still left her. She laughed at herself with tears in her eyes then dabbed it quickly with a napkin on her table.

She didn't see him at work that day plus she closed early. That night she ate ice cream and cried in her bed. He called her around 8pm but she didn't answer so he sent a text to her, said he couldn't wait to see her tomorrow then she remembered the date then called him back to cancel.

"So? When can I come pick you up" He said happily. "I am coming myself because I don't trust that Soji around you anymore, he said you are 'Beautiful' which means he's been staring, I am going to pluck out his eyes!"

"I am not coming," She said calmly

"Yes you are, you pinky promised" He laughed.

"I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry"

"Sofi?"

"We shouldn't be doing this and honestly this is not me"

He kept quiet. Listened to her as she muttered away.

"It's cool. I won't bother you anymore," He sounded pissed but he was trying to stay calm.

He hung up immediately and she felt like she hand been stabbed in the chest because his reaction felt like an affirmation of all the negative thoughts she had about the whole thing.

A/N: To my dear south eastern readers please stay safe we love you guys 💕

⬇️⬇️⬇️ Don't forget to vote and comment ;)