'Can we stop playing games, now? I know exactly why you and I are here...'

Erisha's heart seemed to stop for a millisecond.
He knows..he knows I'm here for a reason..what will happen now? Is he going to..no, no! I can't let this happen..

'So, just stop pretending..are you listening? Hello..'

Erisha blinked, startled, as Treyton waved his hand in front of her face.
'Hunh?'

'Erisha! Are you okay?'
Treyton frowned, as her face lost colour at his words.
He then saw a flurry of emotions cross her face in just a few seconds, before she looked back at him with a calm face.

'W..why did you say that? What do you mean?'
She asked, trying to look as if she was curious, and not scared.

'Wellll..'
He dragged the word.
'Are you done?'
Erisha just nodded, as Treyton got up, and picking up the trash of their meal, walked over to a dustbin near by.
Erisha's blood pumped in her ears, as she waited for him to continue what he was saying.

A few people were scattered about, some with children, all busy amongst themselves.
It seemed like forever before Treyton walked back to her, and stood there watching her.
'I know exactly what we are doing here..'
She was surprised, when he suddenly bent over and put his hands on the backrest of the bench, entrapping her.

Erisha's pulse responded to his nearness, jumping excitedly.
She couldn't look away for the life of her.

His eyes ran over her flushed face, before he raised a hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek.
'This..this is why..'

'I..'
Erisha swallowed.

'There's something between us..something powerful..something neither of us can deny..'
His eyes bored into hers, desire flaring in them.

The sounds around them seemed to disappear, only to be replaced with the thudding of her heart against her chest, at his words and his tone.
She couldn't move a muscle, as his head bent lower, his intentions clear.
He took hold of her chin, and she felt his breath on her already heated cheeks, his lips just inches away from hers.

That was when her phone rang.

The sound was loud against the sounds of their heavy breathing, and it startled them both.
Treyton made a grunting sound, as Erisha pushed at him slightly, to take her phone out of her pocket.
By the time she took it out, it had stopped ringing, but just as she was about to check the caller, a message alert came on the screen.
It was David, with the message 'call me ASAP.'
Erisha turned the phone away, but it was too late. As she looked up, she saw that Treyton had seen the sender's name, and his face had closed off.
He stood up straight, a tic beating at his temple.

'Treyton, I..'

'Have to go! Right?'
There was controlled anger in his voice, and Erisha shut her eyes for a few seconds, before opening them again.
Treyton had already started walking.

What the..
'Treyton!'
Erisha's voice was not loud enough for him to hear, but she quickly ran after him.
'Treyton..wait!'
She called at him, louder this time, but he didn't stop till he reached where their bikes had been parked.
'Listen..'
She said, as she reached him.

'It's getting late! Have to be in work early..so..'
Treyton seated himself on his bike and put on his helmet, almost ignoring her.

Erisha didn't know what to say, so she also sat on her Harley, and put on her helmet.
They both started their bikes, and rode off.
There was no conversation between them, but the atmosphere was tensed, with Erisha feeling something like guilt, and Treyton feeling only anger.
Erisha had thought that he would go on his way home, so she was surprised, when he followed her to her place. She was secretly pleased that maybe he had thought of her safety.
As Erisha parked her bike in the parking, Treyton sat on his bike, with his helmet on, his manner brooding.
He followed on his bike, as she walked to the front of her building to go inside.

'Treyton!'
She stopped him, as he would have driven away.
'I..'
She paused, as he opened the visor on his helmet, and looked at her.
'Uh..thankyou for the dinner..I..'
She stopped, when he remained quiet.
'Bye..'
Not knowing what else to say, she turned to her door, feeling his eyes boring into her back.

Treyton watched her shoulders droop, as she took out her key to open the main door, and stand there for a couple more seconds.
What the hell! What's going on? One minute we were good, and the next..
How can she just walk away?
She went inside the door, the spring above it, causing it to shut slowly.
Before he could have second thoughts, he was off the bike, and running to put a foot in between, to stop the door from shutting.
He looked left and right, but Erisha had already disappeared, probably riding the elevator by now.
Calling himself all kinds of a fool, he ran up the stairway, taking two at a time.

Erisha was frowning.
This wasn't even a real date, then why do I feel this guilt, this..I don't know what I feel..just that, I didn't like how Treyton's mood switched off..
The lift doors opened, and Erisha hurried to her apartment door, putting in her keys, unlocking it, and flipping on the light switch.
She stepped inside, and was shutting the door absently, when the handle was jerked open, and she fell back, swearing.
'What the..'
She stopped, as she saw Treyton come inside her apartment and shut the door behind him, his chest heaving.
'What in the world do you think you are doing?'
When Treyton just looked at her with hooded eyes, she shook her head in amazement.
'Did you just run up the stairs? That's like seven floors mmmppphh...'
She stopped in mid sentence, as Treyton pushed her against the wall next to the door, and crushed his lips to hers.

The kiss was one of pent up emotions, that they had both suppressed on the ride over here. Treyton caught hold of her face, as he angled his head to kiss her better.
Erisha moaned, as he found her tongue, duelling for control.
His hands left her face, to land on her shoulders, and when she thought he might move away from her, she was excited, when he pushed at her jacket, and took it off her shoulders. In her dazed state, their mouths still fused, she let him, making pleasure sounds, as his hands caught her at the waist, his touch creating fire, as it connected with her bare midriff, where her cropped top ended.
Wanting to touch him too, she pushed at his jacket, and it also fell to the floor, joining hers.
His hands lifted her shirt, his fingers now burning her skin, as they rode up to where her bra ended, his palm cupping her breast through the silky undergarment.
'Oh, God!'
She groaned, as his mouth left hers, to trail down her neck, his fingers busy thumbing her nipple, causing it to push towards his hand.
Before she knew it, he had taken off her top over her head, and was looking down at her.
She felt a blush spread all over her as his gaze lingered over her breasts, barely hidden beneath the nude coloured scrap of silk she wore.

'So beautiful..even more than I had imagined..'
He rasped, and she felt this wierd feeling in the pit of her stomach, at the desire in his eyes, and the fact that she had been part of his imagination.

'I..we..you can't..'
She tried to put some sense into what was happening, moving to cover herself with her hands, but he caught hold of her wrists, and pushed them to the side.

'You know I want you..'
His voice was low and husky, as he ran circles over her wrists with his thumbs, his gaze connected with hers.
'And I know..that you also want this..if you deny it you would be lying to yourself..'

His eyes, his words seemed to hypnotise her, and she tried to control the erratic rhythm of her heart.
But before she could utter another word, his lips were back on hers, before they moved down to the pulse beating at her neck.
He nipped lightly at her skin, and if it wasn't for the wall behind her, or Treyton holding her hands by her sides, she might have pooled on the floor in a puddle.
'We..can't..stop..'

'Yes! I can't stop! You don't know how long I've wanted to do this..'
His lips grazed her shoulder, his hand coming up to move the strap of her bra down her arm.

'This is too fast, too soon..I don't..'
She caught hold of his hand, to stop him.

'It might be fast, but with this fire burning between us, it can only be doused like this..'

'Treyton! Listen to reason..'
Erisha tried pushing him away, but only met with his hard chest beneath her palms, which couldn't be budged, and his heartbeat, which was fast.

'There is no reason..to stop..'
He bit her earlobe, and Erisha shivered.

'You don't understand..I can't do this..'
She knew there would be no going back if they went all the way, and she wasn't ready to let it.

'Just feel..'
His mouth moved to her cleavage above her bra, and Erisha gasped loudly at the sensations he was evoking.
'Yes! Like this..'
He continued to kiss her skin, and Erisha's head moved back of its own volition, her eyes closing in pleasure.
'Does David get the same reaction as me? Are you this wanton in his arms, as you are in mine?'

Erisha's eyes flew open at the mention of the other man's name, all desire dissipating with his words.
What was I even thinking?
Mustering up all her strength, Erisha pushed Treyton away from herself, tears of mortification stinging her eyes.

Treyton was taken aback, and looked at her in surprise.
'What the..'

Erisha looked for her top, and found it on the planter next to them, where it must have fallen when he threw it. Picking it up, she quickly put it on, before facing the man looking at her in confusion.
'You are disgusting! You know that?'

'What even? I didn't see you complaining or trying to stop me!'
His eyes flared with anger at her comment.

'You come barging in here, do what ever you want, and then put such a disgusting blame on me!'
Her eyes were spitting fire now, more than half of it, channeled towards her own self at being putty in his arms.

'What the hell are you talking about?'
He shouted at her, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

'David!'
His eyes narrowed at the name of his rival.
'What an opinion you have of me! You think I go around doing this..'
She gestured to them both.
'With all and sundry!'
Erisha was furious now.

'No!'
He shouted back.
'But you can't deny that you are with David! He is a man after all! Don't tell me you have never done this with him..so, tell me! Is he good in bed?'
His tone was derisive.

'SHUT UP!'
Erisha was crimson with rage.

'Does he touch you and have you melt in his arms, like you do in mine?'

'LEAVE! RIGHT NOW!'

'You can scream and shout all you want, but it won't change the fact that you and David..'
He staggered back, as she came at him, and pushed him, hard.

'GO, I SAID!'

They stood staring at each other, both enraged.

'Fine!'
He turned around, and made for the door.

Erisha hurried after him to shut the door.
'And don't ever come back! I NEVER want to see you again! You hear me? NEVER!'

'Oh, I hear you alright! But, you don't mean that!'
He snorted back, as he left her apartment.

'Only if hell freezes over,   buster!'
And she shut the door in his face.
Before she leaned back against it and burst into tears.

***************************

'Who the hell is she?'
Treyton frowned, as he looked at the photographs in front of him.

'That's Maria Harris..'

'So? What should I do?'
Treyton retorted back, getting irritated.

'Herr Elrod!'

'James! What is the point of all this? I don't know any Maria Harris..'

'She's an employee of Elrod Enterprises..'
The detective looked at Treyton, waiting for his reaction. But Treyton looked highly uninterested.
'Maybe you will understand now...'
The detective moved some of the photos, and finding the one he wanted, put it on the top.

'Damn it!'
Treyton exclaimed, for it was a photo of the same woman with Steven Huber, seated at a restaurant table.
He took hold of the picture and scrutinised it.

'Maria Harris, latest lady friend of Steven Huber.'

Treytons anger escalated more than it had in the past week.
Ever since he had come back from Erisha's, in a temper.
He had cursed all the way back to his place, angry with her, and with himself.
But he hadn't been able to help it. Just the thought of David touching her had made his blood boil. And the words had just left his mouth involuntarily.
Did he regret them? He wasn't so sure!
To hell with the woman! Screaming and throwing me out of her house! How dare she?
Treyton had gone home and vented it out in his swimming pool, doing lap after lap, till he couldn't any more.
He had never felt so frustrated in his life. And especially, not over a woman!
He had decided not to let her affect him any more, but again, that was easier said than done.

Treyton had immersed himself in work, taking all his employees on a heavy workload, leaving them all in shock.
Everyone had been wary of their employer, who had always been a great boss. But within a week, the whole office had been in an uproar, people hurrying here and there, as Treyton had barked out orders.

'I want to meet her!'
Treyton said, now, as he threw the photo back onto the desk.

'Sir! I don't think that's a good idea right now..'
The detective was stunned, as Treyton suddenly stood up, and grabbed his collar.

'Don't tell me what to do! This has gone on far enough! And I will put an end to this. Once and for all!'
He let go of the man's collar, and James fell back.

'Alright! But please, listen..I think I have a plan..'

Treyton ran a hand through his hair, and shut his eyes, trying to get a grip on himself.
'Tell me...'

***************************

Treyton sat in wait amongst the shadows outside Steven Huber's house.
According to sources, that Maria woman and him were planning a rendezvous here tonight.

He had to hand it to the detective. His plan had worked.
Treyton had set a false decoy in Finn's office regarding his upcoming project, hoping for the woman to find out about it.
With Finn's help, the news had reached the woman, and Treyton knew she would waste no time in handing over the information to her boyfriend.
And so, he was here right now, to catch her red handed.

James had discouraged Treyton from doing this himself, and to let him do it, but Treyton had been adamant.
He had needed to keep his mind busy, and this seemed a good way as any.
Hence, his hiding in the shadows at this time of the night.

Soon enough, a cab came down the street, and a woman got off. She looked here and there, before walking up to Steven Huber's door.
The door was opened immediately, and she went inside.

Treyton hurried out, stealthily, from his hiding place, and headed to the windows, through which he could see the couple kissing.
Great!
He rolled his eyes, a sudden image of him and Erisha in the same position flashing before his eyes. But he quickly jerked it away.
Focus, Elrod! Focus!

The couple finally broke apart, and the woman took out what he knew to be the fake project papers from her handbag.
Treyton quickly creeped up to take photos, before he missed it.
His work done, he stuffed his cellphone in his pocket, and hurriedly moved away from the house, planning to reach his hiding place, before going back.

He had almost made it to the bushes, when a sound alerted him.
Before he could turn around to look, something heavy hit his head from the back, and he went down, groaning.
Trying to focus, he saw a blurred figure, and he tried to grab him. But before he could, the heavy thing hit him again, and he lost consciousness.

To be continued...