Settling Down

"Nonsense! Just call me Emily. I feel so old when you refer to me as Mrs. Kentley. And it sounds too formal too." Emily complained as she exercised the next morning alongside Paige.

Emily was one great woman full of life and vibe. They ran the treadmill as they talked about everything and nothing. The Kentley's mansion houses a gym, a music studio, a mini cinema that could contain at least twenty people, a swimming pool, a Garden, a tennis court, a football pitch and a mini playground. It was indeed an all in one kind of home. Once again, Paige reminded herself that money was good.

"I'd love to call you mother if you don't mind." She told Emily. Since she would feel so odd calling the woman Emily.

"That sounds far better." Emily agreed. In no time, they finished at the gym and went to their various rooms for a quick shower.

Paige spent the previous night unpacking and getting used to her space, and she planned on spending the whole day with Emily. She made a draft of the best type of food for her, paying attention to her favorite meals and trying her best to incorporate them even in bits to her daily meal plan.

Her plan was to gradually wean Emily off the antihypertensive and replace it with a healthy lifestyle starting from the things she eats, to her fitness journey. And she knew that achieving it will be a gradual process

She quickly made a mental note of her activity for the following day and concluded that she would spend some of her day doing grocery shopping for Emily's meal plan. Satisfied with her plan, she shared it with her hostess over dinner and was reassured that a car and chauffeur would be available to take her to the grocery store and anywhere she wanted to go within Yardstin and its environment.

Dinner that night was just Paige and Emily. The Kentley sisters left earlier and no one saw Simon all through the day. Paige tried to imagine what Simon could be doing.

'He could be in his room .' She thought as she remembered seeing one of the maids coming down the stairs with a tray in hand.

Looking across the table to Emily, Paige smiled happily. She was happy to be around to keep the older woman company. She wondered how bored Emily used to be in such a big house all by herself.

Heading back to her room after dinner, she decided against the silent warning in her head to check on her neighbor.

She tiptoed to his door to see if he was around and just like the other day, his door was slightly open and he lay there on his bed with only shorts on, his upper body exposed showing off his well trimmed muscles.

Sighting his perfect skin even from a distance, Paige appreciated his creator on his behalf for creating such a fine man, a lovely piece of art.

Having fed her eyes enough, she headed back to her room. Once inside, she made her way to the bed and opened her social media account. She swiped through her pictures and smiled as she saw the pictures June and Anna complained about. The images brought back memories of good old days when she was still battling with school.

Her smile gradually turned to sobs as she recalled what she went through in school, what her stepmother put her through.

The fact that the woman even went as far as selling off her father's textile factory and gave her not even a penny out of the money she realized from the sale still breaks her head each time she remembers.

She knew that Paige was in dire need of money for her education. Yet she ignored the poor girl. If there was anything Paige Patterson learnt that period, it was how to be strong even in this midst of tribulations.

She was most grateful that she had Stefan then. He was her backbone and has never made her feel little about herself nor has he compared her to any woman before.

She believed he loves her just as much as she does and this alone brought great comfort to her. At least that only meant that she was enough for him.

She was also thankful for friends like Nathan, Paula, her best friend and roommate back in school, and now her employers, the Kentleys.

Indeed, life was beginning to feel good already and she could feel her blessings already pouring in. In the midst of her thoughts, she dozed off and that night, she dreamt of her dear father and mother. It was indeed a beautiful dream.

*****

Paige woke up the following morning feeling not so great. She reasoned that it could be her body trying to adjust to the new environment.So she didn't exercise with Emily but was present to cheer the woman up while she did her thing.

Seeing how down Paige was feeling, Emily had the maid Samira help with everything Paige needed for the day. Even when she insisted on doing some herself, Emily made sure she was not allowed to.

At breakfast, they talked about Emily and the history surrounding the mansion which Emily informed Paige that it has been in existence for a hundred years and has been handed down through the generations of the Kentleys.

"I'll be visiting a friend today." Emily said changing the topic. "And I think it's best if I go grocery shopping at once. I'll just go with one of the help and we'll visit the grocery store on our way back. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just have some rest for today. You really need it." Emily told her and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Paige nodded gratefully, certain that she needed that rest. She just wasn't her usual self and deep down, she had this hollow feeling of impending doom.

About an hour later, Emily left the mansion with the grocery list.

Paige lay on the bed in her room and stared wide eyed at the white ceiling trying as much as possible to put herself to sleep. But she soon realized that it was a futile venture.

After several attempts. She finally picked up one of her favorite books from Ray Gibson and left for the garden behind the mansion. Anna had taken her on a tour of the house the previous day before leaving for Acubana and they even exchanged phone contacts.

The beautiful mix of tulips, rose, Daisy and the pride of Barbados seeped into her nostrils as she arrived at the garden. She sat down on one of the hammocks and started her book.

"You sure know the best place to read." A voice came behind her. It was that same velvety-masculine voice she heard the previous day.

She knew who it belonged to even without turning. But she still turned and greeted him.

"Hello Simon." She called and he nodded, standing behind her. His unusual closeness and arousing smell of his cologne made her senses go numb for a moment.

"Sunflower," he called with a mischievous smile. "Tell me, do you like watching pornography?" Simon asked unashamedly.

Paige was taken aback by the question and she chose to not give an answer to him.

"I don't have an answer to your question Simon." She replied, closing her book, ready for whatever he had to say.

With her reply, he came even closer, the fabric of his shirt grazed her neck. Slowly, he placed his hands lazily on the back of her neck and Paige's senses slowed even more. She thanked her stars that he was standing behind her and as such couldn't see what effect he was having on her.

"Yet I long for an answer from you. Do you like pornography Sunflower?" He asked again.

"I haven't seen a lot of pornography in my life." Paige found herself giving him an answer. "I can't say that I love or hate it." She answered truthfully.

Without warning, Simon brought his lips close to Paige's ears. She felt a warm and cold tingling sensation at the same time.

"I know you come to my room." He whispered. "Do you like what you see?" He touched the crease of her ears softly and Paige let out a soft suppressed moan.

Who knew that the crease of her ears held such bouts of arousal.

"Yes." She whispered back without thinking.

Do you want to feel it." He asked as he planted tiny kisses in her ear lobe followed by a tiny bite and a lick.

"Stop." Paige managed to say as her lips quivered.

"Should I stop or continue Sunflower?" Simon asked, smiling.

"I have a boyfriend." Paige shut her eyes and finally forced herself to say it. Extremely grateful to God that her brain was still functioning.

"Hmmm," he hummed.

He moved his hands down her shoulder and just when they were close to her bosom, he stopped. "I'll always leave my door open for you then." He said and left the same way he came.

After a few seconds, she opened her eyes, with Simon nowhere to be found. She checked around to be sure no one saw them. Feeling the heat in-between her legs, she stood up and made her way upstairs as fast as her legs could carry her.

As she walked to her room, she tried to imagine what would have happened if she had allowed herself to get carried away.