Seduction

Chapter 6

  Bella pondered over the crazy idea that was popping up in her head and let out a sly grin as she rocked back on the swivel chair. 

  

  "I have got to give it a try." She mussitated and brought out her small makeup kit in her bag, applied a retouch on her face, and combed her long artificial fixed hair to make sure it wasn't ruffled.

  

   "Yeah, I think I have that killer look renewed again," she winked as she adjusted her dress.

   

    She walked out of her office elegantly with her high-pointed heel shoe hitting the tiled floor with no mercy.

    

    She placed a soft knock on the door as she got to Mr. Richard's office.

    

     "Come in." His voice came from the other end of the room. She exhaled quietly as she twitched the door knob. 

     She met him sitting behind his desk with his eyes glued to his laptop.

     

     "Hi, Good afternoon." She said trying to avert his attention from what he was doing. And just as she expected, he shifted his gaze away from his laptop.

     

     "Hi, Bella good afternoon."

     

     "Afternoon sir, it seems you're busy."

     

     "Yeah, I am. Do you have anything you wanna discuss with me?"

     

     "Hmm not really. I was thinking we could go for lunch together." She said with a guileful smile.

     

     "Oh! As you can see, I'm busy."

     

     "Are you planning to ditch your lunch  because of work?"

     

     "Yeah, I think so." He said with a nervous laugh.

     

     "Well that's bad, you've to take care of yourself, and the first step to achieve that is to never joke with your food." She reeded.

     "Guess I have no choice but to ditch my food if I really wanna get this work done on time."

     "You're such a workaholic. Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked as a sheepish grin formed on her face

     .

     "No, don't bother. I can handle it alone." He said discarding the idea.

     

     "Oh! Do you think I can't help you? I'm not a blockhead. I have little idea in most things." She gasconaded.

     

     "Yeah, I know. You are a smart ass, I can remember how you use to ace all your test and Exam during our University days."

     "Wow, you still remember? Guess I got that from you."

     "Okay, Fine. Since you think I can't help you, how about I give you a massage? Your back must be aching for sitting too long." She said as she gave him an insidious look with her lower lip pinned down with her front teeth.

     

     "No, there's no need for that. It might sound weird but it's cozy sitting down here since it's what I like doing."

     "Nah, I insist," she said as she moved to where he was sitting and stood behind him.

     

     "I'm fine Bella." He refuted as he swiveled on his office chair.

     

     "Come on, I mean no harm. I'm just trying to help." She persuaded.

     

     "I know but please can you just excuse me? I need to finish this as soon as possible and you're not even helping the matter." He muttered with a groan.

     

     "Oh, I'm sorry about that.

     "Maybe we can have lunch some other time then."  She added.

     

     "Yeah, I think that's a better idea."

     

     "Okay, see you later." She said with a wink before walking out of his office.

     

"Richard, you seem to be a hard nut to crack but I won't back out easily. You're a good man and all I'm asking from you is just friendship but you are making it look like I want an affair with you.

Duh! I don't even care, we will get close and become friends again just like we used to be during our university days." She muttered with an assuring smile.

 * * * *

  "In total, it's 41,000 Naira," Stella said with her eyes affixed to the calculator.

  

  "Here." The customer said as he stretched a bundle of money notes to her.

  

  "This is 75,000 Naira. You have 34,000 Naira change left." She blurted out after counting the money.

  

  "You can keep that to yourself." He replied with a wink.

  

  Stella stared at him in awe as he walked away.

  "Huh, guys are unbelievable." She muttered shooking her head contritely.

  

 "Imagine wasting that kind of money on someone he doesn't know."

   She was sitting in place of her Secretary who was on leave to take care of her ailing mother.

  Stella has seen a lot of eerie things just on the same day she decided to take over, ranging from different kinds of men making silly advances towards her and giving her unsolicited money.

   

   "Eww! This is crazy," she snorted with a smug. 

 * * * *

Stella and Richard has retired to bed that night talking about random discussions which was a norm in their home.

They discuss and talk about how their day went before going to their Dreamland and it kinda strengthens the bond they share since they hardly have time for themselves during the day.

 

  "Guess we both had a stressful day because mine too was hectic," Stella said as she placed her head on his well-built rocky chest.

  

  " My secretary is on an unexpected leave, she just informed me this morning that her mother is sick, so I'd to give her the leave for her to take care of her mother," Stella added.

  

  "So, you sat in for her today?"

  

  "Yes I did, and it was weird because my eyes saw a lot of weird things. Secretaries are trying."

  

  "Weird things?"

  

  She chuckled silently and said " I mean the way guys flirt with them is weird. Most men out there don't have any iota of shame?"

  

   "Someone flirted with you?" he asked with a squinted face.

 "No, No. I didn't say that." She said laughing.

"I am serious, tell me. I can help you get a part-time secretary that will sit in for your secretary that is on leave because I don't trust those guys."

"You don't trust them but you trust me right?" She asked with a lopsided grin.

"Yeah but your beauty can sweep one's sense of reasoning away making one do ridiculous things."

"So, is that a compliment?" She questioned rolling her eyeballs dramatically.

"No, it's not a compliment, I'm only stating reality."

"Phew!" She snorted.

"I invited Bella to our Sunday service." He said changing the subject.

"Oh! What was her reply?"

"Well, she said she will try as much as possible to be there."

"Oh! That's great then."

"Yeah, it's good though. But Bella has changed a lot to be sincere."

"Changed?"

"Yeah, she has. A lot of things have changed about her, she does not look like the Bella I used to know."

"How?"

"I can't even fathom it. Maybe it's just my assumptions." He shrugged.

"Well, it's normal for her to change though."

"Yeah, It's normal only if it is a positive kind of change."

"Positive change?" I don't get you?" She said with a confused look.

"I don't even know how to explain it for you to understand. Let's just forget about it."

"Okayyyy," she said shaking her head dramatically.

"Come and sing for me." She popped out suddenly with a grin on her face.

"What?" Sing?" He cracked.

"Yes, I'm your baby, right? I want to listen to your song maybe it will help me get my sleep. I don't know why  I'm not feeling sleepy." She said yawning loudly.

"But you're yawning which means you're feeling sleepy already."

"No, that's not true. Just because I am yawning does not mean I'm feeling sleepy." She defended.

"Ha! Egbami (help me) I'm going to work tomorrow ohh." He said in an alarming tone.

"Yes, I know. Please now. My love, my honey, my sweet potato." She whined.

He stared at her in amazement "Ha! Okay, which song should I sing for you?"

"Anyone. So far it's a song and it's coming out from your mouth, my sleep will come back to me."

"Okay, fine."

"Lullaby and goodnight,

With Roses bedlight.

Creep into thy bed,

There pillow thy head,

If God will thou shalt wake,

When the morning doth break." He continued singing quietly tilting his head in demonstration.