3

As Tamara took her time admiring the picture, he sent a second picture. On the second one, he was looking casual, seated on a large couch in a spacious living room and staring into the camera intensely with his alluring green eyes. 

She caught her breath. He reminded her so much of her fiance, though his own eyes were light brown. Again, she felt guilt resurfacing but she quickly shoved it aside. This wasn’t cheating. She was just making friends, she told herself.

You’re very attractive. She typed into the chat box and hit the send button. She had to hand it to him. He was hot.

Thanks, he responded in the chat box. Now may I see yours?

In a moment she responded. Then she located the picture that she had earlier chosen and sent it to him. Since he had sent two, she decided to send a second picture too. 

Scrolling briefly through her phone gallery, she selected a picture in which she was wearing a white dress and lying on the couch she was currently sitting on. That picture too had been taken by Dedan. She shoved the guilt that was threatening to resurface again and sent the picture to him.

She waited for a few seconds before she noticed him typing a message.

Dedan:

You look breathtakingly pure and beautiful.

Tamara blushed and then she found herself smiling as she typed her response.

Tamara: Thank you.

Dedan: Do you like movies?

Tamara: Thrillers

Dedan: We have that in common

His statement reminded her of her man, Dedan. They both loved thrillers. God, this guy was trouble. She should stop talking to him now, she advised herself but deep down, she knew that she was already attracted to him. However, she told herself that it would not go beyond talking online.

Tamara: That’s nice to know 

Dedan: Would you go to a movie with me?

Tamara gasped and saw him typing a message

Dedan; lol, relax. I’m not too patient but I’m willing to try for you.

Tamara sighed with relief.

Tamara: Thanks

Dedan: I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow.

Tamara: Same here

God, what was wrong with her? She thought with remorse.

Dedan: Bye, dear

Tamara: Bye

He signed off and she did the same. The moment she did, her phone rang. She panicked as she saw her fiancé’s call. God, she was getting jumpy. Guilt was a terrible feeling. Calming herself down, she quickly received the call.

“Hi.”

“I just wanted to check on you, baby.”

“Thanks. I’m fine. You?”

“I’m good, thanks. I will be home soon. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want me to find out about.”

“Sure.” She answered, her heart thumping aloud. He had once told her that if she ever cheated on him, he would know. He had also said that if another man entered her, he would know.

“Blow me a kiss.” He said and she did.

“I caught that. Take care of yourself, alright?”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” She replied and he ended the call. 

She sat back on the bed, overwhelmed by guilt because even though she loved him so much, she knew that she was looking forward to another man’s message. It wasn’t cheating, after all, she told herself again. It was just a harmless communication.

That evening after dinner, she was snuggled up close to Dedan who had an arm around her as they watched a scary movie.

“Baby, is there anything bothering you?”

The question unsettled her. Why would he be asking her that? It wasn’t like she was acting weird around him or anything. She had been hiding her guilt pretty well as far as she was concerned. 

“No. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just an inkling, I guess. But if anything is bothering you, I believe you can tell me, right?”

“Sure.” She said.

“Good. And I know I’ve been pretty busy lately because the jobs keep coming but I’m working on getting some good hands so I do more of supervisory work alright?”

“Okay, no problem.”

“Sorry I didn’t let you go on that holiday with your friends and now I’m always busy but I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Look at me, darling.” He said and his voice sounded serious. 

She sat up and focused on him. Then he lifted a strand of her hair and kissed it before looking deeply into her eyes. It made her catch her breath. It reminded her of the reasons she was so in love with him- His intensity, passion, seriousness, tenderness and to cap it up, his fun ways and she often felt lucky to have him. 

He had picked her up when she was nothing and turned her life around. Before she met him, she was about to become a slut, a paid prostitute just to earn a living. She was his for one night but she ended up being his for longer than that. 

“Tamara.” He said and she knew that whatever he wanted to say was serious.

“Yes.”

“I’ve never told you this before but the night I met you, I was broken because of a bad relationship.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Yeah. She cheated on me. I gave her everything but she still did. That day, I told myself that I would guard my heart against love. I would just pick up women and have them whenever I wanted to satisfy my manly desires. I would also get a steady girl for that same purpose. Unfortunately, you were that girl for a while until somehow, you captured my heart and I am so in love with you.”

“I love you too.”

“I know.”

His fingers gently caressed her cheeks.

“Don’t you ever cheat on me.” He said in a stern way that she had never seen before and it left her afraid and speechless. “Do you understand me?”

She nodded. 

“Promise me.” He commanded and her heartbeat escalated with anxiety.

“I will never cheat on you.” She answered and found that her voice was slightly trembling. She also felt her eyes wetting up.

“Baby, I didn’t mean to scare you okay?” he said tenderly and she nodded, then felt tears rolling down her face.

“Don’t cry, baby. I will never hurt you.” He kissed her cheek. Then he hugged her and caressed her hair with his fingers.

“I love you, my dear.” He said, kissing her neck.

“I love you too.” She answered. 

He turned her face towards him and his lips crashed down on hers. She responded, kissing him back with passion. Then she felt his hands rubbing her breasts. She moaned into his mouth, his erotic touch arousing her as she melted into his arms.

***

When her online Dedan called the following day, she refused to receive the call. She was seated on the bench at the front porch of the house with the phone lying beside her and she kept watching it ring for the second time.

It was a clear day outside and the sun was out. Sometimes she felt incredibly lonely. The school was out of session and while she had always wished for the holidays to come so that she would see Dedan all the time, she still missed school because of her friends. But now, Dedan was always busy with work and her friends had gone on a holiday without her. Dedan didn’t let her go with them because it was the only time that they could spend more time together. But he had promised to make it up to her and he never let her down on a promise.

She knew that she would not cheat on him but given how bored she was sometimes, this online Dedan was a nice distraction. And he always seemed to be calling at the right time. She was so bored already.

He didn’t call a third time as she had been hoping he would and she found herself picking up the phone to return his call. With her heart pounding, she listened to it ring, and then it was received after a couple of rings.

“Tamara.” He said, “Let me call you back and save your airtime.”

“Never mind…” she began.

“I insist.” He said firmly.

“Okay.” She said, relenting and he ended the call. After a few seconds, her phone started buzzing with his call and she received it, raising it to her ear.

“Hello.” She said.

“Tamara, it’s nice to hear your voice.”

Tamara smiled. His voice was so damn sexy like Dedan’s but still so different in tone.

“It’s nice to hear yours too.” She responded.

“That is just great to know.” He commented. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thanks. And you?”

“Great, thanks.”

“That’s good.” He told her. “Anyway, I never did ask you what you did for a living, Tamara.”

“Oh, I’m a student at the University. Final year.”

“Great. Which one?”

“Goodness University.”

“Oh. Nice. What are you studying?”

“History.”

“Oh, that’s lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“Tamara.” He said and his tone was somber, hence she knew that whatever he wanted to say was important, at least to him.

“Yes.”

“Forgive me if by what I’m about to say, I am being too forward but the images you sent me have somehow settled in my head. I find myself staring at them too often.”

Tamara could not hold back a smile and his words made her feel flirty.

“Are you complaining?” she asked in a seductive voice and heard his light chuckle.

“No,” he responded and his voice had gone serious again. “And that’s why I want to meet you in reality.”