4- Sugar

She knocked on her apartment door. It was opened in an instant by Henry.

“Were you standing there waiting for me, Henry? Ha-ha.” She lunged at him tying her arms around his neck making him stiff.

He leaned forward, sniffing her mouth a little, and then his eyes went wide, “Are you drunk?”

But instead of replying she kept laughing, her head leaned on his chest, “Yeah. Just wanted to enjoy myself.”

Her speech was slurred. Wrapping his arm around her waist he helped her to the bedroom. Making her sit on the bed, he kneeled on the floor to take her sandals off.

“They have taken away everything, Henry.” She told him in a whisper, her lips forming a pout. Hunter raised his eyes and looked into her tear-filled eyes.

“They are taking it away one by one.” She leaned closer to him and brushed his hair with her fingers, “You should go to them too, Henry. I don’t have anything.” A lone tear escaped her eye. She opened her palms in front of his eyes, “See? Nothing. Don’t have anything to feed you.” Then she started laughing again like crazy.

Hunter did not know what to say. This morning while eating his breakfast he did not even think for a second if she ate anything or not. Most of the time he found her chewing gum and now he understood the reason. The poor girl was trying to control the hunger pangs.

After meeting her, he had hardly spoken to her. She was the one doing all the talking.

He wanted to change her dress first but she kept slapping away his hand. He gave up and tucked her in the bed. She was murmuring something in her sleep while he was looking at her face intently.

Very gently he moved a hair strand away from her forehead, “Everything will be fine. Things are about to change.” She could not hear his whisper, because she was fast asleep now clutching his hand tightly.

“I promise, little one.” On impulse, he leaned ahead and very lightly kissed the corner of her mouth.

His brows knitted a bit when he licked his lips to feel the taste. Did she taste like … Like?

He could not remember but the taste was familiar. He leaned again and kissed her again gently. The expressions on his face were unreadable. His eyes fell on the delicate hand holding his strong one. Taking a deep breath he placed his head on the pillow.

“Sweetheart.” He whispered, “You taste like sugar.”

***

When her eyes opened, she kept looking at the ceiling. She could not recall much except that she was hurt and got drunk. Someone took pity and helped her in hiring a cab.

But she did not remember anything after that. She turned her head around and then sat up straight. She reached out for her phone which said eleven in the morning.

Shit! Oh, God! She had missed her nine o clock interview. Her dress looked wrinkled and stained. My! My! What had she done?

“Gosh!” She tried to sit up and ran towards the bathroom holding her head which felt heavy. The moment she barged in, she found Henry stepping out of the shower.

Her eyes went wide with embarrassment.

“Umm. I am … I didn’t know that… I mean I forgot that you were … there. I …” She was fumbling with her words while he came near her. He smelt divine. She realized and tried to get back resulting in bumping to the wall.

She swallowed her spit trying her best to avoid looking down which meant to look into his eyes. The urge to transform into an insect and crawl in a corner, intensified.

His face was still serious but his eyes. This was the first time she had seen mischief dancing in those blue orbs. Her heart accelerated when she realized he was leaning towards her. His palms planted on the wall on either side of her. Enveloping her body between him and the wall.

Is he going to kiss her? How would it feel like? Her head that was throbbing before stepping in the bathroom, was now at ease.

Such a magical impact! Oh!

His face was so close that she could feel his minty breath on her face. She realized that he was also staring into her eyes.

Her hands had this sudden urge to touch the muscles on his body, his flat abs.

For some reason she was getting breathless, when his face started moving closer, she closed her eyes waiting for his lips to land on her. She could feel the heat emitting from him.

She waited… and waited for so long. Why he was taking forever, dammit?

But then suddenly out of nowhere, he gave a quick kiss on the tip of her nose before taking the towel from the hook behind her.

“I just wanted the towel, sugar. Plus remember? I am gay.” Her eyes shot open.

“What?” She stood there dumbly when she heard him chuckle and left the bathroom tying the towel around him.

When the door got closed she stood there trying to inhale oxygen. The man was very much capable to make her breathless. She turned and her eyes fell on her image in the mirror. The lady in the mirror looked so messed up with swollen eyes and a flushed face.

After the shower, she got dressed and came out. He was there only in a pair of jeans. She avoided looking at the six-pack beauty and scurried to the kitchen. She needed to prepare breakfast for him.

In a few minutes, she had prepared pancakes for him with two cups of steaming coffee. While preparing it she munched two wheat biscuits herself and then popped a chewing gum. Right now coffee was enough for her.

She needed to see how much grocery was left and how she could do tight-budget shopping. She was placing it on the small table when Hunter entered the room.

Damn. Why he was still shirtless, man?

He came and sat quietly but for some reason, she could feel his eyes on her.

“Good morning. You are without your laptop today.” She remarked but did not get any reply.

She placed his plate before him with the coffee cup and was about to take a sip from her own cup when a large hand came near her face with a piece of pancake dipped in heavy syrup stuck in the fork.

Not understanding she looked at him but he just nodded his head, silently asking her to go ahead and eat it. Her mouth was already moving due to the gum in her mouth. He brought his other palm near her face, “Spit the gum.”

“No, Henry.” She gave him a quivering smile, “I just had my breakfast in the kitchen and now I am full. Plus …”

“Spit the gum and eat it, sugar. You need it.” There was something that changed overnight. He called her sugar twice.

She did not know what she did last night. She hoped that it was nothing indecent.

“I am sorry for last night. I hope I did not try to do something offensive.”

“You did nothing. I was the one who…” He muttered under his breath, “Leave it.”

She did not understand, what he was trying to say, “Come on. Eat it.” Oh boy! Why did she feel wetness in her eyes? Blinking back her tears she opened her mouth and took the bite after taking out the gum.

He then divided the meal into two halves and gave a fork in her hand, “Here. This is for you..” After saying that he started eating his portion.

Instead of eating she kept looking at him.

“Eat.” He commanded again without looking up. Heaving a sigh she started eating from her plate.

 She did not know why he was offering her food. Had he got the idea of her financial situation? 

“Why are you offering me food?”

“You also offer me meals. So stop thinking about that. By the way, do you have any interview appointments today?”

She shook her head. What was the use of telling him that she had already missed it? He won’t understand. Will he? She was so busy thinking that she did not hear the doorbell.

“This must be for you.”

“Hmm?” She shot him a questioning glance.

“Somebody is on the door. It must be for you.”

“Oh.” She stood up quickly and went to the door, not knowing who it could be. Molly was not here and she did not have a social circle.        

It was a man from the courier. Frowning a little she received the mail and came inside.

“What is it?” Henry asked her but she just shrugged in confusion. The printed envelop had the Levisay group logo.

What it could be? Yesterday they sent me back and appointed Chloe.

She opened it and started reading it.

Dear Ms. Abigail Mason,

We went through your CV and decided that you were overqualified for the post you applied for. So we want to offer you the position of head manager for our empowerment program at the state level.

Levisay group will provide you with this handsome salary with benefits which include accommodation in the Levisay group hotel, with a car accompanied by a chauffeur. 

The company will also cover your medical expenses and claims.

For further discussion, you are requested to come to our office and meet the vice president Ethan Hanks.

Waiting for your positive response.

Regards,

Levisay group

The moment she read it she inhaled a sharp breath.

“What is it?” There was an unreadable expression on Henry’s face. Abigail turned her face to him and yelped with laughter.

“Oh! Oh, God!” She was laughing crazily. She held him, lifted herself on her toes, and kissed his cheek.

“I can’t believe this!” She was so excited that she did not realize that he froze for a moment. “The Levisay Company where I was supposed to get the job yesterday. It seems like … my prayers are answered.”

She hugged him and started crying soaking his shirt with her tears. He held her by her shoulders and pushed her a little. Wiping her tears gently by his thumb, she saw him smiling for the first time, and oh man! It was damn sexy, “Well. I guess. Congratulations.”