The Receptionist (Episode 8)

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I was still contemplating what to do, why did she have to come in now? What was she doing here. She had a triumphant smile on her face like, she has all evidence now I looked at Mr Ifeanyi, he seemed almost not bothered, he had his usual blank expression on so I couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed or not. He was the first to speak

‘Hello Vera, I didn’t know you were coming today’ He said

‘I am sorry for not informing you earlier’

She said obviously not sorry. ‘I came to see your accountant but he went for a meeting so I wanted to use this opportunity to say hello’

‘Ok’ Mr Ifeanyi said,

I expected him to go back to his seat but he was still standing beside me, I was so embarrassed and was looking for an escape.

‘How’s business going?’ He asked her, putting his hands in his pocket and leaning on the table.

‘Very fine, thank you’ She said still standing by the door. It was quite obvious Mr Ifeanyi wasn’t offering her a seat or planning to have her in his office for so long.

I began walking towards the door, as I felt I had nothing left to do there.

‘Excuse me’ I said in so low a tone, it was sure they didn’t hear me.

‘Yvette, where are you going?’ Mr Ifeanyi asked stopping me

‘I want to finish up some things I was doing on my system. It’s quite urgent’ I answered not looking at any of them.

‘Ok, give me five minutes. Mr John mentioned you are doing the presentation tomorrow. I want to show you a few samples you can learn from’ He stated, and I knew it was an order not a request

I retraced back my steps, making sure I was not having any form of eye contact with Vera.

‘Ok, Mrs Vera any issues or complaints?’ He asked in a dismissive tone

‘No’, she answered ‘Everything is going smoothly, hope you have had a taste of the cake now’

‘My staff like it, I am not really cake fan so I haven’t had a taste yet. But really if you please them, we will extend your contract it has nothing to do with me’. He said

‘We would work towards that’ Vera answered, still not acknowledging my presence. ‘I will be taking my leave now’

‘Ok, have a nice day’ Mr Ifeanyi said

As soon as she left, he looked at me smiling. I was getting irritated, this was not funny at all to me and he was so relaxed, well he had nothing to lose so I can’t blame him.

‘Why are you so tensed?’ He asked

‘That’s my ex boss, she has already accused me of sleeping with you for this job and now she saw us, she has finally gotten evidence she has been looking for’

‘Why do you care what she thinks?’ He asked

‘Because I didn’t sleep with you for this job’ I said sounding tired of explaining

‘Vera knows you didn’t sleep with me for the job, she is just acting petty like most women do’ He said sounding convinced

‘How do you know that?’ I asked further as I still wasn’t convinced

He was at his door, he turned the knob closing it to avoid any further interruptions

‘Stop asking questions and take my word for it’ He answered closing in on me, he was smiling playfully, fiddling with my hair and this was another side of him I haven’t seen.

‘I am still not convinced I pushed further.

‘Are you going to keep asking me questions or allow me finish what I started?’ He inquired, his hands on my waist pulling me closer

I was thrown off balance and I knew he wasn’t ready to give me any further explanations.

‘What if someone else wants to see you?’ I asked

‘They would have to wait for a few minutes’

‘You said you have some presentation samples to show me’ I asked again

‘I would forward them to your mail, but I can’t forward this’. He said covering my lips with his, silencing every protest I was about to raise. This time it was a slow, seductive kiss, he was teasing and tasting me. I didn’t bother resisting as I felt the worst that could happen had happened already so why hold back.

‘I can’t still figure out what it is about you that gets me this way’ He said in a husky voice. His tongue stroked my lips, moving slowly, I lost my breathe immediately not finding the words to answer his question as the feeling was mutual.

‘Spend the night with me’ he said pleading, catching my ear lobe in between his teeth. His hands stroking the skin of my lower back.
I almost said yes, as I felt a tingle from my ear, down to my toes.

‘No, I can’t do that’ I protested

‘Yes, you can’ He said still teasing me

‘I have to finish my presentation’

‘You can finish it today’ he argued

‘I don’t have what to wear, and I haven’t informed my mum’ I looked for excuses

‘I will get you something to wear before tomorrow, just say yes Yvette’ He pleaded

‘I can’t’ I protested weakly

‘What should I do to convince you?’ He asked now facing me, looking at me with all seriousness. I couldn’t believe the Almighty Mr Ifeanyi was pleading to have me with him.

‘OK, I would let you give it a thought and let me know before the end of the day, I will send someone to get a dress for you which you can have whether or not you decide to come to my place’

I was still speechless as the only words I could mutter was ‘OK, I will think about it’. I disentangled myself from his arms and walked out of his office.

I was lost in my own thoughts and dilemma, I didn’t see Gloria coming towards me. I was startled when I heard her ask me

‘What are you doing on this floor?’ she asked with a suspicious expression

‘I came to see Mr Ifeanyi’ I answered

‘Anything?’ She asked again

‘No’ I answered and kept moving

‘I heard you are the one making the presentation to Fancy n’ Fantasies lingerie tomorrow’

‘Yes, that is what Mr John said’

‘Have you done a presentation before?’

‘No’ I answered

‘I would like to watch you convince them to sign the advertising contract with us’ she said with a smirk on her face

I ignored her last statement and walked away.

11:20 am

‘Where have you been’ Mr John barked as I was taking my seat

‘Mr Ifeanyi said he wanted to see me’

‘Have you finished the work I gave you’ he asked

‘Yes, just a few edits left’ I answered

‘Cool’ he said sounding impressed.

‘Copy it to your flash drive and bring to my office’

‘Yes sir, will be with you in minute’ I answered

He stopped halfway to his office, ‘Next time inform me before leaving your desk when you still have an uncompleted task’

‘OK’ I said rolling my eyes and smiling, I was getting used to his controlling and bossy manner .

Minutes later I was in his office, as usual he spent hours correcting and re-editing everything I did, and forcing me to rehearse my presentation with him before I leave his office.

I was grateful when he finally allowed me to go for my lunch break, Adesuwa signaled me to come and share her table as I stepped into the cafeteria.

‘Babe, what have you been up to that you can’t reply Bbm messages’ Adesuwa asked

‘I have a presentation tomorrow with the lingerie company that wants to sign an advertising contract with us’

‘Wow!!’ she said surprised ‘Oversabi Gloria will be furious over this’

‘Abeg, she should come and do it if she wants it’ I said with a sigh

‘lazy girl, you don’t know Mr John is grooming you, that man is nice forget his bossy attitude’

‘I am having cold feet’ I said sulking

‘There is nothing there, you are a lady should be easy for you, and you have the assets to confuse them, wear something smart and sexy. Be confident even if you have no idea of what you are saying’ She advised

‘I wish it’s as easy as you are saying it’

‘After the first few minutes, you would get over the fear, come and shame Gloria and her friends’ she urged me

‘OK’ I answered but got distracted as I saw Mr Ifeanyi walk into the cafeteria, he dropped a file for Mr Kola from accounting and walked out immediately

‘Hmmmmm, so have Mr Ifeanyi said anything to you recently?’

‘Not really?’ I shrugged

‘I don’t trust you, give me gist. Something is up’ She said sitting up, her face filled with smiles as she knew I had juicy gossip for her. I was too tired to argue, so I gave her a summary and censored version of the hotel encounter and his request this morning.

‘I told you, he has a thing for you’ She said triumphantly

‘No, he doesn’t. Maybe he wants me to pay him back in kind for the job’

‘Nonsense!, Mr Ifeanyi can have any girl in this office and outside if he wants to’

‘Exactly my point’ I argued

‘But, he wants you not them. Do you know how many people have offered him their body and he declined’

‘Where you there when he declined?’ I laughed

‘You think me self no try my luck’ She said laughing.

I looked at her with shock on my face, ‘I can’t have anything with him if you like him o’

‘You are such a baby, I am over that, it was trial and error’ She said chuckling

‘I can’t’ I insisted

‘Babe, you want to, stop lying’

‘Yes, but what will happen after.’

‘Happen how?, can’t you just go with the flow’

‘No, not when my job might be on the line, what if he sacks me after getting what he wants’

Adesuwa started laughing , ‘He won’t, I have known this man for years. He has never given anyone this much attention, you see the way he acts like he doesn’t notice he has so many fine ladies around him. He might have flings or ladies but never in this building’

‘But I am with Michael’

‘That your undefined relationship, if you love the guy you wouldn’t be putting him on pending since. You are not saying no or yes’

I kept shaking my head, ‘Babe I can’t force you, but you can just go with him and get to know him, you are the lady you can decide not to have sex, he won’t rape you. Get to know him, or simply use this to calm the tension you have for the presentation’

I laughed finally rolling my eyes at her ‘Calm the tension indeed’

‘Just go and come and knack me yarns tomorrow, by the way send the presentation to me so I can see what you have done. I can do a few edits for you and I need it for a presentation I have to do next week at one office like that’

‘OK’, I said finally settling down to eat my lunch as I considered her advise in my head.

8:00Pm

‘Are you going to be silent all night?’ Mr Ifeanyi asked, he was sitting on the couch opposite mine

‘I don’t have anything to say’ I said fixing my gaze on the T.V screen even if I had no idea what was showing.

‘OK, dinner will be ready in a few minutes, I need to take a shower. There is a bathroom down the hallway you could use. I will ask my domestic staff to drop the clothes in the guest room’ He said as he walked away.

I fed my eyes with the lavish apartment, he surely had great taste and wealth, I found my way to the bathroom feeding my eyes as I went. I replayed everything that happened today. I was on the brink of changing my mind. Was I making the right decision? I lied to Michael and my mum, they thought I was with Adesuwa. Why did I come here? I asked myself all over again, I shrugged these thoughts to the back of my head and took off my clothing. I decided not to waste time in the shower so he doesn’t come looking for me, not long I was in the room and I was surprised to see he also bought a cute pink blouse and short pyjama, I tried to hide my smile as I slipped them on.

Minutes later, we were sitting at the dining eating the jollof rice served by an elderly lady he called Mama Sam.

‘So, where is your dad?’ He asked

‘Separated from my mum, he is married to someone else’

‘Really, how long ago?’ He said sympathetically

‘I don’t remember him’ I said not bothered

‘Any siblings?’

‘No, I was the only child she had for him’

He kept asking me series of questions revolving around my family, my college days and work. After dinner I requested to go to bed early, saying I was tired but deep down I was trying to escape. He looked at me with a knowing smile but he didn’t utter a word to persuade me, I felt a bit disappointed because I wanted him to ask me to stay.

‘OK’, he said ‘before then I need to show you some sample pictures of the new line of lingerie they want us to come up with an advertising concept for, I can’t send the pictures to you or anyone yet but you can have a look so you can have better knowledge of the product’

‘Thank you’ I answered

‘I will bring it to you later, I need to finish up a few things before then’

‘Ok’

10:30PM

I heard a knock on the door, I slept off waiting for him to come, I later assumed he changed his mind or might show me tomorrow. I staggered to the door rubbing my eyes as I went, switched on the light as I opened the door

‘You are sleeping already, let’s leave it till tomorrow then’ He said smiling

‘No, you can show me now’ I answered quickly stepping away from the door so he could come in

He stepped in, sat at the edge of the bed and beckoned on me to take a look.

‘They are lovely’ I said looking at the colorful and seductive lingerie on display.

‘Yes, they are and you are wearing one of their designs’ He said looking at me with approving eyes

‘Really!, I had no idea’ I said excitedly, I didn’t own any expensive item.

‘Yes, and I am totally smitten. You look tempting in them’ He said still smiling

I let out a nervous chuckle as I couldn’t think of an appropriate response yet. He placed his laptop on the drawer beside the bed, tugged me closer and pushing my hair behind my ear, he traveled to my shoulders planting a kiss there, his lips set a fire trail from my shoulders down to my neck. I tipped my head back in response, giving him a better view. It seemed like the torture went on for eternity, I was almost at the brink of pleading but I let out a moan instead. When his lips touched mine, we knew what to do as we mirrored each others move, his hands were on their own journey tracing every curve of my body…. my mind was in disarray, I was analysing and re-assessing but yet I couldn’t stop him or myself. I realised it was a waste of time fighting him or myself when his lips trailed and reignited the pleasure spots his hands discovered. I was writhing, pleading and almost at the brink of falling off a cliff and letting go when he stopped.

‘Why?’ I asked in a voice I couldn’t recognize as mine

‘I would like to watch your face’ he said, joining our bodies finally.

We weren’t prepared for the thrill we felt, we could only express it with sounds, bites, kisses.

‘Are you not going back to your room’ I asked minutes later but snuggled closer to him

‘No, I would love to wake you up my own way’ He answered playfully

I ignored his response feigning no knowledge of what he was saying

‘Will you take me to work tomorrow?’ I asked

‘I will ask my driver to drop you’ He answered

‘I will come in later, but I won’t miss your presentation for anything’

‘I am nervous’ I admitted to him pushing away the thought that he didn’t want to be seen coming into the office with me.

‘You would be fine, by the way you have the boss wrapped in your arms. Other deals will come, I just want you to nail it so you can get extra pay and a bonus’

I now understood why Gloria wanted to do the presentation, but I didn’t mention my encounter with her to him.

‘Sleep Yvette, I still have plans for you’ he said stroking my bare back

‘Yes sir’ I said playfully

I was lost in my own world, thinking what next now, are we dating ?, am I his booty call? Is this a fling?. All these were the thoughts I had before I slept off.

Dec 4th 7:30am

‘Babe oya give me gist before Mr John come to work’ Adesuwa said dragging me to a secluded corner as I stepped into the office

‘Na wa, no good morning sef’ I joked

‘I know your morning was good’ She said smiling

‘So?’ I asked trying to dodge her inquisitions

‘No let me shout for here o’
‘OK, follow me to the conference room, let me drop my laptop and flash drive there’ I said dragging her.

‘So, how did it go’

‘Fine’ I answered

‘Just fine’ she said in disbelief ‘With the way he has been looking at you, it can’t be just fine’

‘It was fine, I will gist you more later after I have finished this whole thing’ I said pointing to the laptop I held

‘OK, by the way your gown is lovely, you went home to change?’ She asked

‘No, he bought it yesterday’ I said blushing

‘I reserve my comment till we meet in the cafeteria’ She said walking out of the room while I placed my laptop on the table.

‘Time to help me now , you are running cos there is no gist’ I scolded her

‘Babe, don’t bother your head Mr john will help you set up, just leave it there, call me when you are about to start so I can come and boost your spirit’ She said leaving the room before I could respond.

I sighed, deciding to go back to my desk and wait for Mr John.

9:00AM

Everyone was seated, Mr John was beside me, quietly telling me to stop fretting. The prospective clients sent four representatives, three men and a lady. Mr Ifeanyi was seated opposite me, occasionally our eyes met but he gave me a smile once and restored back his usual bossy expression. Gloria was busy on her laptop screen, same with Adesuwa, we had a few other of our colleagues present. I took a deep breathe remembering Michael’s motivational message he sent to give me a little ginger, walked to the center of the room.

‘Good morning, welcome to The Midas Touch Advertising firm. My name is Yvette Okpara….. I went ahead to introduce my colleagues and started my introductory speech. I scrolled to the next slide but nothing prepared me was on the projector screen. I could recognize the picture, it was me in a bikini swimsuit. It was a picture I took at the pool side of the hotel we lodged for the seminar. I was confused and speechless, I looked at the other pages of my presentation and it was filled with the same picture. It then dawned on me someone was playing pranks and had set me up. Only Adesuwa had this pictures, so who could have done this?

Looking at the faces of my audience, they had the expression of people who had been presented with a chocolate cream pie cake but it was just the Wrong place and time to appreciate the offer

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