*****EPISODE 46***
A gentle breeze caressed the flowers that had bent their heads in slumber, making them move in protest. They hadn’t expected the rude shake of the wind that trailed a black RangeOver car as it sped past them to stop in front of a black gate few meters away.
A stray debris that had also been disturbed twirled in the air and rolled past the locked window of the car that had just pulled to a stop. Inside were two occupants, a male and a female.
‘Here we are’ the man said and kicked off the engine.
‘Thank you’ Daisy replied and tugged at the door handle.
‘You sure you don’t want me to come in?’ he asked, concern etched on his face. ‘Its okay Peter, I can mange from here’ Daisy replied, pushed open the door and stepped out.
‘Just take it easy and remember I am here for you’ he said
‘Sure’ Daisy replied non challantly and jammed the door.
‘I’ll keep in touch’ Peter said as he kicked start the engine.
Daisy waved as the car pulled out to the road then turned towards the house without a glance back as the car drove out in speed, awakening the flowers that were already answering nature’s call.
All of Nature’s appeal and lure was however lost on Daisy as she made her way towards the building. She hadn’t bothered to smile at Adamu or reply his greetings when he opened the gate for her. It would be an error to smile inspite of the gloom she felt within.
If she had thought a day out with Peter and Brenda would work magic to her shattered soul, then she had been wrong. For hours later, she still felt worse than before.
Seeing Peter had made her nostalgic, his presence hadn’t really mattered, it was what it signified that had unruffled her. As far as she was concerned, he was guilty as well, for they shared something in common: they were men she had given up the world for, but they had broken her and reminded her of how cruel life had treated her.
Peter was Ibo, from a tribe she hated because of her dad and his people, yet she’d looked passed it and dated him. But Where had it landed her?
obviously the men in her life were bent on making her cry? Her dad, her step father, Peter and now Jide. She wondered why she had not lost faith in the male folks and dedicated her life to God as a sister, atleast that would have been a life of purpose. Daisy concluded with a sigh as she opened the parlour door.
‘Hi…welcome’ Jide who was standing few steps away from the door greeted her with a smile. He had been aware of her arrival, although very late but had successfully pushed his anger to the back.
Daisy made a grimace and walked past him without as much as a ‘hi’ in reply. Jide sighed resignedly and followed behind her, this was proving harder than he had thought.
‘You could say something to me at least he said hurt.
‘Not in the mood’ Daisy replied still heading for the hallway.
‘Well, I hope you’re in the mood for dinner, because I cooked’ Jide said ignoring her attitude
That caught her attention, she stopped in her track and turned back to peer at Jide.
A scoff. ‘you cooked?’ she asked s——g her face.
Stories from Topster–stories
‘Sure, come see’ Jide said and hurried towards the dinner, after a brief hesitation, Daisy followed, more out of curiosity than hunger.
‘I uhm… warmed some stew from the freezer, you know I can’t cook stew, but I tried cooking rice…it might be a bit cold because you didn’t return early, but I would warm it up, if you would just exercise some patience’ Jide explained. Daisy had crossed her hands across her chest while she listened to him explaining, and on her face was a grimace.
‘You didn’t cook stew, just boiled rice, so what’s the big deal?’ she shrugged.
‘Don’t be so hard on me! you very well know I don’t cook, you should at least
appreciate the gesture’ Jide retorted.
‘Too bad, cos am not impressed’
‘But at least try it’
‘Read my lips Jide, I… am… not… hungry’ she stressed.
‘Okay, okay, lets scrap the food part, I just want to talk with you, straighten up issues, ask questions, you know, work this out’
‘Same old cliche again’ she said drily and started walking away. ‘am still not ready to talk’ she added.
‘But I am, and you have to listen to me!’ Jide said in a slightly raised tone and followed behind. Daisy was starting to piss him off.
‘No problem then, you can do all the talking’ Daisy said pushing aside the curtain that led to the hallway.
‘Will you just stop acting spoilt for once!’ Jide shouted behind her.
‘You can scream down the building for all I care’ Daisy replied drily.
‘Now hold on a minute’ Jide said and walked faster to catch up with her ‘you are taking this too far and acting like a spoilt brat and its irritating!’
‘You ain’t see nothing yet’ Daisy replied and made to walk past him, in a bid to keep as much distance as she could from him.
‘Then you leave me no other choice’ Jide said, then swiftly maneuvered his way to face her, before Daisy could reply or take another step she found herself pinned to the wall with his hands trapping her on both sides.
‘What do you think you are doing’ Daisy whispered in a failed anger attempt. She felt her heart start a frantic pound in protest to his closeness.
‘Please get away from me’ she said in a weak voice.
Jide’s replies her with a teasing grin and a look that showed that he wasn’t planning on leaving soon.
‘Isn’t this what we’ve both wanted for long?’ he asked. His hands gradually moving from their previous position to rest on her waist.
Daisy didn’t know why her strength decided to flee her, because even the tiniest push, she thought, could let her loose from Jide’s arm that wasn’t pressing her to the wall.
Then why was she immobile and nervous? While the freaking pounding of her heart was defeaning her and clouding her senses.
‘I don’t know what you’re…’ she tried saying.
‘Since you’ve decided not to talk, we could as well leave the talking part’ Jide whispered, slowly bringing his head closer with each sentence.
Daisy couldn’t feel herself anymore, her hormones were racing out of control How easy it had been to melt her like jelly, was the last Jide thought as his lips met hers.
Daisy’s eyes fluttered open in immediately she Felt his warm lips on hers. Her hands stood immobile by her sides while her muscle tensed in shock.
Gently, Jide teased at her lips before delving deep, his hands gradually caressing their way up.
Soon, Daisy felt herself relax, found herself responding to his kiss, then slowly her eye lids closed, she let out a quiet sigh in release of her pent up emotions. She didn’t know when her body leaned closer to Jide or when her hands pulled him closer to herself as she relished the magic his hands were working all over her body.
‘Pure haven!’ Daisy Moaned.
Jide’s hands had also longed left her waist and found themselves inside her top as he caressed the bosom that had so long teased and enticed him.
And there they stood, man and wife, lost to the world around them, relieving the tension that had hung over them for the past months of marital union.
Then slowly, what had started as a teasing kiss was fast turning into a desperate hunger for more. Jide was now pushing Daisy harder unto the wall, and his lips were tracing places other than her lips, his eyes became misty with lust and desire, even Daisy could feel all of him upon her body.
The tempo increased and the caresses became fierce, but that was when the magic stopped.
All of a sudden Daisy pushed Jide away.
Panting uncontrollably she stammered: ‘we…we…shouldn’t do this’
The hurt and desire on Jide’s face was visible as he regained his composure and walked towards her.
‘What…what’s…wrong’ he stammered.
Daisy bent low and evaded his incoming grasp. She couldn’t tell why she had pulled away. She just felt the desire to run.
‘I…I…I’ she stammered, retreating backwards with few steps to her room, then struggled slightly with the door handle and soon the door jammed noisily.
Jide didn’t go after her. He just stood panting and staring at her door. His face still flushed with unsatiated desire.
He hadn’t meant for it to go this far, had just wanted to tease her with his kiss, how had he lost control?
He staggered towards his study, but later retreated his steps and headed for the parlor, desperately needing something to calm him down.
Back in Daisy’s room, she was standing, her back resting on the closed door, half expecting Jide’s knock any moment.
She however felt a bit disappointed when she heard none.
She wasn’t in the right state of mind to analyze what had happened, why he had kissed her or why she had pulled away.
‘Oh my God! Such a good kisser’ she whispered breathlessly as she slowly made her way forward, half noticing the scattered pictures on her bed, or the fact that the door she had personally locked had opened easily.
Even if the mirror appeared shattered before her eyes, Daisy wouldn’t have noticed.
Her mind was on the kiss.
Slowly, she took off her clothes and walked towards the bathroom. A cool bath might do the trick, she thought.
That night, Daisy purposely left her door unlocked in the faint hope that Jide would
come calling later that night.
But he never did.
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TAKING CHANCES