THIRTY-SIX

A long moment of silence had stretched between them in which they had caught their breaths while laying on their backs staring up at the ceiling. It had been more than ten minutes since anything had been said and Yalda decided to say something, it was either that or she’d keep on thinking about the fact that they had just had the most intimate sex ever.

“You have to be in a meeting, remember?” She reminded him.

He nodded.

“Yes, thank you, Ms. Harris.” He replied.

Another moment of silence stretched between them before she spoke again.

“What are you thinking about?” She asked him.

He shook his head.

“Nothing.” He replied.

She craned her neck to look at him.

“It can’t be.” She said.

He in turn looked at her.

“Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking about.” He spoke.

How was she possibly suppose to possibly tell him what was on her mind? She didn’t want to ruin whatever it was that they were having at the moment? He saw the conflicting look in her eyes and he nodded encouragingly. She blew out a breath; to hell with it all.

“You were gentle.” She replied. “You’re never that way with me.”

He probably hadn’t expected her response because he suddenly sat up and began gathering his clothes that had been littered around the bed. She waited for him to respond but he didn’t, not until he had begun redressing himself, all the while she had held her breath.

“You’re asking why I was gentle with you?” He asked her.

She nodded immediately.

“Yes.” She replied.

“Why?” He asked.

She propped herself up on her elbow to look at him clearly.

“I should be asking you…..”

He arched a brow questioningly, and when she said nothing, he spoke instead.

“Last night was intense, perhaps too intense for you. You needed a break.” He said as he secured his cufflinks. It was obvious that he didn’t want to talk about this, his attitude had suddenly changed and he seemed distant. “Don’t think too much of it.”

She had known better than to think too much of it, but in the end, she had thought too much of it and she had ended up getting hurt. She averted her gaze from his.

“Of course.” She said quietly. “I wasn’t going to.”

“You still going to Jenner’s?” He asked her.

She nodded.

“Are you going to get dressed then?”

Saying nothing, she pushed the covers off herself and climbed out of bed, she walked to the adjoining bathroom, and it was only when she got to the door that she spoke again.

“I’ll be out in a minute.” She said before going in and closing the door behind her quietly.

She truly shouldn’t have thought too much of this the whole thing but she couldn’t stop herself; she couldn’t have helped it when he had kissed and held her as though he loved her, as though he felt anything other than lust for her. Her feelings were hurt now and she had herself to blame for it. She tended to her business quickly before washing her face and returning to the room.

Alexander was all dressed when she returned, and her eyes widened slightly on seeing that he had Lilac in his hand.

“I didn’t know you liked stuffed toys.” He spoke. “This one’s really cute.”

He didn’t know a lot about her, and what was really cute was having a regal man dressed in a regal suit tell you that a teddy was cute. She walked to him quickly and awkwardly took the teddy from him; it was awkward because Jaxon had given it to her, obviously.

“I…I like stuffed toys.” She replied awkwardly as she set it down on her nightstand, the bed was too disheveled for it.

His brow arched slightly from how quickly she had snatched the toy from him but he said nothing about it.

“I’ll wait for you in the living room.” He said simply.

She nodded gratefully, she needed the privacy, she needed to pull her shit together.

Saying nothing more, he turned around and walked out of the room, and it was only when she heard the door close quietly that she let herself breathe properly.

…….

Like always, Jenner’s was bubbling. Conversations flowed freely amongst everyone as hair and nails, and gossips were done smoothly. Yalda liked coming here because their services were great and there was always first-hand gossip, she never really participated in gossiping but she liked listening; there was always news of whose husband was having an affair with whom.

The ambience was exactly what she needed to clear her mind from Alexander; it was what she needed to forget how much of a fool she had just been.

“Bye ladies. See y’all next time.” Sally, a pretty woman with bright auburn hair said as she concluded her business and left.

She had barely closed the door completely before someone spoke.

“So, we’re all gonna pretend like we don’t know she’s shagging Linda’s ex?”

Murmurs filled the room at once Yalda could only smile faintly. She knew very well that they also gossiped about her in her absence but that was fine, they gossiped about everyone. But in every honesty, what was there to gossip about in her life? What could they possibly say about her? That she was single as fuck? Or that they suspected that she was having a relationship with her boss?
“I thought I was the only one thinking it.” Emily, a dark-haired lady with bright green eyes said. “I saw them the other day on my way to the supermarket.”

“Shagging?” Someone else asked.

“God no. Walking, hand in hand.” Emily replied.

Yalda chuckled along with the others. She almost shook her head at the stupidity of the question.

“Come on Y’all, we all know that Sally will shag just about anyone.” Someone else said. “She’s not even worth talking about.”

“Exactly. She even had the audacity to insinuate that Rita was sleeping with her boss.” Emily said. “Yalda, can you just imagine that?”

Quiet snickers travelled around the room as they all waited for Yalda to respond. She knew what they were trying to do, she knew they were trying to get her to say something so that they could pry into her life. She merely shook her head.

“Of course! I mean, why would she sleep with her boss? It’s not like she wouldn’t be where she was without having to shag the old man.”

Yalda’s smile faltered but she tried her very best to remain composed. They weren’t just talking about Rita anymore and she knew it. She reached out, picked up her drink and took a long sip before setting it down; she was suddenly patched.

“Speaking of bosses, I heard Maya’s now your boss, Yalda”. Tania, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes said.

It was said that she and Maya Blackwood had bad blood because she had met Mr. Blackwood first, and then Maya Blackwood had come along and snatched him from her like she would candy from a toddler. It was also said that Maya was once a regular here at Jenner’s, but she wrapped up her business with them since Tania told everyone what she had done.

“Well, technically, she’s not my boss; she just works with my boss.” She replied.

“Oooh.” Tania said. “Heard she’s bee trying so hard to get him to fuck her. I mean, she’s older than Alexander Monroe.”

Yalda felt bile rise to her throat but she forced it down and shrugged.

“Come on girl, you have to have confirmed or at least suspected it! You’re his secretary”. Tania insisted.

“Exactly.” Emily backed her up.

“Really, I don’t know anything.” She told them.

Tania rolled her eyes subtly.

“He better be smart else she’ll snake her way into his life like she did with poor Ethan.” She said.

Oh, Alexander was smart alright, he knew what he was doing all too well.

“Speaking of Alexander Monroe, Felicia said she saw him driving past their office. Do you think he’s seeing Dr. Milan again?”

Yalda’s brow arched slightly. Who was Dr. Milan?

“Who?” She asked.

The ladies exchanged knowing looks before returning their gazes to her.

“Dr. Richelle Milan, his therapist”.