SEVENTY-SIX

“Yalda, meet my boyfriend, Sam.” Nina introduced, she could wipe the smug smirk off her face. “Babe, this is Yalda, we just became friends.”

Offered Yalda a warm smile which she returned.

“Thank you for keeping her company in my absence.” He said to her. “She gets bored easily.”

Yalda shook her head.

“Actually, she kept me company.” She told him. “I should be thanking her.”

Nina chuckled as she shook her head, and she was about to say something when yet another shadow was cast over them; Alexander’s. Yalda’s eyes lit up on seeing him, and a smirk curved his lips because he had noticed, as always.

“Oh great, your man’s here too.” Nina pointed out.

Sam and Alexander smirked at each other as they shook briefly.

“Seems our girls are friends now.” Sam told him.

Alexander’s gaze flickered from Yalda’s to Nina’s before returning to Yalda’s.

“Interesting.” He said.

“Nina, meet Alexander, my boyfriend.” Yalda introduced. It had felt very weird saying the last part, but as she said it again in her mind, she realized that she liked how it sounded. My boyfriend…. “And this is my friend Nina, babe.”

“I swear you look so familiar.” Nina said to Alexander.

“Everyone looks familiar to you, babe.” Sam said as he settled beside her on the mat.
Alexander merely offered her a courteous smile before responding;

“Nice to meet you, Nina.”

She nodded.

“Likewise.” She replied. “Yalda was almost falling asleep from hoe bored she was.”

Alexander’s gaze flickered back to Yalda’s and his eyes softened ever so slightly.

“Good thing she had you to keep her company then.” He said to Nina. “Thank you.”

Nina waved his thanks off before returning her attention to Sam. With Alexander’s attention now on Yalda solely, she began to feel awkward; her gaze flickered around but she saw nothing at all. Her gaze only settled on her lap when he joined her on the mat and placed his hand on her thigh pacifyingly.

“What do you want to do?” He asked her.

That was the problem, she didn’t know what she wanted to do; she was beginning to realized that all the knew how to do was follow his orders and be an efficient secretary, she didn’t even know how to have fun on a beach.

“I honestly don’t know.” She replied.

“Will you like to join the game?” He asked, her was referring to the people playing volley ball.

She shook her head immediately.

“I didn’t think so.” He said, amused. “Would you like me to apply your moisturizer?”

Her eyes widened slightly; she hadn’t expected that. It probably wasn’t a big deal to him, but something about it felt intimate to her. She nodded.

“Alright then.”

She reached into her purse and fetched the lotion; she handed it to him before she stirred so she lay flatly on her stomach. Her breath faltered as she felt his hands on her back first, her eyes fluttered close as he began rubbing the lotion into her skin gently. His hands were firm as he massaged her skin skillfully.

“Am I doing it right?” He asked her.

She nodded immediately. It wouldn’t even matter if he wasn’t doing it right, all that mattered was that he was doing it and it felt good. His hands moved to her shoulders, then her arms, and then they moved to her thighs. She subconsciously bit her lips as he massaged her thick thighs more determinedly.

“Now I don’t think I’m comfortable with anyone else giving you a massage.” He said to her.

She craned her neck to look at him.

“Why not?”

“Because, Yalda, no one except me is allowed to touch you this way.” He replied to her surprise.

She felt her cheeks heat up slowly and she averted her gaze from his.

“So, I’m to live the rest of my life without getting massages then?” She asked him.

“You’ll make do with the massages I can give.” He replied.

A faint smile curved her lips and she merely nodded. She knew in her heart that she would ditch every appointment with every skilled masseuse if he was willing to give her a massage instead. She blew out a contented breath as she leaned her head against her folded arms, she could actually fall asleep to the feel of his hands rubbing and massaging her body.

“Are you falling asleep?” He asked her.

She nodded and his hands stilled.

“Want me to stop?” He asked her.

“Please don’t.” She replied immediately. He wouldn’t understand just how good his hands felt, he wouldn’t understand just how much she loved what he was doing, he wouldn’t understand that she wanted to feel it forever.

“As you wish, Ms. Harris.” He said simply.

It went on, and at some point, he stopped applying the lotion; he merely rubbed and massaged her the way she so obviously liked. And she had indeed began falling asleep when Nina’s voice snapped her awake.

“We’re heading back now, Yalda.” She told her.

Yalda rolled to her side before propping herself up on her elbow.

“It was lovely meeting you, Nina.” She told her honestly.

“Likewise. Will you come back here tomorrow?” Nina replied with a bright smile.

Yalda wasn’t sure she wanted to come back here tomorrow, she glanced at Alexander and he passively stared back at her; he wasn’t going about to tell her what she wanted to do. This was awkward.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you stop by for dinner though?” She asked.

Nina shrugged.

“Sure. What suite are you?” She replied.

“Oh, we’re staying at the villa…” And it was only when she responded that she remembered Alexender had told her the villa was off-limits to guest, and she had foolishly just invited people over for dinner.

Nina and Sam exchanged subtle glances before Nina smirked.

“I knew your man looked familiar.” She spoke. “Alexander Monroe.”

“Oh, yeah…” Yalda said quietly, awkwardly.

“Oh well, we’ll love to join you for dinner.” Nina told her.

Yalda pulled on her brightest smile.

“7pm. Is fine right?” She asked.

Nina nodded.

“Of course.” She replied.

And with that, they said their goodbyes, the men shook hands before they left. A moment of silence settled between them until Yalda decided to speak.

“I’m sorry I invited them to the villa; I don’t know what came over me.” She said immediately.

He arched a brow questioningly.

“What?” He asked.

“I should have asked you first.” She said quietly.

He shook his head almost exasperatedly.

“It’s not a problem. You tend to overthink inconsequential matters.” He told her. “I’m sure Matilda would be glad to have more people over to cook for.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding, perhaps she truly did tend to overthink things.

“Will you like to head back now so you can sleep properly?” He asked her.

The fact that their massage session had abruptly come to an end bothered her, but it was fine, she could push her luck and ask for a massage another day. She nodded.