“There’s something different about you today.” Onyeka murmured, his eyes thoughtful. “I just can’t place a finger on it. You’re walking almost different.”
Chidinma almost choked on her drink. They were walking in a crowded shopping mall, window-shopping after Chidinma had purchased a few clothes for her son. Nonso was fast outgrowing some of his clothes and she had noticed his jeans were beginning to ‘jump’. When Onyeka had mentioned that he was going shopping at the mall in Lekki, she had jumped at the opportunity to go with him. It was also an opportunity to watch him drive his pride and joy, a sleek, grey Honda Accord. It was her first time in the popular vehicle called ‘End of Discussion’, and after Onyeka followed her car home, she ran in and changed quickly into jeans and a yellow top, then enjoyed the purring smoothness of his car all the way to the mall. Onyeka drove with confidence and skill and she had a moment when she began to envy the steering wheel, wishing it was her he caressed that lovingly.
He had quickly bought the Dell laptop charger which had been the reason for the trip, then followed Chidinma patiently as she picked clothes for Nonso and a dress for herself, before they bought two bottles of soda and decided to just stroll around the mall and ogle at designer perfumes and shoes that were way above their budget.
Onyeka’s comment had startled Chidinma because he was echoing her thoughts. She also felt different and she was not surprised it was showing in her walk. Before she asked to follow Onyeka to the mall, she had hesitated, worried about the age factor again, before she pushed down the feeling and followed him. But throughout the time they had spent in the mall, she had not experienced a self-conscious moment and had even seen a few women eyeing her, envious of the handsome man walking at her side. Her self-confidence soared and she began to sashay proudly, chin up, feeling sexy as she let her jean-clad hips roll, drawing a few male eyes herself. But having Onyeka notice brought her back to earth quickly.
“Different, how?” she spluttered, trying to keep the guilt off her face.
“I don’t know exactly. You were moving like a tiger… a cougar!” Onyeka grinned. “And I feel like I’m being pulled along behind you on a golden leash, your willing captive.”
Chidinma turned away, her face hot. The word ‘cougar’ had brought their age difference back to mind, but in a pleasant way. She liked the idea of being in control of a man; her past lovers had always been dominating. For a moment she had a flash of him lying in her bed, bound with silk scarves, as she crawled toward him like a feral cat, her lips painted as red as the lingerie cupping her breasts and sheathing her hips…
“Earth to Chidinma.” Onyeka’s voice sliced through the fantasy. He grinned as she jumped guiltily. “A penny for your thoughts.”
“Hell, no.” Chidinma said hastily, glancing at her wristwatch. It was getting late in the evening and she expected Nonso to be home already. “We need to go. I have a hungry son to feed.”
Onyeka shook his head, scowling in mock jealousy. “Lucky young man, not even married and enjoying all the perks of being a kept man.”
Chidinma laughed as they strolled towards the mall’s exit. “Well, if you’re jealous, move back home to your mother or go get married.”
“Go back home to mama? No. I would get married, but I don’t think she’ll have me. She’s so beautiful it hurts to look at her, and she’s way above my level, intellectually and otherwise.” Onyeka responded in a sober tone, then grinned at her meaningfully. “She also thinks I’m too young.”
The comment left Chidinma shaken; she knew he was referring to her and she could not think up a witty response. Silence reigned as they walked back to Onyeka’s car and made the short ride to her house. It was a pregnant silence, full of unspoken desire and tension. Chidinma was careful not to meet Onyeka’s eyes. She held on to the euphoria created by the earlier memories of their time at the mall. It had felt just like a real date… except it wasn’t.
They arrived at the estate where Chidinma lived after a few minutes. Onyeka reached her house and parked by her front door, then they both turned to each other and began to speak at the same time.
“Sorry I’m not fun…”
“Sorry about that marriage joke…”
They both laughed and Onyeka started again. “Really, it was a bad joke. I know how you feel about me flirting with you. I’ll behave.”
“Don’t.”
They both froze, shocked by Chidinma’s response. Wildly, she wondered if the euphoria of their evening together had gotten to her head. She felt giddy and carefree, like a teenager in love. Onyeka stared at her, his eyes liquid with desire she knew was reflected in her eyes, and at that moment, she wanted the date to be real and to end like normal dates did.
“Don’t behave.”
The words had hardly left her mouth when Onyeka’s lips claimed hers. They felt as soft as she remembered from their first kiss, and when his tongue flicked against her lips, she opened her mouth with a soft moan and revelled in the delicious, clean taste of him, her body writhing in the front passenger seat as she pressed closer to him, fidgeting with the seat belt, eager to close the gap between them.
When Onyeka stopped kissing her and moved away, she murmured in protest and pulled him closer, but his voice stopped her. It was hoarse with desire, but filled with warning.
“No, wait, Chidinma stop.”
She looked up at him in the dimness of the car, puzzled, and then she noticed his gaze was somewhere above her shoulder.
Her heart sinking, she twisted around, already guessing what had interrupted the fevered kiss.
Nonso was standing beside the car, staring in at them, a look of shock and dismay on his face.
To be Continue
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