MORE THAN A SECRETARY

Katrina opened her eyes and blinked to clear sleep off, she wondered for how long she had been sleeping, traveling always gets her exhausted especially when she travels by air, over the years she has trained herself to get used to it but this particular trip had been too urgent that she had not had time to do that, she looked around the room, it looked big and very pretty even though it had simple decoration, there was a bed, a sofa, a walk-in wardrobe, a table, tv, and a small but pretty floor pot, the room could easily carry up to five people, she wondered why such a large room had a single bed but didn’t give it much thought because the bed itself was huge.

She wondered just how long she had been sleeping, she checked her watch it was long past eight pm. She wondered where Lucas was, he had said he had a few things to do when they arrived but she had been too tired to make out what it was.

“You are up? That’s good, let me get you something to eat,” he announced entering the room, he was in a simple white shirt and black trousers yet he looked hot as fuck, her mind suddenly went back to their not so but still a kiss that afternoon and she resisted the urge to run her fingers over her mouth.

“I am sorry I fell asleep even after sleeping on the plane,”

She said apologetically,

“It’s okay, you were tired, now go and freshen up so that you can eat, or do you want to eat first?”

“No, I will freshen up first,” she answered getting up from the bed and heading towards the restroom in the room, she turned around halfway there and headed instead to get her toiletries, a pair of nighties, and every other thing she needed.

“Okay, then I will go get your food,”

He said and left the room, she went ahead to take a bath, and when she came back into the room, he was there sitting on the sofa, the food he brought with him on the table.

“Thanks a lot,” she said as she sat down to eat.

“It’s nothing,”Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Have you met with the owner yet?” She inquired

“Yes, I have, and don’t worry he knows you were tired and understood when I told him you were asleep.” He added when she gave him an apological expression.

“Alright,” she answered digging into the food. “Are you not going to eat? This tastes really good, it has to be one of the best pasta I have had.”

“No, I have eaten with the others so you can have it all, I will just watch you eat,” he answered making her blush inside.

“Tomorrow, we will be having an introduction ceremony by noon, apparently, the old man wanted people around him for his sixty-five birthday so this is pretty much a party, a one-week-long party, I get it now why he insisted on us bringing our partners,” Lucas explained.

“Alright, now I am glad we got those lovely clothes,” she said in excitement.

“You look happy about it,” he observed.

“Yes I am, I love parties, though I don’t get to attend much,” she answered looking down at her food, she hardly had time to party even though she loved them, she was almost always busy with work.

“Why? If you like something you should do it often even if it not always,” he responded.

“As if the reason I am not partying is not you,” she voiced and closed her mouth when she discovered she said that out loud.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” she apologized.

“Hmm, okay, but what do you mean by I am the reason you don’t get to party? Answer me honestly, I won’t get mad,” he inquired and she bit her lips hard.

“Should I really say it?”

“Yes,” he responded with authority.

“Well, you make me work so hard even on weekends sometimes, that all I do when I get home is sleep it rest, my work life pretty much take-up ninety percent of my life, and the remaining ten percent are used to either sleep or visit my parent,” she explained, not like she was complaining but people around her were, her best friend especially, she barely had time to hang out with her friends, couldn’t quite remember the last time she had a nice hangout.

“I am sorry, I didn’t notice, I am not excusing myself, but I promise I won’t overwork you again,” he apologized and she felt the sincerity in his apology.

“It’s okay,” she replied and continued eating in silence.

“You can take the bed, I will use the sofa,” he announced as they got ready for bed.

“No, the bed is big enough for two and we are both adults, I know you will respect my space, I don’t want you cursing me in your sleep, that sofa looks nice for sitting but definitely not for sleeping at all especially for an over six feet tall man,” she said going over to the bed.

“Why thank you for looking out for me my lady,” he answered with a bow as he got on the other side of the bed.

Only a few minutes after laying down she heard his soft snores and smiled to herself before turning to watch him sleep, he looked so handsome even while sleeping, she resisted the urge to move close to him and caress his eyebrows and lips, she couldn’t help but be wistful that this handsome, and somewhat caring man be hers, she knew that was impossible but it didn’t stop her for thinking it, and wishing for it, she fell asleep to the sound of his snoring.

“Once again I welcome y’all to my humble resort, I hope you have fun and make new friends and new memories here, cheers to having a great time,”

The old man cheered and the others chorused with smiling faces, the old man wasn’t as old as Katrina thought, he didn’t look a day older than sixty, but he was turning sixty-five in two days from what she found out and he looked like a normal old man who is very welcoming, she spared a glance at everyone in the room, they all looked relaxed and calm, none of them looked like they were rivals and competing for something, she wondered just how much pressure laid under those calm faces, her eyes landed on Lucas and he gave her a worried expression and mouthed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes I am,” she mouthed back. she had woke up this morning in his arms, how she got to his side of the bed, she still couldn’t quite make out, but he had not seemed to complain or said anything about it so she had let it go even though she had been both excited and embarrassed, waking up in his arms had felt both surreal and heavenly.

She tuned back in on what the old man was saying, he was explaining how the week will go and by his explanation, it sound more like a fun trip rather than work, she was glad she came and smiled to herself.

Everyone has already introduced themselves and there were about twelve couples and one of the couples were expecting their first child, some others brought their kids with them, while a much younger couple like her and Lucas were in the middle of planning their wedding, they gave out invites and she kind of wondered if everyone here were actually business rivals because the energy here was quite friendly, though some more people are expected to join them later today. She made it a point to ask Lucas if everyone there was in on getting the properties.

“Are everyone really, competing for the old man’s assets?” She asked when they got back into their room, dude looked tired and they still had a mini party by five pm, they were just on a temporal break.

“No, not every one of them, some are his friends and colleagues, we are about five only, and two of those haven’t arrived yet,”

“Oh, that explains the friendly atmosphere.” She said as she laid on the bed, he laid down beside her.

“What is it?”

She inquired when she looked at him and caught him watching her.

“Nothing, just that you are so pretty,” he whispered her face redden in shock.

“Wow, dude, heads up please, except you want me to turn tomatoes red,” she answered getting up and holding her face in her hands.

“You are one of a kind miss,” he replied laughing.

“I know,” she said patting her face.

“I like this Katrina better, don’t get me wrong, I like the other too, just that I prefer the open and easygoing Kat,” he voiced.

“The both are the same person, it’s just depending on the situation,” she said biting her lips

“Don’t do that,” he voiced.

“Do what?” She asked biting her lips again

“That, biting your lips, it makes me wanna kiss you, and I don’t think I should,”

He said looking at her lips, she froze at his words, all her head could process was Lucas wanted to kiss her.

“I.., I mean you.., sorry,” she said covering her mouth when she couldn’t make up a good sentence.

“What? Do you want me to?” He asked pulling her hands and looking into her eyes, she felt her heartbeat increased and sucked in a much-needed breath, her throat was suddenly dry as he pulled her closer towards him…