Must Date The Chef

|| 11.

Paul is behind the counter with Chi when I walk into the hotel this morning, they pause what they are saying to greet me and I nod in response. He hasn't come to see me just yet but I know he has resumed work. The reviews on our website about our cooking services are the best we have received since I resumed here and it's all thanks to him.

He must have said something funny because Chi throws her head back and hit his shoulders as she laughs. I roll my eyes and continue to the elevator, the click-clack sound of my heels echoing in the empty lounge. He shouldn't be there, that's not his work station. But no matter, so long they are not making out on the reception desk, I can handle seeing them together every day.

Waiting in front of the elevator, I feel his presence behind me and I tense. The hairs on my neck stand when he grabs my bag from me and the ding of the elevator brings me back to the present. We make the short journey to my office floor in silence and I spend the whole time checking him out.

From my side view, I can see the visible bulge of his muscle in his grey sweatshirt which is paired with black jeans and Nike sneakers that look comfortable. I smoothen the invisible creases on my navy blue peplum gown, a wistful smile on my lips. I can't come to the office dressed like him in the name of comfort. It's a small price to pay as a manager and I need to dress the part.

"You look good," Paul says as the door slides open. I receive the compliment with a smile and pay him back in kind. He smirks, his head bobs up and down like he has been told one too many times that he looks good.

"UD. Udo. Paul," I start as my hand connects with the doorknob of my office, "just how many names do you have? Three? Four?"

Paul chuckles but doesn't reply until we are inside the office. "Just two, UD is from Udo which is still from Udoka and then Paul." He places my bag on my desk. "Chi calls me whichever comes to her head but she's the only one who calls me UD. You, how many?"

I am not sure if he added that bit about Chi to rile me up because I do not need that extra bit of information but I smile and nod.

"Two," I bark, making no attempt to explain myself further even with the twinkle in his eyes and the look of interest. He can get my information from the hotel's website or Chi.

He notices the shift in the atmosphere and clears his throat while I set to work on getting my laptop ready for the tasks ahead. My gaze wanders to him; I see that he's still standing so I offer him the seat across me.

"If I crossed a line, I apologise, madam," he says with an expression that's anything but apologetic and I respond with a fake smile.

My eyes shift to his lips, the hairs that are surrounding it and he smirks. I roll my eyes and place my laptop to the side. His arrogance is stifling and I don't want to believe he has a sweet or romantic bone in that mass of muscles he calls his body. I bet he takes Chi to the gym for their dates.

"You don't have to call me madam, not when we are alone. We have passed that stage." I tilt my head to the side and say, "I'm okay with you calling me by my first name."

In fact, I am okay with him calling me by whichever name he chooses to but he is off-limits so I will have to make do with Pauline, it's still my name. I can manage it.

"Okay, madam," he replies and relaxes into his seat like it's his office, not mine.

The arrogance, God! How can I be attracted to someone with an ego the size of a truck? I click my tongue and shake my head, if he intends to rile me up this beautiful Monday morning, his plans will not work.

There's no trace of familiarity in my voice when I ask, "You were supposed to come to see me last week, what took you so long?"

"You didn't call for me," he mutters and I cross my arms. "I didn't want to interrupt anything again so I was waiting for you to let me know when it was okay to come up."