SHALLOW DEPTHS

Chapter 4

       Thank God it was Friday, I could really use a break from the usual running around at the office, I wished Richard came with weekend breaks too, as he reached for my zipper, he was gonna start something.

''Urmm, it's my time of the month'' I shrieked, and I have a meeting for 8.

Ziggy I wasn't even gonna do anything, I was just messing around. What are you making for breakfast, am starved.

There is leftover porridge from last-night, it's in the fridge, you just need to heat it up a little, coffee is in the lower cabinet, you can grab sweetener from the store later, I forgot to get some on my way back yesterday, I said hoarsely, trying to read his body language, why was he not yelling at me already, did he hear me at all?

''Okay that's fine'', he said, getting up from the bed. He didn't even ask me for money like he would usually do, and he was seriously going to the store. What was up with Richard this morning, was it the weekend vibe or was he finally changing. I had given up on trying to change him, after he tore up his school certificate and burned all his documents just because an oil company wouldn't employ him. We both graduated from The Lagos State University, me with a first class in marketing, and Richard with a second class upper in engineering. Back then he was better, the talk of the whole school and self-proclaimed ''Girl Dem Sugar''. Yes he was all that, his brains and fame were the reasons I fell for him in the first place, and maybe his big dick too.

''Am back, and I got you tampons too'', he said.

He bought me tampons? At this point, I came to a conclusion that Richard was doing drugs, and cheap ones too, cos he never liked it when I wore tampons.

''Thank you, dear. You didn't have to. I answered. Sitting by the window to wear my makeup, I saw his car across the road. Cyril, there he was, looking like something out of Cold Stone, in his fitted tux and white sneakers. But what was he doing there, was he grabbing breakfast or waiting for me, a part of me wished he was waiting for me, a part of me wished he could wait for me every morning, I could get used to something like this, I let my thoughts wander.

''you are early Zig' he shouted, as I came out of the apartment and crossed the road, silently praying that Richard did not hear that. He would harass Cyril and attempt to wrestle him, which could end really badly for Cyril, because he didn't look like he had been in lots of fights before.

''You look beautiful'' he said, tucking bits of my hair behind my ear and tilting my chin up. ''You look really beautiful''. His gaze was deep, the scent of his cologne enveloped me and the feel of his hand on my chin did something different to my body. We needed to get out of here, Richard could be watching. He could compliment me and flirt with me on our way to work, I was ok with it, no one had called me beautiful in almost two years and honestly I had forgotten I was. Cyril was creating feelings in me, feelings I was scared I would encourage.

''Thank you'', I managed, let's go, we have work to get to.

''Well today, you will be working personally with me'', he said coolly, a friend of mine is having his birthday party at my loft, and I need you for assistance and as my date. It will of course be within your working hours, and if it exceeds, I'll pay you for overtime.

''As a date?'' I whispered, I wasn't dressed for that, he was my boss, and for Christ sake, this was not the place to be talking about this. Date?