chapter 8

I need you to come out, I want to use the restroom” Zachary's voice rang out.

Anita was feeling so embarrassed by the fact that she didn't know about the curtain switch that she remained in the bathroom. She needed to gather her strength to face Zachary's teases about her ignorance which she knew he would say was because she had never seen such a facility.

“Do you want me to come join you in there?” He was getting impatient. “Maybe we could begin our hot honeymoon now” He said and turned the knob just in time to have Anita knock into him.

“Sorry” She said and walked briskly past him but he dragged her back.

She collapsed against his strong masculine chest. Anita felt the heat rising within her. “He can't necessarily be serious about any honeymoon, could he?” She thought. She felt her heart beat as he enclosed her tiny waist in his arm. She wriggled, avoiding his eyes.

“Look at me” He said slowly, his voice low and husky, sending shivers down her spine. She tried to shake off the effect he was having on her and raised her head to look at him. The air around them felt heavy with tension as the locked eyes.

His gaze lingered on her face as Anita struggled to keep eye contact. He traced the line of her back where her body was bare making her skin tingle.

His eyes were tracing the curve of her soft pink lips. Anita looked away but he gently turned her head to face him and catching her unawares, plants a soft kiss on him. Anita felt like she was melting as he closed the gap between them and leaned in for a deeper kiss. Anita let out an almost inaudible sigh and instinctively, her hand slowly ran through his hair.

They leaned against the glass wall, their bodies close as they got lost in the intimate moment.

They broke apart, Anita's cheeks a bright pink and Zachary's eyes blazing with passion. He walked into the bathroom wordlessly.

Anita rushed to the couch, her desires at war with her logic. What has she done? She wondered why he kissed her when he never found her sexy but another consciousness hit her. Zachary was a womanizer. The reality that he could have kissed her for the fun of it annoyed her but she was more pissed by the fact that she had let him and even kissed him back. The whole kiss replayed itself in her head.

She did not hear when he came out of the bathroom so was startled by his presence in his room. He was looking at her but she avoided his gaze.

“Anita, urm.. I think.. I'm sorry about that, I think I got carried away” He stuttered

She felt the annoyance rise within her. What was she apologizing for? She wished he would just shut up and not talk about it but he continued.

“Let's just forget anything happened”

“Forget it?” Anita queried, her face raised to see the look on his face. His face was expressionless. She indeed wished he would not talk about it but he asking her to forget about it made her uncomfortable. It made her feel like one of his numerous girlfriends who he could use and pay off.

Zachary cleared his throat. “I mean, it was a mistake so we could as well forget it.

How was she to forget such an intense kiss? The way his hand traced her back and the way their bodies was pressed together. She hissed and went to the bed.

“Common Anita, you can't give me such attitude” He said moving to her

“Don't come close” She snapped

“I need to sleep, there's only one bed in the room” He replied. She shifted uncomfortably and moved to the edge of the bed, separating the bed into two with the duvet. Zachary laughed.

“You don't have to worry, I won't touch you”.

Anita could not sleep through out the night, thoughts of the kiss kept nudging her as she tossed and turned. She fell asleep early the next morning.

Zachary suggested they had lunch at the Hotel's main restaurant much to Anita's displeasure.

“We can't just stay up here without letting the world see what a lovely couple we are.”

He chose her outfit. A lilac bodycon dress with ruffled sleeves while he wore a open-neck T-shirt and shorts of matching colour. Anita could not deny the fact that he looked handsome in the cloth but she remained tight lipped when he complemented her, calling her his beautiful wife. The event of the previous night was still on her mind and she was not ready to be patronized by this man who had all the techniques of making a lady run wild with emotions. She kept a straight face.

“You can't continue frowning, you know” He said as they got out of the elevator. He was looking at her.

Anita wanted to snap at him but just then, manager Kate emerged with a man, they were walking towards them, probably to use the elevator. Anita impulsively linkee her arm with Zachary's, her face transformed from cold and unwelcoming to warm and affectionate as she pushed Zachary playfully.

“You must be joking,” she said.

Zachary was surprised by the sudden shift but he was able to recover just in time as he heard foot steps approaching.

“I'm damn serious. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He played along, he pushed strands of hair that strayed across her face and tucked them between her ears as manager Kate and the man got to them. She was all smiles.

“Good afternoon sir and ma”

“You're manager Kate, right?” Anita said, going closer to hug her.

“I hope you are enjoying your stay here?” She asked

“My sweetheart loves it and I love what she loves,” Zachary replied.

“I'm glad and yes, this is General manager Ethan Smith” Kate introduced the other man who looked as though he was not happy.

Anita thought he was probably jealous of the love she and Zachary was projecting. She felt sorry for him and wanted to tell him it was better to be a happy single rather than with a fake spouse but she smiled warmly at him. Zachary and Ethan shook hands.

“Mr Smith, I don't think I need to introduce him and his wife. You know them and why they are here” Manager Kate laughed at her own joke which Ethan was not finding funny for some wierd reasons.

“We have the same surname and I guess that's why we are both handsome” Zachary joked.

“Maybe that's because we are brothers” Ethan replied.

“What?” That was Zachary.

“Just joking,” Ethan replied and they all laughed.

“That guy is weird,” Zachary told Anita as they sat to eat.

Anita however noticed the striking resemblance between both men and did wonder if they were indeed brothers.