CHAPTER FIVE

******

"I love you Bruno " she said through her covered lashes as she smiled in her sleep.

She was just a breath away, laying there in her white airy dress.

I could trace my hands over the contours of her hips, and let it disappear through the bend where her thighs parted just a little.

There were so many things I wanted to say to her.. but it was nothing compared to what I wanted to do to her..

But i couldn't bring myself to move..

I loved the way she looked...peaceful and innocent..alluring and intoxicating yes...making my senses have a battle within .making my heart beat fast and slow at the same time..making me cross my legs to stop the throbbing ..making me wish and yet un-wish .

Knowing for her I didn't want to be the lion who wanted to devour her..

But a puppy who just wanted to lay his head on her bosom and stare into her eyes that put stars to shame...

For her I could be anything. .

Anything other than the bad boy..

The Bruno the hammer..

For her I wanted to be good..I needed to...

So that... that wave of shame that comes over me when I see her innocent trusting eyes wouldn't envelope me..

So when I saw her slightly parted lips, moist..inviting. .

When I saw the perkiness from her bosom as her chest rose high and low

And the way she tossed and turned giving me perfect view...enough to make a sane man run mad...I knew if I didn't stop myself I would be gone..lost...in the soft moist sea of sweetness. .

I sighed as I turned to the other side of the bed....backing the beauty..the temptation...and willed sleep to come..ignoring the constant throbbing within my legs...

*********

I opened my eyes..

The heat of the night making sweats break out from every pores in my body..

I slowly turn to my side...hoping to see her lying there and smiling at me...saying those words I could only wish...while i close my eyes.

And the bed was empty safe for me and my dreams..

I sighed again and got off from my bed.

It was 6;00 am. I had to get back to the hustle of life. .and find away to get out from under this mess I weaved for my self.

*********

Before I crossed the bridge, as I do every morning to get an ogada as I do every morning..

I took a minute to pause...and stare, and there she was. As early as a bird, there she was..helping her mother to set up their tiny kiosk by the ogada park..

They seem happy chattering about what and whatnot...I sighed and crossed the road.

"Bruno !! Bruno!!! " I heard my name..but I didn't turn. My face like granite I walked faster..

"Bruno...Bruno! !" The high pitched call and wave... I flanked down the first okada close to me and climbed on .."Oga ...dey go "! I tapped his shoulders.. and in another second my name was dulled out by the cry of the okada.

.........

Did I feel bad??

Yes.

Like shit?

Hell Yeah. .

But I was confused AF too.

I didn't know what to do..

"Lord..I know I haven't ever asked you for anything..and maybe I was thinking with my third - leg when I saw Amara. ..and mouthed the first shi- " I paused and continued " the first thing that came to my mind. But please. .make her flunk the exams...and I promise to go to church on Sunday and won't stare at Becky 's twin chicks even though it threatens to tear out of those fabrics while she is ushering and giving brother's a hard time. But you should talk to Becky. ..she has no heart. But ..Amara!!! I am just a man without means..you know I should have shut it. Send someone else to help her . Amen. Thanks big guy!!"

I did the sign of the cross.

"Bruno since when do you pray??"

This was ngozi. The Secretary.

*Ngozi likes me. Ngozi tries too hard. Ngozi is a loud mouth. Ngozi have being everywhere. Every lock opens ngozi. Please girls don't be like ngozi..* I muttered under my breath .

"I always pray" . I picked a file and began to flip through. It was lunch period. The office was half empty.

"That's cute. I like a man who prays. "

I nodded.

'So how about that drink sometime"? She came and sat crosslegged on my desk..her tight short skirts revealing thighs. .

Don't get me wrong. Ngozi wasn't half bad. She wasn't a beauty but she was attractive..

She spoke well. Nice bosom and chicks.

But every time I look at her I hear voices in my head of colleagues who can mentally draw her up..placing every dot and every tats in its perfect place...and sing the way she does when she was in the seventh heaven.

And the irony of it was that we could unlock every door as much as we want..and venture in and out a million times..Afterall it was a man's world but when a girl does that..value tend to drop. And hers was a minus zero in my book. She had to give some ass to get in..and give more to stay in.

I shook my head.

She may have the hots for me but I didn't want to be sitting in a round table and sipping beer and join in in talks of ngozi of how she was pinned to the window and one leg in the air.."did she do that with you. .or did she do this with you??"kinda gist.

"Erm down to earth Bruno. About that drink"? Her voice broke me out of my reverie .

"Yeah about that....." my phone buzzed..aha!! Saved by the ring..

I held a finger up "am sorry I have to take this" i placed the phone to my ears...she didn't move. She proceeded to place both hands on my thighs and take it up. I jumped up ..and eyed her.

She smiled, gets up and butt - walked away. Knowing I was looking at her..

Yes I was. But I wasn't staring at her..but into space.

My heart had begun to beat. .and i was tongue-tied. I slowly sang to my chair . Fresh sweats broke out of my head even in the air conditioned small office.

"Are you there??

"Hello??

"Hello....

"Hain! Maybe it's network this one he is not hearing me again. ..Biko come and send him text so he will see it..hmmm oya come and take the pho---" the voice faded to the background before it ended.

He didn't want to think about what he heard.

Or maybe he didn't hear correctly . He gave a nervous laugh.

"God answers prayers right...ah mean..He isn't some myth mum always bug us about..and the one time I ask him..The one time...." my message tone beeped.

I closed my palm over my face and peeped through my hands through slited eyes..and hoped the text message read something else.

But there it was..

Written boldly like the hand writing on the wall that scared uncle Nebu in the bible..

Like hands it clawed out of the phone and held my neck making it hard to breath..

"Praise God my son!! Amara scored 290 in her jamb. Even though we are hearing that jamb dashed them 40 marks. She has made it. Praise God!! Now my daughter can further her studies because of you my son!!!!!!! ""

And just like everything went to shits.