Chapter 171 - 171 Temptation

171 Temptation

Denise felt spellbound by the dangling necklace before her. She felt heat rise to her cheek as she slowly lifted her eyes and gazed into Fred’s sparkling hypnotic eyes. Her heartbeat was banging unsystematically and her head began to spin as memories that were long forgotten came pouring back into her mind.

Although she had been drunk the night she willingly slept with Fred, she was aware of all the things he did for her and to her.

She remembered the way he protected her from the slum dogs at the clubhouse; who came to her with evil intentions of devouring her like a cheap bawd. She recalled how he consoled her when she spoke about her cheating ex and her brokenness. She remembered the way he cared for her after they left the clubhouse. The way he made her moan and cry at the same time when they had sex. The way she kept screaming his name as he took her to fantasy land and back.

When Denise thought about it deeply, Fred’s only crime on that fateful night was making love to her when she asked for it. She had expected him to say no and talk some sense into her. Unfortunately, he quickly jumped on her the first minute she voiced out her needs.

Although she enjoyed every moment they spent together that night, she hated herself the following morning when she was a little bit sober. Hence she ran away from Fred’s hotel room before he woke up.

“How... Did I leave... You kept it all...” Denise couldn’t make a proper statement as words suddenly failed her. She slowly reached out and touched the necklace and tears flowed freely from her misty eyes.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” Lia came out of Denise’s office only to meet an emotional scene. This baffled her so much. Just a few minutes ago, her boss was glaring at this man and spitting out fire. Now, she was all flushed and emotional like a teenage girl whose crush finally reciprocated her love.

“Who is this handsome demigod that is making my boss lose her senses,” Lia queried her thoughts.

“I’m fine, get back to work!” Denise said curtly. Lia words almost made her jump out of her skin. She quickly wiped the tears on her face with the back of her hands and dismissed Lia impatiently.

.....

“Fred, inside my office, now!” Denise commanded in a slightly piercing tone.

“Okay, ma’am!” Fred almost screamed out his reply. He quickly tucked back the necklace into his pant pocket and followed Denise into her office.

Fred smiled bewitchingly as he finally saw the opportunity he had been waiting for to melt Denise’s, frosty heart. He had known for a long time that the piece of jewelry in his pants pocket meant the world to Denise. He also knew that it would be the binding force between him and her.

On that fateful night, when he met Denise at the clubhouse, she told him how she had lost both her parents to a fatal airplane crash when she was younger. She told him that the only sweetest memory she had of both of them was when they gifted her that necklace; the day that left her behind in the care of her nanny, to attend a seminar in another country. She also confided in him that the necklace meant the world to her and she intended passing on to her first female child.

However, when they shared the most exhilarating night together, she mistakingly dropped the necklace without knowing. Hence, the necklace remained a living proof to Fred that he hadn’t lost his mind when he went about searching for the drunk one-night stand he fell hopelessly in love with.

When Fred and Denise were finally inside her office and behind closed doors. Denise quickly stretched out her hand signaling Fred to give her the necklace.

Fred smiled and quickly brought out the necklace while maintaining steady eye contact with her.

“Where did you find it?” Denise manage to keep her spiraling emotions in check as Fred gently dropped the necklace on her open palm.

While Fred drop the necklace on Denise’s palm, he gently brushed his palm against hers thereby causing a chain of electrical signals to travel between both bodies in a split second.

The sudden sparks of affection between them caused Denise to quickly pull her hand away. The necklace would have dropped on the floor if Fred’s reflexes has not been super active.

Denise felt her whole being trembling as she stared into Fred’s charming eyes. She had tried severally to peel her eyes away from him but she felt spellbound by his gaze.

“I found it on the bed where we spent the night together.” Fred covered the little space between them. He was so close to her that her citrus base perfume filled his entire system. He was tempted to kiss her but he cautioned himself and smiled at her.

“May I?” He lifted the necklace to her face and unhooked it.

Denise nodded her head but said nothing. Her twitching eyes and her trembling body betrayed her, as they revealed her inner thoughts. She was desperate to feel his touch again as the brief hand contact between them had got her yearning for more.

Fred smiled and gently brought down the necklace to her neck. He placed it on her slender neck and hooked it behind her neck while softly breathing down on her flushed face.

“There, it’s finally home where it belongs.” He smiled and took three steps backward. “It looks beautiful on you.”

Best

“Thank you!” Denise smiled genuinely as tears flowed down her cheeks. She placed her hand on the locket pendant and caressed it tenderly. Then she opened up the locket and beamed at the beautiful picture of her late dad, mum, and her.

“I really miss them!” She looked up at Fred; whose eyes had turned misty. “Thanks for bringing them home, where they rightly belong.”

Unable to hold back his enormous emotions anymore, Fred lurched forward and hugged Denise tightly.

“I have missed you more!” He whispered as tears fell down his cheek. “I’m sorry for all the hurt I’ve caused you. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you that night. I’m so sorry.”

Denise nodded her head in his arms but said nothing. She sobbed quietly as she inhaled his strong but alluring scent.

“I know it’s too late to say this but I love you with all my heart, Denise.” Fred pulled her out of his arms and stared into her wet eyes.

“F**k it!” Denise whispered and locked lips with him in a desperate kiss.

Their tongue twirled and tangled for a bit before Fred broke out from the kiss.

“Denise, I’ll be the most foolish man on earth to take advantage of you once again.” Fred held onto her shoulders and stared into your eyes lovingly.

“If I must have you, then I want to win you fair and square from my brother. I don’t want to hurt either you or my brother. Thanks for forgiving me. I’ll pick you up in the evening.” He smiled and briskly left her office before things got out of hand.

“Oh shit!” Denise’s face palmed her face.

“Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!” She paced back and forth

“I’m a slut! I’m such a disgusting slut!” She said between gritted teeth as longing seeped through her. She slowly caressed her lips with her finger, wishing that Fred’s lips were still glued to hers. She frowned at her desires and pinched her arms.

“Ouch!” She winced in pain and massaged the place she had pinched. She stopped pacing and scrutinized her office, as though someone was watching her.

“Am I in love with Fred?” She said in a muffled tone as she walked back to her desk and took a seat.

“Why do I have conflicting feelings?” She said out loud and folded her arms around her chest. Inwardly her whole body was yearning to be touched and caressed by Fred.

“Oh, I’m in trouble. The temptation is just too much for me to handle. I can’t afford to break Tom’s heart. Fred has to go!”

———————–

Leon was just ending his call with Yvonne when Doctor Julie came down to the sitting room.

“Doc, give me some good news.” Leon wore a thin smile on his face.

“Your wife is seven weeks and a few days pregnant.” Dr. Julie wanted to say. Instead, she ended up lying to him.

“Your wife is fine, so there is no cause for alarm. The nausea and vomiting were triggered by stomach flu. I have placed her on some drugs and she should be fine in less than thirty minutes. In the meantime, try not to excite her with things that could trigger nausea. Whatever she identifies as repulsive, please keep away from her.”

“Okay, thanks doc.” Leon smiled.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Leon. If you’ll excuse me I have to hurry back to the hospital.” Dr. Julie felt bad for deceiving Leon again. She hurriedly left his presence as she felt a sense of morality questioning her behavior.

When Leon returned to the room to check on Ella, He was surprised to see that she was almost ready for work.

“I thought you will be staying back at home after everything that happened?” Leon frowned.

“No, I’m going to work!” Ella said firmly. “I can’t afford to stay back at home otherwise my business will collapse. Moreover, I have a new fashion line coming up and my workers need me.”

“All right then, I’ll be traveling to Carlpole this evening but I’ll be back by tomorrow. Also, I have a feeling that Ivory might be coming back with me.”

“Ivory, oh, I have missed her.”