He calls over a waiter and asks for a bottle of red wine. I miss the brand. He says it is not too sweet but less bitter compared to what he would normally pick. The waiter brings the bottle and pours a half-full glass for me. He takes our food order before disappearing to the back.
‘You have been friendly to me today.’ He looks awkward. ‘I mean, last time I saw you, you almost seemed to hate me.’
Now I’m the one who is feeling awkward. ‘There were just some things I heard about you.’
‘What do people say about me? I am always the last to hear.’
‘That you are a womaniser,’ I say and he starts to protest.
‘Relax,’ I interrupt him, ‘I thought your name was Rudzani and all I heard about him was that he is a serial heartbreaker.’
‘What the fuck?’ He stares at me for a second, confused, and then laughs. I join in and our laughter fills the room. ‘How could you think I was Rudzani?’
‘I don’t even know exactly! I think I asked my brother who the man could be that I met that night I dropped my eggs and he thought it was Rudzani. I just kept believing that!’
‘You can mistake me for anybody but Rudzani, please,’ he responds and waves his glass in the air. ‘Rudzani has always been a mess of a man. I tried my best to get him to think straight. I never win. He is just a mess.’
‘I can imagine. The things I heard about him are heartbreaking.’
‘So, all this time I was punished for my brother’s sins? Every time you shocked me with bitter words? Wow.’
I am embarrassed.
‘I am sorry; I just thought you were trying your luck on me like Rudzani does with every girl he meets.’
‘I am not my brother.’ His response is like music to my ears. But I remind myself of Diana and the little girl. I’m not going to interfere.
The waiter walks to our table and refills my glass. Gundo looks at the glass and asks if I am enjoying it. I nod at him. He picked the perfect one.
‘So …’ He asks hesitantly. ‘Were you planning to stay in that room for long?’
‘I am going back to Venda next week if I don’t get a job.’ I shrug.
‘Thandeka, I told you that you shouldn’t have been fired. I meant that you should come back to the company. I can get everything fixed on Monday. You can take your job back.’
I shake my head. I don’t think so. Not when Diana is there. She is going to make my life a living hell.
‘I can’t come back.’
‘Why not?’
Because I don’t know if I will be able to keep my distance from my boss! I can’t end up kissing my employer again – it’s not right. And if he only knew how much I would like a repeat of that kiss …
Plus: Diana.
I remember the PA’s words: Ms Diana is not going to allow anyone to come between her and Mr R. After all, they have a daughter together. She wants them to be the perfect family and she is just about willing to kill for that. ‘I can’t. Ms Diana won’t be very pleased.’
‘Okay, be Ciara’s au pair,’ he says.
‘A what?’
‘I need someone to assist her with homework and take her to her extramural activities. Sometimes I pick her up late after work and sometimes I cancel meetings because I need to rush to school. You can do that. You will stay in the flatlet outside of the main house.’
‘Uhm, sir, I …’
‘Don’t call me sir,’ he says, his eyes on me.
‘Thank you, but I can’t accept the offer.’ He looks defeated but if I were to kiss my employer while I’m staying on his property …! That is just too much drama.
And would I have to see Diana coming round to mark her territory? I wouldn’t be able to take it. Gundo is never going to choose a girl from the village over glamorous Diana. Who am I kidding? It would break my heart to have to see them together.
‘Why don’t I get you a bachelor flat in the better part of town? You can pay me when you get a job,’ he says.
‘I can’t accept that, really.’ I am not trying to be ungrateful. But that offer is just out of this world! How can I allow him to get me a flat as if he is my boyfriend? He isn’t obligated to help me. Is he trying to ‘buy’ me? Setting me up as some side-chick while he focuses on Diana and their little family? No.
‘You know what? Let us talk about fun things,’ he says.
Thank you!
The waiter puts our plates on the table.
‘Fun things, like?’ I ask, glad to change the subject.
‘Like, your idea of fun on a Saturday.’
‘Catching a movie at a cinema. I have never been to one and I would like to do that before I leave Jozi,’ I say.
‘Why don’t we catch one tomorrow?’ He stares into my eyes. I thought he would laugh at the fact that I have never been to a cinema, but here he is looking all serious.
‘Sure,’ I respond without even thinking.
This wine!
We spend the rest of our supper talking about our childhoods. While I was running around the streets of Soweto barefoot, he was selling in his father’s shops in the village. How he was raised and how privileged he was turned him into the great businessman he is today. It bothers me that I don’t have anything exciting to add. All I have to tell is how unfortunate I have always been.
‘This has been so much fun,’ I say, drinking the last sip from my glass. I finished the whole bottle, all by myself! We have been sitting here for hours, it is a few minutes after eleven o’clock when he settles the bill.
‘We will have more fun tomorrow. I already have the perfect movie in mind for us to watch.’ He stands. I do the same and take my keycard. ‘Let me walk you to your room.’
He takes my hand so that I don’t stumble. His hand is warm on mine. My cheeks feel warm, and not just from the wine! He leads the way from the escalator to my room.
We laugh when I struggle to put the keycard in the slot. This wine!
‘Let me help you.’ With a sexy smile, he takes it from me and opens the door. I stumble in while he stays outside. What a gentleman.
‘Thank you again,’ I say and he stares down at me. Instead of him telling me it was his pleasure, he leans in and kisses me. I let him. I block out Diana and anything between them I might be interfering in. He lifts his hands to my waist while I hang mine on his shoulders. I take a few steps backward for him to come in.
That kiss! It’s like the one he gave me in the boardroom, only better. His mouth lands on mine again, parting my lips with his tongue. Warm hands are rubbing my butt. He moans in my mouth. A sound escapes my lips and he deepens the kiss.
This is getting out of hand! He is so turned on, I can feel his penis hardening against my thigh.
I can’t!
‘Your … family,’ I find myself saying.
‘What?’ he moans the words while lifting my dress up. He smashes his lips back onto mine and devours me. The more he kisses me, the more I feel him on my thigh. The more I feel myself getting weaker and wetter.
No, I can’t.
‘Please, we can’t.’ I push him away from me. His daughter will want her parents together. Diana wants them together. Who am I to come between them? We are both out of breath, staring