BABY FOR MY HONEY

BUSINESS

CHAPTER 2

SAIRAH

“Sairah Price–It's always a pleasure to see you,” he acknowledged my presence, extending his hand.

Jeffrey's voice was as if pulled from the bottom of the ocean, deep, husky, and sexy--but for reasons I couldn't fathom, it was unappealing to my senses.

I extended my hand to receive his supposed handshake. It was supposed to be a brief handshake to greet a business associate. However, Jeffrey even made use of these ordinary gestures to annoy me.

His grip was firm while holding my hand, but his thumb caressed the side of my hand gently.

It was one of the ordeals I had to suffer in his presence. I was glad he didn’t attempt to give me a peck on the cheek. Not anymore after I told him never to try that again; otherwise, he wouldn't like my response.

“Pleasure is mine,” I said, expressionless.

While he caressed my hand, I burned inside with rage, but– I couldn’t for the life of me slap him in the face.

“I wish--the pleasure you whispered was reflected in your beautiful face...and we are not inside your conference room," Jeffrey smirked. "I wouldn't mind seeing you with so much pleasure," his words with undermeaning I understood so well.

I stared at him, still expressionless, as I responded to his teasing, “My pleasure is excluded in this deal.” I shoved his hand away, unnoticed by other people inside the room.

I turned and greeted the man accompanying him. I figured he was his lawyer, and he had better be, since I expected no more revisions to the contract we needed to sign.

I sat on the chair with my assistant at my side, expecting to sit opposite Jeffrey, but he sat right next to me, to my displeasure.

Argh! This man was not taught by his father the right way, and he should know when to back off when the other party had displayed disinterest.

I was so relieved when our company lawyer arrived, and he handed us copies of the contract that we had to sign. Without a word, I scanned the document to make sure I would be signing the paper with the same conditions I had approved.

My gaze was fixed on the paper when I noticed that the panel light of my phone flashed. I had set it in a silent mode, and I took it and read the message. I never registered the sender’s name on my phone, but I knew the number by heart, and it was the only number I knew and could recite even in my sleep.

“Meet me tonight at 6, the same place.” The sender was not asking if I could meet him, and his message was an order.

I heaved a heavy sigh, but I didn’t answer his message right away. I continued scanning the documents before me.

A minute later, another message came. I wanted to ignore it, but I found it difficult not to read his messages.

“What’s inside the pristine pantsuit you are wearing?”

Pantsuit, as if he saw me today to know I was wearing one. I knew that his interest was far from what I wore, but in that thing, I did not.

“Make sure I will like what I will see later.”

Damn this man, he really wouldn't stop, but his messages sent a tingling sensation inside me.

“I am waiting for a response.”

I shook my head repeatedly, and I couldn’t avoid the soft curve that appeared on my lips. He was, here again, to comply with our agreement.

I typed– “Under the pantsuit, there is nothing.” I sent it to him right away.

Another message arrived. “I like that.”

He was the only person who could do this kind of thing to me, and he was enough.

I hardly noticed that a small smile was still on my lips as I took my attention back to the document I was reading. The men inside the room discussed the project, but my interest was not with them. I wanted this contract signed and over with as soon as possible.

I took a pen, affixed my signature to the document, and looked up. I didn’t expect that a pair of blue eyes would meet my grey ones. Had Jeffrey been looking at me for some time? Did he see the messages I read and sent earlier? I hoped not.

“What–” I asked. A brow rose subconsciously.

“That smile on your lips. I wish you would look at me one day and smile at me with that same curve on your luscious lips or even better,” he said in a soft tone. He was not even bothered that other people inside the room heard him flirt with me.

“Ehem, um–” I cleared my throat.

I figured he was trying to disconcert me, and he had succeeded. This was a business meeting, but the man's audacity and flirting were out of place.

“Mr. McGregor, you do not need to wait long,” my lips slowly stretched and lifted in one direction.

He smiled in triumph and chuckled in glee but shook his head repeatedly, “Not that smile, Sairah. Not one of your sarcastic smiles.”

Jeffrey could get on my nerves. I looked down and signed the other copy of the contract, but I flinched when his lips almost touched my left ear, and he whispered...

“One day, Sairah. One day–you will give me that smile and more,”

Was it a premonition?

Something that he was predicting would happen in the future.

A wish?

Damn this bastard. But his wish would remain as a wish...for life.

I curved the same smile I gave him earlier, “You wish–.”

“Lucky me, all my wishes came true,” he chuckled at his wordplay.

“Oh, come on, Jeffrey, stay out of my way. Look somewhere else for your entertainment.” I was neither joking nor pleading. I pushed the documents I signed in front of him. The sooner he signed those documents, the sooner I could kick them all out of the room.

“I can’t, and I won’t,” he gave a warning and took a pen and signed the documents in front of him.

Why did his eyes stay focused on me? Maybe it has something to do with his attempts to get into me since the moment we met six months ago, but his attempts to no avail. A selfish man like him wouldn't take no for an answer. Every encounter with him was tiring, draining my energy and patience to level zero. I was glad he finally signed the contract, and that would reduce our chance to meet each other in the future to the barest minimum.

“I will leave everything to the legal representatives. Please, have this contract notarized and distribute our copies,” I looked at Jeffrey’s attorney and ours. “Congratulations to us, and thank you, gentlemen, for your time. The JK’s commitment will be delivered as stipulated in the contract.”

I stood up and extended a hand at Jeffrey. He took it, and, as expected, he didn’t let go of it quickly. I tried to pull it off, but he tightened his grip.

“Have a celebration dinner with me,” he expressed.

“Sorry! I have a dinner engagement,” I replied.

“I thought you never liked dinner?” He frowned.

“I mentioned-- I don’t eat dinner,” I gave him that excuse a long time ago, but it didn’t stop him from asking me for it.

“Are you dating?” the frown on his face remained.

I wish I could tell him that a married woman couldn’t date, but I didn’t have the right to do so. The same sarcastic smile appeared on my lips, and it was up to him to interpret the meaning of the smile.

“Goodbye, Mr. McGregor.” I pulled out my hand, and I was successful this time.

“Divina take charge,” I asked my secretary. I turned to Jeffrey’s attorney and said, “Thank you, Atty. Lazaro.”

I glanced one last time at Jeffrey, then turned around and moved towards the door. I could feel his scorching gaze at my back, but I continued to walk towards the door, opening and closing it as I stepped out of the room. We signed our deal, and I hope never to see him again.

I knew it was impossible since we both circulate in the same industry and we have a contract to fulfill, but just the same, it was a personal wish not to encounter him.

Jeffrey reminded me of someone with the same determination and persistence. The only difference was that-- I loved that person, and I still love him, and maybe--until the last day of my life.

On my way back to my office, I couldn’t avoid reminiscing about when the man asked me to marry him.

On an 18-day tour, boarding a cruise ship from New York to Barcelona, a graduation gift from my parents, I had no idea that I would meet the man that rocked my simple world into oblivion. The innocent and fresh graduate Sairah Price unexpectedly met a devastatingly handsome and young Cuban-American man. Both young and lustful, we thought we were doing the right thing at the right time.

Our world revolves around us...just us.

We thought life was always simple, easy, and gleeful.

We were so happy to have found each other.

We thought the bliss would never end.

We didn’t know then that life had another face. It was cruel, heart-shattering, and devastating, and it sucked us alive with misery and loneliness.