I woke up to see Ansel staring at me as he lay on the bed. He looked at me with so much admiration, I felt so special and fragile.
"Good morning.", he said and leaned in to give me a small kiss on the lips.

I breathed in deeply and snuggled into him. "Good morning.", I said.  "Is that what you do every morning?", I asked.
"What?"
"Stare at me till you get up.", I said and looked up to him.

"You're beautiful, I can't help it.", he said very casually and it made my heart swell. I shifted closer to him so I could kiss him, but he shifted so my lips didn't meet his. My eyebrows furrowed.

"You have work today, if we start you might end up late.", he said.
"Oh whatever, I...."
"Nope. No kisses.", he smirked and stood up.

"Oh so this is your way of payback.", I said.
"Hmm, hmm.", he smirked. Okay, two could play this game. Then I made a sad face. I put my best effort into it.

I looked at him beneath my eyelashes and it looked like it was working.

"What... what's wrong?", he asked sounding concerned.
"I... well... I just thought I could get some affection from my husband, you know like in the movies, but you..", I trailed on.
"Hey, I was just joking with you. If it makes you better, I'll kiss you every morning.", he said and I held my laughter, he was actually falling for this.

"Only in the morning.", I said and he sat beside me.
"And any other time you want.", he said and after a while, he burst into laughter, I was confused. "You really are terrible. How dumb do you think I am.", he paused and I realised he knew I had been acting all along.

"If you wanted a kiss, you could've just said so.", he said and came close but this time I was the one who stood up.
"I didn't want a kiss you know.", I said heading to the bathroom with folded arms and a hurt ego.

But before I entered he wrapped his arms around me and pecked me on the cheek.
"There it is, whether you wanted it or not.", he said. I blushed heavily and just entered and closed the door without looking at him.

I purposely wasted time as my body felt funny. My heart was beating irregularly, my stomach did flips and I had this giddy feeling all over. I was sure, I had fallen in love with him.

But was that it? I would just fall in love in a matter of months.

No.

I had to give or find good reasons to. When I came out he wasn't there. I got dressed and after breakfast I left, telling CJ to make sure Ansel knew I had gone. Mekhi drove me to the office and I thanked him for that.

I got to my office and I saw Paloma furiously typing on her laptop. I guess she was in a bad mood. I sat down but she didn't notice. I had to screech my chair for her to look up and her eyes widened.

"Riley! Oh, it feels so good to see you in person now that you're alright. How're you feeling?", she gushed.
"I'm fine. You seemed angry a moment ago."

"Let's not talk about me, what of you, how's your body, and the surgery?", she queried.
"All good, it might leave a scar, but the doctor says it will become small with time. But it feels funny when I run my fingers over it.", I explained.

"Aha! Another sexy place for your husband to discover. Speaking of which, how are things with him now? I mean after he came back. He came back right?", she asked.
"Yes, he did. Turns out his mother had a heart attack.", Paloma gasped. "But she's fine now. He just didn't know how to deal with it I guess.", I honestly said.

Her attention shifted as she looked over my shoulder. I turned and saw Parker walk into the office with a girl in tow. They were laughing at something she just said.

I guessed that was Blaire.

Parker sighted me and he headed our way with a wide smile.
"Riley, finally you're back, how're you feeling now?", he asked.
"I'm good.", I said.
"I'm Blaire, the new accountant.", she said.

"That's nice. When did you resume?", I asked.
"Last week.", she said.

She seemed nice and Parker seemed happy. I shot a glance at Paloma, she was intensely focused on her laptop or she seemed so, her lips in a straight line. She sure wasn't glad about this. But I had to be nice to Blaire, she didn't seem otherwise.

"Well I'm Riley.", I said.
"Yeah, I know. Parker talks a lot about you and Paloma.", she said and I noticed Paloma look up. She was probably looking at Parker, but neither he nor Blaire seemed to acknowledge it.

"Really. I hope he hasn't said bad things about me.", I said looking at Parker but he only looked back at Blaire.
"Oh he describes you as the sister he never had.", she said and I immediately felt so glad, I thought I would be tearing up.

"Wow.", I said and she confirmed with a nod of her head and Parker seemed to blush a bit.
"I didn't know you see me as a sister, I feel honoured.", I said.
"Honoured for me to call you my sister.", he said kinda confused.
"Yep.", I said.

Then Martina came.
"Riley, I'm glad you're back.", she said. "I'm sure you've met our new accountant.", she said.

"I surely have.", I said.
"A piece of niceness isn't she? But I'm gonna cut short your introduction because I have to borrow her for the time being."
"No problem. It's nice knowing you Blaire.", I said.
"Me too.", she said and left with Martina.

Parker came to sit at his desk beside Paloma. I was glad he at least was still here.
"So Riley, you're ready to be our partner again.", but before I could answer Paloma spoke.

"When are you gonna stop being an intern?", she asked with a cold look in her eyes. I was sure I mirrored the same expression on Parker's face, confused.

"Um, I signed up for a year, so I guess I have some months. It's still long though.", he said and his lips formed a smirk. "Why? You wanna get rid of me so soon.", he said but she didn't reply, though her face softened.

"A..are you gonna be free tomorrow, evening, tomorrow evening.", she stuttered. I could see the hesitation in her eyes.
"Oh, I uh... well I can't. I have to go with Blaire to her...."
"Oh ok.", she interrupted him.

"Well we could try some other time, probably the day after tomorrow and it could just be the two of us.", he said though the last part was more of a whisper, probably didn't want me to hear it.
"I was gonna invite Riley too.", she said throwing off the hint she was asking for a date.

Parker looked exhausted and faced his laptop. I on the other hand saw beneath everything, probably what they didn't see.

It was obvious Paloma was asking him on a date. She would have brushed it off if he had just said he was busy, but he said he was busy with Blaire. And this saddened her. She surely wasn't going to invite me, that I knew.

Parker on the other hand, still likes her and it doesn't seem like whatever is going on between him and Blaire is serious. Though it could if Paloma kept pushing him away even though she didn't know that was what she was doing.

I had to fix this. Paloma liked him, and he obviously liked her back. She just thinks Blaire is between them, while he thinks she is just pushing him away for something he's not aware of.

"Um, Parker can you get us some coffee."
"I'm good.", Paloma quickly added.
"Then get one for me.", I said.

"But I thought we had passed the stage where you send the intern on....."
"Please, I'm a sister to you right.", I said using my puppy dog eyes if I still had them.
"Oh, I see what you're doing, it's wrong but it's working.", he said standing.
"Thank you.", I said and watched him till I knew he couldn't hear us.

"Okay what's up with you?", I whispered and Paloma looked at me like she was clueless.
"What do you mean?", she asked sounding confused.
"You know what I mean. Why did you throw him off like that, about the date.", I said.

"I was gonna invite you too.", she said.
"Is it cause of Blaire?", I asked.

"Hm...I... I just don't want to say anything bad about her seeing you like her.", she said and I rolled my eyes. "What, you guys looked like you had been best friends for a while.",

"You're being childish.", I said.
"Well, I'm sorry okay. It's just hard seeing her get all the attention from Parker and now you.", she sighed.

"Fine, I'll never talk to her. I'll even give her my stink eye. Hey check it out.", I said and did the most stinky, stinky eye I could give.

We both burst into laughter. We turned and saw Parker heading back.
"So what are you gonna do, 'cause I know you have a plan.", Paloma said.
"Don't worry about that, you just be nice to him.", I whispered cause Parker was now within earshot.

"What are you ladies whispering about?", he asked as he set the coffee down.
"Thank you.", I said.
"Oh it's nothing concerning you so don't worry.", Paloma said with a tight-lipped smile.

He just shrugged and sat down. The day went by and at some point, I told Mekhi that I would drive myself back. He hesitated but agreed.

Later on, Paloma had already gone early and Parker was rounding up.

"Hey, Parker you wanna come along? I see you're ready to go.", I said.
"You're offering to drive?", he asked.
"Yeah I am.", I said.
"Thanks, let me go call Blaire.", he said and hurriedly left.

Soon, they both came back and we headed out.
"Thank you Riley for the ride.", Blaire said as we got to the car.

Parker opened the door for her and she thanked him before entering. That, I raised a brow to.

We got in and I drove with Parker's directions. Soon we stopped at a small diner.

Dear amazing readers, I usually type my stories on a tablet so I haven't really viewed it on a mobile phone. I am thinking of shortening my chapters. I want the feedback from you guys. Are the chapters too long or are they okay?

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