BLURB

Loretha was married to a wealthy man and had two kids, but she was secretly attracted to women. Samantha was her newest crush, whom she got to know through a Friend’s WhatsApp status.

Samantha was leaving a messy relationship with another man and decided she was done with men. Even though she was shocked at first by Loretha’s proposal, she decided to explore that part of her sexuality.

Fate brought her and her close colleague, Akintoye, together on a stormy night. 

Caught between both worlds, Samantha must make a difficult choice. 

DEDICATION 

To all my fans and readers, I appreciate you all.

ONE

She couldn’t believe he was cheating on her. Again.

Tears filled Samantha’s eyes as she stared at the flashing messages on his iPhone. She had just finished preparing breakfast and had come into the bedroom to inform him when the light from the phone caught her attention.

‘Hey boo’

‘Hope you slept well? These titties are missing you.’

The image of a beautiful pair of breasts followed the messages and arrested her attention. She paced away from the phone as fury coursed through her vein. She gritted her teeth in anger. Her pulse raced, and she was tempted to throw the offensive phone against the wall. 

He would kill her. His phone was his baby, and she couldn’t afford it if push came to shove. She bit her lips and wondered what she should do.

How about leaving him for good this time around?

She shook her head violently in denial.

Alex was a data analyst who worked with a downstream oil and gas company. He was not only rich, but also extremely handsome and a fashionista. 

Even though she usually felt underdressed beside him whenever they went out together, she was proud of him and couldn’t help but show him off to the world. Her friends envied her relationship, and she wasn’t ready to give up the luxurious life he gave her.

Unfortunately, he was a serial cheater.

She wasn’t sure how long she could take this. A sad moan escaped her parted lips as a tear rolled down her face. She sniffled, wiping it off her cheek with the back of her hand.

The bathroom door opened, and she glared at the culprit.

“Hey, babe. Miss me already?” His lips curved up in a sexy smile as he moved towards her, but she stepped away from him.

“You have a message.” She jutted her jaw towards the still-vibrating phone, turned, and walked out of the room.

Her heart was heavy as she went about dishing his food and packing hers into a warmer. She would be damned if she sat down to a meal with him. 

The kitchen door opened. She glanced backwards, and her spine went ramrod straight.

You should walk out of his life and never come back, Sam!

“What are you looking for in my phone, babe? Whatever you are looking for, you will find it oo.” 

The audacity!

“Did you see your phone in my hand? I was coming to get you for breakfast and saw your phone flashing with messages. How dare you accuse me of such?” Her voice trembled with anger as she turned to face him.

“Really?” 

“Yes, really. You are cheating on me, and you still have the effrontery to accuse me of snooping through your phone. How dare you, Alex? I am so done here.” She stomped towards the entrance, but he caught her, his arms sliding round her waist. 

“Come on, babe. It wasn’t that deep. It was just once, and she forced herself on me. Trust me, I wasn’t even with my full senses when it happened.”

Samantha’s heart broke into tiny pieces as the lies rolled effortlessly out of his mouth. Her stomach roiled, and nausea rose in her throat. She had heard this too many times. He wasn’t even putting much effort into making the lies authentic anymore.

“I am sorry, babe. It won’t happen again.”

Oh, yes! It would. She was as sure as she knew there was a dark mole on her shoulder blade. 

She was supposed to walk away this time and never look back, but would she find a man that would look twice at her again? She, with her slight limp from an unfortunate accident when she was a teenager and the scar on the side of her neck.

“It is alright.” She stepped out of his embrace and walked out of the kitchen. She had lost her appetite, so she didn’t bother taking the warmer with her.

He followed her as she went to the bedroom to pick up her overnight bag, phones, and called a ride. 

The ride arrived and she left for her house. Staring out of the car, tears ran down her face.

Three years of emotional, physical and mental investment had gone down the drain. She was tired of the lies, the heartache, the cheating and the deceit.

She had turned thirty just two days ago and had hoped to settle down this year. 

Where do I start from, Oh Lord?

TWO

“Good morning, executives. Trust we all had an interesting weekend.” Itorobong’s chirpy voice preceded her into the room, and muted conversations came to a stop.

It was Monday morning and time for their weekly meeting. 

Samantha worked as an architectural engineer in Precision Home Construction Company.  The team met every Monday morning to discuss ongoing projects. 

They had several projects underway, their latest baby being a contract they won from Sacred Olive Oil and Gas company, the company where Alex worked. She had brought in the contract, and it had earned her the promotion she craved at the beginning of the year.

It was one of the few perks of dating a smart, top-notch data analyst like Alex, but she wasn’t feeling lucky this morning. She had barely slept a wink. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her head was banging. All she wanted to do was to crawl under the blanket and sleep, but she wasn’t even sure the sleep would come.

Alex had called her several times before he stopped calling. It had been 24 hours, 50 minutes, 2 seconds since he last called. Not that she was counting or expecting him to keep calling, but she couldn’t help checking her phone every second. A heavy sigh escaped her.

“Someone had a not-so-good weekend?” Ngozi, her best pal and team member, nudged her with her body, eliciting a weak smile from her.

“How is the birthday girl?” Her second buddy, Akintoye, smiled at her, then frowned. “Are you alright?” His voice lowered.

Akintoye Bernard was a genius. He was the head of their six-member team, but it was impossible to tell because he worked as hard as everyone. He also had the craziest of imaginations that almost always won clients over. He was a great boss and friend and had a great listening ear.

The three of them had a special bond and hung out often.

“I’m okay.” Samantha’s voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat.

“Is it Alex?” Ngozi sounded concerned.

Samantha nodded. There was a lump in her throat, and she didn’t trust herself to speak, for fear that she’d end up in tears. 

“Alex? The one who threw you a surprise party on your birthday? What happened?” Alex had outdone himself on her 30th birthday. He had appeared with strings of balloons, a ten-inch cake—the most gorgeous she had ever seen—decorated in her favorite color, lilac, and loads of gifts. The entire office was thrown into a pleasant pandemonium and work was nearly grounded. It was a rousing surprise birthday.

“He cheated on me.” The words escaped through gritted teeth.

“He did what?” Ngozi’s voice rose a notch and every eye turned to them.

“Is there something I need to know, Ngo?” Itorobong turned a disapproving gaze on them.

“No, ma’am.” A fake smile spread over Ngozi’s face before she turned to glare at the rest of the team. They all looked away.

“Good. Sam, can we have an update on the Sacred Olive contract, our latest baby?” Itorobong smiled as she beckoned to her.

Samantha gave an inaudible sigh as she rose to her feet. Her heart may have been broken, but it didn’t stop the moon from shining last night or the sun from rising today. Many people’s livelihoods were dependent on hers as hers was dependent on others. No matter what, life continued, and she must move on.

“You will be alright, Sam.” Akintoye’s soothing voice was a balm to her bruised heart as he ran his hand down her arm lightly.

“Thank you.” It was a murmur as she put on her professional mask and smiled. “Good morning, IT. Good morning, team.” IT was Itorobong’s nickname.

The meeting began, and she pushed her personal problem to the back of her mind.

“Gist me, babe. What did that motherfucker do to you?” It was lunchbreak, and they were seated in a corner of the cafeteria. Ngozi was not the type who joked with her food, and her plate was packed with garri and Afang soup. Her mouth bulged as she ate and talked at the same time. It was almost comical.

“He cheated as usual. I saw his chat messages to another woman and the nude pics they exchanged.” Samantha gave a casual shrug as if her situation was of no consequence to her and proceeded to regale the whole sordid tale to Ngozi. She was picking at her food, a plate of Ofada rice and sauce. 

“Is he mad? Dem use women do am? I thought you guys were over this before?” Ngozi’s voice rose in anger.

“Yes, we were. More than once. He will cheat, beg when I find out, and I will forgive him and the whole process starts all over again. I am tired.” Her voice was weary as she rubbed her forehead. A headache was brewing.

“He is an idiot. He doesn’t deserve you. Ashawo kobo!” A long hiss followed, and Samantha couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Ngozi’s dramatics.

“That is the name.” A smile curved her lips. “I don’t even know what to do now. Three years of my life gone down the drain. Where do I start from?”

“Babe, you are just thirty years old. You have your life ahead of you. You are smart and beautiful and do not need any man’s approval to live your life.”

“Tell that to my mama,” she mumbled under her breath. 

She was the eldest among three siblings, and her mother had been planning her wedding since she graduated from the university. Her mother met Alex once in her apartment and had been demanding they pick a wedding date. All her complaints about him fell on deaf ears.

“Adanna, there is no perfect man anywhere. You can only manage them. Try to overlook his shortcomings and get married as soon as you can. You are not getting younger, my dear. Tell him to come and see your family fast before this one too runs away.”  She had grunted her response and got off the phone.

Ngozi sighed. “I understand. My mom is like that. The greatest achievement a woman can have in their eyes is to get married and have kids. They don’t know their own time was different from our own. At the end of the day, your life is yours, and you know what you want. That reminds me.” She brought out her phone with a flourish, swiped through it and turned the screen to face her.

The image was that of a beautiful fair-complexioned woman in a smart jumpsuit and perfect makeup. Her smooth skin screamed high maintenance and her curves were that of a goddess. Samantha’s jaw hung open in pure admiration as she leaned forward to stare at the picture. She snatched Ngozi’s phone for a better view. Ngozi’s laughter brought her back to her senses.

“Who is that Amazon?”

“She is your admirer. She saw your picture on my WhatsApp status on your birthday. The one where you wore that beautiful green sunflower dress that always flatters your shape. She buzzed me to ask about you.”

“Where did you even meet her?” 

“We met at a high-society birthday party sometime last year and exchanged contacts. We didn’t communicate until a few days ago.”

“Really? What does she want?” Samantha stared at Ngozi in confusion.

“Do you like her? This woman is rolling in money. She is married to an oil tycoon, who is also a senator with two beautiful kids and runs a multi-billion-naira business. She will spoil you silly, I tell you.”

“Well…” Samantha said in thought, “what is there not to like about her? Unless she is rude and a snob. You have not answered my question, Ngo.”

Her voice dropped a notch. “Well, I heard that she is bisexual. She is attracted to women too, and you seem to be her latest fancy now. She has been requesting for all your pictures I have with me.”

 Samantha recoiled as if Ngozi just touched her with a hot iron. “Are you mad, Ngo? What are you telling me to do? Why should I be dating my fellow woman?” She glared furiously at her.

“Dating a woman means you can’t get pregnant, and they know where exactly to pleasure you. All that complaint about no man ever being able to make you cum, including that motherfucker you call Alex, the story will change. That is apart from the fact that this woman will spoil you silly.” Ngozi’s smile was cocky, and Samantha stared at her in shock.

“Oh my God! You are crazy, Ngo. Raving mad, I swear. Are you a lesbian?” Her voice came out in a whisper.

“I will send her pictures to you. Look at them and think about it. I will give you three days to give me your response, so I can let the woman out of her misery.” 

She had conveniently ignored Samantha’s question. She washed her hands, got on her feet and strolled away with a cheeky smile on her face.

Samantha’s phone began to ping with non-stop messages in her WhatsApp. A quick glance at the messages had her snatching the phone up and hiding it before anyone saw the nonsense this mad woman that she called a friend sent to her. 

“What are you hiding, Sam?” An amused male voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. She turned to see Akintoye behind her.

“Stop sneaking around like a thief,” she snapped as she got on her feet with a hiss. She walked off, abandoning her meal. She wasn’t hungry anyway.

His amused chortling followed her out of the nearly empty cafeteria, but she paid him no heed. Her mind was on those seductive, mind-blowing images on her phone, and she couldn’t wait to view them again. A sense of guilt and shame threatened to engulf her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind.

She didn’t see the longing on Akintoye’s face as he stared at her departing back.

THREE

Samantha had attended a girls only boarding school for her secondary school education. It was during the six-year stay that she witnessed what she later knew as lesbianism.

She had been fast asleep one night in the upper bunk bed when a noise from the lower bunk woke her. At first, she stayed frozen in bed with fear, wondering what it was all about, when she heard the sound again: and this time, it was accompanied by movement. She inched to the side of the bed and peeped over the edge. What she saw made her mouth drop in amazement and shock, but she couldn’t look away.

To her horror, she felt strange things happening to her body. Her skin was covered with goosebumps, her tiny budding nipples stiffened into nubs, and there was a feeling between her thighs that made her rub them together. It was when she felt her pant growing damp that she pulled back and covered her head with her bedclothes.

“I cover myself with the blood of Jesus! Jesus!” she muttered over and over as she struggled to overcome the strange sensations in her body. She didn’t know why she felt that way and didn’t care but wanted it to just go away. It made her feel…dirty.

She must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes in the morning, the sun was up and Senior Bunmi was staring at her with a smirk on her face. Senior Bunmi was the one who stayed in the lower bunk, and images of what she was doing to another girl at midnight flooded her brain. She whimpered and tried to bury herself deeper in the thin mattress at the sight of her.

“You like what you saw?” Her voice was low and deep, like a boy’s.

“No oo!” Samantha’s voice came out in a croak, and she refused to meet the older girl’s gaze.

“Liar.” Bunmi laughed, then she turned serious almost immediately as her gaze ran over Samantha’s thin body. “You are not my type, too bony. If I hear about what happened from anyone, you are dead.”

“Yes, Senior Bunmi.” She closed her eyes and opened them only when she heard her leaving the dormitory.

Samantha avoided her for the rest of the term. Fortunately, Bunmi graduated that term and their paths never crossed again. She met friends and classmates who were all-out gay, and she was tempted more than a few times, but her family and religious background kept her from crossing that line. 

But what if there was nothing stopping her? She wondered now as her mind strolled back to the images Ngozi sent to her. Quickly, she pushed the thoughts away. She had a deadline to meet on her current project with her team, and they were working back-to-back to see it through.

She was in bed, warm and snug, ready to doze off when a message popped up in her WhatsApp.

“Hey, sunflower.” It was a strange number, but she knew who it was by the picture on the profile. It was her strange admirer. A shiver ran down her spine and she went straight to Ngozi’s earlier messages.

A gasp escaped her lips as she stared at the alluring pictures of the most gorgeous woman she had ever come across. Her red-painted, cupid-shaped lips begged to be kissed, and her hazel-colored eyes seemed to stare into Samantha’s soul.

Her fair skin looked pampered, soft and flawless and screamed of class and elegance. She looked like every man’s walking temptation or siren, and every woman’s envy.

Another picture revealed her body encased in sheer lacy panties and a bra. The dark nipples topping perfectly shaped breasts had Samantha’s mouth salivating and moisture pooling in the secret place between her legs.

She groaned as she closed her eyes. God! This was so tempting, but she wasn’t sure she really wanted to go down this path. A little adventure couldn’t hurt the soul. Could it? Where had her relationship with men all these years led her to? Heartache. Betrayal. Disappointment. But lusting after a woman? 

She groaned and closed her eyes, almost feeling her mother’s disapproving eyes on her. Mama Ada would literally strangle her if she knew her precious supposedly godly daughter was involved in such atrocity. 

No, she wasn’t going down this path, and she had better run fast in the opposite direction. More messages entered her Whatsapp, but she refused to look at them until sleep stole her exhausted mind and she fell into a dreamless slumber.

“Hey, Sam.” Akintoye was at the reception as she strolled into the office. It was a week after she deleted the tempting messages and pictures from Loretha.

“Sup, boss. Good morning.” She grinned as she clocked in and gave him a fist bump.  He didn’t return her smile.

“I take it you and Alex are back together.” He didn’t wait for her to respond as he headed into the main office. “There are loads of gifts waiting on your desk. As usual.” 

“Really?” There were butterflies in her belly as she hastened to her desk. True enough, there was a well-decorated box with ribbons and all the flourish, waiting for her. She reached for the card with a big smile on her face, but the smile disappeared when she saw the name scrawled on the card. ‘With love, from Loretha’

Her head snapped up, and she turned an accusing gaze on Ngozi, who ducked her head, pretending to be working on her sketchbook.

“What is going on between the two of you, Sam?” There was curiosity on Akintoye’s face as he looked from one woman to the other. 

“Ask that idiot over there. Ngo, mind yourself or else I go treat your fuck-up.” Samantha’s hiss was vicious as she picked up the box of gifts and dropped it without ceremony under her desk. She proceeded to drop her knapsack and brought out her materials to prepare for the day.

“Akin, don’t mind her. Are we going to the site today?” Ngozi got to her feet and strolled over to him.

He sighed. It was obvious there was something going on between the two friends, but none of them was ready to tell him. “Yes, we are. Let’s get going. The workers are already waiting.” He snapped his fingers.

Every member of the team stuffed their instruments into their knapsacks and headed out of the work-room. Samantha and Ngozi were the only women among the six-member team, and they took up the rear.

“Stay away from me, Ngo, and I mean it. I don’t seem to know you any longer.” Samantha’s whisper was fierce as she glared at her friend.

“Keep your voice down, Sam. I only want the best for you. You have been tied to this guy for too long. Take a step back and re-evaluate. How else can you do that except to be pampered and engage in harmless friendship with another woman? She is not going to bite you or force you to do anything you don’t want to. Relax, babe, and learn to enjoy life for once.” Ngozi admonished her with a side-eye as they settled at the back of the company’s Hilux.

Samantha stared at her friend for a long time, studying her face until she sighed and relaxed against the seat. “Hmm. I hear you. I don’t trust you, though. I don’t trust that woman either, but we will see how it goes.”

“That’s my babe! Don’t be too uptight.” Ngozi jabbed her in the rib, playfully.

“I am not uptight. I just don’t want trouble. Those rich women can be spoiled brats if they don’t get what they want.” She shrugged as she flipped open her sketchbook again.

Ngozi’s phone beeped with notification, and she scrolled through it rapidly. 

Samantha looked up, and her eyes locked with Akintoye’s in the rearview mirror. He was the one driving and had obviously been listening to their conversation. Was it her imagination, or he had been paying extra attention to her these days?  Especially since her last break-up from Alex. She smirked at him. 

His eyes lingered on her face for several seconds before a ghost of a smile lifted his lips and he faced the road.

She had never had any reason to think of Akintoye as more than a colleague and a close friend too. She loved his brain and admired the way his mind worked. Plus, they worked well together.

Was she overthinking things?

FOUR

It was Friday. 

All the members of the team were exhausted, tired and ready to throw in the towel for the day. The drizzling rain wasn’t helping matters. It started in the morning and didn’t let up until late afternoon. As a result, traffic had built up everywhere and half of the site workers hadn’t turned up. They had a deadline to meet, and tension was already building up in the team.

Samantha stomped into the temporary tent on the site in her muddy work-boots after screaming in annoyance at one of the site workers. She was drenched and her old t-shirt was plastered to her body. She hissed in annoyance as she looked around restlessly. The dreary weather was affecting her mood, but no one else seemed to be affected. Ngozi had called in sick and there was no one to talk with.

The guys were arguing about football while Akintoye sipped cold Fanta from a can. She marched over to him and snatched the can out of his hand. She sipped while he glared at her in annoyance.

“There are enough cans of soda in the cooler. Can’t you just get your own?” he complained as his eyes roamed over her body.

“Well, I want yours.” She pursed her lips around the straw and sipped noisily. The rest of the guys burst into laughter.

“Sam, you really like looking for trouble.” Peter laughed as he sharpened his pencil. He was known for his well-sharpened and pointed pencils.

“Trouble is my middle name.” She stuck out her tongue at Akintoye, prompting another burst of laughter from the guys.

“Hey, guys. Good afternoon.” A sultry, beautiful voice interrupted as the flapping door was lifted, and a vision walked into the tent. The laughter ceased abruptly as all eyes turned on her.

The beautiful woman, who looked to be in her late thirties, wore a tank top over ripped jeans and her full black hair was woven into a backward cornrow. Her bare beautiful oval face was devoid of makeup, but it did nothing to reduce the beauty of her flawless skin. Her cat-shaped eyes crinkled in a friendly smile as it looked around before settling on Samantha. She was holding a dripping umbrella.

The three other men stared at her, slack-jawed in open admiration, while Akintoye’s eyes flipped over her without expression and came to settle on Samantha.

“Good afternoon, beautiful. My name is Michael. What can we do for you?” Michael, the playboy among them, jumped to his feet and offered his hand. 

“I am Loretha. Thank you, Micheal.” Her smile was polite when she spoke to Michael, as she shook the offered hand briefly and turned her attention back to Samantha. “You must be Samantha, right?” 

“Yes, I am. You are more beautiful in person,” Samantha blurted out before she could stop herself, and Loretha practically blushed. She noted vaguely in her peripheral vision that Akintoye’s body seemed to tense up, but she paid no heed to him.

“Thank you, Sam. You are beautiful too. I…” Loretha cleared her throat as she looked around and noted the guys were paying attention to them, especially Michael, who seemed to wonder why she wasn’t impressed by his magazine-cover face. “Can we take a walk to the car, please? I brought some snacks for you guys. You must be incredibly tired.”

“Thank you, madam. God bless you.” Uchenna, the foodie of the team, enthused with a wide smile. Akintoye and Michael gave him a dirty side eye, and his smile turned into one of confusion.

“Okay. Excuse me, guys. I will be right back.” Samantha stepped out and was promptly followed by Loretha. The latter held the umbrella over the two of them.

“Thank you.” Samantha flashed her a grin and turned to realise the woman was staring at her face like a lovesick puppy. “Loretha, I don’t know what Ngozi must have told you, but I am not into women, please.”

“It is fine, Sam. Can we at least hang out tonight or maybe tomorrow evening?” Loretha gave her a charming smile.

“Where?” Her voice was suspicious.

“You can pick any club you want, and I will be there. Better still, I can send my driver to pick you up.” She moved through the muddy site in her dainty multi-colored rain shoes and approached a 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-class Saloon car. She beeped it open with her car key.

Samantha ogled the car and barely stopped herself from stroking it like a pet. She had a terrible weakness for cars, even though her mother did not approve of her getting one, for fear of driving potential suitors away. The only reason Samantha didn’t own a car was because of Lagos traffic and all.  

“No, don’t worry. I will find my way to the club and text you the address.” Her eyes were still on the Mercedes, and she didn’t see Loretha’s hungry eyes ogling her body.

“That is fine. You want to test drive the car?” Loretha grinned at her as she held out the car key.

“I can? Really?” She skipped from one foot to another in excitement, and Loretha laughed heartily.

“Of course, you can.”

“Ah! I am so dirty. Look at my dirty boots.” She pointed at her boots.

“I don’t mind. Come in. Let’s go for a drive.” Loretha threw her the car key, and she caught it with a laugh. They both got into the car, and Samantha studied the sleek dashboard for a moment before she figured it out.

The road was a bit free, and she roared down the street. She tapped on the sound system and music came on. They went for a few minutes’ drive and came back in high spirits.

“Thank you for the ride, Loretha. I enjoyed that. See you tomorrow.” Samantha was grinning as she accepted a basket of food from her.

“It is my pleasure, Sam. Thank you for your time.” Loretha waited and watched her till she entered the temporary tent before she turned and entered the car. 

It was still drizzling the following day as Samantha prepared for her outing with Loretha. She wondered if she should just cancel it. She wasn’t in the mood any longer, but she didn’t want to disappoint the other woman. Ngozi was still under the weather, so she was left to figure things out on her own. Loretha’s call came in just as she was on her way to join her cab, and she knew she couldn’t escape the outing.

Moonlight Lounge Club was bubbling tonight, and the car park was full. Her cab barely had space to park before she alighted and sauntered with catlike grace that always effectively hid her limp, into the club. Her curvy hips swayed lightly in the short jean skirt she wore; the night air was cool on her skin as the casual halter-neck top covered only her front and part of her back. Admiring whistles and stares followed her as she weaved her way around the crowded club, looking for her host, but she was oblivious to the attention.

Loretha was in a secluded VIP part of the club, and she got to her feet as Samantha approached the private booth. Her soft low whistle was full of admiration as she stared at her, her smoky eyes tracing Samantha’s make-up-free face, lingering on her small but firm boobs and down to her curvy, voluptuous hips.

“Damn! You are gorgeous.” Loretha’s voice was husky with emotion.

“So are you. Please tell me you don’t have kids at home. You don’t look like anyone’s mother.” Samantha chuckled, trying to dispel the uncomfortable, yet excited feeling the woman was evoking in her.

“Hmm. Can I hug you please?” Her voice was practically begging.

“Why not? Sure.” God, which kind wahala be this? Samantha stepped forward with a smile into the woman’s arms, and she hugged her close. It wasn’t too tight or rough, just right and Loretha’s hand settled on the curve of her hips.

“I love your scent. You smell so good and sexy,” she murmured as she nuzzled her neck lightly, her palm going up and down her back in a light caress that seemed to mess with Samantha’s senses. Her body was reacting subtly to the older woman’s words and touch, and she felt her nipples tighten in response. No man had ever been able to turn her on with mere words and a light touch. Was she ready to toe this line?

“Thank you. Ah…what is on their menu?” Samantha stepped back hastily and dropped on her bum as she picked up the menu.

There was a knowing smile on Loretha’s face, but she sat beside her and picked up her cocktail. “Order whatever you like, Sam. It is on me.”

“I can pay for my drinks,” Samantha protested as she beckoned to the waiter and ordered her drink. It arrived in a few minutes. “So, what do you do for a living, Loretha?” 

“I used to be a stay-at-home wife. I got married at the age of twenty-one and had two kids within a space of five years. My husband is an oil magnate, but he is now in politics. He is a good husband and a responsible man, but he is barely at home. It’s me with the kids and their nannies. I get bored.” She brought out a thin, expensive cigar from her bag and offered it to Samantha.

Samantha was an occasional smoker and drinker, but she had been trying to quit completely. If her mother caught her with either, she would be taken to the church for deliverance. She chuckled lightly at the thought as she took the cigar from Loretha, lit it and blew smoke into the air through her pursed, curved lips.

“This is a great cigar.” 

“God! I can fall in love with you.” Loretha’s obvious amazement made her laugh, but her words scared her.

“Please don’t fall in love with me. I will disappoint you,” Samantha teased, even as her heart was racing in fear. Was she not toying with a cobra’s head this way? Was she really straight, like she kept telling herself?

“Hmm.” Loretha lit her stick too, inhaled and blew out smoke. “I am a lover of sexy lingerie which always drives my husband crazy and I have a good body for it. That was how ‘Delicate secrets’ was born.”

“Wow. You are the owner of ‘Delicate Secrets’. Ngozi and I have visited the store countless times, both the one on the island and the mainland. You know your stuff, abeg.” Delicate Secrets was a popular store known for exotic, unique women’s underwear, expensive and patronised by the crème de la crème women of the society.

“Thank you. I am flattered. Tell me about yourself. Why become an architectural engineer? Such a masculine profession.” She wrinkled her pert little nose in mock disdain, and Samanatha laughed.

“I love drawing. I love designing buildings and seeing them come to life in reality.” 

They talked, laughed, drank and ate till their bellies were bursting, then proceeded to the dance floor. By then, they were both a little drunk and were screaming and laughing on the dance floor.

Later, as they enjoyed a plate of cake to sober up, Loretha maneuvered their conversation to her love life and seduced her with words. As she spoke, she left a light featherlike caress on her skin, and Samantha realised that she was wet and horny as hell. 

“Think about it, Samantha. I can feel your nipples react to me and I know you are wet already. I can make you feel much more. I can make you feel the kind of pleasure no man will ever give to you, your core will pulse, your thighs will tremble and widen for me. Your nipples will harden, and you will beg me to suck them to ease the ache. I will take care of you in every way you deserve to be taken care of, and you will never regret it.”

Her words rang in Samantha’s head as she was taken home in the wee hours of the morning by Loretha’s driver, her bank account buzzed with the hefty amount it was credited with and the lure of temptation was great. If she could give her pleasure with just words and a light caress, what kind of pleasure would she experience if she accepted and got between the sheets with her? Men had been nothing but a royal pain in her ass.

God, should she give in to this forbidden temptation?

FIVE

It was Sunday evening.

She had spent the whole day in bed, and her one-bedroom, self-contained apartment was beginning to feel like a prison. The weather was dreary, especially with the drizzling rain that had been ongoing for three days. She had a new contract to work on, but she’d be damned if she stayed in this house to work on it. Loretha’s issue was foremost on her mind, but she pushed it to the back as she went to take her bath, dressed up and prepared to leave for her workplace. It was not the first time she went to work on weekends or public holidays; most times, she usually met her colleagues, escaping distraction at home.

There was a surge in the private cab app prices, but she didn’t mind. She needed to get to the office this evening.  As she walked into the office which was lit up to her surprise, the drizzling rain turned into a heavy downpour, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

“Did I make a mistake in coming here?” She wondered aloud as she dropped her knapsack on the first workstation in the room.

“Yes, you did.” She nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around in fear and came face to face with Akintoye. He was holding a steaming cup of coffee and doubled over in laughter.

“You are a snake, I swear. I should come and pour that coffee on your head.” She glared at him.

“I am sorry. You should have stayed at home. The weather is not friendly and now, it just got worse.” He sipped his coffee as he eyed her.

“You are right.” Her sigh was heavy as she stared into the dark night. A streak of lightning flashed across the stormy skies through the wide windows. “I was bored at home and my thoughts were not friendly.” 

“Care to share?” There was concern in his voice as he drained his cup of coffee.

“Can I get a cup too? Preferably laced with a shot of your whiskey.” She smirked at his surprised look.

“You are a witch. Let’s go.” They went to the kitchen together, made coffee and came back to their office.

As they settled down to start working, the electricity flickered and went off.

“Now, that is great. I have lost the zeal to work, and Hassan must have gone to bed now.” Hassan was the company’s security guard who was also in charge of turning on the generator whenever power was out. 

“It is not even advisable to ask him to put on the generator at this time. The weather is risky and dangerous. We are stuck here for now.” Samantha sighed again. His presence comforted her and despite the weather, she was glad she had come. She always enjoyed Akintoye’s company.

“You are right.” He fished out a torchlight from his knapsack, turned it on and placed it on a desk, then a blanket followed, and he spread it on the floor. “Come and sit down” He sat against the wall and patted the space beside him.

“Where did you get the blanket?” She was curious as she dropped beside him and picked up her mug of rapidly cooling coffee.

“The blanket was in my knapsack the last time I went to the beach with my babe. I kept forgetting to drop it at home.” There was a bit of sadness in his voice.

“Where is she now?” She sipped as she eyed him, grimacing lightly.

“We broke up. She wanted the kind of attention I couldn’t give her, and I let her go.” His eyes settled briefly on her face, and she had a weird feeling she was the reason behind their break-up. That couldn’t be possible, could it?

“I am sorry about that.” She dropped the empty mug on the floor beside her and drew up her knees to her chin. He draped his hand companionably around her shoulder, and her head dropped on his shoulder. A contented sigh escaped her lips.

“Water under the bridge. Tell me about the troubled thoughts that drove you from your house.” His voice was teasing, and she chuckled as she jabbed him in his ribs with her elbow. “Ouch. You hurt me.”

She sobered as she turned to face him. “Do you think I am bisexual? Do you think I may like women?” 

“Are you?” There was no judgement in his voice, just curiosity. “A lot of women are bisexual, and they don’t even know it until they are faced with a situation that puts their sexuality to test. I honestly can’t fault a woman being attracted to another woman. Women are wonderful creatures, awesomely and beautifully created in all sizes and shapes. Plus, they are more fluid sexually. But a man being attracted to another man is what I don’t understand. Our body is made up of nothing but bones, muscles and hardness. Hian.” He shuddered with disgust, and she burst into peals of helpless laughter.

“Toye, you won’t kill me.”  She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

“It is the truth. So, what is the problem? Why are you doubting your sexuality?’

She told him about her secondary school experience, her disappointments with men and the proposition from Loretha.

“Now, I know why I don’t like that woman. Something about her just didn’t sit well with me. I should have known she was up to no good.” He growled in annoyance.

“She is so good, Toye.” Samantha’s voice dropped to a whisper, and she swallowed hard, unable to meet his eyes. “She made me feel things no man has ever made me feel. I feel so ashamed of myself.”

“Sammy, girl.” His voice was low and husky and beckoned to her. She looked at him and saw the naked desire she had never noticed before in his eyes. “You are a beautiful, gorgeous and well-endowed woman. You are smart and have a rich, creative mind that never fails to amaze me. Your intellect draws me in every time I come close to you. Any red-blooded man or woman would be attracted to you.”

“Are you saying you find me attractive?” Her lips parted in obvious confusion.

“Hmm. Remember I told you I broke up with my girl because she was demanding the kind of attention I couldn’t give her.” 

Samantha nodded, her eyes fixed on him. He was looking beyond her shoulder and tapping his fingers against his cheek, the way he usually did whenever he was nervous. 

“I have been attracted to you from the first day you walked into this company three years ago,” he continued, his eyes trained on her. “Everything about you, from the way you seemed to prance, rather than walk, to your heavy, curved hips and the way your brain works intrigues me. I couldn’t say two sentences without mentioning your name, and Karen began to suspect we were having an affair. She believed we were more than colleagues. Even though I told her you were in a steady relationship with a big boy, she didn’t believe me. This distrust was so great that we eventually had to let go of each other for our peace of mind. Well, it is all in the past now.” He smiled, but his eyes didn’t crinkle the way they usually did when he genuinely smiled.

Akintoye found her attractive? The genius? The star of Precision Home Construction Company? How come she hadn’t noticed his beautiful smile before, or the crinkles around his eyes when he laughed? He wasn’t a tall man, just about two inches taller than her average height, but he was fit and had a well-chiselled chest that always fit the expanse of his t-shirt like now. She had been so focused on her asshole of a dog boyfriend who had made her believe no man would look twice at her except him. Alex almost made it look like he was doing her a favour by dating her. She had been so blind she didn’t see the beautiful man who had been doing everything to win her affection since they met. She stared at him.

“So, you don’t mind the fact that I limp or the scars on my neck?” Her voice was a whisper. 

“You limp?” There was surprise in his voice as his gaze dropped to her hips, lingered, before moving to her legs. Admiration lit his eyes and made an involuntary smile spread across her face. “Come here. Let me see the scar.”

“Get out.” She dissolved into full-blown laughter.

“Come here. I am serious.” He was grinning too, but there was desire in his eyes. Their eyes met and held. Sexual awareness crackled between them and her breath quickened.

She wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly she was in his arms and their mouths crushed each other in a deep, toe-curling kiss that rocked them to the soul of their feet. He broke the kiss after a while and trailed his mouth over her neck, over the scar, while he pulled her jacket off of her. A moan escaped her lips and she arched her back, pushing her chest into him. She rarely wore bras, as she saw them as a burden she didn’t need. Her moderately-sized round breasts stood firm and proud without the support. Now, they called for his attention as the pebbled nipples pushed against her inner, silk blouse, and he responded to them. 

His deep groan merged against her moan, and they were soon rolling on the blanket, pulling off all obstacles between them to get to bare skin.

SIX

The following morning was Monday. 

It was still raining but they needed to leave the office premises before their colleagues arrived. Akintoye’s house was closer. Covering their heads with the blanket that still smelled of their bodies and giggling like little children, they ran into his car and he drove carefully through the rapidly increasing flood to his place at Lekki Phase I.

As they ran into his sitting room, there was a mail notification on her phone and she checked to realize it was a mail from the HR. They were to work from home for now until further notice. The flood was increasing across town and endangering people’s lives. She looked across at him and he was grinning. He had seen the message. She jumped with a ‘whoop’ and landed in his arms.

“Now, I can make love to every inch of your gorgeous body on a proper bed.” Her body trembled as he nuzzled her throat, nipped her scar, and moisture pooled between her thighs. Her scar had turned to an erogenous spot overnight, and he was taking advantage of it. He was kneading her bum while he made his way to his bedroom, and she clung to him as if her life depended on it.

“Oh my!” Her hips ground down on his dick and he nearly missed his steps as a groan tore from his throat.

He made it safely to the bed, and they went for several rounds before hunger pushed them out of bed. 

The next few days were a blissful blur for Samantha, and she wished it wouldn’t end, but like every other thing in life, everything in life had an expiry date. All the time she was with Akintoye, her mind kept straying to Loretha and she couldn’t help looking forward to her messages or calls. 

The rain drizzled steadily for seven consecutive days, and they worked from home throughout this period while they received updated mails from the Human Resource Department. After it stopped, the flood kept them indoor for days before they eventually resumed physically at work. Samantha went back to her house at the end of her ‘honeymoon’ phase with Akintoye. The guy sure knew how to make a woman feel special.

Site work resumed in earnest and the team tried to make up for the days they had missed. In the midst of the chaos in her professional life and her budding relationship with Akintoye, Loretha still kept in contact. 

Samantha wasn’t feeling too well these days. She rarely felt sick. Her own brand of sickness was usually headache, but once she had a long, deep sleep, she would bounce back. Not now, though. Not only was she feeling sick, bouts of dizziness seemed to take her unaware and she had to rest for several minutes before she could put herself together. On a particular afternoon, she had to leave the construction site early because the bout of dizziness was strong, and she decided to take some much-needed rest.

Her ride pulled up behind a familiar 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-class Saloon car, and she was frowning as she came out of the car with her knapsack slung over her shoulder. Was that Loretha? What was she doing in her house? Panic bloomed in her chest as she saw her step out of her car, and it was immediately followed by excitement. What was she going to do with this woman? Loretha was a walking living temptation, tugging at her to take a walk with her. 

Damn! The woman was beautiful!

Loretha was dressed in a flowing silk gown that seemed to float and wrapped around her curvy body as she strolled towards her with a warm, wide smile on her face. An answering smile tugged at Samantha’s lips as their gaze met and held. 

“Are you alright?” A look of concern replaced the warm smile on Loretha’s face as she drew her close into a warm hug, nuzzling the curve of her neck before stepping back to look at her face. There were flutters in Samantha’s belly at the touch.

“No, I am not.” The bout of dizziness hit her again, and she clung to the older woman as she took deep, steadying breaths to calm herself. Loretha led her slowly into her compound while she asked for her apartment key. 

The next few hours were a distinct blur as they walked into Samantha’s apartment, and she crashed on her sitting room settee the moment they walked in.

It was dark when she opened her eyes, except for the light coming from the TV. The delicious aroma came again and she sniffed the air. It was goat meat peppersoup, garnished with ginger, and her stomach chose that moment to rumble. She swung her feet down and stretched. She felt much better now.

“You are awake. How are you feeling now?” Loretha’s soft voice reached her, and she almost jumped out of her skin as she swivelled to stare at the woman, who was standing in the kitchen doorway. She had forgotten she had an ‘August’ visitor.

“Oh! You are still around?”

“Of course, I am still around. You scared the living daylight out of me. I planned to call the doctor if you didn’t wake up in the next thirty minutes.” Loretha’s obvious concern reached a warm place in her heart.

“Thank you for staying, and I am sorry for scaring you like that.” Samantha grinned as she got to her feet and felt Loretha’s concerned gaze sweep over her.

“I can see you are much better now. You looked really pale in the afternoon.” Loretha sighed with relief.

“Emm… Can I have some of that goat meat peppersoup?” She made poppy eyes at her, and the latter laughed heartily.

“Of course, you can. I ordered it for you and made sure it was garnished with ginger. It will help you with the dizziness. Go and take a bath first.” 

“Yes, ma.” Samantha was laughing as she walked into her bathroom.

Loretha was at Samantha’s small kitchen table, serving the piping hot peppersoup into small bowls when she joined her, and they sat down together. There was also a covered bowl of shrimp fried rice on the table. 

As dinner progressed, they moved from one mutual topic to another before proceeding to the sitting room to watch movies on Netflix. 

As Loretha rose to take her leave at an hour to midnight, there was a knock on Samantha’s door, and she knew without doubt it was Akintoye. 

“Are you expecting a visitor?” Loretha’s voice was curious as she got to the door and turned to draw Samantha’s body in for a bear hug.

“Emm…it must be one of my colleagues. I left the site in a hurry, and he must be worried.” She couldn’t tell Loretha that Akintoye was more than a colleague. Guilty conscience nearly drove her to the floor. Well, it wasn’t like she did anything wrong. Loretha was just a new friend who came to visit her—a friend who wanted to be more, but he didn’t need to know that. 

“That is good of him. Please, go to bed on time. You need your rest.”

“Yes, mama” Loretha pretended to glare at her, and she was giggling helplessly as she opened the door. Loretha was laughing too as they both faced Akintoye, who looked surprised to see the other woman.

“Good night, Sam. I will call you tomorrow. Hi.” Her smile was polite as she turned her hazel eyes on Akintoye and swept past without waiting for a response.

“Hello,” Akintoye responded as his confused gaze followed the other woman before he turned to her. Samantha nearly squirmed under his questioning gaze. “What is she doing here?”

“Thank God she was here. Maybe it is my dead body you would have met today.” 

She was being dramatic. Yes, but that was the only way she could escape the questions in his eyes because she didn’t have an answer. Yet.

“Really? What happened? I was scared when Micheal told me you had to leave the site in a hurry.” 

He walked in and locked the door before picking her up to sit her ass on his thighs.

Loretha became a constant in her life. They chatted regularly and hung out as much as possible. The older woman was fun, and her open adoration made butterflies flutter in Samantha’s belly. She was good for her ego. They hadn’t gone beyond the occasional kisses, deep hugs and smooches. God help her! The woman knew how to handle a woman’s body, and Samantha was scared that if she crossed that line, she would never be able to look twice at a man again.

She felt guilty whenever she was with Akintoye. He had become a solid rock in her life that she couldn’t help but wonder how she had been surviving without him all these years. In the few months they had been together, she was his mumu button. He took care of her in a way she had never known any man could, and it was not looking like he would be tired of her any time soon. Sex with Akintoye was explosive! What would sex with Loretha be like? 

Samantha, how did you turn into this being?

She was juggling two relationships, with a man and a woman. Her mother would bury her alive!

A sigh escaped her lips as she packed up her stuff from her work desk. She was supposed to meet Loretha tonight. They had plans to explore a new club which just opened at Victoria Island, but she felt ill. She had cancelled their plans on Loretha’s insistence and decided to go home early. She just finished chatting with her and put her phone in her knapsack when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin. 

“Are you alright?” It was Akintoye.

Guilty conscience was eating her up and she averted her face as she picked up her bag,. “I am fine. I just need to go home and rest. I am tired.” 

“Can we go to my place, or should I drop you at yours?” He reached for her wrist, but she pulled away.

“No. I just want to be alone. See you tomorrow.” 

“Okay.” He sounded hurt, but she refused to glance at him.

“Sam, are you alright? You have been crying.” Ngozi picked up her call on the first ring and sounded like she was sitting up in bed.

“I am so sorry to disturb you at this time.” She sniffled, blowing her nose noisily. “I just need to talk to someone before I go mad.”

“It is alright. What happened? You are a strong woman. Why are you crying?” 

“I am pregnant.” She blurted out and there was a sharp silence from the other end.

“For whom? Alex?” There was confusion laced with distaste in her voice.

“Hell, no. Haba!” Laughter snuck out of her, despite the tears. “How will I be that stupid?”

“I for fear. Who is the lucky man, then?”

“I don’t know if he wants to be lucky or not.”  Her sigh was heavy. “It is Akintoye.”

“Really?” There was amazement in Ngozi’s voice. “He finally got around to talking to his forever crush?” 

“Oh! You knew he had a crush on me?” It was her turn to be surprised. 

“Everyone in the office knows except you. As a matter of fact, his relationship hit the rock because of you. It was an open secret. I am so happy for him.” Ngozi enthused.

“He actually told me, but part of me didn’t believe him. He sounded too good to be true.”

“Because you have been with the toxic ones for too long.” Ngozi kissed her teeth sharply.

“Ouch! It is okay nau, Ngo.”

“Oya, tell me. How did you guys get together? How come I didn’t notice?” 

Samantha burst into peals of laughter.

“It started after my meeting with Loretha….” 

Then, she told her about how it all started.

“Leave Loretha alone, I will handle her.” 

“Hmm… She is actually a great woman, and I seriously like her.” Her voice was low but audible. She swallowed hard as there was another silence from Ngozi. 

“Sam, are you falling for Loretha?” 

“No!” That was too fast. “I mean, no, I am not falling for her. We are just good friends.”

“Sam, Loretha was meant to be a distraction from Alex’s betrayal. You have a great man who has loved you from the first moment he set eyes on you. Please, don’t destroy it.” Ngozi’s voice was pleading.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as her fingers tightened over her phone, “Thank you, Ngo. I will sort myself out.”

“Have you told the dad-to-be?” 

“I just found out on my way home. I have not been feeling too good, and I stopped by the hospital on my way home today. I don’t know how he will feel about it. I don’t even know how I feel about it. We used protection, how could this have happened?” Frustration coloured her voice.

“Idiot. Maybe the condom tore when you were busy tearing into each other or you even forgot to use it on one of your horny days.” Ngozi was laughing helplessly.

“It is not funny, but it is fine, sha. You can laugh all you want.” She grumbled, but she was smiling.

“Tell him. Akintoye is a fine and decent man, and he is crazily in love with you. Mama Ada will be happy to see her grandchild. She will just grumble a little because her son-in-law is a Yoruba.”

“Aunty, calm down. You are already planning a wedding in your head.”

“Wetin remain again?” They both burst into laughter and engaged in idle chatter before hanging up.

Samantha was getting ready for bed. She had no appetite, so sleep was the only option right now. She was about to head to the bedroom when there was a knock on the apartment door.

“Who is it?” 

“Akintoye. Please open the door.”

Why was she not surprised?

Her lips pulled up in an involuntary smile as she shuffled to the door and opened it. He drew her into a close, comforting hug and held on to her. Her arms went around him, and she settled into the embrace. 

A contented sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and inhaled his masculine cologne. She whimpered slightly when he eventually drew her slightly away and placed a kiss on her forehead before studying her face.

“What is wrong, sweetheart? Why are you shutting me out?” His voice was coloured with concern and hurt.

“I am sorry. I needed to sort some things out personally.” She moved to lock and secure the door.

“Do you care to share?” He sat on her favorite sofa, pulled her over to sit on his lap and tucked her in. 

She sighed deeply, and her heart picked up speed in fear. What if he didn’t want the pregnancy? What would she do? Was abortion an option? The thought made her cringe, and she shied away from it. “You are trembling. Is it that bad?”

She got up and went to sit opposite him. A frown covered his face as he stared at her in confusion. Linking her fingers tightly together, she pressed her lips together and blurted out, “I am pregnant.” Her eyes lowered.

“Wow.” He sat back for several humming seconds. She looked up in time to see the blooming smile on his face and blinked in confusion. “Really? Are you sure?” 

“Yes, I am seven weeks gone. I went to the hospital on my way home.” She sighed again. “Do you want the baby?”

“You don’t?” Confusion and hurt seemed to replace the smile as he got to his feet and came to kneel in front of her. “You don’t want our baby? I don’t know how it happened, but it is the best news I have heard in a long time.” 

“You make me feel guilty when you put it that way.” She whined as she sat back in exasperation.

“I want the baby, Sam, but the decision is yours to make. I have loved you for a long time and I will do anything within my power to make you happy. I want you, I want us for real and forever if you will take me.” He took her hands in his and kissed each knuckle, one after the other. 

She glared at him. “Slow down, Toye. Give me time to catch up, na.” 

“That is fair enough. Come back and sit down beside me where you belong.” He pulled her up, and they went back to the way they sat before. “I got a new job with OilMine Oil and Gas.”

“Wow. How did you do it?” OilMine Oil and Gas was a multinational oil and gas company they had all admired and craved to work for. She stared at him in amazement.

“I figured it was time for me to leave. I have spent the longest time in the company among us all, and there is a policy against employees marrying or dating. I don’t want any company to take away my happiness from me. I started making plans the moment we started dating. Well, it worked out.” He grinned at her.

“You sure know how to think and plan ahead. Congratulations, darling.” She launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you. Congratulations to us.” He swung them from side to side and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. She laughed. “You are so good for me. I can see why another woman will want you so much.” He was only half-teasing.

“Get out.” She burst into helpless giggles, even as a guilty conscience was eating her up. She needed to sort her shit out. He didn’t deserve to be cheated on, even if it was with a woman. That was not cheating in the technical sense, was it? 

“Have you eaten?” His voice grew solemn.

“I don’t have an appetite. I took some ice cream and was about to go to bed when you came in.” Her shoulder lifted in a slight shrug.

“Not even peppersoup with spicy goat meat?” It was her favourite and he knew it. He got to his feet and went to pick the bag he dropped when he came in. “I will warm it for you.”

“Well, I don’t want to take anything that will make me throw up,” she protested

“Come on. Let’s go.” He pulled her up, and they headed to the kitchen.

SEVEN

Akintoye resigned after a month, and they no longer hid their relationship. Samantha was in her second trimester, but no one knew she was pregnant except Ngozi. Akintoye was already seeking her approval to go and see her parents, but she wasn’t ready yet.

Samantha didn’t care for the morning sickness and bouts of dizziness she was experiencing because of the pregnancy. It made her angry and upset. Her temperament was short these days, and it affected her work plus her relationship with her team members. Why couldn’t it be men who carried pregnancy, for God’s sake? She wanted a committed relationship, but she wasn’t ready to be a mother yet. How could they be so careless? 

But she knew her real angst was because she still kept herself attached to Loretha. Their relationship had gotten past the honeymoon phase to a deeper, more meaningful chapter. Leaving her would hurt both of them. The thought of it left her agitated. And it was even worse when whenever she was with Akintoye, who was supportive and patient with her. He blamed her agitations on her morning sickness, even when she snapped at him. 

Her nights were usually better, because she spent most of them with Loretha. Time spent with her was the highlight of her existence these days.

One morning, on her way out to shop for groceries, her phone vibrated. She fished it out of the pocket of her baggy combat jeans and glanced at the screen. It was her mother. She groaned.

“Ada nwam, tell me the truth. Are you pregnant?” her mother asked after they exchanged pleasantries. 

Samantha froze. When did Mama Ada turn into a seer? She frowned as she remembered they hadn’t spoken in a bit. She had always meant to tell her about the pregnancy but always put it off, looking for a better time. How did she know she was pregnant? She put the phone back to her ear as she resumed walking towards her waiting cab.

“Nwam, are you still there?”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Please don’t abort it if you are pregnant. I don’t want to lose you. Even if the man didn’t accept it, I will support you. Bikonu, don’t kill the poor baby oo,” her mother continued.

“Mama, I didn’t tell you I was pregnant. I have an appointment in the next one hour, I will talk to you later.” 

“Listen to your mother oo, Ada. Please, don’t abort any pregnancy. I will be waiting for your call.” Her mother ended the call and she smiled. She had no plans to do anything to the baby, although she had thought about having an abortion in the beginning.

Still smiling, she slid into the cab and went on Netflix to keep her mind occupied. She had barely focused on the movie she was watching when her instinct prodded her to look up. She saw a petrol tanker swivelling towards them. A scream lodged in her throat when she realised that her driver was distracted with his phone. She thought to log over, squeeze into the space between the front seat and take over the steering wheel. 

But her voice came out instead, and she screamed, just as the driver looked up and steered the car to safety over the culvert, while the petrol tanker crashed into shops on the opposite side of the road. 

The driver kept apologising for his carelessness as she pushed the car door open and staggered into the hot afternoon air. Her body shook violently, and she dropped on the floor, with her head hanging between her thighs. Tears welled up in her eyes and cascaded down her face.

Later, she called Akintoye, and told him in a shaky voice what had happened to her. He left his house in a hurry and came to pick her up. He didn’t ask any questions, just pulled her into his arms, where she burst into tears. He drove them to his house and went out to fill his fuel tank. She then called Ngozi and narrated her afternoon ordeal to her.

“Oh my God, Sam. Are you okay?” Ngozi was panicking at the other end of the phone.

“I’m good. I’m fine. I just need to rest.”

“Sam, God is with you o. Imagine if you had been hurt or if something happened to the baby.”

“I know, right?”

“Time to leave the streets and allow that man to take care of you. I honestly don’t know what you are still waiting for. I regret introducing you to Loretha.” Ngozi’s voice was coloured with regret.

Samantha smiled. “Whatever happened between us is all on me. She is not responsible for my decision, Ngo. She is actually a cool woman.” 

“Hmm… A word is enough for the wise. I am trusting you to make the right decision. How are you feeling now?”

“Alive.” They both burst into laughter and Samantha hung up afterwards. 

Akintoye came in then, bearing a pizza pack and drinks. 

She eyed them, the delicious aroma of the cheesy pizza making saliva pool in her mouth. “You are eager to make me grow fat and unattractive, right?”

He laughed hard, and his laughter made her heart glow with warmth. How could she be stupid enough to want to throw away what she had with this special man?

It was a work day, but she called in sick. She had spent the week in Akintoye’s place, so she drove his car to the hospital for antenatal care and decided to visit Loretha in her sprawling mansion. Samantha craved the kind of connection she knew only women in Loretha’s circle possessed, but she also knew she had to sever all ties if she wanted to build a life with Akintoye. She couldn’t have her cake and eat it at once. 

Her sigh was full of regret as she pulled up in the driveway in front of Loretha’s house. The latter was waiting for her with a warm smile at the door.

“You got a new car?” Her grin was wide as she opened her arms and Samantha walked into her arms. Samantha inhaled the older woman’s exotic scent as she hugged her tightly. She was going to miss her.

“No, the car belongs to Akintoye,” she murmured as she drew back and avoided her direct gaze.

“I see.” Loretha put a manicured finger under chin and lifted it up to look into her eyes. The smile in her eyes dimmed a bit, but she nodded in understanding. “You came to break up with me, right?”

“Oh, Loretha, I don’t want to hurt you.” To her chagrin, tears filled her eyes and she turned away.

“It is already too late, Sam. I love you. But I also understand why you needed to do this. Come inside, please. You are always welcome in my home.” Loretha took her hand and drew her into the spacious but warmly decorated sitting room.

They sat side by side as one of Loretha’s maids brought in a tray of chilled juice and fried chicken wings. Samantha murmured her thanks as she gulped down the cold juice drink and dropped the glass cup in time to see Loretha studying her body. She flushed.

“Are you pregnant?” Loretha’s voice was low as she studied her face.

“Have you added witchcraft to your gorgeousness again?” Samantha glared at her, and Loretha burst into helpless laughter.

“Damn, I will miss your humour, Sam. I am missing you already, honestly,” Loretha wiped tears of mirth from her face, even as her eyes were a little sad.

“I will keep in touch, unless you don’t want me to.” Samantha took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“Stay away, and I will start haunting your dreams. Remember, I am a witch.” Loretha wagged a warning finger at her, then they laughed again. “Does he love you?” 

“Yes, he does. I don’t know if I will catch up one day, but at the moment, he is crazy about me and doesn’t hide it.” She proceeded to tell the woman about Akintoye.

Loretha nodded with approval. “I love that, and he had better keep that energy or else he’d answer to a wicked lesbian.”

“Thank you.” Samantha’s grin was wide as she leaned over and gave the woman a kiss on the lips. She had accepted the fact that she was bisexual, but she would be disciplined enough to stick to one partner at a time, be it man or woman.

“You are a lucky woman. That kind of passion doesn’t exist between myself and my husband, but we respect each other and adore our kids” 

“Sometimes, that is all that matters.” 

“So, when is the wedding? I hope you are planning to invite me.” 

“How can you even be asking such a question? You are the maid of honour.” They both laughed and drifted into other topics.

Samantha gave a huge sigh as she pulled up in front of Akintoye’s apartment. It was fun while it lasted, but Loretha belonged to her past now as a lover. Now was the time to face her future. He was home and the lights were on in the sitting room. 

She suddenly felt nervous. Would he still accept her if she told him the truth about her sexuality? Maybe she should keep it a secret. What if he found out later? It would break his trust in her, and that would hurt her more than anything else. No good ever came out of any relationship built on secrets and lies. 

Squaring her shoulders, she dropped the car key in the pocket of her shorts, slung her handbag over her shoulder and strolled in.

“Hey, babe. Are you coming to fight someone?” Akintoye’s grin was wide as he gulped down garri, soaked in cold water with groundnut. 

A laugh snuck out of her as she dropped on a seat opposite him. Her eyes strayed to the wall clock and she gasped. It was 9:00 p.m. She wasn’t aware she had stayed that long at Loretha’s place. The babe was always fun to be with.

“I’m sorry. I should have been home earlier.” 

“I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself. Where did you go?” There was curiosity in his voice. “Give me a moment, please.” He dashed into the kitchen to drop his cup and came back, cleaning his hands with a napkin. He sat beside her and kissed her neck, then bit it lightly.

“Get out, idiot.” She laughed as she pushed him away, then turned to face him as the smile drained from her face. “I went to see Loretha.”

There was confusion on his face for a moment, and she knew the exact moment the name clicked because his expression became guarded. His fingers were tapping against his cheek, the way he usually did whenever he was nervous. Oh, Toye! She had no intention of hurting him.

“I see.” 

“I…” Where would she start from? “I am bisexual.” She blurted out, watching his face, but his expression didn’t change. She began to get worried. It would hurt her badly if he rejected her. “I realised that I was in the past few weeks I have been with Loretha. She is an amazing woman, and I love being with her. But…I went to see her today to end what we had going between us.” 

“Dear God! Sam, what an insult to me! I’ve been sharing you with another woman? Not even my fellow man, oo. You won’t be the death of me.” He got on his feet and paced away.

“I didn’t sleep with her,” she mumbled as she stared at her feet.

“Would you have?”

“What?”

“Would you have slept with her if the opportunity presented itself?” He sounded worried as he studied her face. She coughed slightly to hide her embarrassment. 

“It really doesn’t matter.”

He came to sit beside her and cupped her face. “Where are we now? Am I still sharing you with her?”

“No, she is my past.” She held his gaze. “We’re just friends now. She is cool with my decision.” 

His gaze searched hers. “Are you sure? I want all of you, babe. I don’t want to share you with anyone, man or woman.” 

Samantha waited for the usual panic to surface, but she felt at peace, and there was a fluttering movement in her belly. Her lips curved in a contented smile, and she took his palm, then laid it against her tummy. His eyes widened in pleasant surprise and wonder.

“He wants us together. I want us too. I choose you.” 

“Oh, Sam…” Akintoye muttered. “Should I say thank you?” he asked in a funny expression that made her laugh.

“Definitely.”

“Thank you, baby. But you know I love you, right?”

“I…”

“And you have to marry me, sweetheart. Life doesn’t wait for anyone.”

Her heart teetered with joy, “Yes, darling. I’ll marry you… And thank you for being you.”

He went to the centre table, pulled out the wooden drawer and brought out an engagement ring from a corner. 

“Oh, wow.”

He tucked the ring in her engagement finger as she sat, pleasantly surprised. She held out her hand and admired the dazzling rock.

“How long have you had this?” 

“From the moment I knew you were the one. Don’t ask me when.”

“Come here.” 

He drew her to her feet and swung her around. She laughed with unrestrained joy. 

Yes, she made the perfect choice!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Mobolaji Olanrewaju is a Travel Management Consultant, CAC Consultant and a Writer/Author.

She is a Romance storyteller whose stories are sprinkled with doses of suspense, thriller, steam and everything in-between.

Her books can be found on bambooks, Selar, Pabpub and Amazon. She loves to blog on her personal blog, http://mobolajiolanrewaju.com

More from the author

Rapture: A Twin Bliss Resort Novel

Finding Solace: A story of deceit, betrayal, and true love

Coming Soon – A warrior’s path Home:Dahomey Brides Novel