5 years and counting

The way you treat a girl after sleeping with her is what she uses to define the relationship.

You lazily put an arm on her : you're using her as an arm rest - there aren't any emotions now but there's potential.

You turn your back to her: you wish she'd leave - you just wanted to tap.

You actually hold her... tightening your grip at times, kissing her neck, nibbling on her ear in the right way - you might as well change your Facebook relationship status.

He was actually holding her, he'd use his left hand to trace up & down her spine, sometimes going lower to grab her bare bum while his right hand was holding her waist. She couldn't keep her toes unclenched. She wrapped his arms around his muscular body praying that it works out.

"Morning beautiful," he said kissing her forehead, "I've never seen someone who looks so pretty in their sleep"

"Corny," she thought smiling, "but I can handle it"

"I've been waiting so long for you to wake up. I need cab money babe."

She opened her eyes but remained silent, her toes were unclenched.

After paying for her guest's cab fare ( because that's what you become to a woman after ruining the romantic fantasy she had in her head - a guest, a buddy, a brother) Nandi went back into her double storey house with 2 kitchens, 7 bedrooms, huge lounge & dining room, 2 studies and beautiful back yard and reminded herself that she's not doing too bad.

Everything was going well for Nandi, she was the CEO of one of the biggest ad agencies in Africa at 32, she owned a chain of restaurants and a dance studio. Everything was going well for her except her love life.

Her phone beeped - text from Hlalie:

"Lunch at my place Saturday after next. I want you guys to finally meet the lover."

" FINALLY," Nandi excitedly responded, "How long has it been? 9 months? That's full term pregnancy"

"Lmao. Yes, I really like this one so I need you to play nice!"

"Great!" Nandi thought, " everyone's finding love except me!"

And that really was the case, in their tight-knit group of 6 ; 2 were married and 3 were in relationships that seemed serious and then she was the odd one out who hadn't heard a man say "I love you" to her in the past 5 years.

"That's it," she decided , "I need to stuff my face" then she grabbed the keys of her Bentley and headed to the grocery store.

Her basket already had ice-cream, three packets of chips, two slabs of chocolate, marshmallows and custard when she stopped in the wine aisle to get a bottle of happiness. She didn't see him coming but he'd been watching her pick and put bottles back on the shelf for at least 15 minutes and he was quite intrigued. He found her very attractive with her caramel

He liked how she frowned and had a little pout when she read the label of the bottle,

He liked how even though she was in sweats and slippers, the sight of her had his heart pumping blood to the head without a brain. He decided to approach her, very slowly so he could carefully plan what he was going to say.

He saw the contents in her shopping basket and let out a giggle, she turned to look at him.

"Can I help you?" She asked sternly.

"What did he do?"

Nandi stared at him.

"Your basket's full of junk and a woman with a body like yours obviously goes to the gym to maintain it so you're only having this junk to mend a broken heart... Hence I asked you what the man in your life has done!"

She held the basket closer, protectively, wondering if everyone else in the store had analyzed her the way this stranger did and if they were all laughing at her.

"Well you're actually wrong, there is no man in my life," she responded.

"So he's your fuckbuddy then?"

She stared at him in shock.

"What?" He continued, " am I right?"

"What do you want from me?" She said sounding very agitated. He stared at her, unsure of what to say, she started walking away

"I just wanted to start a conversation with you!" He blurted out all to loudly, "I've been watching you from over there and-" he noticed the way her expressions changed from anger to shock, "Oh shit, that sounds very stalkery... My name's Bukhosi and I just looked up and I saw how the light seemed to-"

"078"

He stared blankly at her, "Sorry?"

"It's my number- 0786435674."

After that they'd hung out every day for the next four days. She'd found out that he's also a wealthy entrepreneur with 3 business degrees under his belt and his dad was a preacher.

"Is it me or are Preacher's kids just always naughty?" Nandi asked throwing herself on the couch beside Bukhosi.

"Did you just call me naughty?" He laughed, " A whole man with more than 3 decades of age?"

"You are though!"

"Really? And what naughty thing have I done?"

Nandi's phone rang, it was her the owner of the ad agency she worked for.

"Mr Dawson," she said standing up to take the call in the other room.

Bukhosi pulled her closer and in a single move lifted her with her skirt to sit on his shoulders

"Bukhosi what are you-" his tongue between her labia cut her sentence short.

"Is everything okay Nandy?" Mr Dawson asked.

This is normally the time when she would correct him - "It's Nandi, sir" she always said but all she could say was " Yeah".

"Great. As I was saying Johnsons & Johnsons is one one of our most important accounts but the signed on with us knowing that-" Mr Dawson's voice seemed to disappear as the Bukhosi tongue started dancing like waves on a shore on Nandi's clit.

"Can you hear me Nandy? You seem rather quiet!"

Bukhosi sucked on her, she let out a little moan.

"Nandy?!"

"I'm trr- trying to kill a spider sir. Sorry, I did hear you though!"

He changed to a wave-like motion again and she clenched her toes.

"Good," Mr Dawson continued, then you understand why I believe my decision is the best?"

He sucked on it again with his tongue massaging her clit as if it was begging for an orgasm.

"Nandy, I really need your cooperation on this."

He sucked harder and gave her more waves.

If you consider how wet he was from his nose to his neck he might as well have taken a dip in the ocean.

The tide rose and as his tongue danced faster on her, her nerves seemed to assemble on her clit. She couldn't feel anything else but what the warmth of his tongue and how she was dripping all over him. He flicked his tongue and sucked harder, she dropped her phone.

"Nandy!" Mr Dawson yelled while the phone was in the air, its screen cracked and it shut down as soon as it hit the floor.

"Fuck!" Nandi whispered.

Bukhosi felt her legs closing him in and heard her moaning louder. He knew her orgasm was as close to the tip of his tongue as a word unspoken but seen lingering in your mind during a discussion. He pulled away and set her down.

She stared at him looking as though she could cry.

"Why the fuck did you stop?"

Bukhosi took off his t-shirt and wiped himself.

"Now you can call me naughty."

He didn't take her out to a proper dinner till the Sunday evening.

When he picked her up she was in a beautiful custom made David Tlale gown with pearls and a tiny bag as her only noticeable accessories.

"You're so beautiful" he gave her a peck on the lips, she laughed, "What's so funny?"

"I laugh a lot when I'm nervous."

"And why are you nervous?" He said with a smile that was meant to reassure her that things would be okay.

"I'm nervous because I don't want you to mess this up. I don't want what we have to end yet!" Was what she thought.

"I don't really know, I just am" she looked away from his gaze.

He turned her face with his finger, " I planned everything out carefully. Tonight's going to be magical. Trust me."

And it was. The date was in an Italian restaurant that Bukhosi had cleared out so they could be alone with a string quartet and the restaurant service.

They talked about everything from how he played golf & chess in high school instead of rugby like the normal college boy and how she could play piano, violin and harp.

They talked about how hard it was for him to go through school without being teased whenever his dad messed up or was a part of a scandal & how she was raised by her gran while her parents worked on their careers. The night was magical.

He took her home and while they were in bed he seemed to be more careful with her. He took a moment to look at her body then her face and then he deeply looked into her eyes and said nothing but in that moment she felt like he was telling her she's what he's been looking for his whole life. They made love that night.

In the morning he made her breakfast and told her he had to go because of work. She rolled her eyes thinking about how he was just saying that.

"I'll call you" he said walking down the stairs.

"Sure," she said wanting to cry. She knew he was never going to call her and that would be the last time they ever spoke.

Her phone rang - Bukhosi.

She fixed herself like he could see her and answered

"Did you forget something?"

" yeah, I forgot to give you a kiss. I guess I'm going to have to come back tonight and do all of this over again since I messed it up now"

"ALL over again?"

"Yes but please wear a different dress... Something ugly so I don't find myself asking why I haven't bought you a ring yet this time?"

She laughed, "You're so smooth! - uhm, been meaning to ask you... Are you busy next week Saturday?"

"Next week Saturday? Yeah, I have a work thing... Why?"

"No I just wanted to go somewhere with you."

" rain check?"

"Okay"

"Have a nice day beautiful."

The next few days seemed to rush past as Nandi dreaded attending Hlalie's shin dig by herself when the day arrived she bought a little liquid courage so she could have the strength to deal with being the only single in a gathering full of couples.

"Look what the wind blew in!" Hlalie yelled as soon as Nandi walked in.

Everyone looked excited to see her.

"Am I late?" She asked giving Hlalie the bottle of wine she had bought as a gift for her.

"No everyone else arrived early! Sit down."

As soon as she sat down she laughed at herself for thinking she needed liquid courage in the first place because her friends made her feel at home. More wine was being poured when Zandile asked ,"Hayi Hlalie! Where's your man kanti?"

The door opened and he walked in fashionably late with his college boy confidence. His suit a brilliantly tailored Prada and he kissed Hlalie on the cheek , "Sorry I'm late baby, work was pretty intense."

"It's okay," Hlalie responded,"Everyone meet Bukhosi Motlanthe"

Nandi was suddenly sober.