Chapter 6: Philip's Room

JEFFREY

I kissed him, harder than I meant to. Ronald braced himself, clearly not expecting me to do that, and I was just as stunned that I did.

Then he pulled me closer, deepening it like he’d been waiting for it.

A heat I didn’t recognize surged through me. I wanted more, his skin on mine, the weight of him, all of it.

My hands found his hair, silky and thick between my fingers. His hand slid down to my ass, squeezing gently.

And then, in one swift move, he spun me, pressing my back to the wall as he leaned in like he meant to devour me whole. His hips pinned me there, and I could feel his erection straining through his jeans.

I moaned softly, and that only seemed to fuel him. His hands slipped under my shirt, cold against my stomach, and sending sparks up my spine.

I was ready to give in, everything in me screamed yes.

Then his phone vibrated on the table. Once, then again.

Ronald ignored it, lowering his mouth to my neck, but the third buzz broke through.

“Fuck.” Ronald muttered. Before stepping away to silence the call. I took a quick glance at his phone’s screen, it said ‘Collins’.

Ronald had a different expression than I’ve ever seen. He glanced at me, his jaw tightened. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”

I stepped back without a word and walked out of the room. As soon as I got to mine, I locked the door and grabbed a pillow to scream into.

What the hell was happening to me?

My heart was racing. I was dizzy, stunned, still burning with the feel of him. If that call hadn’t come through... would I have stopped myself? Would we have actually…?

Is that who I am?

I sighed. I had tried so hard to bury this part of me, and now it was staring me in the face. And I didn’t even resist. I chose it.

“Thanks for calling, Collins,” I muttered bitterly. “But who the hell was he?”

Ronald’s expression when he saw that name was quite odd. I had never seen him look like that, not even when talking to his father. And I’d never heard that name before.

I shook my head. I was probably overthinking.

I thought of my sister, Kyla. I shouldn’t be doing this with her fiancé. I felt my throat tighten with guilt.

A light knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. I quietly went to the bathroom, flushed the W.C, and turned on the shower. I didn’t want to see him right now.

I stood under the stream fully clothed, hoping somehow the water could wash away what I was starting to feel.

**********

I woke up early the next morning, Ronald had left me alone for the rest of the night and I was more than happy about that.

I had my bath and dressed quickly. I didn’t want Ronald to get ready before I was. It wouldn’t help our current situation to get on his bad side.

I was scrolling through my phone downstairs when I finally heard his door open.

He came down wearing a white turtleneck that clung to him perfectly and black jeans. A relaxed smile touched his lips.

I gave him a confused look. “What is going on? You're certainly not wearing that to the office, are you?”

“I’m not going to the office,” he replied, casually accepting a cup of coffee from the maid.

“What do you mean?”

“I finished everything yesterday. No need to go in today. The helicopter’s coming this afternoon.”

“You could’ve told me that last night.”

“I tried.” He smirked.

“When?”

He sipped his coffee. “When I knocked. But you were... bathing.”

His smirk widened. I narrowed my eyes at him. He knew.

“Or maybe,” he added, raising a brow, “you were running from it again.”

“I was bathing,” I said with a poker face.

He let out a laugh, smug and ridiculous, and I rolled my eyes before heading back upstairs to change.

**********

RONALD

Jeffrey came back down the stairs, this time in a black polo and jeans. His hair was a little damp, clinging slightly to his forehead. He looked softer in this outfit.

He hesitated when he saw me sitting at the dining table.

“Breakfast?” I asked, gesturing to the seat across from me.

He blinked like he hadn’t expected that. “Yeah… okay.”

The maid served him quietly, and we ate in silence for a while. Just the clinking of cutlery, the quiet aura of the morning, and the faint sound of birds outside.

It wasn’t awkward, just unusually calm.

“So… no meetings today?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“No. I told you. Everything was sorted yesterday.”

He nodded, stirring his tea slowly. “You really got everything done in a day?”

“I don’t like dragging things,” I said. “And I don’t like repeating myself.”

He didn’t argue, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. He was trying not to smile.

The house manager stepped in. “Sir, the helicopter just signaled. They’re landing now on the field.”

I stood. “Let’s go.”

Jeffrey wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up with me. He followed as we stepped out into the bright mid-morning sun.

The wind picked up as we approached the open field. The sound of the blades whirring got louder, kicking up dust and grass around us. I saw him squinting into the wind, trying to keep his balance.

Once we were seated, he was still adjusting the strap of his seatbelt when I pulled out a paperback from my bag. A familiar book for the ride back.

Jeffrey leaned closer. “What are you reading?”

I didn’t look up. “Philip’s Room by Raven Black.”

He looked stunned. “No fucking way! For real?”