When I rested in your branches,
A little rest, I thought,
But I’ve been held here still.
Caught in your web,
Got me feeling like Beauty with the Beast.
Be my Prince Charming, I thought,
And one day more magical than the next.
Your tricks got me lost in the beauty of your palace. … More Just like Beauty & The Beast
He touched her hand on her lap so gently. “I know”.
She moved her hand beneath his. “You seem like a really nice guy and I want it to remain just that. These impressions you laying on me aren’t welcome. I can’t deal with it. I’m ready for that”.
“Now this is a part of you I don’t know. The other side of you I want to know. I want to know your story so that I can better appreciate you, when you talk and what informs your decisions. I asked you about the home front once and from your hesitation, I could sense that something isn’t well”. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 9
“You need a massage”.
“No, I’m fine”. Her eyes momentarily shot open. She didn’t see how that came into the conversation.
“I know you are. Sit here. I’ll give you a quick rub”, he volunteered, standing from his chair and offering it to me.
“No, really, I’m fine”, she insisted.
“I know. It’ll be quick. Just sit here”.
There was no point arguing about it. She let him put his hands on me and get it over with. She shudder even more at the thought of his hands on her. But she sat and he began to rub her neck. His hands were firm, strong yet it felt tender on the back of her neck. Steadily, he massaged her neck, moving across to her shoulder. She would have enjoyed the massage if it wasn’t for that pressing tingle in her pelvic. She really needed to go. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 8
Tunji studied her body language as she spoke about music. He realized it brought out a side to her he’d never seen before. She was always so edgy about almost everything but the two things he’d noticed made her smile – her children and music. He smiled at the realization of this new familiarity about her. He loved that she was simple yet exotic and impressionably giving away.
“Beautiful”, he snapped her out of her growing fantasy. She wiped the smile off her face and adjusted in her sit. “I used to be impressionable too way back in school but it had to die a natural death. The inspiration wasn’t so inspiring anymore”. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 7
“I see. So tell me about you”.
“I thought this was to be a karaoke hang out”.
“Yes, but that only opens on Fridays. We can do it this Friday if you want”, he added.
“No no no!” Desire jumped. “This works just fine”.
He smiled, almost as though he’d just read her mind.
“Ok so you know my name and what I do for a living. You also know what my hobby is. Besides that, there isn’t much to tell”, she narrated dryly.
“True, I know all that – lucky me. What I would like to know is what I don’t know about you already. It doesn’t have to be official”. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 6
Later that evening, he called again. Desire would rather not pick his call but because he had said earlier that it wasn’t a chase, she was compelled to pick up. It could actually be work related. So she spoke with him, being mindful of her speech on the phone with another man while her husband was in the living room with her. When Tunji called her during her drive home, she had told him she wouldn’t speak with him whenever she is home.
“If it’s urgent, you can text me instead”, she said to him.
But when she said that, she thought she sensed something different in his voice but she couldn’t place it. He didn’t have the right to be jealous or upset about that. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 5
Many more spontaneous texts came through in the following days which Desire found strange. According to her archive of novels and movies, he could either be a serial lover or a psychopath. Either way, she didn’t want to find out so she ignored many of his messages. Most of the time, she read his messages without replying. He ought to be busy with work and so should she but she didn’t have any ground to hold against him when it comes to work. He really did know his onions and the MD had commended him openly in their meetings over the past few months. She was proud of him at work but she wished he would let it stay that way –that is, just being colleagues.
“Hello”, she answered the phone during lunch break.
“Hi familiar stranger”, he sounded jovial in a flirtatious way.
Desire couldn’t help but chuckle. “Hey”.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you called me a familiar stranger. It’s a very unusual name. Sort of intriguing though”. … More Familiar Stranger: Series 4
