THE COVEN’S BRIDE
CHAPTER 5 (SPONSORED BY Anonymous)
SIBUSISO
I slowly open my eyes, and it takes me a second to adjust to the lighting of the room. The first thing I notice is that I am not in my room, and then the second thing is that there is a person on my chest. Then it all comes back. Last night I waited for Naledi and then she invited me to her room. Nothing happened, we just slept, and the plan was to keep to my side, and she kept to hers. Here she is on my chest. Her room smells like bananas, or maybe it’s her hair.
I smell her hair; it has another delicious scent that I can’t quite pin. I want to pull her closer, but I am scared she might get upset because she promised to kick me if I dare touch her. In this case, she is on my chest, so this one is on her. There is a phone that is vibrating, but I am not sure if it’s mine or Naledi’s.
If it’s mine, I am sure my family is looking for me. I told Jasmine that I was right behind her. I am sure she was worried when I didn’t come home. I am not one to just disappear without any communicating. My heart skips a beat when I feel Naledi’s hand on my chest. She is breaking the rules. We agreed to keep to each other’s side, and she is on mine.
Not only is she on my side but having her body on mine is torture. The guy down there is up, and I feel like I am going to explode. I need the bathroom, but at the same time, I don’t want to wake her up. I feel like if I move, she will wake up. A phone rings and I don’t recognize the ringing tone, meaning it’s not my phone. Naledi wakes up and reaches for the phone. How does she just jolt up like that?
‘I am up!’ Naledi says on the phone. She still has her eyes closed, yet she is saying she is up. ‘Yeah! Okay! Yeah, I hear you.’
“Good morning!’” I greet and it seems I startled her. Did she maybe forget that I am here? She quickly gets out of bed, pulls down her dress, and fixes her hair. How does one look so beautiful waking up?
“Oh my God, you scared me. I forgot you are here.”
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” I say, also getting out of bed. I slept in my shirt and trousers, even though I sleep in shorts at home today, I wasn’t in my house. I had to respect the lady.
Naledi clears her throat, “Uhm.. your…”
“Fuck! Sorry,” I pick up the pillow and cover the standing tent. I swear this guy in my pants just wants to embarrass me whenever I am around Naledi. “I am so sorry.”
“Why don’t you shower first? I think I have an unused toothbrush in one of the drawers.”
“I am sorry once again.” I toss the pillow back on the bed and head in the direction of the en suite.
Naledi showed me the bathroom last night. I get under the cold water, and the only thing on my mind is Naledi. F*ck the things she makes me feel are out of this world. I take my dick in my hand and move my hand up and down. The images of our kisses and how soft her skin felt crosses my mind. I can imagine feeling her warmth. I curse under my breath, as I come. Why am I behaving like a s*x-starved man? I don’t even remember when I last gave myself a hand job.
I chuckle and whisper to myself. “Naledi, what are you doing to me?”
NALEDI
I fix the bed while Sibusiso showers. I feel bad that I let him sleep here. As much as Tshidi’s family doesn’t mind, I shouldn’t have let him sleep here. He could have stolen something or turned out to be a serial killer. I will make sure to apologize to Janell. I mean no disrespect, it’s just that the time we finished was risky for Sibusiso to drive home.
“Girl wake up! It’s midday, and why is this door locked?” says Tshidi, trying to open the door. “Naledi, do you have a man in there?”
I leave the room and talk to her outside the room, “Hey, morning.”
She eyes me, “Last night’s dress? Don’t tell me…?”
“Nothing happened, we just slept, and I am sorry I let him sleep here. I barely even know him.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. Is it Mr Soulmate?” she asks. Tshidi hates all the men I date. I am surprised she might like this one. Not that I am planning on dating him.
“It’s him and his name is Sibusiso.”
“I was just checking on you, and just a heads up, Mom and Dad are fighting about Dad missing my birthday. If you sense any tension from them, it’s not you,” she says before walking away.
“Thanks for the heads up.”
I take a deep breath and get into the room. I hope Sibusiso won’t walk in here half-naked. He had better get dressed in the bathroom. Luckily, he comes out full-dressed.
He says, “I found the toothbrush and I used your lotion. I smell like you.”
“I am sorry about that; I should have found you something from Maxwell. I am sorry.”
He smiles and answers, “I want to smell like you. It feels like I am hugging you.”
“Let me shower, then we can get something to eat, not here though.”
I don’t wait for him to respond; I head to the bathroom and shower. I turn on the hot water and let it hit my skin. I close my eyes, and my mind takes me to when Sibusiso was kissing me last night. The man is an amazing kisser, it’s like he went to school for it. I wonder why a handsome man like him is single. But then most of the gorgeous people are usually single because, for some reason, everyone wants them.
I forgot to get my clothes from the room, so I head out with a towel wrapped around me and get something to wear. Get dressed in the bathroom, and then Sibusiso and I find a place to have brunch. I cannot believe we slept that long, it’s almost 2 pm.
“Naledi, tell me about yourself,” Sibusiso asks.
“What would you like to know, sir?”
He answers, “I want to know everything there is to know about you.”
“Come now, I cannot tell you everything. My name is Naledi Snowy Nkala, and I am 30 years old.”
His eyes widen. “You are 30 years old? Wait, are you messing with me?”
“No, I am 30 years old.”
“You don’t look a day over 25,” he says, and he looks genuinely shocked. I am just slim, but I am 30.
“And how old are you?”
“I am old enough,” he says, sipping on his drink. We both ordered cocktails, and he went for a Negroni.
“How old are you?”
“29, but we are the same age,” he mumbles. I cannot believe I am older than he is. That is insane.
“I am older than you, young man.”
“Please don’t do that. I am sure you are older by a couple of months,” he retorts. I see he doesn’t like that I am older. “I hope my age doesn’t disqualify me from being your man.”
“It sort of does. The man has to be older.”
“Oh, please! Who said that – what can an older man do that I cannot?” he asks. He is so cute, and a year gap is not bad, but I still don’t know how I feel about him. He reaches for my hand and caresses it. “Don’t rule me out yet. Give me a chance to prove myself.”
“Let me think about it.”
He kisses the back of my hand. “Thank you for that. It gives me a little hope.”
“Tell me about yourself. Ever been married before? Any children?”
He answers, “I am Sibusiso Gumbi, 29 years old. I manage one of the family hotels. I love traveling and just having fun. And I love this one woman named Naledi Snowy Nkala.”
“You already love me? That was very quick – you didn’t even wait to get to know me.”
He says, “As I said, it was love at first sight. I am in love with you, Naledi, and I would love to give things a try.”
“I said I will think about it. Tell me about your family. What is your relationship with them like?”
“They are the most amazing human beings I know. A little crazy, but they are amazing. I am from a big family, and I would one day want to have a family of my own,” he says.
I also want to one day have a family – a big one, if possible. Sibusiso is not bad, and I love a man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Sibusiso seems like that kind of man, and I would like to get to know him. He seems like a decent man. After our brunch, Sibusiso drives me to my apartment.
“I had fun, thank you for lunch,” I say, getting my bag.
“Will I see you again?”
“Maybe,” I say, trying to open the car door, but it’s locked. “Please open the door?”
“Will I see you again?”
“You did promise me a proper date – you will see me again,” I say, and then wait for him to unlock the car and get off. Sibusiso makes me feel like a teen falling in love for the first time, and I love it.