Free Always Yours (Lagos Romance Series) by Somi Ekhasomhi

noticed the way she looked at Michael almost maternally and wondered if I had done the right thing bringing him home. It was bad enough that I was hung up on him. I didn’t want my mother to also become hung up on the idea of him as a son in law.
    It was already getting to dusk as we drove back to my flat. The roads were free, which was good. I watched him as he drove, he looked relaxed, his beautiful hands light on the steering wheel, and every so often he would turn to look at me and smile.
    I wondered if he had enjoyed himself. It mattered to me that he should like my family and that they should like him. It mattered to me, even though deep down I knew I shouldn’t read anything into it.
    By the time we got to Third Mainland Bridge, it had gotten a little cold, I may have shivered a little because he glanced at me and without a word lowered the AC. I smiled gratefully at him, pleased at the small gesture that showed he cared, and turned to watch the little shanties at the water’s edge. It filled me with wonder, how from up on the bridge they looked so picturesque and charming with the tendrils of smoke drifting into the air from each hut. But one could only imagine how bad they truly were, dirty and unsanitary.
    In no time at all we were at my place. Michael insisted on carrying all the packages while I watched, feeling useless. It was nice to have a guy do it for me though, it made me feel girlish and nurtured. It was very manly of him.
    Manly! Silently I smiled at the adjective my subconscious had chosen, as if he could even be anything but manly.
    "Are you going to stand there admiring me? Or are we going to go to my parent’s party?”
    I gasped, shaken out of my thoughts. “I wasn’t admiring you” I sputtered, embarrassed. “I was just making sure you were putting everything in the right place”
    He gave me a disbelieving nod “As you say.” He winked and walked past me to sit on the couch. “Phew!” he exclaimed. “That was hard work” He gave me a dazzling grin. “So, woman. How are you going to reward me?”
    “You sound like a cavemen” I scoffed.
    “If I were a caveman,” He said with a grin. “I’d have carried you over my shoulder into that room and…” He stopped and shook his head. He gave me an apologetic glance. I know I shouldn’t even go there, his eyes were saying, even in a joke.
    He shouldn’t have, but still the image was already firmly planted in my head, he would carry me over his shoulder to my room and throw me on the bed and…. The images filled my head and I fled into the kitchen, to hide my embarrassment. Get a grip Sophie…! I muttered to myself.
    I grabbed a can of juice from the fridge and stomped back to the sitting room. “Here’s your reward.” I said huffily before throwing the can at him. He caught it neatly, annoying me even more.
    “I’ll watch TV, while you get ready.” He said.
    I shrugged, and went grumpily to my room, slamming the door behind me.
    As I got ready, I could hear the sounds of the TV through my bedroom door. He was obviously enjoying himself, neither my mood, nor my annoyance had gotten to him, I sighed. What is wrong with you? I asked myself. Why can’t you take a simple joke? Why would just a single statement from Michael have the power to make me so confused, annoyed and desirous?
    I picked a simple pale blue gown, not too short, just long enough to skim my knees, and form fitting, but not too tight. I coupled it with a pair of nude sandals and a matching clutch. I did my hair up in a loose chignon with tendrils falling around my face and neck. I applied very light makeup and added just earrings and a watch as my jewellery.
    When I was done I inspected the results in my mirror and smiled. It was understated, but sexy. Sexy enough to punish Michael for the suggestive comment he had made earlier, but not too sexy for meeting the family.
    His eyes widened when I walked into the living room. I smiled inwardly and said nothing. I felt