Make Me Yours

Chapter 9

Zoey was even more certain of the answer to that question, as the next week that rolled by was followed with loud silence from Xen. Nothing. There was no single word from him; no calls, no texts. She found that really funny, considering that he had called just after she had gotten home that night and had told her that he had had a nice time and would love to do it again.

Of course, she had answered as sweetly as she could: “Me too!”, glad that over the phone he couldn’t see her grinning like a fool. To think that she had begun to look forward to his calls and count the days until they’d have time to each other, once again.

Madness. It was pure madness. After three days of rushing to pick the phone when it rang, after that call, she had finally decided to snap out of it. One would think that she would know better, considering that she wasn’t exactly a newbie in this area. When it balled down to it, actions spoke louder than words.

Xen might have said he wanted to meet with her again, but it was quite obvious that it had simply been nothing but a very sweet lie. Just mere words said in the heat of the moment. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t fault him.

What mattered was that he was keeping his end of the Belmont bargain. Work had begun in earnest and she had been working with Mrs Chan to secure the best property for the building project to commence on.

The knock on her door had her looking up from the screen she had been staring mindlessly at for the past half an hour.

Those three sharp knocks told her it was none other than Kelly at the other end.

“Yes, you may enter,” she called out.

She lightened up instantly as Kelly stepped in through the door, a bright smile on her face.

“You have the blinds down again,” her assistant noted, walking to her table with a box in her hands.

“Yes. I just wanted to close off from everyone else for a bit. You know it helps me work better.”

“I know that. Well, I’ve got another delivery for you.” Kelly was almost shaking with excitement now and she dropped the wrapped box right in front of Zoey.

“That’s weird. I didn’t order anything. Is this from a client?”

Kelly rolled her eyes and took her seat. “Zoey, you know this is from your secret admirer. It’s Thursday and he hasn’t missed any day this week – so far.”

Zoey sighed as she absentmindedly rubbed a headache away.

“We don’t know if it’s a ‘him’. For all we know, someone is just messing with our heads.”

Kelly chuckled at this. “Trust me, these gifts? They aren’t from a woman. In fact, I think we both know who exactly they are from.”

It was Zoey’s turn to roll her eyes.

“They aren’t from Xen, Kelly. I haven’t heard from him all week. Why would he go quiet and start sending gifts? Is that how Asian men behave?

“You tell me. You’re the one who spent a week in Singapore.”

“Well, it wasn’t with their men; you can trust me on that one. Jenny and Mariah are in better positions to answer that question.”

“I think it’s him.”

“I think not. And I’d very much appreciate it if whoever it is reveals his identity. This secret admirer sh*t is so old school.”

“Yet, I can see you trying to fight a blush.”

Okay, Kelly was right. She did think this was thoughtful and sweet. If she wasn’t so stressed out from Xen’s silence, she might have appreciated it even more – not that she didn’t already. She did.

The smile that she had been trying to fight won, spreading her cheeks farther apart.

“Open it,” Kelly said, chuckling.

Zoey needed no further encouragement. Dragging the box closer to her, she began to tear apart the wrap.

“Oh my gosh!” Kelly chimed as they saw the Christian Louboutin tag.

Zoey could only gasp, surprised as hell.

“Well, at least now we know that it’s definitely not a lady. No woman would spend this much on a gift for another woman; I don’t care how crazy she is about you.”

Zoey spared her a look before uncovering the box.

“Wow!” was all she could say.

Staring right back at her was the most beautiful pair of shoes she had ever seen: nude stilettos but with the elegance only Christian could give.

“Spot those red bottoms.”

“I see them. Goodness.” With shaky hands, she carefully lifted them out of the box. She was quick to stop herself; the shoes weren’t going to break into pieces if they fell off her hands.

Herself and Kelly fawned over the shoes for a while, then out of nowhere, Kelly blurted:

“What are you waiting for? Try them on!”

Chuckling like a high school girl who had just gotten her first kiss from her crush, Zoey kicked off the shoes she had on. In no time, the gift was sitting prettily on her legs.

“My goodness! They’re so fu*king pretty!”

“They feel even better. Like heaven. Lord!” Zoey, glad for the blinds, walked to her door and back to her desk.

“Just trying it out,” she winked at Kelly who simply laughed.

“Try it out all you want, girl. Those shoes are damn!”

“I know, right?”

Then with a quick thought, she stopped.

“You think I should return them? I don’t know… this is a really expensive gift to accept from someone you don’t know. What if it’s a stalker? Someone’s that obsessed with me? Christ… what if they’re bugged?”

“Oh Zoey, you can be such a drama king. Whoever got you this is fu*king rich. It could be one of the million millionaire clients you’ve worked with who have hit on you a million times, or it could be – my bet – Xen. Anyway, just accept the gift graciously and rock it girl. If not, I swear I’m gonna take them from you, pump them up with some pads, just so they fit me perfectly.”

As Zoey laughed, she felt some of the tension leave her muscles.

Going back to her chair, she sat and bent over to take off the shoes. When she was done, she tucked them back into the box and put it neatly away.

“Wow. Flowers, chocolate, that beautiful necklace yesterday, and now, this?” Whoever this is, he must mean business.”

Kelly stood up then and began to walk towards the door.