|| 05. PAIZE 2 ♥ ||
Hoping Omar would have captured her seemingly confident and bold stance on the couch, Mohana straightened from the leather love seat. She courageously walked over to welcome the pillar of impressive looks and steel strength that stood at her door. Her guest. Omar Shaan.
To contradict the upheaval his presence created in her, Mohana stepped closer to their guest. Bare foot, her petite frame of less than five and a half feet barely reached his shoulder. Attempting to wing her bold-act, she relayed her memorized dialogue with a wide smile “Great! You’re finally here, looking dapper as ever!”
Taken by utter surprise Jojo stared in admiration at her beautiful boss. Her smile widened looking at Mohana pulling the bold act so miraculously.
“Got to live up to your expectations, Mohana” Omar offered. Hooking a thumb in his jeans pocket his black glittering eyes gazed into her silver depths
Mohana’s cheeks fused with more color hearing her name roll from his lips. Instinctively nervousness threatened to rush to the surface. Despite being a bundle of nerves, the only certainty Mohana held in her thoughts was to maintain her bold-act without backing off.
On a hasty gulp, she glanced at Jojo then supplementing her hesitation with another enchanting smile she addressed both of them “Yeah. We have seen so much at Sophista. But I must say nothing of your talent and that cover photo shoot is going to sell like hot cakes”
“Always a pleasure to work with your creativity” Omar stated with a hint of smile playing at his lips
Standing mere inches away his presence made her entire being utterly aware of him. The real her wanted to run away from the power of his magnificence. Like always. But tonight Mohana held her determination to stand ground. She hoped with all her might to keep the pretense that she had promised herself.
Investing her confidence in ‘The Bold List’ crash course, Mohana challenged herself to look into his eyes “It’s all my team. Sophista rules the most prominent journal slot because of their hard work”
“A hard working team that supports their boss, what more can you ask for” Omar offered with an almost mischievous smile looking with much interest at the beautiful woman standing barefoot ahead of him
“Yes, of course..” giving him a smile, Mohana gave her heart some respite by turning to address Jojo “..I got so rotten busy after the shoot that I completely lost track of time, I hope the team treated our guest well”
Picking on the hints of ‘The Bold List’ at play, Jojo jumped right in for supporting her boss. She enthusiastically responded “Of course Miss Mohana, we lived up to your expectations. Though we really wished you could have joined us for dinner, the team understands how important your time is. And we are really glad you were able to abort your earlier appointment to make time to meet us tonight, everyone’s really eager for the exposé with Omar”
Mohana’s heart swelled with genuine happiness for having Jojo as her partner, who had picked on her facade. A sincere warm smile broke on her lips “Sure yeah no worries. Time is vital with everyone being so busy these days. And while I was tackling all of this I really missed you Jojo!”
“You are the kindest Miss Mohana, the most bold and powerful woman to sit at such a position yet you always remain humble. No wonder all the journalists idealize you..” Jojo brightly smiled at her “..I will take things from here, there are also some urgent requests that I need to push through and will get those sorted. In the meanwhile give me a buzz if you need something, I’ll be in my office”
Mohana smiled at her personal assistant “Alright, will see you soon, stay warm”
“You too Miss Mohana” Jojo affectionately wished her, turning around she exchanged greetings with their guest before leaving for her office
Mohana regained her stance with Jojo’s disappearance down the hallway. Giving Omar another broad smile she sweetly said “It keeps getting crazy here, but come on in”
Gesturing to Omar, she welcomed him inside the loft office. Closing the chunky wooden door behind them, Mohana confidently relied on her well prepared points from the list for the next steps. Asking him about his day after the shoot, checking on his dinner then drive to the Sophista studios, Mohana enquired his drink.
Serving him whiskey on the rocks Mohana hesitated deciding her next move. Feeling nervous to hand him the glass, Mohana considered changing the subject altogether
“Dinner reminds me, how were the dining chairs? Comfortable?” she asked walking over to a beautiful white leather chair, stationed at the opposite corner of her office
Looking at the beautiful woman walking bare foot on the silver rug, his eyes ran the length of her long creamy legs left exposed by the shortened dress. Omar shrugged “I didn’t get a chance to review their furniture, but we can head back anytime to check if something’s up to your liking”
“No! We can’t..” she rushed nervously then clenching her fist rectified “..uh but this! I was thinking, what about this chair! Let me know your thoughts on this one, according to Chanceys this is the season’s hottest sale”
Mapping her foot steps across the room Omar walked over to the chair. He gave her a considering nod “Sure. I will need recommendations for my penthouse in a few. Would be great to know what other finds Paul Pitar tells you over your Christmas celebrations in Dubai”
At the mention of the sleazy Paul Pitar, her hand nervously jittered. Mohana quickly rested the amber drink on the glass accent table. Remaining cordial of the Sophista competitor Paul Pitar, owner of Chanceys media house, she offered “Yeah Paul. Of course. I’ll have my offices coordinate with yours if there are any worthy updates”
“I’ll be on the lookout” saying Omar stepped over to the large expanse of wall behind him. Almost as if knowingly, he pressed at a small golden indent in the wall. Glancing in Mohana’s direction, he checked “You’re feeling cold?”
The larger than life fireplace, stretching from floor to ceiling erupted to life. The flames through each level burst into a frenzy of golden and red waves climbing atop each other. Her shivering body unknowingly welcomed the heat though her heart remained unsure whether it was his proximity or the fireplace that soothed her “Noh. No. This is neat. I should have thought about that before. The storm has gotten out of hand tonight. Can I get you a throw?”
“Na..” raising his glass of whiskey Omar checked “..do you want a throw or will you have this?”
“I’ll get another one..” her words halted, her cheeks deepening with color. Realizing he had not even offered to share his drink Mohana quickly rectified “I mean another kind of drink. altogether. uhm. new place? this penthouse?”
Increasing the distance between them Mohana rushed through the room to approach the beverage cart besides the love seat. She heard him say “Kind of. I am almost close to finalizing the deal”
Remembering Peggy’s reference of his room and opening his jeans button her tummy flipped. She inwardly growled at the idea of his new penthouse where Peggy would undo all his jeans buttons. With quivery hands, she threw in a dash of mix-in to prepare a somewhat bubbly concoction for herself. Despite the chaos rising within, Mohana gracefully offered “Congrats! New places are most fun to decorate and make them your own”
“Fun yeah, though I guess what matters most is with whom you decide to make them your own” his words hit her right through the heart
Her eyes haphazardly looked at the watch but in her nervousness, Mohana missed reading the time “Ya. Yes. Definitely. And we should not keep you here for long. Don’t want your.. uh anyone kept waiting..” she abruptly halted
Feeling her heart shrivel within, Mohana tried to get back to her planned script “Why don’t you take a seat. Now that Sophista has gotten you here, I guess we can get the exposé scoop from you. We have a lot to cover. Your fan base is whopping crazy and they want to know it all”
Omar lightly chuckled “That’s always good to know. After you” his muscular hand gestured her towards the leather couch from where Mohana had gotten up on his arrival
Thrown off the script by his gesture Mohana gave him a shy nod of acknowledgement. She took the same spot on the love seat from before which sat farthest from the chair she had appointed for him. Mohana hoped the few feet of distance between them would aid her to keep ‘The Bold List’ action plan on track.
