Friends with Benefits

Nolan moves around the yacht, opening each door, searching for Leila. His forehead forms lines once he opens the last door. He walks off in thought. He is about to walk past the deck when he spots her. His eyes lit upon spotting her. A waiter walks in front of him with a tray with filled wine glasses.

He picks up two glasses and walks towards her. Leila shuts her eyes as a gust of wind gets to her face, making her hair fly in the air. She exhales, feeling the air reduce and feeling calm.

"The weather is indeed fine today"

She quickly opens her eyes upon hearing Nolan's voice. He offers her one of the wines in his hand.

Leila stares at it for a while before taking it. Nolan sips his wine. "Why are you here when the party's over there?" he teased, gesturing with his head,

Leila looks down at the wine in her hands. She ignores his teasing question and says, "I know you planned with Morris to make me come here."

Nolan smiles. He bends over on the railing and sips his wine. "For someone who poses to be fearless, you seem to like dwelling in the past"

He glances at Leila. "I knew you would not come with 'I'll think about it' he mimicked "I had to find other ways to make you come" he added

Leila smiles. "You seem to think you know a lot about me"

"Actually, I don't think, I do"

Leila sips her wine and smiles. "What do you want, Nolan?"

"Now that's what I'm talking about" he turns to face her places his arm on the railing "Your friendship, my lady," he said playfully

Leila had the urge to laugh at his words and tone. She glances at him to see him having a serious gaze as he sips his wine. She smiles and turns to the sea. "Just friends or friends with benefits?"

Nolan smiles, then leans closer to her ear, slowly removing the hair that covered it. With a deep, hoarse voice, he says, "Whichever pleases you" then he moves back,

Leila stands upright, glances at the wine in her hand, then turns to Nolan with a smile. "Then I must say, you really do know nothing about me" she shoves the wine glass into his hands, almost spilling the content on him,

She walks off. Nolan glances from the wine now in his hands to Leila, who is walking away. He rushes to her side. "Is that a yes or a no?"

Leila halts and turns to him, raising a brow. "It will take more than asking me to be your friend, for me to accept" and with that, she walks off

"Still not a no," Nolan says to himself as he gulps Leila's wine and then his before walking back to the main area

He spots Leila at the head of a chess table with some men which included Morris on the other side. It's her turn to make her move. She places her arm on the table as her eyes remain glued to the chess before her.

The music was no longer loud but subtle. Most people's attention is now on the chess game going on between Leila and Morris.

Each man on that table stares not at the chessboard on the table, but at Leila's fascinating face. And just on cue, a ray of sun rests on her face for a minute, illuminating her features.

She makes a move and studies it before leaning on the backrest, waiting on Morris to make his move. Morris moves with a subtle smile on his face.

Leila leans forward to make a move. She is about to pick when the sound of a news channel catches their attention. A large screen TV slowly comes down and hangs in the air with the help of some ropes.

On the news channel, Leila's photo appears for a minute, then a reporter is displayed. "Today we have Mr Gabe"

The camera shows a young-looking man standing beside the reporter and, as usual, he looks unsure of himself, but he wipes it off placing an indifferent look.

"Can you tell everyone what happened?" the reporter asked, placing the microphone before his lips,

"Sh… Leila slept with me" Mr Gabe stated

"Can you elaborate on that?" the reporter requested

"I… I can't"

The reporter sighs and takes back the mic. "There we have it, people another victim of the She-devil's cunning ways"

The TV goes blank, and it goes back up. Everyone turns back to Leila, who has her eyes on the chessboard, then takes a move. Her demeanour is the same as though nothing happened. Leila had the urge to roll her eyes.

What were they expecting her to do? Cry or what?

She gestures with her eyes for Morris to make a move. Just before he would, Rachael walks to the table and stands beside Morris. "Babe, why don't I and Leila play?" she said with a high-pitched tone,

Morris glances at Leila and then sees her rolling her eyes. He turns back to Rachael. "I didn't know you can play chess" he commented

"Watch me," Rachael said, arranging the chessboard to start again,

Morris sighs knowing what Rachael is trying to do. He rises, then walks to the centre of the hall. "I believe I should announce the winning companies''

Rachael frowns, knowing why he wants to do it now. "Can't it wait?" she commented with a fake smile

"Go ahead, Mr Morris," Mr Bell said

"Yes" echoed everyone else

"Very well" Morris started

Rachael angrily takes a seat but was excited to know the winning companies.

"For the Japan project, Nolan would work with S&C Cooperation"

A round of applause echoed through the room. Rachael's jaw drops as she glares at Mr Chase and Sarah, who have a smile on their faces.

"And for the remote area here in City Zee, the winning company is…"

*Who do you guys think is the winning company?

Well, guys if my the end of this month there is no much improvement in the support of this story I'll have to drop or move it.

In all, enjoy reading and I await your comments

Thank you

Love Crown_S_H*