canât help.â
âYou really believe that?â Shyla asked.
âSure do.â
âGirl, bye,â Shyla said. âSome people.â She walked away and glanced back at Alexis, giving her a curious stare.
That afternoon, Kiara passed through the hallway and stopped in front of Alexisâs workstation. âHey there. Can you please come to my office when you have a moment?â
âSure.â
Every time her boss asked her to come to her office, Alexis felt rolls of quivers in her belly.
Does she know about me and Rashad? Alexis would ask herself. The fact that she was sleeping with her bossâs husband made Alexis feel some kind of way. And she still hadnât decided if she was ready to tell Kiara everything. Of course, Rashad begged her not to. And she was the type to play her position. But the way they ended up in an affair required both of them to be knowing participants.
The first time Alexis met Rashad was the day she arrived on the campus of Texas South West University. She was standing on a sidewalk peering down at a campus map kiosk.
âHey, you look lost,â Rashad told her. âCan I help you find something?â
He had just dropped off a check at Kiaraâs office, and had made a quick trip to the student union food court to grab some lunch when he noticed this pretty young thing. When a man meets a woman, he knows right away if he wants to smash; Rashad took one look at her body and wondered what she looked like naked. Up until that moment, he never seriously considered cheating on his wife.
âOh, I think I know where this building is, but Iâm not totally positive. But Iâm sure itâs down that way.â
âWhat?â he said with a grin. Rashad doubted she knew what she was doing; her pretending ways captivated him.
âI said I know where Iâm going.â
âYou donât look like it.â
She twirled around and started walking east. But she only took a couple steps before she whirled back around. âOkay, sir. Iâm sorry to bother you. Can you please help me? Iâve been lost ever since I parked my car and I hope I can find it when I leave. Iâve never been on this side of campus a day in my life.â
Rashad burst out laughing. He was intrigued. She looked so sweet and vulnerable. She seemed like she needed protecting. He wanted to know her and not just have sex with her.
âIâd be glad to help. My line of work has me driving all over the city. So I know how it feels to be somewhere and not know where the hell I am. But donât worry, youâre in good hands, young lady.â
Alexisâs cheeks flushed red.
âDonât be ashamed. We all need help sometimes.â He winked at her, which made her blush even more.
Even though Alexis assumed Rashad thought she felt foolish, in reality she was attracted to his good looks. His eyes were mesmerizing and filled with excitement. He had the most amazing teeth. He was super friendly and made her feel at ease. And he looked sexy in his clothes. Deep inside she felt she was being rescued. To her, all the buildings on the huge campus looked the same and sheâd already wasted twenty minutes. No one else reached out to assist her. So Alexis told Rashad where she needed to go and he personally walked her to MacGregor Hall, the location of the HR department.
âYou look like a college student. Smart and stylish.â
She wore a belted coatdress and some black pumps. Rashad loved what he saw.
âThanks for the compliment. Iâm not a student. But my mama sure stays on me so Iâll make something out of my life. If I didnât go to college, the next best thing is to get a job at a college.â She gave him a reserved smile, which endeared her to him.
They arrived at MacGregor Hall and he walked her inside the lobby.
âHey, I hope you get the job.â He winked and reached out to shake her hand. Her skin felt