More than mere attraction?

Stella knew she needed to call the handsome stranger whose attractive face she was seeing in every picture, she looked at.

Even when she closed her eyes.

That was something more than mere attraction, right?

Stella never believed in love at first sight until she set her eyes on Sam, that fateful day.

Just looking at Sam made her felt what she hadn't felt since three years ago when she lost her lover to the cold hands of death. Sam made her heart fluttered and she felt very much alive.

She hadn't found any man appealing, until the attractive stranger showed up. She had turned down advances from different men for three years, because she just couldn't open her heart. And it wasn't that she didn't want to, she just couldn't do so.

Her heart was shattered when her lover died tragically. She had packed the pieces of her heart and glued it together with tears and blood, so, opening it seemed difficult.

But strangely, her heart had not only opened up with ease but even fluttered, when she set her eyes on Sam.

That was why she believed Sam must indeed be the man for her.

She smiled as she remembered how warm Sam's lips were on hers, that evening, in her living room.

She smiled as she wondered what would have happened if Peter hadn't interrupted them.

Thinking about the steamy session that was rudely interrupted, she dialled Sam's number and he picked up after the second ring.

"Hello. This is Sam. Who am I speaking with, please?" Sam said huskily, from the other end.

Stella almost shivered at the sound of his voice. She loved his husky voice.

"Hey, handsome stranger! It's Stella." She informed him.

"Oh, Stella, the chocolate girl! Wow, it's nice hearing from you. How've you been doing? Have you been eating a lot of chocolates?" He inquired, jokingly.

She laughed.

"Yeah, just great, but I miss you. I can see you've also been thinking about me, for you to remember the chocolate part. Can we meet up, this evening?" She requested. She heard Sam chuckled softly, when she said she missed him.

"Very straightforward woman! Yeah, let's meet up. I think I'm missing you, too." He stated.

She laughed, again.

"Oh, you think? Well, I'm so sure of my own feelings." She stated, playfully. They both laughed.

Later that evening, the duo met up at Stella's place. They were seated at the small but exotic wine bar, adjacent the dinning hall. One of her house maids had served them wine, which they were sipping as they discussed.

"So, I've established my organization from when I was 20, with the help and guidance of my father. I've always wanted to be a boss of myself, so after graduating from higher institution, I already had a path to follow. I am passionate about entrepreneurship and I've been managing it since then. Thankfully, it has been growing and going on well. I operate conglomerate so I have companies in different states." Stella explained to Sam.

"I love to work out, do some sports, basketball mostly, I love traveling, I almost became a travel journalist. I love my job and work well but I do not allow it to interfere with my relaxation time. I enjoy relaxing as much as I enjoy working. And I love chocolates." She informed him, all smiles.

That was to satisfy Sam's curiosity in wanting to know everything about her.

"That means you've been rich, all your life?" He inquired, emotionlessly, as he looked around the tastefully furnished house, again. Stella smiled and sipped her wine before answering.

"Well, I guess you can say so. I'm doing well, thanks to God." Stella stated and shrugged her shoulder. Sam nodded.

"So, what else do you want to know that I haven't talked about? Oh yeah, I'm 30. I'm single... and wasn't searching until I set my eyes on you." She announced and winked at him, playfully.

Sam smirked, with amusement.

"Do you know what I really like about you? It's your straightforwardness. If all women in the world are like that, it'd be so easy for us all. You're so direct and frank." He complimented.

Stella smiled.

"I know, right. It's just that I do not see any reason why I shouldn't be direct. Of what use will it be for me to be shy and let what I want slip out of my grasp, because I'm a woman? Who says women can't go all open and loud about what they want?" She said.

Sam nodded in agreement.

"I like the way you reason. It's different and cool." He maintained with a small smile.

"Thanks. Now, it's your turn to tell me about yourself." Stella said to him. Sam forced a smile and shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

He wondered if she'd see her worthy to be by her side.

"Well, there's nothing really interesting about me, like you. I was born into an average home, and I went to school. I'm now a salary earner." He paused as he saw that Stella's countenance had changed.

"I work with a construction company. And I earn big. Really big. I earn well and I'm doing well for myself now." Sam added sharply, as if persuading her to believe him.

Stella burst out laughing. He was confused.

"Why are you getting worked up? Well, you look cute though." She asked amidst laughter.

"Your countenance changed when I said I'm a salary earner." He pointed out.

"My countenance changed because you said there's nothing really interesting about you, like me. Do you think I'm the kind of a regular woman who would be interested in your earnings or whatsoever? I'm only interested in you... in getting to know you, your kind of person. And that's all that matters to me. Who you are, not what you are!" Stella stated.

"So, who are you, Sam?" She inquired, sweetly. That seemed to calm Sam's nerves and he gave her a small smile.

"Well, like I said earlier, my life isn't as interesting as yours. My hobbies aren't as fanciful as yours. I can't travel much because of my job, my expertise is needed every weekday at work, so I relax mostly at home on weekends. I play or watch football at my leisure. I hang out with my friends, whenever we want to hang out... I'm big on friendship." He paused as he noticed that Stella wanted to talk.

"I'm afraid I am going to snatch you from your friends. I want you all to myself whenever you aren't working. I want you to be big on me, if there's any phrase like that." Stella stated, all smiles.

Sam chuckled. That woman was mesmerizing him, with her sweet words.

"I don't think they'd allow you to do so. So, in continuation, I'm 31. I love good food, unlike you who loves chocolates." He concluded with a laugh. Stella laughed too.

"You're my kind of man. I like you. I like your sense of humor. You're exactly the man I want and need. What do you think of me? Am I your ideal woman?" She inquired and stared at him, straight in the eyes.

He tapped the bridge of his nose and readjusted himself on his seat.

"Well, there are many things I like about you. You're pretty. You have a cool sense of humor. Your level of reasoning shows you're intelligent and all. So, I can't say you aren't my ideal woman." He maintained.

She smiled.

"I can see you're carefully choosing your words. I understand that you might be skeptical since you hardly know anything about my character. It's fine. Rome wasn't built in a day." She submitted.

"Exactly! So, we can take it slowly and make it one step at a time." He stated.

"Yeah, yeah..." She agreed.

After the conversation, they sipped their drinks in silence, while occasionally stealing glances at each other.

Sam's eyes stayed fixated on her lips for some moments before he cleared his throat and stood up. He moved closer to her and Stella looked up at him with excitement.

She knew what he wanted to do, and she wouldn't dare stop him.

He collected the wine glass from her hand and placed it on the table, then bent his head to her level and grabbed her by the neck.

With a feverish desire, his lips covered hers. He sucked on her lower lip like he was eating his favorite food, while still holding her neck, firmly.

After some seconds, he stopped and looked her in the eyes.

"Just say stop and I will stop right away. Because if you do not, I won't be able to stop myself." He assured her.

"Never! I won't ask you to stop." She replied him, huskily. He smirked and swiftly took hold of her sweet lips again, with his.

His tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she opened up immediately.

She had given him the permission and he was going to show her just how manly he could be.

He lifted her up from her seat, rested his back by the wall, and used her buttock to hold her up so she was facing him, as he carried her. She balanced herself in his grasp by wrapping her arms around his neck.

They gazed at each other as if they were waiting for confirmation before resuming the exercise. They were both breathing heavily.

They were both hot. Hot and wild. Ready to pounce on each other.

Then, it happened. They both moved at the same time. Their lips locked and they started devouring each other.