“Right bruh, I think we’re done for the week!”

I sighed as Piet shut his laptop screen and began packing up. It had been a long week and 5pm on Friday had never felt more welcome.

“Remember, Sunday braai at my place. I’ll send you the Google Maps pin tomorrow.”

I nodded. I had been in Johannesburg for almost a week now and had just about figured out maneuvering my rental car on the correct side of the road without getting killed. Actual navigation was purely the domain of GPS aided devices.

“I cam show him the way if he wants to carpool,” piped up a voice from the other end of the table.

I turned and looked that way. Chim was one of the junior lawyers working on this transaction. She had sat quietly at her end of the table most of the time, but when she spoke it was usually because she had something worthwhile to add.

“Ja, that would be lekker,” commented Piet. “Is that good for you George?”

I nodded again, once again grateful to have some local guidance in a strange city.

“Perfect. Thanks Chim.”

She wandered over to me as Piet and the others quickly exited the conference room, their minds already completely switched from the transaction to the traffic on their route home.

“I know what its like to be the stranger in town,” Chim said as she leaned against the table while I packed my own stuff.

“Oh, you’re not from here?” I asked with a bit of curiosity.

She laughed.

“No, I’m from Zambia actually. Moved here a few years ago.”

“Oh wow, that’s cool. Zambia has always been on my bucket list to see Victoria Falls!”

She laughed again, a light hearted sound that I could get used to hearing.

“We’ve got a lot more than just a big waterfall, but yeah, at least we’re known for something!”

I zipped up my bag and stood, pondering absently what I might do for dinner this evening. UberEATS and Netflix was looking like my top option yet again.

“So where should I meet you on Sunday?” I asked, as we both headed for the elevators. “I have my rental car so I can drive.”

“Great, you’re staying at Melrose Arch aren’t you? My flat is just around the corner from there so I can probably meet at your hotel.”

“Ah perfect, less opportunity for me to get lost!”

The elevator doors opened and we stepped in. I hit the button for the basement parking and saw that she hit the one for lobby.

“Not driving?” I asked.

She sighed.

“No, my car is in for servicing today so I’m using Uber. Hopefully I can pick it up in the morning.”

“Well, if you’re close to my hotel why don’t I give you a ride home instead?”

Her face brightened.

“Are you sure it isn’t a hassle?”

I laughed.

“Seriously? Anything that delays my return to a lonely hotel room is a positive in my book!”

She looked at me with a bemused expression.

“Are you really planning to just sit in your hotel all evening on a Friday? You’re staying in Melrose after all.”

I shrugged.

“Yeah, I tend not to be a fan of going out drinking on my own in foreign countries.”

“Ok, how about I take you somewhere then? There are a dozen or more places in Melrose alone.”

I shrugged again.

“Sure, why not.”

I drove at a painfully slow pace through the Friday evening traffic towards my hotel while we chatted absently about the transaction we were working on. As we approached the main gates of Melrose Arch, I turned to Chim.

“Do you want me to stop at your place to change?”

She checked her watch.

“Nah, lets just head straight to get a drink. After this past week, I can really use one!”

I parked in the hotel’s underground lot and we made our way out into Melrose Arch. She appeared to be a relative regular here because she knew exactly where to go and soon enough we were sitting at a corner table in a comfortable bar nursing our first drinks.

“So is it your first time in SA?” she asked conversationally.

I chuckled.

“No, I’ve been here on safari and to Cape Town before. But first time actually staying in Johannesburg beyond an airport transit.”

She giggled.

“Well, it may not be as scenic as Cape Town, but Joburg is definitely more than just the airport.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t very impressed with Cape Town the city. I mean it was scenic and all, but the real attractions were all outside of town if you ask me. My ex and I did a couple of road trips to wine country in Stellenbosch and that was worth the drive.”

I noticed she flinched slightly at the mention of my ex, but quickly recovered.

“Your ex huh? So I take it that you’re single right now?”

I shrugged.

“Yep, not in any hurry to jump into anything with the work schedule either.”

She nodded silently, clearly distracted by something.

“What about you?” I asked, gesturing at her left hand. “I see the ring, but I guess your partner is out of town or something?”

She took a deep gulp of her drink before responding.

“It’s a long story, but I guess I need to get used to telling it.”

I watched Chim as she swirled her drink thoughtfully, a delicate smile playing across her lips as if she was privately amused by the absurdity of it all. Her gaze fixed somewhere beyond the amber liquid in her glass, distant yet captivating.

“So,” she began quietly, shifting slightly in her seat, “the ring, huh?”

I offered a gentle smile, encouraging yet non-intrusive.

“Only if you’re comfortable talking about it.”

She sighed, clearly steeling herself for the story she was about to share. She took a long sip, the ice in her drink clinking softly in the background.

“I was married for exactly nine months and three days,” she said with dry humor. “Which is, you know, probably some kind of record.”

I chuckled softly, sensing the humor was a shield rather than genuine amusement.

“Well, it’s longer than some Hollywood marriages.”

She laughed genuinely this time, the tension easing from her shoulders.

“Fair point. But let me tell you, the way mine ended would probably beat any celebrity drama.”

Intrigued, I leaned forward slightly, setting my drink aside to give her my full attention.

“Now you have me curious.”

She gave a wry smile, looking at me thoughtfully.

“Okay. So imagine this: You marry your high school sweetheart, the guy you’ve known your whole adult life. You’ve moved countries together, built careers side by side, and everything seems perfectly aligned. Until one random Thursday afternoon when you leave work early to surprise him with dinner plans.”

She paused dramatically, her eyes sparkling with a playful defiance.

“I sense this isn’t going to be a happy ending,” I interjected gently.

She smiled faintly, nodding her head.

“Oh, it definitely wasn’t.”

She drew a deep breath before continuing.

“Anyway, I walked in, humming to myself, totally oblivious. But instead of surprising him, I was the one who got the shock of my life. Let’s just say he was ... busy. In bed. With someone else.”

“Ouch,” I grimaced sympathetically. “That’s a tough one to walk in on.”

She hesitated, eyes flashing momentarily with embarrassment, before she admitted quietly, “It was another man.”

My eyebrows shot up despite myself, and I tried quickly to mask my surprise with a nod of understanding.

“Well damn. I’m so sorry, Chim.”

She shrugged, though the casual gesture felt forced.

“Yeah. It was a mess. All that time I thought I knew him, that he knew me. Turns out I was just a comfortable place for him to hide. The worst part was how sorry he was - how genuinely devastated he seemed by hurting me.”

I reached out, gently tapping her glass with mine in a show of solidarity.

“People can surprise you, not always in good ways.”

“Exactly,” she agreed, the faintest shimmer of tears visible in the corners of her eyes before she blinked them back decisively. “So, I still wear the ring. Mostly because it’s easier to deflect unwanted attention until I’m really ready to deal with all that again.”

“Understood,” I said gently. “People tend to respect boundaries better when they see a ring.”

She tilted her head curiously, eyes narrowing slightly as her mood shifted again.

“Your turn now. You mentioned your ex earlier. What happened there?”

I sighed, shaking my head with exaggerated melancholy.

“Not as dramatic as yours.”

She laughed softly.

“Come on, let’s hear it.”

“Well,” I began, stretching my legs out comfortably beneath the table, “it started as one of those classic ‘perfect’ relationships. We got along well, shared hobbies, travelled a lot. Then COVID happened.”

“Oh boy,” she groaned knowingly.

“Yep, you guessed it,” I sighed. “Things got tense quickly once the vaccine debates started. Turned out we had vastly different views, and not in the ‘we can agree to disagree’ sort of way.”

“Let me guess,” she teased lightly, “She was convinced Bill Gates was implanting chips to track your every move?”

I laughed genuinely.

“Thankfully, not that extreme. But she definitely had some opinions I found ... unsettling. Eventually, our debates turned into arguments, arguments turned into resentment. After a point, we both realized we were exhausted.”

Chim nodded knowingly, leaning back in her seat thoughtfully.

“It’s funny, isn’t it? You think you know someone so deeply, then one day you wake up next to a stranger.”

“Exactly,” I agreed, “and suddenly, everything you once liked about them turns into just another reminder of how little you really knew.”

She exhaled slowly, glancing around the busy bar as if scanning the crowd could somehow solve the mysteries of relationships gone wrong.

“People,” she murmured with resignation, “are often not what you think they are - or hope they can be.”

“Unfortunately true,” I said, swirling my nearly empty glass.

A comfortable silence stretched briefly between us, broken only by the muffled buzz of other patrons and distant music.

Chim eventually looked back at me, her eyes soft yet playful.

“Okay, tough question. What do you miss the most about being in a relationship?”

I smiled mischievously, holding her gaze steadily.

“You first.”

She pursed her lips, seeming to weigh her response carefully.

“Honestly? I miss not having to worry about being judged. I miss being able to just be myself - my messy, quirky, completely unfiltered self - without constantly wondering how it’s coming across.”

I nodded appreciatively.

“Yeah, there’s something special about feeling completely accepted. I miss that too.”

Her eyes brightened with curiosity.

“Your turn now.”

I hesitated only briefly, considering whether or not I should filter myself, but the warm atmosphere and the alcohol had loosened me up enough to simply be blunt.

“If I’m perfectly honest, what I miss most is the regular sex.”

Her eyes widened, then she burst into laughter - full, unrestrained laughter that made her cheeks glow warmly beneath the soft bar lights.

“Wow,” she giggled, holding a hand to her chest dramatically. “I appreciate the honesty.”

I grinned back at her.

“I’m just being real.”

Chim studied me thoughtfully from across the small table, her gaze playful yet intriguingly intense. Her eyes sparkled, both teasing and daring as they held mine.

“So,” she began, swirling the remnants of ice and melted liquor in her glass, “the sex was really that amazing?”

I chuckled softly, appreciating her willingness to delve deeper into such personal territory.

“Yeah, it was. Not just in the obvious way, but - “ I paused, searching for the right words,” - it was the chemistry, you know? Something intangible, like we just connected on another level entirely. It made everything feel more intense.”

She nodded slowly, absorbing my words with genuine interest. Her lips curved gently, eyes thoughtful yet mischievously curious.

“Hmm. I’ve heard of that mythical chemistry, but sadly, my personal experience has been a little underwhelming in that department.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Really? That’s surprising. You seem so ... aware, intuitive. I’d imagine you’d be the type to cultivate that.”

She laughed, a gentle blush coloring her cheeks as she glanced down shyly, briefly avoiding my eyes.

“Well, it’s not for lack of imagination or willingness, believe me. I’ve got more fantasies than I know what to do with. It was more about compatibility, I guess. With my ex, it always felt a bit ... awkward.”

“Awkward?” I echoed, genuinely puzzled.

She sighed lightly, rolling her eyes with an exasperated grin.

“Yeah. I had all these ideas, desires, fantasies I’d built up in my head - some pretty elaborate, others just fun or spontaneous. But anytime I’d suggest something even slightly adventurous, he’d react like I’d proposed robbing a bank or something.”

I laughed warmly, sympathizing with her frustration.

“That’s rough.”

She nodded emphatically, leaning forward conspiratorially.

“You know that moment when you finally get the courage to whisper something you’ve wanted forever, and the reaction you get is just ... confusion?”

I shook my head, “Nothing kills intimacy faster.”

“Exactly!” she said, eyes widening dramatically. “So, there went my entire bucket list of bedroom fantasies, unfulfilled.”

“That’s tragic,” I teased gently. “Especially for someone clearly as imaginative as you.”

She raised an eyebrow challengingly, smirking at me.

“And you know this how?”

I grinned cheekily.

“Just a hunch, based on this conversation. You don’t strike me as someone who thinks inside the box.”

Chim laughed, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Good guess. Maybe I’m too imaginative for my own good.”

“I doubt that’s even possible,” I countered playfully, raising my glass in salute. “Imagination keeps things interesting.”

She tilted her head thoughtfully, her expression shifting to genuine curiosity.

“Okay then, Mr. Imagination. Tell me - what’s something particularly memorable you did, given your clearly superior experience?”

I paused deliberately, watching her expression closely.

“Are you sure you really want to know?”

Her cheeks flushed beautifully, eyes widening just a fraction, clearly startled by the directness of the challenge I’d posed. She hesitated for only a moment before giving a decisive nod, blushing further.

“Yes, absolutely. Spill the details.”

I leaned forward slightly, my voice lowered enough to be intimate yet still playful.

“Okay, fine. Once, we decided to spend twenty-four hours together in a hotel room.”

She smiled dismissively.

“That’s not exactly groundbreaking.”

I held up a finger, interrupting her protest gently.

“Ah, but we weren’t just locked in. We were naked - and tied together at the wrists the entire time.”

Chim gasped audibly, eyes wide with a mixture of shock and delight. She quickly lifted a hand to her mouth, barely stifling a giggle.

“Wait, what?”

I chuckled warmly, loving her reaction.

“You heard me correctly. Completely naked, wrists tied. Twenty-four straight hours.”

Her mouth fell open slightly, her blush deepening considerably as her imagination visibly ran wild. She seemed to briefly lose her voice, eyes flitting rapidly with curiosity.

“But ... you mean twenty-four hours straight? No breaks at all?”

I leaned back comfortably in my chair, utterly entertained by her wide-eyed curiosity.

“Yep. We committed fully - no breaks. For better or worse, we were entirely together. Every single minute.”

Chim squeaked out a stunned laugh, leaning closer and glancing furtively around, as though worried someone nearby might overhear.

“Wait - seriously? Not even bathroom breaks? How did you manage that?”

I laughed freely, her startled innocence infinitely endearing.

“We jumped in with both feet. I won’t say it wasn’t challenging at times, but honestly, it was part of the appeal. There’s something uniquely intimate about being totally vulnerable like that. You quickly realize there are no secrets left between you.”

She exhaled softly, visibly entranced by the idea.

“Wow. That’s just ... incredible. I’ve never even imagined something quite that intense before.”

I raised an eyebrow playfully.

“Really? Not even a little?”

She bit her lip lightly, eyes sparkling mischievously again.

“Okay, maybe a little. But the reality sounds both terrifying and incredibly exciting.”

“It’s definitely both,” I agreed warmly, enjoying the easy comfort developing between us. “But the trust it requires ... that’s what makes it truly memorable. Intimacy isn’t just about physical closeness - it’s about knowing someone accepts you at your most vulnerable.”

She nodded slowly, clearly moved by the thought. Her voice softened perceptibly.

“You know, I envy that. I’ve never had anything even close to that level of trust.”

I smiled softly, feeling a surprising tenderness toward her.

“Maybe it’s still ahead of you.”

She met my gaze steadily, her voice quiet yet playful.

“Maybe it is.”

There was a comfortable silence between us, heavy with possibility and understanding. After a moment, Chim laughed lightly, shaking her head in amused disbelief.

“Honestly, George, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a candid conversation about sex with anyone before. Certainly not someone I only met recently.”

I shrugged lightly, keeping my expression playful.

“Well, what can I say? You’re easy to talk to. Not to mention genuinely curious, which makes it a lot more fun.”

She blushed again, clearly pleased but still somewhat shy.

“I guess I’ve always been curious, but never really found the courage to act on it.”

I smiled warmly, leaning in slightly closer.

“Maybe you just never found the right partner.”

She held my gaze, a mischievous light flickering briefly in her eyes.

“Are you suggesting you’re volunteering for the position?”

I chuckled softly, enjoying her growing confidence immensely.

“Well, I didn’t want to assume anything. But if you’re curious, who knows?”

She laughed, slightly flustered but clearly delighted by our playful exchange.

“You’re trouble, George.”

“And you’re intriguing,” I countered smoothly. “A dangerous combination, don’t you think?”

Her eyes sparkled, and she rested her chin playfully on her palm.

“I suppose we’ll have to find out.”

I smiled warmly, raising my glass again in a gentle toast.

“To curiosity and intriguing possibilities.”

She touched her glass softly to mine, the soft clink lingering suggestively.

“To possibilities.”

For a moment, we simply regarded each other quietly, the space between us charged with unspoken anticipation. Chim finally broke the silence, a teasing smile playing across her lips.

“So, this twenty-four-hour adventure of yours,” she asked mischievously, “any regrets?”

I laughed, shaking my head firmly.

“Not one. It was worth every uncomfortable minute.”

She nodded thoughtfully, her smile gentler now.

“It sounds amazing to be that connected, completely transparent with someone.”

“It is,” I agreed quietly. “You realize quickly there are no secrets left. Good or bad, everything’s out in the open.”

She giggled softly, eyes brightening playfully again.

“Absolutely everything?”

I laughed, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

“Absolutely everything. And I mean everything.”

She threw her head back with laughter, eyes sparkling delightfully.

“Now that’s real intimacy.”

We sat quietly again, savoring the warmth of our shared laughter and the depth of the conversation we’d stumbled into. Chim eventually sighed gently, her gaze playful yet thoughtful.

“Thank you, George,” she murmured softly. “For tonight, for the conversation - honestly, for making me feel like it’s okay to talk openly about life again.”

I smiled sincerely, holding her gaze steadily.

“Anytime, Chim. I’m glad you feel that way.”

Chim glanced down at her phone, a small, regretful smile curving her lips as she noticed the time.

“I probably should call an Uber soon,” she sighed, her tone holding a gentle reluctance. “It’s getting late.”

I watched her fingers hover over her phone, hesitating to tap the screen. A sudden impulse overcame me - subtle but certain. Without thinking too much about it, I reached across the table and gently covered her hand with mine, halting her actions softly but decisively.

“Or,” I murmured quietly, my voice low and just a touch playful, “maybe it’d work better if you stayed over.”

Chim froze momentarily, eyes widening slightly, a beautiful blush spreading slowly across her cheeks. She held perfectly still beneath my touch, her eyes searching mine carefully, as if she were trying to decipher my exact meaning. Yet she didn’t withdraw her hand from under mine; instead, her fingers relaxed subtly beneath my palm.

Finally, she let out a soft breath, lips curving gently in a shy yet pleased smile.

“You know what, George,” she said quietly, her voice soft but remarkably steady, “that sounds like it might actually be a great idea.”

My pulse quickened slightly at her response, relieved yet also excited. I squeezed her hand softly, a reassuring yet intimate gesture, before reluctantly pulling my hand back.

“One more drink then?” I suggested lightly, leaning back casually as if to allow the sudden intensity between us to dissipate just slightly - enough to comfortably breathe again.

“One more,” she agreed, eyes sparkling as her blush lingered prettily.

We ordered another round, our conversation drifting comfortably between playful teasing and quiet revelations. Chim seemed suddenly freer, her laughter coming more naturally, eyes brighter and more expressive as we chatted. The knowledge that the night wasn’t ending at the bar cast a subtle but thrilling current of anticipation through our interactions.

“You know,” Chim said thoughtfully, tracing idle patterns on the tablecloth with one fingertip, “this isn’t exactly what I expected when I offered to show you around Joburg.”

I chuckled softly, leaning forward slightly to catch her eyes.

“And what exactly were you expecting?”

She looked up, smiling with mock seriousness.

“Honestly? Just a polite drink, maybe some conversation about the office - certainly not discussions of naked twenty-four-hour adventures and wrist-tying.”

I laughed warmly, shrugging casually. She giggled, shaking her head in amused disbelief.

“Life’s too short to spend it being overly cautious.”

Her expression softened, eyes reflecting genuine affection.

“Agreed. I just didn’t expect I’d be learning that lesson tonight, of all nights.”

We slowly finished our drinks, conversation shifting gradually into a quieter, more intimate rhythm. Our gazes held longer now, comfortable silences punctuated only by knowing smiles and occasional laughter. The subtle tension between us steadily built, a palpable undercurrent neither of us acknowledged outright, but both felt intensely.

Eventually, Chim glanced toward the bar, where the bartender was beginning to wipe down the counters.

“Looks like it’s time,” she said softly, voice rich with quiet anticipation.

I smiled warmly, nodding as I reached to grab the check from the table.

“Guess so.”

We settled the bill quickly, slipping easily into the cool night air of Melrose Arch. The night felt alive, softly lit with gentle streetlights, the atmosphere inviting yet intimate. As we stepped out onto the sidewalk, the quiet murmurs of distant conversations and faint laughter filled the air, blending harmoniously with our own unspoken anticipation.

Without needing words, I let my hand gently slip around Chim’s waist, fingers resting softly against her hip. She instantly responded, leaning comfortably into me, her body fitting naturally against my side as if we’d walked this way countless times before.

I glanced down, catching the slight, shy smile on her face as she moved closer.

“Comfortable?” I teased gently.

Her blush returned beautifully, deeper this time, but her voice held a new, undeniable confidence.

“Maybe a bit too much.”

I tightened my hold slightly, gently pulling her closer as we walked slowly back toward my hotel, enjoying the easy rhythm that had formed between us.

“Good,” I murmured softly, catching her eyes briefly, “because I find you an incredibly comfortable fit.”

“You’re sweet,” she whispered. “And dangerously charming.”

I laughed lightly.

“Only dangerous in the best ways.”

We walked quietly for a few moments, comfortably close, the intimacy of the contact deepening with every step. Chim eventually broke the silence, her voice thoughtful yet still playful.

“You know, this is the first time I’ve done anything spontaneous like this in ... well, maybe ever.”

I squeezed her hip softly, reassuringly.

“How does it feel?”

“Honestly? Wonderful. Liberating. Exciting. All at once.”

We walked the last few meters to the hotel entrance in comfortable silence, the mood shifting again subtly as the hotel came into view. The reality of our evening together was now becoming tangible, exciting yet delicately charged with anticipation.

As we approached the entrance, Chim paused momentarily, turning slightly to look directly into my eyes.

“George?”

“Yes?”

She hesitated briefly, a shy yet determined smile curving her lips.

“Thanks for tonight. For pushing me just a little bit out of my comfort zone. I needed that.”

Feeling emboldened by her words, I gently leaned in, pressing a tender, lingering kiss against her forehead. The small gesture felt perfectly natural, the simplest yet sweetest affirmation of the connection we’d already begun to build. Chim sighed contentedly, leaning deeper into my side as we finally stepped through the hotel’s welcoming entrance, my arm securely and comfortably wrapped around her waist. She felt perfect there - warm, inviting, and entirely natural.

As we stepped into the softly lit lobby, I glanced down at her one more time, heart quickening at the shy yet unmistakably excited smile that played across her lips.

“Ready?” I asked gently, my voice low and warmly intimate.

She nodded softly, eyes sparkling with quiet excitement.

“Very ready.”

The gentle hum of the elevator filled the quiet space between us as it rose steadily towards my room. Chim leaned comfortably against the mirrored wall, eyes sparkling with quiet anticipation, lips curled into a playful smile. I stood just opposite, watching her discreetly, wondering at how quickly the evening had transformed into something thrilling and unexpected.

As the elevator chimed and the doors slid open, Chim straightened, adjusting her posture slightly as though preparing herself for what lay ahead. I reached out gently, touching the small of her back lightly, guiding her into the quiet, softly-lit hallway.

“Nice place,” she murmured appreciatively, glancing around at the muted elegance of the hotel’s interior.

“It’s not bad,” I replied softly, moving to unlock the door to my room. The card beeped softly, the door clicking open as we stepped inside.

Chim moved ahead of me into the room, her eyes drifting slowly over the chic decor. She paused suddenly, her gaze locking on the glass walled bathroom situated prominently at one end of the room, its transparent walls doing little to conceal the intimate space from view.

She laughed softly, a low, delighted sound filled with amusement and mild astonishment.

“Well, would you look at that!” Chim teased gently, turning to me with raised eyebrows and a mischievous grin. “Talk about no secrets on the first date.”

I felt warmth flood my cheeks immediately, embarrassment mixing awkwardly with humor.

“Oh, God - I completely forgot it was open like this. I’m so sorry, I -”

She stepped closer, placing a gentle finger to my lips to hush my apologies, her eyes sparkling playfully.

“Shh. No need to apologize. Maybe it’s fate after all.”

My heart quickened slightly as I met her gaze.

“Fate, huh?”

She nodded, her expression both teasing and deeply inviting.

“Yes. Perhaps the universe decided we need to skip a few steps in this whole ‘getting to know each other’ process.”

I laughed softly, relaxing slightly as her playful acceptance eased my embarrassment.

She tilted her head, a playful smirk dancing on her lips as her gaze drifted pointedly back toward the exposed shower. Her voice softened slightly, adopting a teasingly seductive tone.