“Don’t ask me when it happened. I don’t know.” He said taking her hand. “All I know is that after we slept together, I couldn’t handle hurting you and your sisters.” He moved closer until their bodies touched. Desire ripped through her body as she felt heat pouring out of his. His cologne tantalized her senses and Mandisa dared to believe what she was hearing.
“You have been through so much already and I don’t want to see you hurt or upset ever again. Not if I can help it.” His voice held so much conviction that Mandisa had no choice but to believe him. She looked up into his eyes. The emotion she hadn’t been able to identify earlier on was still in his eyes but this time she could identify it. She had seen that look in Angela Motaung’s husband.
“Tebogo, I…”
Tebogo placed a finger on her lips. “You don’t have to say anything.” Tebogo said replacing his finger with his lips. The kiss was just a brush and it didn’t last for more than half a second.
“I actually don’t want anything from you, except for you to be happy.” He let go of her hand and moved back.
“My mother knows that I love you and that is what she is upset about but she also knows that I’m not going to ask you to be with me. I wouldn’t ask that of you, not after everything my family has done to your family. It wouldn’t be right. I’ll rather die than put you through what Tumi put Sindi through.” He turned away from her and Mandisa couldn’t see his face and she had no idea what he was thinking or saying. One minute he told her that he loved her and the next he was telling her that he didn’t want her to be with him. What good was his love if he didn’t want to be with her?
“Tebogo…” She began again trying to understand his train of thoughts.
“I’m leaving for New York later on today and I promise my family will never bother you again.” He went to his favorite spot by the window.
“You are leaving?” Mandisa couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t making any sense. “What do you mean you are leaving? Is this some kind of a sick joke?”