[Continue from  E. 8 ] Mercy was among the first to get to the venue of the Covid-19 Presidential task force press briefing. She still felt grumpy from her lack of adequate sleep. Her active mind had persistently replayed her discussion with Ben almost all night. Yet she failed to figure out what was going on with her man. Was he still her man ? That was the question on her mind when she eventually fell asleep only for her blasted alarm to buzz her awake after three hours of sleep.  Her body had refused to get out of the bed,  having gotten used to waking up late, thanks to the lockdown. It took several  minutes of mental motivation before she could drag herself up then head for the bathroom for a quick shower, dress up carefully and hurry off to work without a bite of breakfast while Ben was still fast asleep in his room where he had locked himself up before she could get off the call with her boss last night. We will have to talk when I get back.  Mercy yawned...

Don't forget to Read E. 7 .   B en reached around her to grab her cutlery. Arranging her in his lap, Mercy suppressed a giggle, he focused on artfully dissecting the baked chicken drumsticks on her plate. Mercy's gaze followed his skilled fingers. She loved those fingers. Memories of how they had played her sensitive body like a clavier maestro all afternoon threatened to flood her restless mind but she clamped down on them. Now wasn't the time. She was more intent on getting answers to the puzzle plaguing her mind. Even the hunger pangs she had felt earlier had disappeared despite the unarguably mouthwatering meal Ben had painstakingly prepared for the night.  Moving slightly in his lap, she continued; "I think it's weird." Her voice was flat. Ben cleared his throat noisily. Her plate still held his rapt attention;  "Well, I think it's probably because you've refused to keep your mind busy during this lock down. I mean, why wont you forget thing...

Catch up on E. 6 "I am just tired but I will be fine. Don't worry too much.” Mercy grabbed the extra bottle of water on the table and gulped down most of it. That was her third bottle that night and she still felt unbelievably thirsty. Licking the water off her lips, she looked up to catch Ben's eyes on her. His eyes darted from her full lips to her partly touched dinner and back to her lips. She could guess what was going through his mind. Her body tingled in response. Ben pushed his plate away and stood up. "Too tired to eat?" He queried, reached for her hand and pulled her up.  She readily went to him and her worries flew out of her head the moment she felt his warm body against hers. His eyes riverted on her, unblinking, burning with the same emotions that had left her confused all day.  "Sit. I will feed you."