Scarred Love - Chapter 16

Ishani remained transfixed to the spot even after she heard the door close behind him with a hard click. In all these years, she had got used to men reacting in a certain way towards her. But never had she felt like this before.

Her whole body had erupted with goose bumps the moment she had heard him. Even though the line was more than cheesy, still something in his tone had made her take it seriously. 

She closed her eyes the moment she remembered his lips close to her ear. For a minute she almost stopped breathing as every cell in her body came alive with sensations she had almost thought she had forgotten.

Well in all these years of setting up the NGO and struggling to get ends meet, her urges had somewhat died.

But this man aroused feelings in her that made her body tingle and send her heart racing against her chest. She closed her eyes and inhaled hard trying to focus on the emotions rampant in her but the moment the surrounding air entered her nose all she could feel was him for the air was filled with nothing else but his scent.

Although she couldn’t actually figure out the brand, the aroma was too intoxicating. The dizziness in her head increased with every breath she took and finally it just took her over. She looked at her hands and remembered her holding his arm while she had slept on his shoulder. That had actually been one of the best sleeps she had had in many years.

Wish she had remembered some of it!

All she could wish now was to feel those arms again and this time maybe in a more intimate way.

Ishani shook her head as her thoughts were taking her in chaotic waters. She moved away from the kitchen and went in her bedroom. But even the change of scene did not alter the thoughts centred in her mind. As she sat down on the bed, her brain wandered off to those strange sensations she had felt earlier.

She closed her eyes and slid on the bed, and for the first time started to observe him as he stood proudly in her mind’s eye.

The charcoal grey business suit emphasised his broad shoulders and yes definitely did compliment his tall figure. But the best part about him was his face. The rugged jaw lined by that broad and well-trimmed beard made him look like someone who was all business and nothing else.

However, the moment she looked at those eyes, she knew there was a soft part of him that he always tried to hide.

Her inner eyes slowly moved a little down and rested on his lips, and she reached out to touch them. But suddenly the image vanished and she sat up straight on her bed.

What would be like to feel those lips on hers?

Dammit, Ishani! What are you thinking?

Do you even know the man?

Yes, she did not know him at all. To be frank, she did not know anything about him. But she desperately wanted to.

Like for instance, where did he live?

What did he like?

Why did he always have his tie tightened around his neck even when he is relaxed?

The long scar on his brow, how did he get that?

Did he have a girlfriend?

Oh, Mahadev! Did you really need to put that question in my mind?

Didn’t I have enough already?

Sighing, she slipped into her bed and closed her eyes. Sleep eluded her more than usual but when it did come, it was filled with his dreams.

And, those were the dreams she could easily do without.

*********************

The alarm rang right at 6 am in the morning and she buried herself more into her pillow trying to ignore it. But the relentless ringing got to her and she sat up on the bed. As she switched it off her gaze fell on her clothes.

Damn! She hadn’t even changed.

As she remembered this, her mind also reminded her of the events of the night and suddenly she wasn’t sleepy anymore.

And then her gaze fell on the time. She rushed outside knowing the fact that he would be waiting for her.

But there was no car outside. She glanced here and there but nothing. Not waiting any longer, she ran down to the gate and opened it expecting the rose but there was nothing. She stepped out on the street and looked back and forth.

Unfortunately, there was no car.

Disappointed, she slowly went upstairs and flopped on the sofa. Somehow she felt disheartened not seeing him.

What the hell!

What should she feel dejected?

“Get a grip!” she muttered and went to the bedroom.

It was 11 in the morning when she closed the accounts book and leant back on the chair. Since she had reached the NGO about 2 hours ago, she had thrown herself in work, be it checking on the regular supplies for the children or doing an inspection of the rooms, she had actually taken up anything that would take her mind of that dreadful man. 

She had even organised the file cabinets, which didn’t need any organising as Annie always kept them in perfect order.

But now as her mind gave up on her, she couldn’t do anything else but think about him.

Where is he?

One minute he had been telling her things that sent her mind into an overdrive and the next minute he just vanished.

Not even a single phone call; not that he always called, she reminded herself.

But still, where is he?

Ishani picked up her phone and started to dial his number but then quickly disconnected before it even rang.

Then, she went back to her accounts book, but even after drilling her mind to concentrate, she couldn’t. Giving up the struggle, she picked up her phone and was about to dial his number again when it rang startling her completely. The phone fell from her shaky hands and she cursed hard picking it up.

The number was unknown.

“Hello!”

“Hi, am I speaking to Ms Ishani Raijdas?”

“Yes, but who is this?”

“Well, Ms Raijdas, I am Viman Sangawat.”

Viman Sangawat!

That’s Rudra’s brother!

“Ms Raijdas?”

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