Bulletproof my Heart

23. You have me wrapped around your little finger

Chapter 23. You have me wrapped around your little finger

I push the shopping cart down the chips aisle, scanning the long list of choices for what I crave.

I am trying to eat healthy but one packet of chips won't hurt, right?

I pick a packet of Lays and dump it in the shopping cart, after a pause, I add two more packets and rush out of the aisle but temptation works its magic again.

"Aisha!" I pause and roll my eyes at the familiar warning tone. I turn around to see my bodyguard carrying a tub of protein snack bars in his hand. He glances at the chips in the cart and frowns in disdain. "That's why you wanted to shop separately so you could buy junk food?"

"You can't decide what I eat too." I mutter in protest, putting a hand over the chips protectively.

Nimit sighs but doesn't comment. "Come on, it's late. We should leave."

"It's a grocery store, Nimit." I grunt, ignoring him and walking into the dairy section. "Who's going to hurt me here, the cashier or the old lady shopping for tomatoes?"

"We could have ordered all of this online."

"This makes me feel normal, let me be." I grunt, grabbing some cheese slices.

I am engrossed in choosing the flavour of ice cream when all of a sudden, Nimit grabs my arm and drags me into the employee storage room. It all happens so fast that within a blink, I am surrounded by darkness and Nimit is pressed against me, his hands over my head, caging me in.

I blink in shock, adjusting to the dim lights. My eyebrows furrow and I look up at him. "What the hell?"

Nimit continues staring at the closed storeroom door. "I saw Joel."

I gasp, eyes widening. "The lying model? Here? Why?"

"Could be a coincidence or could be he was following us. Either way, I'd rather not face him and I am sure you aren't interested in talking to him."

My shoulders slump and I lean back on the cold wall. "I am so exhausted. Maybe I should change my name and move to another country."

Nimit's eyes turn to me and there's a flicker of understanding and sympathy. He leans closer, his coffee breath fanning my cheeks. "Where would you go?"

I hold his gaze, willing myself to not look down at his tempting lips. "I don't know, maybe Antarctica. Penguins wouldn't want to kill me."

"The cold would. And no one wants to kill you."

I scoff and exhale heavily. "The last month tells me otherwise. Not kill but harm definitely. I have been running from guns and stalkers and models. I can't even go to the supermarket without a bodyguard, what does that say about my life?"

Nimit gently grabs my chin, his thumb caressing my lower lip. "It says that there's someone who doesn't want to leave your side."

My lips twitch into a teasing smile. "Yeah, because it's his job."

Nimit brushes his lips lightly across mine. My eyes flutter close and butterflies ignite in my belly. "We both know it's more than a job for me, Aisha."

I reach on my toes, trying to deepen the kiss but he steps back, making me frown. "What did Ved want?"

"Ved?" I scowl at the mention of his name. "It's been a week, are you still thinking about it?"

Nimit's face is serious as he replies. "I haven't stopped thinking about it. I couldn't hear what went on and you wouldn't tell me. So, I ask again, what did he want? You were lost in thought for a whole day after meeting him, it must be something important to have you so distracted."