Destined by Chance

Chapter 7

Neil took in a deep breath the second he heard the door close behind her. And he let his head fall back on the backrest of the couch he was sitting on. How had he thought it would be easy to be in the same suite as her and not notice? She wasn't a looker. Agreed. But she was definitely a distraction.

The little mouse that she was had a soft fragrance which had wrapped itself around him when she had stood close to him at the reception and then again when they had walked back together with the bellboy. The second she had entered the suite the very fragrance that was her had permeated the air inside and made it home. It was so bloody hard to ignore. Top to that she had immediately taken over the room. Her disappointment had been evident when she had learnt that there was only one bathroom and they needed to share it. He had found it amusing. But the disappointment had changed to complete irritation when she had found no lock on the door of the master bedroom. For the next ten minutes he had heard mutterings. It had been a feat that he hadn't laughed out loud. He had wanted to. So badly. But he hadn't. He wasn't sure of her temperament yet and he didn't want to be either injured by her hand or worse. Not that she could harm him bodily but one never knew with strangers. He had seen the firmness behind that nervous veneer when she had in no uncertain terms told him how she wanted the arrangement to be between them if they were to share the suite and pull off the charade. There had been no hesitation. No nervousness. And definitely no confusion. It had intrigued him to view this very different side to her. And then when they had been standing at the reception she had tried to shy away. It had been so apparent he had to practically keep an arm around her shoulders to make her stand there and not hide behind him. It was as if she had wanted to suddenly become invisible. Gone was the firm, no nonsense girl. The nervous and unconfident one was back. He just hoped she wasn't suffering from a split personality disorder. Then when they had walked again behind the bellboy she had seemed to be quiet. And just now when she had left she had been humming. It seemed like an Indian song. He had zero knowledge on that subject but her voice had been beautiful. In sync. A low lilting sound. And he had wondered if she had taken singing classes. With that quality voice she should have.

Her antics were beginning to fascinate him just as they were irritating him. How could one person behave so differently with every changing scenario? Did Preet know of her cousin's particular trait? She wouldn't have sent her here if she hadn't trusted Miss Simi Mouse Sardana. And this time Neil smiled. He couldn't help it. And she wasn't around to notice that. Hell, he could laugh all he wanted and she wouldn't even know. But the name suited her. Simi Mouse Sardana. If she became a roaring tigress one day he would still call her that. What he didn't find worth smiling was the fact that he, who never got distracted from a set course or lost focus, was getting a bit too interested in the girl who was sharing quarters with him. Relationships were not his thing. Robbie was right when he had pointed out his commitment issues. And he wasn't here for a fling. Short or long didn't matter. He was here to work. And he better get on with it.

What Neil Roy was going to find out real soon was that holidays were meant to relax and Christmas holidays were known for their magic. Will it strike once again and bring two very different individuals together or will it lose this time?

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