FROM DARE TO LOVE (Editing)✔

CHAPTER 50

Few minutes later, Vikram comes from the cabin and gestures me that I can go in. I bit my lower lip feeling nervous. Slowly, I peeked into his cabin and enter clearly my throat. Riad looks up from his laptop screen. I enter trembling little with nervousness.

I trust Riad but somewhere in my heart I have 1% fear he might refuse to help me. Riad gestures me to have a seat, I nod and quickly take my seat.

'Vikram was saying you had some emergency' he says straight away; I see his expressions soften. I didn't like the look; I need his help but not his sympathy. I nod my head. He frowns, perhaps he is wondering why I am so quiet.

I bit my lower-lip suppressing my sob, when he asked me what the emergency was I suddenly recollected last night and the fire and I bit my lip harder to control my tears.

'What happened...?' I hear his voice and that was it, tears begin to flow from my eyes.

Riad stands up and comes to me, I felt his palm over mine as he kneeled beside me. I look up at him

'I am ruined, Riad...' I then narrate everything that happened last night. He squeezes my palm tightly as I continue to sob.

'Listen, don't cry we will get you another working place... (Riad held my face with his palms and make me look at him) you are very strong woman I am sure you will able to overcome this loss' he says

'How? Liqa's wedding is next week...and...' I leaped forward and hugged Riad tightly, my arms wrapped around his neck, I buried my face into his neck and cry, cry my heart out. I felt his arms around me and I felt lighter, slightly better.

After fifteen minutes of crying I separate our frames and wiped my tears with back of my palms. My nose is leaking too, shit, so un-lady like, what will Riad think of me? He gets me water, I take the glass from him without meeting his gaze. He then calls Vikram and asks him to come to his cabin. I sniffled. Riad places his palm on my shoulder and I look up 'Go freshen up, I have some properties that will be suited for you' he says. He gestures me to the attached bathroom, I nod and slowly stand up, with my gaze glued to the floor I walk into the bathroom.

I washed my face and adjusted my white shirt, from my hand bag I fish out my lip gloss and kohl and fixed my make-up and then combed my hair. After I became little presentable, I open the door. I see Vikram there with Riad.

'But sir, you never go personally for small properties' Vikram says

Riad places his palm on his shoulder and looks at him 'This case is special (I felt my heart flutter) I will be out for some time, you manage here till I am gone' he says, his voice stern and so Vikram simply nods his head. After he leaves I come out. Riad looks at me 'Come' he says. I nod.

Riad opens the passenger seat for me, I silently take my seat. He goes around the car and sit in the driver's seat. He says there is one property luckily was near my place. We drive from his place.

Five minutes into the drive and we are stuck in traffic. I am sitting with my palms clasped together, there is uncomfortable silence in the car. I am little relieved that Riad has agreed to help me, and I am also touched with his selflessness. I did so much to him and he suffered so much because of me but still readily agreed to help me. He didn't even think twice, it makes me feel so special.

I extend my hand to play the radio, same time he extends his hand too and our fingers touched. I felt electric jolt and I shiver. We immediately move away our hands.

'I will play the radio' I say as our car moves an inch. He nods his head and I switched on the radio.

The female part of the song paused starts to play

Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai...

Yeh pyaar toh tumse kartha hai...

Par samne jab tum aathe ho...

Kuch bhi kehne se darr tha hai.... O mere Sajan...Sajan Sajan....!

I smile stealing glances at Riad from corner of my eyes. The song perfectly describing the strange feeling in my heart. I look out from the window imaging myself and Riad in the song video. Ish! I have become so cheesy.

Half an hour later we reached our destination, we could have reached sooner but the traffic. The office is decent but it was out of budget for me. Riad said he will reduce the price little but I refused, I didn't want to get take advantage of any sort. Riad looks at me thoughtfully, he then says there is another property. I nod.

We started by afternoon, and now it's dark. There is light breeze and the weather cloudy. Looking at the dark clouds I am guessing it will rain. I liked one two properties but they weren't perfect, and Riad insisted on getting the perfect one. I didn't argue with him, just let him lead. It's 8pm, and I am really tried. I say the same to Riad

'Okay, the last property which we had seen... I think that will be perfect' Riad says as we sit back in the car. I nod, the last property which we had seen was not exactly perfect but it is thousand times better than my previous office and is near to my old work place so I will have to travel nearly same distance from home to office.

'Damn!' Riad says exasperated. From past five minutes he is trying to start the car but it isn't starting.

'You stay here I will go and check' he says and I nod. He climbed down the car and goes front opening the bonnet. I hear thunder, I rolled down the car window and look up into the sky. It looks like it will rain any time. I get down the car and walk up to him. He is leaning against the open bonnet and checking.

'What is wrong?' I ask cautiously.

'There is...'

Just then the downpour started. I was hoping it would drizzle but no, it started to rain heavily. I and Riad get drenched immediately.

Riad sighs and slams the car bonnet, 'Now what?' I ask placing my hand over my head in a futile attempt to not get drenched but I have been already drenched.

Riad checks his mobile and sighs irritated, there is no network tower. I take out phone from my black trouser pants and see that my battery is almost dead.

'We have to wait for the rain to stop...hopefully it will stop soon' he says looking up the sky. I gulp thinking of spending God knows, how much time alone with him. It's already 8.30 what if the rain goes on for the entire night

Riad walks towards the backseat, I quickly texted Adnan that I am with Ruchi and he needn't worry. I and Ruchi have some discussions and some properties to finalize so I might not be able to pick his calls or text him. I might have to stay the night at her place. I then texted Ruchi telling her that I am with Riad and the excuse she has to say to Adnan

"Have fun babes" Ruchi texts back and I roll my eyes. I look up and find Riad has already gotten into the back seat. I couldn't help the smile that appears on my lips as I get into the back seat of his car.

As I get into the backseat with him I felt conscious as I realized I am wearing a white shirt which is now completely drenched and transparent. Shit! Riad is with me, he will see everything that is underneath my shirt. I glance at Riad from corner of my eyes. Luckily for me, he too is wearing white shirt which is drenched, transparent and sticking to his body. I can see his torso clearly, his biceps, his chest the abs and his sexy back. Woah! I felt my breath getting stuck in my throat as I move my gaze up and find his hair wet and the loose strands of hair sticking to his forehead. Even though its cold outside, I am feeling the heat.

I shift little and my knee hits his and we look at each other for few seconds before moving our gaze and leg. Riad leans back spreading his legs little, he throws his head back and closes his eyes.