The Segment (Completed)

48. Why Are You Looking At Me Weird?

(unedited) - Please read Chapter 47 first

Her breath hitched when she saw him waiting for her by his car. She had rushed out of the office once she was done tying up all the loose ends before her trip. She had quickly bid Rachel and the boys a quick bye before she rushed to the tube. It felt like that night in Dishoom all over again, only this time she was spending the night with him; the overnight bag in her hand a jarring reminder. If anyone was to ask her if she knew what she was doing at that moment, heading to a man's house on a train with an overnight bag; she would have replied with a 'fuck if I know, mate'. Her sense of haram and halal were completely silenced by the need to see him.

Her heart was pounding a crazy rhythm as she walked towards, her knuckles pale as she squeezed the handles tight. Richard stood against his car in his light wash denims and a dark flannel shirt. He hadn't shaved since she saw him last night and he had left his hair unstyled. His hair was a flaming ember in the sun, against the blue sky and she loved it. She loved the way his lips curved up the moment he saw her approaching. She loved the way he walked towards her, as though he couldn't wait the extra seconds it would take for her to reach him.

"Hello you," Farrah said sweetly, her face alight with a happiness that she wasn't even aware of in that moment.

"Assalamulaikum (may peace be upon you)," Richard said with an cheeky smile. Taking the bag from a shocked Farrah, he led her towards the car with his hand on the small of her back. He had wanted to personally drive her today to his cottage, to for just one moment feel like a normal couple. He had gotten Ben to pick her up from the tube and bring her here when he could drive her home. Home, he had called it. Not his place or the cottage, it was home. A home with her in it he hoped.

He swallowed when he saw her exit the Range Rover; her legs were encased in the tightest of light wash blue jeans, which she paired with a loose white shirt that she tucked in and her white Converse. Over that she had a smart camel-colored trench coat, with her hair done up in a bun. His fingers itched to undo her bun and comb through her hair, but he kept his fingers to himself clenched in a tight fist as he closed the door to the passenger seat. He bounded to the driver's side and quickly and slid in.

He knew Farrah was watching him as he started the engine and put on his seat belt. He turned to face her and was arrested by the brilliant smile on her face.

"I'm loving the look," she said teasingly, recovering quickly from the earlier surprise.

"What this?" Richard smiled as he rubbed his beard. "Don't you know, the lumberjack-bear look is all the rage right now?"

He watched as she broke out in laughter, the car was ringing with the echoes of her laugh. "Oh God, you still remember that," she said as she struggled to breathe after laughing so much.

"I remember everything about you, love," Richard said winking at her as he slid his sunglasses on.

Farrah fell silent for a silent as she watched him, laughter still alight in her eyes. "That does it then," she said decidedly.

"What does?" he asked as he focused his attention on the road.

"You must be an elephant; because elephants never forget," she said as she punctuated each word with a poke at the side of his ribs.

"Hey," with quick reflexes Richard caught her hand and raised it to his mouth capturing her finger between his teeth giving it a quick nip before releasing the digit. "Stop distracting the driver," he chided playfully as he released her hand.