Playing With Fire

Chapter 20 - Lavender

"You start in the dining room, and I'll start in the living room. We can do our rooms
and work toward each other."

Without waiting for her to reply, he moved into the other room. Kajol practically danced to the far wall, set her paint down and dipped her roller. She stroked the roller up, then back down the wall. Somehow a giggle popped of her mouth.

"What's so funny over there, Angel?"

"Nothing's really funny, just exciting."

"You think It's exciting to paint a wall? I'll have to bring you to work with me one day. Sure would make my job easier."

"That would be so much fun!" She dipped her roller again.

"I was kidding."

Kajol peeked over her shoulder to see him shake his head at her. This was exciting to her. She'd never painted before, much less painted a place that was hers. She paid the rent here and could do anything she wanted. That meant a lot to her. "Well, I wasn't. I'd love to go work with you one day. You can teach me how to make something. I'd love a few handmade pieces in here." He didn't reply, so she continued, "You don't get it, Shahru. This is all an adventure for me. Something little to you means more to me. I'm living on my own for the first time. I'm making my own rules, doing what I want. I'll be working at a job I not only want, but one I got on my own. This is big for me."

His eyes lit up. "Shit, I totally forgot about your interview today. So you got it?"

"It's starting on a temporary basis to see how I do, but I'm telling you, Shahru, I know this is it. It's meant to be. I can see myself doing some truly good things there."

"I knew you'd get it, Angel."

"I'm glad one of us did!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Tell me about it. I know you're dying to, anyway."

He was right. She wanted to give him the blow-by-blow about how she'd spent her afternoon with Rekha, but she wasn't sure she should. Most men she knew tuned out conversations like this, and that was if they played the game long enough to even feign listening. Shahru, however, was different. She shouldn't be surprised by now but she still was. Most likely he just like to hear her talk so he didn't have to talk about himself, but whatever the reason, she was thankful she had him here right now. She'd wanted to share this information all day, and crazy as it was, he was the one person she wanted to share it with the most.

Shahru listened while she told her story. She talked so damn fast he could hardly make out the words she said, but he liked listening to her, anyway. To her, everything was new, fresh. Sure, in ways she lived a charmed life, but in other ways life hadn't dealt her a completely easy hand, either. At least he'd always known love and affection from his mum. The rest of his life might have been shit, but he knew she would always have supported him. Angel didn't have that same support.

Still she wasn't jaded in the least. She came from money, but wanted to work manual labour with him. Her dream job wouldn't pay her a quarter of what she'd probably grown accustomed to with her parents, yet she couldn't contain her excitement about her new job, because she'd get to work with people, and hopefully make their lives better. She amazed him.

After she gave him the rundown of her day, they both quieted into a comfortable silence while they painted. Spending time with her wasn't smart, but he couldn't stop himself from doing it. She amazed him. Every second he spent around her he wanted her more. Hell, he'd only known her a few days, and she already had him wanting to break his own rules for her. If it had just been him he had to worry about he would have let them fly out the window that first night. But he cared about her, and he wouldn't see her hurt. She'd be just like Juhi, just like his mum. He'd find a way to let her down and break her heart in the process.

It was well after midnight. They'd spent the whole night painting, only taking breaks to eat, grab a drink, or go to the bathroom. He had to admit he liked the color, even though it did look a little too girly for him. Just as he'd told her before, it was soft, just like her. Maybe that's actually why he liked it.

"I want to keep looking at it." She had a cute little bounce to her voice. "It's beautiful." So was she. "It will still be beautiful tomorrow, Angel. Why don't you grab whatever you'll need for the night? It's been a long day, and I'm sure we could both use a little shut-eye." She'd never agreed to spending the night at his place, but due to the time, he thought it best. They'd put in a long day, so she might as well make it easy by just coming next door. Yeah, like that was the real reason he pushed her on this. She looked around another minute before she slipped past him to the back of her apartment. A few minutes later, she came out with a little pink bag in her hand. "You did good. You should be proud of yourself," he told her as he took the bag from her hand.

"I am proud. I know It's not a big deal, but I did this, Shahru. To me It's huge."

Kajol grabbed her purse off the counter before slipping her feet into a pair of slippers. He followed behind her as they left her apartment. "If it means something to you, then it is a big deal." What he didn't tell her was he could completely understand where she came from. That one of the only joys he had in life came from creating something, changing something. Some of his work was tedious like the odd jobs he did around the apartments, but others were more than just a job. His woodworking for one. It always amazed him that he created some of the things he did.

Shahru pushed open the door to his apartment. "I'll crash on the couch tonight. I can get my stuff out of my room while you shower. I'm sure you'd like to get all the paint off you and get into your own clothes." And he'd go insane the whole damn time knowing she was feet away, naked and wet.

"I can't let you sleep on the couch in your own house. You keep your bed. I'll be fine out here."

"Here I am trying to be a gentleman again and you're shutting me down."

"It's not right."

"It is right. Don't argue with me on this one, Angel. You won't win." Shahru started to walk down the hall. Kajol followed him. "Here's a towel," he said, opening the hall closet and pulling one down from the shelf. "There's soap in there, but I'm sure you probably brought some of the flowery stuff you always wear." He turned to face her only to lock eyes with her big honey eyes. Her gaze held him there, and he was unable to turn away from her sensitive stare. He sure as hell didn't need this.

"You notice what kind of scent I wear?"

Shit. "Not exactly what kind. All I know is it smells like some kind of flower."

"Lavender," she whispered. "It's my favourite."

Time to get the hell out of this situation. Unfortunately, his feet wouldn't listen. He stood there, nailed to the damn floor like a fool. "It suits you. I like it."

"Thanks. I'm glad you like it."