43. Going Crazy

**DAY TWO**

“I got a call in the office in your name.” I tell her, “It was your brother. He wanted to talk to you because you are not returning his calls and didn’t even see his delivered messages.”

Hazel eyes snap up at me in pure shock, and I watch her spiral into a panic state instantly.

“Oh shit! I-I didn’t know he would do that.” She fidgets, breathing rapidly and squeezing her fingers.

“Emara.. Relax.” I hold her elbow, before she turns into a shaking-washing machine.

She flinches with my touch, so I lighten my hold and say, “I talked to Ethan, and told him you were in the intern department, which is not yet included in company’s HR division. But you should call him back. He was really worried about you.”

Beautiful wood shade eyes blink at me hypnotically, and suddenly, I feel incredibly lucky just to have them staring back at me.

“Oh, yeah. I will. I just never expected my family to call directly in your office and enquire about me.” Emara murmurs, anxiously fidgeting with her fingers.

*She got really nervous from the news!*

“They care for you.” I say, letting my hands slide down to her fidgeting fingers and gently hold them.

Soft and very delicate. I could easily bite them off.

*Which reminds me..*

“I didn’t see your plate on the table.” I whisper, bringing her delicate fingers up for a taste test.

I nibble on the soft pad of her fingertips with my canine, and hear the delightful gasp she lets out.

“Why?” I ask, giving another gentle bite to hear that delicious sound again.

The softness of her fingertips feels amazing under my teeth. Part of me wants to dip her entire finger in my mouth to savour the taste, but I stop myself.

*That would be too much creepy, right?*

*Or should I?* The curiosity nudges me.

“I-I already ate.” Emara whispers sheepishly, almost like a shy lamb.

I narrow my wolfish eyes at her.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” And bite her another finger, a little harder this time to get a deeper hiss in return.

Her cheeks turn a delightful shade of red as she innocently blinks at me, “I was hungry.”

*God! So-freaking-cute!*

I take a deep breath, feeling the pinch of her cuteness and ignorance. It physically stings me.

“Emara.. Don’t do that again.” I hold her hand and bring it to my chest where it still stings.

“I want you to wait for me at the dining table, even if you are done eating. Got it?” I explain to her like I am talking to a cute little baby.

*But she is just like a baby!*

A baby I want to hold safely in my arm, caress her hair and play with her pouty cheeks.

“Yeah.” Emara nods shyly, and a flutter of wings spreads through my chest, numbing the sting.

“Good. Now tell me, why were you avoiding me the whole day?” I manage to control my tone, which nearly sounds like a scolding.

“I-I wasn’t.” She instantly looks away from me, as if hiding something. “I was busy working.” And murmurs lowly.

*Lies*.. My mind detects.

I pull her chin up and make her look directly into my eyes, so she gets it through her head.

“Emara, I am a grown up man. I know the difference between a woman who is busy working and a woman who is ignoring me.” I tell her firmly.

She needs to know that I am a no-bullshit guy. I am plain, honest and straightforward. I don’t sugar-coat things and definitely not beat around the bush.

Either I am *Black* or *White*, but never grey.

Emara continues to stare at me with that intriguing look, and I wonder what is going on in her mysterious head again.

“Am I going to get an answer?” I whisper, grazing my thumb on her lips.

I love the feel of her lip’s softness under my thumb, it’s like touching the petal of a flower.

Emara looks alway, biting her lower lip and confessing, “I didn’t want to see you.”

I feel a thud of heart beat in my chest, similar to getting shot.

“Why?”

I gulp this feeling of pain and cup her cheeks in my palms. *So soft*. And make her look at me.

Glazed hazel eyes stare back at me, and I must be fucking high, because I see stars twinkling in her beautiful orbs. It’s almost magical.

*God, I must be going crazy!*

“I took a day off so I could see you more. And it bothers me that you ignored me all day.” I say, baring the absolute truth.

No matter how much I try to deny it, I did it all for her- to spend more time with her, get to know her better, to share moments and talk to her.

And it hurts me deeply to get avoided all day.

“Emara..” I breathe her name, feeling our eyelashes brush together. We are so close.

“Dakota..” She whispers my name in return, and a smile automatically curves my lips as if by her command.

Our noses graze against each other, and it feels like we both want the other person to close the distance.

*But I am not sure I can do that.*

I locked the doors of my heart years ago, yet with her presence in my life, a part of me wants to search for the key.

I am willing to do it for her, *but is she?*

“Why didn’t you change into the clothes I got for you?” I ask, brushing our noses once more.

*I love this feeling of closeness to her.*

I wish she would make the first move, so I can make the second.

“I. I told you already.. I am not going to wear those filthy-disgusting lingeries.” Emara replies in a sicken voice, showing disgust for the twenty grands I spent on her.

A sword of irritation spikes through me, and the poison from it quickly takes over my mind in a second, dissolving all the soft feelings I just experienced.

Like a cloak of darkness descends on me, and my consciousness disappears, throwing my heart in the backseat as someone else comes and sits on the driving seat.

“On the bed, Emara.” A foreign voice commands from within me.