Yikes!!

I groan internally. Of all the people in the world, not him.

Deepak stops his bike in front of me and switches off the engine, but he doesn't get off the bike.

I purse my lips, "I was in a meeting," I reply curtly before looking down at my phone and concentrating really hard on a very important joke that has been sent to me at least seven times before.

"Got held up at work, eh? Are you waiting for the bus?"

I just wish he would go away. I nod and look down at my phone again, hoping he would take the hint and leave.

"The bus may take time. Come, I will give you a lift home. Yours or mine?" he chuckles at his own pathetic joke.

I cringe, "Thanks, but no thanks. The bus will arrive anytime now."

"Don't be silly. All girls like bike rides, it will be fun. Besides it will give us time to know each other better," Deepak smiles widely, baring his teeth. He dismounts his bike and stands next to me now.

I mentally pray fervently to all heavenly beings to send the bus quickly and spare me this ordeal.

"Deepak, really I am fine, the bus should come anytime now. I don't need a lift." I decide to be firm.

"C'mon Tarana, I don't bite," Deepak says and then dips his head and whispers "unless you want me to, that is."

Oh yuck!!! I look around me to see if I can spot a taxi or auto, so that I can get away from this psycho as soon as possible, but unlike me, apparently my luck is on a vacation. I cannot spot any around.

To hell with politeness. "Deepak! please leave before I start yelling," I warn.

Deepak's face turns dark, "Look around, there is no one here to help you. Besides what are you going to say? That you got offended because your colleague offered you a lift?" He laughs menacingly, his rotund belly jiggling like a wobbly jelly.

My heart is hammering in my chest. This situation looks like it's going to turn nasty. I really cannot see a way to shake off Deepak, but there is no way I am going to accept his offer of a lift or sit on his bike even if I have to go back to office and spend the whole night there.

I am planning my next move and desperately looking towards the road willing the bus to appear, when I hear a male voice behind me. A familiar deep, velvety voice.

"Tarana?"

My heart leaps and I am so relieved I could jump and embrace Jeet right now. Instead I turn around, smile and reply "Hi, Jeet." My voice unnaturally high-pitched.

"Waiting for the bus?" he asks. I nod in reply.

Jeet looks at Deepak, then at me. I guess he read the frustration on my face, "Me too," he replies, looking at Deepak.

I turn to Deepak, "Since Jeet is here, I am not alone here anymore. Thanks for the offer for the lift, but there's no need to trouble yourself. You carry on, I will wait for the bus."

"It is no trouble for me Tarana, come let's go," Deepak is adamant.

"The lady said, she prefers waiting for the bus," Jeet's voice is ice cold, his fists clenched so tight I can see the muscles in his arms bulge below his shirt.

Both men stare at each other for a minute and it almost looks like they may start a brawl right there. Then Deepak turns to me and says in quiet voice, "No worries, there's always a next time. Good night Tarana, see you in office." It sounded more like a threat. He mounts his bike and rides off.

I turn to Jeet, "Oh thank you so much!! you came in the nick of time," I am sure the relief is evident in my voice. "But why you are still here? I thought you left already."

"I, uh, I got held up with some work." He looks away. Again, suspiciously vague.

What's up with him?

I have so many questions running in my head right now which I want to ask him, but I decide to keep them for some other time.

Instead I smile and say, "I am glad you're here now."

Jeet turns to me and gives me a lopsided half smile, one where his dimple would have been seen if not for his beard.

As Jeet looks at me, I take the opportunity to study his features highlighted by the fluorescent street lamp. It's the first time I have a chance to observe him this close for longer than a few seconds.

His dreamy, caramel eyes exude warmth and intelligence. His long, thick eyelashes could rival a model's anytime.

The light brown beard which he has not trimmed since he joined the firm, covers the lower half of his face obscuring his features. I wonder how he would look without all that fuzz.

His lips partially hidden behind all that facial hair looked plump, soft and alluring. I have this very strong desire to run my fingers over his lips, feel its softness. I dig my nails deep into my palms to stop the wicked thought. His dark brown hair even though smoothed down flat does not stick to his scalp, which means he has a thick head of hair.

I really, really want to tousle his hair and release them from their gelatinous constraints.

Why are you hiding yourself Mr. Caramel Eyes?

"Tarana?" Jeet's voice is velvety soft. I offhandedly realize he has been looking at me as intently as I, him. My eyes lock to his and it feels as if time stood still.

I envisage both of us breaking into a typical Bollywood style song and dance sequence.

"Yes Jeet?" 1..2..3..twirl....I am mentally choreographing my steps.

"Is that your bus?"

Huh? Does the song have a bus? Am I supposed to dance in the bus or on the bus?

"Tarana, is that your bus?" Jeet repeats a little louder.

I am still so mesmerized that it takes me half a minute to register what he said.

I look at the approaching bus, mentally cursing its awful timing. Stupid bus is like the police in hindi movies. Nowhere to be seen when needed the most but arrives when not required.

I turn back to look at Jeet. "Yup. That's my bus. Are you also taking the same bus?" I hope he says yes, but he shook his head. "No."

That was disappointing.

I board my bus, and turn to wave bye to him, but he is already walking away from the stop. Strange! Didn't he tell Deepak that he is waiting for a bus, then where is he going? I crane my neck to see if I can spot him, but he seems to have disappeared into thin air.

I reach home and head for a hot shower. Today was an eventful day and I need time to process all that happened today. The mysterious Jeet, the jerk Deepak, the backstabber Nivedita, Janice and the rumors that are floating about me.

All this in one day. And it is just the beginning of the week. I dread to even think about what's coming up in the rest of the week.

I need to confront Nivedita and tell her how unfair it was of her to take all the credit at the meeting. At least I should put across my point of view and give her the chance to explain herself.

Janice and the rumors I will put at the back burner. I am not in Nainital any longer. What the people there think or say makes no difference to me anymore.

I also have to get Jeet out of my head. It's been just a few days now that I have met him and it's ridiculous how much I keep thinking about him.

A slow warmth creeps up from my toes all the way up to my face as I think about Jeet and the embrace on the train.

Slap! slap! I hit myself lightly on the cheeks. I ..need..him..out..of my head..

Think of something or someone else Tarana.

My mind goes to the scene at the bus stop with Deepak and again the husky velvet voice plays in my head.

I turn off the shower and get out of the bathroom. This is doing me no good.

Preparing dinner and cleaning the house helps keeps my mind off Jeet. I pack the left overs for my lunch tomorrow. I can save up my lunch coupons to use it later in any restaurant to order food when I am not in the mood to cook.

I try to sleep early but I can't fall asleep.. Too many thoughts running in my head. I toss and turn on my bed, trying to catch some sleep but it seems to be out of my reach.

After what seems like hours, I finally fall into a tired slumber, dreaming of caramel eyes, strong arms around me cocooning me in their safe embrace on the hills of Nainital while Nivedita is running with a knife behind Deepak.

The incessant ringing of the phone finally breaks through my sleep addled brain. Why is someone calling me in the middle of the night? I slowly open one eye and look around. Did I keep the light on before I fell asleep? I tap the bedside lamp to switch it off, but it is already switched off.

I open my other eye and look around. It's not the lamp, which is lighting up the room, it is sunlight.

I glance at my wall clock, it says 10:15. I rub my eyes, I think I saw the wrong time. It still showed 10:15. I grabbed my mobile off my table, the ringing stopped. It too showed 10:15

I have 3 missed calls from office.

I had to be at work at 9.

Yikes!!