Page 34 of Driven By Desire
“He’s got a crisis on his hands and he had his manager with him even on the commute to the airport.” When she didn’t reply immediately, he added, “Bhai is intensely private, Max. He won’t-“
“How long does it take to type out aprivatemessage? A minute, maybe less?”
The question sliced through his explanation and left him floundering. “Ummm. He’ll probably message or call later today when he’s free.”
“When he’s free?” Nonchalant mask firmly in place, Max shrugged again. She was getting good at this shrugging thing. “Whatever. I have a busy day ahead too.”
Right. This wasn’t good. Shuffling his feet, Chirag tried to think of something to say that would make it better. Or at the very least, not make it worse.
“I’m going to start on this now.” Waving the wrench a trifle wildly, Max marched over to the car. So she didn’t even rate a measly text message before he disappeared for a week? She’d show him exactly what he rated when he tried to contact her next.
“Max?” Waiting patiently for her to stop muttering to herself and meet his eyes, Chirag asked, “Did you know he wanted to be an architect?”
“What?” Confused at the random tangent the conversation had taken, Max stopped pretending to tinker with the car.
“He was forever doodling on a notepad he carried with him everywhere. That and pestering dad with ideas on how we could improve the house.” Smiling at the memory, he added, “He once prepared a ten slide presentation on all the ways the house could have been designed better.”
“Did he ever implement any of them?”
“What do you think?” Together they turned to scan the house that loomed over them. Weathered, worn and comfortably lived in, it didn’t look like a newly renovated, swanky house or even the house of the CEO of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country. It looked like a much loved, carefully tended home.
“I have no idea where he buried that notepad. He hasn’t taken a moment to think about what he wants or what he likes in the last ten years. This house and what it stands for is what makes him who he is today. Home, family and responsibilities. He’s probably forgotten what it’s like to want something. To have something that’s just about him, just for him. Someone who is in his life for no other reason than for the fact that she wants him. Wants not needs. Wants him for who he is and not the glittering trophy he represents. Not that he hasn’t had his share of flings with the trophy hunting type. So many that I don’t think evenhecan keep track.” He continued blithely, blissfully unaware of the narrowed look his companion sent him. “Anyway, my point is-“
“Yes, pleasedotell me what your point is.”
The dry tone was his first clue that he’d blundered somewhere. Mentally retracing his steps, he winced as he came to ‘so many that he can’t keep track.’ “I think, maybe, I should stop talking now?”
“Don’t! I’m waiting with bated breath to see what you’re going to come up with next.”
Right. Definitely time to stop talking. For someone who made his living from words, he was doing a terrible job with them right now. The militant look in her eye didn’t bode well for either him or his poor, absent brother.
“If you don’t mind, this fling would like to get back to work.” Max’s frigidly polite voice broke through his mental apologies to Krish.
She’d already turned away from him and was peering under the hood of the car by the time Chirag ushered his scrambled thoughts into some semblance of an apology.
“Max, I’m sorry.” Undeterred by the fact that he was addressing a stiff back, Chirag soldiered on. “That came out wrong. All I was trying to say was that while my brother is a rock star at the million things other people would shudder to take on, he’s clueless at relationships. The personal, boy-girl kind.”
When she straightened and faced him, he managed his best puppy dog look and said mournfully, “Take pity on the poor, lost cause, Max.” Dropping to his knees for added effect, he pleaded. “Teach him to be human again. Baby steps. Guide him into the light. I beg you.”
An unwilling smile tugged at her lips even as she fought the irresistible tug of the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.
“Get up, you idiot.” Holding out a hand to help him to his feet, she let him use it to pull her into a hug. Temper fading as fast as it had flared, she relaxed into the affectionate embrace.
“Be gentle with him, Max.” The soft words feathered against her hair and had her stiffening again.
“My brother’s tough. He’s fought and survived odds that would have leveled another human being and he’s done most of it alone.”
“But?”
“But I have a feeling you have the power to bring him to his knees.” The worry in his eyes had her shivering. The oddest premonition of disaster touched chill fingers to the nape of her neck as Chirag repeated, “Be gentle with him. Please?”
---***---
It was three in the morning when Krish finally walked into his hotel room. He’d spent the whole day in negotiations so sensitive a single misspoken word would have had the work at the factory grinding to a halt and through it all he’d snuck glances at his phone like a lovesick, hormone driven teenager. He’d got regular updates via email and messages from Chirag, Mrs. Sharma and other key members of his staff. From Max, there had been nothing but silence.
He’d put off sending a message in the hope that he’d find a few private minutes to call and hear that sinfully sexy voice. Those few minutes had never materialized and now it was too late to call. Stripping quickly, he tossed his clothes over the laptop bag he’d dropped in the chair in the corner and headed to the bathroom.
A blissfully hot shower later, he turned the lights off and crawled naked under the covers. Groaning with the relief of finally being off his sorely abused feet, he palmed his phone and contemplated the ominously silent screen. Keying in Max’s number in his WhatsApp, his fingers hovered over the keypad as he wondered what constituted an appropriate message for 3 AM. Deciding that nothing really did, he finally typed in‘Sorry, I couldn’t message all day. It’s been manic.’
