Chapter 24

Waleed

"Wal," Jeena called as she entered my office.

I was busy looking at the plan of a commercial complex, which my firm was starting the work on when she came along, all happy and cheerful.

"Hey Jeena," I replied smiling.

She was looking beautiful as always, she smiled at me as she sat on the chair across my desk.

"So what brought you here?" I asked curiously

"I just wanted to speak to you in privacy, and at home, it's really difficult with Rameen always around and it would look rude if I ask you to speak in private," She replied anxiously.

I was trying to figure out, where this conversation was going, I liked her no doubt she was my cousin and a good friend and at one point in my life, I was considering marrying her.

"Have you told Rameen about our past?" She asked me.

I looked at her surprised, why was she interested in knowing what I had told Mia or not?

"No, I still haven't but I will soon," I replied studying her.

"I would prefer if you won't," She said.

I looked at her with my brow arched, trying to understand what she was implying.

"Actually, Rameen and I are getting along well, and if she knows that we had a relationship in the past, I don't think she will ever warm up to me," She added.

"First of all, Jeena, we were never in a relationship, yes, I was inclined to marry you because I thought we had a good understanding, and second I don't prefer to hide things from my wife," I replied, to her honestly.

Hell, how can she call it a relationship? Yes, I liked her we had a good understanding and I was considering her as a potential match. But, I never had any commitment to her and when Dada had told me that he didn't think she was the right girl for me, I had never looked at her as more than a friend.

"Sorry, I just got carried away, yes we never were in a relationship except for the fact that we wanted to get married," She replied.

"Jeena, let me make myself very clear, I was just considering you as a potential match and nothing more," I was annoyed.

"Right," She said with a scowl.

I looked at her, truly I was not comfortable with her staying at our home, but before I could have said anything, Mia had gone ahead and told Jeena that she could stay with us, as long as she liked.

It was not that I didn't trust Jeena, it was just that I was overprotective of Mia, and I didn't want her to be hurt in any way. And I was worried if she found out that once I have considered marrying Jeena, she would truly feel insecure in her presence.

What I had with Jeena was a truly calculated decision, I was a jerk before Mia. I always used to date the perfect kind of girls, those who were accomplished in everything, I don't know if they were accomplished or not but they posed that they were and the fool that I was at that time I used to go after them in search of a perfect life partner.

The one who would look after my home, throw parties, and played the perfect hostess. And all her decision would be calculated and she would always be smiling and taking care of my every need.

But, Mia didn't have any single quality that I had wanted in my wife, instead, she was the opposite. She never cared to impress me by showing how accomplished she was or how good she was for me. She never acted or faked what she was not in front of me, she was just what she was and I was crazy about her.

If only six months ago, someone would have told me that I would be completely smitten by a girl like Mia, I would have surely suggested to them, to find refuge in an asylum.

Mia, she is just different what could I say about her, I can't even describe how she makes me feel. It's just that I feel alive around her, I don't have to be the cold-hearted CEO in front of her, I am just Waleed with her just a normal 28 years old guy without a worry in this world.

She is so fierce so unpredictable that she keeps me on edge always, making me think about what she might do next? She is not like the plastics bimbos, she is charming, alive, cheerful, and wild.

"Please Waleed, I would appreciate it if you don't tell Rameen anything, I like her and I want her to be my friend. You know very well, that I never had any friend other than you," She said rotating the paperweight with her fingers.

I looked at her thoughtfully, the look on her face was genuine. We had always been good friends since our childhood and I knew she had feelings for me in the past and she was the one who had proposed to me.

I was shocked at first at her preposition at that time, I mean yes I liked her as a friend and after she had suggested we get married,  I had given it a thought and had discussed it with Dada, who had said that she was not the kind of girl that I needed as a life partner. He had told me I needed someone who would bring the thrill in my life and will make me feel alive.

I remember Dada had suggested to me at that time, that he had a perfect girl in his mind for me to get married and had asked me if I wanted to meet her, at that time I hadn't understood his logic. But Dada knows me better than I knew myself, he knew exactly what was missing in my life.

Yes, I was a successful businessman, I had girls that used to swoon around me and my life was perfect in everyone's eyes, but I knew how lonely I felt after the death of my parents. Though Dada had given me all the love and affection, still I felt a void in my heart. And I use to think that a perfect life partner would fill that void one day. How stupid I was at that time if only I had known that no amount of perfection in a girl would fill the void inside me.

Mia always made me behave differently, I was different around her, always my true self. I was not afraid that she might judge me for my imperfections, I could never imagine sharing with someone those things about me that I had shared with Mia.

That girl, she was living, thrill, joy, and she was what I had always needed, a reason to live. And now I can't imagine living a single day without her.

I love her, yes I Waleed Kamal the control freak and arrogant CEO, was conquered by a girl. But she was not any normal girl, she was Mia, my Mia. I wanted to scream and tell the whole world how much I loved and wanted her.

"Waleed, can you do this for me? Just for old times sake?"

Jeena's voice brought me back from my thoughts, she was looking at me with hope-filled in her eyes.

"Okay Jeena, if you insist," I replied giving up.

Jeena could be really persuasive when she wants to.

" Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Waleed," She giggled in delight.

She then started telling me about her meeting with the publisher and left when I had to go for a meeting.

Rameen

"Hey Rameen, can you get down here," I heard Jeena's voice from downstairs.

I pulled from Waleed and looked at him, we were in the middle of a make-out session. I was sitting on his lap, my arms were around his neck, while he was holding me by the waist.

"I am gonna throw her out if she keeps interrupting us like this," Waleed said brooding.

I gave him a quick peck on his cheek and got up from his lap, wondering why Jeena could be calling me?

As I walked down the stairs, I saw Jeena pacing in the living room nervously. She looked as if she was going somewhere out.

"Everything okay?" I asked her.

"Yes, actually no, I don't know," She replied intertwining her fingers.

I looked at her curiously, I thought she was a confident girl, but looking at her now felt like she was as vulnerable as others.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, I met this guy a few days back and he asked me out today, and I don't know why but I am freaking out. I have not been on a date in ages," She replied anxiously.

"It will be okay Jeena, just take deep breaths. You are looking absolutely gorgeous, just try to be yourself," I rubbed my hand on her shoulder, trying to give her a boost.

She looked at me gratefully, then she looked at her watch and sprang in panic.

"I am late, thanks Rameen for helping me calm down. I will leave now," She said collecting her clutch from the table.

" Have a good time," I said to her and wished her luck.

When I walked back to the bedroom, Waleed was looking at me with his brow arched.

"She is going on a date and was just freaking out," I told him.

" It's unlike her," Waleed replied.

"Maybe she likes the guy," I said thinking about Jeena's behavior.

Waleed just nodded and called me to him by flicking his finger. I was too eager to continue from where we left. But I remembered I had not fed " Red".

"I need to feed Red," I told him as I left the room and Waleed kept calling after me in frustration.

I came down to the kitchen, put some cat food in the bowl for Red, and walked back to the living room, I called "Red" a few times, meowing a few times. And she came running out of somewhere and leaped into my lap. I picked her up, kissed her head, and gently placed her in front of the bowl.

I watched her as she hungrily ate up all the food from the bowl, I played with her for some time. She then ran away, I walked back to the kitchen and washed and put the bowl back into the cabinet, beside the cat food.

I opened the fridge and pulled out the tub of my favorite Almond and Chocolate fudge ice cream, I took a spoon and dug into it. I was busy eating, and along with it moaning when someone gripped my shoulder and pulled me towards them, slamming me into their chest.

I screamed in shock and the tub of ice cream slipped from my hand, then I heard the chuckle beside my ear. I turned and slapped him on his chest with all my strength.

"When the hell, are you gonna stop sneaking up on me, I could have gotten a heart attack," I yelled at him.

Waleed smiled and pulled me into his arms, he tried kissing me, but I pushed him away and turned and picked up the ice cream tub and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving a frustrated Waleed behind me.

I came to the bedroom terrace and sat on the swing, gulping down the ice cream in anger, Waleed had to stop sneaking up on me like this, he used to do this every time I was busy with something, and was unaware of the surrounding. And the asshole was so good at it, that he won't even make the slightest sound like some fucking ninja.

I heard the stereo play " You have lost that loving feeling," by Righteous Brothers, before I saw him walk out of the glass door of the terrace, with a mischievous smile on his lips.

And when the lyrics came to

But baby, baby I know it

You lost that lovin' feelin'

Whoa, that lovin' feelin'

You lost that lovin' feelin'

Now it's gone, gone, gone,

He was on his knees in front of me and was singing, on top of his lungs along with the Righteous brother.

I forgot that I was mad at him and started laughing, I placed the tub aside and held his hand and he stood up, pulling me towards him and dancing with me, holding me close to him.

"I wanted to dance with you, since the moment I saw you dancing in that white gown at Sheema's birthday party. I am surprised why didn't I do this earlier," He said as he turned me in his arms, then pulling me close to him, as my back touched his chest. He wrapped his hands around my waist and rested his face on the crook of my neck, inhaling in my scent.

I felt his breath on my neck, a shiver ran down my spine and its intensity only increased when he sucked on my neck and bit it gently.

"Waleed", I whispered his name as I bent my head and gave him more access, sliding my arm around his neck, and tugging at his hairs, as he continued his sweet torture on my body.

"I love you," He said leaving a trail of kisses along my neck.

My heart leaped in my chest, this was the first time he had said the " L" word. And I knew he meant it.

"I love you so much, baby," He whispered in my ear as he bit my ear lobe.

" Waleed, I-I," I didn't know what to say, I was still not sure of my feelings.

"I know baby, you still have not figured out your feelings, but trust me, I don't want to push you. I want you to take your time and find it out yourself," He said stroking my neck with his nose.

I wanted to say to him that I loved him, confess that I had fallen for him, my subconscious was laughing at me, how proudly I used to say that I didn't believe in love and that I would never fall in love with anyone. And now here I was standing in the arms of the man I had despised more than anyone a few months ago hopelessly in love with him.

I had fallen in love with Waleed Kamal, the control freak and arrogant CEO. I wanted to tell him, but I don't know what held me back. If only I could have told him that day, how much I loved him our life would have been simple.

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