Chapter Eleven
Jade couldn't concentrate on anything throughout the day. She heaved a sigh of relief when her duty was over and she was free to go home. She thought of going to the restaurant to see what Dustin was doing but didn't want to piss him off by going there repeatedly. So she dragged herself home and had dinner and went to bed.
The next morning, she had early duty at the boutique so she went to the restaurant at 8 o'clock in the morning. Dustin wasn't there at the cash counter. Richardson sat there and wished her a good morning. She went to the kitchen and found granny searching for something.
"What are you looking for, granny?" She asked.
"My can of olives which I had pitted and marinated," she said as a few customers came in.
"Oh, I'll look for it," she offered.
"I think I left it in the kitchen at home. Here, take the keys and get them, will you please?" She said handing over the keys to her.
"Sure," she said, taking the keys and going at the backside to granny's kitchen.
She opened the apartment and went to the kitchen. She started looking at the cabinets. She forgot to ask where granny kept the olives. She searched the next cabinet, mumbling to herself where the olives could have escaped to.
"Are you looking for me?" Said the husky voice of Dustin from behind her.
She whirled around and came nose to nose with Dustin clad only in a towel. He must have just showered. She blushed seeing his muscular, toned bare body for the first time, that too so close to hers. A water droplet trickled from his hair to his chest and downwards. Dustin stared at her, noticing her checking him out. He looked at what she was watching and smirked seeing the water droplet.
She blushed and turned away. "No, I'm searching for granny's olives. She asked me to," she said. Her eyes suddenly fell upon the jar on the kitchen counter. Before she could pick it up, Dustin turned her around. "Don't you want to talk to me?" He asked her, noting her red cheeks and downcast eyes.
"I have nothing to say to you, " she said.
"Nothing at all? I shaved my beard. Won't you like to see me now?" He asked, holding her chin and making her look up.
She looked into his eyes and was lost. "Am I looking grumpy and old now?" He whispered, his arm going round her waist and pulling her flush onto his body.
She gasped as her body touched his hard chest. "I was just joking, " she mumbled, looking down, her hand going up to his chest to put some distance between themselves. He hissed at her touch, goosebumps appeared on his body where she touched him. She immediately removed her hands, but he placed them back on him, loving the feel of her soft hands on his bare body.
"I'm not joking. I'm waiting for my welcome home kiss," he said and her eyes widened in shock.
"I need to get the olives to granny," she said, with a flushed face.
"Give me my kiss and then go," he said, pulling her closer to him. She felt his arousal poking into her. He lowered his head and stared at her mouth longingly. Her hands went around his neck and she pulled his head close to her mouth, closing her eyes as she planted a small peck on his lower lip.
He was lost in the small gesture. His other hand held her head and his hungry mouth claimed her lips. It was a passionate kiss, fuelled by the thirst of their souls. A thirst that only could be quenched by the other. He had dreamt of kissing her every day for the last eight years. His tongue entered her mouth and tasted it's sweetness. His mouth trying to relive every dream that he had of kissing her. His kiss turned insatiable, demanding her to kiss him back. She kissed him back then sudden realisation hit her.
He was playing with her! He knew she loved him.
"No," she protested against his lips, her palms, flat on his chest, trying to break free. He released her, confused at her sudden change of mood.
"Don't play games with me, please," she said, with tears in her eyes. She picked up the can of olives and ran out of his apartment.
Dustin stood transfixed to the spot, hurt by her words. He remembered he had said these very words to her long back. The words affected her so much he had no idea. He had to comfort her, he had to apologise. He had to prove that he never played with her.
He loved her. He loved her with every pore in his body, with every breath that he took and with every beat of his heart.
He slowly got dressed and went to the restaurant to start his day. Jade was nowhere to be seen. He looked for her in the kitchen but she had left. He went back dejectedly to his cash counter. Another day had gone by and yet he was still unable to show her how much he loved her.
Jade couldn't stay at the restaurant and work with Dustin hovering around. She just couldn't forget the kiss. It stirred such feelings in her which she never experienced in her entire life. She was scared of these emotions as they made her vulnerable. She knew that what she felt for Dustin was for life. She could never love another so deeply. But she had her self respect too. She couldn't reduce herself to be his plaything. She won't be played with.
She overworked herself and returned home after a tiring day. The next whole week, she didn't go to the restaurant. They didn't need her anymore and she shouldn't let Dustin get the impression that she was around for something. She didn't want anything in return. She loved him so she had saved him. Same with granny. She loved granny so she saved her.
Jade worked at the boutique and then stayed home the rest of the time. She went to her brothers houses sometimes to play with the children.
After a miserable week, Jade walked slowly out of the boutique to her car. She missed Dustin very much, her eyes searched his restaurant from the outside for a glimpse of him. She stared towards his restaurant and then sighed heavily. Reaching her car, she was about to unlock it when she saw the flat tyre.
"Oh crap," she swore, kicking the tyre and muttering more swear words.
She would have to walk down at this hour. She stared at Dustin's restaurant thinking whether to ask Richardson for help when she heard Dustin's husky voice from behind her,"I can drop you, Jade," he said softly.
"No, thanks. I'll just ask Richardson, " she told him, walking towards the restaurant. She couldn't go far when Dustin caught her arm and spun her around.
"For God's sake Jade. Let me drop you home," he said, his hands falling helplessly to his sides.
"No, Dustin. I don't expect anything from you. I might love you but I'm not throwing myself at you. Please leave me alone," she said walking away to the restaurant to ask for Richardson's help. He again caught her wrist and pulled her close.
Dustin felt frustrated. He was at his wits end. Why couldn't she let him drop her home? "Look, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry that I said all those things to you. You know they're just to make you move on and marry a good guy and settle down. I care about you dammit. I didn't want you to wait for me for 15 years. I don't have anything to give you, Jade," he said, his hand touching her cheek tenderly. His eyes serious and solemn, longingly staring at her upturned face. "Please let me drop you home, Jade?"
"Ok," she said softly, closing her eyes at the feel of his tender touch on her cheek.
