Innocent Temptation

Chapter Four: Unexpected Encounter

As Aira strolled through the aisles of the supermarket, her heart felt light and her spirits were high courtesy of the shopping she was here to do for the ingredients she needed to make a new batch of cupcakes. She had planned to do an open bake sale and if everything went right then afterwards she’ll make her dream of opening a bakery into reality. She had her father and brother already on the queue to help her out and her mother was equally supportive. If she was given a choice, she’d like to be born in her family again and again. Despite not being as rich as one will like to be, her family supported and loved each other more than possible which was what Aira really valued.

She greeted the store owner, Mr Simmons, when she saw him picking up the box of apples from the back room. “I heard you’ve returned. It’s good to see you back “ He patted her head and thanked her for the help before he moved on to take his place behind the counter.

With a smile she made her way through the store to find the items she needed in the list. She passed other familiar faces and conversed with them, answered their general questions and helped people here and there. Everyone in the small town knew Aira was a sweet girl and they praised her and thanked her for her help.

“Mama, she is a princess….”

Aira heard a small voice behind her. When she turned around, she found a little a girl about five years old, who looked at her with big eyes and stared at Aira like she had seen someone from one of her fairy-tale books. The woman standing beside the girl turned to look at Aira and let out a surprised gasp. “Aira!”

“Oh, my god! Ginny!” Looking at her childhood friend Aira was surprised to see that her friend had changed so much. “You look different.”

“Of course, I look different,” Ginny said as she hugged Aira. “We last met five years ago and now I am pregnant once again.”

“Oh.” A wave of longing crashed through Aira but she quickly let it pass and asked, “Is this your daughter?”

“Yes.” Ginny said to her daughter, “Say, hello to Aira aunty, Bella.”

“Hi,” The little girl murmured, shyly, hiding behind her mother. She tugged on her mother’s arm and Aira watched as she whispered something in her ear.

Ginny laughed and said, “She is asking me if my friend is a real life princess?”

Aira smiled at the little girl and crouched down before her. She was wearing a white organza dress with pink flowers on the hem. “You can be a princess too.”

“I can?” Bella asked in an awed whisper.

“Of course.” Aira removed her pink bow hairclip from her hair and asked the little girl to turn around. And then clipped it above her ponytail.

Bella looked at her mother and asked, “Mama, do I look like a princess?”

Ginny nodded. “Of course, you do.” She said, “Now, say thank you to aunty Aira.”

“Thankyou, auntie.”

Aira stood up, picking up her basket. Ginny said, “Why don’t we meet this weekend. It has been years, let’s catch-up.”

“Sure.” Aira held out her hand as she said, “Give me your phone, I’ll save my new phone number.”

Both the women bid goodbyes and went in the opposite directions, but Aira didn’t know that someone was watching her all the while.

Aira reached the aisle where she could grab the last item on her list— the peanut butter was almost out of stock and the last few jars were on the highest shelf. She tried to reach the jars, standing on her tiptoes, but no matter how much she tried, her fingers only grazed the cool glass of the jar. With a huff of frustration she looked on either side of her and then jumped.

The jar wobbled as she managed to slap it with her open hand. Thinking that it would break on her head, she stepped back only to collide into a mountain. The mountain was warm and hard, and had a thick, muscled arm that reached over head, plucked the jar from the shelf and then held it in front of her.

“Thankyou,” She said, her voice filled with gratitude and a smile curved her lips as she turned around to face her helper. The smile disappeared as she stumbled back once again when she saw who it was.

Mac stopped her from slamming back into the shelf behind her as he pressed his big hand on her back. His palm spread across her small back and she almost stopped breathing. The heat from that small touch spread across her whole back and she couldn’t help but stay frozen as she looked up at his ruggedly handsome face. Their eyes met and a jolt of electricity sparked between them as a thousand unspoken words seemed to hung in the air surrounding them.

Aira felt like she was going to burst into flames with standing so close to the man who had never left her mind no matter where she went and what she was doing.

“Careful,” He rumbled out in his deep voice that made her toes curl in her pink shoes.

“Thank you so much,” She managed and then frowned at herself for sounding so breathless. She cleared her throat and said, “Well…. I…” He stepped back and she took in a deep breath. “I should go.”

He nodded.

Aira sighed. And then with a shake of her head, she started to walk toward the counter with her basket. She was stupid to think he’d ever talk to her like a normal person, without making her feel like he hated her the most.

She had only taken two steps forward when he stopped her. “Aira.” Her heart felt like it’d jump out of her chest. She paused and looked at him. He said, “I am sorry about the other day. I was just...” She looked at him expectantly. He stared back at her. “I mean I should haven’t walked out like that.”

“It’s okay,” She replied, “It’s not like we were best friends before I left.”

His expression was unreadable, his dark eyes remained emotionless and penetrating as they bore into hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them palpable as they stood there in the fluorescent-lit aisle, surrounded by towering shelves stocked with groceries. No longer able to stand there in front of him with that scrutinizing gaze that seemed to peer into her soul, she said, “I should go.”

She turned around so quickly, she almost slipped on the tiled floor. Mac grabbed her arm before she could face plant on the shining floor. “I said, be careful. Can’t you see where you are going?”

Aira jerked back and blinked at him at the harsh tone he just spoke in. His brows were lowered on his dark eyes as he glared at her and it sent a shiver down Aira's spine.

She scowled at him as much as she could with her angelic face and narrowed blue eyes. Reminding herself that she was no longer that girl who simpered over him and got hurt easily, she jerked her arm free and snapped, “I didn’t ask for your help. If I was falling you should’ve let me instead of saving me and then yelling at me.”

Mac seemed to have not heard her as his eyes remain focused on her arm. She followed his gaze and saw that he was now glaring at the red fingerprints he had left on her arm where he’d grabbed her.

“Mac—”

Without waiting for her to finish, he just turned around and walked away. And as she stood there looking at his back, she felt confused but also a little bit curious about the man who just stormed out with anger and, if she was not wrong, a hint of fear in his eyes.

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A. Gupta

Thankyou for all the comments!

So glad that the book just started and some reader is already complaining about short chapters.