Hard of Desire

Chapter 3

I whipped my head up to look at him, "Er what?" I asked bewildered, I looked at Aishah and she stared blankly at me. We both turned around to face this man.

He looked irritated for a split second, "Buy me a shirt. To compensate my favorite, lucky shirt" He said in a very serious tone. It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

And that doesn't sit well with me. I knew that it was my mistake and I had to make things right but that doesn't mean that a stranger can order me around. But still, I decided to be as kind and gentle as I could.

I bit my lip as I thought of excuses that I can give him, "I don't know if I can-" I said as dug out my purse and pulled a few hundred dollar bills," buy a shirt for you now, but I hope I can compensate with money?" I negotiated, holding out the bills in front of him.

He stared at the bills in my hand for a few moments and then glared at me, "Do I look like I do not have money to buy a shirt?" He asked me rudely, clearly offended.

My eyes widened, "No-no" I denied frantically, shaking my head, "I didn't m-mean it that w-way" I stammered again.

"This shirt was given by someone special," He said through his teeth, pointing at his ruined shirt.

Damn.

I bowed in shame, "I am sorry" I apologized again, feeling bad, my hands tightening around my car keys.

Aishah cleared her throat and grabbed his attention, "Sure, we can buy a new shirt for you but we are new in this town and we have no idea if there is any shop nearby" Aishah reasoned, I totally forgot about her presence.

He looked at her for a second and snorted, "Are you still living in the 1990s?" He asked her, crossing his arms against his chest, looking irritated.

"Excuse me?" Aishah asked in disbelief, her eyes blazing in anger.

His eyes shot to my best friend before landing on me and shrugged not caring if he offended her or not, "You have your smartphone, just google a shop near you" He said, clearly losing his whatever ounce of patience left.

Aishah was silent for a few seconds, "Ah yes" She agreed, looking a little flushed. He had us there. Aishah pulled out her phone and started to look for a mall or something.

I have never seen her so flushed and speechless before this.

He shook his head, "Smartphone, dumb people" He muttered under his breath and once again I restrained myself from going ape s**t on him.

I sighed when I realized that this man will not back down until he gets what he wants, "Okay, I will buy a shirt for you" I agreed, the sooner I get rid of him the better, "Follow me, in your car" I said and I noticed Aishah looked at me uncertainly.

I ignored her and went to open my car door but my hand froze on the handle of my car door when I heard what he said next.

"I'll ride with you," He said casually, again it was not a request it was a demand.

It was my time to be annoyed.

He looked like he is fighting hard not to smile in victory, "It saves my time a little" He said and I nodded, clenching my jaws. He is starting to irritate me and the only way to get rid of him is to compensate what he wants as soon as possible.

"I'll drive," He said, extending his hand in front of me, "It will save my time" He gave me the same excuse again.

Since I was too tired to argue, I just gave him a disapproving glare before placing my keys on his outstretched hand, careful not to make any contact with his smooth skin. Then, I quietly made my way to the passenger side, sat in, and slammed the door shut with unnecessary force. Behind me, I heard Aishah step in the back seat.

Soon, he pulled out the car from the parking lot and sped away to god knows where. I was slightly relieved that I had pepper spray with me. Just in case if he tried anything funny.

The tension in the car made me feel suffocated. He radiated an aura that made me feel small and weak. Sitting in a compact closed car only made it worse. I concentrated on the purring of my car engine to keep me distracted from him and his bewitching good looks.

"So, Hanna" He started after a few minutes of awkward silence, "Tell me about yourself," He asked me formally, eyes never leaving the road.

"I am sorry, I am no longer interested in this job" I huffed, crossing my hands against my chest and looked out of the window.

"What?" He sounded confused.

"You sounded like you're interviewing me for a job or something," I told him as I watched the trees pass by, feeling proud of my reply.

"Tell me" He pressed.

"No" I spat angrily.

"Why?" He asked, his voice now sounding amused as if he is enjoys making me angry. I gritted my teeth to calm down.

I whipped my head to look at him only to find him already staring at me, "Because once I buy you a shirt, we will never meet again" I said confidently, "And keep your eyes on the road" I demanded, gesturing in front.

"Is that so?" He asked me, biting back a smile, "I think we will" He said confidently.

I was quiet again, my head reeling what he had just said. Even I had that feeling that I will meet him again but I prayed to god and I hoped I won't.

"We won't" I retorted.

"We're here," Aishah said and I let out a breath of relief, "Thank god, you're seriously annoying. The sooner I will buy you a shirt, the faster I can get rid of you" I said getting out from my car when he parked.

It felt like he intentionally made us waste our time just because I said I can't wait to get rid of him. We walked to god knows how many outlets. I lost count after the fifth outlet. And I was starting to lose my patience next.

"Seriously, pick a shirt will you?" I said as we entered another outlet, "I want the perfect one!" He grinned making my hands twitch a little.

At the pace he is going, he is this close from getting a serious tight slap from me.

"He is so choosy" Aishah complained and I nodded in agreement, "Worst than girls," I said, loud enough for him to hear but he just ignored us and looked at a white dress shirt as if it was the most interesting thing in this universe.

"Well, you better find it now" I urged in the verge of losing my patience, "It has been half an hour, I need to get back," I said, clenching and unclenching my fists.

He grinned obviously enjoying my anger, "Relax, hot stuff. And what's the rush?" He asked me, his eyes trained on a blue dress shirt as he felt the fabric. His eyebrows furrowed and he moved to another shirt looking not satisfied with the previous one.

"If I remember clearly, you told me you had a million-dollar deal meeting" I reminded him, hoping it will pick up his pace. I was so desperate to get home. He is wasting my precious time.

"I did" He agreed now looking at another white shirt, "But the meeting will only start if I am there" He added, with an arrogant smile as he felt the fabric of that shirt.

I was about to reply to him but Aishah beat me to it, "Whatever. Just pick up a shirt" Aishah said dismissively, "I already had a very long day and my quota of patience is already used up to ninety percent now" I spoke through my teeth.

Again, he flashed his annoyingly pearly white teeth of his, "Well, ten percent sounds plenty to me" He said grinning, still running his hands through many shirts that were hanging on the racks.

I was fuming in rage by now. I already had a bad day and now I have to face this man who is a disgrace to the entire human race, "You're obnoxious, do you know that?" I blurted out without thinking.

That got his attention and his hand froze on the shirt he was holding now. He slowly turned his head to face me and took a challenging step towards me, once again looking pissed.

I took a step back, wanting to keep my distance from him. Aishah gripped my bicep anxiously and pulled me behind. I turned to look at her and she shook her head, silently warning me to not get on his nerves.

"Obnoxious?" He scratched his stubble thoughtfully seeming upset with that word, "Hmm that's new. Girls never said to me, they said-" He started but I held my hand in front me, signaling him to stop boasting.

"I do not care what they said!" I barked impatiently, "I'll give you five more minutes. You better find a shirt by then" I barked firmly, turning away from him to look at Aishah. She held out a piece of chocolate and I took it happily to calm myself down.

"Finally," I said when he chose a pale blue dress shirt. I snatched the shirt from his hand and went to the cash counter.

After paying for the shirt, I handed him the paper bag and extended my hand in front of him, "May we never see each other again. My keys, please" I asked with a sickly sweet smile.

"Hey, who will drop me at the restaurant again?" He frowned but his eyes held amusement in them. He is enjoying this. He is enjoying that I am getting angry.

I took a threatening step in front of him, about to smash his nose into his brain but Aishah held me back.

"Temper, temper" He tsked, walking away with a new shirt in his hands towards the men's room.

"Argh" I groaned, throwing my hands up in the air, "You're unbelievable" I spat to which he turned around just to give me a smirk.

I ground my teeth together as I watched him enter the men's room, "I think I've had enough bullshit for the day" I complained, putting a hand on my head. I tried breathing in and out to calm down myself.

"Calm down, Hanna" My best friend reassured me, "It's not that bad, he is handsome. At least that's a lucky thing" She said casually making me whip my head to face her.

I gave her an incredulous stare, "Aishah, how did you end up being my best friend again?" I asked her, shaking my head. She just winked at me and gave me a sheepish smile.

He made us wait another fifteen minutes when he went to the men's room to change his shirt.

Who takes freaking fifteen minutes to change a piece of a shirt?

He came back to us, looking clean and refreshed. Looking a lot better now compared to a ruined shirt. He flashed us an award-winning smile and took his sweet time, walking towards us.

"Can you hurry up?" I grunted in annoyance, "Thanks" I said, not letting him answer my question. But still, he didn't speedwalk or even try to walk a little faster. If anything it felt like he slowed down. And, he started to whistle casually.

We started to head to my car with him still whistling, "Can you stop that?" I asked him, irritated, "It's annoying, really" I complained but he ignored me and continued to whistle louder this time.

To be honest, it was actually nice to hear him whistle but right now everything he does pisses me off.

Without a word, he started my car and we all sat. He made to the restaurant in a record of time, all the while, he kept his pretty mouth of his shut. Which was very considerate of him. Finally, everyone is in a better mood.

He got down from my car and I jumped from passenger seat to driver's seat, happy to finally be the one behind the wheels of my car. Aishah switched from the backseat to the passenger seat as well.

The door was still open and I was about to close it when I noticed him still standing there, staring down at me with an unreadable expression. His eyes scrutinized my face so intently as if he is trying to figure out or solve a complicated jigsaw puzzle and I felt absolutely uncomfortable.

I raised my eyebrows at him in question but kept myself from uttering anything out. I am not going to waste any more energy on this guy now.

He blinked, a look crossed his face and he masked his face in a split second, "Thank you" He said flashing a genuine smile this time making my heart skip a beat, "Hasta la vista, baby" He smirked and with that he walked away from my car to his shiny black Range Rover.

I watched him leave and shook my head in disgust, "If my parents going to marry me off to someone like him" I said pulling my car towards the freeway, "It will be like living with a man who had a pole stuck in his arse all the time" I grunted. Whoever is going to be his partner is one unlucky person.

Aishah tsked unhappily, "But he is hot" Aishah complained and I chuckled, shaking my head at the same time. Aishah will be Aishah.

She grinned looking at me, "Let's go, we can at least join our evening lectures" Aishah said and I nodded in agreement, driving towards our campus.

Something about him feels familiar but I couldn't put a finger on it. Was it the smile or the captivating hazel brown eyes? I wasn't sure but I realized that I didn't even know his name but he knows mine.