𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

08 | Anxious Erudition

"You're quite the charmer," I said, trying to hide the amusement in my voice.

"That's the whiskey talking," he replied with a low chuckle, his playful demeanour never fading. I could not help but smile at his sudden shift in mood. It was a far cry from the brooding and enigmatic man I had first encountered.

As much as I was currently enjoying his company, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than meets the eye. One minute he was charming and playful, the next he was telling me to leave or meddling with things I never asked for. I couldn't quite figure him out, and that both intrigued and frustrated me.

"You read when you're drunk?" I asked, my eyes flicking towards the open book next to the tumbler.

"I'm not drunk," he defended. "I'm simply high on the power of knowledge."

"Oh, I see," I teased, squinting to make out the title. "So 'Crime and Punishment' does that for you?"

"Why don't you take a seat, Miss Calimeris?" he said smoothly, redirecting the conversation. "You arrived at the perfect time."

Well, that's convenient considering the fact that the letter he had sent me was missing crucial details, such as the time he expected me to arrive.

"Just Zahra is fine," I insisted, settling into the comfortable black leather seat closest to him.

"Zahra," he tested my name like a fine wine on his tongue, rolling it around before savouring the flavour.

This close to him, I could notice the subtle changes in his appearance. The once unkempt stubble was now meticulously trimmed, highlighting the strong angles and contours of his face. His sun-kissed skin glowed like warm embers, a beautiful contrast to the intense blue of his eyes, the shade reminiscent of stormy waters. I forced myself to look away before I drowned in them.

"Unfortunately," he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "my assistant can't be here today. Something about feline castration. And per our agreement, I would request that you accompany me to a book signing,"

My eye twitched at the word 'agreement.' Blackmail seemed like a more fitting term for what he was doing. But then again, he did fix my tire, and without his help, I could have been facing bankruptcy. So, maybe it wasn't exactly blackmail.

"Also," he continued, interrupting my thoughts as though he could read them. "I would like to apologize for my behaviour when we were first acquainted. It was uncalled for me to ask you to leave in such an uncivilized manner and to fix your tire without your permission."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his sudden display of contrition.

"You can decline my invitation if you wish. And you can keep the tires as an apology for my initial rudeness," he offered, almost hesitantly and raised his hand to scratch the back of his neck.

His words had caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless. I wasn't one to hold grudges, but his sudden apology took me by surprise. From the discomfort in his body language and the sincerity in his voice, it was clear that apologizing was not something he was used to doing.

"As per our agreement," I echoed his words, trying to put him at ease. "I accepted your terms and would like to accompany you."

He bent his head to check his watch, and for a moment, I caught a flicker of relief that crossed his face. "Good," he said, moving away from the desk and pulling at the collar of his shirt. "We had better get going."

I stood up, feeling a bit more at ease now that we had resolved any tension lingering between us.

"You're wearing a suit to a bookstore?" I asked, disbelief evident in my voice.