Her heart begun hammering, but she managed to display her anger instead of nervousness. "In case you didn't notice or you've lost your way, this place is made for ladies."
"Don't worry. I have very good eyesight and knowledge, so I was able to read that notice on top." He said, smiling smugly.
Taking a deep breath, she exiled every bit of nerves from her demeanor. At least the mirror told her she was doing a great job on the outside, but inside, she was a tremulous mess. "What the hell do you want. I'm a fashion designer, Zain, a celebrity. What if someone gets in here and sees you with me? How will that look to the person?"
"I don't give a fuck whatever people say." He stated, yet he whirled around to lock the door. Then he turned to face her again. "It's been quite a while, Em. It's been almost a week since we had that confrontation, and I did promise war."
She still hadn't been able to decipher his meaning of war, and the fact that he hadn't tried anything in almost a week didn't help her speculate successfully. And the fear was back cascading through her senses. What if he'd taken that much time to come up with an emotional riot provoking tactic?
Against her mind, her legs took steps backwards when he started approaching. "What do you want?"
"I want you to admit your love for me today."
She laughed, the kind that basked in incredulity at his conceit, yet with a hidden note of fear attached to it. "What is there to admit when I feel nothing for you?"
"Don't worry, I knew you wouldn't accept it so easily. So yeah, that's why I'm here. To make you realize it."
Suddenly her back hit the wall, and Emma had a visceral feeling she was doomed. Stopping in front of her, Zain stroked one single finger along her chin that made her shiver. His intense gaze seared through her eyes to her soul, yet Emma met his gaze truculently, curtailing the urge to run out like a frightened child.
"Are you sure you have no feelings for me?"
"Zain, just let me go. You..."
"Hey, hey, hey." He said, rasping. "There's no need to get all worked up over this. The answer is so simple. Yes or no?"
"Yes." She glared into his eyes, holding herself from drowning inside the fiendish pool of chocolate.
"Really now?" He placed his hand on her chest immediately, and she gasped. "Why then does your heart beat so fast when I'm near you?"
"It is beating normally." She retorted even while her chest felt like it would explode any moment.
"You must be about to get a heart attack then." He chuckled amusedly. "Why are your legs shaking so much?"
Em tried hard to focus her legs and didn't answer. She really should be warning these features before they gave her away. Wait! Gave her away for what?
His lips suddenly inched closer, decelerating so close against her lips that she shut her eyes as her lips parted on their own accord. Her lips never touched another, and she snapped her eyes open to automatically stare at his lips which protruded tauntingly.
"And why do you look at my lips like you'd want nothing more than to chew it? Why did you kiss me back so earnestly when I kissed you on Saturday? Like it was the only thing you needed to survive?"
Did she really create all those impressions? "I didn't kiss you back! You forced yourself on me." she pointed out sternly. "You are so delusional you read too much into everything. Why can't you just get out of my life and leave me alone?"
He gaze turned even more fervid, and he suddenly pressed himself against her, his erection probing against her. A thrill shot through her unwarrantably, and she stomped on it with every intention of killing it. Then his answer came. "Because I love you. Because I fucking can't live without you. Especially when I know you love me too."
She finally gathered enough strength and self control to try to push him off, but his body against hers was taut with no promise of budging. "I don't love you."
He captured her mouth with his so fast like lightening, she barely saw it coming. And as the thunder of desire rumbled through her, the lightening of his relentlessness attacked through it, her fears of her feelings for him blew through it vehemently, while her self-control coupled with her need to uphold what she believed in struggled to tear through it, they created the perfect recipe for a hurricane; a hurricane of emotional chaos.
She felt weak and drunk in the uncertainties so much, she lacked the strength to struggle, so she let him kiss her for as long as it lasted. When he pulled back, his expression was savage with desire. "Now say you love me!" he barked.
"I don't love you!" she shot back as she struggled to get out of his grip on her arms. Desperately, she searched her mind for any hurtful thing to say that would waver Zain's resolve, but her brain drew a blank.
"Say it now, Emma." His voice rumbled with warning.
"No!" She tried to hold back her despair as she stared coldly into his eyes. "I don't love you."
His mouth came again, and she gasped, but this time, it traveled to her ears instead. "Admit you love me. Now. "
Raspy and thick with emotion, his hoarse voice almost sounded animalistic, like a lion who'd reached the edge of his control. He grabbed her chin roughly and titled her head so that he caressed her neck, leaving fiery tingles.
She felt like crying as the storm intensified, but swirling and being whipped in the air together with the other emotions, found... No that couldn't be. She wanted to escape this, but even as she pushed, his body was much stronger than hers. "Let me go. I'm not saying anything." She managed between ragged, shallow breaths.
"And I'm not letting you go until you admit that you love me." He growled. "Tell me, now!"
"Yes! I love you. I love you!" She shot at him. She only said that out of sheer desperation, hoping it would cause him to free her and she could make a dash for the door, but as soon as the words were out, she realized with starling shock that it was true.
He finally pulled back, but Emma was much too stunned by the realization to escape as planned. A bright, tear-worthy smile brightened his face. "I knew it. I just. . . I just... Oh my God!"
His hand stroked and caressed her face affectionately, pulling he face towards his to plant a joyful peck on her lips. "You don't know how happy you've made me, Em."
Hysteria unleashed within her, the gravity of the clarity of her feelings for Zain crashing on her like an avalanche. "But I love George too.â She hastened to add.
That was also true. She felt it deep within as her love for George fought with that for Zain, both the rival emotions vying to influence a future that looked extremely uncertainty. God, what was she going to do?
Zain kissed her softly on the lips before placing his forehead on hers endearingly. "But you love me more. I can feel it. Oh goodness Emma."
"But you don't understand." Shards of panic cut deep into her veins as she managed to sidestep Zain. "I can't be feeling this way. I can't be in love with you."
His body suddenly engulfed hers from behind. "You never stopped loving me. You were just having a hard time accepting it. But don't worry. We'll work through those feelings for George. Now I'm just so glad you've admitted you are mine. I've been dying inside to hear you say that for so long."
Violently she shrugged his arms off and spun around to face him. "You are not getting it. I don't want to love you. George is my husband and the father of my daughter. I'm supposed to be in love with only him. Solely him." She trembled as ice cold fears menaced to inundate her.
"Well, I told you you can't run away from destiny. No matter how hard you try, you'll never be able to fight destiny. And it's in our destiny to be together no matter the lulls in time." He held her hand, a pleading glint in his eyes. "Please don't try to fight against our love any longer. Divorce George and marry me. I promise to make you the happiest woman in the whole world. You and Amy."
"I was happy before you came back!" She accused as she realized, snatching her hand from his. "We were happy before you came!"
She'd never had a problem basking in moments with her husband, telling him she loved him, or levitating in their steamy, sensual nights. Until Zain had wavered the pedestal of surety on which she stood, that is. "I utterly loved George with all my heart. He makes me very happy. You on the other hand only fill me with uncertainties and dreadful sadness "
"Emma..." His voice trailed of as she glimpsed the hurt in his eyes.
Seeing him thrown off balance as an advantage, she decided o use her last arsenalâbeg her way out of this. Taking his hand into hers, she went down on her knees deplorably, hot rivulets of tears surging down her face.
"Please pretend that we never met. Let's forget that this moment ever happened. Let's pretend that we ever met and that we fell in love. Forget that I just told you I love you. I beg you Zain. Please." She cried against his hand, which had stiffened like a board. She could sense it; the chaos swirling within him, through him.
God, please let him reconsider.
Then as she felt him pull her up by the shoulder, her heart pounded as she anticipated his decision. He looked into her eyes, pain evident in his. "I can't do that, Emma. I can't pretend that nothing ever happened between us. I've been hoping and dreaming too much for that."
"If I were to divorce George to be with you, we would never be happy. A part of me will always love George." She said as defiantly as her state could allow her.
Indignation swam ferociously in Zain's eyes as he gripped her shoulders, his face hard with certainty. "How would you know that? You don't want to give us a chance. If only you trusted in our love enough, you'd know that it can overcome anything if taken seriously. Even this uncertainty you feel. Only you just give us a chance."
"I'm not sure..."
Zain stepped back sharply. "Think about it tonight, Em. I'll give you sometime, but if you keep too long, I'll come to give you a nudge." He cupped her face and kissed her before leaving and shutting the door behind him.
Emma slid down the wall unto the floor and wept.