AGAINST ALL RULES

First two chapters

CHAPTER ONE

Samara had her car out and racing towards the posh South Delhi area her boss lived in before she could question her intentions.

A frown appeared on her forehead as anxiety coiled inside her. Drunk. Why did it strike an ominous pang within to imagine that? No doubt Tahir was used to alcohol much more than she was. The only time she’d taken a little too much she’d ended up with a giant-sized headache. She’d stayed away from hard drinks ever since.

She was just being fretful as usual.

Or maybe it did have the tiniest bit to do with the change she’d sensed in him over the last few months. The rumor that had not gone around the office – because that was one piece of news she’d held close to her chest. 

She wasn’t that chummy with the staff anyway. And Tahir’s jibe when she’d stumbled on his divorce papers while sorting the files on his desk had been misplaced. Certainly she wouldn’t have shared the finding as he had implied with his, ‘Something to liven up your water cooler sessions?’ His mouth had twisted in a way she hadn’t seen before.

Whatever the reason, the feeling niggling at her since she’d put down the phone today after his instruction not to disturb him, wouldn’t go away. She couldn’t recall a previous occasion when he had stayed away from the office for a whole day despite being in town.

After reaching her flat, she’d called to check on him. His slurred voice, so totally unlike his crisp efficient tones had sent a shiver down her spine. Tahir wasn’t himself and she couldn’t prevent the spark of anxiety from burning up her peace of mind.

Was that enough to justify racing off to his flat in her car? It definitely didn’t list under her office chores.

She had thought she had achieved total control over the infatuation that had struck hard the moment she walked into his office two years ago. Prepared to wow the chairman at the interview with her background research, instead she’d met the sleepy, almost bored caramel gaze and forgotten to look away. When he had drawled with amusement, ‘Looked enough? I’m not one of the monuments dotting Delhi to be inspected so closely, you know,’ the mockery had elicited a laugh amongst his supporting staff. It had also caused her to pull in her chin and become determined not to gawk like a village belle who had stumbled onto a glitzy fashion show.

He was used to being fawned and mooned over, so why would a stare bother him? He’d become a celebrity of sorts when his company had discovered a rare plant compound that had uses in different medical and cosmetic fields. Quality with Certainty, his company’s short tagline had begun to gain visibility over the telemedia and so had he.

In the office under the cover of work, it was easy to keep her feelings under wraps. It must be the worst of clichés, falling for her boss. She wasn’t that far gone yet, she assured herself. And really one couldn’t blame hormones. He was too attractive and that lazy humor with easy confidence was a winning combination.

A workplace hazard that fell under the ‘irresolvable issue’ category.

The half hour drive cluttered with the late evening traffic wasn’t conducive to alleviating anxiety. She parked her car in the underground facility and rushed to the foyer. Tahir occupied the top floor in the block of apartments which were touted to be the last word in luxury in the capital. She took the private elevator to the penthouse, smoothing her palms over her jeans, impatient to ascend to her destination. The doors swished open and she stepped out on the thick pile carpet lining the corridor. The attendant sitting amid the fronds recognized her and got up. She nodded and tapped the file she had brought along as an excuse to barge in on Tahir.