Just One Kiss

Just One Kiss Ch 30

In his office Rahul felt like beating his head against his desk. It wasn't working. No matter what he did or did not do, no matter what he tried. He couldn't get Tia to accept him as a friend and time was running out if Tia's stack of completed paintings and clothes as well as the snippets of conversation that he sometime's overheard between she and Gabby were anything to go by. He couldn't understand what was said beyond a few words-Italian was something he let slip by the wayside but he could tell from the tones that she would have to leave soon.

Sighing he stared unseeingly at his computer screen. He didn't want Tia to leave before she thought of him as a friend again. As it were, if she left now he might never see her again because she hated him so much. And he didn't want that. What he wanted was for Tia to laugh with him like she did with Shaka and his father. He wanted her to come voluntary to him with her problems like she did with Danté and his father instead of having to argue it out of her. He wanted her to come to him just because she felt like talking or because she wanted to be near him. But what he wanted to do most of all was kiss her. Kiss her like he had on their dates but he couldn't because not only was she most likely to slap or kick him she was probably going to maim him for life.

He was becoming increasingly envious of his father, Jon and the others and even his child because they were all recipients of all that he wanted. The only thing she didn't bestow on them was her kisses. He probably would be dead if she had because she would have caused his heart to shatter into dust. He had developed a habit of watching her as she interacted with others. Every time she laughed or smiled or even just listened to conversations around her while her hands moved across paper. He was even become jealous of the paper she drew on only because it received more attention than he if they weren't arguing. Although more than once she would draw while arguing with him. It would seem that her hands always had to be moving these days. It was her occupational hazard. Yet he wouldn't dream of asking her to give it up because it was part of her and he loved her. But he couldn't tell her that and so far showing her that he did wasn't not working for him so he watched her while she moved around others and imagined that she was doing all those things with him. And felt like a thief or a stalker he didn't know which because it felt like he was partaking in something he had no right to.

Hearing a knock on the connecting door between his office and his father's Rahul schooled his face before letting him in. His father walked in carrying a small thermos and a large sandwich which he gave him before sitting down on his couch. "Take some time off and eat Son. You look as if you need it. You're picking up some of Tia's bad habits and I don't like it. You can't take care of her if you become like her and then I'll have to take care of both of you." Wade told him making a face.

Rahul laughed his father was a riot. Wade smiled "Good. You laughed. You were looking a bit too serious for a second. How have you been Son?" 

 "You see me every day Dad. You know I'm fine."

"You know very well that I'm not talking about your physically health so stop playing smart and talk to me."

"I am smart all that money you spent on my education didn't go to waste you know." Rahul teased trying to distract him.

His father didn't take the bait he just looked at him. "Well jeez Dad, for a man that loves to laugh you didn't even catch my joke."

His father didn't even blink he just stared. "Ok, ok. I can take a hint. I am fine as I said. I'm just sad and confused as to why Tia doesn't trust me. I've been doing and saying everything and yes before you ask, I do mean what I say but despite that I still can't get her to trust me. I've done everything I can think of I don't know what else to do."

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't know. I just do."

"Oh I think you do know you just don't want to admit it to your old Dad but that's ok." His father stood up "I'll leave you to your own devices now. I've got to get back to my desk."