He grinned at her reaction and then, couldn't help himself and leaned in . As soon as his lips touched hers, she gasped and leaned back . Tempted to follow her, he resisted the urge and settled back into his side .

"Hi… long time no see," he said, softly .

Jia Li couldn't believe her eyes . Coming out of the office, she had been cursing him with a vengeance . And suddenly, he was right there, in front of her . She had initially thought that he was an illusion, conjured up by her mind . Her mind couldn't react, didn't believe… and before she knew it, she was in the car and his lips were millimetres away from hers .

"Wh-what are you doing here? How did you reach here . . . ?" she was still struggling for coherency .

"Umm, let's see if I can answer those two questions properly . I am here because a friend needs my help . And I came here via a flight . Is there anything else that you would like to ask me," his voice held a teasing note .

He was enjoying her nonplussed, dazed look .

"Uh, where are we going?" she asked suddenly .

"I a.s.sume that you would be hungry after a long day at work, so we could go grab some dinner . If not, I am happy to drop you at your residence . As of now, the driver is simply driving around, awaiting your instructions," he said with a smile .

She stared at him .

"Aren't you being too accommodating? What am I missing? Why are you here, Tang?" she asked him, suspicion lacing her words .

"Wait a minute . You said your friend needed your help . Which friend?" she asked further, without giving him a chance to respond .

He laughed softly and extended his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear .

"You look lovely, albeit a little tired . Can you recommend a place where we can go, sit and relax for a while . I promise to let you interrogate me without any distraction or interruption there," he said gently .

Her ear was still tingling after his fingers had brushed it . He looked dapper in a pair of fitted, grey corduroy pants and a pale pink s.h.i.+rt . The customary tie was missing and the top b.u.t.tons of the s.h.i.+rt were open to expose the prominent Adam's apple on his neck . A hint of crisp curling hair was visible just before the b.u.t.tons hid the rest . The car was already inundated with his particular brand of cologne . All these facts registered dimly at the back of her mind .

She didn't say anything to him but rattled off an address to the driver . Tang sat back and didn't attempt to make any conversation with her . He looked relaxed and Jia Li resented him for it . She could feel heat creeping upon her face despite the air conditioner doing a fairly good job at keeping the car temperature pleasantly cold .

"How can he sit back and act as if this is a normal occurrence? Why is it that I am the only one palpitating? I don't even want to imagine what a fright I must be looking after that long, stressful day at work," she thought mournfully .

While one part of her tried to check herself surrept.i.tiously for bad odour, the other part urged her to act as nonchalant as he was being . After all, two could play that game .

Tang saw the play of emotions on her transparent face with the corner of his eye . Suppressing his urge to laugh at her cuteness, he maintained a neutral façade . If she even got a whiff of his current thoughts, she would kill him!

"So where are we headed?" he asked her, striving to keep the environment normal .

"We have arrived," she replied and got off from the car .

She had brought him to the famous South Bank area of the river Thames which boasted of the London Eye and various open air eateries around it . A family from Italy had opened an authentic restaurant here and were hugely famous for their wood fire pizzas and hand rolled pastas .

Heading towards the place, Jia Li's heels got stuck on the way . His strong arm came swiftly around her waist and put a brake to her stumble, else she would have landed on the ground, face first . Helping her straighten up, he took her fingers and interwove his own with them . She tried to pull her hand out but he paid no heed and tightened his hold on it .

"Just until we reach the place," he said quietly, his hazel eyes burning with intensity .

Jia Li turned into a statue as HE emerged from the car and uttered these words . Other cars had started to honk behind his, since they were nearly blocking the narrow road . Taking advantage of her immobility, he took her by the arm and pushed her inside the luxurious interiors of the car . Urging the driver to drive on, Tang sat back and took stock of Jia Lis expressions . She was sitting absolutely still, as if in a trance . He grinned at her reaction and then, couldnt help himself and leaned in . As soon as his lips touched hers, she gasped and leaned back . Tempted to follow her, he resisted the urge and settled back into his side . Hi… long time no see, he said, softly . Jia Li couldnt believe her eyes . Coming out of the office, she had been cursing him with a vengeance . And suddenly, he was right there, in front of her . She had initially thought that he was an illusion, conjured up by her mind . Her mind couldnt react, didnt believe… and before she knew it, she was in the car and his lips were millimetres away from hers . Wh-what are you doing here? How did you reach here . ? she was still struggling for coherency . Umm, lets see if I can answer those two questions properly . I am here because a friend needs my help . And I came here via a flight . Is there anything else that you would like to ask me, his voice held a teasing note . He was enjoying her nonplussed, dazed look . Uh, where are we going? she asked suddenly . I a.s.sume that you would be hungry after a long day at work, so we could go grab some dinner . If not, I am happy to drop you at your residence . As of now, the driver is simply driving around, awaiting your instructions, he said with a smile . She stared at him . Arent you being too accommodating? What am I missing? Why are you here, Tang? she asked him, suspicion lacing her words . Wait a minute . You said your friend needed your help . Which friend? she asked further, without giving him a chance to respond . He laughed softly and extended his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear . You look lovely, albeit a little tired . Can you recommend a place where we can go, sit and relax for a while . I promise to let you interrogate me without any distraction or interruption there, he said gently . Her ear was still tingling after his fingers had brushed it . He looked dapper in a pair of fitted, grey corduroy pants and a pale pink s.h.i.+rt . The customary tie was missing and the top b.u.t.tons of the s.h.i.+rt were open to expose the prominent Adams apple on his neck . A hint of crisp curling hair was visible just before the b.u.t.tons hid the rest . The car was already inundated with his particular brand of cologne . All these facts registered dimly at the back of her mind . She didnt say anything to him but rattled off an address to the driver . Tang sat back and didnt attempt to make any conversation with her . He looked relaxed and Jia Li resented him for it . She could feel heat creeping upon her face despite the air conditioner doing a fairly good job at keeping the car temperature pleasantly cold How can he sit back and act as if this is a normal occurrence? Why is it that I am the only one palpitating? I dont even want to imagine what a fright I must be looking after that long, stressful day at work, she thought mournfully . While one part of her tried to check herself surrept.i.tiously for bad odour, the other part urged her to act as nonchalant as he was being . After all, two could play that game . Tang saw the play of emotions on her transparent face with the corner of his eye . Suppressing his urge to laugh at her cuteness, he maintained a neutral façade . If she even got a whiff of his current thoughts, she would kill him! So where are we headed? he asked her, striving to keep the environment normal . We have arrived, she replied and got off from the car . She had brought him to the famous South Bank area of the river Thames which boasted of the London Eye and various open air eateries around it . A family from Italy had opened an authentic restaurant here and were hugely famous for their wood fire pizzas and hand rolled pastas . Heading towards the place, Jia Lis heels got stuck on the way . His strong arm came swiftly around her waist and put a brake to her stumble, else she would have landed on the ground, face first . Helping her straighten up, he took her fingers and interwove his own with them . She tried to pull her hand out but he paid no heed and tightened his hold on it . Just until we reach the place, he said quietly, his hazel eyes burning with intensity .