I
                                                     
“Sorry ma’am, there aren’t any other rooms available,” said the skinny girl, behind the enquiry counter.

All the rooms were occupied. They proposed me to share a room.

Damn!

Clutching my head in my hands, I dejectedly sunk into one of the leather sofas.

I had never expected to get stuck at Cairo and that too on the New Year eve.

From New York, I was visiting Dubai. My plane was supposed to leave at 9.pm from Cairo. I came from New York via Dakar. My previous flight was delayed due to fog.

Somebody sat beside me and I could see him from the corner of my eyes.

I couldn’t help admit that he was gorgeous. Brown hair streaked with gold, a muscular built and a handsome face with sharp features.

“So, we have to share a room. I don’t have a problem,” he remarked.

“But I have,” I glared at him. I just couldn’t spend the night with an insolent guy.

He lifted his hands in mocking surrender and grinned in an annoying way.

Oh, how can someone so strikingly handsome, be so rude?

I turned away my face in disgust.

“Then sit here until you get cramps,” he retorted, getting up from the seat.

“Mind your own business,” I snapped.

He made a face and turned away with the keys to the common room.

I weighed my options. Either twelve hours with him in one room, or spend the night in the lobby.

“Fine,” I said, getting up too.
He rolled his eyes and I felt like breaking his pretty face with a slap. Nevertheless I followed him.
                                            
                           II

Entering the small, ill ventilated room, I literally felt nauseous.

I looked at him. He shrugged. We both let out a sigh.

I couldn’t help a smile.

“What’s so funny?” he asked indignantly.

I immediately stopped smiling and gave him a pointed look.

“You woman are all alike,” he remarked, “God bless me! I would never fall in love.”

Nevertheless, he dragged my suitcase along with his and placed it in the room.

Then slipping off his shoes, he jumped onto the bed and just stretched himself flat.

I gingerly sat on the only chair provided in the room.

Seeing me he suddenly sat up and said, ‘Hey, this bed is yours too. You paid half the bill.”

“Glad you remembered,” I mocked.

“You are welcome to occupy it,” he commented.

“No,” I almost screamed, blushing.

“Come on, it’s not like we are going to make out or something,” he laughed out in that insolent way.

He looked so gorgeous then, with the warmth of the world in his brown eyes. Yet his laugh was so insulting that I longed to get up and bash him.

“Damn you!”

“I get to hear that a lot back at home, babe,” he lay down again.

“Where is your home by the way?”

I was surprised that I didn’t know.

“Moscow. I am coming from Pretoria now. You?”

“New York. Other end of the world, I guess.”

He gave one of his winning smiles, “That doesn’t prevent us from being friends right?”

“Guess not,” I said slowly.

“So let’s play a game of truth and dare,” he invited.

“What makes you think I will agree to you?”

“Well I thought, he said smiling again, “We need something to spend the night as you wouldn’t ‘sleep’ with me in this room, though we are dead tired. What’s better than a game?”

“Say that once more and I will get you arrested for indecent remarks,” I was fuming.

“What did I do?” he asked with an innocent pout.

I finally relented, “You will never improve. Fine, I’ll play.”

He pointed towards the bed and moved aside to make space for me. I sat down at the edge, as far from him as possible.

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” I replied immediately.

“Good,” he rubbed his hands in delight.

My heart sank. This was going to be difficult.

“When was the last time you kissed a boy?”

“Never,” I replied truthfully.

“I pity you…So, dare for me,” he said eagerly.

“Call your mom and say you are in a small room, alone, with a girl.”

“Got you,” I said to myself.

He moved to one side of the room and casually dialed the numbers on his smartphone. As he was talking with his mom, who was least interested it seemed, I was busy noticing his clothes.

He wore an expensive leather coat with matching Gucci jeans and Dior shoes. His enchanting perfume was definitely Gucci and he wore a cufflink which I swore was Tiffany’s.

“Rich spoiled guy,” I muttered under my breath.

I was startled to hear, “Truth or dare?”

I had no option.

“Dare…” I said unsure and immediately regretted seeing the elated smile on his face.

“Kiss me.”

Blunt as usual.

“But…”

“It’s a dare…”

“Kiss?”

It was as if I was unable to believe that someone could stoop so low.

“Come on, a peck, as a friend,” he urged.

Closing my eyes, without another thought, I touched my lips to his cheek. I was aware of the closeness between us. Surprisingly it thrilled me.

His cheeks were warm.

What was I thinking? I mentally kicked myself.

“Truth,” he said.

“Do you like being snarky?”
He was caught off-guard.

“I am not snarky, whatever that means.”

“You are,” I replied, “Just a rich, spoiled guy.”

I didn’t know why I said this but I knew from his expression that he was genuinely hurt.

Without a word he got up from the bed and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

I was shocked and my immediate reaction was to go after him and apologize. But my pride and ego took over.

“Who is he to me?” I asked myself.

I lay down full length and stretched my stiff muscles.
                                                                                         
                       III

I was woken up by shouts and screams. There was a smoky stench in the air and my eyes watered.

I had fallen asleep?

I scanned the room. No sign of him.

Pushing through the cloud of smoke which obliterated my vision, I somehow reached the door.

Touching the knob, however, I winced and drew back my hand. It was scalding.

Panic gripped me as I saw licking flames protrude like the tongue of a serpent from above the door of my room.

I was trapped, and the building was on fire. There was no route of escape.

Shivering from the thought of death I backed off towards the windows and tried to open them.

To my utter dismay, the bolts were rusted and didn’t budge an inch.

I sank to the ground, the fear smothering me.

The room was steadily being filled with smoke. I coughed and choked. I knew that I was going to die. My lungs screamed for mercy as the obnoxious gases burned them.

In my desperation, I simply curled into a ball under the window, waiting for the merciless flames to engulf me.

I would never see the New Year.
                                                             
                              IV

‘Where are you?” a voice called out.

Him?

“Here,” I shouted hoarsely.

He burst in through the door of my room, a picture of perfect fury.

“Are you crazy,” he shouted entering the room, “Do you want to die?”

Tears flowed down my cheeks.

He furiously grabbed his suitcase and threw it against the window.

The glass shattered.

It was then I noticed the burns on his dress. The shirt was burned and every inch of his exposed skin was red. Blisters and black patches marred his neck and hands. He had practically walked through fire for me.

“Jump you fool,” he screamed.

Through the window?

I dithered. I was on the second floor. Death was sure, either way.

Seeing my condition, he effortlessly scooped me up from the ground and dropped me from the window.

For a minute I could feel the weightlessness as I hurtled through space.

The bushes underneath broke my fall as I heard another thud beside me.

We emerged from the bushes and was immediately hugged by the crowd.

He was panting from the exertion and the multiple, painful burns.

“You need to get to the hospital,” I remarked.

He shrugged without looking at me.

“W…Why did you save me?”

“I went to get back my suitcase, but couldn’t just leave you there,” he looked away, “Why would I save a stranger?”

I clutched his shoulders, shaking him in my anger.

“Liar!”

“Fine,” he surrendered, “I don’t even know your name, but I can’t live without you already.

“Then ask silly,” I smiled between sobs.

“Shhh,” he hugged me tightly.

I felt desire burn through very nerve of my body.

“I am Lara Johnson.”

“Alexei Guschin,” he suddenly turned my face up and touched his lips to mine.

I lost myself completely. His lips were soft and hungry.
I found myself kissing him back.

Finally I had found my true match and Cupid's arrow hit before the New Year.

                                        1500

A/N

Желание is Zhelaniye. It means 'Desire' in Russian.

Thanks for reading everyone. This entry is for the Cupid Strikes On New Year challenge hosted by Romance.

Hope you guys like it and may your new year be filled with love and wishes.

Special greetings
pamirayo
StarBrightUser
morema_m
Pipigrin
teamhathaway
MaryFahey
joharateregeyo
nana_gn

Lots of love to you all.
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