(Arata)
Jerk!
How did he even know I was taking in his scent? Embarrassment coasted over me and I found myself burning in it.
I flatly denied it, but that smugness on his face revealed he didn’t buy it.
Trying not to initiate any more conversation, I chose quietness. Thankfully, the elevator dinged, revealing we had arrived in the basement where the parking lot was.
My car had been delayed. The dealer had called me yesterday, saying it would be here within the next two days, so I had to hail a cab for now.
The semi-black glass door of the elevator dinged open. Like, previously Karsten waited for me to exit first.
"Good night, Sir. I will see you tomorrow." Exiting the elevator, I was about to head out and look for a cab when Karsten joined me, taking long strides.
"I will drop you off. You should have cancelled whatever unreliable company you booked a car with and accepted the company one." So he was the one who asked Miranda to offer me a car. I knew it.
Mr Ice cared.
~Awww~
But he had a shitty way of showing it.
"It’s fine, Sir. My car will be here by tomorrow. I don’t want to be a bother and will catch a cab."
He huffed with a finality, leaving no room for discussion. "I will drop you off, Miss Arata."
I pursed my lips and pinched my glasses back. My low-heeled white pumps made small clinking sounds against the granite.
His bodyguard appeared, taking the coat from Karsten as he led us towards a neon blue ultramodern car launched just a few days ago by Lamborghini. The Alpha Blue was a dream car with aggressive and angular styling typical of Lamborghini; a sleek and aerodynamic profile.
Sharp lines and bold curves offered it a sporty yet muscular appearance fitting for a CEO like Karsten. The car was an electric power station with zero waste emissions. This car was the future which combined speed and elegance.
I knew so much about it because Zaylen wouldn’t shut up talking about them and this was his dream car. Baba had promised to get him this if he passed all his exams. He was a sports person, studies bored him.
I was captivated and hoped it didn’t show on my face too clearly or another jab from Karsten would find its way to me.
Olphi opened the back door for us, it slid right up like a wing.
"Settle in," Karsten instructed.
Giving Olphi an appreciative nod, I stepped inside and settled on the comfortable bucket seats. The high-quality black leather and carbon fibre had been used to create the perfect interior.
Karsten sat on my left while Olphi took the wheel. I had never seen Olphi speak, the man was like a robot that understood all of his boss’s commands without him even having to move his lips.
The car purred to life and moved like the wind which whispers through the forest, silent and refreshing.
We left the parking area behind and arrived on the road.
"We will drop Miss Arata first," Karsten revealed, and Olphi’s sharp eyes wavered to me in expectancy. I gave him the address and he only nodded.
Karsten began to tap his fingers on his left knee.
The silence hung like tension between us, thick and taut like a guitar string.
"Nice car," I broke the lingering silence.
"Came in three days ago. The zero carbon emissions was a huge incentive for me to buy it,"
Mr Cold cared for the environment.
"More fuel-efficient cars are needed if we have to survive as a species on this planet." I sighed, the pollution situation was worsening, and the holes in the ozone layer were enlarging only because of our greed.
"Not only cars but industries as well, more than 40 per cent of air and water pollution is caused by them."
Of course, he was Mr Know-It-All, I could imagine he was not used to hearing otherwise. I just politely smiled and said.
"You are right, I hope our factories are not amongst them."
His hand which was casually flipping on his knee suddenly went rigid and veins like blue spider webs emerged all over his hand and arm, visible due to the rollover sleeve.
His head dangerously turned towards me and the look that flashed in his sinfully attractive eyes almost made me flinch.
"My factories comply with all environmental regulations and have passed every non-pollution test. I personally acquired the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) for them."
I quickly added trying to assuage his anger. "I never doubted it."
"Yes, you did. Don’t do it again. Wrong people hear of it and there will be a whole investigation." A vein in his temple throbbed, and the jaw was so tight that I thought it would snap. The glare in his eyes didn’t dilute down.
Did he think I was stupid that I would be going around blabbering? He was always ticking me off and when I did it, he got mad.
"Relax!"
"You don’t have to tell me what to do," he answered like a petulant child whose favourite toy got stolen.
This man was insufferable.
Shaking my head, I turned it other way and began to stare out at the night city. The hustle and bustle of it were inviting. I need to go exploring with Stella.
Karsten had gone overly quiet and I had no intention of shaking that wasp’s nest anymore. Soon we were parked outside my apartment building and I lifted my bag.
"Thank you for the ride. Good night," I mumbled and was only answered with a grunt by Mr Arctic. His jaw hadn’t slackened.
Olphi opened the door for me and I climbed down.
"Thank you, Olphi," I offered and he gave me a respectful nod before moving back to the driver’s seat.
The car came to life without a noise but didn’t move away. He was waiting for me to go inside the building. I extracted my entrance card and swiped it to gain access. Once the glass doors had slid open and I had entered the apartment building, the car finally moved.
The man didn’t know how to regulate his feelings.
Did his parents not love and guide him? I wondered while heading towards my apartment.