Chapter 2. Stalking and Membership.

As Saira drove out of the car parking  she determinedly pushed away all thoughts of her brief unpleasant encounter of the evening.

She fiddled with the radio and smiled as one of her favorite songs started playing.

" Oh Carol-"

She started singing along with the wonderful voice of Neil Sedaka.

Had she been more careful she would have seen the car that was following her closely.

She would realise soon her mistake  of not paying attention.

Leonardo's POV

I sat outside the library feeling silly. I stared at the not so grand but sturdy structure as it stood directly in my line of vision.

Now why was I here?

No. I did not really follow any woman's car here.

Of course not. I would never do that. I don't need to do that. I have women falling all over the place vying for my attention.

My fingers hit the steering wheel drumming it consistently as my mind tried to deny my actions of the past hours.

Moss green eyes- I closed my eyes as that image invaded my mind yet again.

Since that incident at the beach about two hours back, I was not able to focus on anything. Not surprisingly though. No one, absolutely no one spoke to me like that. Ever!

I don't deny there could have been a serious accident and Elton could have got hurt. However as always I was in control.

The possibilities of accident had diminished since I had already balanced myself. I was not going to let Elton fall even on the sand.

Concern for a toddler I can understand, but how dare she accuse me of being careless? Obviously she has no idea who I am.

Yes, that is what it is. She does not know who I am. Even when she served me my order she was polite and not at all overly courteous with poorly concealed enthusiasm that my presence usually receives.

Ignorant as she is, she is in for a rude shock. I somewhat found peace in the thought that the woman's lack of knowledge made her act in a way she should not have.

She humiliated me and I would be returning the favour. It made me smile just imagining the moss green eyes filling with shame and horror when she finally does realise her big folly.

I can almost see them brimming with tears- No, no tears. Somehow the thought of the eyes with tears made my heart jab in pain.

Why do I care? What the hell is wrong with me?

Because it's wrong to make a woman cry, the voice in my subconscious mind tells me. Yes. That is the reason. I don't care about her tears, It's just not good to make a woman cry.

I may not care for the broken hearts that lay in a steady trail behind me but I hold immense respect for women in general. It's just the gold digging variety that I am distasteful to.

My phone rang just then and I almost groaned in frustration when Dhruv's name flashed.

I rejected the call, knowing very well he will instantly know I am upto something right now.

I better get this over and done with. I am here to ensure the girl who dared to behave with me in a disrespectful manner is paid back suitably.

I need to do this for my own peace of mind. I need to ensure that the one stray incident when I am shouted at by someone, instead of the usual other way around is behind me.

Getting out of the car I stepped inside the building. A woman was sitting at the counter under a board that read 'Librarian.'

My eyes scanned the length of the large room in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the reason of my being here.

A frown creased my forehead when I don't see her. I am positive I saw her enter here. There are sub-sections further down in the hall. Should I try to look for her or sit here and wait? Suppose there is another exit and she uses that on her way out?

Suddenly something snapped  within me.

What was I thinking stalking a girl like this? All this just to get back at her for not acknowledging me the way I am used to?

I feel like a dimwit right now. I am a hard-core business tycoon looked upon all over the globe not a teenager who does not have hold of his emotions!

What made me behave like a disgruntled teenager? I have never done anything so crazy even as a teenager and here I was, a thirty one year old standing inside a library making a fool of myself.

I had gone to the fast food joint too with the hope of seeing her there. When she had come to serve my table I had the perfect opportunity to humiliate her but all I did was smile at her.

I could not help it! One look at her smiling face the corners of my lips had stretched into a smile on their own accord. On overhearing her saying she was leaving I had jumped up immediately and got my order parcelled for take away.

Catching a glimpse of her as she rolled her car off the parking had made me rush to my car and follow her here. All the while my brain of course kept denying doing any of these things.

I saw the librarian looking my way. I curbed the urgent desire to turn around and rush out of the room. That would not do any good to me.

The look on the lady's face was a giveaway that she knew who I am. At least not all are ignorant moss eyed angels.

Angel? Where did that come from? Devil. Right. Green eyed devil, I repeated in my mind satisfactorily.

As I approached the counter I tried to summon a smile on my face. I tried to remember how my brother, Mark behaved around ladies. He was his charming best, going about his womanizer self he got his way in tricky situations easily and I on the other hand had no clue how to flirt even casually.

"Hghii-"

I cleared my throat embarrassed at the sound my 'Hi' made!

"How can I help you Sir?" The lady in front of me enquired politely.

"I wanted to check on some books. May I?" I said in a rush, not knowing what else to say. All thoughts of attempting to put up a flirting stance were squashed by now. I don't need to do any more silly stuff in trying to stalk a woman.

Stalk a woman! The thought itself made me feel like a jerk and here I was doing exactly that since the past few hours.

"Sure Sir. Please feel free to look around. We have an amazing collection of books." I heard the woman in front of me gush excitedly. Obviously I was being estimated as a valued future patron.

I nodded. I will pretend to look for a few minutes and then get the hell out of here. To think some men enjoy playing stunts like this. I feel like a class one Jackass right now.

"Maybe you would consider taking up a membership here? I am sure you will find plenty of books to your liking here."

Like hell I would, I thought to myself smugly My personal library has at least twice the number of books here.

"Not really-"

"Janet I have arranged the books in the cupboard in the children section. Some are in need to serious repair and binding." My head snapped at the voice that cut me off midsentence.

The reason for all my current woes strode forward and dismissed my presence without even throwing half a glance in my direction.

"You work here?" The words were out of my mouth without me really intending to be vocal about them.

I saw her eyes widen in shock. Probably she realised my presence right now. I saw her eyes narrow at me as she gave me a look that told clearly about her suspicions with regard to me.

I have asked for this. First the food joint, now here in the library, It would not need a genius to realise I am following her.

Now I am a certified stalker.

"Sir, would you consider becoming a member?" The librarian repeated. obviously not wanting to let go of a good business prospect

"Yes I want to be a member." There, my reputation is safe. After all it's just a membership.

"Wonderful!" The lady, Janet I think is her name, sounded she had just cracked a great business deal. "Saira, please help him dear with the formalities."

"Sure." Came the response, though her expression told me she did not really trust my motives to be there.

Saira- my tongue itched to try the name. Her name is as beautiful as her. Too bad I will be humiliating her and then leave. Now is the perfect opportunity.

I saw her scribble something on a card. Squashing away the guilty feeling which was trying to make it's place in my chest I opened my mouth "I am Leo-"

"Please sign here Sir." She pushed a card towards me. Why does she have to keep interrupting me?

My eyes widened as I read the details. She had filled in my name already. She knows me!

"You know who I am?" Once again the words were out without me intending to voice thwm.

My vocal cord and brain really need to coordinate and function! I should not have said these words aloud.

"Mr. Norcross you are a well know man." I can make out she is trying to be polite as a job profile requirement.

My heart is racing and I fail to understand why. She is right. I am a well know man. I had just assumed no one, knowing who I am would dare to speak to me the way she had.

I had been wrong. So wrong. Heck, to hell with revenge. It is anyways childish to think of revenge. Time to end this silly thing. I will just take the card she had filled in and walk out of here. I will never be coming back here anyways.

"Leonardo" I put forward my hand for her to shake. Might as well walk off on a good note.

She eyed my hand for a few seconds as though wondering why I am introducing myself when she already knew who I am. Right. Why was I doing it?

I almost pulled my hand away wanting to bury it in my pocket when she put her hand forward and placed it on my outstretched hand. "Saira Zaveri"

My fingers firmly closed over her soft hand and I gave it a firm shake before releasing it.

I completed the formalities and paid the modest membership fees and was handed over the membership card.

I pushed it down the pocket of my jeans not really intending to ever use it. Once I step out of here the incidents of the past hours would be firmly behind me.

Saira 's POV.

"I think he came here for you." I heard Janet say, sounding bemused as soon Leonardo Norcross had walked out of the door.

"What makes you say that?" I asked her.

"When he had entered his eyes seemed to search around. It seemed he was looking for someone or something." Janet said slowly. "When I asked he said he wanted to look at the books, but as soon as he sees you he becomes a member and leaves immediately. It seemed as though his search was over"

"Why would a man like him come looking for me?" I scoffed, though I had a somewhat uneasy feeling she might be right.

"I don't know. But he seemed to know you when he saw you." Janet said her eyes by now twinkling with amusement and curiosity.

"That could be because of what happened at at beach today." I told her the happenings at the beach.

She listened with an expression that was a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Are you crazy? Talking like that to a man of his stature!"

"Oh come on Janet. The poor baby could have been hurt. That was careless of him. It made me so angry. How can anyone be so careless?" I fumed at the memory.

Not to mention the way he had been staring at my lips.

Pervert!

I did not mention this to Janet, not wanting her to insist that the infuriating rich spoilt brat had come here looking for me.

Janet shook her head at me. "Saira, one of these days your temper will get you into serious trouble. If you are not already into one that is."

"Janet, you are reading too much into the situation. There is no way he could have known I work here."

She seemed to consider what I had said "That is right. It was probably just a co incidence that he was where you work and not intentionally." Janet agreed.

Unless he followed me here, an uneasy voice in my head said. I pushed the thought away. It is ridiculous even to think on that line. A man as successful and well known as him would never do anything like that.

For someone as common as me, he would not, I am quite sure about that.

I doubt I am going to be face to face with him ever again, I tell myself and get back to my work. I need to focus on my work and not some famous billionaire.

"Whatever the reason, him being a member is great for our library. We can use this fact to lure so many new members and donors." Janet said happily.

I could not help but laugh at Janet's enthusiasm. She really works very hard to try and get best books and there are many who benefit from it.

Yes, that is what he was. A valuable member to my place of work.

I work very hard in my attempt to make my life run smoothly and on track. Unnecessary thoughts of arrogant billionaires have no place in my life or even in my mind.

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