When they entered Brooklyn, Raymond asked her,

"Would you like to have dinner with me?"

Akira thought for a while and then said,

"No, I want you to have dinner with me" and smiled.

"What do you mean? You are just repeating what I said?"

"I mean would you like to have dinner with me and Mike? I think it's time that he should know about you. I have never hidden anything from him for this long. Yesterday also when I texted him that I can't come back, he assumed that I am with Vikram. So before his assumption goes any further, I would like him to meet you formally".

"Well, I don't mind !!!", Raymond said and smiled looking at her.

"So you need anything to be picked?"

"No no, I had stocked my fridge this Saturday so I guess there is no need unless you want to eat something extremely fancy", Akira said and smiled taking a jibe at him.

Raymond continued driving and said,

"I kinda liked the old version of you. The one who just trembled with my touch. This Akira has gotten way too much bolder."

"Have I ?", Akira asked rolling her eyes.

"I never trembled with your touch for your kind information".

"Oh really? You seriously want to argue about that?"

"Can you focus on driving, please. People shouldn't talk while driving. It gets them distracted. That is like driving rule number one", she spoke showing her index finger to Raymond and he just couldn't suppress his laugh.

Akira then picked up her phone and called up Mike just to give him a heads-up.

"Hey, Mike !!! I am coming back home now".

"Oh, now you remember that you have a home and a brother as well !!!"

"Oh please I told you right, I had some issues".

"Whatever just come back fast. I am bored to death. This Teddy is also not in town and our cable sucks".

Akira laughed hearing his endless rant and then said,

"Well, I have a guest with me too".

"Guest? Who? Vikram?", Mike asked enthusiastically.

"Not Vikram, it's Raymond. My boss !!! You have met before !!!".

"But didn't you guys like separated? Isn't he having a baby with his fiance? I mean you cried your eyes out that day. Now, what changed overnight?"

"I will explain everything when I come back home. Ok?".

"Ok !!!"

And then Akira disconnected the call and it was almost her home.

As they went inside Mike greeted Raymond but he was a bit curt with him as he thought of him as his sister's heart breaker. He always wanted her sister to be with Vikram, so when he got to know that she liked Raymond, he was a bit disappointed but still, he respected her decision. But considering the fact that he had a baby with his fiance, he literally loathed him.

Seeing her brother acting all brash while greeting Raymond, Akira pulled her brother inside and quickly told him about everything that had happened. Mike couldn't believe that so much had happened in a short span of two days and somehow he became even more sympathetic towards Vikram.

Then Akira cleaned herself up and moved to the kitchen and Raymond followed. Mike sat at a distance on the sofa to observe the two without them having a hint about it as he pretended to be engrossed in watching some random game on TV.

He chopped, she cooked, they were a perfect couple together, laughing and teasing each other from time to time. Having her so close, but not being able to kiss her, made Raymond a bit restless but he didn't let it show.

Then Raymond quickly glanced over towards the hall and saw Mike busy watching the match and he quickly stole a kiss from Akira who was baffled with his audacity.

She blushed and moved towards the pantry cabin immediately to take out some canned beans and to hide her blushing face. But he pulled her towards him and started kissing on her neck. She totally lost herself in his cage and whimpered softly. He covered her mouth with his hands to stop her moaning sounds from reaching Mike's ears, but then she dropped the can that she was holding on the floor.

"Dang it !!!"

"What happened Akira?", Mike asked from the hall room.

"Nothing nothing. I just dropped a can", she said and pushed Raymond away who was smiling all smug.

He came closer to her and whispered into her ears,

"Someone told me that she was not affected at all".

She melted when his warm breath touched her neck and her entire body entered into a trance. She opened the can and was about to put the content into the hot pot, but she was so distracted with his kiss that her hands touched the hot pot by mistake.

"Ouch !!!"

"Shit Akira !!!", Raymond screamed and immediately rushed and covered her fingers with his own. The next second he dashed towards the fridge and got the ice pack out. Then he took out his car keys and gave it to Mike who had also rushed in after hearing her scream and said,

"There is a first aid box in my boot. Can you please get it?"

Mike immediately ran out and got the first aid box.

Raymond took out the ice pack and then wiped her fingers very gently with a dry cloth and then carefully applied the Silver Nitrate ointment. It was the same tube that Akira had given it to him on the flight. She looked at the tube all surprised and a smile etched on her face.

He too looked at her and said,

"Good that an angel had given this to me !!!"

Then he asked her to sit silently on the couch and he finished whatever cooking was remaining along with Mike. Finally, after twenty minutes the cooking was done and the table was set for dinner.

"So when will your summer break be over Mike?"

"In another 1 month".

"I see", Raymond said and then grazed Akira's leg with his own under the dining table and made Akira choke on the water that she was drinking.

She rolled her eyes at him and then kicked him back slightly.

They all had a good time at dinner, just like a small happy family until it was time for Raymond to leave.

As Mike was standing at the doorstep, Raymond hesitated a bit but then gave a small peck on Akira's cheek and wished both of them a Good Night and left.

As Akira went inside, Mike sprawled himself on the sofa and then looking at Akira he said,

"You better treasure this man. He is a keeper !!!"

Akira was taken aback by the words of her brother. He was the one who was being all judgemental and curt with Raymond and suddenly he had become a fan.

"A sudden change of heart !!! What a surprise. I thought you always batted for team Vikram".

"I still do, but you will stay happy with this one".

"But what made you say so?"

"In Vikram's eyes I have always seen concern and care for you. But in his eyes, I saw pain, like he was feeling every bit of it when you got hurt. His brows twitched every single time you flinched", Mike said and switched back to watching TV.

Akira went to the kitchen and leaned on the wall and took a deep breath.

She could never tell him, how much his words meant to her.