"Somehow, I don't see you as the do-nothing type."
Or be a good little anything. The woman was opinionated, mouthy, incredibly smart, and had the potential for destruction not unlike a Category 4 hurricane. She also had a fantastic ass and a body that should make men beg at her feet. But that was neither here northere, he decided, irritated with his mind wandering where he’d not given it permission to.
"Exactly! I will go insane.” She spun on her heel, swaying her hips as she stalked back and forth between him and the glass railing, giving him a view of the perfect peach of her posterior, lush, delectable and encased in pyjama shorts, this time with cherry prints all over. If he wasn’t hungry before, he was certainly hungry now.
“I'd rather get married to someone I pick instead."
Right. He gulped, trying to settle the uncomfortable swirl of desire that seemed harder to ignore around Aditi each passing day.
She wanted marriage. And he was determined not to touch that time bomb with a hundred-foot pole. Besides, he’d promised Nanamma he’d treat Aditi with respect. That’s the only reason he hadn’t accepted her friends-with-benefits deal, he reminded himself, hard pressed to continue justifying it when she bit down on her lip. The urge for him to do the same thing spiked at the sight. He shook his head, stalking up to the railing, needing more air than he seemed to have while seated.
“Someone who lives here,” he heard her mutter under her breath, their shoulders just barely touching as they both stared at the distant lights flickering. “Someone I could be friends with.”
He nodded distractedly, uncorking the lid of his water bottle slowly, trying to calm his hormones because his dick certainly seemed to be a little too eager to make its presence known.
“Bugs?” She waited until he faced her. He took a sip, humming at her to continue. “Would you like to marry me?”
Rian choked on his water, spraying it right into her face.
Aditi jerked back, closing her eyes upon impact. Liquid droplets clung to her thick lashes and dripped down her cheeks in tiny rivulets. Her mouth tightened in irritation.
“I didn’t need a second shower today, but thanks.” She peevishly grabbed the edge of his shirt and pulled it up, involuntarily reducing the gap between them. Childishly, she wiped her face dry, leaving adark, damp spot on his blue tee. He couldn’t even protest, his mind stuck, replaying her question over and over again.
“What the fuck did you just say?” he croaked, his throat still burning.
“What?” She tilted her head back to see him, finally registering his shock.
“Oh! Oh yes! Will you marry me?” She bounced on her feet like a happy little penguin who’d just successfully found a fish.
Was it crazy that her smile made him want to say yes? She had such a pretty smile, the kind which was reflected in her eyes. It made him want to do things that would keep her smiling at him. His eyes widened, determinedly pushing the thought away. His heart hammered in a furious rhythm, refusing to calm itself.
“Doc, I think the heat has gotten to you.”
Actually, the heat had gotten to him. He tried to run. He needed to run. His feet wouldn't move.
He stared down at the little woman who had thrown his world for a loop with a simple question, her eyes impossibly brown in the dim lights that illuminated her face. He felt like he was drowning in a pool of luscious cream and chocolate with no intention of saving himself. How the hell had she made him want to say yes?
“Bugs, listen!” she exclaimed, placing a hand on his arm. He should have worn long sleeves. Her bare skin touching his felt like he was being branded.
“I like you,” Aditi continued, looking at him earnestly. “Whatever I know of you, I really like. You’re a nice guy. And I’m a pretty nice girl. I think you could like me too. What do you say we make a go of it?”
“You're a nice girl and I'm a nice guy? That's your basis for marriage?”
She pursed her lips in a fishy pout, shrugging like she’d just asked him to share a bite of his food instead of his entire life.
Fuck, he needed a drink. And all he had was this goddamn water bottle. He lifted it high, chugging it down in a single breath, one eye still on the mad woman who had just proposed marriage to him.
"You’ve gone crazy. Good luck.” He turned, feeling like he would cave and do something stupid if he didn’t put some distance between them.
"Wait!” She tugged him back, one hand on her hip. “You're just going to leave? You're not going to offer to help?"
"Why should I?"
"Because we're friends."
"No, we are not!" he snapped, unable to keep calm.
"Oh my god, relax. What is with the overreaction, Bugs? It’s not like I saidpyaar dosti hai.”