“Harish was not half bad in bed. But I could never stop thinking enough to be what he needed.”
“Let me guess. Your idiot ex told you that,” he griped, judgement dripping from every word.
“Yes. But I don’t think he was wrong. My mind is just always. . .running. Thinking about the things that need to be done. Or that I could do.” Aditi rubbed her arms up and down, the chill slowly getting to her. “That’s why I rewatch old movies before I sleep. So I can stop in the middle without wondering about the plot. I tend to read books only with happy endings, because at least I know what to expect.” She paused. “I think I’ve lost you.”
“You haven't,” he said, startling her when he wrapped a blanket around her, turning her towards him to adjust it. “You find comfort in what is known to you.”
She blinked. “You understood all of what I said?”
“Perfectly. Was I not supposed to?”
“I’m just surprised. By now, Harish would have rolled his eyes and told me I’d stopped making sense a long time ago.”
Harish is a real fucking tool, Rian almost spat, his dislike growing every time Aditi mentioned the guy. He wished he’d given in to his impulse to sucker punch Harish’s face at the restaurant. He could only guess that her ex, intimidated by her intelligence, had attempted to maintain his superiority by making her feel bad about herself.
“If someone doesn’t understand you, it's because they were too lazy to pay attention. You make perfect sense to me. Continue.”
The sound of crickets grew louder.
“What was I saying?”
She looked so adorably concerned, Rian couldn’t help it. Laughter bubbled within him, bursting out in a rough bark once, then again, until he was chortling in earnest.
When she glared at him, god help him, he actually did want to kiss the pout off her face.
"Don't laugh,” she almost cried, her feelings still teetering on the edge of hurt. “Help me out of this situation."
"By immersing myself in your situation? Correction, situationship?" Rian joked, still wheezing.
"Yes!"
"No.”
"Ugh, fine,” she grumbled, thoroughly annoyed. She pushed off the railing to head back inside. “Dr. Sameer is a nice guy. He might agree. He doesn't want anything serious anyway,” she muttered to herself, missing the murderous shadow that darkened his face. “Might even kiss me like he means it.”
Rian didn’t know what possessed him. His tightly reined control snapped and his screaming practical brain was subdued by the calculative and ruthless side of him who had but one aim.
To conquer. To pillage. To own.
He spun her around and hauled her against him. “Just remember thatyouwanted this.”
“Wha. . .”
His fingers slid into her hair, cupping the back of her head just as his mouth landed on hers, drowning out her exclamation. His arm encircled her waist as he bent over her, his lips drawing hers, suckling one and then the other, going back again and again until her shock receded. Aditi felt a jolt of awareness drum through her when the tip of his tongue traced the seam of her mouth.
Her lips parted automatically, a tacit encouragement for him to deepen the kiss, one which he accepted without delay. His fingers curled into her scalp, pulling slightly to tilt her face so he could have unhindered access. His tongue swept into her warmth, tasting the sweetness of the cream she’d devoured, adding to a flavour that was innately her.
Her hands moved up his arms, gently tracing the flex of his biceps under the cotton he wore, finding their path up until her fingers met the exposed skin of his throat. She tried to rise up on her toes, gasping when he helped her by grabbing her ass and lifting her upwards. Her breasts grew heavy and her nipples puckered under her nightshirt, fueled by the feel of his muscular body against hers, all hardness and heat in contrast to her lush curves.
The unintentional scrape of her nail against his collarbone caused him to shudder. With a needy growl, he tightened his hold, squeezing her derriere in approval. Her little sounds enchanted him, his ears attuned to her whimpers, his hands full of the woman he’d been lusting after for weeks. The heady feeling of finally giving in to at least this one kiss only fueled the fire. He wanted more of her than he already had.
Aditi gave in to Rian’s demands, letting him kiss her like she was the only tether he had left to life itself. Just when she thought her chest would burst for need of air, he pulled away.
Eyes closed, she leaned her forehead against his cheek, needing multiple moments to simply catch her breath. She didn’t know what to think. Her body was trembling, her knees felt like jelly. The only reason she hadn’t melted into a puddle was because she was in his arms.
She was still having trouble recollecting normal words. Given the fact that his hands were still squarely on her ass, she didn’t think she could get her brain working anytime soon.
She was so confused that her first attempt at speaking was a singular squeak. Nothing more. She gulped and tried again, “What was that?”