Two Weeks Later
Annika stepped out of the car, the humidity smacking her hard in the face, forcing her lungs to work a little harder to process oxygen. Shivaay, looking like he belonged on the beach a hundred yards to her left with the sun gilding his dark hair and reflecting off his aviators, even in all black as usual, glanced at her. "You get used to the humidity," he teased.
"God, I hope so," Annika gasped, fanning herself. She looked around then moved to grab her bag from the back seat of the SUV, even as two young Latino guys, looking damn good to the girl without shirts and their very white smiles, passed by, giving her the once over.
"Mira a esa chica. Esa es una de culo caliente." (Look at that girl, that's a hot ass)
"Joder sí es!" (Fuck yes it is!)
She had no idea what they said, but smiled as she hefted her bag down. Shivaay lifted it from her hand, looking disgruntled. "What did they say?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said and Annika shrugged.
"C'mon, we have to check in, then I want to get on that beach." She lead the way to the hotel and smiled at the doorman, who winked back and they checked in. When they got to the room, Shivaay dropped their bags, pulled her flush against his front, and kissed her hungrily.
Annika surged up into his mouth, pressing herself against him. He lifted her easily and carried her back to the massive bed with far too many pillows, grabbing her ass firmly as his tongue pushed into her willing mouth, and then he dropped her on the plush, massive bed. "Get undressed."
She didn't hesitate to comply, and whipped her shirt off. "So what did they really say?" she asked, sitting up on her knees as she unbuttoned her shorts and tugged them down.
"The one was telling his friend to look at you, because you've got a hot ass. The friend agreed." He moved over her as she laid back after the last of their clothing fell away. "Which is true, but still bothersome to have pointed out."
Annika grinned, pulling him down to kiss him properly. "Good thing you're here to keep a handle on the situation," she murmured as his mouth moved down her neck and she moaned softly as he nipped at her pulse point. His hands moved to pin her wrists above her head and she remained stretched out as his fingers trailed teasingly down her arms.
Shivaay took his time kissing and licking and nipping at her sensitive breasts, drawing out hoarse cries of pleasure that damned him further and further. But it was utterly and completely worth it. When she wriggled and panted he at last moved lower, and lower still, and when she moaned in anticipation as he spread her thighs, Shivaay almost lost it right then. "Fuck, Annika," he grunted, then tasted her.
Her fingers gripped his hair as she cried out, "Yes, Shivaay!"
The man brought her skillfully to a swift orgasm, drawing out the pleasure that had her moaning loud, arching into him, her cries all for him, the bite of her fingernails into his shoulders fixing him to reality as he watched her writhing in completion. "I don't think I can stop," Shivaay groaned as he kissed his way back up her luscious body. He was aching for her. When she moved beneath him again, her limbs clinging to him, he knew he was lost.
"Don't stop," she whimpered, lifting her pelvis to his in a silent plea.
The man buried his face in her neck, breathing deep the enticingly vanilla-laced aroma of her, striving for control. Pleasuring her was one thing. Taking her entirely, fitting her to him and around him, fucking her, was a whole different ball game. Because once wouldn't be enough. Like every part of her he'd sampled thus far. But dear fucking God, he wanted. Badly. "I don't have any-" he began, trying to think of any excuse.
"You don't need that." Shivaay already knew she had an IUD to prevent pregnancy, as it was in her medical file, and groaned. Her legs moved a little higher on his hips, pressing her wetness against the length of him as her hands smoothed down his neck and across his shoulders, mouth against his throat. "Please don't say no," she whispered.
His control wavered, his common sense smashed to smithereens, and his conscience on a leave of absence. Shivaay rolled them so that she sprawled atop him. "I'm not going to say no," he finally rumbled, and grit his teeth, praying for enough control not to finish right then as she gripped his erection.
"Thank God," she replied, and lifted up and sank down onto him, slow and perfect, moaning as he filled her, head lolling backward in bliss. "Oh, oh, ohh, yes!" she groaned, at last bottoming out and sucking in a deep breath through her nose. "Fuck," she whispered, groaning and biting her lower lip as she rocked slowly.
She tossed her long hair and looked at Shivaay, feeling his hands on her hips, holding her there, his dark blue eyes very clear. "Ride me," he grunted, and she felt a sharp tug of wanting in her belly that had her clenching around him, his breath huffing out as she shivered with desire. "Fuck, darling, please, because if you do that again, I'm not going to last."
She groaned, shifting forward, leaning down to kiss him, her tongue stroking into his mouth as she lifted up and then sank slowly back down, moaning against his lips. For long moments she kissed him, riding him slow and deep, and as her heart rate kicked up with her libido, she broke away, moaning as she picked up the pace. "Fuck, yes!" she chanted, the first word on the lift, the second on the downstroke. "Oh God," she whimpered, feeling herself start to lose it. "Shivaay, unh, yes! Shivaay, Shivaay! Fuck yes!"
Annika didn't hear him growling her name, pounding up into her as she came around him, squeezing him delectably and pushing him over the edge into bliss with her. She was lost, utterly and completely, in the hot, molten euphoria of sex with Shivaay fucking Oberoi. It was better than good, it blew great out of the water, and nudged fan-fucking-tastic out of the top spot. Because it was phenomenal.
When she finally came back down, panting and sweaty, still clinging to Shivaay and resting her dead weight upon him, his hands smoothing up and down her back, she blushed a little. "Sorry," she murmured, making to roll off of him, but he held her against himself.
"For what?" he asked, incredulous.
Annika sat up a little. "Well I'm squishing you, and-" She broke off, blushing more. Because that had been, by and far, the very best sex of her whole admittedly limited experiences. "I was probably loud," she muttered, unable to look at him.
She made to roll again, but he was holding her hips once more. "You were. Very loud," he confirmed. "It was hot. Very hot." The girl blushed more, certain her face matched a tomato now, and bit her lip and Shivaay groaned. His hand lifted, tangling in her hair and pulling her by the back of the neck down to kiss her again.
"Mmm," she moaned against his mouth, and her hips rolled of their own accord, his half hard cock still within her. Shivaay groaned again.
"Annika, you're killing me," he muttered, and she kissed his neck, then bit him lightly.
"Does it feel good?" she asked breathily, and rolled her hips once more, slow and deliberate this time. "Or do you want me to stop?" Her pearly whites nipped at him again.
"Don't stop," he ground out, and his hands urged her to move faster. "Yes," he rumbled, "just like that."
The girl moaned, rolling her hips as she kept riding him, hard and deep, and she felt him hardening within her. "Ooh, yes," he moaned as he gripped her ass and spread her wider. She was panting and moaning as he lifted his head to lick her nipple, thrusting up into her. "Unh, fuck, yes!"
"Do you like that?" Shivaay growled, thrusting harder still holding her ass.
"Oh yes," she moaned, louder than before. "Ohh, fuck yes, yes, yes!" She arched her back, shifting, the change in angles making her eyes go wide. "Oh!" she gasped.
"Yes, darling," the man grunted. "Fuck yes."
She whimpered as a fingertip teased along the cleft of her buttocks, just brushing her ass hole. "Please," she mewled as he fucked her hard from below, holding her wide open. The fingertip brushed her anus again, making her clench him and groan. "Again," she whispered, teetering on the brink.
Shivaay flexed his abs again, lifting his head to suckle her nipple, pounding up into her still. And when he pressed his fingertip against her sphincter one last time, just enough to almost penetrate her, she came all over him again, crying out loudly, grinding hard down onto him, gripping him from within. He loved her through her orgasm, still teasing her, and then moved his hand to brush her clit, drawing one last shudder of pleasure from her before she melted, boneless, onto him. He spanked her lightly when she groaned. "You're so fucking hot," he rumbled, unable to resist touching her, every available inch of flesh he could reach, again.
"No, you," she breathed, lifting her head a little. He rolled them so they lay on their sides, and moved to withdraw from her, but she hooked her leg around his hip. "Do you want to be on top now?" she murmured, pressing her mouth to his. "That's how I always imagined it would be," she added coyly, smoothing her hand down his chest.
"Annika," he groaned. But he was unable to resist the lure of her as he rolled them fully and moved over her. She smiled and spread her legs wide.
"Shivaay," she murmured back, and lifted her arms over her head, holding onto the headboard. "Ride me." He didn't have to be told twice, and in an embarrassingly short time, he'd sated himself in her again.
At long last they lay, side by side, staring up at the ceiling. "You're really good at that," Annika finally murmured, turning into him.
"So are you," he replied, feeling very relaxed and thoroughly spent. And then, like an earthquake, his conscience came roaring back, shattering the peaceful moment of bliss. You're a fucking fool. You can kiss your career goodbye, kiss your job and housing goodbye, and, after all that, kiss Annika goodbye too. You crossed the fucking line, all by yourself this time, and now you're neck deep in shit. You fucking fool.
Annika sat up, half smiling as she looked down at him, her long hair falling messily around her shoulders, the sunshine pouring in through the window tipping her breasts in golden light. "It doesn't have to mean anything," she said, hazel eyes a little sad. "Us...y'know." Her cheeks went pink, the same dark shade as her rosy, kiss-swollen lips, then turned away and swung her legs out of bed, running a hand through her hair. "You don't have to have a guilt trip or anything." She stood up, naked and stunning as ever and Shivaay couldn't resist looking at her ass. Then Annika glanced over her shoulder at him. "And if you haven't realized yet I'm not going to sue you or anything for misconduct or whatever, then you're an idiot. Just saying."
She moved, still naked, to her bag, picked it up and disappeared into the bathroom. Shivaay looked at the door she had closed between them and took a deep breath, sat up, and rubbed a hand over his face. You're fucked both ways now. Might as well enjoy the ride.
The weekend passed in the blink of an eye to Annika. She went to the beach, had dinner with Shivaay, and had more hot wild sex with Shivaay that night. She got up with him and went running, then took a shower that lead to a little more sex, went to the wedding, which was lovely, and back to the hotel afterward for a repeat of the previous night, which was better than lovely. By the time the plane touched down, she thought she'd come to terms with not having the tall, sinfully handsome man one last time. Even though she wanted him more than she liked to admit, even to herself. Then came the car ride, which was rife with unspoken tension. And even as she grabbed her bags, Annika couldn't speak. She didn't even know what to say.
"Call me if you need me," Shivaay said simply, handing her bag to her and hefting his own before closing the SUV up, and then departed. Annika paused, took a deep breath, and squared her shoulders. Okay, so that's that, then.
She went upstairs to unpack and sighed, flopping on her bed. At least you've got the memories. She smiled a little at that. She did. And they were beyond fantasy. Shivaay had been a mind-blowing experience to be with in bed, as well as out of it. Annika tried to ignore the hot ache for him, and sat up, moving to unpack her bag. She found the note tucked into the side pocket after everything else was out of the little duffle, and unfolded it, feeling wary. It was hand written.
Meet me at the bushes beside the end of the driveway at four tomorrow. And yes, I mean in the morning, darling. -S.
Annika stared at it, half smiling a little, half confused. Why in the hell would he want to meet at four in the fucking morning? That was sleeping time, damn it! She frowned, crumpled up the note, and put it on her bedside table. She sighed and grabbed her cell phone and set an alarm for three thirty, so she could at least attempt to be caffeinated.
At four the next morning, she was in her massive sleep shirt, micro shorts she'd pulled on blindly, and had her hair haphazardly wrapped in a bun with her sneakers on. She had coffee in a travel mug. "This better be worth it," she grumbled, then yawned and sighed, and slipped out the front gates.
She wandered down the front of the property a bit to the stand of bushes. "Are you wearing that running?" Shivaay asked, moving out of a shadow where he'd been all but invisible.
Annika frowned. "You never said we were going running."
Shivaay grinned, looking fresh and alert in the half-light, and thoroughly awake. "I assumed it would be a given."
"I don't have anything on underneath this," she said, smothering another yawn. "So it stays."
"Fine. Stretch up, you're coming with me today." Annika arched a brow. "You're going to keep pace with me." He grinned a little. "I'll go easy on you."
A: "Are you kidding? I'll die. You're part robot or something, you don't get out of breath."
The bodyguard grinned wider. "You'll be fine." He plucked her coffee from her grip. "You can have more coffee when you stretch." Annika frowned but started stretching out her tired muscles. "Fuck, your ass looks fantastic like that," he rumbled as she bent, touching her toes.
Annika blushed as a molten wave of arousal had her snapping to wakefulness, stood up, and took her coffee back for a mouthful. "Thanks."
"Thank you. Finish your coffee, we're going a long ways, and you won't want to carry it, and I definitely don't want to carry it." He said.
Annika chugged a few mouthfuls, then set it down. "Please don't kill me."
Shivaay grinned. "I won't. But you have to keep up."
Annika followed him easily as he set a light pace, for the first fifteen minutes. Then his strides lengthened and she had to work to keep up, feeling out of breath after only a half hour, but she pushed through, and then, after another half hour, Shivaay slowed. They'd taken the route down toward the creek, and Annika was relieved when the tall bodyguard stopped. She sucked in air valiantly, trying to keep herself from going into shock by walking around, breathing evenly.
"You did good," Shivaay said.
"Thanks," she huffed and wiped her face with her shirt, accepting water, pouring it on her head and then drinking some.
"You look almost as good now as you do after sex," Shivaay rumbled and Annika felt her nipples go hard as a jolt of liquid desire trembled between her thighs.
"Stop saying things like that," she breathed.
"I can't help it. I can't stop thinking about you." He breathed.
Annika blushed a little at that, biting her lip. "Well, you're the one who doesn't want to-" She was interrupted as he reached out as she paced by him and pulled her flush to his front, mouth covering hers. His tongue stroked past her lips, teasing her own warm muscle, and one of his hands roved under her way too big shirt.
"I want to. Frequently. Everywhere. For awhile." He took a deep breath. "You have to realize that this," he gestured between them, "could literally cost me my career, though."
The girl frowned, and pulled back. "I'm not going to-"
"Even if you don't say anything, if someone else finds out..." He made the beheaded gesture.
Annika looked shocked. "Then no one's going to find out," she breathed.
The man pursed his mouth ever so slightly. "Annika," he murmured, putting their foreheads together.
"Shivaay," she replied, then kissed him on the cheek. "So are we just going to stand here all day or are we going home at some point?" She jolted onto her toes and into him as he teased a nipple then removed his hand from under her shirt.
"No whining when we get back." She frowned and he smirked, then spanked her firmly. "The way back is twice as long, and partly uphill." Annika's mouth dropped open, but then Shivaay was off and she had to hustle to keep up with him.
When they finally did get back to the Trivedi residence, the sun had risen properly and Annika was sweaty, even though she walked the last fifteen minutes of the way because she was too tired to jog. "You're evil," she groaned slumping up the driveway after collecting her coffee cup. "And inhuman. You look like you could run another five miles." Shivaay shrugged, and she took that to mean 'probably'. She frowned as they walked into the kitchen, and Annika went to the freezer, bending over to pull it out, sticking her ass out, and got her favourite ice cream from within.
"Annika, ice cream is not breakfast," he teased.
The girl glared. "Fuck you, it is so."
Just then her father came in, looking sleepy and shocked. "Annika," Harsh Trivedi said, then glanced at Shivaay. "I didn't know you ran so early."
"I don't," she said, getting a spoon and not bothering with a bowl. "I went with Shivaay on his run today, and now I've earned ice cream for breakfast, because my legs almost fell off."
Harsh grinned a little, going for coffee and the girl sat next to the man at the breakfast bar. She ate some ice cream and almost choked when Shivaay teased fingers up her inner thigh. "So how was Miami?" her father asked.
Annika smiled. "It was amazing," she said. "I got hit on in Spanish," she added, glancing sidelong at Shivaay, whose mouth thinned at the reminder of their last night, when the doorman called her a tasty little slut in Spanish then had asked her to dinner and added she'd make a nice dessert in Spanish as well. Harsh frowned a little. "Don't worry, Dad, Shivaay was there to watch my back." She grinned, because he'd told the doorman, in Spanish, to go fuck himself.
"Well that's good," Harsh said. "And the wedding?"
"It was beautiful. Lucky looked amazing, and her hubby is cute. They seem very in love." Harsh smiled.
H: "That's great. Your mother wants all the details. She was so disappointed she couldn't make it."
"They know she's busy," Annika said, eating her ice cream. She offered a spoonful to Shivaay, already knowing he'd turn it down. To her astonishment he accepted it, cleaning the spoon.
"Mint chocolate chip is my favourite," he said in a low voice.
"Mine too," she said, grinning, and ate some more. "So are you really looking at a sequel to Dilwale, Dad?" she asked. They'd heard at least a dozen people talking about the rumour in the hotel in Miami.
Harsh frowned, not missing the exchange between his daughter and the security man. "No, not unless Adi finishes his script."
"Told you," Shivaay said smugly. Hazel eyes rolled.
"You should do it, Dad. If Adi finishes the script." Harsh shrugged, his eyes flicking between the two young people suspiciously.
"Maybe," he said vaguely. "Shivaay, if you have a minute, I'd like a word in my office."
Annika tried not to react and kept eating her ice cream. "Sure," Shivaay said easily. He followed Harsh Trivedi from the kitchen, leaving Annika looking apprehensive.
"Close the door," Harsh said with authority as Shivaay followed the movie star into his personal study. He'd only ever been here once before, for his initial job interview. It felt as intimidating now as it had then, with leather-bound tomes and massive mahogany desk. Harsh sat behind the desk and Shivaay waited to be invited to sit. "How long have you worked here?" Harsh asked him, steepling his fingers, his eyes guarded. Shivaay was struck by how much Viren looked like him. As the only of Trivedi's three children to follow in his footsteps of acting, and notorious fame, Viren was indeed his father's clone. Dark hair, vibrant eyes, and a distinct distrust of the world at large.
"A little over three years," the bodyguard replied easily.
Harsh sat back, turning in his comfortable leather chair to look out the window. "And how long have you been standing in for Ram?"
Shivaay resisted the urge to look away from his employer. "Almost four months."
Harsh Trivedi looked back at him, smiling blandly, and Shivaay had to bite his tongue, because his daughter had inherited that expression, if not much else physically. "Do you like it?"
Shivaay paused for a second. "Sir?" he asked, hoping for clarification. Did he like his job in general? Yes. Did he really like the temporary promotion? Definitely. And was it going to be torture not to look at Annika Trivedi every day when Ram came back, let alone no longer be able to touch her and kiss her and bring her to a screaming orgasm? Oh hell yeah.
"Working Annika's detail," Harsh said, sitting forward abruptly, leaning his elbows on his desk. "Do you enjoy it?"
It has it's perks. "Yes," he admitted. Harsh pursed his mouth, sitting back again.
"Sit," he said, and Shivaay sat. "Why do you enjoy it?" Harsh demanded. "Your predecessors both lodged formal requests to transfer from her within the first month." Shivaay's brows lifted. "Said she was too flighty, too hot-headed and stubborn. Ram almost had a heart attack when she snuck out on him the first time." Harsh steepled his fingers again. "So why do you enjoy a job few others would?"
Shivaay paused. "You've just answered your own question, Mr. Trivedi." Harsh's eyes narrowed. "She's flighty and stubborn and hot-headed, but her determination is admirable. I enjoy being on Annika's detail because it's challenging."
Harsh regarded him for a moment. "And if Ram should choose to stay on leave the whole year? Would you object to staying on?"
"Not in the slightest," Shivaay said.
"Hmm. That's all for now," he said, looking thoughtful, and Shivaay understood himself to be dismissed. He crossed through the now empty kitchen again then out the back door and walked with long strides back to the security offices and his own accommodations. To his mingled shock and horror and delight, Annika was sitting on the railing to the guest house porch.
"Are you in trouble?" she asked.
"Not yet," he replied easily.
The girl smiled a little, still in her sleep shirt and micro shorts, and shifted to lean back. Her breasts pushed forward against the soft, well-worn cotton of her tee and she spread her legs invitingly. "That's a relief. I want to go to market place later."
Shivaay nodded. "When?" he asked.
Annika jumped down from the railing. "Maybe sometime around noon." She moved into his personal space and Shivaay took a half step backward, eyes flicking over her shoulder to the house. "I guess I'll call you when I'm ready," she said softly, and brushed past him. Shivaay watched her go up to the main house, hips swinging and ran a hand through his hair.
Annika called him at noon, saying she was almost ready and to meet her in the garage. Shivaay waited in the garage for ten minutes, then moved to find his charge. He knocked on her door. "Come in," she said. Shivaay hesitated. The hallways of the Trivedi mansion were video recorded, but he knew, from having watched the cameras himself, there were none in Annika's suite of rooms. Even still, he was hesitant to simply walk in. The door opened and Annika smirked up at him. "You know, it's probably more suspicious if you're just standing outside my door," she murmured, turning and going back into the little sitting room turned studio. "Relax, Shivaay. It's not against the rules for you to be in my sitting room." She moved back to her bedroom. "I just have to finish putting my face on."
Shivaay rolled his eyes a little, but moved into the room, sitting on a comfortable white leather sofa as he waited. He couldn't help checking out her half dozen paintings on the go, and smirked at one with a large drop cloth over it. "What's with the secrecy?" he asked.
"Don't peek at that!" came her voice from the other room. "It's almost finished and I don't want people eyeballing it yet."
"It's not a naughty painting, is it?" he asked, moving over, thoroughly tempted to peek.
"Course not," Annika said, cheeks pink, whether from a natural blush or makeup he wasn't sure. "Okay, let's go." She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, then reached for his hand, smiling a tiny bit. "Wait, one last thing," she murmured as he turned, and the girl lifted onto her toes and kissed him.
Shivaay pulled her closer and kissed her properly, for several long moments, until she was breathless and arching into him. "Are you ready?" he rumbled at last and the girl made a soft sound of agreement in her throat.
"For going out, or sex?" she breathed. "Because the answer is yes, to both, but I'm way more in the mood for the latter now."
Shivaay ran his hands over her in a measure of control. "Maybe not right this second," he said, turning his face into her hair.
"Fine," she sighed, and pulled away. "Let's go."
They got to market and Annika did her shopping, stopping into to chat with Mr. and Mrs. Chawla, visiting Meenal for more tea, and then crossed the street to look at a new bookstore that had just opened, Shivaay right behind her.
Before she knew what was happening, a paparazzo jumped out and snapped her picture. "Give us an exclusive," another said, snapping her picture as she pushed her sunglasses up and smiled politely.
"Is that the new boy toy?" the first one asked.
"Is it serious yet?" asked the second one.
Annika grit her teeth in a smile. "Still single, gents," she said easily. A flash blinded her for a moment, and she turned to head back to the main thoroughfare. "I'll be sure to call you if and when that changes, though."
"Annika my goddess," said a breathy, horribly familiar voice that made Annika's skin crawl. "I knew I'd run into you today. I felt it. You always come here on Mondays."
Instinctively she moved back, but the man she'd turned into, clutching a rag that featured an article on her detailing her wild, partying ways, stepped with her. He was shorter than the girl, with glasses, thinning hair on top and a fawning, nervous demeanor. Shivaay, who'd hung back at the sight of the paparazzi, moved forward again. The man moved right up to Annika, a greedy maniacal gleam in his eyes. "You shouldn't be here, Vikram," she said timidly.
He smiled and moved with her as she backed up another step. The paparazzi were still snapping pictures. "Why not? I'm just doing a little shopping," he breathed. "Is that a new tea? I tried the last one. It was good. Almost as good as you taste, my Goddess Annika." He sucked in a deep breath through his mouth. "You smell amazing, Annika. And you look so beautiful." He made to reach up and stroke her hair, but Shivaay grasped his wrist.
"Touch her and you won't be touching anything else for awhile," he said in a low voice. Annika's hazel eyes flashed to the paps, still clicking away madly and the bodyguard nodded ever so slightly. "Come on," Shivaay murmured, shifting so it looked as though he was merely guiding the man away gently, although he still gripped his wrist firmly.
"Who are you? How dare you, get your hands off me!" Vikram growled furiously at Shivaay, then looked back at Annika. "Goddess Annika," he breathed. "Goddess Annika, tell him you know me. Tell him we're in love, that we're meant to be together," he groaned, reaching with his other hand, grasping a hank of dark hair. "So beautiful. I love you, don't you realize? I love you, I'm in love with you! I know you feel the same! We could have such a beautiful life together!"
Annika backed away, against the brick between the bookstore and a little restaurant, and Shivaay quickly turned and released the creepy guy roughly. "Let's go," he said sternly to Annika.
"No, Goddess Annika, please, don't go! I need you!" Vikram half-shouted. Annika cringed certain this would be all over the front page by tomorrow morning. "Goddess Annika!"
Shivaay, running on instinct, quickly tucked the girl under his arm, moving past the little crowd that had gathered and practically stuffed her into the SUV when they returned to it. "I thought you had a restraining order on that guy," Shivaay said, starting up the engine. He'd read all about the man who was adamant Annika and he were meant to be together and simply wanted to get to know her. By stalking her.
"I do," Annika said softly.
"How long has he been following you around?" the bodyguard asked, then glanced at Annika as they pulled up to a red light. He put a hand on her forearm, frowning as she flinched away.
"Awhile," she said vaguely. "Where are we going?" she asked at last, realizing they were moving further into downtown, as opposed to out of it toward the Trivedi mansion.
S: "The police station. He's in violation of a protective order and-"
"No," Annika said. Shivaay blinked then looked at her.
S: "Annika, he's a nut, he's-"
"No," she repeated. "I'm not talking to the police. It will just make it worse. Please." She turned large hazel eyes toward him. "If you take me in there I'll lie and say I have no idea what you're talking about." Shivaay's mouth thinned. "I will," she threatened.
"Annika, he's obviously mentally unstable," the bodyguard said reasonably. "He needs to be institutionalized. He's delusional." Annika, jaw clenched, shook her head.
"I know, but they'll just put him in jail. It only makes it worse." She shook her head again. "I'm not going in there," she said, voice wavering a tiny bit as she folded her arms stubbornly.
"He violated a restraining order," Shivaay said softly, trying to persuade her to see reason.
"So?" she demanded. "They'll just put him in jail for a few weeks, set a new restraining order, and he'll be back out in a month, following me around. At least now I know he's out there. I just have to be more careful. Just take me home, I want to go home." Shivaay bit back a sigh, torn. His professional side was demanding he all but drag Annika in and have her file a complaint to have a judge put the nut job behind bars before he did something crazy. His personal side wanted to take her home, haul her into his lap, hold her close, and kiss her until the memories were pushed aside.
"If it happens again, you're going to the police," Shivaay said firmly. Annika nodded, and reached over, putting her small, delicate hand in his.
"Thank you," she whispered. Shivaay gripped her hand as he drove. When he finally parked in the garage, he looked over and saw Annika had fallen asleep. He almost smiled, because she looked so cherubic and innocent and inherently vulnerable. Apparently early mornings didn't agree with her.
"Annika," he murmured, shaking her shoulder. He brushed a strand of hair from her face as she turned her head. "Annika, time to wake up, darling," he said, shaking her gently again.
She mumbled incoherently and turned away. "Two more minutes," she said sleepily.
"Time to get up," he said, and unclicked her seat belt. "Come on, you have to get up, Annika." He got out of the SUV and went around to her side and opened the door. She slept on and he sighed. "Annika," he murmured, knowing from the vantage point of the camera they'd be on video to the control room. "You're home, time to get up," he said gently. She waved a hand at him, getting more comfortable on the leather seat. Shivaay sighed. Her shorts had ridden up as she slouched in sleep and he followed the long line of her legs for a moment, deciding what to do. "Come on," he murmured at last, shifting her to sit up. She leaned against him heavily. He slipped one arm under her knees and lifted her out, meaning to set her on her feet, but she nuzzled her face into his neck and sighed dreamily. Damn it.
He adjusted her weight and used an elbow to shut the door to the vehicle, carrying her toward the door that lead into the house. He prayed no one would be in the kitchen as he passed through and let out a sigh of relief as he climbed the stairs with her. Annika moaned softly as he paused before her door at the west wing of the house. "Shivaay?" she murmured as he opened the door awkwardly and carried her in.
"Go to sleep," he said, moving back to her bedroom and laying her out in bed. He pulled back, but she clung to him. "Annika," he said, but then her mouth covered his.
"Don't go," she whispered, one hand teasing the hair at the nape of his neck. "I'm not sleeping anymore."
S: "Annika, I-"
"Stay," she whispered, and reached for his hand, biting her lower lip hesitantly. "Please?" He groaned as she brought his hand to her breast. "Stay with me," she murmured, and sucked in a breath as his hand cupped the soft weight of her breast through her tee.
She lifted her mouth to his again and the man was lost as her tongue traced over his lower lip, nipping gently. He kissed back, moving over her and she moaned as his hand moved under her shirt to caress her breasts. "Annika," he groaned as she tugged his tee up.
"No, you owe me from earlier," she murmured, wriggling. "Take this off." He pulled back to do as she bid him and grunted as she whipped her own shirt off. Her hands roved over him greedily, and he bent to kiss her again. She kissed back, hands moving around his waist and up his back, then down. They both froze as her fingers brushed over the Pistol he kept holstered at the small of his back, but then he pulled back and Annika smiled a little. "I know I probably shouldn't be, but I can't stop thinking about how hot it would be if you wore this while we had sex."
The man groaned and kissed her again, with more fervor, tugging her shorts down and off. "Fuck, darling, you have no idea how appealing the thought of that is," he groaned, pulling her close on his lap, leaving no room for her to miss his arousal, as he sat up on his knees. She arched backward as he kissed down between her breasts.
"Does that mean you will?" she whispered, rolling her hips and grinding against him as he gripped her ass.
"You bet your hot little ass I will," he grunted.
Half an hour later, after he left Annika thoroughly sated and in the shower, he went back to his own room to take a shower. Omkara was exiting his room just as Shivaay was entering his, and the man paused, sniffing. The bodyguard paused too. "You smell like vanilla," Omkara said, looking at him suspiciously.
Shivaay forced a shrug. "Occupational hazard," he said simply, and went into his room.
XXX
Author's Notes : They have moved on from making out to doing the dirty. How was the chapter? Did you guys enjoyed reading it ? It was 6300 words long.
Happy Reading. Stay Safe.