Radhika could barely breathe when he looked at her that way. Her chest tightened, her pulse quickened, her belly clenched. She wanted to feel his hands on her body. She knew exactly how it would feel. His warm, large, coarse hands caressing her every curve as if drinking her, enjoying her; thoroughly and completely.
His touch had been electric. Fantastic.
She would never forget it now or ever. Or resist it.
Radhika took a step back from him and found her shoulder blades pressed against the cool iron of the seemingly tempting bed. With no escape, she looked up at the handsome charmer from her past. The dark-headed pure male had pinned her with his piercing black eyes gluing her completely to the place, she couldn’t move, not yet.
Her heart....didn't care about anything. This was Arjun. Her first love, the man who made her feel like the prettiest, smartest, most desirable woman on earth.
And her body? The only thing her body cared about was the pleasure he was creating up until the darn announcement ruined it all for her. It was too much.
She didn’t want this. What was she doing?
For heaven’s sake, she was clad only in a …..towel, barely concealing her body.
She should say something. Surely one of them should try and make idle conversation?
But she had been rendered speechless.
Then their gazes tangled, and Radhika could have sworn his eyes were smiling at her.
Lord, he was gorgeous. No wonder she couldn’t think straight.
Damping her lips, she silently pleaded, Say something…
"You're thinking too much," he murmured looking at her, his eyes hidden under his lashes.
Radhika's hair dripped water tickling with time. Her skin was flushed. He wanted to take her in his arms, to sleep curled into her, within her. He loved the way the towel erotically clasped on to her body, nearly baring her magnificent breasts for his eyes.
All it would take a little tug and they would tumble onto the bed moaning gloriously for all that was worth.
"You're right," she agreed with a sigh and finally took a step back,” We need to stop."
But she was tingling. Definitely tingling. And not just her lips. God, she wanted to tingle more, a lot more.
"Radhika?"
She could see his hardness through the strains of his trousers and felt proud and pleasure burst through her which had everything to do with the satisfaction attached to being feminine.
She snapped back to the present. "Um? What? Are you okay? Are you that turned on?"
He let her words fade into the silence. Her expression changed, looking a little sheepish as she realized how it sounded out loud.
"…I mean…..," she finished weakly.
"Yes, I am," he replied steadily. "Not that it warrants thanks but thank you for being concerned. “
"Why?" She lifted her lashes and he felt something stir within him. She knew she was pretty but she was not a fool, she knew the very fact that she could never be as gorgeous as the women she was sure he must have dated till now.
Was she insecure, really, he asked himself stumped. She should know by now, how she affected his very senses. She was gorgeous; she was more than gorgeous; simply stunning. With her delicate eyes and that sweet body, she took his breath away.
"You have to ask after that kiss?"
The most adorable blush flooded her cheeks as she bit down on her lip. He watched her struggle with what to say next.
“My turned on state can be remedied by a simple act, would you like to act on that?” He asked her smugly leaving an invitation open for her to accept.
Radhika blushed and looked down ignoring his potent gaze that was doing wonderful things to her inside, turning her into a jelly.
"I want you," he said with an implacable deliberation that sent a spiral of apprehension down her spine. His thumb moved, over his lip that was bruised and she wanted to run her lips over them, soothing and comforting him.
Radhika droned her need out and focused on getting herself out of this situation, she was an iron lady with no heart and no place for a man like him, a man who did not trust her and only wanted to sleep with her, she shrugged. "No, you had your chance long time back. There is no you and me now"
His eyes gazed into hers, sending a flush of heat up her throat. "Are we back to square one again?” His tone was dark, sardonic, with that undercurrent of patience sorely tried.
She turned her back to him; she couldn’t bear to look at him. She should hate him. At times, she did but why was he affecting her senses now. That voice shouldn’t be affecting her anymore, he was her past and she had let him go. There was also, the case about her ego. She couldn’t just forgive him for everything that he had done and jump right into his arms for a wild night, no, only ‘one’ wild night with no promises, no attachments.
She wasn’t built that way and now, she wasn’t going to head that way. No matter how much she was attracted to him and simply desired to feel him inside her.
"Am I to discern secret talks from the way you present your back to me?" His tone was like a lash, rich and bitter, and she stiffened against it. "Or is it your silence that I should pay attention to this time?"
"You just had me," she reminded him, reminding herself, too, with the crudeness of the expression.
"One kiss isn’t enough." His voice hardened and his accent became noticeable. "Am I so unsatisfactory a lover?”
He must know the answer. Arjun was too skilled, too knowledgeable about women to have any doubts about his performance. Nor that she cared about his said expertise in this field or the countless women he must have made scream with joy and what not.
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Doubting ourselves, are we?" she said, striving for an objectivity she didn’t have, “and lover, really? Isn’t that terminology too farfetched?”
Radhika knew she was treading on a dangerous route, one that could back fire any moment. But, now, that she had started the journey she couldn’t, didn’t want to stop. After all, one wrong move and the rage, lust in his eyes would consume her and worse still, she knew she would let him.
No, she would be careful. She wouldn’t lose herself in his charm again.
He granted her an ironic acknowledgment, a mere movement of his head. “You were...incredible and the option is open to you, lover or not, it’s your choice to make."
Her heart leapt to hear that, before her more cynical brain cut in. Arjun probably said much the same thing to every woman he slept with.
Breathe calmly, speak slowly.
"Keeping scores are we? But, I’m glad you enjoyed it." She schooled her voice to the leisurely, icy politeness seething through her. "But thanks for the offer; it’s an experience I don’t intend to repeat."
“Score, you think that low of me and yoursef?" Arjun’s voice seemed to caress her even as it taunted her, moving over her like silk.
"You must have given me some reason to stoop that low, don’t you think," Radhika said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.
"I appreciate the vote of confidence on my character but I don’t think you should be that judgmental about yourself." His voice was sarcastic. Cool. It made her throat ache with tears she would not shed, words she dared not say. "But, I would still like to have a reasonable answer,” he said blocking the door as she made a move towards it, not that she could leave the cabin dressed as she was only in a towel.
Radhika shivered at his closeness.
“You shivered, Radhika. My presence is affecting you that much?” He raised his eyebrows in a neat action.
“I know that,” she slashed at him.
He smirked.
“Arjun, please,” her eyes pleaded for some mercy, “Don’t press me.”
Arjun looked down, starting at the pink toes and letting his eyes slowly travel up the length of her body. "I'm hardly pressed against you. But I'd certainly like to be. For what I have in my mind, that towel…" His voice trailed off and he swallowed hard before he spoke again, "needs to come off. We have all the supplies including the bed."
Radhika felt her knees weaken slightly, but she couldn't fall into his arms the way she wanted to. It was pretty talk, but that's all it could be. "Thank you for the benevolent gesture," she said. She could feel her cheeks flush, but she couldn't break away from his gaze. "But we've had this discussion before. Nothing is going to happen between us."
But, he shook his head in a defiant no.
Insufferable man. Insufferable, adored man.
Radhika gathered her shaky courage as best she could.
Arjun lounged in the doorway, his mocking eyes trained on her, the expression on his implacable face grim. She was shocked anew by the power that emanated from him, like an electrical current. It made him seem much bigger—broader and taller than he already was.
"I am not that kind of girl."
He frowned and as he began to open his mouth, she shook her head and held up her hand.
“Let me complete, I don’t care what you think of me but I am not the kinds to go for a quick tumble between the sheets.”
"Right."
“As I said, I don’t care what you really think. I may be a tramp but I am definitely not your tramp,” she said crossing her arms across her towel clamed chest. She loved this new confidence oozing out of her, made her feel determined. She wouldn’t let her weakness for him affect her brain. She wasn’t a child anymore but a woman. A woman who was in control. Who knew what she wanted. A grown up woman.
Arjun was a man who prided himself on his rigid code, his steely commitment to his duty. He lived for his name, his honor, his family and the responsibilities that were his by virtue. He had never forced anyone and definitely wouldn’t force her.
She looked so small. So fragile. Her arms were crossed over her chest as if she were holding herself together by sheer force of will. Her brown eyes were huge, giving her the look of an innocent. He felt a need to protect her from everyone, even himself.
"I don't understand you," he said quietly, in that cold way of his that sliced into her and made her bones weak. "You play the part of the victim so beautifully, but we both know you are no such thing. And yet you never drop the act, not even when we're alone."
It was too much. This never-ending assault.
She whirled to face him, a storm inside of her, building by the moment and tearing her apart.
"What do you want from me, Arjun? To plead here, fall on your feet? “She begged him. She forgot about pride, about shame. She searched his face, her hands open in supplication.
"Just put something on?" he snarled.
"I was just on my way to do exactly that!" she retorted, but her cheeks went very hot. She hadn't missed the sudden darkening of his eyes, nor the fleeting look of hunger that had crossed his face. "I-if you wouldn't mind giving me ten seconds of privacy."
"Delighted," he said sarcastically, but even though he pressed himself against the wall, he could still feel the warmth emanating from her stunning body.
"Thank you," she said, the close proximity making her only too aware of his raw masculinity, the rugged features, and the muscular shafts of his thighs, which rippled through his trousers.
“And Radhika, I promise to wait for you to make the first move but that doesn’t mean I won’t make you shiver again.”
She shivered again, his promise resounding in her very body, "Arjun?"
He turned at the door. "Hmm?"
"Thank you." She smiled sarcastically.
He smiled back at her, “Anytime. Try to keep your hands in check, Radhika, “and winked.
She tossed a pillow at him, which he batted away with a grin and walked out of the door.
She shut the bedroom door behind her with a shaking hand, realizing that he wasn't immune to her— nor she was to him. But deep down she could tell that he hated himself for wanting a woman he despised so much.
................
They reached the hotel in stoic silence and Arjun guided her to her room in a manner which spoke of reformed attitude. She knew he wasn’t going to fight her anymore; he was going to wait for her to melt right into his arms. Radhika knew him to be a man of his word; she knew he wouldn’t coerce her to do something she didn’t want to.
The room was a feast for the eyes. The bed was twice what she needed, the duvet and pillows fluffed and white. White curtains danced in the afternoon breeze, and at one end was a set of French doors overlooking a beautiful flower garden. "It’s like a dream. Fit for a princess."
"It suits you perfectly," Arjun soothed quietly as he rubbed his hands over her upper arms.
She stopped him, laying her hand against his chest—a too brief touch. But one that lasted long enough for heat to blaze through him. And also to communicate clearly that the kiss he wanted was not happening. "Hold on," she said.
He tried to look innocent, though he wasn't all that successful at it. Still, he did his best, widening his eyes, relaxing his mouth. "What?"
"Get your own room."
Damn it. "I already have a room, it just so happens—next door to you."
She cast a glance toward the ceiling. "Why am I not surprised?"
"I'm a determined man, Radhika."
She truly wasn’t surprised at all. How was she supposed to control herself, her wayward feelings and her hostile hormones which seemed to have a mind of their own, when he was hell bent on being so utterly charming and persistent?
She was simply doomed.
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