Page 22

SIMRAN

As I pulled my car into the parking lot of my apartment, I couldn’t help but steal glances at the man sitting beside me. Vishnu, the man I’d flirted with and teased mercilessly, was now a completely different person in my eyes.

The revelation that he was Pratap Walia’s son, Meher’s half-brother, had shaken me to the core. I’d never even dreamt that such a twist was possible, and hearing it directly from Vishnu had left me reeling.

I’d gone to the club tonight to meet a friend, but her plans changed at the last minute. I was just about to head back home when I spotted Vishnu sitting alone at the bar, nursing a drink. His slumped shoulders and the sadness emanating from his expression compelled me to check on him. And now, after learning everything about his real identity, the truth was haunting me. I wondered how Meher was coping with this revelation, but it was Vishnu that my heart ached for the most. He had suffered so much, that too, for the circumstances that were beyond his control.

As we stepped out of the car, I noticed him hesitating by the elevator, shaking his head. “This is a bad idea,” he muttered. “I’ll just go back to the hotel I checked into last night.”

I rolled my eyes, placing my hands on my hips. “Really, Vishnu? I always thought you were the serious type. But this—what you’re doing now—is pure drama,” I chided.

Seeing his frown, I decided to lighten the mood further. “If you’re that keen on spending your money, then treat my home as your hotel for tonight and pay me instead,” I teased, quickly grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the elevator before he could protest further.

Once inside, I couldn’t resist playing along. “Welcome to Sim’s Hotel,” I announced, trying my best to mimic the hotel receptionist. “Your very own Duty Manager, Leila, is waiting to greet you at the door. And I am Simran Thakkar, here at your special service.”

The moment I said those words, the air between us crackled with tension again. Vishnu swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on my face with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. There was something about that look that made me really notice him today. The kind of notice which warmed my body in a beat of a second. I took in his rugged clothes, hugging his broad, powerful physique, effortlessly catching my attention. And those dark, piercing eyes, they bore into mine as if he wanted to devour me in the best possible way.

I shifted awkwardly, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. “Don’t mind me,” I said with a nervous laugh. “I really have no filter when I talk, especially around you. It’s like my brain has no mute button when it comes to my nonsense.”

He didn’t say a word. He just stared! Like really stared. The elevator dinged, and we reached my floor. I was grateful for the distraction, though a part of me wished we could have remained in that charged, intimate space a little longer.

I led him to my apartment, and as soon as I opened the door, my cat, Leila, was there to greet us. She meowed and immediately went and rubbed herself against Vishnu’s leg, bypassing me entirely. I chuckled, seeing the way Leila had instantly taken to him, just as she had the first time they met.

“Looks like she remembers you,” I said fondly. Vishnu and Leila had only met once when he’d come over with Meher, and it seemed like love at first sight for Leila. Vishnu’s tight expression eased as he smirked at Leila and crouched down to stroke her back.

“I can’t believe you leave her all alone at home and lock her up like this,” he said, his voice laced with a hint of disapproval. “Isn’t she hungry?”

“Oh, Leila has her own schedule,” I assured him. “This is her nap time, not her meal time. And my housekeeper usually stays until I am back, but she left a little early today. Mind you, this girl here is very spoilt and pampered.”

Vishnu visibly relaxed at my explanation, and I couldn’t help but notice the way his expression softened. Gone was the pained, haunted look I’d seen in the club. In its place was a gentleness that tugged at my heartstrings.

I led Vishnu into the living room, kicking off my shoes as I went. He followed closely behind me. This was the first time it was just him and me here, alone, with a besotted Leila acting as our chaperone. Leila, sensing the shift in the air, wagged her tail and meowed softly before jumping back up onto the couch where she liked to nap. It was as if she was inviting Vishnu to come in and make himself at home.

“See?” I said, glancing back at Vishnu and pointing at Leila. “Even she knows you belong here, not at some hotel.”

He just smirked. I could feel his presence filling the space, making everything seem cosier, more intimate. Leila sat on the couch, eyeing Vishnu and began primping herself, as if preparing for his company.

I chuckled and turned to Vishnu once again. “You have no idea how much Leila misses you being here. In fact, I think she has a huge crush on you.”

Vishnu raised an eyebrow. “Just Leila?” he asked, the subtle implication in his voice making my heart race.

For a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, as if he hadn’t meant to say that loud. But I wasn’t about to shy away now. I held his gaze, refusing to back down.

“If you’re asking what I think you’re asking...” I paused, the air around us growing thicker with tension. “Then are you sure you have the guts to hear my uncensored and unfiltered confession?”

His gaze darkened, and the spark between us positively crackled. “Don’t challenge my guts, Simran. I’ve survived worse shocks in my life. Whatever your reply is, it can’t beat that.”

His words gave me the green signal to continue, and I decided to take a leap. Taking a step closer, I grabbed the front of his shirt, and used it to pull him flush against me. Our eyes locked as I whispered, my breath ghosting over his lips.

“Well,” I murmured, my voice low and sultry. “I don’t want you to think that I brought you here under the pretext of ‘helping you’ just to take advantage of you. But since you want to know, here it is. You’re the only man who makes me feel this way. You bring out my naughty side, which I didn’t even know existed. And every time I see you, my mind runs wild with such wicked thoughts that I can barely admit them to myself.”

My cheeks flushed with warmth, and I took a deep breath, emboldened by Vishnu’s intense gaze.

“Every time I see you, I imagine running my hands through your hair and feeling your strong arms around me.” My fingers traced the sharp line of his jaw and I continued, “I’ve dreamt of how your lips would feel against my skin, trailing kisses down my neck.”

I leaned in closer, my lips barely grazing his ear as I whispered, “I’ve fantasised about you pushing me up against the wall, your body pressed hard against mine. The things I’ve imagined us doing together... they’d make even the most daring blush.”

Pulling back slightly, I met his eyes again, my own eyes dark with desire. “I’ve never been this bold with anyone before. To desire a man like this—to have these kinds of thoughts for him, let alone voice them out to him. But one look at you and the shyness in me disappears, Vishnu. You make me crave things I’ve never wanted before. And right now, all I can think about is how desperately I want you to kiss me.”