Page 15 of Driven By Desire

Some of his tension easing, Krish ignored Chirag’s face swallowing grin and Adi’s muttered ‘although she doesn’t look like it tonight’ and turned back to the waiter who’d just walked up to serve their drinks.

Only it wasn’t the waiter. When his eyes clashed with a red satin covered midriff, he froze even as other parts of his body came happily alive.

His eyes slowly travelled up until they met hers even as he rose to his feet.

Up close, she looked even more incredible.

It took every ounce of will power he possessed not to yank her away from the stranger who had a proprietary hand wrapped around her waist.

Stepping aside, he let Chirag and Adi greet her like they hadn’t seen her for centuries.

It didn’t take long for introductions to commence.

Apparently, her date was a software engineer called Rajiv.

Topping off at an easy six feet four inches and with shoulders broad enough to block the rest of the pub from view, he looked like he could tuck Max into his pocket and carry her around.

Outside of looking like a WWF wrestler, Krish really couldn’t find anything to fault the guy with.

He was polite, fairly erudite and actually managed to pretend interest in his date’s male friends.

“Excuse me. I need a smoke.” He on the other hand was, apparently, rude, abrupt and completely incapable of polite conversation.

Walking away without giving any of them a chance to respond, he’d reached the secluded smoking area before he remembered that he’d quit two years ago.

If ever there was a night for abandoning good intentions, it was this one.

Walking over to the solitary guy smoking in a corner, he asked, “Hey. Could I bum a cigarette off you?”

“Sure.” Shaking one out, the guy helped him light it before stubbing his own out. “I’m going to head back inside. See you.”

“Thanks man.” That first sweet drag had his tense muscles slowly uncoiling even as he shut his eyes and slumped against the most private corner of the empty smoking room.

What the hell was wrong with him? He did not behave like this.

Especially in public. He was the rational, responsible, mature one.

The one who always knew the right thing to do and did it.

No questions asked. Until Max walked in and turned his world upside down.

“I thought you quit.”

Opening his eyes to find Chirag standing a few feet from him, he straightened from his slouch against the wall. “I did.”

Pulling an almost full pack out of his pocket, Chirag came to stand next to him. “I brought reinforcements.”

Holding out his lit cigarette for Chirag to light his own, he watched as a couple walked in and huddled together at the other end of the smoking area.

“Why is she in there with that doofus and not out here with you?”

Not bothering to pretend he didn’t know whom he was talking about, Krish answered, “Maybe because she doesn’t smoke.” Exhaling the last puff of smoke, he stubbed out his cigarette before reaching for another one.

“Funny.” Rolling his eyes, Chirag continued, “You obviously like her. Why aren’t you doing anything about it?”

“I can’t.”

The almost inaudible murmur had Chirag blinking. “You need tips?” Come to think of it he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his elder brother with someone.

The overwhelming urge to confide in his brother was buried in the helpless laughter the incredulous question brought on.

Always reticent, he’d guarded his privacy ferociously even as a child.

His mother had been the only person capable of coaxing him to give up his deepest secrets.

After her passing, his earlier desire to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself turned into simple necessity.

Unwilling to burden his younger siblings and unable to speak to friends who no longer related to the unexpected changes in his life, he’d just learned to think for and depend only on himself.

Shaking off the sudden mood, he gave Chirag’s pack of cigarettes a last longing look before stubbing out the one in his hand. “Forget it. Let’s go back inside. God knows what Adi is getting up to in there.”

“When I left, he was busy flirting with a very pretty girl. By now, he’s probably been beaten up by a jealous boyfriend. I hope that hideous shirt gets ripped in the fracas.” Chuckling, they strolled towards the door of the pub.

Music, disco lights and the babble of the crowd hit them full in the face when they walked back in.

Shouldering their way through the crush, they reached their booth to find Adi cozied up to his new friend.

Sliding in across from them, Krish signaled the waiter over to bring them another round of drinks.

Smiling absently in response to Adi’s introductions, his gaze swept the room for a flash of red satin.

He found it on the dance floor engaged in a lively version of the jive.

He watched as the vibrant flame of her spun, dipped and twirled.

They ended the dance in a dramatic flourish that had Max tossing her hair back and laughing.

The throaty undertone of sex that was her voice carried clearly to them in the brief cessation of music.

Desire slammed through him even as a slower, romantic number started.

He saw Max shake her head in denial to a whispered request from her date.

His hand vising around his glass at the sight of both their heads so close together, Krish tried desperately to fight the tangle of need and yearning that had him by his throat.

When he saw the guy straighten and start to move away from Max, leaving her alone on the dance floor, he gave up and conceded defeat.

Downing the contents of his glass, he ignored his brothers’ amused glances and walked over.

Reaching her just as her date walked off in the direction of the men’s room, he took her arm in a not-so-gentle grip.

“Dance with me.” The rough demand had Max’s eyes flaming.

Temper flaring, she spun on her heel to leave the crowded floor only to find herself hauled back against him.

Spitting fire, she turned in his arms but the angry words died on her lips.

The vicious fury of emotion darkening his eyes had her breath hitching.

The buzz of the crowd faded away until her world narrowed to comprise of dark, intense eyes and a rock-hard embrace.

She reached up to lace trembling fingers around his neck and move slowly, hesitantly to the music.

Strong arms enfolded her more securely bringing her flush against the warmth and promise of him.

Gentling around her, one hand moved to stroke her back even as he nuzzled his cheek against the soft silk of her hair.

On a soft sigh, she turned her face into the crook of his neck and closed her eyes.

She’d fit like a dream in his arms the other day but today, the sexy, lethal straps of gold on her feet positioned her mouth in perfect reach of his.

His breath feathered over the crimson temptation of her lips and had her eyes opening slowly.

The warmth and trust he saw in them staggered him.

Taking a shaky breath, he dipped his head slowly to hers just as the music came to a gentle stop.

All around them, couples broke apart, clapping to signal their approval of the music being played.

Freezing a hairsbreadth away from the lush, moist temptation that was the unrivalled star of his most fervent fantasies, he whispered, “Later.”

Cradling her flushed face against his chest, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Max?”

“Hmm?”

The dazed question had him grinning. “What colour?”

“What?” Max’s brains needed some time to regroup from the pulse scrambling reaction this man set off in her.

Running a finger along the line of red that caressed the silk of her thigh, he bent close to her ear and murmured, “What colour is under this?”

“Black thongs.” Biting back a chuckle at his arrested expression, she paused strategically before whispering, “And nothing on top.”

Pressing her fingertips to his lips in a gentle farewell, she said, “See you, Krish.” A wicked smile lit her lips as she added, “Later.”