Page 77 of Entangled Vows

“It is not foreplay!” Mahika shot back, throwing her head back in exasperation. “We used to hate each other. And now… now all that hate has diluted into some pathetic attempt at neutrality. I just wanted him to act normal around me after the kiss!”

“That,” Ishika said smugly, pointing at her, “isnotneutral territory. All the crap you both are doing like seducing, hijacking meetings, sabotaging smoothies, sending your so-called enemy a scrap of cloth as a gift so she canrelax… babe, that’s not neutral. That’s I-want-to-get-into-your-pants territory.”

“I don’t give a damn about any of that!” Mahika hissed, her voice almost venomous. “I hate how he makes me feel. As if I don’t even matter to him. As if I don’t affect him. And that’s whatis making me mad. He is living his life normally as if nothing happened, while I’m just…”

“Trying to get his attention,” Ishika cut in, raising a brow.

Mahika stayed silent and tightened the scarf around her neck.

“Oh, please.” Ishika waved her hand dramatically. “Can we drop the whole ‘he’s unaffected by me’ routine?”

Mahika narrowed her eyes. “What’s your point, Ishi?”

“My point…” Ishika said, poking her shoulder, “…is that Vikram is not as unaffected by you as he’s letting you think. That man sent you a bikini. The scrap of fabric that’s basically illegal in public. And then he booked the entire spa so no one else could see you in it. Girl, that man’s not even pretending anymore. Let me repeat that…he wanted to see you in it. That is not enemy energy, Mahi. That is I-want-you-to-ruin-me energy.”

Mahika opened her mouth, then closed it.

“Even you know I’m right,” Ishika said smugly. “Even you want to climb him like a tree. Come on, admit it.”

“Get out of my head, Ishi.” Mahika gave an over-the-top sigh. “I can’t stand you.”

“And I can’t stand you,” Ishika shot back, looping their arms together.

“You don’t have to say it out loud. Your face is doing all the talking. Now, come on. Let’s go soak ourselves in overpriced oils and pretend you’re not mentally undressing your husband every day.”

Mahika sniffed indignantly. “I am not mentally undressing him. I’m mentally strangling him. Totally different activity.”

“Strangling... shirtless?” Ishika smirked.

Mahika groaned. “Shut up! Let’s just go to the spa. And there better be coffee.”

“Do you really think there will be?” Ishika asked, her eyes hopeful.

Mahika didn’t respond. She already knew the answer.

Sure enough, the spa receptionist greeted them with a blissful smile while holding two tall glasses of some vile green juice. Mahika stared at it as if it might be radioactive.

“Wonderful,” she said flatly. “Just freaking wonderful.”

26

Vikram sat in his late father’s office… technically his office now. He nodded along as Mohit droned on about growth margins and profit curves, pointing at the endless columns of numbers on the laptop. This morning was supposed to be all about work and sharp focus. But focus had been missing from his life for the past week. Honestly, the last time he remembered having it was two months ago when they’d kissed.

He had kissed her to assert control, nothing more. It was a calculated move meant to remind her who held the upper hand in their tangled arrangement. What he had not anticipated was how badly it would backfire. Because the instant his lips touched hers, something inside him shifted. His usually razor-sharp and detached mind burned with a reckless need to lose himself in her warmth without a second thought.

And not just that, he wanted to do it again and again, only to realise that his body was no longer under his command.

He had kissed before, countless times. But it was always controlled, on his terms. But this… this was different. It was wild and dangerous. And it unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

The interruption by the officer had been a relief. Otherwise, he knew he wouldn’t have stopped with just a kiss.

Now, he avoided being alone with her. Not because of her, but because of himself. Of what he might do if she were alone with him. And he had no one to blame but himself.Hewas the one who had pushed her to sleep in his bed. He had wanted her there. How else could they pretend to be a real couple in public if they couldn’t even share a bed?

Damn it. It was supposed to be practical and simple. But nothing about it felt simple anymore.

Every night since then, she’d gone to bed as if stepping onto a stage. She’d deliberately slip into shorts and silk camisoles, items no one in their right mind would consider sleepwear in this cold weather. She never once complained about the sleeping arrangement or set any boundaries. She simply showed up, put on her silk pyjamas, rubbed magnesium lotion onto her skin, and went to sleep. And just to test his control, she would innocently ask if he wanted some lotion too, right after catching him staring at her with obvious hunger.

Of course, he had said no. Grunted, actually. Then, he’d rolled onto his side, because facing a wall was better than staring at her. He had promised himself one thing. He would not touch her until she wanted him to, and he had no intention of breaking that promise.