Page 105 of Lawfully Yours

He chewed slowly, contemplatively.

Seconds stretched. The other couple’s husband at the far end of the table was also taking his time, his wife waiting as desperately as Arundhati to win the game.

Arundhati bit her lower lip, watching Kushal, her nerves fraying.

Finally, he opened his mouth to speak. “Chocolate sauce.”

Her groan was audible.

The host didn’t wait. “Oh no. That’s not the right one.”

Simultaneously, the other man raised his voice. “Nutella.”

The crowd erupted in cheers as the host declared them the winners. The newly married couple glowed with excitement. They hugged and kissed under the string lights like they were the only ones in the world.

Arundhati, meanwhile, pouted in disbelief.

She turned to Kushal, who had just pulled off his blindfold. His brows lifted innocently when he saw the look on her face.

“What?” he said, slightly amused. “How would I know? I’ve never had Nutella before, and it tasted like chocolate.”

She shot back, shoving him lightly before storming toward the drink tray. She picked up a glass of amber liquid and downed it in one go.

Kushal’s eyes widened. “Aru—wait—”

She coughed hard, choking slightly as the sharp liquor burned her throat. He was instantly at her side, pulling the glass from her hand and rubbing her back gently. “Easy… breathe.”

She jerked away from his touch, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “We werethisclose to winning,” she muttered. “Nutella, Kushal.Nutella?How do you not know that?”

“It’s just a game,” he said, trying to stay calm. “And I told you; I didn’t do it on purpose.”

But Arundhati had already turned on her heel and was walking swiftly back toward their suite, with irritation.

Unbelievable,” he muttered, raking a hand through his hair and followed her.

******************

Back in her suite, Arundhati kicked the door open with more force than necessary and stormed in, feeling lightheaded.

Between the wine she’d had with Rajveer and Ananya earlier, and the fiery shot she’d recklessly downed after losing the game, her head was light, her balance just slightly off.

She reached the dresser, yanked off her earrings, and tossed them onto the marble top with a clatter. Kushal followed her inside the room, shutting the door behind him.

She didn’t have to turn to know it was him.

“You’re a sore loser,” he teased.

She spun around, fire in her eyes. “And what should I call someone who can’t tell the difference between chocolate sauce and Nutella?”

He raised a brow, amused. “Okay, look—first of all, I wasblindfolded. There was a lot going on. People cheering, laughing… the host shouting, the pressure of the final round.I had one sense to rely on, and that one sense was being completely messed with because the person feeding me wasyou.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean,” he said, stepping closer, “You know how distracting you are? Your voice, your touch, your perfume…how the hell was I supposed tofocuson food with all that?”

She scoffed and turned away. “All excuses. We lost. I shouldn’t have trusted you to win. I was actually hopeful for once. I was so stupid.”

She whirled back toward him, defiantly. “HadIbeen the one blindfolded, I’d have guessed everything right.”