Page 117 of Lawfully Yours

He flipped through the glossy pages aimlessly. A celebrity interview. A travel feature on Prague. A tech ad. Then, his eyes paused as he saw a random article on the next page.

‘How Celibacy Impacts Women’s Hormonal Balance: The Unspoken Side of Prolonged Abstinence’

It was a half-page health piece, complete with clinical notes, laced with suggestive undertones and a moody photo of awoman biting her lip as if on the edge of losing her sanity…or control.

Kushal exhaled a short, silent laugh. He didn’t even realise his hand moved until the magazine was halfway toward her.

Arundhati, who’d been staring out the window pretending the world didn’t exist, turned slowly to him. He held out the magazine, gesturing for her to look at the page with an innocent expression.

“I thought you’d be interested in this,” he said smoothly.

Her eyes flicked to the page, immediately taking in the headline before narrowing.

When she lifted her gaze to him again, he grinned.

“I meant the oneabovethat,” he added, without skipping a beat. “It’s about vitamin deficiencies and their effect on... memory recall.”

She looked at him, deadpanned, knowing he was lying now. He did mean to show her that celibacy article only.

He cleared his throat. “Just thought it was... informative.”

She arched one perfect brow, clearly unimpressed. “Hmm. Sounds like something you might suffer from.”

“Oh, I don’t forget things, Aru,” he said, voice dipping just slightly. “Especially not the things I’ve touched... tasted... or made moan my name.”

Her breath caught for half a second before she tilted her head and gave him a cool glance. “Ididn’tmoan your name last night.”

Kushal didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned in so close that his lips nearly brushed the shell of her ear. His cologne wrapped around her, once again, dark and addictive.

“You did,” he whispered. “Twice.”

Her pulse spiked. She hated how easily he could rattle her calm with just words and that velvet voice.

“And the second time,” he murmured, “you said it like it was the only word you remembered. Like it was the only thingtethering you to this earth.” He paused, then added slower, “Your nails were on my back. Your thighs were wrapped around me. And your lips…” he paused again to swallow, as he recalled the flashes of last night… “your lips trembled before you even said it.”

She swallowed hard, the memory coming back in flashes even to her…his mouth, his hands, the fire he’d lit in her without even needing to try.

Kushal smirked again, watching the way her eyes darted back to the window, desperately seeking escape.

“I could remind you,” he said softly, “if you need a memory refresh. But I’m warning you, it won’t be just twice next time.”

Arundhati didn’t say anything. She shut the magazine quietly and handed it back to him without looking at his face.

She knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to bait her into reacting. Stirring the silence. Flirting without saying the word. And still, all she could do was stare at the endless blue outside the window and pretend she wasn’t replaying every second of Dalhousie in her mind.

The blindfold. Them making out. His voice promising her the stars and the damn Milky Way.

Ignoring what had happened between them wasn’t an option anymore.

The question was…what came next?

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

Delhi – Arundhati’s Apartment

It was close to midnight when Arundhati finally stepped into her apartment. Although Kushal had said he would drop her off at her home, she insisted on taking her own cab. He hadn’t argued. He’d simply nodded and waited until she drove away from the cab.

Now back home, she stepped under the shower, letting the warm stream run over her skin. But even the water couldn’twash away the pull in her chest. The ache of wanting him close again.