Page 24 of Pillow Talk (Rally Romance #1)

Her eyes widened. He was making it worse because in her mind, ‘I like being your chauffeur’ sounded pretty romantic and his whole family had just witnessed it. Sure, it wasn’t as awkward as watching a sex scene on TV with your parents, but Shona felt exactly as embarrassed as that.

‘I don’t do well with parallel parking either,’ his mother suddenly said.

Shona looked across the table at her and Malini Aiyer winked at her. Yes, the Malini Aiyer had winked. Sen’s mother had winked at her!

His father put down his spoon and stood up, saying, ‘We should meet the newlyweds.’

‘Shona and I will sit this one out,’ his father said. Obviously, the old man knew it was uncomfortable for a plus one to be captured in the family wedding photo album.

Sen stood and his hand lightly brushed her shoulder.

‘I’ll be right back,’ he said.

Shona watched him walk away with his parents before she put a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

‘You’re a lot like your great-grandfather,’ his grandfather said.

Shona stopped eating; her attention fully on the elder MrAiyer.

‘He was somewhat of a pioneer too…starting out on his own. I was a little boy when I first met him. I needed a suit for my father’s youngest sister’s wedding.

She was a shrewd one, that one. But she wanted me to be in the wedding party.

I was about five, I think. My mother took me to a house across town.

‘You’ll remember it as your grandmother’s house but back then it belonged to your great-grandfather. In a back room, he did his tailoring,’ MrAiyer stopped for a few seconds. He was remembering and, judging by the smile tugging at corners of his lips, it was a good memory.

‘There was material – fabric – everywhere. As a little boy, I jumped into a heap of fabric and lay there until my poor embarrassed mother dragged me out of it.’ He laughed.

‘Your great-grandfather didn’t even mind that I was a handful during my fitting. He was so patient. He took my measurements and said he would deliver the suit in a couple of days,’ he recalled.

Shona listened attentively because it was the first time she was hearing about her family’s history. Her father didn’t talk much and he always steered away from information about his life or childhood. Ultimately, they spoke more about the shop than anything else.

‘Your great-grandfather brought the suit to our house. It was a work of wonder – navy blue, double-breasted…and shiny gold buttons. The fit was perfect. And on the inside, my name embroidered in gold thread,’ he said. He then opened his coat to reveal his name in gold embroidery.

‘Your father still does it. I’m sure Drake is responsible for it but whenever I put on a suit from Shah she missed her parents.

When they entered her apartment, she kicked off her heels and reached to undo her hairstyle. But Sen grabbed her hand.

He stepped closer and without his eyes leaving hers, undid the knot at the nape of her neck.

‘You are beautiful, Shona,’ he said in a gravelly voice.

He could hear her soft breathing.

He ran his fingers over the lace covering her bosom.

‘This is going to be more fun than the bridesmaid dress,’ he said just before his mouth claimed hers.

The kiss was slow, deliberate. He didn’t rush, and for once neither did she. Shona matched his pace, quietly letting herself sink into it.

He pulled back and turned her around, fingers carefully unfastening the brooch at her shoulder. It landed softly on the couch.

With a tug, he let the sari slip free. The pleats at her waist unravelled, the fabric sliding through his hands until she stood in just her blouse and underskirt.

‘I never realised how beautiful and versatile a sari really is,’ he said, placing it aside.

Shona raised an eyebrow. ‘Look at you, getting all cultured.’

‘Let’s not rush into nominating me for chairman of Rally’s Cultural Society. It’s less about the sari and more about who’s wearing it.’

That made her stomach flip.

‘You owe me for saving you from your matchmaking aunts,’ she said, changing gear.

He leaned in, lips grazing her ear.

‘You didn’t save me. You made it worse. They want to know when we’re getting married.’

Shona played along. ‘And what did you say?’

‘I said if I get to unwrap your sari on our wedding night, I’m in.’ His smiling mouth found her earlobe, slow and deliberate again.

Shona shivered. His words, his lips, everything about him was undoing her.

He paused, then started with the hooks of her blouse. When he slipped the blouse off, he stepped back slightly, letting out a throaty groan. Her bra matched the lace of her sari blouse exactly.

‘So beautiful,’ he said, voice low.

His hands moved lower, then hesitated at the underskirt.

‘Mmm, I think I need help here,’ he said, trying to figure out how to open it.

Reaching for the hidden drawstring, she loosened it, letting it drop to the floor.

She stepped out, calm and sure.

He reached for her hand and led her to the bedroom. Neither said a word. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was comforting, like that was where she had always belonged.

The wedding blurred her feelings – she wanted Sen in every sense but …there were just too many buts.

He lowered her onto the bed and hovered for a second. He searched her face, then kissed her again, deeper this time. Shona moaned and pulled him closer.

His hands and lips moved with purpose now. Across her ribs, her waist, her thighs. Then lower. He took his time, tasting her, pleasing her and giving her ecstasy in every way.

She wanted more, reaching for him but then he suddenly stopped.

Shona opened her eyes and realised that Sen was fully dressed.

His eyes didn’t leave hers as he undid the button on the collar of his Sherwani coat. Shona licked her lips, watching him undress. And then he leaned over her.

Shona pulled him down, closing the space between them.

His mouth found her again.

When their bodies finally joined, it was slow. Intentional. There was a primal, somatic knowing that their hearts and minds hadn’t caught up with yet.

She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, deeper. She moaned softly into his shoulder, her hands gripping his back, anchoring herself as the rhythm picked up pace.

They came together as if everything else – the questions, fears, uncertainty – didn’t exist. In that moment, it was Shona and Sen in a world that made sense only to them.

But when they called out each other’s names, that world came crashing down because they both knew they were in far deeper than they’d ever been.

Five hours later, Sen was asleep in Shona’s bed while she sat in her workroom, working on her business plan.

‘So this is where the magic happens,’ Sen said, leaning against the doorframe. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.

‘Go back to bed,’ she said, suddenly feeling a little shy at seeing him after last night. To her it felt like the first time they’d truly made love.

He shook his head and entered the room. Shona looked just as desirable as she had when he’d unwrapped her sari. He wanted to go over and kiss her, but she seemed so focused that he restrained himself.

‘What are you working on?’ he asked.

‘My business plan. I’m done. I just need to print it out to read it again,’ she said, pressing the print button. After the last page emerged, she set them in order.

‘May I have a look?’

She hesitated for a second and then handed it to him.

She moved around the room pretending to tidy, but her eyes were on Sen. He looked completely out of place in this room, in his boxer shorts with ruffled hair and sleepy eyes.

He finally put the pages down and looked at her.

‘I guess this is where I’m supposed to be eating my words,’ he said.

She looked at him questioningly.

‘When we were kids, you said I’d eat my words when you successfully opened your business,’ he explained.

‘But I haven’t as yet,’ she said.

‘You actually have. You’ve been running this business successfully since you walked out of the shop. And I’m impressed with your plan to find space in the city. Of course, I’ll help you, since most of my clients are in the property sector,’ he said.

Her heart swelled at the offer.

‘Come here,’ Sen said, gesturing for her to sit on his lap. She did and turned her head to face him.

‘Shona, I’m really proud of you.’

She hugged him tight and then stood.

‘Let’s go to bed. I want some pillow talk. I have to tell you about my conversation with Aruna,’ she said gently.