Page 24 of Trapped By the Maharaja

Sanjana’s brows furrowed slightly as consciousness pulled her from sleep. The scent that hit her next was clean and maddeningly familiar. Citrusy musk with a hint of sandalwood.

Her eyes fluttered open and her heart stuttered.

Her head was once again resting against Ram’s bare chest.

She wasn’t shocked anymore. She carefully shifted, rolling to her side.

She glanced sideways, expecting Ram to be awake as usual and watching her.

But much to her surprise, he was still asleep.

Even in sleep, he looked powerful, regal and entirely too damn handsome.

Her fingers curled into her palm as she felt a strong impulse to touch him.

I hate him.

She reminded herself that Ram was ruthless and had trapped her into a contract marriage. She hated him. But she couldn’t look away.

Giving into the strong impulse, she reached out.

Just one finger. And just to trace the line of his high cheekbone.

Her fingertip ghosted across his skin, not touching him. She traced the angle of his strong jaw, which was always clenched around her. But now, it was relaxed.

Something inside her chest twisted.

Years ago, she had done this same thing when they were younger, when she’d watch him sleep after long nights of heartfelt conversations, study sessions, and stifled desire.

She reached for the tip of his regal nose, her finger hovering over the bold arch of it, when suddenly strong fingers closed around her wrist.

She gasped, and before she could react, the world flipped.

She found herself under Ram, with her wrists pinned above her head, and his body pressing her down with an unyielding force that stole her breath.

His were dark and glittering.

Flustered, heat rushing to her cheeks, she tried to pull her wrists back, but his grip didn’t ease.

“Something flew on your face,” she said. “So, I just…” Her voice drifted at the lie.

He didn’t say anything.

The heat of his bare chest seared through the thin fabric of her gown. The press of his body against hers was overwhelming, her senses flooding with the nearness she had sworn to hate.

His one hand, strong and unyielding, held her wrists firmly above her head, while the other began tracing the line of her jaw, sending tingles through her body.

Her breath came out in ragged gasps. “Let me go, Ram,” she managed, her voice a mix of shock and desire. But he didn't budge, his gaze never leaving hers.

His hand moved lower and he cupped her breast possessively, his thumb brushing against her erect nipple.

The sensation shot through her like a bolt of lightning.

Her skin was on fire, and she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks as she stared up at him, torn between shock and a traitorous arousal that she had no control over.

“You can't do this,” she protested, trying to keep her voice steady.

He leaned in, his breath hot on her skin.

“I can, and I will,” he said, and then he bit her neck, hard enough to make her gasp.

The sensation was unexpected and overwhelming, a mix of pain and pleasure.

He licked the spot, his tongue a warm caress that seemed to brand her.

Her body betrayed her, arching into his touch despite her mind's fierce protests.

“Let me go, Ram,” she gasped.

He didn’t let her go. “Why?” he asked.

She didn’t know what to say, while her body was thrumming with pleasure.

“Because… because we hate each other,” she replied.

He chuckled darkly, the sound sending a shiver of arousal. “Hate has nothing to do with this,” he stated. “This is desire.”

He ground his hips against hers, and she could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh. She closed her eyes, willing herself not to moan.

The room suddenly felt suffocatingly hot, the air thick with tension and desire that she couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she wished she could.

The scent of him invaded her nostrils, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Her body was a live wire, every nerve ending alight with sensation, and she hated herself for the way she was responding to his touch.

She could feel the hardness of his chest, the crispness of his chest hair brushing against her breasts, sending little sparks of pleasure through her body. His muscles flexed with each movement, and she was all too aware of his strength.

“I hate you,” she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

His smile was dark as he leaned down, capturing her mouth in a kiss that stole the last of her breath. His teeth scraped against her bottom lip. She told herself she didn't want this, didn't want to want him. But her body had a mind of its own. She kissed him back.

Her thoughts were a mix of anger and a deep-seated desire. His hands roamed her body, igniting a firestorm of sensations. She squirmed beneath him, trying to break free from his hold and also to pull him closer.

“I’ve wanted you for so bloody long,” he growled.

His words washed through her, heating her burning body further, but also making her realize what she was allowing to happen.

She was letting him kiss her, touch her, and do things that would bind her to him in ways that would be impossible to break.

“Ram, stop,” she choked out, trying to push him away with all the strength she could muster.

Ram froze, the hand that had been tracing circles on her lower abdomen stilling for a moment. His eyes held hers. She held his gaze firmly, the resolve in her voice unshaken.

“I don’t want this,” she said. “I-I’m not ready. I need time.”

His gaze burned into her for a long moment. Then with a dark, unreadable look, he finally let her go.

She took a deep, shuddering breath as the weight lifted off her, her body feeling both relieved and strangely disappointed.

Without looking at him, she bolted from the bed, her legs wobbly with a mix of anger and the aftermath of the intense emotions that had just crashed over her.

She went into the adjoining bathroom, the cool marble floor a stark contrast to the heat of the room she had just escaped. She slammed the door shut behind her.

She leaned against the cool surface, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to compose herself. The mirror reflected her flushed cheeks and wild hair, and a bruise forming on her neck where Ram had bitten her. Her body was burning with unfulfilled desire.

I cannot let this happen again.