Page 36 of When Love Trespassed

Shaurya’s Villa – Two Weeks Later

Two weeks later, Nandini stood outside Shaurya’s villa, holding a small basket lined with a floral cloth.

Inside were freshly baked vanilla muffins with choco chips, still warm from the oven.

She rang the bell, adjusting the cardigan over her yellow sundress—a soft, breezy piece that danced with the slight morning wind.

The door opened with a click, and Meera, Shaurya’s housekeeper, smiled warmly.

“Good morning, beta!”

“Hi, Meera Aunty. I brought these muffins for you both,” Nandini said with a small smile. “They’re still hot. Daadu insisted I deliver them before they became cold.”

“How thoughtful,” Meera replied, stepping aside to let her in. “Come in, come in.”

Nandini stepped into the familiar living room, her eyes instinctively drifting towards the staircase. It had been two weeks ever since their second kiss right here, and yet she hadn’t had a chance to come over again.

But Shaurya? He’d shown up at Raichand Villa without fail, every single day.

And in that time, something had shifted.

Not just between him and Grandpa, whose bond had grown deeper with each passing day, but between him and her too.

Whatever had sparked that night hadn’t faded; it had only deepened, growing slowly and steadily in glances, in unspoken words, and in the quiet ways he wove himself into her world without ever needing permission.

“How’s Mr. Raichand doing now?” Meera asked kindly.

“Much better,” Nandini replied. “Tomorrow, his cast comes off. He’s been counting down the hours. Honestly, if it weren’t for Shaurya, I don’t know if he would’ve recovered this quickly. He’s been so strict about his diet, the massages, the exercises. It’s worked wonders.”

“That it has,” Meera agreed, just as the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase.

Shaurya descended the stairs dressed in a tailored beige suit that fit him like a second skin and a crisp white shirt beneath, immaculately buttoned. His dark hair was perfectly styled, a hint of stubble lining his jaw. He looked powerful and sinfully attractive.

“It’s not just me,” he said. “We both contributed to his recovery.”

Nandini opened her mouth to respond, but words escaped her.

He looked far too good for her brain to function.

Shaurya, on the other hand, wasn’t even pretending to be subtle.

His gaze travelled down the length of her, pausing just a moment too long at the hem of her sundress, his eyes darkening with an unreadable expression.

Meera, ever the perceptive one, sensed the current in the air and made a tactful exit. “I’ll just check on the laundry,” she said, disappearing down the hall.

The moment she left, Nandini stood a little frozen, suddenly unsure whether it was the dress or his gaze that made her knees wobble.

Before she could say a word, Shaurya closed the distance between them.

His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, his palm settling against her cheek.

He leaned in closer and kissed her—a soft, swift smooch.

It was something achingly tender, but enough to make her eyes flutter shut and leave her breathless.

“You in that sundress,” he murmured, “looking like sunshine... is pure torture.”

She gasped softly, pulling away slightly and glancing around. “You can’t just kiss me like that. What if Meera Aunty sees?”

“Even if she did, she wouldn’t tell a soul. I trust her.”

Still flushed, she held out the box of muffins to him. “Here. Vanilla muffins with choco chips. Fresh from the oven.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You know I don’t eat much sugar.”

She grinned mischievously. “And yet you kissed me. Didn’t you say I tasted sweeter than any dessert?”

He chuckled, biting the inside of his cheek and picked up a muffin, but instead of taking a bite, he held it out to her. “You first.”

She took a small bite, her eyes locked with his. Then, without a word, he brought the muffin to his lips and took a bite from the same spot that she had, like he wanted to taste more than just food. There was something dangerously intimate in the simplicity of that gesture.

“It’s good,” he said. “How many did your grandfather eat?”

“Just one,” she replied. “I warned him that if he asked for more, I’d report directly to you.”

Shaurya let out a low, amused laugh that vibrated through her. She needed to look away before she did something reckless.

“Are you headed out?” she asked, eyeing his suit.

“Yeah. Office meeting.”

“I’m amazed you even remember where your office is. You’re always here.”

He paused slightly. “That’s because I’ve outsourced most of the load. So I can spend time... with people who matter to me.”

As he spoke, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

Her heartbeat skipped as he leaned in again, slowly, giving her every chance to pull away.

She didn’t. Their lips met in a kiss again that was soft, soulful, and magnetic—one that felt like a promise of forever.

Her fingers tangled lightly in the fabric of his suit jacket as his hand slid along her back.

Just then, her phone buzzed.

They froze. She looked at the screen and sighed.

“Duty calls,” she muttered.

“So does temptation,” he said, brushing his thumb along her jaw.

Flushed, Nandini forced herself to slip a little away with a smile to take the call. She was still close enough for him to hear her conversation.

She picked it up with slightly shaky fingers.

“Hello?” Her voice was a little breathless. “Yes, this is Nandini Raichand.”

Pause…

“Tomorrow? Okay… thank you. I’ll confirm by evening. Thanks again.”

She disconnected the call and stood still for a moment, her brows drawn together, lips pressed in a thoughtful line.

Shaurya, who was still recovering from the kiss, immediately caught the change in her expression.

“What is it?” he asked softly, stepping closer again.

She sighed. “It was from one of the investors I pitched to last month. They want to set up a call tomorrow to discuss things further.”

“That’s great, Nandini.” He smiled, genuinely happy for her.

“Yes, but…” She hesitated, her smile faltering. “Tomorrow’s also the day I have to take Daadu to the hospital to get his cast removed.”

Shaurya rolled his eyes with exaggerated exasperation. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll take him.”

“What?” she blinked. “No, Shaurya. You’ve already sacrificed so much of your work time for us. For him. I can’t keep—”

He didn’t let her finish. Gently, he reached out and touched her cheek, letting his fingers linger a moment longer than necessary.

“I’m not sacrificing anything,” he said. “I’m doing what I want to do. What I love doing. And your grandpa… he means a lot to me too now.”

Something flickered in her eyes.

“When you say things like this…” she whispered, her gaze drifting to his mouth, “it makes me feel like—”

But she couldn’t finish. She didn’t need to.

Shaurya reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers, and without another word, he gently pulled her with him down the hallway, away from the living room, away from Meera’s watchful eyes.

Her pulse skipped in anticipation, but her feet moved easily, willingly, like her body already knew the way.

They stopped near the softly-lit wall, and he turned to face her. In one smooth move, his hands slid around her waist, drawing her close, while his body leaned in, bracing her back gently against the wall. His gaze searched hers.

“You were saying?” he murmured, his voice rough with desire.

“I was saying…” Her voice trailed off as she reached up slowly, her fingers brushing the lapels of his suit. She tugged him just a little closer, her touch light as a feather. “You make it really hard to think straight when you look at me like that.”

He smiled, slow and heart-melting, his eyes softening as they dropped to her lips. Her thumb gently traced his jawline before she rose on her toes and kissed him. Shaurya melted into her, his hands smoothing along her waist as he kissed her back with a quiet intensity that made her toes curl.

“But your shirt’s too perfect,” she mumbled in between the kiss. “I don’t want to leave creases on it.”

“Screw the shirt,” he replied huskily. “Just kiss me.”

And she did. This time, she kissed him deeply and passionately like she’d been wanting to since forever. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his collar as her lips moved over his with purpose.

“You taste like vanilla,” he whispered against her lips, a smile ghosting across his own.

She chuckled against his mouth. “Muffin. You made me take the first bite, remember?”

“I think I’ll always need you to take the first bite,” he murmured. “Just to make everything sweeter.”

The world dissolved around them. It was just the press of lips, the soft inhale between kisses, and the hush of their breaths finding rhythm. After a long, lingering kiss, they finally pulled away, breathless.

“I could kiss you all day,” she whispered.

“Then don’t stop,” he said with a grin.

She giggled, then swatted his chest lightly. “We’ll get caught.”

“I don’t care,” he said, brushing a stray lock from her face tenderly.

And for once, Nandini didn’t hide her smile. She let it bloom fully.

“You make it look so easy,” she whispered back. “Thank you for stepping in to take Daadu to the hospital tomorrow.”

“Just focus on tomorrow’s call,” Shaurya said softly, brushing his thumb over her cheek with calm assurance. “I’ll handle the rest.”

Nandini nodded, but the flicker of worry in her eyes didn’t fade. Instead, it deepened.

“I’m just so nervous,” she confessed. “After so many rejections… I don’t think I’m ready to face another one. Not again.”

Shaurya’s brows drew together. “Why have they been rejecting it?” he asked, his tone gentle but probing.