Vinod Raizada
took off his glasses and looked at the huge portrait of his brother - Ajinkya
Raizada at the entrance of the office. He did have that royal look about him,
and that was exactly what Vinod had disliked right from his childhood. Vinod,
being the younger one, had always been playful, unlike Ajinkya who took up
responsibilities, earning the respect and love from everyone around. Ajinkya
had loved and had always been protective about Vinod. But the same thing could
not be said about Vinod. He always found everyone praising the elder one and
loathed the same. Even his own father had written seventy percent of his
business to Ajinkya, leaving a meagre thirty percent for him. But since the
ancestral property was equally divided as per the wish of Ajikya's father, Vinod
had grabbed his share and gone away, hoping to get back at Ajinkya by becoming
more successful than him. However, Vinod could not succeed and do much. And
slowly, his business came crumbling down. When he had heard of how Ajinkya's
sons - Akaash and Arnav had brought up the business to the skies, he knew that
it was time to strike back. But first, he had to win over his nephews. He had
heard from many that Arnav was the wrong person to mess with and was nicknamed
as the "ruthless shark" of the business world. However, Akaash seemed nicer,
and so he had decided to sneak into the Raizada firm with his help. Presently,
he sneered at Ajinkya's picture, as though challenging him that he would take
over the entire Raizada empire. And he felt like Ajinkya was challenging him
back, being so proud of his sons. He put his glasses back on and turned to
Akaash. "I have not seen Arnav at all. Can you please take me to him?" Vinod
said, sugar-coating those words. "Sure" Akaash said and smiled to himself. If
he knew better, Arnav would probably pounce on him the moment he would see
their precious uncle.
"Khushi, please
come to my cabin." Arnav spoke over the phone. She entered his cabin in two
minutes and saw him standing near the window. "Are you alright?" she asked,
unable to see his face since he was backing her. "Why do you ask?" he
questioned her and she told him that she saw him upset previously, on the
mention of his parent's death. He shrugged his shoulders and told her that it
was just a moment when he remembered them, and he was fine now. "You called me
for something. What happened?" Arnav turned and looked at her, walking towards
her in lazy strides. He had ignored his desires for quite a long time, and
maybe it was time she knew how much he desired her. She felt her skin heat up
as he fixed his longing gaze on her face. His moods changed faster than the
weather. Just a few moments back, she had seen him upset, and now he was
looking at her in all intensity. She stood in front of him, and her breathing
turned heavy as his each step took him closer to her. He leaned against the
desk and picked up the phone, his focus still on her. "Grace, if someone asks
for me, tell them that I'm unavailable." Khushi looked at Arnav smirking at
her. And then he gave her one of the sexiest grins she had ever seen. "At least
for half an hour" He stressed on the last bit and he placed the phone back. She
shivered in anxiety as to what he wanted to do, that too for half an hour. "Sit"
he told her, pointing to the single sofa. She did as she was told. He sat at
the long sofa opposite to her, with his leg resting on the thigh of the other leg,
his elbow on his thigh, resting his chin between his index finger and his thumb.
She felt conscious and looked up to him, right into his pale green eyes.
Moments passed and he was only looking at her and not saying a word. He had an
air of power around him and those eyes alone made him captivating. It was as
though he was trying to study her. Then a warmth started in the pit of her
stomach as he just sat there staring back at her seeming totally relaxed as if
this was a normal occurrence for him. Yet it wasn't normal for her. Along with
the rising heat that began to spread throughout her, there was the pace of her
heart that quickened and she breathed deeply needing some extra air to
compensate. That's when his eyes slowly dropped to her chest and she stilled
her breath causing them to flick back up to hers. Then leisurely and very
sensuously, he smiled as if he knew every thought going on in her head.
"Why are you
looking at me?" she asked him in a whisper. The air around them seemed to be
electrically charged. If she wasn't so nervous about being there under his
intense gaze, she would have appreciated how arrogantly appealing he was, as
his eyes dipped over her one more time before settling on hers with a slight
rub of his finger on his chin. "Well, just trying to figure out something." He
said, looking totally at ease. She furrowed her brows, "Figuring out what?". He
gently walked up to where she was sitting. The moment he got up from his seat,
she began to nervously fidget with her nails. She wasn't afraid of his anger
anymore. But his proximity was something new. And he looked at her in a way a
predator would look at his prey. And that thought made her heart beat faster. He
stood in front of her and leaned down, with his hands resting on either arms of
the sofa, locking her in between. She took in a sharp breath as she felt his
breath fanning her face. He drew closer to her and whispered in her ears. "I
was just wondering if you had anything to match what I saw you in, earlier."
She still did not get what he was trying to say. "Violet is still my favourite
color, but I was just thinking if I could see you make me like some other color
as well" She gasped. He was talking about the time when he saw her in her
violet innerwear. And now he was indirectly asking her if he could see her in
the same attire again, this time on purpose. Her mouth fell open at his
brazenness and his eyes dropped to it. "Don't be so shocked, Khushi. It's a
simple question" He said studying her expression.
She tried to
escape but unfortunately for her, he had locked her between his arms and the
chair. His eyes watched her purse her lips. She had a nice full mouth and it
was perfectly kissable. And as if on cue, her lips parted, unintentionally
though, as she saw him watch her mouth. He reached up and cupped her chin,
making her lean towards him. She felt the burning in her cheeks and that
sensation radiated through her entire body. She was frightened. His whole
presence frightened her because he was so powerful. "Arnav... please" she said
in a whisper. She had to keep telling herself not to be afraid, that he
wouldn't hurt her. Finally he let her turn her head away but he didn't release
her. "I wouldn't do anything you didn't want." He said in a soft breath. "You
are." she responded. "No Khushi, I'm showing you what you want, but don't have
the courage to do so." That brought her gaze back to his and this time, she was
angry for some odd reason. "You don't know what I want. You don't know me." She
shot back in an impulse. To her surprise he gave her a devastating grin. "That's
better. I like you this way - fiery. I knew you have a lot of fire in there
somewhere. The passion I can see in your eyes needs to be stoked somehow." Her
mouth fell open, "Arnav, I.." "Let me kiss you, Khushi." He said deeply letting
his eyes drop to her mouth. "Let me kiss you and I'll prove it to you." "I... I
can't." She said in an unsure tone. "Why?" "I'm afraid."
"Khushi, I told
you I will not force you. I asked your permission. Now I'm waiting for an
answer." He said to her, with his hands still cupping her face. "I gave you one
already." She said, with her heart threatening to explode in anxiety. "You gave
me an excuse. Now say yes or no." He said in the most confident tone. Damn, why did he have to be so sexy? "N...
no." She breathed lowering her eyes to his sensual wide mouth. "That's a hell
of a way to say yes." He said bending his head.
Vinod and Akaash
reached the floor of Arnav's cabin. Akaash asked Grace to inform Arnav that
Uncle Vinod was here to meet him. "Sorry Akaash Sir, but he is not available at
the moment" she said as Arnav had asked her to. Akaash frowned. Where could Arnav go at this busy hour of
the day? There was no meeting as such where he had to go out of office!
Akaash then looked at Khushi's empty seat. He smiled, knowing why Arnav was
unavailable, and knew which meeting he was stuck at. "Alright Grace, Just tell
him that we were here and that I'm in my cabin, when he is available" He then looked
at Vinod and shrugged his shoulders. Vinod pasted a smile on his face. "Well,
at least you are here" he said and Akaash had no option but to take him to his
own cabin. "Lucky Arnav!" thought Akaash.
Khushi wasn't
ready for the electricity that shot through her at the touch of his hard mouth
on hers. It was the sweetest thing she'd ever encountered. He was tender and
patient as his mouth moved over hers, not the least bit demanding as she
thought he would be. He must have some sixth sense when it came to women
because he knew exactly how to coax her. He nibbled delicately on her lower lip
until she parted hers unexpectedly. Then his tongue traced a path just inside
her parted mouth and she nearly groaned at the erotic sensation that caused.
She didn't even notice that his hand left her face, took hers and placed it
palm down on his chest under his suit jacket. He even started to guide her hand
to feel him but after a few seconds she didn't need help. Her other hand even
joined the first. Arnav felt triumphant and gripped her head in his large hands
to deepen the kiss, "Open your mouth farther for me baby." Later when she
thought about it, she didn't know how she heard him. Her hands were exploring
the hard bulking contours of his chest and her skin was on fire, where his
hands were, on either side of her face. As soon as she obeyed him he took her
mouth completely and deepened the pressure. Soon she could feel his tongue
flicking against hers and never in her life could she remember feeling such
fire well up inside her. It rocketed down her body into her pelvis and swirled
into a growing inferno. Arnav was caught in the same maelstrom and quickly
removed one hand to undo his tie and flick the first few buttons of his shirt
open. She was kissing him back now, with an equal fervour, and he was able to
tighten his arm around her back to pull her up on her feet tighter against him.
She seemed to fit against him in all of the right places. She didn't need
encouragement to find the open buttons of his shirt and move her hand inside.
Arnav heard himself groan against her mouth and backed her towards the long
sofa as he bent her back over his arm.
Just then, the
intercom buzzer went. It was Grace. "Sir... Akaash Sir was here with your uncle
a few moments back. I told him that you were unavailable. He asked me to tell
you that he would be in his cabin and that you were to see him when you're free"
In a flash he erected himself and released Khushi. He turned away walking
toward his desk while doing up his buttons and his tie. Khushi must've
blushed a thousand shades of red at what she'd just done. Arnav pushed the
button on his phone. "Akaash you called?... uh-huh... Yeah, I was occupied with
Khushi, doing errr...some important work... Uh, okay, whatever" If Khushi could
blush further, she just did. Occupied?
She was acting like a wanton woman! He erected himself with his eyes still on
hers and finished fixing his tie lifting his chin slightly as he set the knot.
She kept silent. She was speechless and suddenly ashamed at her behaviour.
Arnav lifted a brow, "See?" he told her, referring to the sizzling chemistry
between them. "That was wrong. It shouldn't have happened" She said barely
above a whisper, before she turned on her heel and left the cabin to rush to
the washroom. How could she have acted in such a way? Well it was completely
his fault! He put a spell on her, she was sure of it. She never was so forward
before in her life. Well, maybe in her thoughts, but she had never acted upon
her desires. Glancing down at her hand, the same hand that was on his flesh
only moments ago, she clenched her fist trying to forget. How Arnav could act
so nonchalant over such a display floored her. He made it seem that what they'd
just shared seem cheap, but she knew nothing of attraction, or sex for that
matter, and didn't know if that was normal between two people to turn it off so
easily. She was still rattled to the bone.
Arnav sat in his
high back leather office chair after Khushi had left and ran a large hand over
his face. Then he reached down and adjusted the crotch of his dark slacks to
accommodate his erection. Never before had he fooled around with an employee,
much less to that extent and in his office of all places. He could have had
her, he knew he could have. Even now he had images of being on top of her stretched
over the length of the sofa, wrapping those gorgeous legs around his hips and
plunging into her until he was all spent. This wouldn't do at all. He couldn't
be alone with her in the confines of his cabin. Grace was right on time to
interrupt what he was going to do to her next. Hell, she smelled good and when
she was turned on, it became more potent. He lifted his hand and smelled it.
Raspberries. Laying his head back against the chair, he knew he had to find
some privacy and speak to her. She looked hurt and embarrassed when she left,
but he had his own urges to control and couldn't say anything to her without
fear of ravishing her. Standing up, he ran his hand through his hair. He had to
get out of there. When he went out of his cabin, Khushi wasn't there in her
seat. That frustrated him more. He headed out to Akaash's cabin to divert his
mind.
When Khushi
returned from the washroom, she was relieved to hear from Grace that Arnav had
left for the day along with Akaash and his uncle. At least she was able to
concentrate on learning a particular task that Grace was to guide her through.
Actually she was lying to herself and doing a poor job of it. She couldn't
concentrate at all. It was hard to forget how Arnav made her feel over a few
moments of intimacy. She felt beautiful. That is, until he was able to turn it
off so quickly, and the shame hit her. She had never been kissed so beautifully
in her life, so the reaction completely floored her. Grace was still talking
and Khushi had to write everything down just to make sure she wouldn't forget,
because she kept feeling his hard sensuous mouth on hers and his hard body with
its hot flesh under her fingers. Absently, she reached up and wiped her brow
with the back of her hand. She felt like she was perspiring, but it was just
the heat prickling her skin remembering the incident. "Are you okay?" Grace
said noticing the sudden blush in Khushi's cheeks. "I'm fine." Khushi smiled, "I'm
just finding this work overwhelming." She lied hoping that it worked. It did.
Grace only smiled back at her.
Arnav went to
Akaash's cabin and noticed that Vinod Raizada was seated, backing the door and
facing Akaash. When Arnav entered the cabin, Vinod stood up to hug him, but
Arnav just held his hand out for a cordial handshake. "For how many days are
you here?" Arnav asked, not bothering about the apprehensive look he got from Akaash,
who tried to stop him from being outright rude to Vinod. Vinod smiled and told
him that he was not sure of the duration he would be in India. "After all, you
two are the only close people I have." He said. It was true. Vinod Raizada had
never got married, and so Arnav and Akaash were the only blood-related people
he had. Arnav grimaced at his statement. "Yeah, and you happen to remember us
after these many years, despite the fact that you did not attend your own
brother's and sister-in-law's funeral" Arnav spat out venomously. Vinod
swallowed in annoyance. Of course he did not come on purpose. He knew that the
property and the business would be in Akaash and Arnav's name, and he could not
bear to hear that during the reading of Ajinkya's will. After all, he too had a
share in the business; the one which his father deprived him from, leaving him
a mere thirty percent. But he had to keep a watch over his behaviour if he had
to win over his nephews, and then eventually take over the Raizada firm. "I've
made mistakes, Arnav. And I'm back to try to repent. Please forgive me" Vinod
folded his hands. Arnav was about to say something, but Akaash asked him not to
talk. Arnav rolled his eyes and walked out of the cabin like a fierce lion.
One, he was pissed about his uncle's presence. Two, he had to talk to Khushi about
what happened in the cabin.
Shortly after,
Arnav strode down the hall, tossing his keys in his hand. His whole presence
was devastating, she thought to herself, trying not to let him see that she
watched him. He walked up to her. "It's time. Are you ready to go home?" he
said looking down at her. "Let me get my purse." She said standing up not able
to meet his eyes. Although she did not want to go home with him, she knew there
would be no sense in arguing with him. Moreover, she did not want Grace to know
what was happening between them. It would only cause another topic for gossip
at the work place. When they left the building, they were spotted together by
Vinod who was talking to one of the fellow employees. "Who's that girl?" Vinod
asked. "She's Khushi Gupta, Arnav sir's P.A." One guy said, and another guy
butted in, saying, "Apparently they have a thing going on" The other guy just
hi-fived back with a knowing smile. "Is it?" Vinod asked. None of the employees
knew how Vinod was connected to Akaash and Arnav, and they thought he was just
another client in the firm. He hardly had the look of being related to the Raizadas.
Moreover, Vinod was a friendly man who was sweet to the employees, and they
liked his attitude already. "That's what we heard. Last time we know, they were
making out in the elevator" the first guy chuckled, and Vinod too smiled slyly.
"Interesting!" he asked, with some wicked plan already hatching in his head.
"What happened
can't happen again." Khushi said without looking at Arnav, as he drove to her
house to drop her. "No, not in my office." He said, looking at her from the
corner of his eye. "Anywhere." She told him, to which he smiled, saying, "That's
where you're wrong honey." He said deepening his voice. She bit her bottom lip.
She couldn't go through that shame again, "I cant, Arnav. You may be able to
handle things like that, but I'm not used to it." She did love him, and was
fine with being intimate as well, but she just couldn't handle it when he
turned her away abruptly, as though she were some toy to be played with. "Look",
he said seeing her expression and finally figuring out what the problem was, "I
couldn't say anything to you at that time. I had to control my own body." Her
eyes came up to his with a question in them. "Surely you know..." he paused
studying her expression, and then his own went blank as it finally dawned on
him, "Oh hell." He straightened in his seat and leaned back looking at the
interior roof of the land rover, "Leave it to me to find the only twenty three
year old virgin on the planet." He said in a rush of breath. That statement
made her more ashamed than she could possibly imagine. Yes, she was a virgin,
but she had chosen to keep it and Arnav had just spoken as if it was a curse.
To her it was a measure of her pride. Hot tears burned her eyes and she
released a wretched sob. "What the..." he swivelled his head in her direction slamming
on the brakes, "You're crying? For heaven's sake, Khushi!" "Just... just take
me home." She managed. "Not when you're like this. It hurts to see you cry.
Quit crying" He said genuinely. "It's not a switch you can turn off", she said
sarcastically, wiping her eyes vigorously, angry and embarrassed at the same
time. She usually never cried, ever.
He really wanted
to reach over and gather her in his arms. It was killing him to see her cry,
but he wouldn't stop with just a hug and he knew that, "What did I say?" he
asked. "What haven't you said? You have to be the most insensitive..." "Jeez
Khushi, do you want me to hold you? Last time I had you in my arms, I near had
you flat on the sofa." "You didn't..." She protested shooting him an expression
of disbelief, and said, "You acted as if it was nothing." "Honey, if you looked
down at the time, you would have seen it was far from nothing. I near split the
material of my pants." He said, causing her to flush. "And..." he added deeply,
"just because you're weeping, it doesn't mean a damn thing to my body, virgin
or not. I still want you." "Quit that, okay?" She shot at him. "What?" he asked
her in surprise. "You refer to my chastity as a disease." She spoke. His eyes
studied her. She'd quit crying now, but the look underneath that hurt was
devastating. He'd almost taken something that she deemed precious and twisted
it. "So that's it!" He said quietly. "I sound as if I'm ridiculing you over the
fact that you are untouched?" "You are." She admitted. She was right about him
having that sixth sense. "No. I'm not." He leaned toward her and brushed a
strand of hair off her face tucking it behind her ear tenderly, "Look at me
Khushi." Slowly, she did, and he said, "If you understood anything about men,
you'll find that it's frustrating for me because I want you so bad. I don't
think I can be gentle with the need that you evoke in me. Don't you understand?"
She looked in front, away from him gaze, trying to protest what he was saying. "Khushi,
it wasn't like you were fighting me off today." He reminded her with a pointed
look. "Practically every inch of your body was embedded in mine." She snapped
her mouth shut and turned her head away to look out the window. He was right,
she wasn't fighting. She wanted to feel him too, but she'd never openly admit
that. A tug on a lock of her hair made her look at him again. His eyes had
softened and she found herself unable to take her eyes away again.
"I'm not fooling
around, Khushi. I love you and I want you with all my being." He said looking
into her eyes, to which she replied dryly, "That's my choice whether I would
allow you to have me or not." She knew she would give herself to him the moment
he would touch her, but was too arrogant to admit it. She was plain mad that he
did not care about the fact that it was her first kiss, and abruptly jerked
away as though he disliked the experience. For her, it was wonderful, until he
pushed away from her. He released her hair and sat straight, "Not really, honey."
He said with a smile, starting the engine. "What does that mean?" "It means..."
he said shooting her a look as he swung his arm over the seat to back up, "That
my original goal hasn't changed." Her eyes guided to his chest where his coat
hung open and the material of his shirt stretched tightly across his pectorals.
Because of that, she couldn't even find it in her to argue. "I wanted you then,
and I want you even now, Khushi."
She folded her
arms under her breasts and stared straight ahead, "For someone who doesn't want
a virgin, you sure are demanding." His eyes went to the swell of her chest, and
then looked back at her face. "I never said I didn't want a virgin, I want you."
Her mouth fell open with that deeply voiced statement. Somehow she wasn't mad
anymore. They drove in silence to her house. Just when she was about to get
off, she turned to him, and brushed her lips softly against his. "I love you
Arnav, I really do. But I need some time to be familiar with intimacy." He
pulled her back into his arms and kissed her deeply. She moaned, and Arnav knew
that if he continued, he would take her on the seat, then and there. He gently
pulled back and said, "I know. But, know that I'm going to be the only one who
will ever have a right to introduce that intimacy to you." She gasped at his
bold statement. "Dream about me, love", he said to her as she waved him. And
oh, did she dream sinfully about him that night!
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