ShiVika OS - Mon Amour ( My Love )

"Psst ! Annika your man is back.

A discreetly quick glance over her shoulder confirmed that he was indeed back. He being not her man, officially but still her man, unofficially. Unable to stop herself, she looked back at him and her fluttering heart changed pace to galloping because the man was looking right back at her. With a quick gasp of exclamation Annika ducked behind the counter.

All of this, this being the game of heart eyes, small smiles, her blushing cheeks and his knowing smirks, started roughly seven months ago when a man drenched from head to toe in rain rushed into the cafe where Annika worked part time as a barista. The man looked familiar but she couldn't quite place him in her memory. While she was busy trying to remember and not to shamelessly ogle at the fine male specimen that he was, the man in question moved in front of her counter. Busy ogling ( it would have been unfair not to ) Annika didn't realize that the man was trying to get her attention until he snapped his fingers in front of her and broke her trance.

What she should have said was, "I'm sorry. Can I take your order ? What she blurted out was, "You are really handsome and your eyes are really beautiful.

For a moment the said man didn't react and then a slow smile spread across his face.

Before he could open his mouth Annika interrupted, "Are you ready to order ?

That disarming, turning brain cells to mush smile still in place he placed his order and paid. Just when Annika had started counting her blessings for not embarrassing herself further, the man leaned in and whispered in her ear "You are really beautiful.

That meeting marked the beginning of the end for Annika. After that every time he came, which was everyday and always during her shift, she became a fish out of water. She would take his order ( which was always black coffee ), he would pay, flash her a smile and say something along the lines of "You are still very beautiful. or "You are like a breath of fresh air. or "You are adorable. and she would promptly blush like a tomato.

For a month they had danced around this attraction, brushing it away like it was a pesky little bug. They had become sort of friends who were very, very attracted to each other. She knew he was Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the infamous heir of Oberoi Industries. He knew she was Annika Sinha, part time barista, event planner and heir to her mom's collection of saari's. And then came the fateful evening that changed everything.

That evening Annika and Jiya were the only ones on shift. Jiya was restocking the pantry and Annika was manning the counter. When there was lull in the flow of customers, signaling the end of rush hour, Annika started clearing the clutter in the drawers underneath the counter. She was so absorbed in the task that she didn't hear Shivaay come in. So when he said "Annika. She almost had a heart attack, jerked up and ended up banging her head on the overhead shelf. A bit dazed from the impact it took her some moments to register the fact that Shivaay had crossed the counter and was standing in front of her.

With nimble fingers he examined her head, noting her wincing expression he quickly dropped his hands. Rummaging through various drawers he found the first aid kit, made her sit on the floor and tended to her injury. While he was busy inspecting, prodding and bandaging her forehead Annika was studying him. She noticed the light stubble on his jaw, his forehead scrunched in concentration, the line of his nose which was a little crooked in the middle( probably from his brawling days...and yes she googled him ), his hair which appeared so silky that she was almost jealous of him( and also made her want to run her fingers through his hair ) and then there were his lips which looked soft and very, very inviting.

When he closed the kit and was just about to get up Annika snagged him by his tie, pulled him forward and pressed her lips to his. Feeling awkward when he didn't respond she pulled back only to be grabbed by the nape of her neck and then his lips slanted of hers. His tongue traced her lips and when she gasped in surprise he lightly sucked on her lower lip. Giving in to the throbbing desire she circled her arms around his neck and reciprocated the action. His appreciative grunt was her reward. Seconds, minutes, hours, an eternity could have passed and she wouldn't have cared. Kissing Shivaay, tasting his lips, feeling his light nips and sucks was fanning the fire of desire in her body. She wanted him, needed him. When breathing became a necessity they broke apart for air.

His always perfect hair was disheveled from her running her fingers through it, his tie was loosely hanging around his neck and the top buttons of dress shirt were undone giving a tantalizing glimpse of the skin below. He looked thoroughly kissed and Annika knew she looked quite the same. He was staring at her, possibly ogling at her, and she wanted to haul him back for another kiss.

"Stop looking at me like that.

Tracing a path with his finger along her cheek, down her throat he asked in husky voice, "How am I looking at you, Annika ?

If it was possible Annika's cheeks reddened even more. In a voice that belied all her nerves, her want she said, "Like you want to ...like you want to devour me.

In the same just tone of voice, that made her want to climb him he answered, "I do want to devour you but first I want to take you out on a date.

Probably noting her slightly crestfallen expression he laughed lightly, pecked her lips and cradling the side of her face in his hand stated, "Annika, I've never felt this way before. This isn't just plain physical attraction. This is the promise of so much more. I'll wait for your shift to end at my table and then I'm taking you out for dinner.

Understanding what he meant, that this wasn't just simple chemistry she nodded in affirmative.

"And Annika ? The devouring part would happen soon enough.

Their first date was six months ago. For better part of the year they had been in a very steady and blissful relationship. She couldn't imagine herself without him. The two of them were a team and he was her partner.

So why the ducking behind the counter you ask ? Why the sudden return of her awkward shyness ?

Her finding a ring was the reason. An engagement ring to be precise. It was a simple, elegant solitaire ring set in diamonds. She had been happily surprised by her discovery. The conundrum was that Shivaay didn't know that she knew. She just couldn't act normal around him. She wanted to jump in his arms and kiss him like the end of the world was near. She just couldn't control herself, hence the ducking behind the counter. But she couldn't hide forever. So smothering her excitement that was threatening to bubble out of her she made her way towards him with his regular order.

"Here is your black coffee handsome.

Placing his order on the table Annika was about to move away when he tugged her back and made her sit on his lap. Struggling to stand back up and shocked at his PDA at her workplace Annika could just mumble his name in vain. Cuddling her close, pressing a kiss to the curve of her neck he murmured, "Calm down beauty, it's alright.

When she opened her mouth in protest he silenced her with a kiss that left her breathless.

Confused beyond measure by his behavior and blushing from his kiss she just stared at him.

"Did you like the ring ?

Out all the things she imagined him saying this was so not it. Opening and closing her mouth like a fish she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"What...how..ring ?

Seeing the twinkle in his eyes, the wide spread smile that indicated his happiness she finally understood.

"Me finding the ring wasn't an accident, was it ? Oh my god ! Lightly hitting him in the shoulder "Shivaay, I've been going crazy over the past twenty four hours trying to control my excitement.

"So...you liked it ?

"I loved it !! I wanted to wear it and jump and dance and laugh at the same time.

Taking hold of her hand he kissed her knuckles, tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Annika Sinha will you make me the happiest man on the face of this earth ?

Deliriously happy she answered,Yes! Yes! I'll marry you.

Slipping off the leash on her excitement Annika kissed him like she had been dying to since she had found the ring.