Shauna shut her eyes. Her throat worked as she swallowed. She opened her eyes and looked him straight in the eye. “All those years ago, Rhea told me that you started dating someone… her… and I… I’d felt…”
Her phone rang, cutting off whatever she was about to say.
Shauna stepped away from him to answer her call. A minute later, she returned to him.
“Sorry, I need to go,” she said. “They need me in the newsroom.”
“Shauna, wait. Meet me later, okay?”
She nodded, and then she was gone, leaving him standing there wondering what exactly she had been about to say about the past. And for some reason, he knew without a doubt that it was something important. Something he needed to address soon.
24
Three days. It had been three whole days since he’d last spent any real time with Shauna, since that night when everything between them had shifted, when they had finally stopped holding back and chosen each other completely.
Akash pressed a hand to the back of his neck, finally shutting his laptop. His days had been relentless as always. One thing kept bleeding into another until suddenly the day was gone. He knew Shauna had been just as caught up. Work had kept her occupied through the day, and by evening, the women in her family had claimed her time entirely, whisking her off for endless rounds of wedding shopping.
While she hadn’t managed to spend any real time with him, she texted often, stopping by his office for a few minutes, or he would find his way to hers. They stole moments where they could, before being pulled back into their demanding days. And he cherished those brief pockets of time. She’d tell him about work, about her evenings, and listen as he spoke about his. Somehow, those small conversations had become the highlight of his day.
He sighed. Shauna Sehgal had, far too quickly, become too damn important to him. And today had only driven that home.
He’d barely seen her, just a few hurried minutes in between schedules before they were both pulled into a senior editorial meeting with the news team. They’d spent hours discussing the programming strategy for the coming week. But all through it, he’d been aware of her. Aware that she’d already been watching him. His heart had thundered in his chest when he’d seen the need in her eyes… for him. He’d been distracted from that moment onward.
It didn’t help that when she stood up to present, he had to actively drag his attention back to the discussion. To the numbers, the projections, and the strategy she was laying out. Because his mind had other ideas. Like the way that gray dress fit her just a little too well, and how it would feel to strip it from her body. Fuck, he had to force himself to listen to her.
But now a restless need had settled under his skin. He wanted her badly. He wanted her wholly to himself without interruptions, without people watching, without work pulling them apart. It had been too long since he’d touched her, inhaled her sexy scent, or even kissed her properly. His grip tightened slightly on the edge of the table. He needed her alone soon.
He let out a deep breath.
Oh God. What was happening to him? What spell had this woman woven around him that he simply couldn’t get enough of her.
He pulled out his phone and typed out a text to her.
Need alone time with you. Tonight?
Shauna
I can’t. Jiya is in town, and I’m having a girls’ night with Rhea and her.
You’re ignoring me, Shauna.
Shauna
You’ll live.
Not sure about that. Come home later after your night out.
Shauna
Okay. I miss you too. You promised to do bad things to me the next time we were alone. I’ll hold you to it.
His heart thundered in his chest as he read her reply.
Fuck. Now he was imagining all the ways he’d make her scream tonight.
Shauna
LOL. Stop dreaming.
