Jai
Next Day
A girl dressed in a school uniform raised a hand, stopping the early morning traffic to rush across the street. The muffled sound of horns sneaked past the office window.
A man opened the shutters of a stationery shop. A black cat pawed at a street dog trying to sniff her. A couple dressed in formal wear walked hand in hand on the footpath.
‘Jai, I … Can I have some time to think about it?’
The flash of desire in her eyes was unmistakable. She wanted me. I knew that. And her inclination not to shit where she ate was understandable as well. But I had explained that it wasn’t a problem worth fretting over. I was sure she must’ve realised that by now.
A soft knock grabbed my attention.
Ananya walked in with a cup of tea.
Silky hair. Bright eyes. Lush lips. I’d always admired her beauty. But through the lens of memory, it was captivating.
‘Good morning,’ I greeted as I walked to the front of my desk and leaned against it.
A tantalising floral scent mingled in the air as Ananya came close and put the cup down. ‘Good morning, Jai.’
She hesitated, gaze dipping to my lips, her breathing momentarily uneven.
She’s thinking about our kiss. My odds seemed good.
‘You look beautiful.’
Her hand smoothed her grey knee-length dress. ‘Thanks … I got it on discount from H&M.’
I tucked a wavy lock of hair behind her ear, revealing her face. ‘I’m not talking about the dress.’
Ananya froze, her tongue darting out and licking her lips nervously.
Ah, fuck. My fingers slid into her hair, and I swallowed her soft gasp as my mouth crashed onto hers.
Her intoxicating taste entered my bloodstream like a drug. I couldn’t get enough of her. Every part of me wanted to take. To touch. To make her forget every reason she had to say no.
In one fluid motion, I hoisted her onto the desk and stepped between her legs. A moan vibrated against my mouth, and an electric pull ignited low in me, impossible to ignore. My grip on her thigh tightened.
She melted, her hand sliding up to the lapel of my suit, pulling me closer.
The first kiss was a surprise. This was an awakening. I thought if she said no, I could walk away. But after I’d had a taste of what it could be like? There was no walking away from Ananya. Not with my heart and mind intact.
I pulled back, resting my forehead on hers, our low, uneven breathing the only sounds between us. ‘I didn’t know it could feel like this,’ I rasped. ‘Say yes, Ananya.’
Her eyes squeezed shut. ‘Jai.’ Remorse swam in them when they reopened. ‘I can’t.’
I fell back a step as though she had physically pushed me away.
The mix of emotions on her face – heat, guilt, yearning – reminded me that this wasn’t personal. It’s the reason why she first told me it was a mistake. It stung, yes, but I didn’t let it deter me yesterday, and I wasn’t going to let it now. ‘It isn’t against company policy for us to date. You can check the employee handbook yourself.’
Her head lowered. Her knuckles turned white against the desk corner.
What if I’m wrong?‘Or is it that you don’t want to?’ A vice wrapped around my ribs. ‘Because that’s a lie, and I know it. You wouldn’t kiss the way you did otherwise.’
‘No,’ she said immediately. ‘It’s just …’ She swallowed. ‘What if we date and it doesn’t work out? It’s a risk I can’t take. I need this job.’
So,thiswas the real problem. The tension faded once I knew there was a way forward. ‘I would never fire you over it; you should trust me that much,’ I said softly, stepping closer. ‘I hope it doesn’t happen, but if you don’t want to work for me after that, you can transfer to another department. Or I’ll get you a job wherever you want. You have my word.’
