Page 99 of The Defiant Wife

For a long moment, I simply stand there.

Work has always come first.

Always.

Meetings.

Responsibilities.

For thirty years, nothing has ever taken priority over them.Yet hearing she'd been waiting outside for half an hour had made something inside me snap without warning.

I don't even question it.The door opens again.Diya walks inside carrying a three-tier stainless-steel tiffin in both hands.

She looks . . . nervous.She keeps glancing around my office as if she's stepped into unfamiliar territory."Hi . . . " she says quietly.She stops a few feet away from my desk."I just . . . wanted to say thank you."She looks down at the tiffin for a second before meeting my eyes again."For yesterday.For taking care of me.And . . . for putting up with me."

I don't answer immediately.Instead, I walk around my desk. Slowly. Until I'm standing right in front of her.

She's still looking everywhere except at me.I lift two fingers beneath her chin and gently tilt her face up."If I don't take care of my wife . . . " I say softly." . . . who do you expect to do it?"

Her breath catches.Colour spreads across her cheeks so quickly it's almost fascinating to watch.She blinks up at me, completely caught off guard."Stop doing that," she blurts.

She pushes lightly against my chest, though her hands stay there for a second longer than necessary before she steps back."You keep saying things like that and . . . " she starts rambling." . . . and we're in your office, and I only came becauseI wanted to thank you, and the palace kitchen already had all the ingredients, so it wasn't even difficult . . . "

She keeps talking.Faster.And faster.Until I can't help it anymore.A quiet laugh slips out. Her mouth snaps shut instantly.Her eyes become as round as saucers." . . . You laughed."

I blink. "So?"

"You laughed."She points at me as if she's just witnessed a miracle."I've never heard you laugh like that before."

I shake my head, still smiling despite myself.She has no idea what she does to me.I step closer again.A loose curl has fallen across her face.Without thinking, I tuck it behind her ear."You might be the reason," I admit quietly.

The words leave my mouth before I can reconsider them.Her cheeks somehow turn even redder.For a second she simply stares at me.

Speechless.

Then she blinks twice.

"I . . . ".She looks down at the tiffin." . . . forgot what I was going to say."

A smile pulls at the corner of my mouth."That seems to happen every time I stand too close to you." I smirk.

"Oh!"She nudges my shoulder."I remembered.I brought you lunch."

She places the tiffin on the coffee table beside the sofa."To thank you."

"Thank you, my wife," I reply without missing a beat.

She sighs dramatically."Can you please stop calling me that?"

"Why?"

"Because when you say it, it sounds like you're teasing me."

"I am."

She groans."You are impossible."

"I've heard that before."