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“Easier for whom!” she shouted. “I will not agree to this!”
“If you have a better option, let me know,” he drawled.
“I…we…” she sputtered. Before she could think of anything, he strode out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him, leaving her shocked and outraged.
CHAPTER 6
A soft knock on the door jerked Sitara out of her shock. It had only been a few minutes since Aarav dropped the shocking news on her and she desperately tried to think of a way out.
I can’t be with him! There is no way I can be with him in the same cabin suite.
“Come in,” she snapped, hoping he was there to come up with a different idea than for them to pretend to be a married couple.
The door opened, but it wasn’t Aarav. A uniformed man and a woman who must be a part of the ship crew stood outside the bedroom door.
She should have realized that Aarav was hardly the kind to knock on her bedroom door and wait timidly for her permission. He was still cocky and arrogant as before, and would most likely barge into her bedroom like he had every right and like he did in the past when they were together. She needed to set boundaries to their current situation.
“Good morning, madam,” the man greeted politely. “I’m Sanjay and this is Riya. We are here with your luggage.”
Feeling bad about her earlier inadvertently rude greeting, she stood up with a smile. “Thank you for bringing my bags. Please place them over there,” she pointed to the walk-in closet area that was near the bathroom.
They placed her large suitcases in the closet. Aarav’s carry-on bag was right next to her luggage, making her feel anxious. It was as though she was being forcibly transported to the past when he visited her often during his university breaks and then later in between Air Force trainings.
“We are your suite’s assigned butlers for the duration of the cruise, Mrs. Rathod. We can help you unpack.”
The name she was addressed with made her more anxious, but she shook her head with a smile. “I’ll unpack myself. Thank you for offering.”
“Sure, madam,” the man said. “Along with delivering your meals and tidying up your room, we offer a list of complimentary services such as scheduling your day, in-suite massages and—”
“We don’t need them right now,” a deep voice drawled, cutting off the man mid-way.
She turned to see Aarav standing at the bedroom doorway.
“My wife and I are on our honeymoon,” he drawled. “We prefer to have utmost privacy. If we need anything, we’ll call.”
“Oh! Sure, sir. Congratulations to you both on your wedding.”
Sitara’s face caught fire as the man and woman gave each other knowing smiles before they left the bedroom and then the cabin suite. As soon as the main door shut, she snapped.
“I still didn’t agree to the idea of us pretending to be married! And I want the butler services! This is my vacation!”
She sounded like a snob demanding butler services, but the man in front of her was driving her crazy.
“I don’t want strangers entering the cabin suite without permission.” His eyes swept over her. “And if you need services, I’ll help.”
Something about his deep drawl made her stomach flutter. Her cheeks heated as X-rated images from their past flashed in her mind, making her think about the services he could offer in the suite.
What is wrong with you! He broke your heart! You are supposed to hate him!
“No thanks,” she gritted.
His mouth twisted as though he could read her mind. He then looked at his watch. “Freshen up in fifteen minutes. We’ll head out for lunch.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said, even though she was starving. She had skipped her breakfast that morning due to their early start. But she didn’t want to spend time with him.
“Too bad,” he drawled. “But since I can’t leave you alone in the suite, you’ll still have to come. You can watch me eat.”
This time, she couldn’t control herself. She picked up a plush, heavy pillow from the bed and threw it towards him. He smoothly evaded it by taking a step aside, missing the pillow completely. The pillow hit the door with a loud thud instead.
