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“Do I?” His lips quirked. “Considering the way you tumbled into my arms when you saw me, I think I just saved your sweet ass from a whole lot of trouble. That makes us even, baby. Nothing owed at all.”
She clucked her tongue. “Vihaan!”
“Tiya!”
“How will we make this,” she pointed a finger between them, “us…work, if I don’t know your story.”
“Oh baby,” he drawled. “You just fall into my arms every time you see me and I think we got it covered. No one will believe that you and I aren’t dating. Plus, the kisses are a welcome bonus. I don’t mind those too. In fact, I’d love to domorewith you.”
He took a step toward her and she stopped him with a hand on his chest. The heat from her hand filtered through the layers of his clothes separating them and flooded the center of his heart, thawing him. He looked at Tiya and found her staring at the hand she’d placed on his chest as if she too had felt that strange heat. Shaking her head, she removed her hand and he was cold again, when moments back he’d been so warm.
“The kiss was just a one-off to prevent you from committing murder,” Tiya said. “And as formore… Dream on.”
“You aren’t attracted to me in the least?”
He reached forward and shifted a soft strand of hair away from her face. She stood still, giving him no reaction. It just made him itch to do something to provoke her into reacting. The need to feel that heat she’d recently warmed him with slammed into him. He slid his finger down her temple, across her cheek, caressing the corner of her mouth, stroking the base of her lower lip.
Her lips quivered. Quick breaths rushed out of her parted mouth and victory sizzled through him. She wasn’t immune to him after all. She held his hand, stopping him, and once again, that strange heat enveloped him. This heat that suddenly flared up between them wasn’t one sided. She felt it too.
“Stop flirting with me,” she scolded. “If this needs to work, we need rules.”
He laughed. “We’re having rules now? This isn’t a movie, sweetheart.”
“It does happen to be my life. And I will not get into a physical relationship with a man known for breaking hearts.”
His brows shot up. “Who’s been feeding you that nonsense?”
She scowled. “Have you forgotten your brother is married to my best friend?”
First Dev and now Myra?! Did everyone think him incapable of having a relationship? Agreed, his dating history consisted of a string of one-night stands only. But living in hiding the way they’d been for years, it had been impossible to be with someone in a relationship. Not that he’d met anyone he’d wanted to date so far. Bringing someone into their close-knit circle meant absolute trust was needed to be placed in that person. And Vihaan didn’t trust easily.
“Myra and I are going to have words, if this is what she’s been telling you.” He grumbled.
“Oh, get over it,” Tiya chided. “We will have rules. But first things first—you know I have a valid reason for doing this. What I don’t understand is why you came here despite me asking you not to. Agreed you saved me from my parents’ matchmaking. Why though? How does this help you? I’m pretty sure you’re doing this for a reason.”
God! She was so smart. So clever. She was the perfect mix of beauty and intelligence.
“If I remember it right, you did dare me to show up here tonight.”
Her wide brown eyes locked on him as she took her time assessing him. “Fine, tell me where you live.”
His lips remained sealed.
“No? Not going to tell me? Okay, then tell me where Myra lives.”
When he still remained silent, she shook her head. “If this was just to prove a point to me then you’d answer my questions. There’s something more going on and I want to know what.”
“Can’t we just accept that I wanted to help you and move on?”
She glared at him. “I don’t like this one bit. You have too many secrets.”
“I do, and you need to never learn them, if you know what’s good for you,” he retorted, his tone dead serious now.
Her mouth opened and then she snapped it close, her eyes throwing daggers at him. Already, he’d crossed too many lines tonight. And keeping her ignorant was the safest way to protect her from Dev Luthra. Openly acknowledging that he was involved with her had already put a target on her back. Thankfully, she was Jatin Sood’s daughter and thus Dev would never hurt her. Or would he?
His heart sank. What had he done? Had he put her in danger now?
God! He was an idiot. Everything he was doing was for his family and yet he found himself stressed about Tiya and her safety. And truth be told, he’d never forgive himself if she got hurt.
