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“I’ll try.” Her lips quirked. “I doubt I’ll have time though.”
He pulled her against his chest. “I think you really hexed me yesterday because I can’t stop thinking about you or what will come out next from your mouth.”
“I’ll see you on Friday.”
She breathed him in one last time, before she slid into her car and waved at him. He blew her a kiss, making her heart speed. She doubted she’d hexed him as much he’d cast a spell on her. She ought to run far away from Vihaan Rajpoot. He had too many secrets, which he’d probably never share with her. But instead, she was running head first into an affair with him. What had started as fake between them had blurred so much that she no longer knew what was real and what wasn’t. She only knew she wanted to see where this led to next.
13
The rest of the week passed by in a blur, and now Tiya couldn’t wait to meet him. Despite her busy schedule, she’d spoken to Vihaan several times and they’d texted nonstop. Over the last days, she’d learned whatever he was able to share with her about himself. She was certain she’d touched only the tip of the iceberg, but considering that he’d be meeting her parents in the next few minutes, whatever she’d learned was most likely enough to pass them off as a couple who were dating. Besides, the chemistry that soared between them when they were together would definitely carry them through this evening.
She rubbed her hands against her skirt, her senses buzzing with anticipation. Vihaan would be here any minute to fetch her from her house. And while initially the date had been meant to just satisfy her parents, Tiya was now looking forward to spending time with him.
She checked her reflection in her bedroom mirror. She looked good. The gold short skirt flowed down her hips and the black satin shirt she’d teamed it with fitted her perfectly. Black spiky heels, thick black earrings, black chunky bracelets added to her outfit. She was more than ready to go out with him.
Vihaan hadn’t confirmed what they’d be doing tonight, but she’d assumed that they probably would go out for a drink or two at least and then he’d drop her back home, and she wanted to look good. After their last encounter atLa Soiree, there was no denying the attraction between them and they both had accepted it. Now, she couldn’t wait to see what tonight brought forth.
She heard the sounds of a car entering her driveway and flew down the stairs. She opened her main door and stopped short as Vihaan climbed out of a cab.
Seeing her, his lips stretched into a wide smile and her heart literally stopped. He ran his fingers through the jaw length hair on the sides of his face, pushing a strand behind his left ear.
Reaching her, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Hey, beautiful.”
A sizzle ran down straight from her head to her toes.
He leaned closer to whisper, “Your parents are watching us.”
He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Hand in hand, she led him inside her home, through the foyer to the living room where her parents were standing together watching them approach.
“Good evening.” Vihaan offered his hand first to her dad and then to her mom.
Her dad stretched his hand out in the direction of the off-white semi-circular sofas on one side of their living room. “Come, let’s sit.”
“Not for long, Dad,” Tiya said. “We have to go out.”
“No problem, let’s just have one drink,” her dad insisted, just as she’d expected him to. “Your mom and I would like to talk to this young man who’s caught your fancy.”
Vihaan and she sat side by side on a long couch, with her mom facing them while her father poured the drinks at the counter across from them.
“You have a lovely home,” Vihaan told her mother who acknowledged him with a gracious nod.
Her dad offered Vihaan a wine glass that he handed to Tiya and then he accepted one for himself.
“I remember that there were three of you Rajpoot kids.” Her dad began leaning on the arm chair her mother was seated on. “How are your siblings?”
Beside her, Vihaan stiffened slightly. She was too close to him to not miss the way his fingers tightened around the stem of his glass.
“My brother is fine,” he replied, giving away nothing more. “Aaryan works as the MD ofKeyStone.”
Pain for him lashed through her. How hard must it have been for him to lose a sibling in that fire? Perhaps he felt the pain of that loss till date and that’s why he refused to speak of his past.
“Yes,” her father continued, “I heard about the statement given by you all to the media a couple of months back regarding Shaurya and his identity. Even then, I didn’t connect you to be the kids who’d faced that terrible loss in Shimla. I’m sorry…about...everything.”
Vihaan shrugged. “It’s been a long time since then, Mr. Sood, but thank you. Tell me, did you know my parents well?”
Her father looked into his wine glass before replying. “Naina and I knew your parents socially. In those days, I was already here setting up my business and I was in Dubai for many months at a time. I learned only later of…everything.”
“What about the Luthras?” Vihaan asked, absently taking Tiya’s hand in his. “At the party last week, I figured you were close to Dev.”
