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As I step further into the dimly lit room, a soft, romantic ambience envelops me, casting a captivating spell of mystery. A table adorned with a bottle of chilled champagne and two glasses catches my eye. Is Ayaan planning a celebration? Intrigued, I move closer, drawn by the allure of the scene. Yet, there’s no sign of Ayaan in the suite. Perhaps he’s in the bedroom. With a mix of anticipation and curiosity, I approach the table, and there, nestled beside the champagne bottle, rests a card accompanied by a single red rose. The room seems to hum with an unspoken invitation, its atmosphere drenched in an irresistible aura of romance and sin. A sin that I might regret committing if I stayed here in this room for too long. My heart flutters in my chest as I contemplate the meaning behind these gestures, wondering what lies in store for me.
‘The Queen’s moves can’t escape the King’s watchful eye.’
His mocking one-liner on the card resonates in my mind, infuriating me. So, he knew what happened today between me and Asha Devi at dinner? How? Who is leaking our private conversations and plans to Ayaan? It’s time I find this rat as soon as possible.
As I keep glancing at the table, I notice a chessboard and the chess pieces spread across it as though Ayaan was playing from both sides—black and white. It reminds me of how he once claimed it was difficult to beat him in this game since he had mastered it since childhood. Since Ayaan possess a black King chess piece, I assume he must have primarily chosen the ‘Black’ side of this chess game. So, I scrutinise the positions of the white chess pieces and look for my white queen. Ah! There she is, standing tall and confident before the white king (my dad), defending her kingdom from the manipulative and vengeful black King (Ayaan). Analysing what my next move should be if I’m playing from the white side, I pick up the white queen and strategically give a checkmate to the black King, the move resembling the present situation where I’ve sabotaged Ayaan’s plans in Panchgani.
Suddenly, a strong male, musky cologne fills my nostrils, and before I can react, Ayaan’s arm brushes my hand as he moves the white queen back to its previous position.
“Huh!” I mutter, glancing at the chess board once before turning around and meeting his gaze. “I had no idea you were a sore loser. You can’t see the queen giving you a checkmate?”
As Ayaan smirks, his gaze wanders across my face, intensifying the sexual tension between us. My heart flutters in my chest as his eyes meet mine.
“It was the black side’s turn, not white,” he replies, his voice laced with amusement. “That’s why I moved your queen back to its rightful position. I’m not a sore loser, Meher.”
Oh!
I bite my lip, realising my attempt at sarcasm had backfired. As I continue to look at him, something catches my attention. His hair is still damp, and water droplets glisten on his skin, cascading downwards. I suddenly realise that he is bare-bodied and has only a towel wrapped around his waist. Involuntarily, my eyes wander, tracing the hard planes of his gorgeous body before I quickly look away. Ayaan has just taken a shower, and the sudden proximity and sight of him send a shiver down my spine.
I take a deep breath, attempting to regain my composure. This familiar closeness between us is undeniably thrilling.
“What are you doing in my room, Meher Walia?” he asks, his gaze lingering on my lips.
“As if you didn’t expect me here!” I counter, meeting his intense gaze. The champagne and the written note clearly confirmed that he was expecting me.
“I did,” he nods, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “But not like this.”
I roll my eyes, refusing to let him catch me off guard.
“If the King can enter the Queen’s territory without permission, it is equally possible for the Queen to invade the King’s domain. Don’t underestimate her powers.”
“Only believing that you have the upper hand does not guarantee victory. The battle is far from over.” Ayaan counter replies.
He steps behind, making his way to the couch. I admire the sight of his bare back as he moves languidly, with the towel draped dangerously low around his waist. His lazy demeanour screams confidence and a lack of shame or embarrassment as he flaunts his state of undress in my presence. He sprawls comfortably on the couch, his hands spread over the backrest in a sexy pose. He stretches his legs, and the shift of the towel reveals his bare, toned upper thighs, making my mouth water.
I glance at the chessboard with a playful smile before turning to Ayaan again.
“I didn’t realise you were so desperate for entertainment today that you resorted to playing both sides of the chessboard,” I tease, sauntering towards the couch where he is seated, unable to resist a playful jab at him.
Ayaan’s jaw tenses, and his eyes flash with a look of defiance as I come to a halt before him.
“I strategise by playing from both sides to gain insight into my opponents’ thought processes and anticipate their moves, so I can checkmate them and thwart their plans.”
“Yeah, right. You couldn’t even lift your finger to foil my plans today,” I mock. “You have lost this game, Ayaan.”
Before I realise, Ayaan grabs my wrist and pulls me onto his lap, closing the distance between us. With his face inches away and my body crushed into his, heat spreads through my body in no time. Ayaan gazes at me intensely as if bringing me this close to him tonight was what he had been waiting for.
“I never lose, Meher. And I don’t stop trying until I win. You are exactly where I want you to be.Here…inmyroom…withme. There is no other win as sweeter as this.”
I watch him bend his head towards me, parting his lips and wetting his lower ones. No matter what war we wage against each other in the real world, our bodies play a different battle altogether when we are in each other’s presence. My fingers automatically brush over his abs, grazing toward his chest, loving the feel of his hot skin under my touch. It feels like ages since I touched him bare. My heartbeats drum in my ears as Ayaan runs his hands down my sides, brushing against my breasts, and caresses the soft skin of my thighs with his rough palm.
I am powerless to resist him any further than this. It feels sinful. I pull my fingers away from his skin to stop myself from further embarrassment, but Ayaan grabs my wrists, wanting me to touch him more. I feel his hard muscles pressing against my softness as I’m still sitting on his lap. Ayaan is as aroused as I am. I look into his eyes as he presses my palms over his chest again.
“Don’t you dare stop yourself from touching me? I’m yours, just like you are still mine. Regardless of the roles we play in the real world, this fact will never change.”
It terrifies me that Ayaan still possesses the power to control and dominate my heart. But I don’t give up this easily. Pushing him, I get off his lap, my gaze still on his face.
“I don’t sleep with my enemies if that’s what you mean,” I snap. “So, thanks for the offer.”
