Chapter 17
17
D ancing with DP was a whole new experience Chaaru hadn’t imagined could take her out at the knees. Apparently, everything she did with DP could have the same mind-blowing effect.
The song switched out to a peppy number and Diego danced his way to the top of the line. Mouth open, Chaaru nudged Kash—who was devouring him with her eyes— as the man swung his hips in ways Chaaru didn’t think was possible out of Bollywood movies.
With a cheer, the rest of them formed a few lines behind him and got groovy. Though, mostly they looked like overactive robots.
One hand clasped in DP’s, Chaaru jumped and skipped to the fast beat, heart pounding in her ears. Head thrown back, wearing a wide grin, he moved his hips to a smooth rhythm. With his broad shoulders and densely packed body, he looked like one of Kaasi’s action figure toys come to life. Completely goofy and yet, somehow, utterly happy in his skin. How did this man get better and better, and why had she not seen it before?
Chaaru rolled into his arms in a dance-show worthy move. He caught her with a belly laugh, his arms strong and moves confident. As if he’d been waiting all his life for her. With a groan, Chaaru swooped in for his lips.
The first impact was explosive. Like losing your breath and getting it back in a gush, like diving deep into a world of wonder and beauty. She was aware of Mona and Kash cheering, laughing and quipping jokes, but all she knew was him.
His soft, firm lips, his surprised grunt moving through her like some wild invocation. His breath melding with hers. His hard, solid body a haven of warmth.
Around her, the world was thumping and dancing away to the fast beat, and it fueled her own urgency. Gripping his neck with her hands, she pressed open-mouthed kisses from one corner of his lips to the other.
When he let her in, she licked at him, the taste of whiskey and mint and tobacco causing a minor explosion to rock through her. Breath was a luxury as their tongues tangled, their teeth clanked. Their groans rent the air. Someone wolf-whistled but it didn’t matter because he was kissing her back, her name on his lips a reverent incantation.
The slide and push of his lips as he coaxed her mouth deeper was somehow both earthly and divine, like cold, rainy mornings spent lazing in bed. Like he was her beginning and her end, and all the glorious, ugly moments of life in between.
Chaaru had never known the simple meeting of lips to be this…earth-shattering. That he had denied her this taste of him, this aching intimacy…made her chest hurt. And smugly bloodthirsty that he was just as caught up in the storm.
His hands were everywhere and nowhere as he stroked them over her, his lips nipping and licking. The kiss turned volatile in seconds, both eager to gain upper hand. Wet and filthy when he stroked in and out of her mouth, mimicking what she still craved.
Lungs bursting for air, Chaaru jerked back, breaking them apart. Her lips tingled, her head felt dizzy as they stared at each other. They were surrounded by thumping bass and laughing friends in the most beautiful setting, but they might as well be the only people in the entire universe.
Sweat danced on DP’s forehead while his neatly slicked back hair stood on end. His lips were dark pink and swollen, the lower one carrying a faint indent from her teeth. Good, she thought, with savage satisfaction. She wanted to leave marks on him, wanted to leave him gasping for more, wanted to own him.
“I won’t apologize for doing something that I’ve been wanting to do for weeks,” she said, stepping back, bracing for his…reaction.
Who knew a simple kiss could be so devastating that she felt changed on a cellular level? That it could speak to her heart’s deepest longings?
“I didn’t ask you to apologize or even stop.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a frown pulling his thick brows. “That was the best fucking kiss of my life.”
“Why didn’t you kiss me in the last couple of days?”
“I don’t usually kiss women I fuck.”
Dismay curled through her. “So I’m just one in a long line?”
“I never said that.” Cursing, he rubbed his hand jerkily over his face. That he looked as dazed as she felt soothed her a little. Looking around, he took her hand and dragged her away from the gyrating couples.
Away from the space heaters, the cool breeze felt delicious against her heated flesh. DP pressed his forehead to hers. His fingers fiddled with the knot on her robe. “You don’t know how hard it’s been to hold myself back. But I thought-”
“I know I made it sound like a fling, but, DP, I want all of you. Kisses and hugs and early morning cuddles and late-night chats…it terrifies me to admit it but this was always more than just sex, no?”
He nodded. “I promised myself I wouldn’t overwhelm you.”
She clasped his smooth cheeks and nuzzled her nose against his. Tender, fragile ropes irrevocably tying her heart to his. “Will you kiss me, DP? Please.”
Leaning in, he coaxed her lips apart. This second meeting was gentle, soft, but just as earth-shattering as the first.
In reverent, licking sips, he drank from her mouth, as if drawing her very essence out of her. And Chaaru knew that no other man could touch her crusted heart like he did. Wrapping her arms around his back, she fell into him, giving up the fight with herself. Giving in.
As if sensing her surrender, he deepened the kiss. God, how well he read her.
They clung to each other, mouths meeting and parting, rocking from side to side, caught in a bubble of their own.
Until her stomach growled loudly.
Moonlight touching his broad cheeks, DP’s smile was a pure spark of joy. “That sounded…angry.”
“I feel like an irresponsible teenager,” Chaaru said, hiding her face in his neck. “ You have completely taken over my head and body. It’s the first time in my life that food has taken second place.”
“We’ll take care of it immediately,” DP said, patting her back. Again, letting her hide when she needed to. “I can’t have you fainting in the middle of a hard fuck. Or getting distracted by the idea of a burger when you should be paying attention to my cock.” He swiveled his hips, and his erection branded her belly.
She gasped, feeling that emptiness between her thighs. His demands now had a straight line to her pussy. “Mona will kill me if we ditch the games but I’m willing to go behind-”
“I’m only stuffing you with my cock once you’re stuffed with food,” he said, in a voice that sent shivers down her spine.
“That’s just going to give me a food baby,” she whined, patting her belly.
“And you think that will put me off? Sweetheart, your hair could fall out tomorrow, or you could grow a third tit and I’ll still be into you. Although a third tit might be interesting.” Leaning in, he licked her lower lip before pulling it between his teeth.
She jerked, flames licking at her skin. With a satisfied gleam that made her want to climb him, he released her lip. Her legs and arms felt extraneous to the raw need pulsing through her.
DP made sure she plopped down on a lounger before he queued up at the food tables. Apparently, everyone had the same idea after their energetic dancing.
The sky was inky dark now, the lights casting alluring shadows as couples swayed and parted. Dom and Mona were still slow dancing, lost to each other. On her other side, she spied Kash dancing with a tall white woman she’d met at the spa yesterday. Mere steps from her, Diego glared daggers at her, even as he danced with a woman himself.
Beneath his icy gaze though, Chaaru spied pure longing that he couldn’t quite hide.
Her curiosity deepened as she looked at them again. She knew a little of their history—that Diego had abandoned Kash’s younger sister when she’d been fallen pregnant at nineteen with Tia and Kash had never forgiven him for it. But clearly, he was here now and in Kash’s own words, was trying to play an active role in Tia’s life.
Across the pool, Mona’s eyes met Chaaru’s and she nodded. Obviously, she had also noticed the blazing hot chemistry between Kash and Diego. Even if it was spiced with a pinch of hatred.
For just a second, Chaaru considered going up to Kash and demanding to know what was going on. One look at the brainy bombshell told her she was aware of Diego’s gaze on her and was playing him on purpose. Chaaru decided against interfering, knowing Kash would confide in them when she was ready.
Honestly, she was barely equipped to give advice on matters of heart when she’d run from her own emotions for so long. And now that she was realizing what she could have with DP, the days were counting down at an alarming rate.
She watched him walk towards her, a thousand words on her lips.
Laden with paneer and fish kebabs, fresh fruit, and two crystal flutes shimmering with bubbles, the tray he brought back was a veritable feast.
“Gimme,” she said, reaching for the champagne.
Holding it away, DP grinned. “Food first, alcohol later.”
For a big man, he moved with deftness as he settled himself behind her on the lounger, his thick thighs straddling hers. One arm around her waist, his big palm covered her belly, while he fed her with the other.
Leaning into him, Chaaru gave into the utter decadence of her every need being met. Every time his fingers came near her mouth, she sucked the digit in and wrapped her tongue around it. Soon, she could feel his thick erection nudging up against her buttock. She wriggled, rubbing against him.
“Jesus, you’re a tease,” he said, his mouth on her neck.
“I want to please you,” she whispered, meeting his molten gaze over her shoulder.
He rubbed her lower lip with a thick finger. “Will you swallow it all next time? And not spill all over your chin?”
“Yes.” Eagerness tinged the word. “Try me once more.”
“On your knees next time.”
Fuck, but if it didn’t make her panties wet.
How he could seamlessly go from the easygoing, understanding friend to dirty-talking, confident, make-all-her-wet-dreams-come-true lover…she would never get over it.
All her life, she hadn’t had one thing that she hadn’t broken her back for, and now, she’d hit the jackpot. Found one-in-a-million-man, custom made just for her.
A hard clapping sound broke their eye-fuck this time. Breaking away from him felt like gasping for air. She heard his rough exhale as she settled into his arms.
A short, petite woman dressed in a rainbow-colored sheer robe was standing on the small dais, champagne glass in one hand. Her curly hair framed her face, dark brown skin glinting like the facets of an opal under the moonlight.
“Is that the renowned Minty?” DP said at her shoulder.
“Yep. Mona’s cousin, ex-congresswoman and now, a network exec. Flew in late last night.”
“Where are her partners?”
“See that man in the black suit and a bow tie—he’s a Math professor at Stanford, Dr. McLeod. And the bodyguard in all black that looks like he belongs in Matrix is Dev Shetty. Kash said they’ve been inseparable for a while now.”
DP whistled. “Good for Minty.”
“Right?” Chaaru drawled. “I can’t get one man to think I’m enough and Minty’s got two studs on their knees for her.”
His fingers around her throat tightened in a gentle hold and DP dragged his teeth against her jaw. “You’re more than enough for me.” Each word enunciated clearly sounded like a binding vow.
Chaaru reached for his mouth, but he held her off. His brown eyes glittered as they held hers. Breath ballooning out of her, she nodded.
“Time for some fun games, folks,” Minty announced, right on cue.
A few groans erupted around the tables, mostly from men. Two loungers over, Dom sat up straight with Mona’s feet in his lap and got out his tiny notepad and pencil, competitive as ever.
Chaaru straightened too. “Don’t distract me,” she said, putting away the empty tray, and guzzling down her champagne. “We have to win this.”
DP’s laughter shook her along with him. Being with this gorgeous, patient, filthy-mouthed man, this powerful feeling of being part of something more than just herself was a novel experience. Needing him and being needed by him. This…showing and sharing of vulnerability and weakness and pain and joy, as if anything could be withstood if only they were together.
This was how love should be, she thought, marveling at the taste and texture of it.
No, this was love. And she was in love with him…body, heart and soul.
This was the love she’d dreamed of as a na?ve twenty-year-old, the love she’d turned her back on, the love she’d wrongly assumed she wasn’t worthy of.
This man who held her as if she was precious, who made her feel seen and known and understood, he was her resting place.
And yet, could she sustain this when this dream vacation was over? Could she trust herself to not ruin it with her own fears?
She trembled violently because there was no turning back from this.
Instantly, DP rubbed her bare arms and legs, squeezing her closer. If she could burrow under his skin, she would have. “Come back to me, Char.” His arms tightened around her, sensing her tension. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
She clasped his fingers in a death grip, and brought them to her mouth. “I’m…fine,” she whispered. With a long breath in, she forced herself to come back to the present. No point in ruining her friend’s wonderful evening by withdrawing to examine the whispers of her stuttering heart.
Because being in love with DP was one thing and telling him that she was…she wasn’t sure if she would ever be ready for that.
“So there are six letters here written by the six partners present,” Minty’s voice boomed, bringing Chaaru to the present. “Dev wrote ours,” she said, winking at the man in black. “We’ll pick a letter and read it out. The rest of us guess who wrote it. Also, remember that they had like fifteen minutes to come up with these, so go easy on them.”
“Are you going to time the answers? What do I win if I guess first?” Chaaru asked. “Also, we need someone to monitor Dom because he’s a first-class cheater!”
“Calm down, you demon.” Minty said with a laugh. “It’s just for fun. There’s no big prize except your partner’s adoration eternally encapsulated in words.”
On the next lounger, Kash asked Diego something and when he nodded, made loud retching sounds. To which, the younger man flashed his diabolical grin.
“You guess the right answer first and I’ll give you a prize,” DP said, his chin perching on her shoulder.
“I know what I want.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s thick and veiny and hangs a little to the right and…”
He pressed his palm to her mouth and she bit the rough mound. He grunted.
“If the lust-birds on lounger four can turn their attention to us, please,” Minty said in her obnoxiously loud voice. Everyone counted loungers. Until she declared that Chaaru and DP were lounger four and could they please pay attention. “So, who wants to go first?”
Mona jumped off her lounger with a banshee-like cry.
Chaaru giggled.
Tugging her glasses up onto her nose, Mona unfurled the note and grabbed the mic from Minty. Even with the glasses on, she squinted. “This is one of those thingies.”
“What thing?” Dom asked.
“You know, the one with the strict rules about syllables…”
“A haiku?” someone guessed.
“Yep. That’s it. So what do I do? Just read it out loud and the rest of you guess?”
Everyone screamed yes.
“Okay, here goes.
Prickly black widow,
Success veils a heart untold,
Emotion’s rough flow .”
Every single head turned towards Kash, who for just a second, looked so heartbroken that Chaaru wanted to go over there and thump some sense into Diego. Kash, being Kash though, didn’t let the fracture rise to the surface. She threw her head back and laughed, chanting ‘prickly black widow’ as if it were an honorific.
“We all know it’s Kash,” Chaaru said, raising her hand, “but I’d like to change it.”
“That’s not how the rules work.”
“I thought you said it was for fun and there were no rules,” Chaaru said, pushing herself to the edge of the lounger.
Minty looked at Kash and said, “Fine.”
Chaaru grabbed the note from Mona and said loudly, “ Prickly black widow,
Success veils a heart of gold,
Emotion’s rough flow. ”
Kash sent her an air kiss, her golden eyes gleaming with affection.
“You’re a lioness when yours are threatened,” DP said, as she sank back into his arms.
“Yes, well. That guy’s a piece of work.”
“Did you see his face when Mona was reading it? I think it hurt him more.”
“Only you could find something nice to say about him, DP.”
One finger drew down her bare arm, and he gathered her impossibly closer. “It gets me hot to see you all worked up over a friend like that.”
“Yeah?” she said, disbelief in her words. “Usually, I’m told to calm down at this point. That it’s not a big fucking deal.”
“That’s never going to be me. Remember when that nasty ass kid bullied Kaasi in tenth grade?”
“OMG, how could I forget? You told his parents that you’ll get a job as a security guard in the school if that’s what it took to keep Kaasi safe.”
“Right after you told them you would curse their dynasty to rot and die.”
They laughed and Chaaru almost missed the next letter. Kash read it out loud, smiling the entire time. Clearly, it was Dom’s homage for Mona.
“Magnificent,” Kash re-read it, dragging Mona to her feet and pointing toward her as if she were an auctioneer showing off the prized item. “One-of-a-kind, Naughty All Night.”
The rest of them stared in awe as Dom stood up and stared at Mona with stars in his eyes. “Twenty-five years in, you’re still a present I’m unwrapping, darling.”
Mona gasped, pressed her fingers to her eyes, whispering she couldn’t cry. Grabbing the mic, she declared her letter the best because, as everyone knew, Dom was a man of few words.
When a staff member brought colorful cocktails, they all grabbed one and toasted the anniversary couple.
Grabbing her around the waist, Dom dipped Mona in a move worthy of Dirty Dancing and kissed the hell out of her. Applause and cheers and wolf whistles surrounded them. Warm tingles broke out across Chaaru’s skin at the sheer happiness painted over her best friend’s features.
And this time, that inner voice that always warned her whispered instead that she too had a chance at that kind of love. She’d learned the hard way that the world would grind you down if you didn’t belong to yourself first.
Now, all these years later, with DP, she knew herself well enough to know that she wanted to belong to him too.