Chapter 34
Act III, Scene VII: Verona Hotel, London
Kalina
‘L ina, what’s going on? You usually pick up the moves so quickly.’ Savi leaned over me as I laid down on one of the yoga mats.
We’d been practising the dances for the sangeet, a pre-wedding celebration of singing and dancing, and I was ready to become one with the ballroom carpet.
At least from down here I could check that all the lightbulbs were working in the light fixtures.
‘I don’t know why you decided to change the songs and the choreography. We’re not this fit.’ I gripped my side where a stitch threatened and my thighs turned to jelly.
To be fair, they’d felt that way most of this morning and all of last night.
Did I not know what sex was? Because surely whatever Titan had done could not be considered sex.
Savi patted my thigh and I yelped at the pain in my muscles.
‘What is wrong with you? Did you do that extreme Pilates class again? You know that instructor is out to torture everyone.’
The rest of our cousins were too engrossed in their own activities to hear what I had to say, so I turned to Savi and smiled. ‘Not the Pilates, but I did get an extreme workout last night. And this morning.’
Savi’s eyes widened. ‘What?’
Her exclamation was loud enough to turn a few heads.
I protested and lifted my head to tell Savi, but, as if he were summoned, Titan walked into the room.
Ted strode beside him as they walked our way.
‘Are you saying?’ Savi’s expression was split between wide-eyed shock and a smile.
‘I wasn’t expecting an audience when I got you on your back again, Kalina.’ Titan wore a devilish grin.
‘Oh my god.’ I lifted my palms and covered my reddening face.
‘What’s going on?’ Savi looked at Ted, Titan, then me.
Ted lifted his palms in defence. ‘I have no idea.’
‘I told Kalina I love her.’ Titan crossed his arms over his chest. He looked mighty chuffed with himself.
‘After I called him stupid.’ I leaned up on my elbows and winced.
‘So, the two of you are…together? How are you so calm about this?’ Savi vibrated with excitement and, possibly, confusion.
Titan crouched beside me and brushed my hair from my face. ‘Yeah.’
‘You’re being too nonchalant about this.’
‘Come on, love, let’s give them a moment.’ Ted ushered Savi to the other side of the room.
‘You okay?’ Titan asked.
‘Good. Savi’s going to need a one-on-one later.’
‘I meant your body. You look like you’re in pain.’
‘If I keep my hand here and don’t move my legs then yes, I’m okay.’
He laughed and shook his head. He moved to the end of the mat and my mind filled with images of yesterday afternoon.
The room felt like a sauna.
‘May I?’ he asked, his hand circling my ankle. Even with leggings between us, my skin burned at his touch.
‘Sure,’ I replied, not at all sure what I was agreeing to. Not really caring either because his hands were on me.
With soft and slow movements, he massaged my calves, moving up to my thighs, his fingers brushed dangerously close to where he’d been not even twenty-four hours ago.
The higher his hands moved, the more his body came close to covering mine. He was now hovering over me with his hand on my waist and his face above my own.
‘Want to give them a show, dimples?’ He grinned.
‘You are this close.’ I said, lifting my hand to show him the smallest space between my thumb and forefinger, ‘to getting a criminal record.’
‘As long as you feel better, it’ll be worth it.’
He lifted my leg and I winced at first but the way he bent my calf and circled my hip was painfully satisfying.
‘Oh man, that’s so good.’
‘Careful,’ he said, warning in his tone.
‘What?’
‘Don’t moan like that, you’re making me hard.’
He lifted my other leg to do the same and I felt his erection against my thigh.
‘Oh.’
‘Hmm mmm.’
‘Oi! You two, stop fornicating and come over here,’ Savi called out.
Titan hopped up and offered his outstretched hand to me. Even with the help my body felt weighed down.
‘Hope you’re stretching and warming up. I don’t want you to pull a muscle later,’ he whispered in my ear.
‘What?’ I whipped my head towards him.
‘I meant for the dancing. Get your mind out of the gutter.’
How could I still want him? Like last night and this morning wasn’t enough.
His phone rang and he winked at me before tapping my ass lightly, ‘Titan Andersson speaking.’
As I walked over to Savi and Ted, she rested her hand on his forearm. ‘Ted, I need a moment with Lina.’
He kissed Savi then disappeared.
‘Are you going to tell me what happened?’ She didn’t seem upset. More curious than anything.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Why are you apologising?’
I looked down at my feet sheepishly. ‘I should’ve spoken to you. I didn’t know what I was doing.’
‘Don’t be sorry. I knew you’d come to me when you were ready. I didn’t want to pry or push.’
My heart swelled. ‘The search for a wedding date turned into a little more.’
‘Oh?’ Her eyes widened.
I pursed my lips, holding back a smile. ‘He walked in while I was trying to…um…sort myself out.’
‘Lina.’ Savi’s hand went up to cover her mouth. ‘Did he…assist?’
‘Why are we talking in code?’ I asked with a laugh.
‘Because it’s Titan. I can’t even think about it, let alone hear it.’
‘He assisted.’
She squealed. ‘Tell me everything.’
So, I did. From the moment we’d signed the Agreement, to the dates in-between, Charlie, and the dreaded flat tyre.
She smiled. ‘But you’re happy?’
‘Very.’ I grinned.
‘Good. I really like him.’
‘Me too.’
‘I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner.’
Savi gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. ‘Titan isn’t Jesse, and I knew he wouldn’t hurt you.’
We turned and looked at Titan. He was still on the phone but winked at us.
‘You should go. Your boyfriend looks like he wants to devour you.’
My stomach dipped. ‘No, we still need to practice.’
‘You can leave.’
‘Really?’ Relief flooded me. I couldn’t do another run through of this dance.
‘You can barely walk. You should go home and rest.’ She wiggled her eyebrows.
‘You think sex is going to help?’
‘Sex always helps. Besides, Titan cannot stop undressing you with his eyes.’
A blush crept up my neck because I knew that was exactly what he was doing.
‘You’ve done so much worse in front of us.’
Savi grinned as if it were her greatest achievement.
‘Lina, the two of you are adorable,’ one of our cousins said.
‘Thank you.’
‘We’re so jealous, there’s like no single men at this wedding that we’re not related to,’ another cousin added.
‘Hey, I’m inviting all of Ted’s uni friends. There’s bound to be someone there, but Titan is off limits,’ Savi said sternly.
Titan walked over; his eyes wide as he heard the end of Savi’s threatening statement. ‘What did I walk into?’
‘You can thank me by buying me at least a million chocolate brownies.’
‘Thank you, and it’s a deal.’
‘Let’s go before she says anything else,’ I said and grabbed Titan’s hand.
He chuckled as I dragged him to the door. ‘I quite like this protective side of Savi. She’s so feisty for such a small person.’
‘Like Dadi,’ I said.
‘Exactly like her.’
‘They’re the reason I find myself in troubling situations.’
‘You have to tell me about it.’
‘We’ll see.’
He spun me around, trapping me between him and the wall beside the lift. ‘Am I going to have to coax it out of you, Kalina?’
‘I can’t say I won’t stop you if you try.’
He snaked a hand under my T-shirt, brushing his thumb under the band of my bra and my breath hitched.
‘Your place or mine?’ I replied, breathily.
‘First food then we can decide.’
‘Food?’ How was he thinking about anything other than sex right now? I was ready to explode from his touch alone.
‘Need to get your energy up,’ he said, as if he’d heard my thoughts.
The lift dinged and the doors opened. Lexie’s voice echoed in the empty space as she spoke to Jesse.
Both of them looked confused at what they’d walk in on.
Titan pulled me along as he climbed into the lift.
‘Enjoy,’ I called out before the doors shut.
Less than thirty minutes later, with paper bags in hand, we strolled through the door of my house, and Titan deposited our order on the large dining table.
‘You want to eat now?’
‘Something like that,’ he replied. He stepped forward and trapped me between himself and the table. ‘This look is really doing it for me.’
I let out a soft moan as he kissed my neck. ‘What look?’
‘This athleisure thing you have going on.’ His hand grazed under my top, as he’d done at the hotel, continuing his torturous touch over my bra and the side of my waist.
I reached out to cup the front of his jeans, his need clear and very apparent.
‘I like the way you whimper a little when I touch you here…’ His thumb grazed the seam on my leggings.
I placed a hand on his chest, moving it to feel the ridges underneath.
‘Less clothes.’ He lifted my T-shirt up and over my head, discarding it behind him.
‘Is it my turn?’ I asked a little too enthusiastically.
He nodded once.
I pinched the hem of his jumper and T-shirt between my fingers and pushed it up, revealing his abdomen inch by inch.
This time we weren’t interrupted.