Aditya and devyani cuteness
Devyani slowly moved her gaze up from the hard, cut lines of his torso, letting her eyes travel all the way up his broad chest to meet his face.
Standing as tall as he was, Rivan towered over her, but in this tight, steamy space, she held every ounce of control.
She licked her lips again, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. "Ummmm... Mr. Thakur," she purred softly, tilting her head. "Why are your veins popping out so much, hmm?"
Rivan swallowed hard, his chest heaving as he fought to draw a full breath.
His heart was hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. "Ummm... kitten," he rasped out nervously, trying and failing to maintain his cool, commanding persona. "It's... it's just because the bathroom is a little hot. Nothing else."
Devyani let out a dramatic, drawn-out, "Ohhhhhhhh..."
Before he could process her exaggerated reaction, Devyani bent right back down.
Instead of a gentle touch, she sank her teeth softly into the sharp muscle of his abs, delivering a swift, stinging bite.
A sharp gasp tore from Rivan's throat. A intense shiver surged through his entire frame, sending a jolt straight down his spine.
He pressed himself further back against the icy tiles, his fingers digging desperately into the wall as he exerted every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep from spinning her around right then and there.
As she leaned back up, the plush white towel wrapped around her began to loosen slightly, shifting just enough to expose the soft curve of her cleavage.
The sheer proximity of her wet, radiant skin was an absolute torture test.
Rivan's sharp eyes caught the sight, and his mind instantly short-circuited.
Knowing he was standing at the absolute edge of a precipice, he forced his gaze away, snapping his eyes shut.
He leaned his head back against the cold wall, taking deep, steadying breaths, desperately trying to quiet the roaring pulse in his ears before he completely surrendered to the temptation in front of him.
Devyani didn't give him a single second to catch his breath.
Moving her hand up from his chest, her slender fingers wrapped boldly around the front of his throat not to hurt him, but to hold him in place with absolute, intoxicating authority.
She leaned up on her tiptoes and slowly licked a path along his sharp jawline, feeling the hard muscle instantly clench beneath her tongue.
"Awwww..." she whispered right against his ear, her warm breath making his skin prickle with goosebumps. "Controlling yourself, Mr. Thakur? It looks so... insanely hot."
Rivan's breath hitched violently in his chest. His heavy eyelashes fluttered, his throat working beneath her hand as he swallowed hard. "Kitten... s-s-stop it..." he rasped, his voice completely wrecked, stripped of all its usual power.
Devyani smirked internally, thoroughly enjoying every second of breaking down the ruthless kingpin.
With practiced ease, she instantly melted into a picture of pure, harmless innocence.
She let her hand drop from his throat and looked up at him, blinking her large, doe-like eyes with an utterly adorable pout.
"Why?" she asked softly, her voice dripping with sweet, innocent confusion. "You don't love me?"
A heavy gulp echoed down Rivan's throat. His dark eyes locked onto her face, a dangerous fire warring with his fierce self-restraint.
He knew her game, and he knew that if he made a single move right now if he surrendered for even one second it would end up in a situation where she wouldn't be able to walk down to those cars, let alone board a flight to India.
Taking a deep, stabilizing breath, Rivan forced his brain to override his body.
In one swift, smooth motion, he reached out and captured both of her wet, delicate wrists in his single, large hand. He didn't hurt her his grip was firm, safe, and surprisingly gentle as he wrapped the loose towel securely around her shoulders.
Without giving her time to protest, he guided her straight out of the steamy bathroom, bringing her back into the safety of the cool bedroom.
He placed his hands on her waist and gently set her down on the edge of the soft plush mattress.
Devyani instantly crossed her arms, sticking out a dramatic, stubborn pout as she looked up at him.
Rivan stood before her, still bare-chested, his chest heaving slightly as a breathless, disbelieving laugh finally escaped his lips.
He leaned down, placing his hands on his knees so he was eye-level with her, his eyes shining with pure fondness.
"Bahut shararati hoti ja rahi hain aap, hmm?" (You are becoming far too mischievous, aren't you, hmm?)
Devyani broke into a soft, musical giggle, her stubborn pout instantly melting into a brilliant, radiant smile.
She kicked her bare feet happily against the side of the mattress, looking up at him with dark, affectionate eyes.
"Yeah, of course I am!" she chirped softly, leaning forward just enough to press a quick, sweet kiss against his cheek. "Because I absolutely love my delicious pati ji hehe."
Rivan let out a low, breathless laugh, his heart completely doing a flip at her unfiltered sweetness.
The dark, dangerous tension that had filled the steamy bathroom completely evaporated, leaving behind a deep, gentle warmth.
"Delicious, huh?" Rivan murmured, a soft, indulgent smile gracing his features. He reached out and lightly bopped the tip of her nose with his finger.
"You are going to be the death of me one day, kitten. Now stay right here."
Stepping back into the bathroom, Rivan picked up his discarded shirt and slipped it back over his broad shoulders, pulling himself together before returning to the bedroom.
He walked over to her packed luggage, unzipped a side compartment, and pulled out a comfortable, stylish ensemble for her travel day a soft, cream-colored knitted sweater and a pair of relaxed tailored trousers.
He brought the clothes over to the bed, setting them down neatly beside her.
Instead of hurrying her, Rivan grabbed a plush, dry towel from the closet and sat down on the edge of the mattress directly behind her.
Gently wrapping the towel around her dripping wet hair, he began to pat it dry with immensely careful, practiced hands, making sure not to pull on a single strand.
Devyani leaned her head back against his sturdy chest, closing her eyes in sheer contentment as she let him take complete care of her.
After absorbing the excess water with the towel, Rivan plugged in the hair dryer from her vanity table. The soft hum of the dryer filled the quiet bedroom.
Setting it to a gentle, warm setting, he ran his long fingers through her dark, damp tresses, lifting the soft locks to let the warm air dry them thoroughly.
Despite his large hands and his reputation as a feared, ruthless man, his touch on her was nothing short of reverent.
He moved systematically, drying every section until her hair was silky, warm, and flowing around her shoulders like dark satin.
Once her hair was completely dry, he set the dryer aside and took a soft, dry hand towel. Gently holding her arm, he dabbed away the stray droplets of water still resting on her delicate collarbones and shoulders, making sure she was warm and dry before she changed.
"Arm up," Rivan murmured softly, holding up the cream sweater.
Devyani complied like a sleepy, obedient child, slipping her arms through the sleeves as he carefully guided the soft fabric over her head, making sure not to mess up her freshly dried hair.
He pulled the sweater down over her waist, smoothing out the fabric, and then helped her adjust her trousers with utter respect and gentleness.
When he was finished, he knelt down on one knee in front of her, slipping a pair of plush, comfortable socks onto her cold feet.
Devyani looked down at the powerful man kneeling at her feet, her heart swelling with an overwhelming sense of love and security. He was a lion to the rest of the world, but with her, he was the gentlest sanctuary.
Rivan stood up, cupping her face in his large, warm hands. He leaned down and pressed a long, soft kiss to her forehead.
The carved wooden doors of the bedroom slowly opened.
A sliver of warm morning sunlight spilled into the corridor.
Out stepped...
Rivan and Devyani.
Hand in hand.
The contrast between them was almost laughable.
Devyani looked as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
Her cheeks carried a soft glow.
A tiny smile danced on her lips.
She was quietly humming an old Bollywood tune under her breath, completely lost in her own little world.
Their joined hands swung lazily between them.
Back...
Forth...
Back...
Forth...
Like an excited child walking beside her favorite person.
Every few steps she even gave his hand a playful swing.
Rivan simply let her.
He walked beside her in absolute silence.
Expression unreadable.
Eyes fixed ahead.
But inside...
His mind was a complete battlefield.
How...?
How does she do this?
Five minutes ago...
This innocent-looking woman had cornered one of the most feared men in the underworld inside a bathroom.
Destroyed every ounce of his self-control.
And now...
She was happily humming songs.
Swinging hands.
Admiring flower vases placed along the corridor.
Even stopping for half a second to smell one white lily.
As if nothing had happened.
She is dangerous.
He concluded silently.
Extremely dangerous.
Not because she carried weapons.
Not because she could fight.
But because...
She could destroy his heartbeat...
Then casually ask someone what was for breakfast.
She looked up at him with bright eyes.
He stared at her.
"..."
She blinked.
"What?"
"...Nothing."
His gaze shifted forward again.
This woman is unbelievable.
They continued walking.
Their footsteps echoed softly through the long marble corridor.
The villa looked peaceful.
Fresh flowers decorated every corner.