Chapter 9
VEDIKA
Vedika’s stomach rumbled as she watched the couple swaying in each other’s arms. They looked happy, blissfully so. She pressed a hand to her stomach as a slight cramp hit. Was that her stomach or was it envy?
He helped me feel safe again.
Why had she told him that? She was always so guarded with her thoughts and words. How had she slipped up like that? She bet he was sitting across from her wondering about her words, trying to figure out what she’d meant. Or maybe he was just wondering if –
Her rambling thoughts were cut off as the server returned to clear the empty plates.
“Sir, would you like to order the main course?”
Daksh moved his gaze from the waves in the distance to the man hovering by the table. He glanced over at Vedika, a question in his eyes.
“I’ll have the grilled chicken please, with the sauce on the side.”
“Steamed vegetables or French fries Madam?”
“Neither.” She smiled up at him, acutely conscious of Daksh’s intent gaze on the side of her face. “Thank you.”
“And for you Sir?”
For a moment, Daksh did nothing but stare at her. Vedika shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Then he cleared his throat and muttered, “I’m fine, thanks.”
Vedika’s stomach clenched, a familiar knowing. She’d made him uncomfortable. She always made people uncomfortable.
“You’re not going to make me eat on my own, are you?” she asked, the words bursting out of her.
“I’m –“
“Please?” She cut him off, embarrassment staining her cheeks.
“I’ll have a grilled chicken with the sauce on the side too,” he replied, his eyes gentling as he watched her squirm in her seat.
“Fries or steamed vegetables on the side, Sir?”
“Neither,” he said, a small smile tilting his lips up and making her stomach do a weird, little flip.
The server nodded before topping up Vedika’s water and disappearing. The music changed, a faster, sexier beat throbbing through the air.
“Do you dance?” he asked, still looking at her with that half smile.
“Me?” Flustered, Vedika tucked a lock of unruly hair behind her ear. “No. I don’t dance.”
He was still watching her, that strange look in his eyes, that ridiculous travesty of a smile on his lips. Her stomach squirmed again and she pressed a hand to it. Not today, please, she prayed.
She thought he was going to push her into dancing but when Daksh pushed up from the chair, it was to approach one of the blonde women sitting at the other table.
Vedika watched as the woman tossed her hair and took his hand, not hesitating for a second.
But then why would she? The man was impossibly good looking.
He swung the other woman into a slow dance that looked unbearably romantic before spinning her into a sexy two step.
Vedika’s heart did a slow thrum in her chest as she watched them.
She wished, oh how she wished, that for one night, she could be as wild and unfettered as the two of them.
But she couldn’t. She knew all too well what happened when you lost control of your life, of your emotions.
The dance was getting sexier and sexier and Vedika discreetly fanned her flushed cheeks as the other guests in the shack started to applaud.
They had an innate grace and sexiness in their body that she knew she’d never possess.
Daksh finally drew away from the other woman, his head thrown back with laughter, his hair tousled with the wind and dancing, his soft t-shirt flapping in the breeze… he really was unfairly attractive.
And then he turned to where she was sitting, a polite smile on his face, and held his hand out and Vedika’s heart did a terrified lurch in her chest.
“N-N-No,” she stuttered, shrinking back in her chair as everyone in the shack turned to look at her. “I don’t dance.”
Daksh frowned, his gaze taking in her panic and he immediately withdrew his hand. “Alright,” he said calmly, no sign of temper or irritation at being rejected. “It’s time for dinner anyway.”
He fell back into the chair across from her, his entire body and face flushed and glowing with health and vitality. The server appeared with their chicken, leaving little pots of sauce by their hands. He brought Daksh another beer, opening it and setting it beside him.
Daksh thanked him, saying something in konkani that made the other man in laugh. She watched him as he slathered his chicken with the sauce, her stomach cramping at the sight of the sauce oozing over the meat.
She picked up a teaspoon and smoothed a little sauce over her chicken, just enough to manage the dryness of the grilled meat. Before she’d managed two carefully chewed bites, Daksh had swallowed his entire chicken and was scraping the last of the sauce off the bottom of his plate.
Laughter bubbled up in her chest as he gazed mournfully at his empty plate.
“You should order something else,” she murmured, hiding a smile.
He glanced up, that sexy smirk on his lips again. “I was thinking dessert.”
Her stomach revolted at the word and her lips tightened as she struggled to keep it from showing. His smile disappeared as he studied her expression.
“Right,” he said briskly. “No dessert.”
“No please. Don’t stop on my account.” She reached out, impulsively placing her hand on his arm.
The muscles flexed under her touch, his skin warm and burning through her palm.
His glance dropped to her fingers resting on the dusting of hair that grew over his forearm, looking almost transfixed by the sight.
Vedika snatched her hand back, swallowing hard, before taking another small bite of the chicken.
“I’m not hungry anymore,” he said, his voice holding a strange note in it. “I’m done.”
She watched him carefully withdraw his hands from the table and place it in his lap.
To keep them out of reach of her, she thought with mortification.
Why did she do that? She didn’t look up as she shovelled the last of the chicken in.
She took a sip of water to wash it down and stood, the chair toppling over with her sudden movement.
“I have to get back to my room,” she said, not looking at him.
“Give me a moment,” he muttered, calling for the slip to sign the meal on to his room bill.
“Umm, no,” she blurted out. “I can find my way back. Goodnight.”
She left in a hurry, her sandals kicking up sand in little flurries. A second later, he caught up with her, his long legs making mincemeat of the distance between them.
“I’ll walk you back,” he said, his tone inflexible. “I don’t want you going back alone.”
Why? Because she wasn’t capable of keeping herself safe?
Because of what she’d said to him earlier tonight?
She didn’t say anything, keeping her gaze on their feet, watching his large flip flops with the frog patterns on them kick up sand as they moved.
She could sense him looking at her, that intense gaze burning through the top of her head and leaving her even more flustered.
He helped me feel safe again.
Oh God, why was she such a weirdo? Why did she always make things so awkward and embarrassing?
They’d made it to the floor with their rooms by now.
She’d barely noticed the trip back, her mind churning over all the bad choices she’d made that night.
Her stomach twisted, a sharp, familiar, pain knifing through her.
“You’re thinking about what I said, aren’t you?” she said as they reached her door. She stopped in front of it, turning to face him, forcing herself to meet his eyes.
“You’ve said many things tonight,” he replied, not looking away from her. “Which one are you obsessing over?”
“You’re thinking about why I said Ashish helped me feel safe again. You’re wondering what he’s done to make me feel safe.” She felt strangely lightheaded, almost like she was floating out of her body, disassociated from the embarrassing scene playing out. For once, she was grateful for it.
“I’m not thinking about that at all.”
“I can feel you looking at me, trying to figure me out. That’s why you walked me back because I said Ashish helped me feel safe and-“
“I walked you back,” he broke through her escalating tirade, his voice calm and flexible, “because I am capable of basic manners, despite what you obviously think of me.”
Oh.
The balloon of her insecurities deflated slowly, leaving her feeling drained and exhausted.
“I guess,” she said in a whisper, “I’ll get some sleep now. Goodnight. And thank you for the dinner.”
He didn’t reply, just watched her with those implacable eyes. Vedika swiped her room card, unlocking her door and pushing it open.
“Vedika.”
She froze, the sound of her name in his deep, husky voice strangely foreign and yet, arresting.
“I wasn’t thinking about what Ashish did to help you feel safe,” he murmured. “I was thinking about why you felt unsafe to begin with.”
Her breath caught in her chest, tears sprang to her eyes and her hand trembled on the doorframe. But she didn’t answer him, nor did she look back, as she slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her.
Shutting the world out and finding, like she always did, sanctuary in solitude.