Chapter 5
Shauna stood before the mirror, fastening the delicate clasp of her earrings.
Night had begun to settle over the island, the sky deepening into rich shades of indigo.
From her window, she could see the lanterns flickering to life along the pathways of the resort.
She paused, catching her own reflection, and her mind drifted back to the day.
When they had first met that morning, the air between her and Akash had been thick with tension.
But as the hours passed, something had shifted.
The memory of the jellyfish sent a small shiver through her.
She could still remember the sudden grip of his hand around her wrist underwater, the urgency in his eyes as he’d pulled her away just in time.
Akash had saved her from a nasty sting.
After that, the hostility between them had slowly softened. And to her surprise… she had actually enjoyed herself with him. For the first time in years, being in his company had felt… right. Comfortable, even.
She adjusted the bodice of her strapless maxi dress and paused as another thought surfaced, one she had been trying very hard not to dwell on. What in heaven’s name had possessed her to snatch the sunscreen bottle from Akash’s hand like that?
The memory made her wince even now. The boat attendant had simply offered to help apply lotion to his back. It had been perfectly harmless. Perfectly normal. And yet, before Akash could even respond, she had reached out, taken the bottle, and told the woman they could manage.
Why had she done that? Why had she cared so much about another woman touching him? The thought made her shift uneasily. Worse still was what had followed.
Standing behind him, her hands smoothing the cool lotion across the broad span of his back, she had been painfully aware of everything—the warmth of his skin beneath her palms, the hard lines of muscle shifting under her touch, the faint scent of salt and his sexy perfume, oud and wood, so unmistakably him.
Her breath had caught more than once, though she had tried desperately not to show it.
And then, like an absolute fool, she had taken it one step further.
She’d turned around and handed him the bottle, asking him to apply sunscreen to her back, all because some ridiculously possessive part of her had wanted to make a point to that woman, to silently tell her to back off.
God. The realization made her groan inwardly. What on earth had she been thinking?
She shut her eyes on a heavy sigh. Fuck. There was no point pretending otherwise. The truth was that she was still immensely attracted to him, and she hadn’t liked another woman’s hands on him.
Seeing him shirtless again after all these months had been…
distracting. Watching him push his wet hair back from his face, the muscles in his arms shifting with the motion, water gliding down his sexy ink and further down his chest…
it had sent a slow, treacherous heat curling through her.
Even now, her heart was racing at the memory.
Akash Karia was a dangerously sexy man. He moved with an effortless confidence that was impossible to ignore.
And the worst part? Her body remembered him far too well.
It remembered exactly how he could make her feel.
How, with just a look or a touch, he could send her pulse racing and leave her skin tingling.
No other man had ever managed that. Only Akash.
And even now, just thinking about him, she felt that same restless pull deep inside her.
She exhaled slowly and shook her head, before reaching for her lipstick.
Whatever strange truce had formed between them today…
she wasn’t foolish enough to assume it meant anything more.
For all she knew, he would return to Dubai after all this was over.
He might even settle down there, and she’d never see him again.
Her stomach dropped at that thought, but she ignored it. She was fine with him living anywhere in the world. It didn’t matter to her. He didn’t matter to her.
Tilting her head slightly, she studied her reflection and smiled.
She did look good tonight. Her hair was gathered into soft waves that fell over one shoulder, loose tendrils framed her face elegantly.
The orange-and-blue maxi dress flowed down to her feet in light, graceful folds, swaying gently with every step she took.
A slit along one thigh revealed just a hint of her leg as she walked.
Yes. She looked good. Satisfied, she grabbed her phone and purse from the table and headed out for the evening ahead.
The banquet hall was already alive with conversation when Shauna stepped inside.
The large space had been transformed for the evening.
Strings of warm golden lights draped across the ceiling like constellations, casting a soft glow over the room.
At the far end, a DJ stood behind a sleek console, sending rhythmic music pulsing through the hall while colored lights shifted lazily across the dance floor that had been cleared in the center.
Waiters moved smoothly through the crowd, balancing trays of drinks. Tall cocktail tables dotted the room, each decorated with flickering candles and tropical flowers. Across the hall, she spotted her parents standing around one of the tables, deep in conversation with Kabier’s mother.
Her brothers and cousins were scattered across the room in different groups.
Most of their friends had arrived too. Everyone was dressed in relaxed resort wear—the women in flowing maxi dresses or elegant wide-legged pants with light tops, the men in linen shirts and trousers with their sleeves casually rolled up.
The atmosphere was easy and celebratory.
Happy voices floated from every corner of the room.
Shauna smiled, taking everything in. She knew the kids were all tucked away for the night, being looked after by their nannies so the adults could enjoy one final evening together before everyone returned to their own lives tomorrow.
Her gaze swept across the crowd.
Once.
Twice.
He wasn’t there.
She stiffened, annoyed with herself. Why was she even looking for him? Akash didn’t mean anything to her. One unexpectedly pleasant afternoon didn’t suddenly erase years of conflict between them. It didn’t mean they were friends now. They weren’t anything, really.
Drawing in a quiet breath, she lifted her chin and moved further into the room, refusing to let her thoughts circle back to him again.
Her grandfather spotted her almost immediately and made his way over. He pulled her into a warm hug and pressed a light kiss on her cheek before stepping back to study her with fond approval.
She smiled. “How was your day, Grandfather?”
Janak’s face lit up immediately. “It was amazing. We spotted so many dolphins out on the water. At my age, little moments like these give me an incredible amount of joy.”
“Dolphins bring joy at any age,” she replied warmly. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
“How was your day?” he asked. “What did you do?”
“I spent the afternoon snorkeling out at the reef. It was just out of this world.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” he said warmly, gesturing around the lively hall.
“I’m so glad Keya and Kabier decided to celebrate here in the Maldives.
And I’m so glad you could make it.” His gaze settled meaningfully on her.
“You work far too hard, Shauna. I know how dedicated you are, and I’m very proud of you, but you don’t give yourself enough time to step away and enjoy life. You need to do that more often.”
She smiled and then said, “Speaking of work, we are meeting on Monday morning, right?”
Janak waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, yes. I’ll ask Reema to schedule it. But tonight, we are not going to discuss work.” He took her hand and twirled her lightly, laughing as she spun once before facing him again. “Tonight, I want to see you dance and let your hair down. Can you do that for me?”
Smiling, she accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She took a small sip, the cool bubbles fizzing across her tongue.
And then, without warning, her senses sharpened. A quiet certainty settled in her chest, and the same awareness she’d felt all afternoon washed over her. She didn’t need to look to know. Akash was here.
Slowly, she turned and found him near the entrance.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and navy trousers, his hair pushed back casually, he looked gorgeous.
The first few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the broad expanse of his chest and offering a tantalizing glimpse of the dark, arresting tattoo that curved along the side of his neck and shoulder.
For a moment, the room seemed to blur around her as she watched him. His gaze swept across the crowd, moving from one group to another until it finally settled on her and lingered there, as though he had been searching for her all along.
Shauna shook her head at herself. God, what was wrong with her? She was imagining things. Why on earth would he be looking for her?
And yet her heartbeat quickened all the same as he started moving forward.
Akash began to walk toward her, and a warmth unfurled in her stomach.
She had no idea why. It was ridiculous. She’d spent the entire afternoon with him, without feeling this odd nervous energy.
Still, a strange sense of panic filled her as he drew nearer.
She murmured something to her grandfather and slipped away, joining her elder brother Sameer, who stood chatting with Raashi, Dev, and Avantika Luthra. They greeted her easily and pulled her into their conversation.
But a moment later, her eyes drifted across the room. Akash was standing with Janak, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His eyes met hers. And then, he left Janak and began making his way toward her.
Her pulse jumped.