If You Could Stay

18. Naira

The heat from Kartik's large, warm hand sears into my hip. Maybe placing it there was a bad idea, but I was so frustrated with him, I wasn't thinking straight. Warily, I meet his gaze. Kartik was looking at me with that same expressionless face, but something in his eyes made goosebumps rise on my arms. Unable to look at the heat brewing inside those dark eyes, I break away from his gaze and abruptly turn.

I don't get very far when I feel a force around my waist keeping me in place. I look down and see Kartik's hand wrapped around my kamarband. My heart started hammering so hard in my chest, I was afraid he could hear it. I didn't dare move a muscle.

He loosens his grip on the kamarband, only to splay his large palm over my exposed stomach. He tugs me back ever so slightly and my breath hitches. A shiver runs down my spine at his proximity behind me. My senses go into overload, this is too much. What was happening to me?

Slowly he walks in front of me and to my utter shock, kneels down on one knee. He reaches out towards my foot and that's when I notice the fallen ghungroo on the floor. It must have come off in my hurry to walk away from him. The moment his fingers graze the top of my foot, bolts of electricity shoot up my leg. I would have toppled over at the shock if I didn't have immense balance from my years of dancing. Kartik places my foot on top of his knee. I bunch the skirt of my lehenga and pull, exposing my ankle and calf. I look down and the sight in front of me almost makes me topple over. This powerful, arrogant man was on his knees. In front of me.

Kartik looks up and keeps my gaze as he reaches for the fallen ghungroo on the floor. My heart was beating at an erratic pace and I only hoped Kartik didn't notice the shivers his fingers grazing my ankle caused. When he finishes expertly tying the ghungroo back onto my ankle, he gives the bell a single flick before placing my foot gently back on the floor.

"Perfect! Just perfect!"

I turn towards the voice that brought me back to reality. Shubham is grinning ear to ear as he looks down at the screen of his camera. He looks back at us and his smile widens, if that's even possible. "These are the best photos I've ever taken. And I didn't even have to do anything. The chemistry between you two made these pictures so perfect."

Pictures? We hadn't even posed properly yet. I turn to look at Kartik but he's already walking towards the dressing room, his back muscles bunched with tension.

***************************

I make it to my dressing room and sit down in front of the vanity, gazing at my reflection. Except all I see in the mirror are flashes of Kartik kneeling in front of me. Dangerous flutters rise low in my belly at the memory. I startle at the sudden slam of the door behind me. As if conjured from my thoughts, Kartik's gaze meets mine in the mirror. Except his gaze no longer holds that heat from before. Instead, unmistakable fury resides there. His jaw ticks as he makes his way to me before wrapping his hand around my elbow and raising me to my full height. While he's a good foot taller than me, my heels put me almost at his eye level.

His hand tightens around my arm. "Don't you dare pull anything like that again."

I try to remove my arm, but his grip is an iron fist.

"Mr. Goenka, stop it. What is wrong with you?"

He leans in closer, his voice lowering an octave. His face was calm, but there was nothing calm about the way his eyes blazed. "This little stunt that you pulled is never happening again. Just because my brother was there, I didn't say anything. But do not forget Miss Singhania, this is just a business deal. You are not my real fiancee. You have no right over me and what I do. Get that into your head, in case you start dreaming otherwise."

I yank my arm out of his grip, pressure roaring in my ears from his insinuations.

"Oh I didn't forget, Mr. Goenka. Trust me, I remember exactly what this is." I shake my head, trying to get rid of the building headache inside my skull, before meeting his hard gaze.

"This might all be a silly game to you, but this is my business. And I don't mess around with my business." He continues.

"Neither do I Mr. Goenka. We didn't have models, so we had to do this--"

"We didn't have to do anything. You could have told me. I would have gotten us models with the snap of my fingers."

I huff out a frustrated breath. "What is your problem? This project is part of my company also. I have a say in this."

"My problem." He takes a step towards me, causing my own feet to step back. "My problem is that you infuriate me." He spits out. "If you couldn't solve a simple problem with models, maybe you aren't cut out for this CEO role after all."

His words strike me deep in my chest. My step falters as I stagger back.

"Get out."

Kartik blinks, slightly stunned, as if he didn't want to say those last words. But it was already said.

"Get out." I say louder this time.

"Get the hell out of my dressing room Mr. Kartik Goenka!"

Kartik's jaw ticks before he turns without another word and exits the room, leaving me alone with my thundering heart and buzzing ears. 

Fuck. Him.