Faking It With a Billionaire || MaAn

Chapter 37 | Anuj

I let her think about my words for as long as she needs. It's a fact I've been sitting on for over a year now. I've had all the time in the world for it to sink in. She hasn't. Her distant stare tells me all I need to know. She's remembering that summer night.

Good. I love that she's recalling it. It's been all I've thought about for over a year now.

"What do you mean it didn't stop that you wanted me?"

My hands wrap around her, pulling her into my body. So much has changed from the moment we stepped into this inn. We showed up here at each other's throats, doing nothing but arguing. The tables have turned. We finally gave into each other and fuck did it feel good. Holding her in my arms, doing something as simple as taking a bath almost feels even better.

"Anupama," I say, my tone almost a warning. "I think you know exactly what it means."

She spins in the bathtub, water and bubbles sloshing over the edges with the movement. Her knees stay between my legs as she sits on them, her eyes pinned on me. "You wanted me then?"

I scoff. "Don't act like you didn't know that."

Her eyes search mine. I don't know if she finds what she's looking for as I stare back at her. Regardless, I don't back down. I've wanted to talk about that night since the moment it happened. I'm ready to lay it all out on the table now, to tell her how much I fucking hated the fact she crawled back into my brother's bed that night. He'd spent the weekend sneaking away from her whenever he could, fucking the staff in the pool house whenever Anupama was busy.

I'd wanted to punch my brother when I happened upon him plowing into one of the housekeepers. I saw red when I realized he was being unfaithful to her. I'd never been in a serious monogamous relationship, but I'd never pretended to be either. He, on the other hand, had been with her for years. She deserved his loyalty—his faithfulness—and the piece of shit couldn't even give her that.

"I always wondered..."

"Wondered what?"

"If you wanted to kiss me on that beach."

I lean in close to her, needing to feel the press of her forehead against mine. "Want is a terrible word for it. I didn't just want you that night. I needed you. Desperately. I coveted my brother's girlfriend, and I didn't give a damn that you were his. There was nothing more I wanted to do then prove to you how terrible of a fit the two of you were."

I can feel her erratic pulse thump against the fingertips that press into her neck. "Why didn't you then?"

"Because you ran. You went back to his bed, and I fucking hated the idea of it. It'd already been horrible enough that I'd heard your soft little moans coming through the door as I'd walked by that night, unable to sleep. It was worse knowing you crawled back in bed with him. That he could do whatever he wanted with you because you were his."

"You heard us that night?" She looks shocked by the realization.

I grimace, remembering how livid I'd been that night. It was the first time a woman had ever captivated my attention—my affection—and it happened to be the girl my brother brought home to meet the family. "Yes," I spit. "My room was the one next to yours, it was easy to hear."