Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 18: Agony

If you ask Ishan later, what the people in the room were talking about, he would not be able to answer it even under torture. The moment he saw Shubman in the room, everything else faded away. He felt a familiar tingling in his fingers, that quickly traveled from his hands to his feet, numbing his entire body. He could not move, even if he wanted to. Ishan felt himself surrounded by a thick fog, and voices echoed around him as if they were coming from miles off. He could see distant shapes and hear muffled voices, but all his concentration was on the figure in front of him. His heart pounded erratically and only Robby's voice in his ear brought him back.

"I was wrong - not everyone moves on."

Ishan whipped his head toward Robby at that, which cleared the fog and the numbness that came with it. He glared in response, but received a cheeky smile in return. When Shikhar came into view, Ishan glared at him too, but he simply yelled 'Surprise' in response.

He raised his eyebrows at both his boss and his comrade in arms, and signaled them to join him in the adjoining room. When they reached, Robby raised his hands in defense.

"Hey, don't look at me - it was Shikhar's idea. Although, if I know what the trip entailed, maybe I would have added my own little twis–"

"No. NO! No twists, no turns. You two have ruined my life already, please, spare me your theatrics."

"Oh c'mon Ishu, live a little. Aren't you happy to see me again?"

"Save it Shikhar bhai, your little evil gremlin. Your games are not going to work. Robby, take me off the assignment."

At Robby's raised eyebrow, he added, "Please?"

"No can do, hombre - what are you so afraid of? Can't you take care of 2-3 boys for a few days?"

It's not the boys he was afraid for. It was his heart - which had not stopped beating loudly from the moment it had seen Shubi. His heart was in danger.

"Of course I–"

"It's settled then. Or are you too chicken to be normal in front of your ex?"

"He's not my ex."

"Oh, it's not even started yet?" At Shikhar's sigh, Robby continued, "This will be fun!"

He high-fived Shikhar, who followed Robby into the living room.

Ishan tried to make Shikhar stay behind, but Shikhar simply stuck to Robby, which meant Ishan had no choice but to follow them all.

When they entered the room, all eyes were on them, but Ishan had determinately avoided looking at Shubman altogether, for the sake of his sanity.

"Any problem, Robby chachu?"

"Nah, all good. You guys please get settled in, and we'll have dinner together. Amu, just one thing - let Ishan know your whereabouts at all times, yeah? Don't give him anymore grey hair than he already has, poor guy is going to have a rough few days."

At Shikhar's snicker from the other end, Ishan just glared at his boss, but followed Amu out.

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Ishan had a fairly simple plan - stick to Amu at all costs, and he can forget Shubman and Shikhar are tagging along. The plan did not last long though, because as soon as they were out, Amu started talking.

"Ishan, this is Abhi, Manu, and Shubman."

He shook Abhi and Manu's hands, and nodded at Shubman's throat, which is where he had concentrated all his attention on, lest he get distracted.

"I assume you know all the places around? I don't want to go with Robby chachu - he always takes me to these hoity-toity bars where you have to sit in silence and drink. Please please show me some good places around - I want my boys to have fun. Who knows, maybe Shubman, the gloomy goose here, might even let loose and get a girlfriend."

Ishan tamped down the strangled whimper in his throat.

"What are you saying bro? He already has Sara."

"What - no, no! I am not dating her."

Ishan had heard Shubman speak for the first time since getting here, and it was like someone had poured honey into his ears. He was not aware of how much you could get addicted to the tenor of one's voice, and how much it felt like coming home when you heard it after so, so long. Shubman stepped ahead, and although Ishan kept his gaze away from him, he knew those hazel eyes were boring into him, while repeating,

"I am NOT dating anyone."

Ishan didn't care.

At all.

"All right, all right dude, we'll find you someone, won't we, Ishan bhai?"

Before Ishan could answer, Shikhar piped up.

"Yes, Ishan, won't you? Get our dear Shubi someone special?"

Ishan simply glared and walked ahead, refusing to give Shikhar the satisfaction of seeing him snap.

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Ishan had a plan. He was awaiting his boss and Amu and his friends for dinner, but the time apart had given him time to think. Shubman was here, in South Africa of all places. It was tearing Ishan apart, not being able to look at him freely, touch him, smell him...

No! He scolded his mind sternly - that road is closed, forever! No matter what Shikhar and Robby teased him on.

He was an adult - he could behave like one. He'll talk to Shubman, clear the air, and simply do his duty - there was no need for a pounding heart and desperate eyes around here - he was not in a romcom.

It was early, so there was no-one around, so he simply stood on the yacht's deck, admiring the lights and the salty breeze all around. The sound of walking snapped his attention behind. He understood his mistake a second too late.

Because there walked Shubman in all his glory - gone were his loose fitting sweatshirts and heavy rimmed glasses - this Shubman wore tight chinos and a soft pink tshirt that showed off all those abs and sinewy muscles. He had a jacket draped over his shoulder, but what had entranced Ishan was the way the evening breeze was playing with Shubman's soft hair (hair that Ishan had gotten to touch for a second while he gripped them as Shubman devoured his lips) and the way Shubman looks ethereal under the moonlight.

Dear lord, what was Ishan thinking - this was not going to be easy.

He tried speaking, but to his embarrassment, no words came out, so he stood, staring at Shubman like a creep.

Shubman did not help matters, as he too found no problem in gazing at Ishan with a blush on his cheeks, without speaking a word.

Robby found them in the position five minutes later, and his shoulders shook with silent laughter. He decided to pull the lads out of their misery, but not before–

"Muh toh band karo Ishan."