Faking It With a Billionaire || MaAn

Chapter 42 | Anupama

"I think I'm going to go to bed," I announce, fighting a yawn as I push the knit blanket from my lap. Anuj and I had settled in to watch some TV and relax after a busy day of getting back to Manhattan. Well, I relaxed, spacing off while sketching in my notebook while the TV played in the background. Anuj, however, worked on his laptop and phone the entire time. I'd tried telling him he could go to his office to work, but he'd insisted on staying in the living room with me. Not that I'd put up much of an argument after that.

 Anuj's thumb brushes over the inside of my ankle as his eyes stay scanning whatever is on his laptop. During one of his business calls he'd grabbed my feet that'd been resting against his thigh and began to rub them, all while his phone was on speaker and he talked business with one of his investors. I don't think he even realized how tender the moment was, how much it meant to me.

"I was wondering if you were going to doze off on me," Anuj responds, looking at me from over his laptop screen. I carefully set my sketchbook between us. For the last thirty minutes I hadn't drawn a thing because the feeling of his strong thumbs pushing into the soles of my feet was enough to almost put me to sleep.

"I was definitely close."

"I'll probably head to bed soon, too." His laptop snaps shut as he stands up, stretching his arms above his head. A small amount of skin peeks out from above the waistband of his joggers, giving me a glimpse of his hardened oblique muscles I'm so turned on by.

I stand up, neatly folding the blanket I'd been using even though I know the house cleaning staff will redo it tomorrow. "Thank you for you know, hanging out," I get out awkwardly.

Hanging out? What the hell is wrong with me? Anuj isn't the type of man to ever use the word hanging out.

I'm even more mortified by my words when he doesn't respond at all. Sheepishly, cursing myself for my juvenile choice of words, I swipe my sketchbook from the kitchen and beeline for the stairs. "Goodnight!" I yell, not bothering to look behind me. All I want to do is go to sleep and pretend I didn't thank the man for hanging out with me like we were making friendship bracelets or gossiping away like a group of teenage girls.

My feet barely hit the first stair when a strong arm snakes around my waist. Anuj pulls me against his hard body, his lips right next to my ear. There's a loud smacking sound as my sketchbook falls to the ground.

"And where do you think you're going?" He nips at my neck angrily.

My mouth opens and shuts as I try to form words. I'm still reeling from the embarrassment of my word choice earlier and now he's taken me by surprise by locking me in an embrace.

"G-going to bed," I stutter.

"Your bed is no longer upstairs."

"It's not?"

Anuj's large hands grab me by the waist as he spins me to face him. "You're my fiancée," he growls. "The only bed you'll be sleeping in is the one in my room."

I'm stunned, unable to think of a response to him. I hated the thought of going upstairs to an empty bed after having the luxury of feeling his warm body next to mine last night. But it didn't stop me from accepting that was how it was going to be. At least that's how I thought it'd be, but the angry look in Anuj's eyes tells me I must be mistaken.