Aayan x Aashi: Grumpy x Sunshine, Age Gap, Marriage of Convenience, Contract Marriage
Aayan - "Please don't expect love or compassion from me. I can promise you respect, but I'll never be able to give you the place of a wife. However, I can be your...
Without a second thought, I slipped into the back seat and called out to her. "Ashi," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "Come back here."
She turned, surprised, her eyes wide with confusion. "What? Why?"
"Just come here," I repeated, my tone leaving no room for argument. She hesitated for a moment, then finally scooted over the console to the back seat with me. The moment she was close, I pulled her into my arms, wrapping her tightly against my chest.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice small, her breath warm against my neck.
"Keeping you warm," I muttered, my hand rubbing her back. Her dress was soaked, and I could feel the coldness of the fabric seeping through my shirt, but I didn't care. She needed the warmth more than I did.
At first, she was stiff, uncertain, but slowly she melted into me, her head resting against my shoulder. I could feel her breath against my skin, soft and steady, and my heart started to race. Her wet clothes clung to her, and I was suddenly hyper-aware of every point of contact, every place where our bodies touched. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest, the strange warmth spreading through me.
What the hell is this? Why is my heart pounding like this? It never.. did something like this when I was with Navya.., so why does this feel so...different?
Her skin was cold, but her closeness was electrifying, sending a strange, thrilling sensation coursing through my veins. I could feel every shiver that ran through her, every soft sigh that escaped her lips. My hands tightened around her instinctively, pulling her even closer, and I felt her relax against me, her breath hitching slightly.
Why am I doing this for her? Why do I care so damn much?
I looked down at her, at the way her eyelashes fluttered as she tried to keep her eyes open, the way her lips parted slightly with each breath. Those lips... I couldn't stop thinking about how they felt against mine, how soft they were, how they tasted like strawberries and rain. My heart skipped a beat, and I found myself leaning in, drawn to her without even realizing it.
Stop, Ayan. What are you doing? This isn't supposed to happen. You're not supposed to feel this way about her.
But the longer I held her, the harder it was to fight the urge. Every beat of my heart seemed to echo in my ears, louder and louder, drowning out all reason, all logic. I was losing myself in her warmth, in the scent of rain and something sweet, something uniquely her.
I felt her shift slightly in my arms, her fingers lightly grazing my chest as she adjusted herself. The touch sent a jolt through me, and I nearly gasped. What was this girl doing to me? Why was I reacting like this?
"Ayan..." she murmured softly, almost inaudibly, her voice a whisper against my neck. "Thank you."
Something inside me twisted at her words, at the soft vulnerability in her tone. I wanted to protect her, to hold her close and never let go. But why? Why her? Why now?
I clenched my jaw, trying to push the thoughts away, but they kept coming, relentless and demanding. I was supposed to be the one in control, the one who never got attached, who never let anyone get too close. But here I was, holding her in my arms, my heart racing, my body aching to be even closer.
What's happening to me?
The rain continued to pour, the night dark and endless, but all I could think about was the girl in my arms, the warmth of her body against mine, the soft sound of her breathing. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted. All I knew was that I didn't want this moment to end.
My phone rang, breaking the moment, and I fumbled for it. "Sir, we're on our way," the bodyguard's voice crackled through the line. I forced myself to sound steady, composed. "You better come soon," I replied, my tone harsher than I intended. But even as I said it, a part of me, deep inside, whispered, Don't come. Not yet.
I felt her warmth against me, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and I realized she had fallen asleep.
How could she sleep like this? In a wet dress, soaked to the bone, in the middle of a storm? But she had. She looked so peaceful, her face calm, a slight smile playing on her lips. Even in her sleep, she had this serenity that pulled me in, made me want to just...watch her. Forever.
I couldn't help myself. I whispered, almost to myself, "Why, Ashi...why? You're not supposed to make me feel like this." My voice was barely audible, swallowed by the rain, but I kept going, words spilling out like a confession. "I built walls around my heart after Navya... I can't lose you too. I can't lose someone I care about again. You can't-"
I stopped, my breath hitching. My mind was flooded with memories I'd tried so hard to bury-Navya, tied up, her face etched with fear, the gunshot ringing in my ears, the blood... so much blood. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the images away, but they kept coming. Her body falling lifelessly in front of me, my hands tied, useless, unable to save her. The guilt, the helplessness, the pain-it all came rushing back like a tidal wave.
"No!" I shouted, my voice breaking, my body tense with the force of the memory. I jerked, startling Ashi awake. She looked up at me, concern etched on her face. I tried to steady my breathing, to push the panic back down where it belonged, but it was no use. My heart was racing, my mind a blur.
Ashi's hand moved to my back, her touch gentle, grounding. "It's alright, Ayan," she whispered, her voice soft and soothing. "You're not alone. You're... you're loved. Don't be so hard on yourself."
Her words cut through the fog in my mind, and I stared at her, confused, my heart pounding. Had she heard what I said? She couldn't have. My voice was barely a whisper. "What...?" I managed to ask, my voice hoarse, rough with emotion.
She gave me a small, reassuring smile. "Nothing," she said softly, patting my back, her eyes filled with a compassion that made something inside me twist painfully.
She was still watching me, her eyes searching mine, trying to understand, to reach me. And for a second, I wanted to let her in. To tell her everything. But I couldn't. I couldn't drag her into my darkness. I couldn't let her see the broken pieces of me, the parts I kept hidden from the world. The parts that were terrified of losing her, of losing anyone else.
Her fingers brushed against my cheek, wiping away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen. The simple touch sent a shiver through me, and I felt my chest tighten with something I couldn't name. Something that scared the hell out of me.
"Ayan," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rain. "You're stronger than you think. And you don't have to go through this alone."
My heart stuttered, her words sinking deep into the cracks of my broken soul. But before I could say anything, before I could even process what I was feeling, the headlights of the backup vehicle cut through the darkness, and the bodyguards pulled up outside.
The moment shattered. I pulled back, putting distance between us, my walls slamming back into place. "They're here," I muttered, turning away from her. I couldn't look at her, not now. Not when I felt so exposed, so raw.
We climbed out of the car, and I kept my eyes forward, avoiding her gaze. My mind was a mess, my heart even more so. I didn't know what I was feeling, or why I was feeling it. All I knew was that she was getting under my skin, breaking through the barriers I'd so carefully built. And it scared me more than anything.
As we got into the other vehicle, I could still feel her eyes on me, filled with questions I wasn't ready to answer. Not yet. Maybe not ever. But deep down, I knew one thing for sure-I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep fighting this. How much longer I could keep pretending I didn't care.
Because with every passing moment, every touch, every whispered word... she was becoming harder and harder to resist.
Ashi Pov:-
The next morning, we took the flight back home. Ayaan was engrossed in his tablet, his eyes scanning the screen with an intensity that told me he was lost in his work again. I continued reading my novel, though the words blurred together as my exhaustion settled in. My body ached all over, a deep, relentless pain that radiated from my joints. My head felt warm-warmer than it should be. Fever, I realized. I was coming down with something.
The entire flight, we didn't talk about last night. I knew from the first day that Ayaan was pushing himself too hard, and seeing him so vulnerable last night only confirmed it. I regretted falling asleep and missing whatever he had been about to share. Whatever it was, it was tearing him apart. Still, I could feel that something had shifted between us-before the trip and after. At least now, I knew he is not the person he shows to the world he is !
When we reached home, Riya was there, lounging in the living room, but Maa was at the office. I could feel the pain in my joints intensifying with every step. My body felt like it was on fire. I checked my temperature-40 degrees Celsius. Fever, for sure. I took a tablet to bring it down, but I knew I couldn't take any more leave from work. My stipend was already meager; I couldn't afford to miss more days.
Ayaan had already headed to the office, and I followed shortly after, trying to ignore the throbbing in my head and the heaviness in my limbs. As soon as I walked in, Shruti, my colleague, caught up with me. "Show me your husband's picture! You didn't tell us you were married!" she said, her voice playful and teasing.
I forced a smile. "I'll show you later." Maybe never, I replied, my voice lacking the usual energy. My mind was elsewhere, distracted by the fever and the memories of last night.
I realized I needed some old files for a report. "Akash, could you come with me to the file room? I need to get some files," I said.
He grinned at me, a strange, flirtatious smile that made my skin crawl. "Yes, sure, sure," he replied eagerly. I shook off the discomfort, thinking maybe I was just being paranoid because of the fever.
The file room was dimly lit, with a thick layer of dust coating the shelves. I switched on my flashlight and started sifting through the files, one by one. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my waist. I spun around, startled, to see Akash standing too close, his face a little too familiar.
