Arranged Love

41. Gym Romance

Disclaimer: All the characters written below are imaginary and a work of pure fiction. There is no resemblance to any incident or situation and is written as a work of fiction.

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A/N: Warning 18+🌶️

(Hence y'all can expect a long chapter ahead😉)

Smriti's POV -

The shrill alarm pierced through the silence of the early morning, jarring me awake. Startled, I groaned and frantically reached out, my hands fumbling in the darkness, trying to find my phone. My eyes were still closed, but I could feel the phone somewhere near the edge of the bed. After a few futile attempts, my hand finally landed on it, and I squinted as the brightness seared through my grogginess.

"Ugh..." I groaned as I fumbled to switch off the alarm. The moment it stopped, I sighed in relief and flopped back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over my face.

From the corner of the room, I heard a deep chuckle.

"You really don't remember what I said last night, do you?" Vivek's voice, teasing and warm, cut through the haze of my sleep.

I groggily lifted my head, propping myself up on my elbows, blinking against the dim light that filtered through the curtains. Vivek was standing by the wall, shirtless, his arms folded across his chest, his messy hair falling over his forehead. He was leaning against the wall with a grin, clearly amused at my half-conscious state.

"What did I say, hmm?" He cocked an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider as he waited for my response.

In return, I simply let my head fall back onto the bed with a dramatic whine. "But five a.m. is too early," I mumbled into the pillow. The bed was way too cozy, and all I wanted was to sink back into sleep.

Vivek's smug chuckle filled the room as he leaned off the wall, his grin widening at my whine. "A bet is a bet," he said, his voice teasingly slow as he made his way towards me. "You should have thought earlier, Smriti."

I peeked out from beneath the blanket, my still-sleepy eyes catching sight of him walking closer, shirtless, and looking unfairly good for this ungodly hour. His toned, muscular body was on full display, and despite my exhaustion, I couldn't help but admire the view. His sculpted chest, broad shoulders, and those defined abs... He looked like a Greek god, and here I was, looking like a burrito wrapped in the comforter.

Just as I was getting lost in that thought, he suddenly leaned down, his face only inches away from mine. My heart did a little flip, but before I could say or do anything, he yanked the comforter off me in one swift motion, leaving me lying there in my pajamas, totally exposed to the chilly air.

Cruel.

"Up you get," he said, turning on his heel and heading back towards the closet with a triumphant smirk. "That's ten more squats for you, which makes it forty."

I groaned, rolling onto my side and covering my face with my hands, trying to shield myself from the inevitable doom. "I hate you," I whined, though my words were muffled.

"No, you love me," he called back, sounding far too pleased with himself.

I peeked out from between my fingers and, sure enough, there he was, rummaging through the closet, probably picking out workout clothes for both of us. I sighed, knowing there was no escape from this.