The Unexpected Bride : Mahabharat

Forty Nine : Between Blushes and Breath

Arjun

The way she looked at me, wide-eyed, curious, completely unaware of the effect she had on me, was enough to undo me. Parthavi could deny it all she wanted, but I wasn't blind. The way her fingers curled around my arm, gripping almost absently, told me everything I needed to know. She had no idea how easily she gave herself away, how effortlessly she pulled me in.

Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting silver streaks across her face, illuminating the soft curve of her lips, the gentle rise and fall of her breath. Beautiful, too beautiful. If it were possible for someone to be more breathtaking with each passing moment, she was proving it right now.

"Come with me," I murmured, reaching for her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine. The touch sent a familiar rush through me, a sensation I had long since stopped trying to fight.

She hesitated, blinking up at me. "Where? What if someone notices? They'll get worried."

I huffed a quiet laugh. "Little explorer, you always worry too much," I teased, my thumb brushing over the back of her hand. "Just trust me."

She always did.

Without another word, I led her along the moonlit path, the world around us fading into a hush. The trees arched over us like silent guardians, their branches swaying gently in the night breeze. The stillness between us wasn't empty, it was charged, filled with unspoken words, and unanswered questions.

"Where have you brought me?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I didn't answer immediately. I let the mystery linger, savoring the way her curiosity burned beneath her innocent impatience. Then, as we stepped into a small clearing where the moon peeked through the leaves, casting light in shimmering pools around us, I finally stopped.

It was perfect. She was perfect.

I turned to her, my grip on her hand tightening slightly before I pulled her toward me. She gasped softly, her small frame colliding with mine, her wide eyes searching my face for answers. Before she could speak, I guided her back until her spine met the rough bark of a tree, caging her in without touching her yet.

She looked up at me, lips parted in surprise, confusion flickering in her eyes, but there was no fear. Just trust. Just us.

"What are you doing, Arya?" she asked, her voice so quiet it sent a shiver down my spine.

I leaned in, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her, close enough that my lips hovered just above her skin, teasing, testing the space between us. "Just showing you the ways I crave you, little explorer," I murmured, my voice low, intimate. My hands rested on either side of her, trapping her, but giving her a choice. "Tell me if you're uncomfortable."

Her brows furrowed in that adorable way she always did when she didn't understand something. "Why?"

I let out a breath, my restraint slipping further. "Because I need you to feel what I'm feeling," I admitted, my voice rougher now, edged with something deeper, something raw.

She opened her mouth to respond, to question, but I couldn't let her, not now. Not when her lips were right there, soft and inviting, teasing me without even trying.

So, I silenced her with a kiss.

Gentle at first, barely more than a whisper against her lips, testing, waiting. And then, her breath hitched. A soft sigh escaped her, warm and sweet, and it was all I needed. My hands found her waist, pulling her closer, molding her against me as the kiss deepened.