Ishq hua (Duet 1)

Chapter 17: Twisted Temptations

Aira:

The cold night air hit me like a slap when we finally climbed out of the pool. My drenched clothes clung to me, heavy and suffocating, as water dripped from my hair in rivulets. Arsh offered his hand to help me up, but I swatted it away, my pride refusing to allow any semblance of weakness in front of him. He didn't seem fazed. Of course, he didn't. The arrogant smirk on his face made it clear he was enjoying every second of my humiliation.

"Let's go," he said curtly, already walking ahead, his wet shoes squelching against the pavement.

I couldn't move ahead a step, my heel strap opened on it's own just as I stepped out of the pool, everything flashing in front of my eyes.

What just happened? My pulse hadn't stopped racing since the moment he kissed me, since the moment I kissed him back. My body betrayed me in every way tonight, and now, with his stepping away from my personal space, reality was rushing back like a tidal wave.

He paused probably not feeling me behind him as he turned to look at me with eyes raised in question.

I moved my eyes down unable to meet his eyes, his gaze followed mine and without another word, he stepped towards me as I took a step back unconsciously.

He tsked, his steps rushed as he reached me in two large strides and before I could take another step back, he grabbed my arm pulling me towards him as I met his eyes, my heart beat pausing it's own rhythm like they hated having to beat.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything but nothing came out as he suddenly went down on his knees and without saying anything fixed the strap of my heels.

I scrunched my nose at his actions afraid he is pulling this stunt and pretending jsut so he can make me fall, it's so easy all he has to do is grab my leg and pull it a little om his side and I will lose my balance and fall on my back.

But despite my intrusive thoughts, all he did was fix my strap and once done, he got up giving me a look to come along before he turned an took another step.

I sighed, not knowing how to feel as I kneeled down and opened the straps of my heels, taking them off and picking them in my hands, finally feeling a little better cause my legs were done for the day.

Not wanting him to notice my absence again, I followed him, my bare feet slapping against the cold ground as anger and disbelief warred inside me, my gaze fixed on his back.

This was Arsh Oberoi - the man who had made my life a living hell, the man I was supposed to hate. And yet, here I was, soaked to the bone, my lips tingling with the ghost of his kiss.

My thoughts swirled in a relentless loop, his presence ahead of me like a magnetic force I couldn't escape. I wasn't even looking where I was going anymore, my eyes fixed blankly on the ground as I replayed every moment from the pool, every word he had said, every touch that had burned through me.

My lips pressed together tightly as I tried to shove the memory of his mouth on mine into the farthest corner of my mind. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't ignore the way his touch lingered or how my body had betrayed me.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice him stop. The moment my face collided with the firm expanse of his back, a startled gasp escaped me.

"Watch it," he muttered, turning slightly, but his eyes dropped almost instantly, catching sight of my bare feet.

His gaze flicked to the heels dangling in my hand, his expression unreadable as his jaw tightened. Before I could say a word, before I could even think about stepping back, his hands moved.