For a second, their gazes dropped to his clothes as he stood under the water fountaining down over his head. Kabir saw her cheeks heat with a hint of colour. He waited for her eyes to meet his before he slowly took off his soaking wet shirt, dropping it in the hamper outside the cubicle. Tani’s gaze dropped as his hand went to the button of his jeans, popping it open before yanking the zipper down and stripping it off completely, leaving him in tight black boxers.
Her tongue snuck out, wetting her lips as she watched his boxers wilt under the onslaught of water, outlining the hard length of his arousal.
“Tan?” he said huskily, a plea in his voice, as he reached for her. She allowed him to pull her closer, water droplets sprinkling over her face, running down her cheeks like tears. He dipped his head down to nuzzle her cheek, a deep sigh escaping him, his body seeming to settle into itself as she allowed him to hold her.
“Shower,” she said, her voice muffled against his wet shoulder. “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”
She pulled out of his embrace, stepping back.
“Promise?”
She nodded once before walking out of the shower and into the bedroom. Kabir showered quickly before stripping off his wet boxers and wrapping a towel around his waist, and following her. He found her standing by the bed, her gaze fixed on the messy sheets, her clothes still damp from their embrace. He could almost see her thoughts play out on her face.
“Nothing happened,” he said to her stiff back.
Fear churned in his stomach when she didn’t reply, her back to him, her gaze fixed on that bed like she was trying to read all its secrets.
I wasn’t waiting for marriage. I was waiting for Kabir.
Her words were a silent presence in the room with them, a dagger to his shattered heart.
“Bug?” He walked over to where she stood, coming to a stop in front of her. His hands went to cup her face, tilting it up so she met his eyes. “Tell me you believe me.”
She closed her eyes almost like the sight of him was too much to bear. He brought his forehead to rest on hers, his heart shuddering in his chest.
“Please?”
She didn’t answer though her hands came up to curl around his wrists.
“Bug?”
“You have a concert to get to.”
“Fuck the concert!” His trembling thumb traced the curve of her cheek. “Fuck all of it. Nothing matters except for you telling me that you believe me.”
A single tear escaped her, slipping down her cheek, a damp curl stuck to its trail.
“Tan, I don’t know how to live a life that doesn’t have you in it. I-“ his voice broke and he swallowed hard, striving for some semblance of control. “Tell me how to fix this. Tell me what to do to make it right. What do I do to erase this distance between us?”
“That’s just it, Kabs,” she said, sadly. “I don’t think you can.”
CHAPTER 40
TANISHA
The devastationin his eyes had her heart wrenching in her chest.
“I’m not asking…” His voice cracked as he swallowed, his chest heaving like he was holding back a scream. “I’m not asking for a future. I’m asking for you to stay in my life… in whatever capacity possible.”
Her breath left her in a painful exhale.
“And that,” she whispered, stepping out of his arms as despair funnelled through her, “is exactly why you can’t fix this.”
“Tan-”
“I don’t want to stay in your life in whatever capacity possible, Kabs. What the fuck does that even mean?” She dragged her hands through her hair, tugging at the roots, frustration simmering under her skin. “I don’t want scraps. I want to be the biggest part of your life. I want a future.With you.And if you can’t give me that, then there is no fixing any of this.”
“What fucking future can I give you?” he snapped, fatigue and fear ripping through his voice. “Look at me.”
