He hummed in response, the vibration sending pleasure racing through her. He took his time, learning her responses all over again, even though he'd mapped this territory a thousand times before.
When she came, it was slow and sweet, pleasure rolling through her in gentle waves rather than the sharp peaks of the night before.
"Your turn," she said, pushing him onto his back.
"You don't have to—"
"I want to." She settled between his thighs, wrapping her hand around his length. "I love doing this. Love watching you fall apart."
She took him into her mouth, using everything she'd learned about what he liked over the past year. The way he responded to suction, the spot just under the head that made him groan, the way his hands fisted in her hair when she took him deep.
"Advika," he gasped. "I'm close—"
She didn't pull away, taking him deeper, wanting this. He came with a shout, his hips jerking, and she swallowed it all.
When she crawled back up his body, he pulled her into a fierce kiss.
"You're going to kill me," he said.
"Death by orgasm. Could be worse."
"Much worse." He rolled them over, settling between her thighs. "Now let me return the favor properly."
He made love to her slowly, sweetly, their bodies moving together in perfect synchronicity. This wasn't about dominance or possession or even raw passion. This was about connection, about love, about the bond they'd built over the past year.
When they came together, it was with soft sighs rather than shouts, gentle waves rather than crashing tides.
Perfect.
Later that afternoon, they sat on the terrace, wrapped in robes, drinking wine and talking.
"I've been thinking," Sidharth said. "About the future."
"Oh?"
"Your bakery. It's doing incredibly well. Five regular clients, constant orders, the ambassador's event led to international interest." He turned to face her. "Have you thought about expanding? Really expanding?"
"I've thought about it," she admitted. "But it seems like a lot. Managing multiple locations, hiring more staff, the logistics—"
"You could do it. You're brilliant at management, at strategy. And you love it." He took her hand. "What if we made it a real empire? Five locations, ten, a full catering business. You could write a cookbook, do television appearances, make Sinfully Sweet a household name."
"That's... ambitious."
"So are you." He kissed her knuckles. "And I'd support you. Whatever you need—financing, connections, muscle to deal with difficult clients—it's yours."
"What about you?" she asked. "What do you want for the future?"
"Honestly? I want to spend more time with you. Travel. Build a life that's about more than just survival and power. I want a different kind of life. One where I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder, where I can actually enjoy what we've built."
"What else?" she asked softly. "What else do you want?"
"Children. Eventually. Maybe in a few years, when things are more stable." His hand slid to her stomach, resting there. "I wantto give our kids everything I didn't have. A childhood without fear, parents who are actually present, a home filled with love."
Advika's eyes filled with tears. "I want that too. Not right now, but someday."
"Someday," he agreed. "We have time. All the time in the world."
They sat in comfortable silence, watching the ocean. Then Sidharth shifted, reaching into his robe pocket.
