Vedika took a step toward him.
And to his own eternal mortification, he took a step back.
She stopped instantly.
He saw it happen in real time…the doubt rising like a shadow behind her eyes, the colour draining from her face, her fragile courage starting to fold in on itself.
Damn it.
“Mouse, no.”
He immediately let go of what had effectively become his emotional support door handle and walked back toward her, closing the distance she had just risked everything to try and cross.
“I want this,” he said quietly. “I wantyou.”
His voice softened further.
“I wasn’t joking when I said you have my consent.” His hands went up to cup her cheeks, to caress her gently.
Vedika exhaled a shuddering breath, her eyes fluttering closed.
“I was just trying to give you a little time to settle and-“
“I don’t want to settle.” Her eyes flew open. “If I settle, I might change my mind.”
“See that’s exactly my point,” he said gently. “I want you to settle and still want me. Like I want you. I want you when I’m unsettled. I want you when I’m calm. I want you when I’m furious. I want you when I’m sad. I want you when I’m happy. I want you all the time, Vedika Thakkar.”
She swallowed, her lips trembling. “I want you all the time too,” she whispered. “I want you like a fever in my blood. I want you like the breath in my lungs. I want you like the pulse of my heart. I want you, settled and unsettled, Daksh Mathur. I have neverwanted someone like I want you. I feel like I will always want you. Always.”
For a long, charged moment, they stared at each other, gazes meshed, bodies trembling with the force of a need neither of them fully understood. It was almost like their blood and bone recognised something that their mind was still grappling with.
“Are you sure?” he asked, huskily, giving her one last chance to back out.
She nodded, her gaze clear and intent on his. “Are you?” she asked. “I bring nothing but trouble Daksh, especially when it comes to your family.”
He smiled slowly, a strange warmth coursing through him. “It’s a good thing that there’s nothing I love more than trouble. And you, Mouse, are the best kind of trouble.”
He picked her up, her legs instinctively going around his waist as her arms wound around his neck. His towel gave up the battle and landed in a heap around his feet. Vedika squeaked as hot, hard flesh prodded at her butt.
Daksh laughed, happiness like he’d never known before flooding him. “Not a micropenis?” he teased.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she giggled, as he laid her gently on the bed, coming down to cover her with his own body, his arms resting on either side of her head, caging her in. “I don’t really have any point of reference.”
Daksh froze. He lifted himself off her, the slightest bit, and looked into her glowing face. She was blushing, a nervous flush tinting her cheeks and he’d never seen a more beautiful sight.His heart spasmed in his chest as he took in the full of import of what she was saying.
“You’ve never done this before?” he asked softly.
She nodded, nervously gnawing at her lower lip, her hopeful yet fearful gaze trained on his face for his reaction.
“Are you turned off?” she asked, her voice low and tense.
“No sweetheart,” he said, bending to kiss her gently. “I’m honoured. Are you really sure you want me to be your first, Vedika?”
She nodded. “I think,” she said, her voice shaking a little, “I think I want you to be my first and only.”
She chose him, he thought dazedly. Nobody had ever chosen him, not like this, not for something so important, sacred even. His hand moved before he consciously decided to touch her. His fingers brushed her cheek, half expecting her to flinch, to move, to break the spell.
She didn’t. If anything, she leaned into him the smallest fraction.
