My hands trembled as the air grew colder, and fear rooted deep. It was too quiet, just the sharp wind blowing.
My dupatta slipped from my head as I reached the terrace. I clenched my skirt, searching in the dark.
Then, a soft, masculine chuckle broke the silence.
My breath hitched.
“K-Kunwar-sa?” I whispered.
I could barely see anything. The terrace was swallowed in darkness, but then, near the far wall, a flicker of firelight caught my attention. As I stepped closer, my gaze sharpened, and there he was.
Leaning back against the stone wall, relaxed and unmistakably confident, with a slingshot in his hand.
He aimed another shot, and I squeaked softly and shut my eyes on instinct as another flower flew toward me.
“What are you doing here?” I managed to ask.
He lowered his gaze.
“Watching you dance,” he replied with a faint smile playing on his lips.
I frowned in confusion.“How?”
As I stepped closer, I spotted a small golden device in his other hand. He gently drew me nearer and turned me so my back rested against the wall. I felt the cold bricks brush my chest, and the wall was tall, reaching my shoulders, yet on him, it barely crossed his chest.
He raised the device to my eyes.
At first, my vision strained, then slowly adjusted through the glass, and my eyes widened. Below us, Nandani, Princess Aishwarya, and the others were dancing. The figures were faint, slightly blurred, but distinct.
“What is this?” I whispered.
“Something that brings people closer from afar,” he murmured, slipping his arms around my waist.
I inhaled sharply as his warm chest pressed against my back, comforting me in the chilly night air. His palm was rough and warm against my belly, and when he leaned closer, his breath brushed my ear.
“I want to taste you.”
A rippling shiver raced down my spine, and I lowered the device quickly, blinking in fear.
“Here?” I asked, barely finding my voice.
His breath stirred my skin as he hummed softly,“Here.”
I bit my lip.“How?”
Suddenly, he turned me to face him in one swift movement and lifted me by my waist, setting me on the edge of the wall. Fear shot through me as I glanced behind. There was nothing but height and air.
“If I fall from here, I’ll die,” I said, gripping the stone beside me. Though the wall was thick, the wind was strong, and falling meant death.
He only smirked, and before I could react, he lifted my skirt and widened my legs. I tried to close them, but the moment he rested them on his shoulders, I knew I had already lost the game.
My body leaned back instinctively. I tangled my legs around him, terrified of falling. I didn’t want to die.
“Widen your legs,” he breathed against my thigh.
My gaze drifted to the dark sky above me. The stars and the moon felt impossibly close. I tilted my head back, my hair spilling over, my grip tightening over my skirt as his lips met my core.
My breath shattered, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head as I felt his hot breath against my sensitive skin.
