LEWIS'S POV
She was breathing fast. Her chest rose and fell in a rhythm that betrayed the calm she was trying to fake. I could see the conflict in her eyes.
The war between her mind and her body, I knew which one was winning.
I let my fingers skim the counter beside her, slow and deliberate.
"Answer me Priynka"
Priynka swallowed, her throat bobbing.
I tilted my head back, studying her.
Her lips parted slightly, her breath uneven. For a second, she didn't move.
She lifted her chin, those sharp, defiant eyes clashing with mine. "Move, Lewis"
I chuckled, slow and deep, tilting my head as I leaned in just enough to feel her breath against my skin. "Make me"
She sucked in a breath.
She ducked beneath my arm, making a move to escape.
I caught her wrist, spinning her back against the counter. Her hands came up, pressing against my chest, but I didn't let go.
Her eyes flashed with anger, fear or desire?
"Let go, Lewis" she whispered.
I leaned in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "Say please"
She shuddered. Her nails bit into my shirt, not pushing me away.
"You think you have me figured out," she breathed, tilting her chin defiantly. "You don't"
"I think I do"
I murmured, dragging the backs of my fingers down her arm, feeling the goosebumps rise beneath my touch.
Her breath hitched. She hated this, hated how easily I unraveled her.
"You don't scare me" she said, voice barely a whisper now.
I grinned. "Liar"
I could feel her pulse racing against my fingertips. I could hear her sharp intake of breath, see the way she swayed slightly toward me despite herself.
Then, as if snapping out of a trance, she yanked her wrist free.
"Go to hell, Lewis" she spat, grabbing the water bottle from the counter and storming out.
I chuckled, running a hand through my hair as I watched her leave.
I watched her storm off, her hips swaying with each angry step.
I shouldn't have let her go. I should've enjoyed the chase, let her have her little moment of defiance.
But I wasn't feeling patient tonight.
My footsteps were silent as I followed her into the dimly lit hallway. She was moving fast, her fingers clenched around the bottle of water like it was the only thing grounding her.
"Running again, Priynka?" I taunted.
She spun around so fast she nearly crashed into me.
"What the hell is your problem?" she snapped, her chest still rising and falling from the tension of the kitchen.
I smirked, stepping closer. "You"
"You're impossible"
I caged her in before she could bolt again, my palms pressing against the wall on either side of her. I could see it again..that flicker in her eyes. The war inside her.
I leaned in, inhaling her scent. She always smells like lavender and vanilla, something uniquely her.
"You pretend you hate this. Pretend you hate me. But your body tells a different story."
She swallowed, her fingers twitching at her sides. "You're delusional"
Slowly, deliberately, I trailed a finger along her jaw, down the curve of her neck. Her pulse was hammering against her skin.
"If I touched you right now" I whispered, "would I find you trembling?"
She sucked in a breath, and it was all the confirmation I needed.
I lifted my gaze, watching as she struggled to hold onto the last shreds of her resistance.
"You want me to stop?" I asked, my lips now a breath away from hers. "Say the word, Priynka"
Her fingers curled into fists.
I let the silence stretch between us, thick and heavy, before stepping back just slightly, just enough to make her feel the loss.
I smirked. "That's what I thought"
She let out a shaky breath, her fists still clenched.
Then, with a glare that barely masked the need simmering in her eyes, she shoved past me and marched up the stairs.
I woke up to the soft golden rays of the sun filtering through the tall glass windows, but it wasn't the sunlight that stirred me..it was the lingering heat of a dream that had me on edge.
A dream where Priynka was beneath me, her body trembling, her lips parting just enough for me to claim them. My fingers twitched against the sheets, frustration rolling through me as reality set in.
Damn her.
I exhaled sharply, running a hand down my face before pulling myself out of bed. I had no business feeling this way. No damn business letting a woman seep into my mind so deeply that I woke up hard and aching for her.
I moved through my morning routine, pushing her out of my thoughts. The gym. The shower. The way the warm water cascaded over my skin, washing away the remnants of that dream, but not the need coiling tightly in my gut.
I let the water run hotter, hoping the sting would dull the hunger building inside me.
It didn't.
I stepped out, drying my silk brown hair with a towel before running my fingers through it, letting it fall into its usual style.
My reflection stared back at me in the mirror.
I pulled out a coffee-brown suit set from the closet, adjusting the sleeves as I slipped into the tailored fabric.
The wristwatch clicked into place on my wrist, the cool metal a reminder of control.
As I headed for the stairs hesitation pulled back. Her room.
I stood mere meters away, debating. Checking on her wasn't necessary.
I decided against it.
As I stepped into the living room I heard the clattering in the kitchen. Priynka.
I moved closer
I didn't rush. Instead, I lingered in the shadows, watching as she moved with effortless grace, her delicate hands placing a tray of food on the dining table.
Then she turned and fuck, she was breathtaking.
A cream skirt hugged her curves, paired with a black blouse that teased more than it revealed.
Her hair was half loosely plaited, framing a face that held no trace of the woman I first met.
"Good morning, sir. Breakfast" she said. Her voice steady, her eyes refusing to meet mine.
I sat down as she placed the tray before me. Coffee, toasted bread and a bowl of neatly chopped apples.
She sat across from me.
I forced myself to pick up the cup of coffee, taking a slow sip while my gaze remained on her. She was focused on her plate, completely unaware of the effect she had on me.
Damn it.
I took another sip of my coffee, but it did nothing to ease the tightness in my chest.
"You're staring," she suddenly said, not looking up.
Her confidence was dangerous. It made me want to push her, test her, see just how much she could take.
I was losing it.
I grabbed my suit jacket from the chair and checked my watch.
"We leave in ten minutes," I said, my voice coming out more strained than I intended.
Priynka Wald was more than just another woman I was trying to get in my bed.
She was dangerous to me in a way I wasn't willing to accept