Page 38 of Fixation

That was once he could actually keep his eyes open for long.

12

Oh, she was addicted to these romance novels Su Min had suggested, and this fantasy romance in particular was amazing. Two days later, Reina entered the Oshnovs’ indoor swimming pool area, her eyes glued on the novel in her hand. She stepped out of her slippers and shrugged out of her robe, unable to put the book down. The world needed more men like those found in these romance novels. She smiled. These fictional men were all so mmm.

“Hello,moya prekrasnaya.”

The book fell out of her hand as she whirled. Her eyes rounded as she found Vedant Oshnov watching her from inside the pool. Fuck. It was barely seven in the morning. She’d left him asleep in his room just an hour ago, and now here he was, his hot gaze fixed on her.

His eyes slowly coasted over her bikini clad body. His gaze felt like a hot caress as it started from her head, going down her face, down her bare chest, covered only by two triangles of cloth, lower down her navel and to that part of her, which was covered by another triangle of cloth. The Oshnovs’ pool restroom was well stocked with brand new swimsuits, and she’d found thisorange bikini there. She’d never felt shy wearing a bikini before, but now, with him, she could feel the goosebumps spreading over her skin. She could feel her temperature soaring and her heart spasming. She’d avoided him for two whole days after their kiss, timing herself so she took the shifts when he was sleeping, just so that she had limited contact with him.

As per her instructions, her team was helping him with his physiotherapy, and he had been walking more and for longer duration as well. In fact, last night, she’d instructed Su Min to disconnect all the screens and wires connected to him and to remove the IV as well. He was getting stronger with each day, and she knew she couldn’t have avoided him forever, just that she hadn’t expected him to be at the pool, this morning.

She finally forced her lips to move. “What are you doing here?”

He smirked. “Waiting for you.”

“What?” She looked beyond and around him. “Why is Stefan not with you? He shouldn’t be leaving you alone!”

“You’ve been avoiding me, beautiful. Our deal was that you’d spend maximum time with me.”

“I have spent maximum time with you.”

“When I am sleeping. That counts as cheating.”

Of course, she’d been avoiding him. She’d behaved wild and brash with him when she’d kissed him as she had. Even now, her lips tingled each time she remembered the pressure of his mouth on hers. Her hands warmed, remembering the feel of his skin under hers. She had never been kissed before, and now she’d had her first kiss… and it had been with him.

He shifted, and her gaze traced over his hard chest, his broad shoulders, that tantalising tattoo on his arm, his harder abs… Fuck, what was wrong with her? This was exactly why she’d been avoiding him. But now here he was, and once again, she was losing control of her eyes, her mind, and her body. Bloody hell.

He quirked a brow and a corner of his lips tipped as if he knew exactly what she’d been thinking of.

She shook her head, refusing to answer his question and asked instead. “Where is Stefan?”

“Since you have been avoiding me, I did a little digging of my own and found out that you like to swim early in the mornings. So, after I woke up, I told Stefan that I wanted to start with the water therapy you prescribed for me. And since you anyway come for a swim, I told him that you wouldn’t mind taking over and helping me.”

Oh God. Now what was she to reply to that?! She studied him again. He was standing inside the pool. Dressed only in a pair of red swim shorts, his entire body on display for her, he was a mistake waiting to happen. After their kiss, she couldn’t deny she was attracted to him and that her body had a mind of its own when it came to him. She ought to return inside and send Stefan to assist him.

His lips quirked. “Are you going to enter the pool or run away like you so want to?”

Her jaw lifted. “Why would I run away?”

“Because you’re too damn scared of this attraction between us.”

“It was just one kiss,” she said. “It doesn’t prove that I am attracted to you.”

“It doesn’t?”

“Not in the least. You and I have been confined here for far too long. We were suddenly too close to one another, and it happened. I wasn’t even thinking of you. I was thinking of someone else.”

His eyes hardened. “Say that again?”

She shrugged. “You heard me.”

Her heart was running away.Keep calm. She had to stay calm. She refused to show him how he affected her—how onlyheaffected her. And she had to end whatever this was that was evolving between them, heating her up and making her behave differently.

“Fine then,” he said. “Since you’ve clarified that, I suppose you shouldn’t have a problem in doing water physio with me today.”

Her heart lurched. Damn this man for challenging her always. She removed her glasses and put them on the table. Unwinding her hair, she tied it once again into a top knot before entering the pool. His hot eyes never left her for even a second as she made her way towards him.

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