Page 54 of Fixation

She looked into his face. He was powerful enough to ensure that. However, she had her own self-respect.

“Thank you for saying that, but I cannot have my colleagues disrespecting me because they think I slept with you.”

“No one…”

She shook her head, stopping him. “Please, I know you’re trying to help. But for now, you need to let this go.”

He gave her a terse nod. She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek before she left the room.

Only when she was safely tucked away in her own room did she realize the enormity of what she’d done. Fuck. What had happened to taking it slow? A smile spread on her face. Taking the leap had been worth it, though. Vedant had been wonderful. He had made her feel special and cherished. Her first time had been absolutely perfect, thanks to him. Oh God, she had to talk to her sisters. She wanted to tell them the huge step she had taken.

She checked the time. It was five in the morning in the UK, which meant it must be around eight thirty in the morning in Dubai. She ran to her cupboard and pulled out her phone. There were a few messages from Navya.

Oh my God, it just dawned on me that Vedant must be that difficult patient you’ve been talking about.

Her heart thudded. How quickly things had changed. Everything had progressed so fast. Even thinking of what she had done with Vedant just now made her skin heat. She read the remainder of her sister’s texts.

Do you need me to tell Armaan to talk to him?

You didn’t call me. I was waiting.

Please take care, Rei. I don’t want you to get hurt ever.

Why would she get hurt? It was not like her heart was involved with Vedant. Was it? Of course not.

Exhaling, she typed a messaged to Navya.

Things have changed. I slept with him, and it was...

She deleted the text.

Oh God. What was she thinking. This was no regular man she’d slept with. It was Vedant Oshnov. His middle brother was in love with Navya, while his elder brother had a bad history with Ananya.

She couldn’t confide in her sisters. They’d be shocked and appalled most likely. Both the girls were so damn protective of her. Ananya would go on a rampage when she heard that Mihir had held her hostage in his house. She’d never keep quiet. She’d tell Rajiv, and only God knew what her brother would do. Rajiv would never let this go. And Navya—she’d get into a fight with Armaan because she’d assume his brother seduced Reina. Navya and Armaan had just gotten together. She didn’t want anything marring her sister’s happiness.

And right now, she didn’t want their judgement on her evolving relationship with Vedant. Her siblings wouldn’t understand this desperate craving she had when Vedant was near her. Even when he was away, she was always thinking of him. She didn’t know where her situation with him was going. She ought to figure that out before involving her family.

She sent two messages to Navya.

I can manage my patient. Please don’t get Armaan involved.

I’ll call you soon. Love you, sis. Miss you.

She lay down on her bed, thinking through everything. Thanks to the misdeeds of their biological father, Navya and she had never trusted men easily. Despite that, Navya had dated a few men before she’d fallen in love with Armaan. But Reina had never even felt inclined to put her time into a casual date, not wanting the imminent heartbreak to impact her life, and thus, her career.

All that had changed with Vedant. He’d swept into her life like a storm, reshaping her thoughts and destroying her old beliefs. He was a force in himself, and she had to tread carefully with him, for however long she was with him.

She’d take it one step at a time and see how it went. It was safer for her that way.

18

Three mornings later, Reina sipped her coffee as she walked to the lounge—the common meeting place for her team. There was a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. Come to think of it, she’d been smiling nonstop.

Ever since their first evening together in his suite, Vedant had insisted on her having dinner with him daily. She had to only step into his room, and he was on her. They’d made love against the wall, on the rug in front of the fireplace, even against the shower stall and on his bed—pretty much on any surface he could find. And she had loved every minute of it. This attraction between them was growing by leaps and bounds, and she wasn’t able to slow it down nor did she want to stop it. The idea of taking it one step at a time had completely failed. She was running headlong into an affair with him, and she didn’t regret it one bit.

Vedant was warm, caring, and so much fun to be with. When they weren’t making love, he told her stories from his childhood, his hopes and dreams, and she listened to him enraptured. At other times, they’d continue their Modern Family marathon. They were nearly at the end of season one now. Every night, heinsisted she spend the night with him, but so far, she’d stuck to her resolve and left late in the night or early in the morning. But even that was becoming so difficult, because she truly wanted to spend all her time with him. Vedant was becoming too damn important to her, and it scared her and excited her at the same time.

He was the first man who was affecting her so deeply on an emotional level. Perhaps, it was stupid to feel so much for the first man she’d slept with, but trust didn’t come easily to her, and she trusted him. Prior to him, she’d never allowed any man to get close to her, so much so as to be comfortable around him. But with Vedant, it was so easy, especially when he looked at her like she meant the world to him. So many times, when they’d been watching TV, she’d turn to find him watching her instead. His intense, deep eyes had been on her, making her breath hitch and her heart beat harder.

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