Page 23 of The Pursuit
I couldn’t ignore it anymore—this magnetic pull I felt towards him. In the heat of battle, running on pure adrenaline, my body had acted on its own accord. But the truth was, I had wanted to kiss Krish for a long time. The urge had just been simmering under the surface until it finally boiled over.
Seeing him fight fiercely by my side to take down Daniel had stirred something primal in me. He was the only one I completely trusted to watch my back. Over time, he had become so much more than just my mentor or commanding officer. Krish was the person I relied on the most, someone I couldn’t imagine being without.
As we stood there, time seemed to stand still while a thousand unspoken words passed between us. I knew I had crossed a line, but I didn’t regret it. I was tired of resisting what I felt for this man. His strong, reassuring presence grounded me. His humour made me laugh when all seemed lost. His belief in me gave me strength.
I made my decision then and there to stop running from this connection between us. I didn’t know where it would lead, but I was done pretending it didn’t exist. My handdrifted up to caress his stubbled cheek gently as I gazed at him, heart thudding in my chest.
Just then, we heard the sounds of our team approaching. The charged moment was broken, and we reluctantly drew apart. It was time to get back to business. The battle was won for now, but the war still raged on.
Krish quickly resumed command, instructing the men to check the bodies and prepare to move out. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves as I slipped back into mission mode. What had passed in those frenzied moments would have to wait.
As we made our way back to the safe house, Krish and I didn’t speak of the kiss. But the memory of his lips on mine, his hard body pressed against me, lingered. I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my skin. Things had irrevocably changed between us. What it meant for our partnership going forward remained uncertain.
Yet, as we strategised over plans for our next move, I felt closer to Krish than ever. I trusted him completely, in every way. Together, we would keep fighting until Max and Ron were brought down.
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The hot shower washed away the grime and exhaustion from the day’s events. As the water cascaded over me, my mind replayed it all—the shootout, taking down Daniel and Marco, and that heated kiss with Krish. Just thinking about the feel of his lips on mine made my heart race all over again. I still couldn’t believe I had been so brazen.
After towelling off, I slipped on my robe, my hair still dripping wet. The enticing aroma of stir-fried noodleswafted from the kitchen down the hall. My stomach rumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since early morning.
I followed the savoury scent to find Krish cooking up a late dinner, fully absorbed in his task. The domestic scene made me smile. His hair was also damp from the shower and he wore a soft grey tee that hugged his muscular frame. While keeping one eye on the wok, he spoke seriously into his phone. I caught the tail end of his conversation.
“Don’t worry about that, Sudesh. I’ll brief the directors on everything. Just send me the intel you have on Ron’s movements so far. I’ll need that.”
Of course, he was already planning our next steps, coordinating with the team back in Kuala Lumpur. Krish never stopped strategising, determined to take down Max and Ron for good. It was part of what made him such a skilled agent and leader.
Before he could turn and notice me there, I crept up behind him, sliding my arms around his waist. He tensed in surprise before relaxing into my embrace. I splayed my fingers over his toned stomach, resting my cheek against his strong back. The clean, woodsy scent of his skin enveloped my senses.
Krish quickly wrapped up his call, covering my hand on his waist with his own briefly. When he turned to face me, his gaze travelled over my robe-clad form appreciatively.
“Dinner’s ready,” he murmured, brushing a wet lock of hair from my face. His fingers lingered, cupping my cheekwith a tenderness that made me shiver.
We ate at the small kitchen table, knees occasionally bumping. A new energy hummed between us now. I caught Krish’s heated looks over my glass of wine, no longer hiding his desire. After months of restraint, everything was bubbling to the surface.
I helped Krish clean up, our movements in easy sync. As we finished, he came up behind me at the sink, his hands circling my waist again as his lips found the sensitive spot below my ear. I leaned into him with a sigh, our bodies fitting seamlessly together. No more pretending we were just colleagues. The floodgates were open now.
We had crossed a line today, one that couldn’t be erased. I turned in his embrace, meeting his mouth in a lingering kiss, silently promising more. Krish’s kiss left me breathless, his hands burning trails of fire over my body. When we finally broke for air, he rested his forehead against mine.
“I was worried you’d retreat behind your walls again, pretend the kiss never happened,” he admitted.
I caressed his stubbled jaw. “I’m done hiding how I feel, at least from you.”
We both knew I’d still have to keep it under wraps from the outside world. But with Krish, I could finally stop holding back.
He captured my mouth again, kissing me deeply. My fingers threaded through his dark locks, pulling him closer. His hands roamed my back, tracing each contour as our tongues tangled. Every nerve ending was alive, my skin hyper sensitive everywhere he touched. His lipstraced a heated path down my neck that had me gasping.
“Krish...” His name escaped as a moan.
He pulled back, his eyes dark with desire yet unsure. “What are we to each other now, Trisha?” His voice was rough.
I shook my head, tracing his sculpted lips with my fingers. “Let’s not define this. I just know I want to be with you.”
He looked puzzled by my reply.
“Naming it would mean expectations, boundaries that I am not yet ready to explore. What we share is special, Krish. But I also value the freedom and flexibility we have without the constraints of a defined relationship status.”
I met his gaze, hoping he understood the depth of my feelings. “We have a long way to go, and I believe that journey will unfold naturally. We don’t need to rush into labelling what we have. Right now, I’m content with the beautiful bubble we’ve created together, where we can simply be ourselves without any pressure or expectations.”
