Page 24 of The Pursuit
“You think I wouldn’t live up to your expectations?” he asked in a low voice.
“It’s not you that I don’t trust. It’s me.” I swallowed.
Krish searched my eyes, nodding slowly as understanding passed between us. Then he ducked his head, bringing his mouth back to mine.
Thanking God that Krish didn’t press for the need to label our present relationship status, my hands roamed the hard planes of his chest as we kissed unhurriedly, ourtongues dancing languidly. I could get lost in his taste, his touch. The outside world ceased to exist; there was only Krish and the exquisite sensations he awakened in me.
Without a delay, Krish lifted me off the floor and made me sit on the cool marble slab at the centre of the kitchen. My robe fell open, and his palms glided over my thighs, tugging the silk fabric up. I arched into him, craving more as he stood between my legs, hands skimming up my thighs, pushing the robe higher. My breath stuttered when his fingers stroked over my inner thighs. I rocked my hips, seeking more friction as delicious pressure built.
Tonight was just the beginning for us. We had crossed a line from work partners to lovers. But there were still so many firsts to share, and I wanted to cherish each one. I clung to him, trusting his lead. Krish’s hands and lips on my body were pure bliss. The last thing I wanted was for this intimate moment between us to end. But the sharp shrill of my phone made me groan in frustration.
Krish reluctantly pulled back as I fished the offending device from my side. Sudesh’s name flashed on the screen.
“You should take it. It could be important,” Krish said, perceptive as always, even with desire still burning in his eyes.
I nodded, clearing my throat before answering. “Sudesh? What’s up?”
“Hey Trisha, sorry to interrupt your time off. I know you’re still recovering, but I could really use your help collating all the intel we have so far on Max and Ron’s operations. Most of it is on your laptop from your earlier work.”
I sighed, knowing this bubble had to burst eventually. “Sure, give me two minutes to get set up, and I’ll meet you online to go over everything.” With a promise to hurry, I ended the call.
Krish gave me a sympathetic smile, no doubt reading the disappointment on my face as duty called us back.
“We knew this was coming sooner or later,” he said reasonably, brushing his fingers over my cheek. “But we have enough time; there’s no rush for us.”
His reassurance warmed me. He was right—we could pick this up again later. Maybe tomorrow. The mission still needed us. I nodded, leaning in for one more kiss before hopping down from the counter’s edge. His hands steadied my waist, keeping me close a moment longer.
“Go be brilliant, like I know you are,” he said with a grin.
I hurried to my room to retrieve the laptop and get set up at the table. My mind was still buzzing from Krish’s touch, but I forced myself to focus. Sudesh needed my help making sense of all the disjointed intel on our targets’ operations.
Soon, I was immersed in sifting through case files, cross-referencing sources, and connecting dots. The analytical part of my brain kicked into high gear. Krish checked on me briefly, dropping a kiss on my hair before returning to his room to attend to his own work.
It was nearly 3:00 a.m. when Sudesh and I finally signed off, a comprehensive report compiled for action. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, but it was a productive session. And Krish was right—we had stolen these intimate moments together at last. There would bemore.
I crawled into bed, thinking of his strong arms around me, his skillful hands awakening my senses. The memories kept my skin flushed and warm despite the late hour. This was just the beginning for us. And for now, I was content to let this bond between us grow at its own pace, undefined.
**************
The harsh ringing of my phone jarred me awake. I fumbled for it, squinting against the bright morning light filtering through the curtains. Sudesh’s name flashed on the screen again.
“Sudesh?” I mumbled, sitting up and raking a hand through my tangled hair. “What time is it?”
“Sorry, Trisha, I know it’s early, but something urgent has come up,” he said briskly. “You’re being summoned to Phoenix HQ right away.”
That got my attention. Our covert ops base—Phoenix Headquarters, in Singapore, was only contacted for the most serious matters.
“What’s going on? Is it about yesterday?”
“Yes. Director Shergill is here—he flew in to take over the operation.”
I sucked in a breath. Ayaan Shergill? I knew he was one of the Directors of GLEN and headed all of GLEN’s field activity from Austria. If he was here, this had just got escalated to the highest levels.
“I’m on my way,” I told Sudesh, urgency flooding mysystem now.
I quickly washed up and got dressed, my mind racing. Stepping out of my room, I found a note from Krish on his neatly made bed. He’d already left for Phoenix HQ himself. Of course, he would be a part of this briefing. He probably hadn’t thought I would be called there, too, considering Krish had benched me for two weeks.
The guards escorted me out to the armoured SUV. At the nondescript building that served as our base, I was whisked through security and into the situation room. Sudesh and the others followed behind me. And just when I was looking for Krish, I saw him entering the room with Director Ayaan Shergill himself.
